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Restaurant not allowing kids 10 and under?
- Thread starter The Magical Genie 123
- Start date
Ember
Well-Known Member
Same here. The only time this doesn't apply is in the MK for BOG because you pretty much have to take any ressie time you can get and it's so loud in there anyway. IMO restaurants inside the parks should all be family friendly, but the resorts should be allowed to have an adults only restaurant if they so choose as long as there is also an option for people with children. Yes Disney is a family vacation spot, but I know that my husband and I appreciate a quiet meal with just the two of us. I think the Dolphin and Swan are on the right track by offering two hours of free kid club babysitting when parents dine at their restaurants. I wish the other resorts offered this.
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HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I'm mixed on this...
I'm happy to see a place like V&A offer a child free dining opportunity. While we've exposed our children to kid friendly fine dining at home and have taken them to Cali Grill a couple of times at WDW, there's no way they could appreciate the experience offered by V&A. In fact, it's this same rationale that's pushed us to avoid the bulk of the signatures when traveling to WDW with the kids. I've wanted to go to Citrico's, Jiko, etc. - and while I could - I just can't see the kids getting much out of it and I can't see myself enjoying it as much if I'm trying to keep them in check the whole meal. Sure, we could hire a babysitter or drop them off at a place like Sandcastle Club, but I really don't love splitting the family up on vacation nor do I like having to allocate vacation funds to cover childcare. I work 5 days a week and have an extremely long commute, so handing off the kids to a babysitter while on a family vacation doesn't go over well with me. Soooo, minus a couple of signature experiences, we tend to stay more family friendly with our dining when traveling with our girls.
On the flipside, our girls have dined at California Grill a couple of times. The meals were timed with fireworks, so they weren't early ADRs either. While they still really can't appreciate the cuisine, the views make the meal an experience they can enjoy. I've heard other parents tell similar tales of their kids with dinner at Narcoosee's. Maybe we've been lucky or maybe it's all of the rules we enforce when dining out... or the extra nap time they're given on these signature meal days, but our kids have been very well behaved on their visits to Cali Grill. DD7 even felt our Cali Grill dinner on her 5th bday trip to WDW was one of the best meals/experiences she's ever had at WDW. Several patrons and our servers have even complimented them on their manners. I guess it's just hard to endorse fully banning kids (or even limiting them to early hours) at Cali Grill when I know how much my kids loved it and how well behaved they've been when they're there. I'd just hate to see them banned from a place they enjoy just because some parents are too irresponsible to enforce any rules when their kids are behaving like wild beasts.
I'm happy to see a place like V&A offer a child free dining opportunity. While we've exposed our children to kid friendly fine dining at home and have taken them to Cali Grill a couple of times at WDW, there's no way they could appreciate the experience offered by V&A. In fact, it's this same rationale that's pushed us to avoid the bulk of the signatures when traveling to WDW with the kids. I've wanted to go to Citrico's, Jiko, etc. - and while I could - I just can't see the kids getting much out of it and I can't see myself enjoying it as much if I'm trying to keep them in check the whole meal. Sure, we could hire a babysitter or drop them off at a place like Sandcastle Club, but I really don't love splitting the family up on vacation nor do I like having to allocate vacation funds to cover childcare. I work 5 days a week and have an extremely long commute, so handing off the kids to a babysitter while on a family vacation doesn't go over well with me. Soooo, minus a couple of signature experiences, we tend to stay more family friendly with our dining when traveling with our girls.
