Dining at Walt Disney World can get expensive quickly, especially when you start looking beyond quick-service meals and traditional theme park snacks. At some of the resort’s more upscale restaurants, even stopping in for dessert can become a fairly expensive addition to the day.Now, one of the most talked-about restaurants at Disney World is introducing something that could make visiting a little easier on the wallet.Credit: DisneyThe Cake Bake Shop Restaurant by Gwendolyn Rogers at Disney’s BoardWalk is launching a brand-new happy hour, giving guests a different way to experience the popular restaurant without necessarily sitting down for a complete meal.The new offering begins Monday, September 14, and it won’t be limited to drinks. Guests can expect cocktails, wine, small bites, and even a specialty Cake Bake Cake Shake.For Disney World visitors who have been curious about The Cake Bake Shop but haven’t been ready to commit to its regular prices, this new afternoon offering could be worth checking out.A New Way to Experience The Cake Bake ShopThe Cake Bake Shop has attracted plenty of attention since arriving at Disney’s BoardWalk.Located along Crescent Lake, the restaurant combines a full-service dining experience with an elaborate bakery known for cakes, desserts, drinks, and other treats. The restaurant’s upscale atmosphere also helps it stand apart from many of the more casual dining locations found around Walt Disney World.Of course, that experience comes with a price.Some desserts at The Cake Bake Shop cost around $22, meaning a simple stop for something sweet can cost considerably more than grabbing a traditional Disney snack.For families already spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a Disney World vacation, those prices can make The Cake Bake Shop difficult to fit into the budget.That’s part of what makes the arrival of happy hour so interesting.Instead of sitting down for a full lunch or dinner, guests will soon have another way to check out the restaurant.The Cake Bake Shop’s new happy hour officially begins Monday, September 14. It will take place Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.There is one important restriction, though.Happy hour won’t be available throughout the entire restaurant. Guests will need to visit the bar or bar lounge to take advantage of the special menu.That could actually make the experience feel more casual for visitors who simply want to stop by for an afternoon drink or snack.What’s Coming to the Happy Hour Menu?The complete happy hour menu hasn’t been released yet, so there are still some unanswered questions about exactly what guests will be able to order.However, The Cake Bake Shop has already revealed enough to give us an idea of what to expect.The new menu will feature a selection of signature cocktails, wines, small bites, and a specialty Cake Bake Cake Shake.A preview of the upcoming happy hour also shows several foods and drinks that could give guests an idea of what the experience will look like. The preview includes French fries, hamburger sliders, wine, and several cocktails.Credit: DisneyThat combination could make happy hour work for several different types of Disney World visitors.Some guests may use it as a chance to grab cocktails before heading somewhere else for dinner. Others could turn the small bites into an afternoon snack after spending several hours inside EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.Then there’s the Cake Bake Cake Shake.Considering how much of The Cake Bake Shop’s identity revolves around cakes, sweets, and elaborate desserts, adding a specialty shake makes sense. It also gives guests who aren’t interested in cocktails or wine something different to try.The biggest question remaining is price.The Cake Bake Shop hasn’t announced exactly how much its happy hour food and drinks will cost.That information will be particularly important considering the restaurant’s regular pricing. A happy hour could potentially give visitors a less expensive way to experience the location, but we won’t know exactly how much guests can save until the complete menu arrives.The Three-Hour Window Could Work Well for Disney GuestsThe timing of the new happy hour is also interesting.Rather than overlapping directly with traditional lunch or dinner hours, The Cake Bake Shop is running the offering from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.That gives guests a three-hour window during the middle of the afternoon.For people spending an entire day around Walt Disney World, that could be fairly easy to work into existing plans.Credit: Scott Smith, FlickrSomeone visiting EPCOT, for example, could leave the park during the afternoon and head toward Disney’s BoardWalk for a break. Instead of returning immediately to a hotel room, guests could stop at The Cake Bake Shop for a drink and small bite before continuing their day.The same idea could work for visitors spending the morning at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.Guests staying at one of the resorts around Crescent Lake will have an even easier time taking advantage of the offering because they’re already close to Disney’s BoardWalk.There is one scheduling limitation worth remembering.The happy hour is only available Monday through Thursday.Under the currently announced schedule, guests visiting on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday won’t be able to take advantage of it.Anyone particularly interested in trying the new menu may want to keep that in mind when deciding which day to visit Disney’s BoardWalk.A More Casual Introduction to The Cake Bake ShopOne of the biggest advantages of this new offering may have less to do with a specific menu item and more to do with how guests can approach the restaurant.The Cake Bake Shop can feel like a destination dining experience.Its atmosphere, desserts, and full-service restaurant make it the kind of place some guests specifically plan into their vacation rather than simply stumbling across during the day.Happy hour could change that.Instead of planning an entire meal around the restaurant, guests can potentially walk into the bar or lounge, order something small, and get a taste of the experience.Credit: Chad Sparkes, FlickrThat could be particularly appealing for couples, adults visiting Disney World without children, locals stopping by the resort, or anyone planning an afternoon around the BoardWalk.It could also work well for groups that don’t necessarily want another large meal.After all, Disney vacations can involve a lot of food.Between breakfast reservations, theme park snacks, festival booths, lunch, dinner, and desserts, it doesn’t take long before another full restaurant meal feels like too much.A couple of smaller bites and drinks could provide an alternative.Disney’s BoardWalk Gets Another Afternoon OptionThe location also makes the new happy hour worth watching.Disney’s BoardWalk doesn’t require theme park admission, which means guests don’t need to use a park ticket simply to visit The Cake Bake Shop.That makes the area useful on resort days, arrival days, or afternoons when guests want to spend some time outside the theme parks.The BoardWalk also sits between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, making it a convenient destination for guests already visiting that part of Walt Disney World.The addition of a weekday happy hour gives visitors another reason to spend time there during the afternoon.Rather than The Cake Bake Shop functioning primarily as a lunch, dinner, or dessert destination, the restaurant can now attract guests during those quieter hours between the traditional meal periods.And with happy hour lasting three hours, visitors have some flexibility.There’s no need to arrive exactly at 2 p.m. Guests have until 5 p.m. to make their way over to the restaurant and order from the special menu.What Guests Need to Know Before September 14There are a few important details to remember before the new happy hour begins.The Cake Bake Shop launches the offering on Monday, September 14. Happy hour will run Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and will only be available in the bar and bar lounge.Guests can expect signature cocktails, wine, small bites, and the specialty Cake Bake Cake Shake.The complete menu and prices have not been announced yet.Those missing prices could ultimately determine how attractive the new offering becomes, especially for guests hoping happy hour will provide a more affordable way to visit the restaurant.Credit: Joe Penniston, FlickrStill, the concept gives Disney World visitors something they didn’t previously have.The Cake Bake Shop has become known for an upscale atmosphere and desserts that can reach around $22. Not every visitor wants to commit the time or money required for a traditional meal there.Beginning September 14, they won’t necessarily have to.Guests can head over during the afternoon, grab a seat at the bar or lounge, order a cocktail or glass of wine, share a few small bites, or try the specialty Cake Bake Cake Shake.For anyone who has walked past The Cake Bake Shop and wondered whether it was worth trying, happy hour could provide the perfect excuse to finally step inside.The post Disney World Introduces New 3-Hour Happy Hour at Popular BoardWalk Restaurant appeared first on Inside the Magic.