Child friendly signature meal?

[lilandvisma]

Which would be the most child friendly in your opinion?? We are upgrading to the DxDP and would like to make good use out of our credits. Thanks!

 

[Sgt Tibbs]

We took our son to the California Grill and it was great and not stuffy at all. Our server/castmember was great with him unlike some other signature restaurants we have been to. Our son also loved going out on the roof of the Contemporary to watch wishes

 

[Brook1099]

all the signatures I have dined at are kid friendly and wouldn't hestitate to bring them to the others just havent yet.

Yachtsmen, sometimes eat here twice, my kids love it here for the mac/cheese.

Narcosses, great use of 2 credits, especially if you like lobster, if you plan it around Wishes you can go on porch they pipe music to there and enjoy the fireworks.

Artist Point was a great meal. Very quiet when we went.

Dinner shows are 2 TS and alot of fun for the kids.
Luau and Hoopdedu we do every year. You get category 2 or 3 with diningplan which is fine.

 

[bicker]

My first impression was that Signature restaurants and children don't mix well, but in reality there is a big difference between one Signature restaurant and another, in this regard. California Grill and Artist Point have done well for our family, while Flying Fish, Citricos, Bistro de Paris, and (remarkably) Hollywood Brown Derby seem to be poorer choices with children.

 

[hmdavid]

We have taken our girls to Jiko and Cali Grill. Both were great and our girls loved them!

 

[Uncleromulus]

California grill or Narcoossee's. Both loud, lots of kids, and fireworks to be seen.

 

[AppleSister1]

Is Coral Reef a sig? Because our nephews loved the huge fishtank wall when they were young.

We've done many, many sigs with them since they were very young and never had a problem. I agree the ones with something to look at (Narcoosees, Cali Grill, Coral Reef) are better.

 

[crostorfer]

You'd be surprised at the number of children in the Cali Grill. I sure was. I couldn't believe the place was still packed with children at 9:30 at night, but it was.

That being said, the Cali Grill was more fun for my daughter than the Flying Fish, even though personally, I liked the FF more. Both places have very neat desserts on the kid's menu. At the Cali Grill there is a rice krispie treat sushi dessert that is just about too cute to eat, and at the FF they have a white chocolate piece that you can paint with different colored chocolates. She loved it!

 

[lilandvisma]

Thanks...I'm leaning towards Cali Grill as well They are pretty well behaved and used to going out to eat for dinner. I totally forgot about Wishes too. I wonder when would be the best time to make our ressie as I don't want it to be too late. 8:00?

 

[DisneyFamily123]

We have been to signature restaurants with DS at age 4 and 5. Fine, no problem. But, I'd say some restaurants are a little better for children than others. Here's my take... and check out my reviews at the link below!

As far as food, all had good choices for our DS and were flexible with the menu when we asked for things not on the menu... like strawberries. I don't stick with the kids menu... I ask for what DS likes to eat and expect the restaurant to make it if they have it. I'm willing to pay extra for it, but have never been asked to.

Keeping DS from getting bored -- At the signatures and other restaurants, we look at photos and videos on my camera taken earlier in the day and talk about what we did and what we will do the next day. Most have paper and crayons... might want to bring your own... I will take a break or two with DS between courses (see below).

Some restaurants are not the "so quiet can hear a pin drop" kind of places due to open kitchens and the design. I like these for children... California Grill, Flying Fish, Brown Derby.

California Grill - views of the castle from inside the restaurant. can also walk outside on a deck (both sides of restaurant) for views from high up. Can see MK fireworks (but we were never there then), and also great sunset views. Funny kids dessert looks like sushi (but it really rice krispie and gummy worms, etc.).

Narcoosees - possible views of the water. Can walk out on a deck that goes around the restaurant and see the Castle. Also can see the MK fireworks from here and the lighted boat parade (passes by about 9pm).

Citricos - this is a very quiet restaurant. But easy to take a quick break by walking into the lobby and listening to the orchestra or piano player for a few minutes.

Brown Derby - lots of pictures on the wall to look at.

