Bürgermeister's Hideaway Speakeasy Debuting July 20th

[WDWRLD]

I am having a hard time imagining this working at BGW long-term, let alone at parks with far less of a reputation/association with alcohol.

I dont know, I feel KD does more in the drinks department. They have the bar by Windseeker that while does not have a large selections does at least show the liquors they are using. Theres also the bar by Grill and Grain. Then at special events they have pop up bars everywhere that serve drinks mixed right in front of you. The one last Christmas at Effiel tower poured heavy! The last time I remember getting anything at BGW that wasnt barch mixed was the Verbolten party.

 

[wxfrcaster]

With them having mocktail versions, what if slushy machines don't have alcohol in them and the bartenders add it? I went to an AMAZING rum bar in St Thomas where they had a line of slushy machines and you got to pour your own rum, any amount, for $8.99.

 

[Rothbury]

I can't help but think about the posters who say they would have no problem paying $50 for drinks and a show. Would you have a problem if they started serving drinks at Celtic Fyre and charged for that show? I don't see the difference in the logic. All I can say is it would have to be one hell of a show for me to spend $50 to sit for 60 - 90 minutes to watch a "show". And I keep hearing capacity limits of 25 people. Since tickets have to be sold in pairs how can you have an odd numbered capacity?

 

[DJTLG]

And I keep hearing capacity limits of 25 people. Since tickets have to be sold in pairs how can you have an odd numbered capacity?

It's a minimum of two people per reservation. There could be groups of 3, 5, etc.

 

[warfelg]

I can't help but think about the posters who say they would have no problem paying $50 for drinks and a show. Would you have a problem if they started serving drinks at Celtic Fyre and charged for that show? I don't see the difference in the logic. All I can say is it would have to be one hell of a show for me to spend $50 to sit for 60 - 90 minutes to watch a "show". And I keep hearing capacity limits of 25 people. Since tickets have to be sold in pairs how can you have an odd numbered capacity?

Drinks and show combined? Yes I would pay.

Some of y’all are being way too dismissive without even knowing what it’s like.

 

[sotomexx]

Drinks and show combined? Yes I would pay.

Some of y’all are being way too dismissive without even knowing what it’s like.

Just got an idea, they should put “speakeasies” by the water cannons at Pompeii (and eventually, though increasingly doubtful, Roman Rapids). $50 for a flight of drinks to enjoy while shooting the cannons for 30 minutes.

 

[WDWRLD]

Just got an idea, they should put “speakeasies” by the water cannons at Pompeii (and eventually, though increasingly doubtful, Roman Rapids). $50 for a flight of drinks to enjoy while shooting the cannons for 30 minutes.

Dont joke, back in the day I dropped quite a few quarters in the water cannons at Roman Rapids while eating pizza.......almost nightly. In fact some times I would have 3-4 cannons loaded ready to go.

 

[halfabee]

I can't help but think about the posters who say they would have no problem paying $50 for drinks and a show. Would you have a problem if they started serving drinks at Celtic Fyre and charged for that show? I don't see the difference in the logic. All I can say is it would have to be one hell of a show for me to spend $50 to sit for 60 - 90 minutes to watch a "show".

While I don't really have an opinion on an experience which neither I nor anyone here has had yet, and while I also think Celtic Fyre is a not-particularly-useful proxy for whatever this thing will be -- just for fun, let's turn the offered logic around and see how it goes.

Would you pay $50 for a Celtic Fyre showcase, even if it were only 2 or 3 or 4 performers, if the show were done semi-exclusively just for you in a group of 25 people or fewer, in some sort of extended format that lasted longer than 25 minutes end to end (even if it was just a few 10-minute spots over the course of an hour), with you and at least one friend/loved one sitting at a reserved table just a few feet from the talent, not a bad seat in the house, in a cozy old-timey bar themed venue just for the two dozen or so of you, with probably some interaction with the performers, and with your choice of a 3-drink flight served to you?

I think a number of people would pay for that experience. Enough to make the expense of creating the experiment worth it to the park. In fact I think that would command more than a $50 rack rate (though again, I think the CF comparison is a bad one, as I doubt any entertainment in the room will involve Fyre-heeled waiters).

I kind of suspect the "one-of-a-kind immersive bar experience" will just be exactly that: a nice semi-exclusive bar setting, plus two charismatic servers to mildly humor and entertain while you take a break for an hour or so in your own little speakeasy. I base this expectation on nothing concrete except the price point, which for a theme park doesn't seem exorbitant. Considering what people seem willing to pay for other small-group park experiences, $40-50 is not a particularly huge hill to climb. Just like dining with Elmo or petting horses: honestly, for most people the experience is fine. It's the perception of exclusivity that, for many, really justifies the additional price at a big theme park for a decent bolt-on experience.

(...For a decent bolt-on experience...)

Can the park deliver on something like that? Different question. Maybe it works, maybe it flops. I think the demand probably is there, though, to either be engaged or run off.

 

[Riboflavenus]

I am having a hard time imagining this working at BGW long-term, let alone at parks with far less of a reputation/association with alcohol.

