Bistro de Paris - No Kids?

[Sweet Melissa]

I'd support the change. I don't see what's so wrong with a few places at Disney World having an adult-only policy. I think it's a little weird that one of the restaurants inside the theme parks would choose to do so, but I wouldn't mind having an option other than Victoria & Albert's and Jellyrolls for an adult-oriented experience.

 

[Lynne M]

There are 14 table service restaurants in Epcot. I don't think it's unreasonable at all to make one of them adults-only. And heck, it's not even adults-only. It's adults and kids over 8.

I agree that children under 8 shouldn't be forced to eat 'kid food', but even if they do make Bistro for over 8's only, that still leaves parents and kids with THIRTEEN other choices of restaurants inside that theme park. Thirteen other places where they can get all the adult food they want. Not to mention the options at BC and BW, a five minute walk from Bistro.

There are many things that very young children can't do at WDW. They can't ride several of the most popular rides. They can't go on behind the scenes tours. They can't eat at V&As. They can't take out a rental boat on the lakes alone. They can't go horseback riding. Just like in 'real life', there are some things that you have to wait till you're older to do.

And if Bistro decides to add to that list, "you have to wait till you're 8 to try the handful of entrees that are on the menu at one small restaurant in one theme park", I don't think most families will find that a hardship.

 

[ThreeBeans]

I

I would be down with that rule. Apply it to all guests though. I'd add the teeth pickers, makeup appliers, cell phone users, the loud, the smelly. But not in favor of banning due to age.
By no means is my child some magically formed crystallized perfection snowflake. I've picked her happy little butt up and walked out of a $50 a head ballet when she opened geer mouth the second time. Ive also dragged her home from the mcdonalds playground for facile too be nice to people. Come to Jesus. I took her to the pediatrician she was two with a chief complaint of generalized systemic *******ry. The pediatrician taught me the come to jesus method and after 6 months of consistent application we had a publically presentable child. Thats why I'm against banning for age. I'd the first in line for banning for behavior.

I just busted a gut


I'm cool with an age ban; I think it's easier than forcing a restaurant to kick someone out half way through a meal because of systemic *******ry

DH and I went to Victoria and Albert's when we were on our honeymoon, and I remember there was a little girl of about 5 or 6 sitting there, all dressed up, with a teddy bear, while three grown men had a meal. That poor child was excellently behaved but so. very. bored. I felt so bad for her.

When we came back this year we saw they'd put a 10 year minimum in place. Makes sense to me. I'd never take my kids to Victoria and Alberts. Doesn't make sense.

And they're pretty decently behaved children most of the time.

 

[ElizabethB]

Bistro could effect the age limit without offending so many people by going back to the "we have no children's menu" approach.

That way -- the rare child who likes escargot, tuna tartare, frogs legs etc. -- and has parents who are willing to pay $40 or $50 for a child to dine -- can dine there.

But, it would eliminate all the parents who are now dining there because

1) the kids can order off the children's menu, so it won't cost much to feed the kids,

2) they might see something of the fireworks without having to stand by the lake -- not true since views are very limited and only the tables for 2 by the window see much of anything, and

3) they have heard Bistro is better food for adults than Chefs de France (not really true on our last visit, though it has been true in the past).

People may be upset with an age limit or an end to the mac and cheese for kids, but Bistro management has to balance that with the fact that adults wanting a quiet and refined meal -- us among them -- have sworn the place off.

Dh loves the J. Colombo Rhone wines available at Bistro that are not available anywhere else on Disney property. So, we break down and go there despite the noise. However, our last visit in November was the last straw for us.

We went late (8:30 p.m.), bought a $150 bottle of wine and ordered two 3-course meals and could not enjoy any of it due to the noisy, unsupervised kids and the general "Chef Mickey's" mayhem. It was a wasted $350. We decided that another night at V&A would be a better use of that money.

So, Bistro management may be considering -- do they want to serve a $350 meal to a table for 2, or do they want to be doing tables with two parents and four kids, where the kids are eating for $7 bucks each? I know what I would pick if I were managing the restaurant!

