Schussler Creative Announces The BOATHOUSE: Great Food, Waterfront Dining, Dream Boats: New Concept to Join the Exciting Waterfront Dining, Shopping and Entertainment Mix of Disney Springs

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., October 27, 2014 – Schussler Creative, specialists in the creation and consultation of attractions, restaurants, retail stores and entertainment venues worldwide, today announced their latest project: The BOATHOUSE: Great Food, Waterfront Dining, Dream Boats – located at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Schussler Creative also is the creator of other restaurant/retail attractions at Walt Disney World Resort including Rainforest Cafe and T-REX™ Cafe (located at Downtown Disney®), and Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti™ (located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® theme park).

Opening Spring 2015 as one of the new venues in The Landing at Disney Springs – a re-imagined and exciting district of entertainment, dining and shopping — The BOATHOUSE will be an upscale, waterfront dining experience featuring spectacular floating artwork: dream boats from the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s.

The incredible culinary experience of The BOATHOUSE will be showcased in an expansive restaurant with three distinctive bars including The Captain’s Raw Bar, The Admiral’s Club Bar and The Dock Bar, which is built over the water. Other spectacular nautically-themed rooms include The Runabout, Twin Transoms, and The Lake House. There will also be two private dining rooms for special events, conventions and presentations: The Regatta and The Trophy Room. The BOATHOUSE restaurant will be managed by internationally renowned and award-winning Gibsons Restaurant Group, celebrated for exceptional food and extraordinary service (recently named Best Steak House in Chicago). Guests will enjoy a gourmet menu served daily until 2 a.m. featuring steaks, chops, fresh seafood and a raw bar.

The BOATHOUSE restaurant will immerse guests both on land and on water with live music and romantic Captain’s guided tours aboard The Venezia, a beautifully crafted 40-foot wooden Italian Water Taxi featuring champagne toasts and chocolate-covered strawberries. There also will be the exhilaration of guided Amphicar rides that launch from land, entering the water with a splash, taking guests on a 20-minute tour of the landmarks of Disney Springs.

The Harbor Master will orchestrate daily flag ceremonies, accompanied by a lively musical performance of beloved bugle songs, performed aboard a classic 1800’s antique steam boat.

Authentic nautical items, custom engraved paddles, distinctive lake-themed merchandise, and other unique items “Made on Earth™” will be available at The Ship’s Store, adjacent to The BOATHOUSE restaurant.

“Combining dining with interactive entertainment, The BOATHOUSE helps bring to life our vision of Disney Springs as a welcoming place for guests of all ages to enjoy with their friends and family amid the charm of a waterfront town center,” said George A. Kalogridis, president, Walt Disney World Resort.

“We are very excited that The BOATHOUSE is joining the Walt Disney World family at Disney Springs,” said creator Steven Schussler. “We are proud to bring the culinary expertise and impeccable service of Gibsons Restaurant Group to The BOATHOUSE. The outstanding cuisine, the excitement of Amphicars, the Italian Water Taxi, and live music will make The BOATHOUSE a must-see destination for Walt Disney World guests from all around the world. Walt Disney Imagineering has created a wonderful, interactive, culinary and entertainment experience at Disney Springs. We are proud to be part of this magical experience.”

For dining reservations and more information about The BOATHOUSE, guests will be able to visit Disneyworld.com in the future.

About Schussler Creative
Schussler Creative (Inventions, Ideas, Contraptions, and Dreams™), based in Minneapolis, MN, specializes in the research, development and implementation of interactive theatrical environments for attractions, restaurants, and retail stores worldwide. Steven Schussler, founder and CEO, the World’s Premier Branding Expert™, is a national best-selling author, motivational speaker and creator of international brands known worldwide including: Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex, Yak & Yeti, Hot Dog Hall of Fame, Juke Box Saturday Night, Green Acres Event Center, Galaxy Drive-In and many more. For complete information, visit www.schusslercreative.com and www.theboathouseorlando.com.

About Gibsons Restaurant Group
Gibsons Restaurant Group includes four restaurant concepts (Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, LUXBAR, and Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar) with eight total locations in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse has been a Chicago icon since partners Steve Lombardo and Hugo Ralli opened its doors 25 years ago in May of 1989. The classic American steakhouse, with Corporate Executive Chef Randy Waidner at the helm, features USDA Gibsons Prime Angus beef, fresh fish, classic cocktails, an extensive wine list and uncompromising service. Gibsons Restaurant Group is the only restaurant group in the country to feature its own USDA certification. USDA Gibsons Prime Angus beef is breed specific and raised on sustainable farms in the Upper Midwest. Gibsons Restaurant Group endeavors to be good stewards of our lakes and oceans, serving fresh line caught fish when possible. For more information, visit www.grgmc.com.

About Disney Springs
Representing the largest expansion in Downtown Disney history, Disney Springs will be a one-of-a-kind Disney experience, treating guests by day and night to great dining, shopping and entertainment amid beautiful open-air promenades, flowing springs and waterfront charm. With an air of sophisticated grace and design that harkens to Florida’s waterfront towns at the turn-of-the-century, Disney Springs will be home to four distinct, outdoor neighborhoods opening in phases: The Landing, Town Center, Marketplace and West Side. The Landing, as the first of the four neighborhoods and home to unique and memorable dining experiences including The BOATHOUSE, is scheduled to open in spring 2015.When fully completed in 2016, Disney Springs will double the number of shopping, dining and entertainment venues – from the current 70 to approximately 150.

Disney Springs is part of Walt Disney World Resort, the number one family vacation destination in the world, located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.