Any Signature restaurants not appropriate for kids?

[vinotinto]

I'm trying to do a mix of signature's with places I think will be more fun for the kids and I really appreciate the feedback! We are definitely not the kind of parents that let their kids act crazy and drive everyone around them insane. I can't stand it when parents do that. Our 2yo is the only one that isn't great at sitting for long periods. We're actually hoping that by dinner she might just be asleep in the stroller or at least tired enough to sit for awhile. And if she isn't one of us would walk around with her until the food comes.

Good point on earlier being more kid friendly. Right now I have ADRs at 3 signatures. Le Cellier at 4:40pm, Jiko at 7:30 and Flying Fish at 7:25. I'll see if I can get those last two earlier. Or maybe change Jiko to something else but it did look like an interesting TS to try.

No strollers anywhere, but I can tell you that at least at Cali Grill the servers got us 3 chairs and set them up in a way that it created a sleeping place for my DD one facing the table, one facing away, one facing the table. She slept though the entire CG meal. They came up with this solution so quickly and efficiently that I think they must do this all the time. We also ate with the kids (3, 5 last year) at Narcoossee and the staff was great. They brought up the kid's appetizers quickly, brought them Mickey straws. Both of our Signature meals were under 2 hours.

Now, I've also read that Jiko is quieter. We're eating there in June and will leave the kids at the Simba Club. It seems it's more of an adult atmosphere. We thought that if we liked it we would return with the kids, but we're first going to eat there by ourselves and see if it seems like a comfortable environment with them.

 

[kt_mom]

I don't know about the other signatures but we took our stroller into California Grill with no problems. DS was 4 1/2 months then and slept through almost the whole dinner. We tend to go out to eat a lot and DD was well trained in restaurant behavior at a young age.

Her first trip she was 4 and we ate at CA Grill, Yachtsman and Shulas with no problems. She loves to eat in fancy restaurants, and dress up and she has excellent table manners.

Like I said I don't know how DS will be but hopefully we will be able to teach him the same manners.

I would never allow my children to run around in any restaurant whether in Disney or at home. That just blows my mind.....

 

[VAN]

I think ALL Disney restaurants will accept children. Having said that, I think you will be in the minority at some of the 2TS restaurants with children that young. If the restaurant has a "dress code", you might be more comfortable skipping those with toddlers.

I think that all of the TS restaurants within the parks and MOST of the TS restaurants will be fine.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

We have taken our children (currently 3 and 1) but since they were 18 months to signature restaurants. We have never had any problems. They are well behaved and we follow their cues. We have had many ADRs in the past that we have cancelled last minute because we could tell that they wouldn't make it. I think that Jiko's is a great place for kids personally. It is quieter than FF nbut there was also a lot of things to look at. The staff was great with them and the menu was terrific. DS 18months got antsy right before dessert and we walked out for a few minutes and then returned for his dessert. I think as long as you act like parents and not like you're on vacation from parenting then you should be fine at any restaurant. Something I hate reading on these posts is how badly the kids are behaving.... overall its not the kids behaving badly ... it's the parents!

 

[ccgirl]

We have taken our children (currently 3 and 1) but since they were 18 months to signature restaurants. We have never had any problems. They are well behaved and we follow their cues. We have had many ADRs in the past that we have cancelled last minute because we could tell that they wouldn't make it. I think that Jiko's is a great place for kids personally. It is quieter than FF nbut there was also a lot of things to look at. The staff was great with them and the menu was terrific. DS 18months got antsy right before dessert and we walked out for a few minutes and then returned for his dessert. I think as long as you act like parents and not like you're on vacation from parenting then you should be fine at any restaurant. Something I hate reading on these posts is how badly the kids are behaving.... overall its not the kids behaving badly ... it's the parents!

Love this line! Great post. When I confronted the mom about her child that kept running into me she said, "well, it's my vacation too!" If you want a vacation from parenting leave them at home or put them in one of the clubs! No other guests should be subjected to that. For the most part, most children are well behaved. I think Disney servers are very good at interacting with the children and doing anything they can to help.

 

[JohnNYC]

Our kids (5 and 7) are well behaved and generally quiet in restaurants but they of course can have their moments, especially if they've had a long day. We've taken them to California Grill, Narcoossee, Yachtsman, Flying Fish, Brown Derby, and Jiko - no problem at all - they loved every one of those restaurants.

BUT...having said that....we still always make an early (before 6) reservation at a signature, just out of respect for those couples dining later, who might want to have a different, adult experience.

If you are the kind of parents who don't allow your children to run around (which I hate ANYWHERE - home, fast food, etc.) then go for it. I feel like an early reservation is the way to go though.

 

[aubriee]

Do they even allow strollers in the signatures? I have dined at all of them many times and I don't remember ever seeing one. Perhaps I'm just not into people watching, I don't know.

