Disney Bans Kids from Victoria & ALberts

[PKD]

I didn't see this anywhere.. so I thought I would put it out there.

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Victoria & Albert's to young children: please eat somewhere else.

In a move to create at least one intimate, adult dining establishment on its property, Walt Disney World has banned young children from its swankiest restaurant, Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Spa and Resort.

Effective Jan. 1, children under the age of 10 are not permitted in the AAA five-diamond restaurant known for its Iranian caviar and Muscovy duck (a couple of items cited in Kevin Yee's book, The Unofficial Dining Guide to Walt Disney World.)

Not counting the adult-only policies at nightclubs at Downtown Disney's Pleasure Island, the move is the first time Disney World has set restrictions against young children for a dining or entertainment establishment.

Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said the move is being made because of guests' requests. Victoria & Albert's has long been cool toward young children, offering a fixed-price menu and no children's dishes.

"We find that our guests are really looking for an intimate experience and an adult-oriented atmosphere, and we want to make sure we meet those expectations," Prunty said.

 

[RiversideBunny]

So 'Mac & Cheese' will no longer be on the menu?

:animwink:

 

[SirNim]

I don't like blanket rules such as this, especially since I do believe there exist at least a few precocious kindergarten gourmets out there who would love to dine in this gastronomic bastion of quality...

But private property is private property... And it is a reasonable policy.

 

[tigsmom]

Not all kids, just kids under 10...those they feel cannot appreciate the atmosphere and/or behave properly. Even though I have kids I can appreciate the fact that some people prefer to dine in an adult atmosphere; it is quite a bit of money to spend for a quiet romantic dinner only to have it spoiled by a crying child or ones who cannot sit at a table quietly. :lookaroun

I have no problem with this as it isn't a place we would choose anyway and both my kids are teens.

 

[mkt]

now how about banning kids from two specific pleasure island clubs :zipit:

 

[Brwneyedgirl72]

now how about banning kids from two specific pleasure island clubs :zipit:

Dare I say it.....but I wholeheartedly agree!

 

[cpeterstx]

Been there twice. Both times we saw no children, but if we had, we would have probably been pretty irked. Nothing against kids, just wanted a quiet, romantic dinner.

 

[Master Yoda]

Completely agree. There should be a few places that adults can spend some kid free time at WDW. V&A is definitely one of those places.

I wonder how long it will before other high end Disney resturants adopt this same policy?

 

[bugsbunny]

Treats the symptoms and not the cure. You want to make a better dining atmosphere? How about the parents just get off their and do some parenting?

There are just too many loud mouth ignoramous kids out there and you need to look no further than the parents to see that the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. The parents either just pretend that the kids are invisible or that they don't want to hand out any discipline because they don't want to upset their super precious offspring.

One thing I've learned is that educating puppies or children have a lot of parallels. Rule#1: put the fear of God in them at least once. As soon they understand who is really in charge, everything tends to fall into place when it comes to listening. And before you jump on me for comarping kids to puppies, I'm not. I'm just paralleling the mindset of how you teach right from wrong. I have a 3 year old that everyone tells me is the most polite and intelligent 3 year old they have ever seen. So I have to be doing at least part of this parenting correct. I'm certainly no Brittany Spears.

Aren't there any people here that fondly remember actually fearing the consequences of doing something stupid and then having to face your parent's wrath? Or is everyone here under 25 years old and doesn't know what ol'school parenting is all about?

 

[Lokheed]

We have had our anniversary dinner at V&A for the past two years, and really enjoyed it. This last year there were no children in the restaurant, but I do remember the year before that there was a family dining with two grade school aged children. I must say, they were extremely well-mannered children and not once did they bother us or cause any kind of disruption in the audience.

Generally speaking, I am happy with the ban in that if I drop that kind of money for a romantic dinner with my wife I don't want it to be interrupted by noisy kids. On the other hand, given that there was never any kind of children's menu I would think that a hundred bucks per plate would have made for a pretty natural barrier to families bringing in ill-mannered kids.

