Disney bans kids from restaurant!!!

[Daxx]

many families select their hotels based on the variety and access to the dining.

That is really interesting. I thought that people chose their resorts based on cost and what they could afford. I wonder how many people choose a resort/hotel b/c of dining alone? Maybe more than I imagined. Very interesting.

 

[ZPT1022]

Huh. I was under the impression that V&A's **was** child free already. I would never take my kids there until they were at least teenagers, and only then if they were really into fine dining.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

That is really interesting. I thought that people chose their resorts based on cost and what they could afford. I wonder how many people choose a resort/hotel b/c of dining alone? Maybe more than I imagined. Very interesting.

well, we opted to stay at a deluxe hotel, and then dining played a part in how we narrowed it down from there.

Since I believe all the deluxes have signature dining, I would think if people opted to stay in that level of a hotel that dining would help them to narrow down their choices...it did for us!

 

[BettyCv]

I honestly don't care if Disney makes V & A child-free because it is not some place I want to eat, and definitely would not take my kids (who are VERY well behaved) there.

However, I find the arguments for doing so a little strange. If only a few children were there each month anyway, why even bother making it a rule? If a particular family is being disruptive, why not make them leave?

Everyone seems to think that children can't possibly enjoy themselves there. Why not? Why on earth would a child think that having dinner with their family is so awful? Don't you usually use dinner as a chance to catch up on how your day was? We loved spending our WDW dinners going around the table saying what our favorite ride was, etc. In fact, we went on the dining plan, and some of our dinners lasted 1-1/2 hours and our kids were fine (6 years old at the time).

Is the whole idea of excluding children to keep the place more quiet? Then perhaps they should consider excluding people with certain developmental disabilities, Tourrettes (sp?), etc., and those darn old people who refuse to get hearing aids and therefore speak much too loudly... They're really not the "right" kind of people for V & A.

 

[TDC Nala]

well, we opted to stay at a deluxe hotel, and then dining played a part in how we narrowed it down from there.

Since I believe all the deluxes have signature dining, I would think if people opted to stay in that level of a hotel that dining would help them to narrow down their choices...it did for us!

Deluxe (and DVC, which are cash priced commensurate with deluxes) hotels without signature dining, just for information:

Polynesian
Old Key West
Saratoga Springs
Beach Club

 

[TDC Nala]

I honestly don't care if Disney makes V & A child-free because it is not some place I want to eat, and definitely would not take my kids (who are VERY well behaved) there.

However, I find the arguments for doing so a little strange. If only a few children were there each month anyway, why even bother making it a rule? If a particular family is being disruptive, why not make them leave?

Everyone seems to think that children can't possibly enjoy themselves there. Why not? Why on earth would a child think that having dinner with their family is so awful? Don't you usually use dinner as a chance to catch up on how your day was? We loved spending our WDW dinners going around the table saying what our favorite ride was, etc. In fact, we went on the dining plan, and some of our dinners lasted 1-1/2 hours and our kids were fine (6 years old at the time).

Is the whole idea of excluding children to keep the place more quiet? Then perhaps they should consider excluding people with certain developmental disabilities, Tourrettes (sp?), etc., and those darn old people who refuse to get hearing aids and therefore speak much too loudly... They're really not the "right" kind of people for V & A.

Here is a recent menu for Victoria & Alberts.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=33

I personally can't consider this a child-friendly menu.

It's not having dinner with the family. It's having dinner with the family in a place where they're expected to keep to their seats for three hours (which is how long a 6 course V&A meal lasts), , keep their voices down even when discussing their favorite rides, and eat the stuff on that menu without complaint because Mom and Dad just forked over $150 for them to eat.

V&As is not just dinner. There are nearly 100 restaurants all over WDW and any of the others is suitable for a family dinner.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

For those who are not aware, V&A is one of only 46 restsaurants in the entire country which is rated with FIVE Diamonds by AAA.

There is no children's menu. The normal menu is $125 plus gratuity and tax. Of course, alcoholic beverages and some items (fois gras, Kobd Beef, Iranian Caviar) do also cost extra.

Luckily I have never witnessed it, but I have heard of people bringing small children there. These tend to be the "me first" people and for whom $150 for the kid's meal is not going to worry them at all.

However, the normal length of time it takes for dinner at V&A is about 2½ hours. They have two seatings each evening, about 3 hours apart; this will allow for a small stay-over and still allow sufficient time to have the table reset for the next guest.