Don't know about all of them, but this past Dec the family checking in ahead of me at Citricos was told no strollers were allowed in the restaurant and they'd have to park it over to the left as you walk into the check in area. They made a comment about their baby being asleep and what did they expect them to do with the her. The CM sort of politely, but also a little sarcastically said, "Hold her?" I go to WDW several times a year and don't remember ever seeing a stroller in a Signature restaurant, but then again I've never thought about it, so may have just missed them.

I think well behaved kids are welcomed at just about all the restaurants though (except V&A). I know we've seen kids at all of them (some polite and well mannered and some not so much).

 

[Disbug1]

The only signature restaurant that I can see as not being appropriate for kids would be V&As only because the minimum age requirement to eat there is 16. Other than that, your kids will be welcomed at any of the other restaurants (I mean it's Disney, so they all will have kids there). My kids are 9 and 7 and we have been taking them to Signature restaurants for a couple of years now and they do very well with all of them. All restaurants have activity guides for the kids to color in until their food arrives, so if there is a particular signature restaurant that you would like to try out, then by all means try it out. Good luck.

Victoria & Albert's do not serve children under the age of 10 10 & above is fine My son who is 11 dined there at Christmas

 

[Mamu]

It's Disney and it's for families.

Although as many times as we have gone I do not take my younger grandchildren to some of the signature restaurants. I try to be considerate of others. When a 2 and 5 year old acts up it does effect the people sitting near.

 

[Hopefully]

I agree that Jiko is a more adult, quieter atmosphere.
If you are worried about your 2 year old, than I don't think I would chance this one. I don't know that you would enjoy your meal if there was an issue.
Bottom line, only you can decide, but I would follow your instincts.

 

[Pumbaa_]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants?

if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time!

if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

 

[MSLRAC]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants?

if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time!

if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

Well said! I've been a bit shocked by the overall vibe of this thread but I guess that's because I know my kids can and did handle our signature meals wonderfully and my kids are the only ones that I am ultimately concerned with.

So OP, i you think your kids can handle it, I say go or it and enjoy!

 

[POOHDRMR]

We went last Aug and I was able to bring a stroller in to Artist Point and all restaurants(except Le Cellier-didn't try because I know how small it is in there)My stroller is small like an umbrella stroller but the seat is high up so we could push it under the table like a chair and feed him from there though.I asked at all the restaurants and never had a problem but I could see where the big strollers wouldn't fit well and they might say no.

 

[ccgirl]

We went last Aug and I was able to bring a stroller in to Artist Point and all restaurants(except Le Cellier-didn't try because I know how small it is in there)My stroller is small like an umbrella stroller but the seat is high up so we could push it under the table like a chair and feed him from there though.I asked at all the restaurants and never had a problem but I could see where the big strollers wouldn't fit well and they might say no.

Don't count on this though. I'm sure some people have been able to. Just imagine if they said yes to everyone. There would be absolutely no room to move around.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants?

if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time!

if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

Well said!

DS7 has been going to siggie places since he was about 4 years old. He enjoys the better variety on the children's menu and, honestly, I think that he likes that they are quieter. Even kids need some down time away from the noise and chaos.

That being said, he was definitely not capable of these places at age 2 or even 3. But once he was capable of going for a longer meal at home, then we knew he would probably be ready to do them at WDW.

 

[LilyWDW]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants?

if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time!

if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

You put it perfectly Pumbaa.

I don't have kids and don't plan on ever having kids. I like kids just fine, but only if I can hand them back to mom when the times comes .

However, if your child is able to behave, then there is no reason you should not take them to a signature meals. I know kids that would do just fine at a signature meals because they would enjoy the food and be able to sit through a long meal. I also know kids that would NOT do well because they just don't seem to have the ability to sit for the time required. Heck, I know kids that don't do well at all in any restaurant, much less a signature dining experience.

So, look at the kids in question. Do you think your kids could handle the length of these sorts of meals? Do you think they could handle the more adult atmosphere (quieter) of the restaurant? Are you, as a parent, willing to do what you have to do if your child starts to act up, even if that means it interrupts your meal? If you can answer yes to all of these, then please try the restaurants you want to try. If you answer no to them, then maybe you should wait a few more years before trying.

Sadly, the parents that allow their children to be bothersome to those around them are not the people who come to these boards. They will never be able to see what is really going on or care that others are having their meals ruined because their kids are being allowed to play drums with their silverware or being allowed to run around the tables.

 

[TwoAtDisney]

IMO, the correct questions for a baby & toddler are - "Why would any parent want to subject themselves to taking such a young child to an adult venue?" Shouldn't the decision to adjust one's pleasures to a child's capabilities be decided before having children? And the other question is - "Why would any loving parent make a child sit thru an adult venue?" Social training should be done in the home first & then trials at truly family restaurants, why set the child up to fail? I'm assuming because the parent wants to fill their own needs - that's not good parenting. (One parent walking the child around while the other one eats; holding a sleeping child while in a sit-down restaurant; ridiculous IMO; why go there to begin with?)

