The Everything Victoria & Albert's Thread

[Richard M Nixon]

I'd like to see more pictures of the actual room the chef's table is in. I hope the iron fence isn't a solid wall now. It definitely looks more formal in there, which I could take or leave.

 

[Cali Cat]

BOO YA! Chef's Table September 17th. Brb gonna go take out a loan or four.

(I'm so ridiculously excited.)

Nice! Congratulations!
I'm going to try for our November trip. Can you tell me, were you able to book online at 6am or did you call V&A at 9am?

 

[belleincanada]

That's one of the nights of our trip. Was it the only night open when you got it? Did you book online or call? Also, do you think you will be the only party, or will they have room for 2 more? I'm not sure how it all works, but I am really, really hoping we can get it. I can't try until Saturday and Sunday. We have a split stay.

Thanks in advance for any info.

I had to call - Chef's Table only seats one party per night.

Call 180 days out (from your check in date) at 9am, and see what they can do. Good luck!

 

[belleincanada]

Nice! Congratulations!
I'm going to try for our November trip. Can you tell me, were you able to book online at 6am or did you call V&A at 9am?

Thank you! I still can't believe it's happening. I feel like I'm going to pass out from excitement!

We tried at 6am online, no dice, so I called at 9am, had success. Hope that helps

 

[epcotcenter1982]

I didn't find the Queen Victoria room noisy at all? I'm quite sensitive to noise...but you know...to each their own.

I love how they spread out the start times. We were 5:30. There was another couple already started. Then the others came at 6 and 6:30 respectively. We selected the table by the fire



Oh yeah...it as our wedding day hehe...

 

[epcotcenter1982]

As a followup, this was our menu (similar to the QVR one)
I have pictures if there's anything you really wanna see, but didn't want to blow up the thread with big pictures

Can you show an overall photo of the room? So the whole table and decor?

 

[swwake]

I had to call - Chef's Table only seats one party per night.

Call 180 days out (from your check in date) at 9am, and see what they can do. Good luck!

Thanks so much. This is very helpful!

 

[TCARON]

We are big V & A fans and have dined there many times over the years. Since they stopped taking Tables in Wonderland we have not returned, not in protest just hard to justify the money.

Anyone else bothered by this? We are finding that favorite restaurants and events such as the afternoon tea in the garden Room have also been removed for Tables?

Tom C

 

[NuJoy]

Since they stopped taking Tables in Wonderland we have not returned, not in protest just hard to justify the money.

Anyone else bothered by this?

It's a very rare occasion when we dine Disney World table service that does not take TIW because that's the point of having the card. Even so, we booked the QVR last April for my birthday hoping to repeat our excellent 2010 experience; but the table-side prep was gone, they acted like boxing our chocolates at the end of the meal was a huge and unprecedented favor, I think we were told 600 times that the bison course was "all about the kumquats", and I nearly involuntarily spit my port out due to its medicinal taste. On the plus side, they did give me an extra pour of Riesling for no charge when I proclaimed it my favorite and no stupid chicken was on our spring menu as I had seen appear on other menus.

An often yearly splurge, and what I compare Victoria & Albert's to, is the 8-course (with wine pairings) Titanic dinner at the Angus Barn in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose chef, Walter Royal, beat out Cat Cora on Iron Chef. The food tastes distinctly better, the wine is superior, the service is true first class, has the Titanic storyteller flown in from out of state, and has that rare element of formal and elegant intermingled with fun - all while being MUCH less expensive. Someone up thread likened V&A as a tourist trap; and as soon as I read that, I thought that's precisely how I felt this last time with the changes to the QVR service. We won't do that particular experience again. Without the TIW discount to make the price more competitive to other elite dining experiences, we don't feel the draw to V&A at this time. However, that decision is heavily influenced by the unique opportunity we have available locally; and if V&A were to offer a more tantalizing experience, I would consider it again, even if no TIW discount. This past September we preferred the chef's table at Flying Fish and will look to doing that again if offered after their refurb.

 

[TCARON]

Thanks for the tip on the Angus Barn. We have three sons who have moved to Charlotte so we may take it in during next trip to Raleigh.

We are reserved for September V & A visit. Reports from V & A should all be 5 star but unfortunately they are not. This used to be a regular stop for us at $100.00 each and 20% discount. Not anymore. We are starting to feel the same way about other WDW experiences. For the last three years we attended a Food and Wine "Sweet Sundays" breakfast at a $100.00 a head. The last time we went it was called something else and sponsored by DVC. Buffet was gone and so was the premier chef. Horrible food and experience, will not go back. To Disney's credit we were refunded the $200.00 for my wife and I. It was a really bad event.

I hope this trend reverses itself soon!

 

[schoen]

I am disappointed to hear that they will no longer split the wine pairing. I always get my own, but this is just a missed service opportunity. Guests will still split the wine pairing, they will just have to pass the glass. Pretentious.

V&A has been losing points for me recently. I book the QVR this past November to experience some different. I was so disappointed that it is no longer a unique experience. I could have had the exact same experience in the MDR, for the same price, and better atmosphere.

Speaking of the price.... We paid over $900 for two, with just one $45 extra charge for truffles. It was delicious, and great service, and wonderful, but I'm priced out, value wise. It's wonderful to do it once, but this was our fifth time there, and it didn't retain its value. It was just over $300 on our honeymoon for the regular menu and wine pairing (in 2005). In 11 years the experience has not improved $600 worth, even with the ten course offering vs. just seven.

I say if you can afford it, go once, but it has lost its value for me. I used to justify it by saying good seats at a Broadway play and a nice dinner will cost me, on the high end, around $250-$400 for tickets and $200-$300 for dinner (in my home town I would have to drink A LOT to spend $300 on dinner for two) There is still a $200 gap... And that's not nothing. The price is out-pacing the value unfortunately. If you are going to charge me $600 more (way more than inflation) you need to do a lot more with the experience than they are doing to justify the cost.

I do wonder what my thoughts would be if it this past time was my first time there?