Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [116]
Victoria & Albert’s
Where Disney has built a reputation on providing entertainment to the masses, this 60-seat, AAA five-diamond restaurant in the Grand Floridian proves that there’s also room in Disney World for highly individual service. At Victoria & Albert’s, harp music plays, candles flicker, menus are personalized, ladies are presented with roses, and people still dress up for dinner.
Insider’s Secret
What’s more special than an evening at Victoria & Albert’s? An evening at the chef’s table. You’re seated inside the kitchen where the chef treats you as his private guests and provides a customized 12-course meal. This is the proverbial “once-in-a-lifetime” gourmet experience, and you must reserve months in advance. The prices are $200 per person or $290 with wine pairings. Call 407/939–3463 (407/WDW–DINE) for details.
The six-course prix-fixe dinner costs $125 per person or $185 if you have wine paired with each course, but it’s an experience so elaborate that you’ll be talking about it for years afterward. For example, on the evening we visited, the salad was a floral arrangement in a crouton vase—until our server, who called herself Victoria in keeping with the theme, tapped the side of the crouton with a spoon. It then broke, releasing the greens into a fan-shaped pattern on the plate. We were nearly hypnotized by the ceremony. This is by far the most elegant and refined restaurant you’ll find on Disney property.
The Cruise Vacation Options
Disney is now entering its 14th year in the cruise-line business, and their family-oriented cruises are more popular than ever.
At present Disney has three ships. The original two, the Magic and the Wonder, handle the longer sailings, which include Europe, Alaska, Mexico, the extended Caribbean cruises, trips through the Panama Canal, and transatlantic crossings. The even bigger and better Dream debuted in January, 2011, and the Disney Fantasy is right behind—slated to set sail in March, 2012. The Dream and Fantasy will make the popular three-, four-, and five-night sailings to the Bahamas and Disney’s own island, Castaway Cay. With a fleet of four ships at their disposal, Disney has a wide variety of itineraries and ports of call. Check out all the offerings at www.disneycruise.com.
But no matter where you sail, the key thing about the Disney cruises is that the activities and the attitude are decidedly geared toward families. There are no casinos on board, entertainment is wholesome, drinking and carousing are de-emphasized, shore excursions tend toward kid-friendly pursuits like snorkeling and dolphin swims, and there are excellent (in fact, award-winning) child-care centers. Disney cruises are perfect for the family that needs a bit of everything in the course of a vacation: time for the adults to relax alone and time with everyone together. Families whose kids vary in ages are especially sold on the cruises. Because there are so many kids on board and the age categories in the youth programs are tight, it’s equally likely that your 3-year-old and 13-year-old will each have found a friend by the end of the first day. Let’s face it—nothing beats a vacation where everyone is happy.
Insider’s Secret
The most popular cruises are the short runs to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream and the upcoming Disney Fantasy. The three-day cruise goes only to Nassau and Castaway Cay. The four-day cruise adds a day at sea, and the five-day cruise has a day at sea and two stops at Castaway Cay. These cruises can be combined with a stay at Walt Disney World.
You can order a free vacation-planning DVD, check out video podcasts, and download an e-brochure at www.disneycruise.com. “We booked online but ordered the DVD as well,” reported one father of three from New York. “We were glad we did because it’s really cute and child-friendly and helped our kids visualize in advance what the ship would be like.”
Insider’s Secret
Not surprisingly, Disney does a lot of research in the area of travel trends and family dynamics, and,