I mean... side from being owned by an alcoholic beverage company for most of its existence, right?

 

[Jonesta6]

Eh, modern SEAS parks have basically nothing to do with the AB era operations any longer... Just like modern AB has nothing to do with anything that isn't beer.

But for my comments about CF/KD - I'm not thinking we'd see Whey's Hideaway with a show exactly, but they're seeing huge success with Chef Dennis running culinary, so it's not too hard to imagine that they could expand upon the concept of chef-crafted cocktails (granted, a true chef's cocktail is either beer, or whatever liquor of their preference with maybe an ice crouton).

 

[EdK]

Since it requires at least two tickets the cost is really $80-100 for starters. I don't think you get three full drinks and, personally for me, I wouldn't want to down three 16 ounce beers in one hour. Unless it gets some amazing reviews, I don't think I could justify spending that kind of money on a show and some drink samples. In the past I have paid for extras such as tours and beer samples on the Rhine River Cruise but I think @Ice has the right idea about what this is.

 

[warfelg]

While I don't really have an opinion on an experience which neither I nor anyone here has had yet, and while I also think Celtic Fyre is a not-particularly-useful proxy for whatever this thing will be -- just for fun, let's turn the offered logic around and see how it goes.

Would you pay $50 for a Celtic Fyre showcase, even if it were only 2 or 3 or 4 performers, if the show were done semi-exclusively just for you in a group of 25 people or fewer, in some sort of extended format that lasted longer than 25 minutes end to end (even if it was just a few 10-minute spots over the course of an hour), with you and at least one friend/loved one sitting at a reserved table just a few feet from the talent, not a bad seat in the house, in a cozy old-timey bar themed venue just for the two dozen or so of you, with probably some interaction with the performers, and with your choice of a 3-drink flight served to you?

I think a number of people would pay for that experience. Enough to make the expense of creating the experiment worth it to the park. In fact I think that would command more than a $50 rack rate (though again, I think the CF comparison is a bad one, as I doubt any entertainment in the room will involve Fyre-heeled waiters).

I kind of suspect the "one-of-a-kind immersive bar experience" will just be exactly that: a nice semi-exclusive bar setting, plus two charismatic servers to mildly humor and entertain while you take a break for an hour or so in your own little speakeasy. I base this expectation on nothing concrete except the price point, which for a theme park doesn't seem exorbitant. Considering what people seem willing to pay for other small-group park experiences, $40-50 is not a particularly huge hill to climb. Just like dining with Elmo or petting horses: honestly, for most people the experience is fine. It's the perception of exclusivity that, for many, really justifies the additional price at a big theme park for a decent bolt-on experience.

(...For a decent bolt-on experience...)

Can the park deliver on something like that? Different question. Maybe it works, maybe it flops. I think the demand probably is there, though, to either be engaged or run off.

So we’ll said and half the reason I’m quoting you is so it gets seen again.

But this bashing of an experience and talking about parts of it like it’s been open for years is very old already. The drink options haven’t even been announced and there’s already comments of less than full drinks, what if they run out, you only get certain selections.

From a business standpoint the brilliance of prepaid reservations is you know daily how many drinks you need to have on hand. They don’t have to worry about payment in the speakeasy, they can streamline things by getting you in, getting you seated, and starting the show part.

I honestly feel like we’re at a point where people are actively rooting for BGW to fail. And I said this in the thread when people were talking about giving up passes; but this is the exact type of thing I was talking about with rewarding BGW. If this is a good experience, go. Tell people.

If something like this is done well and is good, yet people don’t go, BGW will not do more things like this. With Josephine’s open I encouraged friends to go and get some. Show BGW this is what people want.

If people ignore these things, they don’t make money, they don’t draw in people; the same downward slope of the park is going to continue.

 

[Murphy]

 

[WDWRLD]

The drink options haven’t even been announced and there’s already comments of less than full drinks, what if they run out, you only get certain selections.

From a business standpoint the brilliance of prepaid reservations is you know daily how many drinks you need to have on hand. They don’t have to worry about payment in the speakeasy, they can streamline things by getting you in, getting you seated, and starting the show part.

And the drink options having not been anounced is a problem when reservations for the experience are now open. They have anounced the frozen drinks but not what beers and wines they will be having or what brands they will be using. For people like my wife she only likes a certain type of wine so if I book it then show up to find out they dont have what shes interested in it sounds like she is just stuck with 3 bad drinks. Not having the full exact menu at booking for a experience like this to me dosent work. You would think they would be boasting about the drinks offered to drive sales and offering some exclusive beers wines and liquors would make the event worthwile IMO.

As far as your "brilliance from a business standpoint" BGW for years has managed to screw this up. Look how many times they sold VIP seating in the Royal Palace for concerts but didnt hold enough seats.

 

[warfelg]

And the drink options having not been anounced is a problem when reservations for the experience are now open. They have anounced the frozen drinks but not what beers and wines they will be having or what brands they will be using. For people like my wife she only likes a certain type of wine so if I book it then show up to find out they dont have what shes interested in it sounds like she is just stuck with 3 bad drinks. Not having the full exact menu at booking for a experience like this to me dosent work. You would think they would be boasting about the drinks offered to drive sales and offering some exclusive beers wines and liquors would make the event worthwile IMO.

