Ohana's vs. Luau vs. Hoop-Dee-Doo

[bigfatdonna]

Ok, help me out here guys. I tend to be a creature of habit and on our many visits to WDW we usually eat at the same ol' places. I've never tried Ohana's, "The Spirit of Aloha" dinner show or the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review. If I had to choose only one, which should it be? :veryconfu

 

[tigsmom]

Thats a hard one....I haven't been to the new luau, but I love the other two.
What type of food do like better?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Gotta be Hoop de do

Ok, help me out here guys. I tend to be a creature of habit and on our many visits to WDW we usually eat at the same ol' places. I've never tried Ohana's, "The Spirit of Aloha" dinner show or the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review. If I had to choose only one, which should it be? :veryconfu

For both a fun dinner and a great interactive dinner show, Hoop de do is my vote for your best time. Aloha is cute, the food is OK if you've done others. Ohana is a very nice restaurant, be sure you go hungry, but is is primarily a restaurant.

 

[bigfatdonna]

Thanks, guys. I've heard so many wonderful things about Ohana's that I'm leaning that way. On the other hand, I kind of want to see a dinner show. I guess we'll see.

By the way, tigsmom, regarding the kind of food I prefer..........as long as it doesn't swim or is an innard :hurl: of some sort, I don't discriminate against any kind of food!!

 

[Kadee]

Never been to O'hana's, but heard nothing but great things.

I've done the Luau and Hoop-De-Do. I HATED the Luau. It was very boring and the food was very bland. If you want to do a great Luau, go to SeaWorld and do their's. It is wonderful, the food is MUCH better and about 1/2 the price. Now for the HDD: It is by far the best dinner show I've ever been to. It is so funny and entertaining for all ages. The food was good, especially the dessert, but the show is great. A MUST DO, at least once. But book it early.

 

[tigsmom]

Thanks, guys. I've heard so many wonderful things about Ohana's that I'm leaning that way. On the other hand, I kind of want to see a dinner show. I guess we'll see.

By the way, tigsmom, regarding the kind of food I prefer..........as long as it doesn't swim or is an innard :hurl: of some sort, I don't discriminate against any kind of food!!

Ok, Add the great food to a great show and I'd ante up for the Hoop Dee Do.
Don't thinks I've had so much fun at dinner anywhere else. :lol:

'Ohana is beautiful, wonderful food & plenty of it. If you catch it just right you can see Wishes (which I highly reccommend...more than once if possible)

 

[TURKEY]

Ohanas and Hoop get my vote. Haven't done the Luau but can do without the show, have a more private setting, cooler, better atmosphere, probally food at Ohanas for half the price.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Ok, Add the great food to a great show and I'd ante up for the Hoop Dee Do.
Don't thinks I've had so much fun at dinner anywhere else. :lol:

'Ohana is beautiful, wonderful food & plenty of it. If you catch it just right you can see Wishes (which I highly reccommend...more than once if possible)

I agree with TigsMom, If you are looking for a show with food that is the Hoop De Doo. If you are looking for good food with a little show that is O'hanas.
I wasnt terribly impressed by the Spirit of Hawaii Luau at all. Not my type of thing, but i have done O'hanas a number of times and I have done the Hoop de Doo twice and am planning on returning in December when I go again!!! Belle

 

[Mgkcjohnson]

Let me give my opinion on Hoop De Do and the Luau. I first went to HDD when I was 12, which was way back in 1988. I remembered it being a very fun, energetic audience participatory orientated show. The Luau, on the other hand, was a lot more laid back and less exciting. Now, fast foward to 2004. I had been back to WDW several times throughout the years, but never went back to either HDD or the Luau. I have to admit, I did not really care too much about going to the Luau again, but I was dying to get back to the HDD. So when we went back to WDW in March of this year, my wife and daughter and I took my college roommate and his wife with us. I was the only one who ever attended the HDD. I decided to take everyone to the HDD one night, and I have to tell you, it was the absolute highlight of any WDW vacation I have ever had. The atmosphere is great if you are looking to have a fun time. The theming of Pioneer Hall is great and the staff is as always, wonderful. The food is good, even though it is only chicken and ribs etc... but the show is what leaves the impression. My daughter who was just shy of turning 2 at the time, LOVED it. All of the Pioneer Hall Players at one time or another came over to her and spent considerable time with her. We have it all on video and she watches it at least 10 times a week! Between the foot stomping, napkin waiving and washboard bashing, we had as good a time as you can possibly have... I was so happy we got the chance to go again. It was just a fantastic "feel good time" I would highly recommend this show to anyone over any other dinner show. However, if you are looking for a relaxed, quiet dinner show, this is not the one for you. In any event, I have already booked our 2005 vacation and the first thing I did was make our reservation for HDD!!!!!!!

