Signature Dining Idea Regarding Kids (putting on flame suit now)

[angelmom27]

hello......

Your at Disney and it's full of children (the young and the young at heart!)
The reason for going to Disney World is for a FAMILY vacation and fun, certainly not signature dining.

And really, if you think for example "Flying Fish" is signature dining you are yet to discover real dining. It is over rated HYPE and nothing more than over priced family dining IMO.

I have no problem with children in restaurants and personally am disappointed that children are not welcome at Disneys V & A. If I am willing to pay for their meal, they should be welcome anywhere within Disney.

Badly behaved children at any restaurant on the other hand is a completely different issue! It doesn't matter what time of the day or evening it is.

Also a no no IMO are ipads, ipods, dvd's etc while dining at restuarants. Children should be taught to able to sit quietly and entertain themselves for a period of time without these devices. It too is rude.

I agree with you but the part about the devices sometimes it is needed for the child. I have three children with Fragile X/autism and those devices can help with their anxiety. Although in our case we use head phones so no one else can hear the device.

To the OP we eat late so that wouldn't be an issue for our kids but all of the TS places we are looking at are geared more for kids like the character meals. I am sure my kids would be fine with a signature but there really isn't anything there for them to enjoy so its not worth it to us. I think a lot of the points brought up are good reasons why Disney shouldn't make a rule like that and probably never will.

 

[LisaTC]

hello......

Your at Disney and it's full of children (the young and the young at heart!)
The reason for going to Disney World is for a FAMILY vacation and fun, certainly not signature dining.

And really, if you think for example "Flying Fish" is signature dining you are yet to discover real dining. It is over rated HYPE and nothing more than over priced family dining IMO.

I have no problem with children in restaurants and personally am disappointed that children are not welcome at Disneys V & A. If I am willing to pay for their meal, they should be welcome anywhere within Disney.

Badly behaved children at any restaurant on the other hand is a completely different issue! It doesn't matter what time of the day or evening it is.

Also a no no IMO are ipads, ipods, dvd's etc while dining at restuarants. Children should be taught to able to sit quietly and entertain themselves for a period of time without these devices. It too is rude.

I don't disagree; however, it is the world we live in, unfortunately, and isn't going to change anytime soon. We have kids paying thousands and thousand in college tuition who don't pay attention in class/seminar because they are 'electronically distracted' and I see it reflected on their tests/quizzes. I digress...

I'd rather a child with a DS/headphones than a screaming, meltdown. A sleeping child wouldn't bother me either. However, we have a strict no electronics policy at dinner, whether home or away. I feel it is simply mannerly for my family. Everybody chooses what they expect from their own family. I know my DD8 could breeze through V&A. Good behavior should be expected from all patrons. Assuming if you're over 10, you are home-free behavior wise isn't accurate. It's a fine line. I'm sure there are parents of children under 10 who may like to try V&A because their children could handle it, but because of the cost Disney likely added the age restriction as an insurance policy of sorts for the other patrons paying the cost not wanting anything to ruin the experience.

It affects my dinner when said sleeping child is kicking me and I have to scoot over to give them room to spread out.
And, no, I did not speak to their parents. It is their job to parent properly, not mine. I know some might say that if I don't speak up, I am as much to blame, but I disagree. Most confrontations don't end well, no matter how politely they are initiated. People tend to get defensive and it would probably ruin a lovely meal even more.

That sleeping kid shouldn't be anywhere near another patron. Weird and inconsiderate. The sleeping part isn't bothersome; the kicking part isthoughtless on the parts of the parents.

I have children. We took DD (then 7 almost 8) to Narcoosee's. We dressed up a little and had a glorious dinner. We DID however consider HER and the other patrons when choosing our dinner time of 5:00. We live in a completely different world of parenting, manners and rules than when I was growing up and it is what it is. HOWEVER...I worked in a fine dining restaurant and we tended to place families together when they arrived and singles/couples, etc more segregated when space allowed. IT CAN BE DONE. I think some data runs by Disney with regard to how many ADR's are made for their Signatures with children under 10 after a certain hour could certainly aid in configuring how they seat the patrons. It isn't rocket science, it's restaurant science. A gently worded recommendation encouraging patrons with children under 10 to arrange SIGNATURE DINING ADR's prior to 7:30 would probably help. I allege 30% of reasonable parents would adhere to the recommendation and that would be SOMETHING, better than nothing and it seems that Disney doesn't do ANYTHING to avoid the above scenarios, unruly/disruptive children. They would definitely do something about an unruly adult, yes? I would hope. These things CAN be managed, it just seems they aren't on any level. There is a way to handle certain situations and good management knows that. Some will get defensive, but people need to wake up and take responsibility. Children are the responsibility of their parents. Tired, over extended children aren't going to police themselves. I'd be thinking, "what am I doing to my poor kid dragging her/him around at all hours and forcing them to dine?"

