Doodle's Birthday Tea Party - was Garden View Tea Room

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From AllEars. We did this a couple of years ago and I have to say it was really nice. Of course Brian wasn't super keen on the idea, but they did have "manly" tea drinks that he enjoyed and some really tasty little sandwiches.

Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian’s Garden View Tea Room

My two teenage daughters and I recently had a “girls only” trip to Walt Disney World, and I thought it would be fun to try something new, that Dad might not necessarily be upset about missing out on (it turns out that I was wrong about THAT assumption!), so I booked us for Afternoon Tea in the Grand Floridian’s Garden View Tea Room (Garden View Lounge).

The Tea Room is located on the first floor of the Grand Floridian, just off of the lobby.

It has lots of windows and is full of light and comfortable seating.

As you enter, be sure to look down to see the lovely mosaics in the floor.

Afternoon Tea is served daily from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. I decided that we would make the tea one of our main meals of the day, so I booked our Advance Dining Reservation for 4:30 p.m.

We arrived at about 4:15, because we had had a light early lunch, and we all very hungry. Although the Tea Room was not full and there were a number of empty tables, I was surprised when the hostess asked us to take a seat and that it would be a 10 to 15 minute wait. About 10 minutes later, we were escorted to a lovely round table near the window. The table could have seated up to six guests, and I could see that the reason for our wait was that the folks at the smaller tables in the room were still lingering over their tea and goodies. Because we were the last party seated for the day, I am not quite sure why this was a problem.

In any case, we WERE seated, and after a short wait, were handed our menus. I must say that it took some time to read through the menu to decide what we wanted to order, as it is extensive.

The menu includes the Tea Room’s tea selections (green, white, black and infusions), selections for “full” afternoon tea service (including a savory selection like tea sandwiches or cheeses and pates, scones, jam tarts, pastries, tea and an alcoholic beverage, priced from $23 to $38) and a la carte items (scones, jam tarts, strawberries and cream, tea sandwiches, etc. priced from $3.50 to $14.50). We decided to go for the full service, since this would be an early dinner for us.

For our tea selections (which, a la carte, are $6.25 per person), I chose the Gardenview Blend: “A signature blend made exclusively for Gardenview Tea Room.” It was a lovely, traditional black tea. Daughter Number 1 (DN1) chose the Nobo Whole Fruit: “Full bodied and rich in sweetness. An array of berries and apple, accompanied with hibiscus, rose hips, and cornflowers,” and Daughter Number 2 (DN2) chose the Harmony: “A tranquil blend of sweet chamomile blossoms, peppermint, allspice and orange blossoms for a mild and sweet taste.”

It appeared that the other diners were being served their tea from traditional ceramic pots covered with velvet tea cozies to keep the tea warm (sorry, I wanted to get a picture of those, but somehow didn’t). They must have run out of the ceramic pots, as our tea was served from glass press pots.

I chose the Prince Edward's Tea: “A delicious array of assorted pates and English Blue Stilton, the "King" of English cheeses, served with marinated fresh berries, and Cumberland sauce. We then offer our delicious freshly baked scones served with rich Devonshire cream. Served with your choice of tea and a glass of our Fonseca Bin 27 Character Port. $24.50 per guest. Cockburn 20 yr Tawny Port $2.00.”

Yummy! I love Stilton, and it, the pates and the berries did not disappoint. I had to Google Cumberland sauce when I got home: “Cumberland sauce is a fruit-based sauce, usually used on non-white meats such as venison, ham, and lamb. Created sometime in the late 19th century, the sauce was named after the Duke of Cumberland who had ties in Hanover, Germany, where the sauce was invented.” Who knew? Anyway, it tasted great, and really worked well with all of the items on the plate.

DN2 chose the Princess Kate Tea: “A Spring tea served with a classic dish of potted shrimp followed by a medley of cheeses, an array of seasonal fruits, and cheddar cheese biscuits. A scone, jam tart, and a selection of delicate pastries is accompanied by a glass of Veuve Cliquot champagne and your choice of tea. $38.00 per guest.”

