Best signature restaurant for children

[pschro1]

What would everyone recommend for a good signature restaurant for children. We are going to have some spare dining credits because of our travel days. So we were thinking of squeezing in a signature dinner during our trip at the end of August. We are going to be a party of 5 with a five year old and a almost one year old. I really would like to try California grill but I don't know if I could find something to eat for my 5 year old. The other restaurant we were looking at is the Boathouse. Any other suggestions?

 

[Jgeauxmo]

Do you have boys or girls? If the five year old is a girl, maybe try cinderellas royal table. The food isn't anywhere near as good as Cali grill but the experience may be worth it.

 

[Candycane83]

Hi there, I saw a kid's menu online for California Grill- https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/contemporary-resort/california-grill/menus/dinner/

I think your child will be fine... there seems to be a lot of good choices for kids I find Disney generally very kid friendly and am generally not too worried about food. I am planning to going to take my 2 year old to Narcoosee's in December

 

[vicb]

Just curious, I looked at the kid's menu for Cali Grill and they have... cheese pizza, grilled chicken breast, mac and cheese, grilled filet steak and a salmon... would your 5 year old eat any of those? I think the experience of seeing the fireworks and being up high might be fun for a 5 yo. After dark you can watch the progress of the electrical water parade around the lake. Remember if you eat earlier and want to come back upstairs for fireworks you just show your receipt.

When my kids were younger they enjoyed Le Cellier (breadsticks and fun desserts), we ate there twice for lunch.

Just a completely different thought... if you didn't think your five yo would enjoy the whole fancy experience, could you put him/her at a resort kids club and enjoy a more adult dinner (albeit with a baby). My children used to love their "evening off" at the kids clubs.

Good luck.

 

[brertoad]

Keep in mind if you have those extra credits, there is also Mickey's Backyard BBQ, Spirit of Aloha, and Hoop Dee Doo. While not "signature" they do take up 2 credits and Mickey's BBQ and HDD would be great for the kids.

 

[Ladcassidy]

Hoop De Doo and CRT are super kid-friendly options for using an extra meal credit.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The Living seas would be great for little kids!

AKK

 

[Kae]

the Hollywood Brown Derby and do the fantasmic pkg.

Kae

 

[GillianP1301]

There are pretty good kids menus at all the signatures. My son (6yo at the time) loved Yachtsman, even though I cringed that he was eating mac 'n cheese at a steakhouse. The Mickey Puzzle dessert was a real highlight for him and while he enjoyed all that, I had one of the best steak dinners I've ever had.

We're heading back to Yachtsman again next trip and he's now 8 and has discovered that he loves steak. Should be that much better this time around!

 

[Lisa F]

California Grill is a GREAT option for kids. I took my 6 year old in 2014. Go early, when the restaurant first opens. it is mostly families then, it is not hectic, crazy or loud, and the view is enthralling by daylight as well as at night. Kids are fresher, staff is fresher, and you can come back later just for fireworks if it works in your schedule.

The menu has stuff even my picky eater will eat. He is a sauceless pizza guy and they made the kids pizza to order without sauce. This year he thinks he wants the mac and cheese. If nothing else there are rolls and butter.

 

[crabbygal902]

I absolutely agree with the CRT and dinner show suggestions. The younger kids at Cali Grill I've seen are bored and mostly are on their iPads or parents' phones, or misbehaving. The atmosphere is adult and modern, a place to linger over dinner and a nice bottle of wine. Seems like a waste of a great view and expensive meal to me...but to each their own.

 

[Shellyb84]

My DD (5 years old at the time) loved Jiko and Cali Grill. She's not a particularly adventurous eater but she had no probably finding something she liked. The kids desserts are really fun at both of those.

She also had a blast at SOA and HDDR.

 

[pschro1]

Thanks everyone. Both of my kids are boys so CRT is probably out and I don't see my group wanting to do one of the shows. Due to my kids ages an early dinner (5ish) might be the way to go. We are limited to locations though because we just started booking for the end of August (last minute trip). It looks like Cali Grill and Yachtsman have availability right now. Another issue is that my wife is concerned about the dress code. If we are in "park attire," I dont know if everyone is going to want to go back to the hotel to change. Only to then get back into park attire.