Flying Fish Cafe - get a table by the window if possible, people watch. Boardwalk entertainers (comedy, magic, juggling) performed right outside the restaurant -- so was great fun before and after dinner. Mickey pasta and paint your own puzzle dessert here for kids.

Jiko - there was really nothing here to entertain DS... and it's pretty quiet in here. But the service was great and DS was tired. Probably would not come back here with kids. We bore DS enough.

 

[Sgt Tibbs]

Thanks...I'm leaning towards Cali Grill as well They are pretty well behaved and used to going out to eat for dinner. I totally forgot about Wishes too. I wonder when would be the best time to make our ressie as I don't want it to be too late. 8:00?

Even if you eat earlier at California Grill you can return the evening you dined to watch wishes from the roof viewing area. I believe you show your receipt at the desk on the 2nd floor and they bring you back up.

 

[bicker]

Is Coral Reef a sig?

Not anymore. I'm not sure if has been since before the Dining Plan was introduced, or perhaps soon thereafter.

Back in the 1980s though, it was perhaps the second ritziest restaurant at Epcot.

 

[PoohsFan1]

My kids are 9 and 7 and have been going to the Signature restaurants with DH and I for years. We have taken them to California Grill (a family favorite and a must do each time we go), Artist Point (their favorite because they love the dessert there), and Yachtsman's Steakhouse...we have also taken them to Le Cellier (I know not a Signature restaurant but they both really enjoy it). We will be taking them to Narcoossee's for the first time this May (it is actually our family's first time as well). I believe that any of the Signature restaurants in Disney (minus V&A's of course) are all kid friendly because you are in Disney World, which has millions upon millions of kids there to begin with. Each restaurant has a coloring sheet and crayons for the kids which will make the time go by faster. My girls like the signature restaurants because they get tired of the same kid menu items and look for something a little bit more fancier per se, my DD9 loves steak so anytime she sees it on the kids menu, she will get it while my DD7 loves just about anything, but she loves the fact that she can get all dressed up for our "fancy" dinner as she calls it. Have a great trip.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

You'll be fine. We go to a signature restaurant every trip, although we call it our fancy night!

We've been to - California Grill, Brown Derby, Artist Point (my favorite, but it is quieter), Narcoosees, Jiko (my DH's favorite), and are going to Flying Fish next trip.

At Jiko the waiter brought a phone to our table and very seriously said my DD (5 or 6 at the time) had a telephone call. It was Goofy. So fun!!

 

[juliebean]

We went to Bistro a couple of years ago with 3 kids - I guess they were 11,5 and 2 at the time. I didn't feel like it was a good match for a family with kids.

I am so tempted to try Cal Grill after hearing all the good things! Oh, and we are going to Cinderella's. I'm not sure that can be considered a signature, but it is 2 credits. You do get pics, wands/swords, and there is no tip to compensate for the extra credit. And we have two little girls, so we picked that one over better food.

 

[Wendy31]

My first impression was that Signature restaurants and children don't mix well, but in reality there is a big difference between one Signature restaurant and another, in this regard. California Grill and Artist Point have done well for our family, while Flying Fish, Citricos, Bistro de Paris, and (remarkably) Hollywood Brown Derby seem to be poorer choices with children.

Well, I'm a bit worried now... We have kids & ate at California Grill for our signature last time, & we thought it was very kid-friendly. DD & DS both loved the "sushi" dessert.

This time, I'd planned on making an ADR at Brown Derby for our Fantasmic Package. We're somewhat tired of Mama Melrose's & wanted to try something new. (Also, we're going to Tutto Italia, so I didn't really want another Italian.) Additionally, I was thinking that a signature restaurant in a park would be less fancy/quiet than a resort signature restaurant - which I thought might be more ideal for us this year since, this time, we'll have a toddler w/ us!

I had planned on trying Brown Derby for lunch & not dinner. I'm sure our older DD & DS will be fine, but now I'm worried about our younger DS who will be 2.

