slk537
<font color=red>Sigh...other than WDW, if I could
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
I have wanted to post this review ever since our trip, but somehow just never got around to putting it all down on paper
Several months before our trip last May, I was reading the DIS boards (shocker!) and I read a detailed account of one DISers private dining experience. I read it to DH, because we just love hearing unique things other people do on vacation. We are DVC members and go down frequently, so we enjoy trying new things outside the typical trip. When I finished reading, I moved on to other plans. DH, on the other hand, kept the story in the back of his mind.
Fast forward a month to my birthday at the end of February. It was a lovely day, but nothing from DH (which isnt the norm). We went out to dinner with DS and Ddad and still nothing more than a happy birthday from DH. Once home, he finally told me my present: he was in the midst of planning a romantic evening on our May WDW trip.
Well that definitely works for me!!
Our evening begins with DH and I taking DS over to the Grand Poobah of all Kid;s Clubs: The Polysesian Neverland Club. We were staying at the Poly at this point and would be next door at the Grand Floridian so it was the perfect place. DS has been counting the days until he could go to the NC, so he was excited. It was good all around.
DH and I took the monorail to the GF and once there headed down to sit near the piano in the lobby where we were to meet our private butler. I had asked DH if we needed to dress up, and he had responded thats up to us. I loved it we were going to have a romantic evening, but not in an upscale restaurant with other patrons, so we were in control of how formal the night would be. We decided we wanted to be vacation comfortable, but not theme park casual. DH wore a nice polo shirt and jeans and I wore a denim skirt and floral chiffon shawl over a camisole top. This is relevant, I promise
So we sat down near the piano and DH nudges me and points to a couple also seated near the piano. He says, Ill bet the butler will think theyre us. I looked over and saw the couple very nice looking and dressed up, probably in their late forties. Then I looked at us, in our casual Friday wear, early thirties. The other couple looked ready for V&As DH and I looked a teeny bit dressed up for 1900 Park Fare. Sure enough, we saw a gentleman in a tuxedo walk in, carrying a long stemmed red rose. He makes a beeline to the other couple. DH and I watched, amused, as they shook their heads no to his question. The gentleman turned, looked around, and saw us. He smiled and walked over and confirmed that we were indeed his couple. He gave me the rose and we followed him out to the marina, with him chatting all the way.
They had a set out a table for two on the corner, right across from where the boats are docked. For anyone who has had their children go on the pirate cruise look across the marina, all the way down to the end. That is where we sat. We had an excellent view of the castle, monorail, Seven Seas Lagoon. It was perfect! The table was set with a white tablecloth, a long stemmed ivory rose, a candle in a crystal stem with a satin lampshade and scattered with red rose petals. Our butler had already set the table with rolls, butter, and salads. He also had our bubbly on ice: diet and regular coke. (what can I say were very cosmopolitan people, you know !
)
Our table:
As our butler set out the dressings for the salad and poured our drinks and throughout the evening, he kept up a fun conversation talking about all the different private dining events he had done in his tenure at WDW, stories about when Saudi Arabian royalty have stayed at the GF for three months, different celebrities who have stayed there and what they were like it was a stitch!
Our salads were wonderful just basic lettuce, tomato and dressing. We ate them as the sun set and dusk took over. DH had pre ordered everything, so we were able to just sit back and enjoy.
Our salad:
After our salads, our butler timed things perfectly so he had the entrees ready to go. We had beef tenderloin served with béarnaise sauce, rosemary roasted new potatoes, and broccoli. On our first anniversary, DH had surprised me with dinner at the Country Club where our wedding reception was with our wedding menu. It became our standard for romantic meals. Now, eight years later, he ordered the same menu for our romantic evening at Disney.
Dinner was wonderful. We had eaten at Yachtsman, Spoodles, and Le Cellier this trip and had enjoyed steak at each. This beat all three, hands down. The potatoes were lovely and the broccoli, as you can see from the photo, was plentiful. I almost wanted to take what I couldnt eat back for DS, as he loves broccoli more than anyone I have ever met since my mom. (Yes, my son loves vegetables. I cant believe it either).
Our dinner:
As we finished our dinner, our butler stopped back to clear the plates and get dessert ready. We were able to sit back and enjoy a perfect view of the Electric Water Parade. As it ended, we were served dessert. DH had ordered a mini wedding cheesecake, with a mini white chocolate castle and our butler added a candle for my birthday. It was absolutely divine!!! Our butler presented us with a gift from the GF: a box made of chocolate with an edible sketch of the GF on top .filled with truffles. He also subtly handed DH a copy of his receipt, having been run through earlier (tax and gratuity included, although DH left a bit extra). He took the large candle, thanked us, and told us to enjoy the fireworks and stay as long as we wanted.
our cake:
Chocolates:
We finished our cake, and sat back together to watch Wishes. We had a fantastic view. After the fireworks we walked back to the monorail and rode around the World until we got back to the Polynesian. We picked up DS and were able to take a look around the Neverland Club how amazing! We walked back to the Hawaii building and settled in for the night. After putting DS to bed, we sat out on the patio and watched the castle change colors while just chatting. It was a fantastic evening and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
If you have any questions, please post Im happy to answer!
