Tea at Garden View while dd is at the Tea Party?

[Lesley]

I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this. I will be taking my 6yo dd to the Wonderland Tea Party while we're at WDW next week. This event takes place from 1:30 to 2:30. The Garden View Lounge opens at 2pm for afternoon tea. Do you think half an hour would be enough time to have tea while dd is finishing her activity? I will be a party of one, and while I know it wouldn't be a leisurely pace, I'm thinking that if its just me I'll be okay.

Seems to me that it would be a good idea to open the Garden View at 1:30 with all the parents dropping their kids off then....

 

[momofprincess]

I think when you check your DD in for the tea party, the receptionist will give you a beeper to let you know when you can come pick her up. I think it lasts at least an hour.

 

[glass slipper girl]

we did this last December. It was 3 moms and 1 grandmother while our kids were at the tea party but I would say, no, it definitely is not enough time. We were seated and given a menu but we said we all knew what we wanted as we had decided during the 1/2 hour wait between dropping off the kids and Garden View Lounge opening. We ordered and our tea had been brought out but still needed to steep. There was no way we could have ordered (even doing what we did where we knew what we wanted when we sat down), been served, eaten, gotten the check and paid in 1/2 hour. I don't think being a party of 4 made a big difference either as we were served quickly and we all had simple things ordered a la carte, not a big tea order. It worked out with us b/c the Grandmother held the table while all the Moms went to go get our kids. That said...all 3 of the girls who were in the tea party LOVED coming to the "grown up tea." The 2 boys didn't mind a bit either! The girls were 3, 5 and 8. The boys were both 5.

 

[Lesley]

Thanks. I was actually considering just going to pick her up and coming back if I had to....I could let my server know in advance. It really would be no different than having to go use the restroom, though I always feel funny about that if I'm alone too.

 

[ntink]

We just had our DDs (4 & 8) at the Wonderland Tea party this week and enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe while they were at the tea. The timing worked out well for us as we mentioned to our server that we had to leave at 2:30. I have always wanted to do the tea though.

 

[glass slipper girl]

Thanks. I was actually considering just going to pick her up and coming back if I had to....I could let my server know in advance.

That would work and your daughter would probably enjoy spending a little time there with you. I know what you mean about feeling odd about doing it when you are alone. You could always ask the server to bring the check early and pay it before you leave so you don't have that concern that they think you are pulling a "dine and dash."

I'm sure it is something that happens fairly often there.