New Dining Experience Coming to Victoria and Albert's

[Circusgirl]

I had dinner at Victoria and Albert's tonight, and both my lead server and the assistant manager talked with me about a new experience that is being developed to debut this fall or winter.

"The Victoria Room" is the working title (nothing official yet) for a 12-16 course dinner (the details are still being worked out) that will be served in the small room off the main dining area. There will be all new menus and wine pairings for this dinner that will surpass the Chef's Table in sumptuousness and service. They are still designing all parts of the experience, but I was told to expect lots of table side cooking and fabulous food presentation with an unsurpassed attention to detail. They expect to limit the number of diners to 12-16, with the largest table probably being a 6 top. They are super excited about this challenge to bring a new higher level of service and interaction to a brand new and special menu designed exclusively for this room. The CMs will all be trained in this new "ballet", as Mike called it, and they are charged up to learn all that will be involved. The cost will be $295.00 per person, inclusive of the wine pairings. I was told that I am only the second guest to be told about this experience, with the first being another DISer who dined there last night.

They do not yet have a launch date, but hope to be up and running by the Christmas season of 2009, and possibly earlier.

Also currently under design, hopefully to premiere in October, is a web site exclusively for Victoria and Albert's, victoria_albert.com. It will have menu and other news, and will allow easy access to their latest and greatest without visitors having to excavate through all the levels of the main Disney World web site to find them. Again, the web site is not yet open, but is coming soon. Another change is that they will have a direct phone number for reservations, (407)-WDW-DVNA.

The best part of talking with them about all these changes was seeing how excited they are about what is to come.

[Sandy321]

what a great idea! I'm excited to hear about this - thank you for sharing!!

it would be amazing - $295 inclusive of wine!! I like the idea of a website and their own phone line!!

just amazing!!

[2infinityandbeyond]

a new higher level of service

Sheesh, how much can they raise the service bar? Rub my back while I eat? Cut my food and feed me? IV drip for the wine?

$295/person...I'd never say "absolutely not", but if they're charging that price, I'd expect a French Laundry/Michelin 3 star experience. I wonder if they can pull that off, given some of the restraints they deal with (e.g. no foie gras).

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Maybe they are trying to get a jump on the new Four Seasons.
2) The Four Seasons plans to have their 12-course tasting brunch.
3) At other Four Seasons hotels, it is about $200/person.

NOTE: I think the new Four Seasons on Disney property will blow away the idea of "Deluxe" WDW resorts. WDW will have to really exert themselves to come up to the level of a true Deluxe hotel.

[webray]

You had to know this was coming, as they have been doing it for quite some time by request. The room had a min price and you could reach for the stars with menu and wine. Our friends tell us the experience is fantastic!

[olive]

Any mention of whether you could do it without the wine pairings? It's always too much for me with the tasting menus. I would rather order a bottle for the table or have a cocktail or two and focus on the food.

[chell]

I'm excited to hear more about this!

[chell]

Originally Posted by olive

Any mention of whether you could do it without the wine pairings? It's always too much for me with the tasting menus. I would rather order a bottle for the table or have a cocktail or two and focus on the food.

I'm sure you could since there are people who don't drink. For me I sure hope you could do it at a cheaper price or as you said have some cocktails in place of the wine. Because of my allergies I can't drink wine.

[Circusgirl]

Originally Posted by 2infinityandbeyond

Sheesh, how much can they raise the service bar? Rub my back while I eat? Cut my food and feed me? IV drip for the wine?

Originally Posted by olive

Any mention of whether you could do it without the wine pairings? It's always too much for me with the tasting menus. I would rather order a bottle for the table or have a cocktail or two and focus on the food.

I neglected to ask about that, but it seems like they will need to have an option as not everyone does the alcohol thing.

[copperbrick]

Does anyone know if this dining option is included in the I-can't-remember-what-they-now-call-it . . . it-used-to-be-the-GRAND PLAN-in 1994 -- the all inclusive that includes everything, anything -- from horseback riding to V&A?

[mmmears]

Originally Posted by TheRustyScupper

1)
NOTE: I think the new Four Seasons on Disney property will blow away the idea of "Deluxe" WDW resorts. WDW will have to really exert themselves to come up to the level of a true Deluxe hotel.

Good point -- I agree!

[webray]

Originally Posted by TheRustyScupper

1) Maybe they are trying to get a jump on the new Four Seasons.
2) The Four Seasons plans to have their 12-course tasting brunch.
3) At other Four Seasons hotels, it is about $200/person.

NOTE: I think the new Four Seasons on Disney property will blow away the idea of "Deluxe" WDW resorts. WDW will have to really exert themselves to come up to the level of a true Deluxe hotel.

LOL, the Swan and Dolphin blow the Disney deluxe resorts away. We have been to many Four seasons, they will go above and beyond what "Disney Deluxe Resort Guest" think a deluxe resort is.

[ImprovGal]

Thank you for that interesting news indeed! I look forward to trying this new dining option. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous when I saw the thread subject and feared that V&A would be converted to some sort of children's princess meal.

And I definitely agree that the Swan and Dolphin have an edge over the Disney Deluxen, particularly when it comes to valuing guest loyalty. I will concede, though, that they seem to be a bit lacking when it comes to handling special dietary needs in their restaurants.

[copperbrick]

Originally Posted by ImprovGal

Thank you for that interesting news indeed! I look forward to trying this new dining option. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous when I saw the thread subject and feared that V&A would be converted to some sort of children's princess meal.

And I definitely agree that the Swan and Dolphin have an edge over the Disney Deluxen, particularly when it comes to valuing guest loyalty. I will concede, though, that they seem to be a bit lacking when it comes to handling special dietary needs in their restaurants.

I need to eat gluten-free and appreciate your comments. Thank you.

[ReggieB]

This is good news. I've been to V&A a few times, but not on our recent trip, as we wanted to do something else. Plus my visit is usually the same time of year, so although the menu wasn't exactly the same, I was seeing similar seasonal items. This new idea, however, will draw me back for sure.