On the flipside, our girls have dined at California Grill a couple of times. The meals were timed with fireworks, so they weren't early ADRs either. While they still really can't appreciate the cuisine, the views make the meal an experience they can enjoy. I've heard other parents tell similar tales of their kids with dinner at Narcoosee's. Maybe we've been lucky or maybe it's all of the rules we enforce when dining out... or the extra nap time they're given on these signature meal days, but our kids have been very well behaved on their visits to Cali Grill. DD7 even felt our Cali Grill dinner on her 5th bday trip to WDW was one of the best meals/experiences she's ever had at WDW. Several patrons and our servers have even complimented them on their manners. I guess it's just hard to endorse fully banning kids (or even limiting them to early hours) at Cali Grill when I know how much my kids loved it and how well behaved they've been when they're there. I'd just hate to see them banned from a place they enjoy just because some parents are too irresponsible to enforce any rules when their kids are behaving like wild beasts.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
That and the parents who take their children there generally expect their children to behave. Heck, my brother and I both went there as babies (Our mom had us on a dinner-time napping schedule) and later as toddlers. We disturbed no one. Our parents simply didn't allow that kind of behavior, and I think parents who take their children there are similar. I've only ever had a few instances there of annoying children. They are usually well behaved
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
So there are a lot of restaurants in S.F. or theaters on Broadway that don't allow children? I did not know that!
Ariel484
Well-Known Member
I think part of the rationale behind V&A is that, maybe, they don't have a ton of choices children would even like (10-year-old me would have had a heart attack at the thought of eating, say, quail for dinner) AND it's a looooong meal. We were there for 2.5-3 hours and loved it, but I was trying to imagine my 10- and 13-year-old cousins there for so long...not sure they would have enjoyed it quite as much.
Ember
Well-Known Member
I ended up cancelling our ADR at Cali Grill because I had such mixed feelings about it. I really wanted to bring my kids here so they could see the fireworks, but the ADR was for 9pm on a Friday night (only time available). While my kids are very well behaved, I felt like I would be getting evil eyes for bringing them there that late.
rnese
Well-Known Member
Again...Really?
If your kids were well behaved, you have absolutely nothing to be concerned about. You are on your well deserved vacation. You're in Walt Disney World after all....it shouldn't come as a surprise to some that children would be spotted at dinner!
piglet1
Active Member
I think some of you have hit the nail on the head -- do I object to dining in a restaurant where kids are running around, throwing things, yelling, or crying? Of course I do. Do I object to dining in a restaurant where there are well-behaved kids, sitting and enjoying their own meal and family time without disturbing others? Of course not.
It's not the presence of kids - it's their behavior. And whose responsibility is that? The parents, not Disney.
As everywhere else, there could be restaurants where playng and noise are encouraged, and others where manners and being courteous of others should prevail.
If I go to Chuckie Cheese, I am asking for it. So I don't. But there are restaurants where good behavior and respect for others is expected. If I go to Chef Mickey's, I am asking for it. If I go to Chefs de France, I expect not to have someone else's kids intrude on my meal, and frequently they don't. If they do, it's disrespectful parents who are at fault.
My two cents
It's not the presence of kids - it's their behavior. And whose responsibility is that? The parents, not Disney.
As everywhere else, there could be restaurants where playng and noise are encouraged, and others where manners and being courteous of others should prevail.
If I go to Chuckie Cheese, I am asking for it. So I don't. But there are restaurants where good behavior and respect for others is expected. If I go to Chef Mickey's, I am asking for it. If I go to Chefs de France, I expect not to have someone else's kids intrude on my meal, and frequently they don't. If they do, it's disrespectful parents who are at fault.
My two cents
psukardi
Well-Known Member
http://www.grubstreet.com/2011/07/kid_policies.html is a good starting point for places in NYC that don't allow children.
I just can't believe the vitriol people spew when you suggest you'd like a child free dinner.
psukardi
Well-Known Member
Winner! But the problem is that logic has gone out the window because some parents go "Well, I'm on vacation too so I'm going to go to restaurant XYZ and the other patrons will just have to deal with it!" And then you have someone else's kid intruding on your space and if you even think of saying anything you're deemed a monster. And then just pray to the old gods and the new that that child wasn't autistic because then you'll see fire rain down from the heavens upon you for pointing out their bad behavior , given it wasn't their fault
Or perhaps is just you....
rnese
Well-Known Member
Look, I don't come to this board to argue with anyone. As one who enjoys WDW I come here to discuss events and share opinions and ideas with other who share my interest. @psukardi, I totally understand where you're coming from. If I am spend $135 for a dining experience and there are children running around, screaming, throwing chicken fingers, that would ruin my experience. I don't disagree with you. I've never seen it, having dined at The California Grill and Bistro Di Paris. There were children present in those establishments and they were very well behaved. I'm not saying it hasn't happened or doesn't happen. I can only speak to my experience. I would hope that parents who choose a dining experience such as the before-mentioned establishments would predetermine whether their children could handle it, given the price and ambiance. My original post was not intended to insult anyone who felt that way, it was simply to offer a reasonable alternate suggestion. Nothing more. If it was interpreted that way, that's my fault. Things aren't always interpreted through they typed word as they would be in a one-on-one, face-to-face conversation.