Tell me honestly that you have a five year old child who can quietly sit through a 2½ hour dinner without disturbing any other guests in the restaurant, and I will turn you into Child Protective Services for keeping your child drugged.

 

[Daxx]

If only a few children were there each month anyway, why even bother making it a rule? If a particular family is being disruptive, why not make them leave?

What if it was the one day that you were there? If you ponied up the $$ for what you expected to be an upscale restaurant to enjoy reserved, quiet a dining experience and in the middle of the evening, some child decides to have a meltdown b/c he can't get chicken nuggets. He whines, cries, throws himself on the floor. The whole time Mommy and Daddy are either (a) doing nothing or (b) making threats they're not following through on. When he's done w/that, he decides to run around the place like a banshee. (I suppose nobody's ever seen the above EVER happen at Disney, right?).

Sorry, but if I'm paying that much for a meal (non-character, upscale nonetheless), I'm not going to want to have it spoiled by some kid who can't behave. Even if it's the one time out of a million that a kid is there.

Kick a family out of a restaurant? When have you seen that happen at WDW? I've seen a lot of poor behavior in restaurants but have not seen the families asked to leave.

Everyone seems to think that children can't possibly enjoy themselves there. Why not? Why on earth would a child think that having dinner with their family is so awful? Don't you usually use dinner as a chance to catch up on how your day was? We loved spending our WDW dinners going around the table saying what our favorite ride was, etc. In fact, we went on the dining plan, and some of our dinners lasted 1-1/2 hours and our kids were fine (6 years old at the time).

Great that your kids are capable of this. Remember ... not all 6 yo are. Our DS could sit through it, too ... but I think of our friends and their 6 and 8 yo children and those kids would be climbing the walls. By age 10, children should know how to act in a restaurant and how to keep themselves occupied.

Is the whole idea of excluding children to keep the place more quiet? Then perhaps they should consider excluding people with certain developmental disabilities, Tourrettes (sp?), etc., and those darn old people who refuse to get hearing aids and therefore speak much too loudly... They're really not the "right" kind of people for V & A.

No ... the idea is to not have screaming, crying, melting down children who will ruin other people's meals. I think people are far more tolerant to those w/disabilities than they are of children who cannot behave properly and the parents who cannot control them.

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

As a mom of two little ones, I even think it is great to have V&A be child-free. When I get that very, very rare night with just my DH, it is nice to have that adults only atmosphere.

 

[Kycha]

I think Disney needs to do a better job of enforcing guidelines for children to not run around and be crazy in restaurants rather than barring them all together.

Wow. And I always thought it was the parents responsibility to keep their child under control and not allow them to run around and be crazy.

 

[Daxx]

There is no children's menu. The normal menu is $125 plus gratuity and tax. Of course, alcoholic beverages and some items (fois gras, Kobd Beef, Iranian Caviar) do also cost extra.

Don't all small children love Iranian caviar and fois gras? Not to mention some of the other items from one of their dining experiences (yes, I know they change ... but they're certainly not offering pizza, chicken nuggets and mac & cheese!):

Seared Colorado Buffalo Tenderloin, Braised Fennel, Radishes and Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Chorizo Crusted Shrimp with White Beans, Olives and Banyuls Vinaigrette

Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha,

Pondichery Peppered Quail with a Four Grain Pancake, Georgia Peaches and Corn

Ballotine of Pulet Rouge with Duck Consomme and Scottish Chanterelles

Pan Roasted Foie Gras and Fuji Apples and Mostarda di Cremona

Roasted Butternut Cream Soup

Crab Stuffed Tempura Squash Bloom with Grape Must Mustard

Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin with Bamboo Rice Bled, Cilantro Sauce

Marcho Farms Veal with Ratatouille Jam and Potato Gnocchi

Kansas City Angus Beef with Fingerling Potato Lyonnaise

Australian “Kobe” Beef Tenderloin Smoked Garlic Puree

Japanese Wagyu Strip Loin with Oxtail

Comte Saint Antoine, Monte Enebro and Shelbourne Cheddar

Tropical Fruit Gelato with Micro Mint

Tanzanian Chocolate Pyramid, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle and Peruvian Chocolate Ice Cream and Puff Pastry

Berry Gateau with Mango Yogurt Pannacotta

Carmelized Banana Gateau

Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee

Grand Marnier Souffle

Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

“Celebes” Coffee, Tea, and Friandise

Not to mention all the wines that each menu item is paired with. Yeah -- like my 6 yo would've eaten ANYTHING off that menu. Nothing vaguely resembles pizza, chicken nuggets or mac & cheese.