You can definitely tell disciplined children. Some are over tired and that's when disciplined parents need to step in and often don't because the $$ they spent on the trip clouds their thinking. Money not withstanding, we tend to err on the side caution to avoid tired behavior than only trying to stretch our experience. I don't think that is the status quo at the World, however. I really had a lot of empathy for many children who just wanted a break, a moment of peace or slow pace and their parents were just dragging them along. Poor kids. I tend to feel sorry for the kids when I see a meltdown or bad behavior, they are just aching for some solid, compassionate, empathetic parenting.

 

[lilpooh108]

Wouldn't it be a great idea if signature (and only signature) restaurants allowed no children under 10 years old at any ADRs past 7pm?

I'm late to this party but here's my problem with your "idea":

We're from the West Coast so your 7pm is our 4pm. I'm glad you don't feel my family is entitled to dinner at our actual dinner time (9pm EST = 6pm PST).

WDW is an international destination. I'm sure the French/Japanese/Canadian family in that booth next to you are sure glad you don't want them to eat at a time that's convenient for them.

My 3 YO has been on over 32 flights in her lifetime. She's been to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, cruises, etc. She, unlike MANY ADULTS after 1 too many drinks, knows how to behave herself at a restaurant. So your discriminatory policy straight up sucks, since it doesn't account for well behaved children.

And your note about sleeping? What exactly about a QUIET sleeping child bothers you?

 

[heatherandnick]

I'm late to this party but here's my problem with your "idea":

We're from the West Coast so your 7pm is our 4pm. I'm glad you don't feel my family is entitled to dinner at our actual dinner time (9pm EST = 6pm PST).

WDW is an international destination. I'm sure the French/Japanese/Canadian family in that booth next to you are sure glad you don't want them to eat at a time that's convenient for them.

My 3 YO has been on over 32 flights in her lifetime. She's been to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, cruises, etc. She, unlike MANY ADULTS after 1 too many drinks, knows how to behave herself at a restaurant. So your discriminatory policy straight up sucks, since it doesn't account for well behaved children.

And your note about sleeping? What exactly about a QUIET sleeping child bothers you?

Since you are late, welcome! And make sure you "catch up" on the thread before you post.

 

[sleepydog25]

Glad to see calmer heads prevailing on this thread. . .

 

[lilpooh108]

Since you are late, welcome! And make sure you "catch up" on the thread before you post.

I read through the rest of the posts, and your idea is still bad.

You really want a kid-free zone at Disney, shell out the bucks and go to V&As or off-site dining options which may be less affordable/convenient to those with family in tow.

After having kids, I now look at the mom whose kid is having a tantrum with empathy, and not disdain. Learn to have a kind heart.

 

[klitteral2009]

I agree with what the OP is saying about SOME children. I am a mother of 3 girls and they, while well behaved the majority of the time, can be a bit rambunctious and figedy if overstimulated, overtired, etc. We are taking them to WDW for the first time in Late January and are very much looking forward to it. However, if we are at one of our ADR's and someone cannot behave or is still a little wound up from the parks, I wouldn't and couldn't imagine subjecting other restaurant patrons (who have paid just as much if not more in some cases than we have for their vacation) to my child(ren's) poor behavior, no matter what the reason. Either my DH or I would leave with the child until peace could be restored Nothing ruins an experience more for me than an unruly, undiceiplined, spoiled child. I also cannot fathom letting your child take up space between you and another family/couple to 'stretch out' for a nap! if they are that tired, they should be in your room where they can rest and prepare for another day of Disney fun. As a parent, I can gauge when my children have had enough or are not up to a 1.5 to 2 hour dinner experience. I agree that its simply common sense to think about how tired your child may be after a full day of Disney fun, if they are adjusting to a time change, if they cannot sit and behave at a table for an extended meal, etc. before making an expensive or somewhat 'fancy' dinner ressie. A little planning and forethought goes a long way I think. While we're paying a price for this vacation, I'm staying flexible..missing an ADR or having to leave one early is a small price to pay for my sanity and other visitors consideration.

 

[zokaluse]

Ok, let me put on my safety goggles with my flame suit.....how about a little 'non-breeding' section in some restaurants? Why seat a 2 top couple next to a family of 7 if you can avoid it? I have actually been pelted with crayons at Citricos, so I understand the issue. I've also sat by tables that had amazing children and had to tell the parents what a treat being near them was, but mostly I just wish I could eat without screaming and antics. There I said it. I'm evil.

Not evil at all I've often said this should be done in restaurants. I have 2 kids who eat out with us a lot so when we go out on our own without them the last thing I want is to be sat listeing to someone elses children or have their mucking about ruin my quiet child free evening. As a aparent I also would not be offended being sat with other families with children, I think it makes perfect sence!

