When we go in September, we are planning to eat at Victoria/Albert's. It will be a birthday dinner for someone on our party, do we tell them when we make the reservation or just when we get there?
Also, how much time should we allow for this dining experience? Can we wear sundresses there?
Thanks.

Tell them when you make the reservation. Also tell them whether it's a "surprise" birthday or not so that Victoria & Albert know whether to give the guest of honor extra pampering the whole meal or just with a special treat at the end.

IIRC, you should allow at least three hours for dinner here. And I suspect that a sundress is on the absolute minimum side of the acceptable attire. You would probably feel more comfortable a little more dressed up than that.

ok thanks, so something closer to church attire or even fancier than that?

Thrashers, what a wonderful birthday present! I agree with Iceman. Do tell them when you make reservations about the birthday. There will be a special notation made in his/her menu and a little treat will be presented at the end of your meal.

Church attire would probably be fine. Jackets for the men and either a nice dress or suit is appropriate for ladies. Some women even come in gowns or cocktail dresses and some men come in tuxedos.

It's an amazing restaurant, and I am sure you will love the food and service. It's Top Notch!!!

Thanks. I am really looking forward to it. It will be great to get that special treatment and be spoiled for a few hours ;).

Just wanted to chime in to reiterate: There is no such thing as giving too much information to the people who you are relying on to show you a good time! Especially at a place like V&A; they ask you all sorts of questions when you make the res, and then they call you again before your arrival! These people want to know what they can do to make you happy! They routinely get my favorite bottle of wine (which, oddly, they don't have on their darn near encyclopedic in-house list) via special order so we can enjoy it with dinner. Additionally, they're great about food allergies and even preferences. I'm a vegetarian and I always get taken care of phenomenally there and my friends I usually go with are opposed to fish, among their many other quirks. Again, I can't emphasize this enough, the restaurant will only know if you tell them!!! They're great, but they're not mind readers!

Specific benefit of arranging it in advance: you can have WDW's cake service make a specialty cake for after dinner! All the restaurants keep the cruddy little $10 cakes on hand for people who don't plan in advance, but Disney provides a better option for those who are into planning!

As far as attire: I've certainly never seen a lady in a sun dress in there, but who am I to judge? We always do ties (in addition the required jacket) for the guys and an evening gown for our lady friend. (Of course, a tie is a minimal concession in exchange for the lovely company the lady...)

BTW: It doesn't hurt to mention what's going on (a b-day, anniversary etc.) when making every single reservation for your trip! They'll note it in the computers so people can fawn and coo over you everywhere you go! Also, they'll do whatever they can to make it even more special. (Example, we have been upgraded, for free, to a suite as well as being invited into the AP soft opening of Monsters Inc Laugh Floor and other things too all as a result of birthdays in the parks! (Don't expect or demand these things, of course, but it's really nice when it happens, and most CM's really enjoy doing these things for people just for the smiles and the thank yous!) And be sure to make your birthday-person wear their B-Day badge proudly (we've been told you can even wear it when it's not your birthday, it just has to be during the week of...)! They'll probably forget they have it on and just start having fun with the fact that their whole 'disney family' knows it's their birthday!

Have a great time and enjoy V&A (like you needed me to tell you to have a good time! Of course you'll have a good time, it's V&A, you can't help it!:rolleyes:)

Doesn't V&A personalize the menu. I'd think it would be super special (if they do it) for the menu to include Happy Birthday wishes!

Doesn't V&A personalize the menu. I'd think it would be super special (if they do it) for the menu to include Happy Birthday wishes!

Yes, they do personalize the menus, but I don't think there's room in the little window your name peeks out of for a birthday greeting.... I'd say, though, that this is another thing you won't know they can do unless you ask! (Although, I just booked a birthday reservation there, and they sure didn't say anything to me about that being a possibility...maybe I should ask too!)

Some women even come in gowns or cocktail dresses and some men come in tuxedos.



Really? - gowns! Does anyone bring children here?

Really? - gowns! Does anyone bring children here?

I can't imagine taking a kid in there, unless you have one who can sit still and be quiet for over two hours, and you can afford the $125 prix fixe for a kid (not counting tip). I just checked the menu on allearsnet and that's the price, not counting wine. There is no kids' menu-that's a hint. We took our kids to Jiko and Flying Fish, which are pretty nice and not inexpensive, but V&A's is a category to itself. Someday, perhaps, my husband and I will endulge ourselves, but our children will be at one of the kids' clubs while we do, and they will probably be happier there.

Doesn't V&A personalize the menu. I'd think it would be super special (if they do it) for the menu to include Happy Birthday wishes!

Yes, Drince, they do personalize the menues. Every person gets their own menu with their own name on it both inside and outside. Each menu can be different, depending upon allergies and personal perferences.

Inside the of the menu is where they personalize it. We have been there for both birthdays and anniversaries. For birthdays, they write Happy Birthday inside the menu under your name, and for Anniversaries they write "Congratulations on your XXX Anniversary" under your name.

Really? - gowns! Does anyone bring children here?

Scoobydooby, YUP!!! I've seen many people in gowns and tuxes. But, I just normally wear either a business suit or cocktail dress (whatever I feel like packing) and DH always wears a suit. I have never seen children in the restaurant. They don't even have a children's menu. The atmosphere just doesn't lend itself to children...quiet, cozy and harpist. It's very different from every other Disney restaurant.

I don't know how many "Stars" this restaurant has, but I can tell you that the wait staff goes through the same protocol as they do in 5-Star restaurants. I would actually consider V&A's a 5-Star restaurant. It's that good!!! (Although I don't know how it is rated.)

I have seen children there, but they were probably at least nine years old and well-behaved (in that they appeared to be used to fine dining) and properly dressed.

Also, they figure that most people will be there about 2½ hours so the seatings are three hours apart (except the Chef's Table which only has one seating but takes 4-4½ hours)

And they are one of only 46 restaurants in the country with an AAA Five Diamond Award.