Private Dining @ the GF?

[Sazzo'sMommy]

Has anyone done a private dining event at the GF? I was really thinking of doing one for my DH for his surprise BDay trip in October.

We loved V&A when we ate there 3 years ago before DD, so I was thinking I could do one and have them fix exactly what he still raves about eating from that night.

If anyone has done anything like that could you please fill me in on all of the how to's? Could you tell me where you had your event? And anything else?

Thanks!

 

[chamonix]

janettwokay has done this, and has pictures in her online photo album. Sorry, I don't have a link, but if you can find a post from her, I think it has a link in her sigline...?
It looked like they dined out on the end of the pier, somewhat screened by potted plants that were brought out for that purpose, and their were signs to keep people away. (in a nice way, lol)
Not to worry, Private Dining should have some ideas for you when you call.

 

[Janet2k]

Gosh, I am so rarely on the Restaurants board, but since I am hungry right now, I thought I’d take a look at what folks are eating in the World. Luckily, I found your thread and I can offer you my recent experiences with a Private Dining event at the Grand Floridian Resort.

Chamonix is correct. I hosted a Grand Floridian Private Dining event during my last vacation. I wrote about it in my thread on the Dis’ Trip Reports board (click here for my thread). Look on Page 2 for my post entitled “Anniversary Celebration, Part Two.” I have links in that post to a few photos of my Private Dining event.

I was a concierge guest of the Grand Floridian Resort, so I did the bulk of my planning with its wonderful concierge staff. If you are not a concierge guest of that resort, you would call the GF’s Private Dining folks directly and do your planning with them. They are wonderful to work with.

There are a few locations at the Grand Floridian where you can hold your event. I initially wanted to have dinner on the beach, but since I was in a wheelchair, that location became impossible for me. I also considered a dinner next to the marina, a dinner next to the Summerhouse, and several other locations (for concierge guests, there is a private balcony on the third floor that may be used).

Since my event was held at a public location, the concierge suggested that I special order “screening” material in order to seclude my event somewhat. The screening material that was ordered for me was tall plants that came directly from the Magic Kingdom Theme Park. I was charged by the foot for the plants and this added a couple hundred dollars to the cost of my event, but it was well worth it. I was glad the concierge had recommended that option to me.

For my event, I also had the option of hiring a butler. I chose to do so. He was wonderful and took care of everything for my party that night. In my humble opinion, I would not host an event without the butler.

The Private Dining folks should be able to e-mail or FAX to you the Private Dining menu. I was told that if there was something that my guests wanted that was not on the menu, they would prepare it especially for us, all I had to do was say the word. I inquired about dessert from Victoria & Albert’s because I wanted to serve their Grand Marnier soufflé. I was told that desserts from Victoria & Albert’s were definitely an option for me.

I invited another Dis’er and her family to join my family for that event. It worked out wonderfully and everyone had a lovely time. There were seven of us in total for dinner that evening.

Since I am so rarely on the Restaurants Board, please feel free to PM me with any specific questions. By the way, if you want to plan something truly unique and once-in-a-lifetime, please read about the private dinner party that I hosted on the set of the “Haunted Mansion” movie inside the Disney Studios Theme Park. I began writing about that event on Page 10 of my thread (click here). It was beyond wonderful. I have found that with Disney, if you can dream it, they can make it come true.

Enjoy planning your event.