Is Victoria and Alberts worth it?

[dinandmick]

We're going for our mini-honeymoon in December and we wanted to do something special. We've thought about Victoria and Alberts, but it is so expensive. We are not wealthy people and were wondering if anyone else in our boat (middle-class) has felt the experience wasn't worth it after they did it.

Right now I feel like if I'm worried about the money now it might not be a good idea to do it. Any advice?

 

[WDFAN1977]

If the money isn't there, don't do it. I would say the same thing about any purchase, whether it was V&A's or McDonalds. That said, V&A's is incredible in my opinion. The food was top notch, the wine was great and the service was second to none. My wife and I went to WDW and V&A's for our anniversary and we walked away more than satisfied (Obviously, from the above writing ).

 

[beefog]

never been, but If you are worried about the money try the California Grill, FInd out when the fireworks at Magic kingdom go off, and get a late table. Go there early and ask to be seated at a table so you can see the fireworks. If they say it may be a little longer then normal wait, go have a few drinks at the bar. We did this last year and it was a great time. Would recommend for anyone. Just a thought

 

[dinandmick]

We are doing the California Grill! Not for the fireworks though.

We got the Deluxe Dining and we'll be doing the Yachtsman Steakhouse and Hollywood Brown Derby too so we will have some nice dining experiences.

Maybe we'll look into a fireworks cruise or carriage ride instead and plan on going to Victoria and Alberts for an Anniversary trip a few years down the road.

 

[antman157]

Yeah its worth it. I went on my Honeymoon and had an awesome time. It is expensive, but its really worth it to me.. I am no where near rich, but its hard to pass up good food. I am going again this December! cant wait. Its really good .. I would recommend trying it atleast once :sohappy:

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I can honestly say all of the signature restaurants I've eaten at are worth it. I've never eaten at V&A's, but if it is on par with the other places I've eaten, I would say yes.

 

[Sloan]

worth it, but wait

Dinner at Victoria & Albert's is much more than just the food - its the experience, but if you are already stressed about paying for it, I would agree with the others who have suggested that you skip it for now, enjoy everything else the World has to offer, and wait until perhaps some day you can do it without so much worry about the cost.

My guess is that you would not enjoy it as much if you are so stressed about paying for it. I've read a few reviews that said, essentially, "it was not as good as I was expecting for all that money" - It is a fantastic experience, the food is spectacular, and the ambiance is great, but if you go in with the attitude of "it better be the best meal of my life for all this money" you are setting the stage for disappointment.

Note that V&A does honor the DDE discount card, which saved us about $100 when we went. I will go back.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

My guess is that you would not enjoy it as much if you are so stressed about paying for it. I've read a few reviews that said, essentially, "it was not as good as I was expecting for all that money" - It is a fantastic experience, the food is spectacular, and the ambiance is great, but if you go in with the attitude of "it better be the best meal of my life for all this money" you are setting the stage for disappointment.

That's what I was thinking earlier. If you have to ask "is it really worth it?" odds are you won't think it is.

I know I'd probably never be able to relax knowing a dinner was setting me back that much. :lol:

 

[slooger99]

I wouldnt choose california grill for the fireworks, if you want to have a GREAT time for your Anniversary, then I would reccomend you going to Ohana at the Poly for teh fireworks. The food is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and the view for the fireworks at a restaurant is second to none. You will need a reservation but you will not regret it all, its an amazing experience.

 

[jakeman]

I would disagree for Ohana. It is a great restaurant but not the type of atmosphere I would enjoy for a special occasion with just my spouse.

I would definately choose Cali Grill over Ohana for a honeymoon. For a birthday or something of that nature, definately Ohana.

 

[JCtheparrothead]

I have done V&A's and it was fantastic to say the least. I have found that there are couple places that shine throughout Disney and can give you a wonderful dinner with out the V&A's price.

My recommendations are;

Artists Point (at Wilderness Lodge)---Wine list is fantastic and food is second to none at Disney. Quiet and romantic.

Narcoose's (at the Grand Floridian)---If you can get reservations close to fireworks time this may be the most Romantic place at Disney. The food is fantastic, drinks are great but you can't beat the view of the fireworks. Plus you get to tour the GF for a bit after dinner.

I think these 2 restraunts will give you other options and are usually kid free. Plan on spending $100.00 plus for 2 people but it is not the 150 pp you will find at V&A's.

 

[slooger99]

the food at cali Grill is not that good, if you want to waste your money at a mediocre restaurant then go, but Ohana is ALOT better than anything Cali Grill has to offer.

 

[ljs1691]

Well, we were there Thursday night 9/18/08 and it was my dh first trip and my second. I would say we would be considered middle class?? I guess. We knew going there would be at least $500 for the two of us with wine pairings and including tip. We just planned the expense into our budget and didn't buy as many goodies to bring home. It is an unbelievable experience and one you will likely never forget. The staff is truly second to none as is the quality of the food.

My dh had never spent the kind of money to eat that we did at V&A, but we agree for us, it was worth it.

I think if you can budget for it, then do it. If you are going to go into debt for dinner, don't. It won't be something we do each time we are at WDW but we left our kids at home this time and it just worked for us this time.

 

[KingStefan]

This is a very tough question to answer. My DW and I put off going because of the expense for a long time. When we were in a position where we felt we could afford it without too much hardship, we went. It was incredibly fabulous, and worth every penny. I have just a few comments:

First, go only if you're relaxed about spending the money. As others have said, if you are stressed about the cost, you won't enjoy it.

