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Only ONE restaurant in all of Central Florida has earned the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Start Rating. That restaurant just happens to be in Walt Disney World. Do you agree with this five-star distinction?
Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Rating
Receiving a 5-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide is one of the ultimate recognitions for any restaurant. The honor signifies unparalleled guest satisfaction. In fact, restaurants that receive this esteemed rating are regarded as some of the very best in the all of the world.
Only one Central Florida restaurant received the distinction for 2024. And, that restaurant just happens to be in Walt Disney World. It is hard for some people to imagine a theme park being home to one of the world’s most renowned fine dining experiences, but Disney foodies know that culinary treasure abounds in Walt Disney World.
The Winner Is…
The 2024 Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star was awarded to the one and only Victoria and Albert’s. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to this award-winning fine dining experience.
Victoria and Albert’s received a 5-Star Forbes Travel Guide Rating.
It is one of Dinsey’s hottest reservations. Spots vanish nearly immediately despite the restaurant’s hefty price tag of $295+ per person. Part of the reason that a reservation is so hard to get is that Victoria and Albert’s reserves each table for just one party for the entire evening. It makes for a luxury experience that can last for four hours or longer depending on how long Guests wish to linger.
The meal consists of a 10-course chef’s tasting menu featuring creative dishes comprised of flavors from all over the globe. You might feast upon fish from as far as the Arctic Circle or enjoy a dish prepared with oils that took 100 years to make! The menu does rotate seasonally to showcase the most fantastic ingredients.
And, of course, Guests can delight in wine pairings with a list of over 700 bottles. The entire experience is something to be cherished for those who are lucky enough to partake.
More Awards
It is no wonder the restaurant has received multiple honors including the AAA Five Diamond Award. The only major distinction that eludes it is a Michelin Star. However, it has appeared in the Michelin Guide along with several other Disney restaurants including Morimoto Asia, The Polite Pig, and Citricos.
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Have you had a chance to dine at Victoria and Albert’s? Do you agree that it is a 5-star experience? Let us know in the comments. And, be sure to share the news with your friends who are planning to visit so that they know what to eat!
Share the love!
Jack
Thursday 15th of February 2024
We've been dining at Vickie and Al's since the soft opening, when the servers were all "Victoria" and "Albert". Included are many seatings at the Chef's Table, including Valentines Day 2023. We've made many friends among the staff, Chef Scott, who has since deservedly risen in the organization, and the wonderful Maitre 'D Hotel among them. We love the place, the service and the food. We always dine there when we visit and are always greeted warmly.
KatieP
Thursday 15th of February 2024
What a delightful experience to attend the soft opening! Thanks for sharing, Jack. I agree with you that the staff is just wonderful. I would love to visit again someday. I actually dream of that plum welcome drink they serve.
Francesca
Thursday 15th of February 2024
I have had the pleasure of eating there about 6 times, including once at the chef's table and twice in the Queen Elizabeth's (Victoria?) room. Clearly, my husband and I love it. They are very kind at adjusting something if it sounds unappetizing and they do ask if you have food preferences before you arrive. I, personally, do not like "foam" on anything but a dessert, and I also will not eat organ meats or raw animal protein. They adjusted the menu beforehand to avoid those things for me. For example, one dish was sweatbreads and they switched that course to the vegetarian option for me.
If anyone has a suggestion of how to get a reservation there now that there is only one seating per evening, please share it! We would love to go back but I suspect we will not be able to get reservations if we are not staying at a disney hotel.
KatieP
Thursday 15th of February 2024
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Francesca. I agree that the customization is amazing! I have an allergy and they reached out weeks in advance to plan modifications. The care and concern was amazing, and I would dine there again just based on that alone.
I do have some suggestions for you for booking without a WDW hotel stay.
1. Do still try to book at 60 days out. You will be able to book one day at the time, and sometimes you get lucky.
2. If you cannot find anything, start looking about a week in advance of your visit to Disney. I saw a table in the dining room pop up this morning for a date next week when I was working on modifying some reservations. Some lucky person should grab it!
3. Many people do not realize that you must call to book the Chef’s Table. It is not available for online booking. Therefore, you may have good luck if that is an experience you wish to have and you call as soon as the window opens. 407-939-3862
4. Lastly, even if you do not need a hotel, if you use a Disney Travel Agent to book other components (off property hotels, tickets, vip tours, event tickets), you can still enjoy the concierge services such as ADR bookings. Your agent can try to help you find a reservation. Royal Carriage Vacations is a KTP approved agency. Several writers on the team are agents (myself included), and would be delighted to help.
Tim
Thursday 15th of February 2024
We ate at VA last September. The price tag was indeed hefty ($1,000) and I can see the appeal for real foodies who can afford it. The service was spectacular and friendly. The dining room was small and one of the attendants, who had been with the restaurant for decades, entertained us with stories of celebrity diners (although he was not allowed to tell us which celebrities). The harpist played pop tunes. The dining room was a little bright...I was hoping for more of a darker, intimate feel. The food was colorful and presented well. Some of it was not to our taste, but we were glad we tried everything. It was all a bit stuffy but I'm glad we did it...I'd never do it again, though. We are steak and potato kind of people, and although we enjoyed ourselves, a $30 sirloin dinner at Texas Roadhouse was more our style. I'd rather spend the money adding another few days to our vacation than spend it on food.
KatieP
Thursday 15th of February 2024
Thank you so much for your thoughts and for sharing your experiences. I agree with you on several points. We thought the service was superb! Most of the dishes were amazing on the night I dined there. However, the desserts were, as you said, “not to my taste.”
I loved the experience but I do hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is not prepared for a 4+ hour meal with the type of ingredients you won’t find at a Texas Roadhouse. (Especially when there are so many nice steaks to be had in Disney World).