 

[waynesgirl]

Nope...not the right tone at Disney, in my opinion. If I want adults-only, I'll go to a Sandals resort or Las Vegas or a Shades of Gray book club, etc. If I want time with the kids, I'll go to Disney.

We eat at signature restaurants once or twice every trip, and rarely before 7 or 8. We're not farmers! [That may a regional joke.] I've taught my son how to behave in nice restaurants by taking him to nice restaurants, and he's figured it out.

The family you don't want to sit next to in Narcoossee's? Well, you wouldn't want to be beside them in line for a ride or on the bus home, but what are you going to do, ban them from WDW entirely?

PS - 'Breeders', come on folks, can't we get along!? Where do you think all these kids came from, anyway - ROMANTIC DINNERS, that's where...

that's funny.

 

[waynesgirl]

We do our best to do the same. When we make dinner reservations, it's usually for after 8:00 PM to avoid the family dining scene. The table next to us at Flying Fish last Friday did include a sleeping child of about 9 or 10 ... at our 8:45 PM reservation. Sleeping kids don't bother me, though. It's the tired babies that fight sleep by crying and aren't removed that are disruptive.

Eating at the bar, unfortunately, isn't a perfect solution at Disney World. There were several times on our last trip that we wanted to go in to a bar to grab a drink and a small bite either before or instead of dinner, and couldn't because the bar was full of families, either bellying their kids up to the bar for dinner or just waiting for a table and ordering nothing. Bartenders can't like turning away my business (my fiancé and I love a good overpriced drink -- or a few -- at Disney World) so that they can serve Uncrustables and Shirley Temples to children on barstools.

You would think...though you can't tell by looks of course, you can't tell good tippers either, until they leave. My DH and I were at O'hana for our anniversary, which happened during the volcano eruption and the college draft with Tebow. Lucky me...we sat at the bar for over 10 minutes without ever being acknowledged. I get it...I was a bartender/manager/trainer for years. I never got the finger, a hello, or even eye contact. But, the group of squawking 20-somethings did. My DH wanted something and I wanted scotch...$25 scotch. After 10 minutes, I said forget it. But, I did tell my server, since that wasn't the only disaster of that night at the dinner and because of the niceness of the server, she got the extra $10 I had put aside for the bartender for 1 round. Hope she bragged to him.

 

[deserrai]

I have a 3 year old and would probably never book a dinner past 7pm. She would be tired, hungry and cranky. But that is just my child and I know how she is. I'm sure the occasional situation arises where the child has an unexpected meltdown, but parents should have realistic expectations. The time zone issue is a very good point. People are at WDW from all over the world.

 

[andrea2289]

Since you are late, welcome! And make sure you "catch up" on the thread before you post.

Just to be clear, it is NOT necessary to read through the entire thread when replying. It's perfectly acceptable to reply to the OP without reading a 5+ page thread...

 

[NHKristy76]

I'm sure this will be a very unpopular post with many, but I sort of wanted to see if others agree with me at all or if I am completely out of line here...

After a fantastic DxDP trip last week, DH and I made an observation about many of the signature dining establishments where we dined. Quite a few of our dinner ADRs were after 7:30 or 8pm. After a couple meals where children were either sleeping on the booth attached to ours, having major meltdowns, or watching loud videos on Dad's iphone while the parents tried to enjoy a bottle of wine, I started thinking.... (here is where the flame suit will be necessary)...

Wouldn't it be a great idea if signature (and only signature) restaurants allowed no children under 10 years old at any ADRs past 7pm?

To those of you with children, this might seem ridiculous and even insulting, but hear me out. I LOVE kids. But I also love some adult time past a certain time of the evening. I do not think children should be sleeping at signature dining tables at 9:30 at night. They should be in bed. I know it is a vacation that you all paid a lot of money for and you want to get the most bang for your buck, but really?!? I think it's ludicrous. If you want to enjoy a late adults-only dinner, then book a sitter. It takes something away from those around you when they are being kicked by your sleeping kiddos or enduring a temper tantrum from someone who is too exhausted to stand.

Sorry to anyone if I offended you. I'm sure some kids can handle later dinners, but, believe me, many can't. I paid a lot for my vacation, too.

I have to say that I'm a mom and yet still agree with you 100%.

They will never do it but I like the idea...

 

[ncc1701]

We have had ADRs at YSH the last 3 trips all after 7:00.There have been families with young children each time and they were all well behaved. If we wanted a "no kids zone"for dinner we'd go off property. (by the way we are "DINKS")

 

[cymbaldiva]

Just to be clear, it is NOT necessary to read through the entire thread when replying. It's perfectly acceptable to reply to the OP without reading a 5+ page thread...

Disagree - very rude to jump in without bothering to see what has already been covered,

 

[princessallegra]

Literally haven't read one post except the OP.


