Children in bar areas?

[WonderlandAlice]

I'm in the manic plannng stage of my family's (myself, dh, dd15, dd9) 13 day trip to the world next June. I hope this hasn't been posted elsewhere, I did have a quick look but couldn't find what I was after.

I'd love to schedule a quiet afternoon drink in a bar or lounge as I'm not comfortable with leaving the kids in the room at night while we go out. Are children permitted in areas such as Tambu Lounge or California Grill bar area?

We obviously aren't planning on getting tanked and hope by going in the afternoon would avoid exposing the girls to any wacky behaviour. Both of our girls are quiet and well-behaved and would probably relish the opportunity to sit somewhere air-conditioned, read for a while and nibble on hot wings while Mom and Dad enjoy a rare cocktail on vacation.

Has anyone had any experience with this? Are we likely to be frowned at or asked to leave?

 

[zurgandfriend]

We have sat in the bar area of the California Grill and other restaurants with our DS now age 13, but looks 16, many times waiting for a table etc. DW usually enjoys a cocktail, DS and I have a coke as I don’t drink. No one ever said anything about it. IMHO I don’t think it would be a problem at all.
I would point out there are evening (4:30 –midnight) type child care “clubs” for the younger child at many of the deluxe resorts if you want a go out some evening, DS went to the Cubs Den at the WL when he was younger and loved it.
I will also say that at WDW and only at WDW I now let DS go off by himself, the first time was our last trip. I made sure we had his cell phone to check in and I set boundaries, (e.g. Magic Kingdom, or Epcot only, I wanted him to stay on the monorail also, getting something to eat and charging it to our room was okay, charging a $300.00 Mickey Mouse watch was not. You get the picture.) I also let him go off by himself at Typhoon Lagoon; he enjoyed the water coasters and shark reef while DW and I enjoyed the lazy river. We met up at a predetermined time and place and we all had a great time.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[WonderlandAlice]

Thanks for that.

Neither of my kids are particularly outgoing so the youngest would be horrified if I left her at a kid's club (even a cool one) and the eldest wouldn't go off on her own even if I said she could buy the $300 Mickey watch.:lol:

I'll try for the mythical Wishes/California Grill ADR's first and if that doesn't pan out, we'll pick a resort bar for an afternoon break. I had read that if a bar served food kids were allowed but being a micro-manager, I wanted to cover all the bases just in case. I'm sure other Disney Mom's know what that's like.:wave:

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes. Kids are permitted at pretty much all of the bars inside of the restaurants in WDW. Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk and Rix at Coronado are the only 21 and up places on property that come to mind.

 

[WonderlandAlice]

Thanks so much for the clarification.

Now all I have to to is choose...

 

[zurgandfriend]

If you can’t get California grill may I offer another suggestion? We sat in the bar area of the Animal Kingdom Lounge waiting for our table at Boma one time. I believe the lounge is called Victoria Falls. It was a very nice area as it is sort of open so you get to view the lobby of the AKL and Boma. This might be an option if you care to dine at either Boma or Jiko. Both of which I would recommend.

 

[WonderlandAlice]

Oooh that sounds nice also. Ack, I'm so bad at decisions.

We may just have to do both.:slurp:

 

[Master Yoda]

If you can’t get California grill may I offer another suggestion? We sat in the bar area of the Animal Kingdom Lounge waiting for our table at Boma one time. I believe the lounge is called Victoria Falls. It was a very nice area as it is sort of open so you get to view the lobby of the AKL and Boma. This might be an option if you care to dine at either Boma or Jiko. Both of which I would recommend.

I will second this. Both Jiko and Boma are incredible restaurants and AKL is an attraction unto itself

 

[Phonedave]

Are children permitted in areas such as Tambu Lounge or California Grill bar area?

My youngest daughter, at the age of 8, is already comfortable in bars (yeah, I am in trouble).


We walked into the California Grill and she fell in love with the decor (she also has expensive tastes - I am in BIG trouble). While I went to talk to with the hostess, my youngest announced "I am going to the bar".

By the time I got over there she was sitting on a stool, with a shirley temple in front of her.

So yeah, I think your kids will do fine in the bar areas

(I'll have to look for the pictures of her sitting there, not just the drink)


-dave

 

[zurgandfriend]

My youngest daughter, at the age of 8, is already comfortable in bars (yeah, I am in trouble).


We walked into the California Grill and she fell in love with the decor (she also has expensive tastes - I am in BIG trouble). While I went to talk to with the hostess, my youngest announced "I am going to the bar".

By the time I got over there she was sitting on a stool, with a shirley temple in front of her.

So yeah, I think your kids will do fine in the bar areas

(I'll have to look for the pictures of her sitting there, not just the drink)


-dave

It must be the atmosphere of the california grill. When our server came over to take our dinner order my DS then age 7 looked up from his coloring and said "I'll have the oak fired filet, medium please" and went right back to his coloring. The server looked at me and said is "that okay?" and I told her yup.