Bistro already does not take the Dining Plan, which signals that it is a aiming for a different crowd and a different dining experience than places that take DDP. Disney is willing to let people be annoyed by that!

Why wouldn't Disney also be willing to let people be annoyed about an age limit -- or simply going back to the option of no children's menu. Tell parents they have to spring for a $45 entree for a child and the kids' problem will take care of itself. I would love to see the parents of the two-year-old in a previous post who has a "sophisticated" palate and likes tuna tartare spring for a $50 meal for that toddler. Won't happen!!

So, I am totally in favor of the age limit or taking away the kids' menu. Either should work fine.

 

[ThreeBeans]

I've always felt that every restaurant should offer half-sized portions of just about every main dish for children. I'm sick of the same three kids' meals (and minor variations on them) in nearly every restaurant.

Actually, I know this would never happen, but I'd also love it if the nicer restaurants ditched the kids' menus altogether and just offered those kid-sized portions of "real" food.

If your kid wants mac-and-cheese, there are CS restaurants. If you're interested in giving your kid a real dining experience, eat in one of the TS restaurants.

I'd love to see kids' meals go (horrible, unhealthy, ridiculous food), and just make ALL dishes available in half sizes portions, both for little ones, and for adults who want to eat reasonably sized meals instead of the caloric requirement for the average elephant.

 

[SSRFred]

I've always felt that every restaurant should offer half-sized portions of just about every main dish for children. I'm sick of the same three kids' meals (and minor variations on them) in nearly every restaurant.

Actually, I know this would never happen, but I'd also love it if the nicer restaurants ditched the kids' menus altogether and just offered those kid-sized portions of "real" food.

If your kid wants mac-and-cheese, there are CS restaurants. If you're interested in giving your kid a real dining experience, eat in one of the TS restaurants.

I couldn't agree more. On our last night of a recent trip to San Francisco, my DS6 did not want the hot dog or mac n cheese kids options on the menu. Who can argue with that?! We ordered him the filet mignon, medium rare, which is his preference, and I ordered an appetizer sized salad for myself because, of course, he was only able to finish half of his entree. My kids get quite bored with the kids TS options by day 3 of our trips.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I find this rumor a bit odd.
Not long ago Bistro was relatively kid free.

But then THEY THEMSELVES started allowing and encouraging kids to come in and order off the Chefs childrens menu donwstairs...

 

[ElizabethB]

Perhaps they now realize they created a monster? It was probably done to boost attendance. The repercussions are now becoming apparent -- serious diners willing to drop some bucks are going elsewhere.

 

[Colleen27]

Why wouldn't Disney also be willing to let people be annoyed about an age limit -- or simply going back to the option of no children's menu. Tell parents they have to spring for a $45 entree for a child and the kids' problem will take care of itself. I would love to see the parents of the two-year-old in a previous post who has a "sophisticated" palate and likes tuna tartare spring for a $50 meal for that toddler. Won't happen!!

So, I am totally in favor of the age limit or taking away the kids' menu. Either should work fine.

I didn't realize they'd started offering a kids' meal at Bistro. When did that happen?

We considered a reservation there for Nov since we'll have at least a few days without the DxDDP for the first time in many years and I don't mind shelling out the money for my kids to eat there at all. My 9 & 2yos generally share an adult meal when we go out at home rather than order off kids' menus, so it doesn't bother me in the least to pay for the same when we travel. I'm not sure we'll end up there because we weren't planning on parks for that part of the trip and because we only have two nights off-plan. I know we'll get to Kimonos, that's a must do because DS13, DD2 & I all love sushi, but the other off-plan night is up in the air between Bistro, bluezoo, or Fultons.

 

[ElizabethB]

If you ask, they now let kids order off the Chefs de France children's menu. It was a big mistake. Perhaps, they are finally realizing that.