You're trying to make WDW something it's not. WDW is not NYC or San Fran. I personally don't go to WDW for upscale dinning experiences, the food tastes good there (vacation food always tastes better), but my local (and probably everyone else's) upscale restaurants would clobber WDW in a side-by-side comparison (sans vacation taste buds). Again, V&A's aside. Think about it, even WDW signature restaurants put out an insane number of meals every day and the same dishes for years at a time - not really upscale.
Also, addressing the cruise ships dinning options, they have to offer more options to compete. Just like other cruise lines had to add more kid things to compete with DCL. WDW doesn't need to restrict kids to compete. If you are serious about spending your vacation dollars in San Fran or NYC instead of WDW, then WDW can't and doesn't need to change to keep your business.
When a kid acts up in a restaurant in WDW, a scooter runs me over or I'm in a sea of people, sure I can get ed, but then I remember I did this to myself because I'm at Disney World. It is what it is.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
I'm all for WDW opening more adults only establishments. I'm thinking a couple of strip clubs and several large casinos.
Seriously though, I don't have a problem with restricting places to provide for a adults only experience. But I do hate that it takes that option away from others ability to experience it. My preference would be kids only allowed at the first seating (5pm). So that by 7:30-8pm the place would be cleared of kids and the adults can have at it.
Seriously though, I don't have a problem with restricting places to provide for a adults only experience. But I do hate that it takes that option away from others ability to experience it. My preference would be kids only allowed at the first seating (5pm). So that by 7:30-8pm the place would be cleared of kids and the adults can have at it.
Tink0102
Well-Known Member
Children act the way their parents allow them to act. I have a 9 year old son and he behaves better than most teenagers and adults, but we have always expected him to behave according to the situation he is placed in. So to say that my son would not be welcome to dine anywhere solely based on his age and not his maturity level is offensive to me personally. I realize that some children don't know how to behave, but I blame that on their parents. Then again some adults don't know how to behave either.
Some have said...."wouldn't you like to dine without your child(ren) occasionally"....well, no, at least not at WDW. For us it is a family vacation and our son is part of the family. As for not having to worry about dropping four letter words as one poster suggested......as a rule we don't use that language so that is not an issue in our case. And before anyone suggests otherwise, I am fully aware that our son is not perfect. He makes mistakes and when he does we are there to correct him and show him the right way. Little people grow into adults and if the parent doesn't expose them to different situations and experiences and model for them appropriate behavior then how are they supposed to know how to act when they do become an adult?
Some have said...."wouldn't you like to dine without your child(ren) occasionally"....well, no, at least not at WDW. For us it is a family vacation and our son is part of the family. As for not having to worry about dropping four letter words as one poster suggested......as a rule we don't use that language so that is not an issue in our case. And before anyone suggests otherwise, I am fully aware that our son is not perfect. He makes mistakes and when he does we are there to correct him and show him the right way. Little people grow into adults and if the parent doesn't expose them to different situations and experiences and model for them appropriate behavior then how are they supposed to know how to act when they do become an adult?
rnese
Well-Known Member
Well said.
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
I think the difference is.. you're enclosed in a cruise, you cant leave a cruise "when you want".(hence why they have very established and varied amenities on board). in WDW.. you can leave the parks or the bubble anytime and go to Orlando or nearby zones to have adult only experience.
Regarding Las Vegas, Napa Valley..etc.. Not all adults like the "adults only" entertainment.
for example, id rather have a Disney cruise than a Celebrity one with casinos. ( I hate casinos and these type of "entertainment").
But then. My experience and tastes would make me tagged as "30 year old child"
A men to that!