Next, if you are "meat and potatoes" folks, or if you are not food adventurers (like to try different and varied things), or if you like to get in and get out of a restaurant, and do not like to linger over a meal, then consider not going. Any of these preferences or similar will spoil it for you. I'm not passing judgement - some people just will not enjoy V&As because of their personal preferences.

The staff will make you feel really welcome and relaxed, and will pamper you and take care of your every need. The service is impeccable and absolutely unexcelled. If you can relax and really not think about the money during your visit, and "put it aside", and if you are not uncomfortable being treated like royalty (really!), then go.

The food selections will be "different" and intersting. The presentation will be awesome. The waitstaff to client ratio is about 1 to 1, so you will not want for anything. At one point I pushed my chair back a little, and our "Victoria" was there to help me and ask if I needed something. When I asked where the rest rooms were, she escorted me there and showed me. When I returned she was there to push in my chair and hand me my napkin. It's that kind of service. But at no time did I feel out of place - they always made us feel ultra relaxed and comfortable.

If you are the type that really appreciates that kind of fine service, then this place is for you. If not, it might not be worth it. It's really a matter of personal choice.

If you are a picky eater - not to worry. Someone will call you the day before to discuss the menu with you and find out if there are any special needs you have, or if you dislike certain foods.

Expect to spend 2-3 hours dining. I don't remember the dress code exactly, but you can call and find out. Jackets for men and suits or dresses for ladies - something like that.

Good luck, and whatever you decide, I hope you have a magical trip. And congratulations on your marriage!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

We're going for our mini-honeymoon in December and we wanted to do something special. We've thought about Victoria and Alberts, but it is so expensive. We are not wealthy people and were wondering if anyone else in our boat (middle-class) has felt the experience wasn't worth it after they did it.

Right now I feel like if I'm worried about the money now it might not be a good idea to do it. Any advice?

Victoria and Alberts delivers. Can't argue about their quality.

Is it worth it? Not to me. I have to get up and work tomorrow for my living. Not that I mind. But an evening at V & A equals a week of normal eating expenses in Disney. It's a luxury I'd rather skip and use towards one trip extra.

In the end, it all depends on personal preference and means. If you can make ends meet every month, then I'd say go for it if it is your honeymoon. Blow it all on a great experience.

Other than that, if it's not tax deductible, places like V&A are a bit too expensive relative to what the money will buy. Seven nights of, by any standards, fine dining experiences elsewhere in Disney are worth more to me than one special night.

 

[bdedon2]

We had a horrible experience at Cali Grill. Food was good, but very noisy not romantic at all and people piled in and sat in the lounge area and made it very difficult to enjoy the experience or even find a seat while we waited for our table. People without reservations. I will not be returning to the Cali Grill because of this. The fireworks where OK from the top, but wasn't over the top for us. Ohana may not be a romantic setting, but is on the very top of my list for Disney dinning.

 

[look1angel]

Victoria & Alberts

My husband & I just returned from a trip to WDW. We chose to have a romantic evening at Victoria & Alberts & it was quite memorable to say the least. The food was spectacular. I had 1 drink & my husband had 2. We ordered the Kobe which was an extra $35.00 each added onto the 125.00 min. You get a personalized menu & choose from a variety of things to eat. I was nearly laughing :ROFLOL:in the begininnig due to the "Barbie size" portions they present but soon came to learn by the 5th course I was getting stuffed. Our total bill including tip was $450.00. It will be a night I'll cherish forever. The service was incredible & there were no loud, noisy children to deal with. (Don't get me wrong I'm a mother of 3 + 2 step children & love kids) (You must be over 10 to dine here). This was our first trip without any so we took advantage of our time alone. I can promise you, you will not be disappointed should you choose to dine here. The coffee was a show in itself & the rose in the end was a nice added touch. They even threw in a nut bread for us to take home since we were celebrating our 3 yrs together.

 

[smk]

I think I am too "middle class" for those kind of prices! I love a good meal as much as the next person but I cannot see spending 450.00 on one meal, sorry. For that amount of money you both could have three great dinning experiences somewhere else and pack less formal clothes. I think that amount is more than our whole food budget the last time we were there for 5 days, just two of us of course. JMO. I know others enjoy the experience, I could not.

 

[fizzle75]

My wife and I will be at WDW for my birthday in February and we're really hoping to have my "birthday meal" at V&A, I've always wanted to eat there. Having said that, if you're that concerned about the price and would rather go somewhere very nice(and romantic) for much less I HIGHLY reccomend The California Grill. Cali Grill is our absolute favorite restaurant, fantastic food, awesome atmosphere and amazing view...all the ingredients for a wonderfully romantic evening. PLUS you get the added bonus of watching Wishes and The Electric Water Peageant while you eat. On our last trip we ate at Cali(with sbkline and his wife)and our table afforded us a great view of both Illuminations and the water pageant...it was awesome. By the way, don't ask sbkline what he thinks of Cali Grill! :lol:

A few other great alternatives are Jiko and Citricos at The Grand Floridian, both offer fantastic food and atmosphere.

 

[lbrad]

I think I am too "middle class" for those kind of prices! I love a good meal as much as the next person but I cannot see spending 450.00 on one meal, sorry. For that amount of money you both could have three great dinning experiences somewhere else and pack less formal clothes. I think that amount is more than our whole food budget the last time we were there for 5 days, just two of us of course. JMO. I know others enjoy the experience, I could not.

I'm with you...We work hard for our money and just can't see spending it in one meal... There are soooooooo many other signature restaurants/experiences to chose from... Naroosee's/O'Hana/Etc...
Save your $$$ for a new diamond