Kona-Dinner

[canwegosoon]

We went during Free Dining/LDW so take that into consideration.

DH, 2 kids, and Myself

We arrived about 10 minutes early for our 6:05 ADR. There was a wait-we were seated about 6:15. On our way to the table the hostess paraded us by the desserts which all looked great(but...see later).

We were seated in a corner table on the right side. Nice cozy spot. Our server came over and while polite and attentive, was clearly rushing us-I don't even think she had one personable thing to say to us. This could be a plus or minus in your book, it was a minus in mine because I clearly commented on where she was born (because my son is fasinated with the country) and despite hearing me, she igorned me totally(I get enough of that at home )

To eat:
We started with the wings and crab cakes- DH and the kids ate/ liked the wings and DS and I liked the crab cake. But fair warning it is crabby...not cakey. One child had the salad and one had the soup...unremarkable...they liked eating our apps more.
Dinner: Kids had hamburger and hot dog- it came with no french fries(found out that-available upon request-means they would have to give up their dessert-since they already had their apps...not a good policy IMO.) My kids are very tall 9yo's...they are almost 4'10"...and thank goodness for sharing because they would have gone hungry otherwise. DH had Prime Rib and I had the Teriyaki. Both were ok, neither of us finished, and I would not rate the portions as huge(large perhaps-and don't forget we shard some with the kids to make up for their tiny meals). Desserts....here's where we totally lost it. After paradeing the kids past the desserts to have them then told...No, you get the little make your own sundea...they were disappointed. Now I understand that this is the dessert that comes with their meal...but then don't drag families with children under 10 past the dessert stand. Notify those parents that they can come up to view the desserts at their convience in the meal. So my boys were so dissappointed...they did without french fries to have a dessert and it wasn't what they saw. DH ordered The apple brown betty, and I ordered the Tower...it was a cone dipped in chocolate with cottton candy and icecream to split with my 2 kids since that was what they were waiting patiently for.

Now time to sum up my experience. While very efficent the waitstaff(bus, servers, and carriers) were impersonal...it was like they or we didn't exist. This is the Poly not NYC in some exclusive resturant where the staff is susposed to "disappear". Food nothing special. Everything seemed fresh, but not exciting to me...could be a personal thing. Would I ever go back? No(just a personal choice), and I am so sorry that I cancelled my ADR at Concourse Steakhouse for this. Well live and learn...back to CSH for us!!! Look at it this way all you KONA lovers have one less person to compete with for ADR's!!!!

 

[cc1013]

DH and I were disappointed in Kona too when we went for dinner on 9/3. We also felt rushed and while our appetizers were good (pot stickers and salad) we were both disappointed in the beef terryaki dinners we ordered. The beef itself just didn't seem to be of the best quality. Keep in mind that we had eaten lunch the day before at Le Cellier, so we were spoiled in terms of steak. The mashed potatoes and broccoli were very good. For dessert, we ordered the apple brown betty and kilauea torte. The apple brown betty was just so so, but the kilauea torte was good. Overall, my favorite part of the meal was the hawaiian bread and butter.

We're going back for free dining next year and probably won't do Kona again. There's just too many more places to try and we weren't thrilled with it.

 

[canwegosoon]

I guess the clue should have been when the girl at concierge kept comparing Kona to an Outback(I have never eaten there)...

 

[pooch]

gotta say this was one of our favorite meals last year and we are looking forward to eating here again! I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Unfortunately however big your 9 yo's are, they are still children in Disneyspeak and, on DDP, are restricted to certain items. The good news is next year they'll be adults!!!!

 

[melomouse]

Hi -
We are brand-new Kona fans as of a few weeks ago when we switched ADR's last minute. Service was "eh" - I agree - the busser was more pleasant than our server, who was rushed BEFORE free dining.

My kids are just 11 and 15. DD is probably as tiny for 11 as your guys are big for 9 (DS was like that!), and boy, I understand that marching past the desserts, because DD was waiting throughout for that Kona Cone or whatever it is. I honestly don't think they were thinking your kids were only "kids" for the meal plan and were being cruel about it or anything.

That said, and your kids are really on the edge of being "adults", could you have maybe ordered a side of fries or one dessert to share and pay for OOP? Maybe it's just me, but the last place I want my kids to feel deprived is at Disney dining. I say no to so many things in the shops, and so many popcorn carts, that when they sit down to dinner, if they really want it - what's $6 for a dessert?

JMHO.

 

[canwegosoon]

That said, and your kids are really on the edge of being "adults", could you have maybe ordered a side of fries or one dessert to share and pay for OOP? Maybe it's just me, but the last place I want my kids to feel deprived is at Disney dining. I say no to so many things in the shops, and so many popcorn carts, that when they sit down to dinner, if they really want it - what's $6 for a dessert?

JMHO.

True...I didn't even think of it(but you have given my something to think about for our Feb and March trips) because so many other places at WDW the fries have come with it...but I should have OOP. Kona was fine(service probably for LDW was stressed-but food was jut not me). I still chuckle at the Outback comment. .

 

[disneygirl29]

This was one of our favorite meals last year... we had 6 kids (at kid rates)- and they did get to pick from any of the dessert, not a make your own sundae. That is a big bummer, hope that is not the case this year... we will have 3 still on the kid rate... and we have a ADR for there.

 

[4mykids]

We had dinner at Kona during free dining on 9-4. It was our favorite meal! Service was okay. We had crab cakes, salad, pot stickers x 2. For dinner, the char crusted steak (YUMMY!). Dessert was the macadamia torte which was way too sweet. It had a pecan pie-like filling. Wish I had had the chocolate thingy (cannot remember the name). The Hawaiian bread and macadamia butter was fabulous!

As for the kids (one is 13 and the other 9) . . . we only bought one day tickets as we had tickets already. We made the 9 year old an adult for the trip which only cost $11 more. That way he could order off the kid's menu or adult's menu. He would usually order an adult appy, kid's entree, and adult dessert. That worked very well for us!

We did have 2 Lapu Lapus. Very good, but the server added her 18% gratuity to it. We had had drinks at the Coral Reef, and the 18% was not automatically added. This put me in a bad mood as the gratuity was $4.66 for 2 drinks. Since our service was not all that great to begin with, I left enough cash to cover the drinks and the tax. No tip.

But, overall it was a great meal!