 

[Meg Keenan]

O'Hanas is awesome

Ok, help me out here guys. I tend to be a creature of habit and on our many visits to WDW we usually eat at the same ol' places. I've never tried Ohana's, "The Spirit of Aloha" dinner show or the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review. If I had to choose only one, which should it be? :veryconfu

You will love O'Hanas! I send everyone there! My kids can not wait to go. the food is excellent and allot for the money. If you go at the right time and get a window seat you can watch the fireworks at the magic kingdom. they play games with brooms and coconuts and hoola hoops, which the kids love. make reservations though or you will have a very long wait!

 

[maddiesmom]

My husband has been going to DW every other year since he was 2. He and his family always went to the HDD. He loved it, it is part of a tradition. Now that he is older...we visit DW every year and we still go to the HDD. It is great for the whole family. The interaction is great and the food is decent. Try the sangria..it's wonderful.

 

[jcarriv]

I enjoy the Luau. The Hoop de Doo is a little hokey for my taste. O'Hanas is excellent. I know a lot of people like the Hoop de Doo but I would choose one of the two at the Poly.

 

[starkey6]

The Luau was terrrible. Bad food, boring show, 'nuff said.

Ohana is pretty much dinner, a dinner with good food, but nothing really special in terms of dinner show.

The Hoop de Doo Revue was sooooo entertaining, and if you're a meat and potatoes kind of person, you'll love the food. Heck, even if you aren't an meat and potatoes kind of person you'll still thank your lucky stars you chose this one over that God awful Luau. :lol:

 

[Nicole]

We went to the Luau in '97 and felt like the food was okay and the show was well done (and my husband is Hawaiian so we know what to look for!) but the service was awful. At the end of our meal our server - who had not provided very good service, drinks never got refilled, etc. - brought us a little printed card with our check that said a 15 - 20% tip is commonly added. Well I didn't feel like we'd paid $36 each (or whatever it was) totally for the meal, some of that was for the show!! So we did NOT tip her even 15% of our total cost for the event but felt like she was mad at us for that. Though looking back she acted mad at us the whole time - maybe because my husband is Hawaiian and she was Korean and usually in Hawaii it would be a Hawaiian server and a Korean tourist, LOL.

We ate at 'Ohana last year, the food was good but again the service was so-so. Also we waited 50 minutes past our PS even though we got to the restaurant 10 minutes early. By the time they seated us we were so starving that we didn't bother to ask for a table with a view of the fireworks, so we sat in the back by the kitchen entrance.

And yet - my overall opionion of 'Ohana is good, I'd eat there again except there are so many other places I have to try first.

(And just to be nit-picky, please remember that 'Ohana is a Hawaiian word, O'hana feels like it should be an Irish word!)

 

[KevinPage]

O'Hana's is one of my favorite restuarants at Disney. We even had our wedding rehearsal dinner there. Plus is you time it right, you can watch the MK fireworks.

The Luau I've never been to. They changed it last year, since the old show got less than flattering reviews. I really haven't heard too much of the new show, which should tell you something.

Hoop Dee Doo is fun, but IMNSHO is very overrated. It's very expensive, mildly interesting show and good food. Not to mention waiting to get into the place is kinda annoying cause everyoner is "milling around" outside and there is always a long line to get it.

My advice: go to O'Hana's, time it for the fireworks and you'll save almost 50% of what you'd spend for Hoop Dee Doo

 

[Shellybelle]

I cannot rave enough about 'Ohana. The food is the best!! My daughter really liked all the activities and games that they have for the kids during the meal and we got to watch Wishes, so it was great. Afterward we also went out on the Poly's beach and watched the Electrical Light Parade on the water. It was a great time.

I haven't been to HDD, but I've heard good things about it and hope to attend it in one of our future visits.

 

[DisneyJill]

I've done all 3, and while Hoop is funny and the food is decent, I vote of Ohana. The luau is okay. I don't hate it, but the food at Ohana is so much better and less than 1/2 the price because of no show. Ohana was great. Minimal entertainment, great service and terrific food. :slurp:

 

[bigfatdonna]

Thanks a million, guys for your response! You've helped me out a lot. I've pretty much weeded out the Luau and have decided to possibly do 'Ohana's one night and Hoop-Dee-Doo Review on another since we will be there 5 nights. Looks like I'll have to miss out on our precious "Chef Mickey's" on this go-round. Again, thank you!!! :wave: