Is 5pm too early for V&A?

[west&east]

Coming to Disney 12/18-12/23. The 18th is our anniversary. IPO can get us into V&A on 12/21 at 5pm but that seems kind of early and shortens our kids' day in the parks (they will go to Sandcastle Club during our dinner).

We have never been to V&A and really want to go but not sure if it is worth it for 5pm...

Thoughts?

 

[Pakey]

V&A only does 2 seatings per night. Times are pretty set, not like a regular restaurant. I thought first seating was around 6:30 though so 5:00 seems early. We always do second seating at 9:00 so I'm not positive about first seating times.

 

[Uncleromulus]

5:00 does seem a bit early--I always thought the first seating started at around 5:45?? We generally get a seating at 6 or 6:15.
But anyway--even if you start at 5, it'll be around 7 or after before you are finished the meal, so it's an investment of time for sure.
But yes--it's certainly worth it no matter what time you go!!

 

[Praise2Him]

We have a 5:30 reservation for December 20. I was thinking we were there about 3 hours last time and I wanted to be finished in time to see the fireworks at 9:00, plus we are usually early diners anyway.

 

[west&east]

5pm was the correct time. We got a confirmation letter via email already directly from V&A. BUT the IPO followed up and there is a 6pm spot on our second choice day so that is what we are going to do. I also have an inquiry about availability for the Queen Victoria room. Long shot I'm sure but doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[Symans3honeybees]

We had a 5:30pm ADR for Victoria and Alberts last month. I believed that was the first seating. Timing of each course was perfect, but our dinner still lasted close to 3 hours.

 

[west&east]

Wow! We ended up with 5:30 for the Queen Victoria Room!

My husband didn't blink about the cost. It's our anniversary, he said and we won't be back any time soon! I said, yes, since this is our 3rd Holiday trip in a row, it will now be a tradition to go every year, so maybe we should just start with the regular dining room at V&A and then step it up another year. DH, said nope, lets do it now.

So it is.

I do have to get over some mommy guilt over the kids being in the Sandcastle Club for hours. But it is our anniversary after all and they are in Disney after all!

 

[marshwiggle]

Even within the 2 seatings, they must stagger the arrival times a little bit, right? Otherwise, the check-in process would be a mess and it probably wouldn't be great for the kitchen either. We've only been there once (this past Jan in the main room) and when we arrived at 5:30pm there were a few tables already seated and a few groups were seated after us.

As for the kiddos, I guess it depends on how much you value their park time vs. your date night (if it were I, I'd opt for V&A). Also, I would suggest not over-planning the next day too much - as first-timers we weren't properly prepared and even with the 1st seating, we were in a food coma until late morning. Much respect to anyone that can manage EMH rope drop the next day, but I know we can't.

 

[cdtommie]

We're doing 5:30PM in December...with six adults going and one adult back at the hotel with six kids (between 2 and 11) I'm being merciful to my wonderful SIL who's taking one for the team.

 

[west&east]

Even within the 2 seatings, they must stagger the arrival times a little bit, right? Otherwise, the check-in process would be a mess and it probably wouldn't be great for the kitchen either. We've only been there once (this past Jan in the main room) and when we arrived at 5:30pm there were a few tables already seated and a few groups were seated after us.

As for the kiddos, I guess it depends on how much you value their park time vs. your date night (if it were I, I'd opt for V&A). Also, I would suggest not over-planning the next day too much - as first-timers we weren't properly prepared and even with the 1st seating, we were in a food coma until late morning. Much respect to anyone that can manage EMH rope drop the next day, but I know we can't.

Love the comment about the food coma! I already know that I am going to pass on the wine parings and will just choose maybe two glasses of wine and sips from my husband who can better handle it. We never make it to early EMH anyway but hopefully we'll be able to drag ourselves up at a decent hour. The natives will be restless after many hours in the kids club the previous night!

 

[coopersmom]

I just talked to IPO today for our December trip about a Victoria and Albert's reservation. We just missed a 6 PM, which is what we wanted. (She said they had it and then it was gone.) But got a 5:30.

Anyway, I was told the first seating is staggered between 5 PM and 6 PM and the second from 8:30-9:30 PM. (Or maybe she said 8-9 PM?)

We passed on the Queen Victoria room but maybe next time ... I too was worried about my son (very young) being at Neverland Club for a four hour meal, but gotta' admit I'm kind of excited about a very rare date night for me and hubby. (And my son IS excited about the Peter Pan pirate ship.)

Resort decided (finally!), air travel sorted, ADRs reconfigured (made, canceled and changed what feels like a million times) to the Nth degree and now feeling "final", date night established ... beginning to feel like it's not just planning, but we're really actually going. Now the long, 2-1/2 month wait begins.

 

[west&east]

I just talked to IPO today for our December trip about a Victoria and Albert's reservation. We just missed a 6 PM, which is what we wanted. (She said they had it and then it was gone.) But got a 5:30.

Anyway, I was told the first seating is staggered between 5 PM and 6 PM and the second from 8:30-9:30 PM.

We passed on the Queen Victoria room but maybe next time ... I too was worried about my son (very young) being at Neverland Club for a four hour meal, but gotta' admit I'm kind of excited about a very rare date night for me and hubby. (And my son IS excited about the Peter Pan pirate ship.)

Resort decided (finally!), air travel sorted, ADRs reconfigured (made, canceled and changed what feels like a million times) to the Nth degree and now feeling "final", date night established ... beginning to feel like it's not just planning, but we're really actually going. Now the long, 2-1/2 month wait begins.

Maybe we should start a "Waiting for Date Night at V&A" thread so we can support each other through the wait! I'll be lucky if I get a date night before December although I am hopeful for a nice dinner locally for my birthday in October.

 

[coopersmom]

Maybe we should start a "Waiting for Date Night at V&A" thread so we can support each other through the wait! I'll be lucky if I get a date night before December although I am hopeful for a nice dinner locally for my birthday in October.

My husband is going to be gone most of October (out of the country) so this is our "reward" trip.

All of our special occasions (birthdays, anniversary) happen within about 6 weeks so we go out 2-3 times in the Spring then and maybe one other time all year ... if we're lucky.