Since DN2 is not of an age to appreciate (nor legally imbibe) a lovely Veuve Cliquot, the waitress was nice enough to serve her glass of champagne to me

and to substitute the port that was supposed to come with my meal for a nice glass of Martinelli’s sparkling cider for her. DN1 decided that she would like a glass of sparkling cider too, please, thank you very much.

The potted shrimp were to die for. DN2 usually won’t touch shrimp, but she devoured these, and only shared one very small bite with her mother!

DN1 decided that she “only” wanted the British Cheese Plate: “A selection of traditional British cheeses, served with an array of seasonal fruits. $14.50” As you can see, there were plenty of wonderful cheeses and fruits on the plate, including the wonderful Stilton (which DN1 doesn’t really like, so I got even more for myself!).

Once DN2 and I finished our first courses, we were each served a scone with clotted cream and jam, and DN2 also got a jam tart, and some pastries. I think that it is a very good thing for my waistline that I cannot get clotted cream at my local grocery store, I love it SOOO much! The girls didn’t quite get it.

At the end of the meal, we were each brought a lovely, long-stemmed rose.

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?

Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more.

March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less.

Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.

Note: The Tables in Wonderland card can be used for a discount for tea in the Garden View Tea Room. There are no other discounts currently available, and the Disney Dining Plan is not accepted.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Also from AllEars...

Garden View Lounge

Afternoon Tea

Grand Floridian Spa & Resort

Menu Date: July 2011

Open 2-4:30 p.m. Daily

Afternoon Tea Offerings

Princess Kate Tea - A Spring tea served with a classic dish of potted shrimp followed by a medley of cheeses, an array of seasonal fruits, and cheddar cheese biscuits. A scone, jam tart, and a selection of delicate pastries is accompanied by a glass of Veuve Cliquot champagne and your choice of tea. $38.00 per guest.

The Grand Tea - The classic English tradition of Afternoon Tea, Grand Floridian style. We offer you a variety of tea sandwiches, scones and jam tarts, followed by your choice of our freshly baked tea pastries or English trifle, accompanied by a glass of Domaine Ste.-Michelle sparkling wine and your choice of tea. $29.00 per guest. Iron Horse Cuvee $6.00.

Prince Edward's Tea - A delicious array of duck and cherry terrine, chicken and pork roulade, country pate en croute, and , and English Blue Stilton, the "King" of English cheeses. Served with marinated fresh berries, and Cumberland sauce. We then offer our delicious fresh-baked scones served with rich Devonshire cream. Your choice of our tea with a glass of our Fonseca Bin 27 Character Port. $24.50 per guest. Cockburn 20 yr Tawny Port $2.00.

Buckingham Palace - Our traditional tea sandwiches, scones and jam tarts complemented by fresh strawberries and cream, or a selection of freshly baked pastries, along with your choice of tea. $23.00 per guest.

Mrs. Potts Tea - For the young tea lover in your party, we offer a variety of tea sandwiches, tuna salad, ham and cheese, peanut butter and jelly on white bread. We serve our magical dark tea (chocolate milk), followed by a choice of two pastries. $12.00 per guest

A La Carte Offerings

British Cheese Plate - a selection of traditional British cheeses, served with an array of seasonal fruit $14.50

Gentleman's Tea Platter - house-made duck and cherry terrine, chicken & pork roulade, country pate en croute, accompanied by marinated berries, cumberland sauce and English Blue Stilton $12.00

Plate of Assorted Tea Sandwiches - traditional tea sandwich plate -- five assorted tea sandwiches on fresh, house-made breads. $10.00

English Blue Stilton Cheese - Served with walnuts and marinated berries. $8.50

Strawberries and Cream - A bowl of fresh strawberries and cream. $6.95

English Trifle $6.95

Freshly Baked Scones - Served with Devonshire Cream and Preserves. $3.50

Two Jam Tarts $3.50

A variety of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic are available)

Non-Alcoholic:

Press Pot Colombian Coffee (regular or decaf) $6.29

Espresso $3.39

Cappuccino $3.89

Hot Cocoa $2.39

Milk $2.39

Chocolate Milk $2.39

Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Sprite $2.69

Apple or Orange Juice $2.49

Selections from the bar:

Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee Brut, Sonoma '97 $14.00 per glass, $62.00 per bottle

Domaine Ste.-Michelle, Blanc de Blanc, Columbia Valley $8.00 per glass, $35.00 per bottle

Martinelli Sparkling Cider $8.00 per glass, $35.00 per bottle

Fonseca Bin 27, Character, N.V. $10.00

Cockburn 20 yr Tawny Port $12.00

Import/Specialty Beer $5.75

The History of Tea

Five thousand years ago, China's legendary Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea. People outside the Far East enjoyed tea for the first time less than 500 years ago. Tea has played an important role in world history ever since. Today the world drinks more tea than any other beverage except water. Tea both calms and stimulates, warms and cools and above all tastes delicious.

