This is entry for the "Imagineering Competition" held by Disney Parkhoppers [link] . It's inspired by Uncle Albert, from Mary Poppins, who floated when he laughed (which sounds rather fun to me). So I bring you Uncle Albert's floating tea room - the REAL happiest place on Earth!

Written Description

Blurb

Uncle Albert’s Tea Room is a new “experiential” eatery inspired by Mary Poppins, Bert and the Banks children’s visit to Mary’s Uncle Albert who floats when he laughs. Uncle Albert has realised that he can spread his joy of laughing while turning a tidy profit and so has opened his tea Room. Set within a stereotypical Edwardian London terrace house facade, Uncle Albert’s Tea Room is anything but typical! Before the maitre d’ will let guests in they must convince the maitre d’ that they are sufficiently jolly. This done they pass through the vestibule into the house proper and just like Uncle Albert they begin to float. Happiness and laughter are part of the Tea Room’s mortar so almost everything is floating too! A waiter greets the guests mid-air and shows them to their floating table
where they can order a wide range of teas and coffee, snacks and light meals.


Technical Details

The “floating effect is achieved by an extremely strong plastic/glass composite (such as that
used in walk through/under aquarium) to create the stairs and upper floor.

Wait staff are dressed in traditional Edwardian house staff costumes (butlers and maids) and
address customers with formal etiquette.

The “tea room” (both levels) are dressed as a single room in the style of a comfortable but “lived in” Edwardian residence.
The windows run between the floors to support the “one
room” image and heighten the impression of “floating”.
The upholstery and curtains are rich, even sumptuous, and pleasant to touch, all chairs and sofas, although Edwardian in style are very comfortable (like a favourite old great uncle’s favourite sitting chair).
The colour scheme is to be based on rich, warm and earthy tones (reds, deep greens, and
browns) that are dark but not depressingly or suffocatingly so.
The wood finishes are to be in polished, rich walnuts and chestnut tones (these actual woods may not be era appropriate but the colours of their finishes should be used as a guide).
Paintings and a few early photographs (perhaps a prominent one of Mary Poppins and Uncle Albert) adorn the walls. The paintings could be of various Disney characters in various styles, for example, Belle as a
Gibson Girl or Gaston and LeFou in a “hunting portrait” or Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or Bambi and Thumper et al in a “ pastoral ” painting. There should also be a range
of knickknacks on display.
While these should be era appropriate there could be a few that
include Disney characters, for example, china figurines of characters or characters engraved into urns and vases, even the silver wear used to serve guests.
The books on display should look authentic and well read and could also include Disney titles, providing they are
presented as era appropriate books.

Because some guests may feel uncomfortable walking on a clear surface especially if they are wearing skirts or dresses, a floor runner (a long rug to protect the carpet/wood finishes in hallways) runs down the centre of the tea room for them to walk on.

The Tea Room has the standard amenities of:
Ladies, restroom (with disabled facilities),
Men’s restroom (with disabled facilities),
Parents’ and carers’ room (with disabled facilities), and
“Glass” lift for guests with limited mobility.


Menu

Wide range of hot and cold teas including:
Traditional black teas, such as:
Breakfast teas, and
Earl and Lady Grey teas,
Herbal teas,
Green and white teas,
Fruit teas,
Flower flavoured teas,
Tisanes,
Tea art (tea balls that unfurl into different shapes when in hot water), and
Rooibos teas (southern African tea also called “red tea” and “bush tea”.

Range of coffees including:
Arabica,
French roast,
Vienna,
Kenya, and
Columbian.

Range of high teas including:
Children's Choice:
Plate 1: jam and honey sandwich fingers with crusts cut off
Plate 2: fairy bread, a pikelet with jam and butter, and a sausage roll with tomato sauce
Plate 3: mini gingerbread character, mini cream cake, mini character cupcake

Chocolate lovers:
Plate 1: sandwiches with chocolate spread and bread with dipping chocolate
Plate 2: Chocolate scones with chocolate or plain cream, chocolate pastry twists.
Plate 3: mini chocolate mud cake, mini chocolate cup with chocolate mousse, mini chocolate flan, mini white chocolate lemon lime pie, chocolate truffle

Savoury savants
Plate 1: finger sandwiches
Plate 2: pumpkin scones, mini quiches, mini frittatas
Plate 3: cheese platter with savoury twists or pumpkin scones and polenta cake

Sweet-tooth sweethearts
Plate 1: meringue “sandwiches” with chocolate or caramel fudge filling
Plate 2: pikelets and scones with jam and cream/butter
Plate 3: mini chocolate mud cake, mini chocolate cup with chocolate mousse, mini chocolate flan, mini white chocolate lemon lime pie, chocolate truffle

Meals and snacks including:
Petit Fours
Pasties, sausage rolls and pies,
Toad-in –a-hole,
Guinness steak pie,
Hot beer-battered chips,
Devonshire tea (Scones with jam and cream and a cup of tea),
Pikelets butter or cream and a choice of homemade jams,
Rock cakes (mini sultana cakes with a delicious golden crust),
Bread and butter pudding,
Scones with butter or cream and a choice of homemade jams,
Selection of tarts (apple, pecan, rhubarb),
Sandwiches (choice of fillings and crust or crust-less),
Fruitcake with traditional icing,
Banana bread,
Carrot cake,
Toast (choice of breads and condiments),
Quiche, frittatas, and savoury tarts,
Gingerbread, and
A selection of cakes, biscuits and slices.

Other drinks include:
Pimms,
Soft drinks,
Spiders (ice cream in a soft drink),
Milkshakes,
Flavoured and plain milk,
Hot chocolate,
Juices, and
Range of waters (plain, flavoured, spring, and mineral.