It is not a restaurant for two-year-olds. Or, if they choose to make it a restaurant for two-year-olds, then we are so done. It doesn't matter how much we like the wine list.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I would be down with that rule. Apply it to all guests though. I'd add the teeth pickers, makeup appliers, cell phone users, the loud, the smelly. But not in favor of banning due to age.

Amen!

My son has been eating a The Bistro since he was 5. The 1st time we ate there, the hostess said, you know there's no childs menu, and I responded in French, "I'm not looking for one, are you?" He's eaten escargots since his 1st trip to France at age 3, I happen to be French, his father American, we go visit the relatives and stay for free. No child is perfect but he's always been well behaved in and out of restaurants but had he not been I would have removed him from the situation. Each culture is different, he grew up eating French, Chinese, Italian, Thai food and not the typical kids meal. I'm sorry, but 4 chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, hot dog and pizza (wow!) His favorite dish at the Bistro, Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille (and yes, he actually knew what it was before the rat and the movie came out)



I agree, if you have picky eaters then the Bistro is probably not for you but why penalize those children who do enjoy the food and can behave at the dinner table from being able to! It's Disney World, for Pete's sake!

Surely, there's nothing you romance mongers or wine lovers would do at the dinner table that my then 5 year old or now 14 year old shouldn't witness, right?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Victoria and alberts is a multi hour prix fixe menu that starts at $125 & is diamond rated. I wasn't too say 5 star but I'm not sure. I don't think its fair to compare bistro to v&A. It isn't the same.
But let me say I'm not one of those people who is going to gnash my teeth and cancel my plans to go to wdw. Heck i probably wouldn't even leave property to go eat french because there are french places here. My concern is where is the line. I don't want me or my child relegated to substandard food because of age. Chefs is substandard to me. What other restaurants will my child be banned from? No california grille for you, go eat at chef mickeys.
Fwiw no amount of Jesus can make my generally well behaved 4 year old stay that way through a.V&A dinner. I wouldn't even try.

I don't think Chefs is substandard. I don't think it's as good as Bistro, but I don't think it's bad. And personally I find the ambience at Bistro more formal, and less child-friendly then places like California Grill. Like I said in my OP, Bistro doesn't even have a children's menu, California Grill does. Of all the restaurants I've been to on property, (and I've been to a lot of them,) I would think the no children rule would make the most sense at Bistro.

 

[cdtommie]

My wife and I have had very few issues with kids dining at Disney signatures over the years (I guess we are just lucky). The one thing that killed us back in May was Mom and three kids occupying the bar stools at the Tune-In Lounge so they could have their sodas and milkshakes. We walked out, went to Indiana Jones stunt show and came back and they were still there (no other seat available of course)...this is where we need a kid ban!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Bistro could effect the age limit without offending so many people by going back to the "we have no children's menu" approach.

That way -- the rare child who likes escargot, tuna tartare, frogs legs etc. -- and has parents who are willing to pay $40 or $50 for a child to dine -- can dine there.

But, it would eliminate all the parents who are now dining there because

1) the kids can order off the children's menu, so it won't cost much to feed the kids,

2) they might see something of the fireworks without having to stand by the lake -- not true since views are very limited and only the tables for 2 by the window see much of anything, and

3) they have heard Bistro is better food for adults than Chefs de France (not really true on our last visit, though it has been true in the past).

People may be upset with an age limit or an end to the mac and cheese for kids, but Bistro management has to balance that with the fact that adults wanting a quiet and refined meal -- us among them -- have sworn the place off.

Dh loves the J. Colombo Rhone wines available at Bistro that are not available anywhere else on Disney property. So, we break down and go there despite the noise. However, our last visit in November was the last straw for us.

We went late (8:30 p.m.), bought a $150 bottle of wine and ordered two 3-course meals and could not enjoy any of it due to the noisy, unsupervised kids and the general "Chef Mickey's" mayhem. It was a wasted $350. We decided that another night at V&A would be a better use of that money.