 

[tigsmom]

Treats the symptoms and not the cure. You want to make a better dining atmosphere? How about the parents just get off their and do some parenting?

There are just too many loud mouth ignoramous kids out there and you need to look no further than the parents to see that the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. The parents either just pretend that the kids are invisible or that they don't want to hand out any discipline because they don't want to upset their super precious offspring.

I'm sorry, but training puppies or children have a lot of parallels. Rule#1: put the fear of God in them at least once. As soon they understand who is really in charge, everything tends to fall into place when it comes to listening.

Putting a kid or a puppy in time out accomplishes one thing: postponing the next time they completely disregard what you are trying to teach them.

Aren't there any people here that fondly remember actually fearing the consequences of doing something stupid and then having to face your parent's wrath? Or is everyone here under 25 years old and doesn't know what ol'school parenting is all about?

Children need to be taught and I'm sorry, you cannot "train" a toddler in an expensive/fancy restaurant. That is to be done in McDonald's and then work your way up to a family place, etc. When they know fully the expectations and then consequences you move on. I'm not saying that there are not some very well behaved younger children in the world, but I really do not want to have to pay a few hundred dollars for a meal only to be serenaded by somebody's cute 3 y/o who just loves his alphabet and a few other songs or worse, decides to run around and ask what everybody else is eating...yep, its happened to us in a few places.

I agree that some parents are lax in their responsibilities, but that cannot be used as an excuse. Children are not born mature, its a learning process that takes years and I think Disney is being generous to make the cut off point 10 when they could have made it 16 or so.

Kids and puppies are not the same and I'm not sure if you are joking or not, but treat them the same and one of you will be forcibly removed from the other. :lookaroun

As for old school parenting...been there, done that, have the well behaved teenagers, but I still wouldn't take them to V&A when they were little.

 

[Master Yoda]

Treats the symptoms and not the cure. You want to make a better dining atmosphere? How about the parents just get off their and do some parenting?

There are just too many loud mouth ignoramous kids out there and you need to look no further than the parents to see that the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. The parents either just pretend that the kids are invisible or that they don't want to hand out any discipline because they don't want to upset their super precious offspring.

I'm sorry, but training puppies or children have a lot of parallels. Rule#1: put the fear of God in them at least once. As soon they understand who is really in charge, everything tends to fall into place when it comes to listening.

Putting a kid or a puppy in time out accomplishes one thing: postponing the next time they completely disregard what you are trying to teach them.

Aren't there any people here that fondly remember actually fearing the consequences of doing something stupid and then having to face your parent's wrath? Or is everyone here under 25 years old and doesn't know what ol'school parenting is all about?

While I agree with you, I think not allowing them in the restaurant in the first place was really the best course of action V&A could have taken. Sure they could have put a polite message in the front of their menu that in a tactful way stated. "Keep track of your rug rat or we will kick your out" but that has the potential of causing so many more problems.

 

[CBOMB]

now how about banning kids from two specific pleasure island clubs :zipit:

Common sense should have dictated long ago that night clubs are not the appropriate setting for children. It would seem that Disney executives in the past lacked that kind of common sense. Maybe we are seeing a new trend. We can only hope.

Honestly how many kids of any age would enjoy an evening at V&A? You're at WDW, and your parents ruin a whole evening by dragging you off for some over priced stuffy dinner with a bunch of dressed up adults. I would have been scarred for life if I was one of those kids!

 

[Eeyore]

Completely agree. There should be a few places that adults can spend some kid free time at WDW. V&A is definitely one of those places.

I wonder how long it will before other high end Disney resturants adopt this same policy?

Here's to hoping that the California Grill will be next. I'm a teacher, I adore kids. Its just really nice to get a break from them and have a quiet adults only dinner.

 

[PKD]

Completely agree. There should be a few places that adults can spend some kid free time at WDW. V&A is definitely one of those places.

I wonder how long it will before other high end Disney resturants adopt this same policy?

