California Grill with Kids?

[griffs95]

Thanks for the advice. I know my kids and they are past the stage of needing any ART classes (Attitude Readjustment Training). My wife and I enjoy CG and I know the kids will too. We haven't tried Narcoose's yet, but will have that one behind us after this next trip also.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I see a big difference. I expect Chef Mickey's to take about an hour and cost me about $100 for two adults and two kids. I don't really expect the food to be anything more than marginally edible, but that isn't why we go to character meals (and I do like character meals - just not for the food).

I expect California Grill to serve me a delicious meal that I want to be able to focus on and enjoy (and haven't been disappointed), I expect to be there about two hours, and I expect that when we leave the table with four of us we will have dropped around $300 - more if we order a bottle of wine.

In the first one, I really don't care if my kids are a little antsy or obnoxious - I don't have much investment in the experience for myself other than indulging them. In the second I'm making a large investment in time and money for myself which is centered around my husband and I enjoying our meal - and the kids indulging us.

See I guess when the kids are old your can expect them to indulge you. But younger kids not so much... The experience is the same for us at any restaurant...I don't want them to be obnoxious anywhere..so we do what we can to make sure it doesn't happen. All while still enjoying different experiences. I do think my kids benefit from it rather than just keeping them at wild chucky cheese type places until they are much older. Just my opinion though.

For me, having them with a babysitter (that I didn't know) in the hotel room would make me a nervous wreck that I would never enjoy myself.

 

[Jerseygirl63]

We have taken our kids now 14 and 10 for years. It is their favorite restaurant. They know to sit and behave but at all restaurants not just the "fancy ones". Enjoy

 

[chiclet]

We took our kids (11 & 7) in August. It was a long meal but they were fine. There were many other children there. We stayed for the fireworks and the 20 minute wait for them to start was the worst part for them. Once the fireworks started, they forgot all their complaints. Enjoy!

 

[TDC Nala]

At 10 and 14 you could be "Disney legal" if you took them to Victoria & Albert's should you wish to do that.

 

[crisi]

See I guess when the kids are old your can expect them to indulge you. But younger kids not so much... The experience is the same for us at any restaurant...I don't want them to be obnoxious anywhere..so we do what we can to make sure it doesn't happen. All while still enjoying different experiences. I do think my kids benefit from it rather than just keeping them at wild chucky cheese type places until they are much older. Just my opinion though.

For me, having them with a babysitter (that I didn't know) in the hotel room would make me a nervous wreck that I would never enjoy myself.

My kids do go to those restaurants (at nine and ten they have been to Flying Fish twice, Narcoosees, Artists Point, California Grill, Jiko over four trips) just that for them its indulging us to go, as opposed to Chef Mickey's where its indulging them. And they are appropriately behaved in both restaurants. I'm just saying that it isn't the same experience for me or for them. And I don't think it was fair to them at four to expect them to sit for two hours at California Grill - nor is it fair to me that I pay for the California Grill experience and have to walk out with a steak in a Styrofoam box because their patience is done.

If you want to take your two year old to California Grill and rush through the meal to assure no meltdown - or if your two year old is better behaved than mine were and you are sure to get two hours out of them - that's your choice. For us, that didn't do our kids, ourselves or the quality (and expense) of the experience justice.