How to Brew Tea

While the verbiage may change, the traditional way of brewing tea should not. The steps are as follows:

* Warm the pot to remove any chill

* Add one teaspoon full of tea per person plus one for the pot

* Add water that has just come to a boil

* Let the tea steep for a good five minutes... Pour and enjoy!

Traditional Tea Selections

Tea selections are $6.25 per person

Taste of Summer - Delicate Refreshing and Floral.

Organic Lychee Green - Perfumed in the Traditional Chinese manner with the sweet and complex bouquet of lychee.

Cassis - An exceptionally aromatic tea with a rich black currant flavor that balances on the edge of the cup. This tea always reminds one of our founders of his childhood afternoons spent with his Grandmother.

Organic Tangerine Rooibos - A healthful cup of organic Rooibos from South Africa, infused with the sweet character of sunny citrus. Enjoy both hot and over ice.

Mountain Berry - Saskatoon berries (native to Canada), currants raisins and blueberries.

Custom Blends

Made exclusively for Gardenview Tea Room.

Gardenview Blend - A signature blend made exclusively for Gardenview Tea Room.

Princess Breakfast Tea - A sweet custom blend of South African organic rooibos flavored with vanilla bean and a hint of strawberries. Rich in antioxidants and vitamins, and naturally decaffeinated.

Green and White Teas

Silver Leaf - A white tea harvested from south of the Yangtze river region. A very delicate flavor.

Black Teas

Imperial English Breakfast - Elegant and refined smooth sweetness. A blend of Ceylon and China Black Teas. Decaf English Breakfast also available.

Russian Earl Grey - Inspired by the old tradition of shipping tea with lemon for flavor: Made from the rind of spicy Bergamot orange to give the exotic blend of citrus.

Eros - Medium bodied Ceylon: Sweet Mandarin orange with warm vanilla for a sweet, smooth and creamy finish.

Thunderbolt Darjeeling - Thin bodied light tea with a floral aroma. The tea holds a distinctive tannic characteristic and a musky spiciness. It is often referred to by tea connoisseurs as muscatel, a grape varietal found in sweeter wines.

Herbal Infusion

Harmony - A tranquil blend of sweet chamomile blossoms, peppermint, allspice and orange blossoms for a mild and sweet taste.

Chamomile Flowers - A tranquil and calming herbal infusion of sweet and fragrant golden chamomile blossoms combined for a mild and sweet taste. Soft and musty aroma combined with a smooth, apple-like finish.

Vanilla Rooibos - Rich and full bodied with creamy vanilla finish.

Nobo Whole Fruit - Full bodied and rich in sweetness. An array of berries and apple, accompanied with hibiscus, rose hips, and cornflowers.

Green Leaves: Green tea is grown mostly in Taiwan, China and Japan. China green tea is known for its mild and subtle tastes, refreshing aromas and pale hues of the teas.

White Leaves: Originally harvested in the northern Fujian province of China from wild tea bushes, White teas are highly prized because of they consist of top buds and leaves only.

Black Leaves: Black tea is grown in China, India, Sri Lanka and Africa. It is the most common type of tea in the Western world.

Herbal Infusions: A collection of herbs, flowers, fruits, berries and spices from around the world. Herbal infusions are naturally caffeine free.

Oolong Tea: Oolong is a semi-fermented tea. It undergoes the same treatment as black tea, only it is fermented for less time than black. Instead of rolling the leaf, only the edges of each leaf are rolled.

*Wine and Spirits available upon request.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I have always wanted to do the tea at the GF but can't seem to get anyone to go with me

[bigdisneydaddy 9]

Lovely write up, while reading it I sat sipping my orange soda with my pinky up !

