Special night out just for 2

[lippylulu]

We are making our first trip to Disney withour 11 year old daughter and staying at Orange Lake Resort for a week (RCI timeshare) and Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista for our last night before coming home.

If we can arrange child care, what would be your pick for an upscale VERY nice dinner for just hubby and me. I know about Victoria and Alberts and that may be the place for us, but we have dined VERY well in the past and don't want to be disappointed. we don't mind paying $$$$ but have wondered if V & A is really worth it, or if we could get a more romantic view, setting, better meal, etc. elsewhere. We don't drink so a wine cellar is not important at all.

Thanks.

 

[Tricia1972]

At Disney there is no place with better food or anyplace that is more romantic than Victoria and Albert's.

Regarding it being upscale enough, it's the only restaurant in Central Florida with the AAA five diamond rating. I doubt you could get better food anywhere in all of Central Florida.

The only thing that keeps me from V&A every single trip is cost. It's priced so it is just an occasional special treat for us, but if I could I'd eat there at least once a trip.

I am sure that other places are nice, but I'd like to know if the people recommending the other places have been to Victoria & Albert's themselves.

 

[shelly3girls]

I have never been to V&A's so I cannot compare but we thoroughly enjoyed Blue Zoo. We eat in upscale restaurants quite often and I find the food at Blue Zoo to compare in quality. We enjoyed it and they offer free child care while you dine (min. age of 4 I think).

 

[Sysyphus]

i'll be able to give a first-hand review of V&As in just over two weeks - the Mouseketeer Club is very nearby in the Grand Floridian, where you can leave kids aged 4-12 to be fed and entertained... open from 4:30 to midnight, $11/hour includes dinner. I'll share DD5's opinions on that too when we get back.

 

[loriandmatt]

we are doing the same in 2 weeks (first trip without our kids)

we booked the Cali grill atop the contemp resort. We have never eaten there, but have heard wonderful things. apparently they lower the lights and have the audio from wishes pumped into the restaurant while the fireworks are going off at MK. Even if our seats are not right at the windows we may go out onto the viewing deck.

We are looking forward to it.

 

[Hopefully]

For a very upscale, "foodie" appreciated, cost doesn't matter, special dinner, I think V & A's the the choice at WDW. There is nothing else on property that so meets that criteria.
We had a wonderful dinner at Jiko in October. The atmosphere was wonderful, the service was exceptional, and the food out of this world, for us, but I do not think it is of the same caliber as V & A's.
BTW I am confused. You say you are taking your first trip without your 11 y.o. and then you talk about arranging child care. What did I miss?

 

[Pakey]

V&A is the only restaurant on property with a AAA 5-diamond rating. We've eaten here several times along with all the other signature restaurants and there is no comparison if you want something truly special.

 

[ZoZo]

I like California Grill. Elegant atmosphere, wonderful service, and great food (I had one of the best filets I've ever eaten - I practically licked my plate!). Plus, you don't feel rushed. We went during the fireworks - we went out on one of the decks and they piped the music over. It was really nice.

 

[Tricia1972]

For a very upscale, "foodie" appreciated, cost doesn't matter, special dinner, I think V & A's the the choice at WDW. There is nothing else on property that so meets that criteria.
We had a wonderful dinner at Jiko in October. The atmosphere was wonderful, the service was exceptional, and the food out of this world, for us, but I do not think it is of the same caliber as V & A's.
BTW I am confused. You say you are taking your first trip without your 11 y.o. and then you talk about arranging child care. What did I miss?

Well you hit my #2 choice for when cost is an object. Atmosphere is fantastic at Jiko and the food is wonderful too. However you're right, it's just not of the same caliber of Victoria & Albert's.

 

[Sysyphus]

I'll also have reviews of Jiko and Simba's Clubhouse (the kids club at AKL) when I get back... we're not really abandoning DD5, just two "grown-up" dinners planned for our 9 day stay... along with a couple of daddy/daughter half-days while DW gets a facial/massage. Hopefully all three of us will have better evenings than if we spent the time together - DD really is as good as any five year old in restaurants, but not quite ready for fine dining

 

[kaytieeldr]

BTW I am confused. You say you are taking your first trip without your 11 y.o. and then you talk about arranging child care. What did I miss?

Actually, if you look closely, she said, "...trip to Disney withour 11 year old daughter..." and just accidentally ran the two words together (I at first thought the same thing you did)

 

[lippylulu]

Yes, I meant we are taking our first trip with---not without---our 11 year old. I missed the space between with/our and typed withour instead. In fact, this will b MY first trip ever (at 44 I know this is a very sad thing). We will be there 8 nights so we would like to plan just one mommy-daddy date. The idea of childcare at the Grand Floridian for our daughter sounds good, though I wonder if being 11 she will feel too mature. In the past she has enjoyed the "kids club" stuff but now she is a bonafide "tween." Too young to be left alone, too cool to be left with babes. Sounds like the Votes are in for V & A, with the possibility of California Grill or Jiko (where is that)?

I will also check out babysitting or kids actvitiies for an early evening dinner at our resort--Orange Lakes Resort. Our daughter probably would be perfectly happy running around and swimming the entire time we are gone.

 

[kofduke]

DH and I have planned a special dinner for 2 at Artist's Point for our upcoming trip -- it was our one TS restaurant during our honeymoon 9 years ago!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Not only is V&A the only AAA Five Diamond rated restaurant in Central Florida, but it is one of only 46 in the entire country. You will not be disappointed.

 

[Cobbo]

Well, count me among the V&A loyalists...my DW & I certainly enjoy good food & it is our favorite place to have a nice quiet romantic evening out for the two of us - although our DDs are too young to be left at the kids' clubs, so we use Kids Night Out to arrange for an in-room sitter (or bring my DMom, who is happy to accommodate this luxury)...

I'm a firm believer that if you

have dined VERY well in the past and don't want to be disappointed.

that you will NOT be disappointed. The food is excellent and the service impecable (with the singular exception that they do not appear to give ladies an alternately colored napkin based upon their attire - ie I'm blanking at the moment if all of their napkins are white or black, but we commonly see in local (and far) high end restaurants that if the "stock" napkin is white and DW is dressed in black, that they will substitute out the napkin with a black one), but as a relatively typical guy this was missed on me (until pointed out by DMom the one time we took her with us to V&A)...

That being said, if your concern is not as much with the quality of food & service but more

if we could get a more romantic view, setting, better meal, etc. elsewhere.

then I might join in the crowd suggesting CG, because V&A is an entirely "internal" restaurant with no windows or view to remind you that you are in WDW, but serves as an "escape" within those hallowed grounds, whereas CG has one of the best dining views in all of WDW IMHO....