Hubby & I after our visits to WDW, always say "WDW is the one place full of unhappy children", which results in a lot of unhappy parents at high $ cost! We slowly move thru the parks & restaurants, not buzz thru. So we get to people watch more than some do. It is terrible how many unhappy children there are - super size meltdowns. Our assessment is that there are 2 kinds of unhappy children at WDW - (1)those who are "playing" the parents (lots of those), & (2)those who are being Disney tortured by their parents (too long at the parks in the hot sun being dragged around at an adult pace!). What disturbs us the most is the parents who obviously put their vacation needs ahead of the children's. When we took our kids (grown now), we slanted the entire vacation to our children's capabilities - that made them happier, but it also allowed us to have a good time! We always felt that a family vacation is for the "family", not to please one or two of the adults.

So, should a young child be taken to a signature or any sit-down restaurant? IMO, NO. No child should be required to cater to the parent's needs, just because a self centered parent wants something. No other diner should be submitted to an unruly child, which is NEVER the child's fault, IMO. A fish out of water shouldn't be criticized for flopping about!

 

[LisaTC]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants? if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time! if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

In addition to this and you knowing your kids better than anyone, a caveat would be that they are at Disney, will be more tired than a traditional going out to eat at home and this would, consequently, reduce their attention span, so moving up your ressies, would be a good idea. Our DD7 is the same say, she rarely eats off the kids menu and loves to go to fancy restaurants and get dressed up. However, if I know we've had a busy day, I err on the side of caution and take her to somewhere more "noise" friendly!

 

[mstmp]

IMO, the correct questions for a baby & toddler are - "Why would any parent want to subject themselves to taking such a young child to an adult venue?" Shouldn't the decision to adjust one's pleasures to a child's capabilities be decided before having children? And the other question is - "Why would any loving parent make a child sit thru an adult venue?" Social training should be done in the home first & then trials at truly family restaurants, why set the child up to fail? I'm assuming because the parent wants to fill their own needs - that's not good parenting. (One parent walking the child around while the other one eats; holding a sleeping child while in a sit-down restaurant; ridiculous IMO; why go there to begin with?)

Hubby & I after our visits to WDW, always say "WDW is the one place full of unhappy children", which results in a lot of unhappy parents at high $ cost! We slowly move thru the parks & restaurants, not buzz thru. So we get to people watch more than some do. It is terrible how many unhappy children there are - super size meltdowns. Our assessment is that there are 2 kinds of unhappy children at WDW - (1)those who are "playing" the parents (lots of those), & (2)those who are being Disney tortured by their parents (too long at the parks in the hot sun being dragged around at an adult pace!). What disturbs us the most is the parents who obviously put their vacation needs ahead of the children's. When we took our kids (grown now), we slanted the entire vacation to our children's capabilities - that made them happier, but it also allowed us to have a good time! We always felt that a family vacation is for the "family", not to please one or two of the adults.

So, should a young child be taken to a signature or any sit-down restaurant? IMO, NO. No child should be required to cater to the parent's needs, just because a self centered parent wants something. No other diner should be submitted to an unruly child, which is NEVER the child's fault, IMO. A fish out of water shouldn't be criticized for flopping about!

I totally agree with you - I know you might get some slack for this opinion but you have been there and done that with your family already so you know!

We are going in Sept. Our son will be almost 5 years old and I really plan on taking our time and going back to Fort Wilderness for breaks. That is what my parents did with us and it worked out well. We are really gearing this trip towards the kids (4 kids and 11 adults) so O'hana, 50's primetime, Hoop Dee Doo, Mickey's BBQ, Germany Biergaten - well you get the idea. We might take our son to CG but for 5pm reservations and I know he will do fine. But I do not plan on stressing over dinners and wondering how he will be. We go out to dinner at home just fine but no we do go out for 2 hour dinners at home so I def. do not expect to do that on Vacation. I just do not want to set ourseleves up for failure or have to think about it.

I do understand that some children like adult food (my nieces and nephews are the same way) You know your children better then anyone so do what you feel is best. If you think your daughter will be sleeping at dinner then why not schedule some outside dining that you know you can keep her in her stroller (this is actually a guess, but worth looking into) Rose and Crown have wonderful reviews and outside seating.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

The real question here is Are my kids appropriate for Signature restaurants?

if your children can sit through a 2 hour (or so) meal in a 'subdued' adult environment, have a great time!

if your kidshave short attention spans and tolerance for sitting is low, may not be a good fit :

Very true!

You're the only one who knows your children and what they are capable of, both good and bad. The fact that my son has always eaten what is considered adult food (since he could chew) and has always been very well behaved in adult environments won't help you in your decision! He's eaten at all of the TS restaurants since he was 2, not V & A simply because of the outlay in cash!

In the end if you feel you can attempt it, try it and if you see the signs that the kids are falling apart, be prepared to doggy bag it and go!

Good luck!