Afternoon Tea? About This Page:

[Eeyore Tattoo]

Has anyone gone to the Garden View Lounge for the
Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian ?
Did you enjoy it?
Deb

[Dave Marx]

Yes, some years ago. And yes, I did enjoy it. All those little goodies to snack on, attentive service, genteel surroundings. Quite nice for a relaxed break from the park with the right company. Not the place for a four year-old boy, though. The only way I'll bring Alexander there is if he learns to say, "Yes, Pater, isn't the lapsang souchong delightful? And do have one of these scones with a bit of lemon curd!"

(No, I don't waggle my pinkie in the air when I drink my tea. )

Tea making tip? I cold-brew iced tea concentrate with loose Earl Gray, in a French Press coffee maker - 8 teaspoons of tea in a four-cup pot. It comes out golden brown and delicious (An Alton Brown fan? Moi??. )

[skateycat]

hmmm...i am assuming, of course, that you have separate french presses...one for coffee and one for tea. as a self professed tea and coffee snob, i should recommend both. and never ever overbrew your tea! or use the incorrect temperature of water...oh, and tea bags? eeeewwwww, can you say dust and fannings? ok, enough of that. to answer the question, i have been to tea several times....be sure to make reservations plenty in advance, it is very popular and a small room. part of the charm. it is a nice dress-up thing to do...i have seen several families with small boys and girls who are there learning their party manners. it can also be a casual fun thing. it is not for the loud and raucous though. hope you have a great time. oh, and lapsang souchong is ok, but give me a fine cup of harney's supreme breakfast tea...oh yum yum, gimme some!

[tio marco]

yes, we've done it.....it is great!! a great way to have a little bit of downtime w/o leaving the magic behind. highly recommend it.

[amandal]

Deb - My BFF and I just had tea in August. We absolutely loved it and it was honestly one of the best things I've ever done in WDW. They have a good selection and it's just so peaceful and pretty in the lounge. I would recommend it highly!! If you need more info, please feel free to PM me.

[WDWfan]

I went with my DMIL last December and 'd it! The Grand Floridian is so beautiful during the holidays. You can eat as much or as little as you want - we used it as a late lunch one day and left VERY full. It is so peaceful there and is a wonderful place to relax and visit with friends and loved ones.

[jimmymac]

We did it last year and it was pretty cool. Checking out the Christmas decorations in the lobby was even cooler

[mickeycrazy]

We loved it and are doing it again in Nov. Loved the atmosphere, the food and the trifle was to die for!!

[Eeyoresmom]

Yes, we did it in June and loved it (even my DH who does not really like tea). Take a look at our "First, Last and Only" trip report. Hope you enjoy it!

[Eeyore Tattoo]

If I can round up a few mousefesters (hint) maybe we can take a afternoon break for tea..
A am a Oolong girl myself
Deb

P.S.
Dave, I bet you make one mean cup of tea!

[krisk11]

I've done and and really enjoyed it. I look forward to doing it again on a future trip.

[disneygramma]

Yes we did it and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! It was pleasant, the food was tasty, thetea was quite delicious, the ambiance was indeed genteel. It made for a really nice break in the middle of the afternoon.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

I am going to try for a ADR for Monday afternoon.. 12/15
Anyone want to come along?

[mestitch]

We've done it twice and can't wait to do it again! It's so relaxing and just nice to be in that room, relaxing, drinking very tasty tea, and eating very very tasty sandwiches and pastries. We also do the Buckingham Palace. I get cravings for the pear sandwich all the time!!! It's really nice way to unwind.

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by skateycat

hmmm...i am assuming, of course, that you have separate french presses...one for coffee and one for tea. as a self professed tea and coffee snob, i should recommend both. and never ever overbrew your tea! or use the incorrect temperature of water

Yep, this is a tea-only press. They're very reasonably priced at IKEA. And one of the things I like best about cold-brewed iced tea is that it's really, really hard to over-brew it. The light flavor notes survive, and it rarely, if ever, gets overly tannic. I know, tradition states the water must be boiling to make a proper cup, but my experience suggests that there's a lot that is unsaid behind that tradition. Heating cool, already-brewed tea doesn't taste good, and water from a hot water tap also rarely tastes good, so if you want it hot, definitely go all the way. Since none of that is an issue for iced tea, I'll stick to cold brewed iced tea.