No, I don't think it would be great if Signatures instituted that policy. And I don't even have kids! But I was a kid once. A kid who was well behaved and ate late dinners with my parents at restaurants like Cali Grill all the time, from a wee lass. So no, I don't think that would be great. Why punish the people with well behaved children? Why not just use the adult self regulation that you have in you to block out your surroundings and enjoy your own meal?

If it were me, I don't give a rat's patoot if there's a kiddo passed out in a booth next to me at Cali Grill. Why should I care? Shoot he's asleep! Good for him! Cheers to his parents! On the other hand, if my dinner was absolutely so disrupted by loud, screaming, unruly, un-watched children, I would ask to speak with a manager, explain that my dinner was ruined, and ask for an adjustment to our bill. That's what Disney managers do when screaming kids ruin your Signature dinners

 

[princessallegra]

Since you are late, welcome! And make sure you "catch up" on the thread before you post.

Definitely not necessary.

Just to be clear, it is NOT necessary to read through the entire thread when replying. It's perfectly acceptable to reply to the OP without reading a 5+ page thread...

Disagree - very rude to jump in without bothering to see what has already been covered,

Yes, omg, so rude. Very rude.

It affects my dinner when said sleeping child is kicking me and I have to scoot over to give them room to spread out.
And, no, I did not speak to their parents. It is their job to parent properly, not mine. I know some might say that if I don't speak up, I am as much to blame, but I disagree. Most confrontations don't end well, no matter how politely they are initiated. People tend to get defensive and it would probably ruin a lovely meal even more.

Well, now that I've gone back and read through your whole 5 page thread and see more of your replies, including this one, yes we totally disagree. I specifically commented on why would a sleeping child bother you, and now I see why. For you to sit there and be kicked, and move over because you were being kicked, and say nothing, well yes that is your problem and yours alone. If you didn't want to say anything to the parents, say something to your server, like how you would like to be moved immediately so you can try to enjoy what's left of your dinner. If they can't accommodate that the manager can adjust your bill.

You may not be able to control the stuff that happens to you, but you can take action and get a resolution in the moment. It's very liberating and makes up for the crap that happens.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't disagree; however, it is the world we live in, unfortunately, and isn't going to change anytime soon. We have kids paying thousands and thousand in college tuition who don't pay attention in class/seminar because they are 'electronically distracted' and I see it reflected on their tests/quizzes. I digress...

I'd rather a child with a DS/headphones than a screaming, meltdown. A sleeping child wouldn't bother me either. However, we have a strict no electronics policy at dinner, whether home or away.

We have the same policy, but I agree - it is the age we live in. Heck, on our last trip I couldn't believe the number of kids, mostly in the 9-14 age range, walking around the Most Magical Place on Earth with their nose in a phone/iPod. I mean seriously, I can understand them as entertainment in lines but while walking around the parks? IMO that's rude, particularly for those who can't adequately direct themselves so as not to bump into others, but it is more than that... This is a generation that needs/craves that electronic stimulation so much that even walking around the parks is "downtime" to be filled.

A gently worded recommendation encouraging patrons with children under 10 to arrange SIGNATURE DINING ADR's prior to 7:30 would probably help. I allege 30% of reasonable parents would adhere to the recommendation and that would be SOMETHING, better than nothing and it seems that Disney doesn't do ANYTHING to avoid the above scenarios, unruly/disruptive children. They would definitely do something about an unruly adult, yes? I would hope. These things CAN be managed, it just seems they aren't on any level. There is a way to handle certain situations and good management knows that.

I think the issue with a recommendation is that the self-select nature would mean that the conscientious parents who already take their kids' schedules and personalities into account and address rather than ignore behaviour issues would be the 30% following it. The parents who are oblivious or self-centered enough to ignore meltdowns and inappropriate behaviour at the table are the ones most likely to ignore a recommendation.

I agree that management could handle it, but at this point it appears to be Disney policy not to do so. They don't really do anything about disruptive adults either.

 

[heatherandnick]

Wow, people certainly do get nasty on these threads! . I can see why they commonly get closed.

Again, thank you to EVERYONE who replied. I wanted opinions, and that's certainly what I got. For those of you who tell me to go somewhere other than Disney to get away from kids....um...... No. Lol

For those of you who have well behaved children who can handle finer dining... Good for you! I am happy you don't have to miss put on what you/your family enjoy(s. perhaps you could offer lessons to some others.

For those who agree with me or believe there should be an adult-only section (which is what I had sort of insinuated in a later post after apologizing for not thinking my original post through...hence the comment about making sure you read the other posts before getting so nasty), glad I'm not on my own in "having no heart" as someone posted earlier. Lol.

Perhaps the mods should close this....

Thanks again to you all and have a great week!

 

[davedmaine]

I would ban kids from DW altogether