As far as your "brilliance from a business standpoint" BGW for years has managed to screw this up. Look how many times they sold VIP seating in the Royal Palace for concerts but didnt hold enough seats.

So you know it's frozen drinks ahead of time but are unhappy about wines not being involved? So you are creating a reason not to like it.

And its smart to not announce ahead of time. It's not like anything says it will be preset 3. It sounds more like you will have options to pick 3 from. And having them announced ahead of time means if inventory of something runs low then they can pivot to offering something else.

Also - historically speaking - speakeasy's are known for mixed drinks and cocktails. Want beer or wine? There's plenty of other places to get it.

I'm sorry you think this is a bust before everything about it is known. But do me a favor and stop putting it down to people who like this and want to see what the execution is like before coming to a judgement. It's annoying and frankly kind of off-putting.

 

[EdK]

But this bashing of an experience and talking about parts of it like it’s been open for years is very old already. The drink options haven’t even been announced and there’s already comments of less than full drinks, what if they run out, you only get certain selections.

Seriously, if the show is only an hour, you can't expect people to drink three full drinks. I could barely finish the sampler on the Rhine Cruise. The last thing you need on a hot summer VA day is to pound three full drinks in an air conditioned room then walk around in 90 degree heat and humidity. If they did that, it would certainly make for some colorful walkways. The point being it's reasonable to expect them not to serve three full drinks. And I'm not necessarily saying it's a bad thing but other people may be expecting for a $40-50 ticket three full drinks. And since the park hasn't specified the drink sizes there is no harm in speculating on what to expect.

 

[warfelg]

Seriously, if the show is only an hour, you can't expect people to drink three full drinks. I could barely finish the sampler on the Rhine Cruise. The last thing you need on a hot summer VA day is to pound three full drinks in an air conditioned room then walk around in 90 degree heat and humidity. If they did that, it would certainly make for some colorful walkways. The point being it's reasonable to expect them not to serve three full drinks. And I'm not necessarily saying it's a bad thing but other people may be expecting for a $40-50 ticket three full drinks. And since the park hasn't specified the drink sizes there is no harm in speculating on what to expect.

Show is an hour. What if they are 3 8pm drinks and you have 2 hours to finish? Or you can leave with one of them? Or maybe it’s not going to be a super strong mix.

Again - there’s many unknowns. Talking about things like they are known is a mistake.

 

[EdK]

Also - historically speaking - speakeasy's are known for mixed drinks and cocktails. Want beer or wine? There's plenty of other places to get it.

Feel free to correct me, but reading the description I thought you had to choose ahead of time whether you want wine, beer or mixed frozen drinks. I think the park needs to do us all a favor and provide a more detailed description of the drink sizes and selections if they're going to require an upfront fee. It would be nice too if they offered bottled wine or Champaign to share at the table. For $80 for two if they had a decent Champaign bottle that we could share (or sparkling wine) and the show was good, I would definitely do it. Actually a Brut Rose Cremant from Loire or d'Alsace that retails for around $30 served in decent glasses for two would be excellent. That's a $15 dollar profit from the bottle plus another $50 for the show (restaurants tend to double the retail price which would put it at $60). I'd think they'd be making out pretty good if they did that and I'd certainly give it a try. Plus it would make my wife real happy.

 

[warfelg]

Feel free to correct me, but reading the description I thought you had to choose ahead of time whether you want wine, beer or mixed frozen drinks. I think the park needs to do us all a favor and provide a more detailed description of the drink sizes and selections if they're going to require an upfront fee. It would be nice too if they offered bottled wine or Champaign to share at the table. For $80 for two if they had a decent Champaign bottle that we could share (or sparkling wine) and the show was good, I would definitely do it. Actually a Brut Rose Cremant from Loire or d'Alsace that retails for around $30 served in decent glasses for two would be excellent. That's a $15 dollar profit from the bottle plus another $50 for the show (restaurants tend to double the retail price which would put it at $60). I'd think they'd be making out pretty good if they did that and I'd certainly give it a try. Plus it would make my wife real happy.

Yes they should be more upfront on drink sizes.

By guess on choosing your flight ahead of time is so they can have the bar stocked with just want they need at that point. I can see them maybe doing a flight of beers but giving a selection of 4-6 that change regularly when you get there. Ditto for wine and the cock/mocktails. You can book this out far in advance - what if their drink program changes between when you book and when your appointment is? You can’t expect them to carry summer drinks into the fall.

As for bottle service - I think that may be a VAABC issue. Additionally I would be against bottle service like that. And kinda defeats the concept. The concept seems to be more about flair bartending than being an actual bar. Hence why the cocktails are the picture (which from my bartending experience look to be 8oz glasses or the garnish is huge).

 

[WDWRLD]

I hope you really don’t think frozen drinks, beer and wine is “flair bartending”