 

[Lisa F]

Thanks everyone. Both of my kids are boys so CRT is probably out and I don't see my group wanting to do one of the shows. Due to my kids ages an early dinner (5ish) might be the way to go. We are limited to locations though because we just started booking for the end of August (last minute trip). It looks like Cali Grill and Yachtsman have availability right now. Another issue is that my wife is concerned about the dress code. If we are in "park attire," I dont know if everyone is going to want to go back to the hotel to change. Only to then get back into park attire.

My kid won't touch a princess meal with a 10 foot pole either. I feel your pain

It's fine. we went in park attire. I would not show up at prime romantic fireworks time with a load of tired and cranky kids fresh from the park but the dress code is well within what you can wear comfortably to the parks. My kid wore his space mountain tshirt because he wanted to take a pic with space mountain in the background and a pair of khaki cargo shorts and sneakers. I wore the same capris i wore to the park and a solid supima knit tshirt. It was really ok! you're on vacation.

they don't just fill the restaurant right at 5. It will be half empty for a lot of the time you are there. It is a great time to go with kids. My kid was not bored, on electronics or misbehaving. he was sitting there talking to me and having a great time enjoying the view, pointing out things we could see and enjoying his food immensely. As you can see below he was quite the miserable little disruptive brat. Oh and the kid meals are not really expensive there... yes more expensive than other restaurants but not in the same proportion as the adult meals are. You can still enjoy a lovely meal as an adult with kids there.

it was my kid's top request for a repeat. If your kids don't generally behave in restaurants maybe not a good idea but if your kids are pretty well behaved and know the drill in a restaurant, going when it opens will help keep things moving, lower the noise level, it will still be light and bright and very kid friendly.

 

[SillySallySews]

My husband and I had a date night at CA Grill last summer and afterwards we both said we wouldn't hesitate to take our kids there. Our kids would definitely appreciate the view, the service was excellent, the kids menu had some great choices, and holy cow is it LOUD in there lol! But given the choice, I think our kids would pick CRT or one of the dinner shows over CA Grill any day.

 

[pschro1]

Thanks! Right now it is a toss up between CA Grill and the Boathouse. Maybe I can through the steakhouse in the mix.

 

[knitteresq]

What would everyone recommend for a good signature restaurant for children. We are going to have some spare dining credits because of our travel days. So we were thinking of squeezing in a signature dinner during our trip at the end of August. We are going to be a party of 5 with a five year old and a almost one year old. I really would like to try California grill but I don't know if I could find something to eat for my 5 year old. The other restaurant we were looking at is the Boathouse. Any other suggestions?

We went to Cali Grill with a 2 year old, 4 year old and 6 year old. They ate pasta and had a nice time. At Cali Grill the kitchen is somewhat open from what I remember so the kids can watch the chefs cook. We had a great time. We've also taken them to Le Celier and they really enjoyed the food. Good luck!

 

[Freiden8]

Le Cellier.

My kids loved it at 6½ and 4½. It's also a Signature that allows theme park attire because it's in the park.

 

[cel_disney]

I think that a trip to AKL for Jiko/Boma are great options for kids! I know they were in your list but consider them. In our experience - Tasteful Park attire is acceptable everywhere that takes the dining plan. We do often 'freshen up' befor dinner but not always by going back to our room. With little kids we always had the stroller so packing a few items was easy - we pack a ziploc bag for the boys and one for the girls - a washcloth to wipe faces and arms to stop feeling sticky, deodorant, a fresh shirt, and sometimes a fresh pair of socks ..some lipgloss in the girls bags and we are set! To be honest - when my kids were that age - I almost always had that stuff with me anyway! The likelihood that a smoothie/Mickeybar/ketchup were going to end up all over my shirt seemed high enough that I wanted backup!

 

[UnderTheRialto]

California Grill! We took our 4 and 1 year olds there and had a great meal. We did spend some time out on the observation deck. Would definitely do it again. I would not take them to Yachtsman, it's less special IMO.