Doesn't the Magic and Wonder have adult only areas including dining or do they just have adult only pools/spa style areas?

 

[maggiegrace1]

Children need to be taught and I'm sorry, you cannot "train" a toddler in an expensive/fancy restaurant. That is to be done in McDonald's and then work your way up to a family place, etc. When they know fully the expectations and then consequences you move on. I'm not saying that there are not some very well behaved younger children in the world, but I really do not want to have to pay a few hundred dollars for a meal only to be serenaded by somebody's cute 3 y/o who just loves his alphabet and a few other songs or worse, decides to run around and ask what everybody else is eating...yep, its happened to us in a few places.

I agree that some parents are lax in their responsibilities, but that cannot be used as an excuse. Children are not born mature, its a learning process that takes years and I think Disney is being generous to make the cut off point 10 when they could have made it 16 or so.

Kids and puppies are not the same and I'm not sure if you are joking or not, but treat them the same and one of you will be forcibly removed from the other. :lookaroun

As for old school parenting...been there, done that, have the well behaved teenagers, but I still wouldn't take them to V&A when they were little.

I agree..
I think it is good that they are doing this...there really is no reason for them to be there anyway.....

Also as for parents getting off their and doing some parenting..

Maggie is a well behaved child..as well behaved as a 2 year old can be..but there are times that she gets very restless and wants to not be restrained in a high chair or a stroller and can put up quite a fuss.

There are also times that she just begins talking and singing and making noise like any 2 year old will and regardless of us shushing her..she continues to do so.

That does not mean that we can not control her or she rules us or that she is rude and obnoxious..it also does not say that we are not being good parents..it just means that she is 2 and that sometimes no matter how behaved your child is or how well they do listen..which she does..they are still a child.

I do not think I need to "train" her..I do discipline her and she does not get away with everything but sometimes you have to realize that kids will be kids.

When Maggie does cut up or makes a big fuss when out at restaurants and such..we do take her out of the situation so as not to disturb others but we rarely go to "adult" restaurants if she is with us..it just makes no sense to do that.

 

[maryszhi]

quick ? i am thinking about going with my parents. I am seventeen...very pickie eater. but my parents really want to go and take me. Is there anything that i can request.. or will i just sit there and drink soda while my parents eat all the food i wish i could eat with out getting sick

 

[Master Yoda]

Doesn't the Magic and Wonder have adult only areas including dining or do they just have adult only pools/spa style areas?

Yes they do. There is an adult only restaurant (Palo) as well as adults only pools and an adults only beach at Castaway Cay. There is also a kid only area on the ship, Oceaneering lab I think, with no adults permited. I do not know how iron clad that is but I have yet to see a single adult in there past the registration desk.

 

[KevGuy]

Honestly how many kids of any age would enjoy an evening at V&A? You're at WDW, and your parents ruin a whole evening by dragging you off for some over priced stuffy dinner with a bunch of dressed up adults. I would have been scarred for life if I was one of those kids!

I agree completely, what kid under 10 can appreciate a $400 dinner lol. I think Disney does an excellent job of balancing the needs and wants of both children and adults.

Here's to hoping that the California Grill will be next.

Whoa, now wait a minute on that one! That is the single best place at MK to watch the fireworks on the roof, I highly doubt you will ever ban children from that location and I don't think they should myself. I'm sure every child that has seen them from up there will always remember that night for the rest of their lives. Why would you want to stop children from having such memories?:brick:There is a big difference from a stuffy meal mainly for adults and not much else to a cool place on top of the Contemporary with the best view of the MK fireworks.

 

[wedway71]

I have never been there-Im more of a chicken wing and beer kind of guy but I do think Disney made a smart move.
I have 2 kids 13/10 and both very well behaved. Even the best behaved KIDS are still KIDS. Just as another poster stated even a great well behaved kid with great parents can still have an ouburst. Small kids like toddlers make noises that are somtime loud not to be mixed with rude or obnoxious.

I say if you dont have a baby sitter then skip V and A that night.