Babies and Signatures

[CQuinn]

We are in the early planning stages of our next trip and it will be our first with a baby. He will be about six months old at the time of the trip and is our first so we are completely clueless to pretty much all things baby (he's not due until July so really still no idea). My 30th birthday will be during this trip and I want to have a nice dinner that night. What's everyone's opinion on bringing a baby to a signature restaurant? When we dined at California Grill last trip there was a couple near us with a toddler and a pretty small baby, and it didn't seem to be an issue at all. Am I just naive here?

I'm also open to any and all tips on bringing a baby to WDW

 

[Hibiscus]

Baby cannot go to V&A. Baby can go to all other Sigs and will be welcomed. Remember that these are theme park restaurants and family friendly. Not a big deal at all.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You MAY be naive.

Right now, you have no idea what kind of temperament your kid will have, either at birth, or at 6 months. Or what kind of sleep schedule you'll be at by 6 months.

So I think you can make some ADRs, but be entirely ready, once you have this infant in the flesh, to go OMG NOOOOO and start canceling stuff. If you have the colicky kid, or the kid who will NOT get onto a sleep schedule, you'll quickly realize that a Signature is crazy talk. (Or, if heaven help you, you get the kid who forces a nursing mother to completely eliminate joy from her diet, as happened for a friend of mine. She was grain-dairy free for 8 months because of her kid.)

Or maybe you get the sweet and delicate angel, like my second. I took her to business meetings most of the first year of her life, she had a schedule, she would coo sweetly. (Strangely, as an older child, she's not nearly so angelic and I keep pondering a nunnery, but that's just proof of how time happens.)

 

[goofy4prez]

While I do agree with Hibiscus above, I would add though to be prepared to step out of the dining room with your child if he becomes loud. A few minutes to take him to the rest room or outside until he calms down will be greatly appreciated by those around you. I was very fortunate when my DD was growing up in that she rarely became loud in a restaurant, but when she did my wife or I would take her out until she calmed down. But with that said, take your 6 month old to any restaurant you want and have a great time.

 

[Jgeauxmo]

Babies are fine at signatures. That being said if your child is not used to being out of their element and you expect her to sleep sweetly through a two hour meal, you may be disappointed. I would test it out at a quiet restaurant at home first for sure.

 

[TeamSy]

Aside from Victoria & Albert's you can bring a baby anywhere. As two adults with no kids who love dining at signature restaurants we don't mind sharing with kids, as long as they are well behaved. Just know what works for your kid should they have a freakout, come prepared with things to occupy them (bottle, toy, etc), leave the room if they need a moment... you'll be fine! Congrats on your upcoming new addition!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Free parenting tips worth exactly the price paid:

1. Take your kid to a pro sporting event before his/her 2 week checkup. If he/she sleeps through it, you have a winner.
2. Hang out in bars with your newborn and eat cheeseburgers as a pre-Disney test.
3. Later, when your kid is past first Disney trip and is more than 6 months old, many Indian foods make excellent second foods! Dhal and palak paneer prep your child for a lifetime of not rejecting a trip to the World Showcase.

(Actually, the noise thing is likely the key for many signatures. Cali Grill has a tendency to be loud.)

 

[Dean Marino]

Baby cannot go to V&A. Baby can go to all other Sigs and will be welcomed. Remember that these are theme park restaurants and family friendly. Not a big deal at all.

What Hibiscus said . For reference, we are 64. "Old Farts" . Personally? We LOVE seeing young children enjoying WDW - right smack dab in the middle of our favorite SIGS . These are the PERFECT spots to introduce young ones to fine dinning, as EVERY WDW restaurant employee GETS the concept of children (hey, its WDW).

Now - there are suggested behavior patterns for PARENTS - not at WDW, but EVERYWHERE, during this stage. As the Father of FOUR (all grown now), I can pass on SUGGESTIONS (all personal opinion)....

1) Your child will act up . They might not MEAN to, but they are CHILDREN. When it occurs? Trade off with hubby - remove the child from the restaurant to minimize impact to others. Often takes less than 5 minutes (though my oldest, now 35, robbed us of a good dinner in SF - threw a fit, and he STILL owes us a dinner ).

2) OK - child is currently calm. Let the child see how YOU act in a "nice place". Children learn from their parents.... and they are generally a quick study . We saw the best behaved, most perfect 3 Year old's on our last trip (Narcoossee's, 4-25-2016). I was stunned - someone did a really GOOD job introducing them to "special" places .

3) Trust WDW . I have not seen ONE CM, in all these years, act as though a child is somehow a "burden". They are VERY good at dodging a loose child, entertaining a cranky child, and accepting the fact that WDW is for FAMILIES - including Children .

4) As has been mentioned - there is ONE very serious Restaurant on property that really does not fit anyone under the age of (opinion - 16).... Victoria and Albert's. THIS restaurant is an absolute 5 star - and is best reserved for Mom & Dad's private Night out.

All of this is personal opinion....

 

[Hopefully]

My personal opinion, as a Mom and a Grandma, is "it depends". I had an angel that slept through the night at six weeks that we could take anywhere, & a terror that SCREAMED from 6 PM to midnight daily. My oldest grand daughter was a joy and her younger brother was a terror in restaurants.
Other Signature diners are paying a lot for their special dinner. My second would have been TOTALLY inappropriate. No one can say all 6 months old are appropriate for Signature dining.
Make an ADR and be considerate of others and prepared to cancel.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

When DD was a baby she was easy to take to restaurants, and I would've had no problem taking her to a signature restaurant in Disney. That being said, I would plan on eating earlier and if he does get fussy during the meal, be prepared to take turns taking him outside.

 

[BusyP76]

I agree with everyone above. By even asking the question you come across as a considerate person who is already instinctively thinking like the mother you are about to be. I would say make those ADRs and just adjust according to your child's temperament and your energy level closer to the time. I have found that, with kids, keeping our expectations reasonable and making our plans with the idea that we may have to change things up on the fly works best. And like others said, WDW is family friendly. Other diners and servers tend to be much more companionate towards parents of cranky or loud kiddos when those parents are proactive in trying to calm them. I would be prepared to step out with your baby for a moment if needed and I would definitely bring an infant carrier if it's a late meal so your little one can sleep comfortably. My kids snoozed in their carriers at many a late meal as infants! Congrats on your upcoming new addition and have a wonderful time!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also: Remember to make your ADR for 3, even though baby is not a "diner." It's about space to have the child there, and fire code.

 

[Lisa F]

yes, flexibility is key. But yes, bring your baby to the restaurant. I like to bring my kiddo earlier in the night (right when they first open) because there are more families and less chaos (maybe doesn't make sense but the restaurant is not as full and busy and the service WILL be faster that time of day too). Be ready to change plans if you have a fussy baby... but... my kiddo was a pretty fussy baby but we still always took him to restaurants from newborn on. Sometime's we'd go while he was asleep in the bucket (rarely). He was pretty unfussy if I held him so often I'd just let him sleep on my shoulder. If you're going to bring your baby to a fancy restaurant ANYWHERE, Disney is the place to do it. Heck my toddler insisted on trying fondant and then hurled a stomach full of goldfish crackers all over the table at CA Grill. Not the best night of our lives but if that's gonna happen to you, Disney is the place for it to happen.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Also: Remember to make your ADR for 3, even though baby is not a "diner." It's about space to have the child there, and fire code.

I was thinking the same thing to remember to include the baby in ressie count