DS does well in restaurants & stays in his seat, & he isn't overly loud/screaming or anything. But now I'm worried...

In your opinion, Bicker, what makes Brown Derby less appealing or a poorer choice for children?

Thanks!!

(And sorry to hijack the thread!)

 

[Pakey]

Well, I'm a bit worried now... We have kids & ate at California Grill for our signature last time, & we thought it was very kid-friendly. DD & DS both loved the "sushi" dessert.

This time, I'd planned on making an ADR at Brown Derby for our Fantasmic Package. We're somewhat tired of Mama Melrose's & wanted to try something new. (Also, we're going to Tutto Italia, so I didn't really want another Italian.) Additionally, I was thinking that a signature restaurant in a park would be less fancy/quiet than a resort signature restaurant - which I thought might be more ideal for us this year since, this time, we'll have a toddler w/ us!

I had planned on trying Brown Derby for lunch & not dinner. I'm sure our older DD & DS will be fine, but now I'm worried about our younger DS who will be 2.

DS does well in restaurants & stays in his seat, & he isn't overly loud/screaming or anything. But now I'm worried...

In your opinion, Bicker, what makes Brown Derby less appealing or a poorer choice for children?

Thanks!!

(And sorry to hijack the thread!)

I have seen plenty of young children at Brown Derby; I've even had a meal ruined by a high pitched laughing/squealing child at a next table. The place has terrible acoustics and noisy children can be heard easily.

Brown Derby used to be very adult until the Dining Plan and Fanstasmic Packages came into existence. It's old Hollywood, they serve excellent martinis, the waiters in tuxedos, etc. The booths were intimate and it was a great adult meal.

As long as your toddler is quiet, you will be fine here now. It's changed a great deal.

 

[bicker]

In your opinion, Bicker, what makes Brown Derby less appealing or a poorer choice for children?

Remarkably bad experiences on different vacations, with my younger brother's family joining us.

I no longer remember all the details, but on one or both occasions, requests to bring the children's food as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the adult meals to be ready, fell on deaf ears. In both cases, initial seating offered was ridiculously inappropriate given that we had a baby in a stroller, and on the first of those occasions the restaurant was so empty that I had to wonder if they were pulling my leg. I also seem to remember "spaghetti with no tomato sauce" resulting in spaghetti with tomato sauce. And so on.

And any one or two of these things, in a vacuum, wouldn't affect our assessment. Rather, it was the fact that:

• They did so many things wrong;
• They did so many things wrong on two separate vacations;
• They were remarkably slow in responding when the problems were brought to their attention; and most importantly ...
• That in doing all this they were performing remarkably worse than the other Disney restaurants that we visited during those vacations.

That distinction is really important. You shouldn't be reading this as saying that Brown Derby is universally and categorically bad. Rather, just that in our experience they are consistently worse than the other options.

I hope this helps.

 

[AppleSister1]

Bicker, I'm sorry you've had bad experiences. HBD is one our favs, and we've had many good experiences there. As we all know, we can have wildly diverging experiences at all the Dis restaurants!

That said, I've seen MANY children in there, especially at lunch, so no one should feel uncomfortable bringing in their child.

And THAT said, we appreciate parents who remove their kids for a break when necessary at any of the sigs, as we did/do with the children in our party.

Have fun!

 

[DisneyFamily123]

Brown Derby was very different for dinner and lunch -- as far as service. We had a 4pm fantasmic package dinner for the 6:30 show. Service was good but it the restaurant was much more full and the waiters more hurried. Another day, same trip... lunch was much quieter and relaxed, not crowded.

Still, we enjoyed both meals, food was great. The advantage of the fantasmic package (in addition to the fast line admission), is appetizers are included even if you don't have the deluxe DDP. In 2008, we didn't care for dinner at Hollywood and Vine (think cheap budget buffet), Mama Melrose in 2009 was fine but not spectacular and longer walk to fantasmic. We chose Brown Derby to do something different.

If paying out of pocket, I think Brown Derby is less expensive than other signature restaurants... but all depends on what you order.