After seeing last week’s post about the Tables in Wonderland dinner at Disney World’s Great Movie Ride, @janettwokay shared with me some photos from her recent Disney Fairy Tale Weddings vow renewal celebration held in the same venue! Here’s a great way to get a good idea of what dining inside the ride might be like!
This is also a good way for those of you contemplating using the GMR as a venue for your private celebrations to see what could await you…
Gangster Scene: Appetizers
Guests began the evening in the Gangster Scene, where cocktails were served and appetizers were passed. Tables were set up simply: black and red linens and rope adorning the chairs. In the background, you can see a pianist tickling the ivories — he played throughout the cocktail service.
Tables in the Gangster Set
A bartender was set up over to the side. There’s a great photo of a still set up behind him! Even the service was themed: beer cans were served in paper bags, wine was served in coffee mugs, and mixed drinks were served in mason jars.
Bartender in Gangster Scene
The cocktail hour included various appetizers, including:
Assorted Passed Vegetarian Sushi
Assorted Passed Canapés and Hors d’ Oeuvres
* Miniature Calzones
* House Cured Salmon with Caviar
* Arancini with Spicy Italian Sausage
Assorted Passed Crostini
* Gorgonzola and Hazelnut
* White Bean
* Eggplant
Appetizers in Gangster Scene
Gangster-themed Streetmosphere characters entertained guests throughout the appetizer portion of the evening.
Gangster Scene Streetmosphere Characters
Cowboy Scene: Plated Dinner
Guests headed next into the Cowboy Scene, where a plated dinner was about to be served.
The table for the plated dinner was long and had space for all guests. The table was set with black linen and burlap with metal chargers; Chairs were decorated with burlap bows, raffia ties, and real daisies as accents. Each place setting had a name card with a Mickey rice krispie treat and a menu card.
Table in the Western Scene
According to Janet, “We kept the table decorations simple: small wooden barrels, ceramic moonshine jugs, rope lariats, driftwood frames, bundles of corn, bundles of twigs, bundles of leaves, bales of hay, and small hurricane lamps.”
Decor on the Western Themed Table
The menu included:
Ale and Molasses Marinated Quail with Chervil and Bacon Wrapped Shallots. In her caption of this photo, Janet mentioned that this dish was wrapped inside crispy noodles that looked like a tumblin’ tumbleweed. Disney certainly knows how to theme a dish to a venue. Note: The children had the option of homemade macaroni and cheese served inside in a crispy beggars purse.
Marinated Quail in Tumbleweeds
A sorbet intermezzo was served. Looks delicious!
Sorbet and Fruit Intermezzo
Also on the menu, Venison with Sundried Cherry and Zinfandel Reduction; Parsnip, Sweet Potato, and Yukon Gold Potato Tarte; Braised Greens; Moros Orange and Honey Glazed Duck.
Main Entree at Western Themed Plated Dinner
Here’s the full Western Scene menu card:
Western Streetmosphere characters and a western band entertained guests during the dinner.
Streetmosphere Characters and a Western Band Entertained
The Land of Oz: Dessert
The guests walked through the rest of the ride (past Casablanca and the Temple) until reaching the Land of Oz, where dessert would be served among the munchkins! But look out for that witch…
Ruby Slippers on Wicked Witch of the East
The tables were in “technicolor,” as Janet says! Tables were named for the Wizard of Oz characters, and centerpieces contained spiral lollipops amid the bright flowers.
Tables in the Land of Oz
Land of Oz Centerpiece
Each place setting held a miniature wedding cake — with Mickeys of course, a small box of runts candy, and a pair of edible ruby slippers!
Land of Oz Place Setting
Edible Ruby Slippers Party Favor
Glinda, the Good Witch, and Lars, a Hollywood Movie Producer whom the guests had met at the beginning of the evening, entertained during the dessert service.
Glinda and Lars Entertain the Bride and Groom
Dance Party and Dessert Buffet Under the Hat
The guests finally moved to the last section of the evening, a dance party under the giant Sorcerer Mickey Hat in the middle of the Studios. Guess who showed up to get the party started!