Several months before our trip last May, I was reading the DIS boards (shocker!) and I read a detailed account of one DISers private dining experience. I read it to DH, because we just love hearing unique things other people do on vacation. We are DVC members and go down frequently, so we enjoy trying new things outside the typical trip. When I finished reading, I moved on to other plans. DH, on the other hand, kept the story in the back of his mind.
Fast forward a month to my birthday at the end of February. It was a lovely day, but nothing from DH (which isnt the norm). We went out to dinner with DS and Ddad and still nothing more than a happy birthday from DH. Once home, he finally told me my present: he was in the midst of planning a romantic evening on our May WDW trip.
Well that definitely works for me!!
Our evening begins with DH and I taking DS over to the Grand Poobah of all Kid;s Clubs: The Polysesian Neverland Club. We were staying at the Poly at this point and would be next door at the Grand Floridian so it was the perfect place. DS has been counting the days until he could go to the NC, so he was excited. It was good all around.
DH and I took the monorail to the GF and once there headed down to sit near the piano in the lobby where we were to meet our private butler. I had asked DH if we needed to dress up, and he had responded thats up to us. I loved it we were going to have a romantic evening, but not in an upscale restaurant with other patrons, so we were in control of how formal the night would be. We decided we wanted to be vacation comfortable, but not theme park casual. DH wore a nice polo shirt and jeans and I wore a denim skirt and floral chiffon shawl over a camisole top. This is relevant, I promise
So we sat down near the piano and DH nudges me and points to a couple also seated near the piano. He says, Ill bet the butler will think theyre us. I looked over and saw the couple very nice looking and dressed up, probably in their late forties. Then I looked at us, in our casual Friday wear, early thirties. The other couple looked ready for V&As DH and I looked a teeny bit dressed up for 1900 Park Fare. Sure enough, we saw a gentleman in a tuxedo walk in, carrying a long stemmed red rose. He makes a beeline to the other couple. DH and I watched, amused, as they shook their heads no to his question. The gentleman turned, looked around, and saw us. He smiled and walked over and confirmed that we were indeed his couple. He gave me the rose and we followed him out to the marina, with him chatting all the way.
They had a set out a table for two on the corner, right across from where the boats are docked. For anyone who has had their children go on the pirate cruise look across the marina, all the way down to the end. That is where we sat. We had an excellent view of the castle, monorail, Seven Seas Lagoon. It was perfect! The table was set with a white tablecloth, a long stemmed ivory rose, a candle in a crystal stem with a satin lampshade and scattered with red rose petals. Our butler had already set the table with rolls, butter, and salads. He also had our bubbly on ice: diet and regular coke. (what can I say were very cosmopolitan people, you know !
)Our table:
As our butler set out the dressings for the salad and poured our drinks and throughout the evening, he kept up a fun conversation talking about all the different private dining events he had done in his tenure at WDW, stories about when Saudi Arabian royalty have stayed at the GF for three months, different celebrities who have stayed there and what they were like it was a stitch!
Our salads were wonderful just basic lettuce, tomato and dressing. We ate them as the sun set and dusk took over. DH had pre ordered everything, so we were able to just sit back and enjoy.
Our salad:
After our salads, our butler timed things perfectly so he had the entrees ready to go. We had beef tenderloin served with béarnaise sauce, rosemary roasted new potatoes, and broccoli. On our first anniversary, DH had surprised me with dinner at the Country Club where our wedding reception was with our wedding menu. It became our standard for romantic meals. Now, eight years later, he ordered the same menu for our romantic evening at Disney.
Dinner was wonderful. We had eaten at Yachtsman, Spoodles, and Le Cellier this trip and had enjoyed steak at each. This beat all three, hands down. The potatoes were lovely and the broccoli, as you can see from the photo, was plentiful. I almost wanted to take what I couldnt eat back for DS, as he loves broccoli more than anyone I have ever met since my mom. (Yes, my son loves vegetables. I cant believe it either).
Our dinner:
As we finished our dinner, our butler stopped back to clear the plates and get dessert ready. We were able to sit back and enjoy a perfect view of the Electric Water Parade. As it ended, we were served dessert. DH had ordered a mini wedding cheesecake, with a mini white chocolate castle and our butler added a candle for my birthday. It was absolutely divine!!! Our butler presented us with a gift from the GF: a box made of chocolate with an edible sketch of the GF on top .filled with truffles. He also subtly handed DH a copy of his receipt, having been run through earlier (tax and gratuity included, although DH left a bit extra). He took the large candle, thanked us, and told us to enjoy the fireworks and stay as long as we wanted.
our cake:
Chocolates:
We finished our cake, and sat back together to watch Wishes. We had a fantastic view. After the fireworks we walked back to the monorail and rode around the World until we got back to the Polynesian. We picked up DS and were able to take a look around the Neverland Club how amazing! We walked back to the Hawaii building and settled in for the night. After putting DS to bed, we sat out on the patio and watched the castle change colors while just chatting. It was a fantastic evening and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
If you have any questions, please post Im happy to answer!
I hope he takes the hint!! LOL 