 

[mickeysshoes]

Kids are pemitted in any resort lounge just cant sit at the bar itself....more than welcome to sit at a table.

 

[WonderlandAlice]

Thanks so much everyone, I feel much better about this. I was having a slight case of the guilts ....but I'm over it now.

And that Shirley Temple looks mighty tempting. I think DD9 would be only to happy to partake.

 

[mrtoad]

We have taken our oldest daughter with us at night a few times to lounges/bars at WDW with no issues. When she was 6 we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and we went and had munchies and had a couple of drinks in the bar there and watched part of a basketball game. No issue at all.

This past January (she is 9) we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and twice I took her to the lounge and we saw Bob Jackson (hilarious) and I had a few bayou bloody marys and she had a couple of these kids drinks with blinking tinkerbells clipped to them. If they did not want kids there, they would not be serving drinks intended for them. There quite a few other kids there as well and Bob even gets them up on stage. Lots of fun.

 

[TinkerChelli]

We always stay at the AKL and I think this would be a good choice for you if you like to have a drink sit and relax. The bar area is located one flight up from BOMA Restaurant. Your kids can either eat at BOMA or they can also go out back and sit by the pool area. Both are wonderful choices I think. California Grill is great also. Only thing is that you will need to stay within the bar area with your kids. I doubt they will let them roam around there in the Restaurant area since it is a large open space.

:wave:

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i think it just depends on how your kids behave in a more adult setting. my son is a single custodial parent of a 6 year old (has had her just himself since she was a baby) he loves sports and is on a limited income so he sometimes spends a sunday afternoon at a local sports bar/restaurant hanging out with friends to watch whatever the big sporting event of the week is and takes his daughter (and no doesn't drink and drive but its a typical sports bar setting). she cheers on whoever she decides she wants to win, orders her own apple juice and dinner from the waiter...that kind of kid. my point is is she's the kind of kid that wouldn't have a problem in a disney bar area. problem kids to me would be ones running around playing chase, bothering other patrons...they need to stick to fantasyland not a bar/lounge. ooohhh that's what mk needs...a bar just outside of fantasyland for the poor parents who've endured 10 hours of standing in a hot humid boring line holding their child just to ride peter pan and for the adult travelers gearing up to walk through stroller hell lol.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

oh...and don't forget the bars at the swimming pools. kids swim have a great time, mom and dad sip and relax.

 

[Phonedave]

Kids are pemitted in any resort lounge just cant sit at the bar itself....more than welcome to sit at a table.

Then someone forgot to mention it to my daughter

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

It must be the atmosphere of the california grill. When our server came over to take our dinner order my DS then age 7 looked up from his coloring and said "I'll have the oak fired filet, medium please" and went right back to his coloring. The server looked at me and said is "that okay?" and I told her yup.

It really must be the atmosphere.

After my 8 y/o was done hitting up the bar, we go to our table.

The waiter comes over to take our order. My other daughter, age 11, starts out with "For my first course I would like ...... "

I had no idea we were ordering courses. My kids are in for a rude awakening when they start dating.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

i think it just depends on how your kids behave in a more adult setting. my son is a single custodial parent of a 6 year old (has had her just himself since she was a baby) he loves sports and is on a limited income so he sometimes spends a sunday afternoon at a local sports bar/restaurant hanging out with friends to watch whatever the big sporting event of the week is and takes his daughter (and no doesn't drink and drive but its a typical sports bar setting). she cheers on whoever she decides she wants to win, orders her own apple juice and dinner from the waiter...that kind of kid. my point is is she's the kind of kid that wouldn't have a problem in a disney bar area. problem kids to me would be ones running around playing chase, bothering other patrons...

That has always been my method as well. My kids are allowed in adult situations (well, within limits) as long as they behave themselves as semi-adults. Of course they may need help cracking a lobster or can't reach a counter, but they are behaved.

On one of the Disney Cruses we were on, my then 10 y/o was totally indignant at the adults only pool. They had closed the family pool and she wanted to swim. I said she could not because there was only the adults pool. She stood there and stated her case to me "Dad, I just want to swim. I don't want to run, I don't want to jump around and yell. I just want to go in the water and swim quietly back and forth. I don't understand that if I am behaved why they cannot allow me into the pool. Look, there are only 3 people in there, it's not even as if it is crowded."

I had to tell her sorry, you make a good point, but sometimes life does not play fair.

-dave

 

[EvilQueen-T]

will the kids or the boyfriends be in for more of a rude awakening lol? i'd think of it this way... it won't be such a bad thing as they get into their 20s...it may help to weed out the guys who still work at minimum wage jobs vs those who have their acts together a little better.