Sorcerer Mickey Leads the Dance
There was also a dessert buffet during the Dance Party.
Dessert Buffet Items
Dessert Buffet Items
And the happy couple ended the evening with a private fireworks show!
Private Fireworks Show over Disney's Hollywood Studios
Thanks and More Info
To see more from Janet’s fairy tale vow renewal, including photos from the planning, check out her flickr page! Janet, thank you for sharing these amazing photographs with us!
If you’re interested in having your wedding or vow renewal…or some other celebration…at Disney World, you can check out DisneyWeddings.com. Disneyland more your style? Here you go: Disneyland’s Wedding Page.
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Wow! I don’t know how much something like that costs, but it looks like it would be worth it! I’ll file this away under “things I want to do someday”. What a beautiful evening!
WOW! I’m not sure I have adequate words. What a fantastic celebration! I do have words, too…My 20th anniversary is not too far away…I need to make sure my husband sees this!!!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Janet!
Thanks for your comments, Lynne and Janna! I know exactly how you feel. How cool this would be!
That’s amazing! I agree, that it is something to add to my “bucketlist”. 20th or 25th anniversary.
Those miniature wedding cakes look fantastic!
Would be perfect for a 20th or 25th, James! I can’t wait to get my invitation! 😉
First off… Congratulations to the happy couple!!
Wow! I’m also thinking something like this would be amazing for our 20th or 25th anniversary. The themed decorations and attention to the small details (like the drinking glasses) is incredible.
WoW AJ! That was awesome. Thanks for getting Janet to let you share all these photos with us! I have been to some private events in the parks but they pale in comparison to this!
There’s something special about being in the park after it is closed to everyone else but you. Everyone should experience it at some point.
Awesome.
Holy Cow! That looks amazing! What a special night.
Jennifer — I couldn’t believe the level of detail that went into the bartender glasses either! Amazing.
Amanda — Agreed. I haven’t had the opportunity yet, but I’d love to!
Kelly — Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Ashley — I know. I keep looking back through the photos and seeing more detail.
AJ, you did a beautiful job with your write-up. I thoroughly enjoyed the selection of photos that you picked out. It was fun for me to see my event through your eyes. Thank you for sharing it with your fellow food lovers.
Since your blog is about food, I wanted to mention that the menu for my event was specially created for me by Chef Darryl Mickler. Sadly, Chef Darryl has left Disney, but forever he will be in my heart for having created some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. He also created the menu for a party that I held on the ballroom set of “The Haunted Mansion” movie. It, too, was beyond delicious. I absolutely adored Chef Darryl & his team of culinary magic makers.
For those of you who will be attending the Tables in Wonderland “Great Movie Ride” event, I need to note that my event was filled with many special touches. I’m not sure what Disney has in store for your event, but I hope it at least includes their Streetmosphere characters. Those folks truly make an event memorable. In regards to what dishes you’ll be served that night, I’m not worried. I know they’ll taste delicious and you’ll be more than satisfied. Trust me.
In closing, Disney did a wonderful job with my event. My heartfelt thanks will always go out to the Grand Floridian and its Convention Services organization, Disney Event Productions, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Chef Darryl Mickler. It takes a village to pull off a flawless event and they did it with style & grace. Lastly, my photos were taken by a team of Disney photographers. They did a beautiful job in capturing the essence of Rick & my 20th wedding anniversary party.
Thank you Janet! What a wonderful post. We’re grateful for your willingness to share the photos with us!
Way cool! I had no idea Disney did this in the ride. Thanks for sharing.
Wow that looks absolutely amazing. There was so much attention to detail that went into that event. Congrats to the bride and groom.
I never would have thought to use a ride for a dinner party like that.
Laura and Erin — So cool, right? I loved seeing all of the special touches Disney put together. I used to plan fund-raising events for a living and the level of detail that goes into things like this (especially detail that’s never even seen!) is incredible.
Janet2K, I KNEW that was your reception! I loved looking at those photos before and just am in awe at how much fun your reception looked like.
pjstevens
that is so cool
Janet2K,
Curiousity is overwhelming my sense of decency: can you give a ballpark figure of the cost?