So, Bistro management may be considering -- do they want to serve a $350 meal to a table for 2, or do they want to be doing tables with two parents and four kids, where the kids are eating for $7 bucks each? I know what I would pick if I were managing the restaurant!

Bistro already does not take the Dining Plan, which signals that it is a aiming for a different crowd and a different dining experience than places that take DDP. Disney is willing to let people be annoyed by that!

Why wouldn't Disney also be willing to let people be annoyed about an age limit -- or simply going back to the option of no children's menu. Tell parents they have to spring for a $45 entree for a child and the kids' problem will take care of itself. I would love to see the parents of the two-year-old in a previous post who has a "sophisticated" palate and likes tuna tartare spring for a $50 meal for that toddler. Won't happen!!

So, I am totally in favor of the age limit or taking away the kids' menu. Either should work fine.

Trust me, I know adults can be just as poorly behaved as children, and my last time at Bistro, the "adult" (and I use that term very loosly,) seated at the table next to me, argued/complained to his wife quite loudly, and ended up storming out, never to return to his table.

I would fully support Disney if they did one of two things, either an age limit, (which I could even justify them making up to 12,) or stop allowing guests from ordering from Chef's menu, and then see if that solves any problems.

 

[Bonnie151]

your four-year-old eats goat cheese tarts, tomato chutney, smoked salmon, tuna tartar, and serrano ham? I sure wish my parents had fed me like that!

I don't think it's all that laughable. My kids eat whatever I'm eating and I'll eat pretty much anything. Here's DD round about age 2 with her *favourite* lunch at that time (you should have seen her demolish the clams and mussels at the Cape May Clambake!):

My kids are now 6 & 9 and they'll argue if they think they've been cheated out of their proper portion of mushrooms, olives, capers etc and both have been begging me for months to order some frog legs to try.

When we eat at restaurants they'll each get an adult starter for their dinner and they've been doing that for years.

Having said that, I think it's a GREAT idea if Disney makes a restaurant child free, although I'd prefer no under 12s or 14s rather than under 8 - a 9 year old is still a child and if they're going for a child free environment, under 8 doesn't work for me.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

My wife and I have had very few issues with kids dining at Disney signatures over the years (I guess we are just lucky). The one thing that killed us back in May was Mom and three kids occupying the bar stools at the Tune-In Lounge so they could have their sodas and milkshakes. We walked out, went to Indiana Jones stunt show and came back and they were still there (no other seat available of course)...this is where we need a kid ban!

This is something else I have a problem with as well. I don't think Disney should allow kids to sit at bars. It's a bar! In PA I don't even think it's legal for anyone under 21 to sit at a bar. I get that it's Disney, and I can even understand them in lounges, (especially when that lounge basically doubles as a waiting area for a restaurant,) but there is no reason they have to actually sit at the bar.

 

[wcpamotm]

Surely, there's nothing you romance mongers or wine lovers would do at the dinner table that my then 5 year old or now 14 year old shouldn't witness, right?

Right!

But there are things that certain (I'm sure, not your) 5- or 14-year-olds do at the dinner table that I shouldn't have to witness.

 

[nytimez]

My kids are now 6 & 9 and they'll argue if they think they've been cheated out of their proper portion of mushrooms, olives, capers etc and both have been begging me for months to order some frog legs to try.

how 'bout haggis, neeps and tatties?

 

[Bonnie151]

how 'bout haggis, neeps and tatties?

Oh yes, I've got another photo somewhere from this year's Burns Supper (we went all proper this year and did a haggis in a real sheep's stomach rather than the plastic ones sold in the supermarket - the stink was awful, don't think I'll do that again, took days to clear from the kitchen - but it was still gobbled up! )!

 

[nytimez]

Oh yes, I've got another photo somewhere from this year's Burns Supper (we went all proper this year and did a haggis in a real sheep's stomach rather than the plastic ones sold in the supermarket - the stink was awful, don't think I'll do that again, took days to clear from the kitchen - but it was still gobbled up! )!

OK, that's officially the most impressive thing I've read all day.