Afternoon Tea

[Amunet]

I'm a bit bummed that Afternoon Tea is unavailable with no hints as to when it will open. I understand why the tea experience is not available at the Rose & Crown, but why do you think the Garden Tea Room is closed?

Since it's more like a restaurant, without characters, I can see them opening it up with the same regulations as other sit downs. The only thing that makes sense to me is that maybe not enough people eat there so it wouldn't be worth opening until capacity limits are lifted.

We usually partake in afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian on our arrival day, it's a wonderful 'welcome to your Disney vacation' experience. This year, we've had to substitute Sanaa lunch for it instead, which isn't too bad since I've always wanted to try there, but still ...

So why do you think Afternoon Tea is on hold?

 

[Pumbaa_]

Because it’s not necessary.
it seems right now no extras are going On.

 

[Amunet]

The afternoon tea in Grand Floridian is basically a sit down meal, very filling.
I can see how it would be deemed "not necessary" but many eateries are still unavailable (Casey's) that one would think is necessary.

 

[Gregowa]

I was wondering the same thing. I love going to Afternoon Tea and evdry time I have been, the Tea Room has been fullly booked. Same thing with Victoria & Alberts. Both of these restaurants are consistently hard to get reservations for and book up quickly. I had hoped they would be re-opened by December. The tables are already fairly spaced out in both so the distancing wouldn’t be a problem. I know both experiences are likely money makers for Disney so it really surprises me they haven’t reopened for that reason alone.

 

[mrp4352]

My thought is that the profit margin for having the room reduced to acceptable occupancy has gotten so low that it's better for them to keep the location closed. It was already a tiny location, and with only half (or less) of the seating available, only a handful of guests could have tea each day.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

And, in part, it could be to help streamline food purchases so that food doesn't go to waste. Most of the sit down restaurants had paired down menus and with all the specialty items Afternoon Tea has that aren't served anywhere else in the GF...

 

[Dean Marino]

ummmm - I believe everyone at the GF Tea Room was just fired . Correct me if I am wrong, as a dear CM friend that DID work there was wacked in the recent purge.

Hence? No Tea Room .

 

[Amunet]

ummmm - I believe everyone at the GF Tea Room was just fired . Correct me if I am wrong, as a dear CM friend that DID work there was wacked in the recent purge.

Hence? No Tea Room .

You mean furloughed or laid off? From my understanding, the CMs can still be called back but by laying them off, they can apply for unemployment if they qualify.
I don't doubt your friend is no longer working there. Sad to hear though I was hoping they would open by December.

 

[Jennx36]

Has there been any chatter as to whether or not Afternoon Tea will return in time for the 50th Anniversary? It seems like a lot of other experiences are starting to reappear, but I haven't seen anything yest for the Afternoon Tea experiences.

 

[Amunet]

Has there been any chatter as to whether or not Afternoon Tea will return in time for the 50th Anniversary? It seems like a lot of other experiences are starting to reappear, but I haven't seen anything yest for the Afternoon Tea experiences.

I've been checking WDW periodically to see if any are opening but I haven't seen any thus far. I'm mostly looking at the Garden View Tea Room and the tea experience at Rose & Crown.

It would be awesome if they would open up again, it's just not the same without afternoon tea at Disney

 

[crazycatstacy]

We are taking my mother-in-law for the first time and really want to do the afternoon tea. We aren't going until December so hopefully it is back by then.

 

[Amunet]

We are taking my mother-in-law for the first time and really want to do the afternoon tea. We aren't going until December so hopefully it is back by then.

December 2021? I really hope they have it by then!
They are opening up a lot of things for the anniversary, so I don't think we're too crazy to hope that afternoon tea will be available by then

 

[TikiOrangeBird]

I hope this is back in November, as well as 1900 Park Fare.

 

[loveshak22]

I plan on being at WDW in mid-November and hope Afternoon Tea is back. I was hoping to find some info on any rumors of it reopening for the 50th anniversary but I'm not seeing anything...guess it's a wait and see!

 

[mamamia2005]

Joining in hoping garden view tea room re opens soon! We are coming to WDW in December, so hoping to be able to book when our ADR's open up.

 

[jenstall]

I'll be there in December as well. Hopefully it will reopen by then. I have always wanted to experience the Afternoon Tea at the GF.

 

[loveshak22]

I'm hoping Senses and Afternoon Tea open for my mid-November trip! It's where I'd like to spend my birthday afternoon before heading to the Christmas party that night!

 

[gharter]

My wife and daughter did the GF Afternoon tea a few years back and loved it.

 

[mamamia2005]

We've been once before and loved it. We got really lucky and were sat right near the window, and the Cinderella wedding coach and horses came past