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I have always wanted to do the tea at the GF but can't seem to get anyone to go with me

Pick me! Pick me! :jumpforjoy

I'd love to go back but it would probably take a bit of arm twisting to talk Brian into a return trip.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Pick me! Pick me! :jumpforjoy

I'd love to go back but it would probably take a bit of arm twisting to talk Brian into a return trip.

Let's do it :banana: I arrive on the 28th and leave on the 4th. I'm good for any of these days. And as long as Mike doesn't have to go with me he's good for any of those days too :rofl2:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I got a wide open day 11/3 - wanna make it a date? :)

...assuming we can get ADRs (they do fill up surprisingly)

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I got a wide open day 11/3 - wanna make it a date? :)

...assuming we can get ADRs (they do fill up surprisingly)

Sounds great and it just happens to be my birthday. I can't think of a better way to spend it. :banana:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Perfect!!

Anyone else wanna come celebrate Doodle's birthday with a tea party??

I'll wait to call for the ADRs for a day or so.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

You two don't think Mike and Brian would want to go with you?? :rofl2:

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Ya, I don't think so

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Does this look like the face of a man that's thrilled to be drinking tea?

:rofl2:

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

Actually, I prefer tea. That "Prince Edward's Tea" sounds like it was made for me :rofl2:

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

OK - Rita & I are in ...

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

That's great, Ed. Mama too?

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

She's undecided, but mostly just wants to sit at The Fort. Rita & I will work on it ...

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Oh yay - now it's becoming a real tea PARTY!!!:banana:

Anyone else?

I'm going to try making the ADR tomorrow night after work. If anyone is on the fence, let me know and I'll hold off.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Actually, I prefer tea. That "Prince Edward's Tea" sounds like it was made for me :rofl2:

Actually, even though he went only because I wanted to, Brian did enjoy it - even the tea, and he's definitely not a tea drinker.

He just didn't enjoy it enough to pass up an afternoon hanging at the Fort to do it again.

He did really enjoy the food (me too).

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I am getting really excited about this. Did you dress for tea, Monique or just resort wear? :banana:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Brian traded the t-shirt for the button-up but he still had shorts on.

Me - ditto. :)

Should we all wear fancy hats?

I wanna see Ed in this one...

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Brian traded the t-shirt for the button-up but he still had shorts on.

Me - ditto. :)

Should we all wear fancy hats?

I wanna see Ed in this one...

Hat's would awesome, but not mandatory. Except for Ed :rofl2:

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

Brian traded the t-shirt for the button-up but he still had shorts on.

Me - ditto. :)

Should we all wear fancy hats?

I wanna see Ed in this one...

Will this work?

When I checked in at Victoria & Albert's, I told them "Prince Edward is here to see the Queen". I was snarky even then :rofl2:

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

Ok y'all, I love to play dress-up! It is Halloween and Doodle's Birthday. I think Foofy Hat Day would be so cool! I'm in for the hat!! I can't wait to go shopping! Purple hats? So do we dress or not? what is the attire? We are saying Mama is in at this point, she is worried about being nervous because she can't hear. She will sit with me and y'all will have to be sure to look at her when you talk! She's in!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Ok y'all, I love to play dress-up! It is Halloween and Doodle's Birthday. I think Foofy Hat Day would be so cool! I'm in for the hat!! I can't wait to go shopping! Purple hats? So do we dress or not? what is the attire? We are saying Mama is in at this point, she is worried about being nervous because she can't hear. She will sit with me and y'all will have to be sure to look at her when you talk! She's in!

Purple hats would be so cool. I'm glad Mama is coming, and don't worry i tend to talk loud, or so I've been told :rofl2: I'm thinking maybe a sundress or skirt for tea. What ever you are comfortable in should be fine though :banana:

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Yay - Mama's in!!!

As for her worrying about not hearing... I'm convinced when you hit 60 in my family you immediately become deaf as a post, so I'm more than used to speaking slowly and clearly and won't take offense to having to repeat myself.

Ed - you snappy dresser you!!! Very snazzy indeed!

There were actually some people at the Garden View that dressed up for a proper tea, so if we wanted to go all our (especially since it's Doodle's b-day) I think that would be fun!