??Anglophile DM/ Rose & Crown

[ashleypmo]

My DM will be coming to WDW with our crew May 2008. She is a complete Anglophile--loves everything British (well, everything dignified & British. She never quite cared for my Def Leppard collection....but I digress)--BBC sitcoms, Crabtree & Evelyn lotions etc, you get my drift. I was thinking it would be fun to take her to the Rose & Crown for dinner. Now, originally I wasn't planning on any TS ressies, because for a crew of 7 that's a lot of dough to drop, and I am so freakin' out on making ADPs when I don't even know yet which park we'll be in when. Also, I've been to London twice (w/out DM), and I don't recall the food being the main attraction.

So, tell me, is the Rose & Crown worth the $$, or should I just let DM soak up the British Experience from walking around England in the World Showcase?

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I would take your DM to the R&C. We eat here on every trip and love it. I'm sure your DM will love it to. All the servers are from the UK so she will love that. If it's a nice day/evening try and get a table outside by the water.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would definitely take her to the entire UK pavilion, you will find they talk English (not American). Here is their dinner menu for adults as well as the children's menu. Thge prices are no worse than any other of the table service restaurants.

And if the weather is decent you can sit outside and watch the world go by.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

My daughter just returned from London where she lived for three years... she likes the Rose and Crown.. The last time we went, just husband and I, we had the fish and chips for lunch, it was delightful, we sat outside, it could not have been more perfect.. Do try it...(ps, I consider myself an Anglophile too, PBS, Masterpiece Theatre, anything Victorian, love it)

 

[BCV23]

I think she'l love it too. The CMs at R&C are just delightful.

But I also would try very hard to get her to afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian.

 

[goldilocks_63]

Second vote for afternoon tea at the GF....

But this books up fast, so have to make advanced reservations.....


Goldi

 

[kandmwedding]

Take her! My DH is British and the R&C is his favorite (I should say favourite) place to eat. I'd actually opt for lunch over dinner. You're not likely to get a table for that size group that will let you see Illuminations (if you're interested in that) and the menu is less expensive at lunchtime. Plus, I just plain like the lunch offerings better!

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

we never miss achance to eat at R&C. great comfort food and IMHO one of the best bargains for TS in disney.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I *love* R and C!

You must recommend the Sticky Toffee Pudding to her, too!

I have eaten there 3 times and the offerings are pretty delicious - Guinness Beef Stew and Potato and Leek soup are two of my favorites.

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

I don't find the R&C very British, more a take on what Disney thinks we are like it lacks a proper roast beef dinner and a good cup of tea.
Afternoon tea at the GF would be great much more like home.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I am confused here, is your Mom from England or just an anglophile??

If she is from England, I am not sure how the experience of Disney's England compares to the real thing. Maybe some of our Brit posters can weigh in here as well.

I was a bit disappointed with the tea at the Grand Floridian, maybe since I had the real thing at Claridge's in London (http://www.claridges.co.uk/Restaurants_and_bars/Restaurants/afternoon_tea-CLARIDGES/)...that is what high tea should be, but Disney does make an attempt at the high tea thing and do a decent job, just not up to what high tea in England is. JMO

Also...not sure if you have heard of Raglan Road.. it is an Irish restaurant/pub with entertainment at night in DTD.. we loved it there as well..

 

[jonkatony]

We are English and liked the R & C, the food is 'pub grub' and the inside looks like pubs in England. What is with the costumes though?
All the areas around the U.K. are realistic in a disney way.
Try the sweets (candy).

 

[wen-tom]

We havent actually eaten at the R&C but the atmosphere was great.

we had to sit there while it rained outside and it was just like being in the UK apart from the crazy CM Costumes. We dont dress like that these days

It is very much what disney thinks is british but it is great all the same.

We really loved Raglan road at DTD aswell. Irish rather than British but the food was lovely and the live music after diner was great

 

[BCV23]

I don't find the R&C very British, more a take on what Disney thinks we are like it lacks a proper roast beef dinner and a good cup of tea.
Afternoon tea at the GF would be great much more like home.

For years R&C did serve prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. My family still misses that.

MackeyMouse, I do think it's personal taste. My husband and daughter had tea (don't think it's actually called high tea though) in London over Thanksgiving 2006 and then about 6 weeks later our whole family enjoyed a private tea at the GF but with the same things served in Gardenview. My husband much preferred the GF's offerings.

I agree that lunch at R&C can be a great way to enjoy it. It's lovely sitting out on the terrace midday.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

"I was a bit disappointed with the tea at the Grand Floridian, maybe since I had the real thing at Claridge's in London (http://www.claridges.co.uk/Restauran...IDGES/)...that is what high tea should be, but Disney does make an attempt at the high tea thing and do a decent job, just not up to what high tea in England is. JMO"

I agree it is personal opinion hence my abbreviation for Just my Opinion at the end of my critique of Grand Flordian Tea.....Also, probably since I had tea there when it first opened and recently did it again and noticed lots of changes in service, attitude and quality... so I might be a bit jaded. But then again, this is just my opinion...

 

[BCV23]

Mackey, I was agreeing with you when I said "I do think it is..."

You know when my DD and I had tea at the GF a couple of years ago, I wasn't pleased with our service either. But I did notice that it was just our server. And the server we had for our private tea was absolutely wonderful...Dottie I think.

So I'm sure like any other WDW restaurant, there can be an off day for service...or for a particular server anyway.

But for the OP's MIL, I do think the GF Tea would be fun. Maybe a mother/daughter treat.

 

[apostolic4life]

We never miss R&C for a great dinner when we are at Epcot.

Afternoon tea at the GF is a wonderful experience and should be added to your agenda. Afternoon tea is the proper term for the everyday tea enjoyed by many in England.

As for high tea, it is often misunderstood. Many consider high tea to be something elegant with a very feminine slant, but high tea is actually a reference to the meal poor or working class people had when they arrived home from work. Here is some info from a web site addressing what high tea actually is:

High tea

High Tea (also known as Meat Tea) is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening. It would be eaten as a substitute for both afternoon tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the ‘high’ (main) table, instead of the smaller lounge table. It is now largely replaced by a later evening meal.
It would usually consist of cold meats, eggs and/or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tends to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, biscuits, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal.
On farms or other working class environments, high tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by the workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal.
In recent years, High Tea somehow became a word for exquisite afternoon tea.