Tell me honestly that you have a five year old child who can quietly sit through a 2½ hour dinner without disturbing any other guests in the restaurant, and I will turn you into Child Protective Services for keeping your child drugged.

Maybe w/all the wine pairings, the kiddies just get so drunk that they pass out in their plates!?!?

 

[Daxx]

I think Disney needs to do a better job of enforcing guidelines for children to not run around and be crazy in restaurants rather than barring them all together.

Obviously, you're not a parent b/c you'd know that it's up to a parent to teach and enforce proper restaurant behavior!!!!! Who taught you how to behave in a restaurant? I'm sure it wasn't Disney. Since when did it become Disney's job to parent children? Why should Disney have to enforce that? A PARENT should be the one to control the child and prevent them from running around and being crazy in restaurants. Some parents are quite adept at that while others aren't. Go to any restaurant (Disney or otherwise) and you'll see parents who keep their kids "reigned in" at restaurants and parents who let them run around like banshees.

 

[Texa]

Obviously, you're not a parent b/c you'd know that it's up to a parent to teach and enforce proper restaurant behavior!!!!! Who taught you how to behave in a restaurant? I'm sure it wasn't Disney. Since when did it become Disney's job to parent children? Why should Disney have to enforce that? A PARENT should be the one to control the child and prevent them from running around and being crazy in restaurants. Some parents are quite adept at that while others aren't. Go to any restaurant (Disney or otherwise) and you'll see parents who keep their kids "reigned in" at restaurants and parents who let them run around like banshees.

I am a parent and I agree with the poster that suggested the restaurant has a right to step in. I agree with you 100%, that the parent SHOULD do it, but as well all know this does not always happen. If that is the case would the restaurant be out of line to ask the family with the disrputive children to leave? (not talking about V&A, I think their new rule is perfectly fine) No they should not be the one to discipline the children or teach them manners, but they do have a responsiblity to maintain the atmosphere of their restaurant.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Don't all small children love Iranian caviar and fois gras? Not to mention some of the other items from one of their dining experiences (yes, I know they change ... but they're certainly not offering pizza, chicken nuggets and mac & cheese!):

Seared Colorado Buffalo Tenderloin, Braised Fennel, Radishes and Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Chorizo Crusted Shrimp with White Beans, Olives and Banyuls Vinaigrette

Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha,

Pondichery Peppered Quail with a Four Grain Pancake, Georgia Peaches and Corn

Ballotine of Pulet Rouge with Duck Consomme and Scottish Chanterelles

Pan Roasted Foie Gras and Fuji Apples and Mostarda di Cremona

Roasted Butternut Cream Soup

Crab Stuffed Tempura Squash Bloom with Grape Must Mustard

Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin with Bamboo Rice Bled, Cilantro Sauce

Marcho Farms Veal with Ratatouille Jam and Potato Gnocchi

Kansas City Angus Beef with Fingerling Potato Lyonnaise

Australian “Kobe” Beef Tenderloin Smoked Garlic Puree

Japanese Wagyu Strip Loin with Oxtail

Comte Saint Antoine, Monte Enebro and Shelbourne Cheddar

Tropical Fruit Gelato with Micro Mint

Tanzanian Chocolate Pyramid, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle and Peruvian Chocolate Ice Cream and Puff Pastry

Berry Gateau with Mango Yogurt Pannacotta

Carmelized Banana Gateau

Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee

Grand Marnier Souffle

Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle

“Celebes” Coffee, Tea, and Friandise

Not to mention all the wines that each menu item is paired with. Yeah -- like my 6 yo would've eaten ANYTHING off that menu. Nothing vaguely resembles pizza, chicken nuggets or mac & cheese.

My 3 year old daughter would eat a bunch of those things (she's weird like that )...and I still wouldn't take her to V&A....

 

[EthansMom]

I have two young children (6 and 3.5) who are fairly well-behaved and adventurous eaters (DS enjoys eating escargot, for instance). We've taken them on several cruises, where they generally choose to dine off the adult menu, and dinner can take 1.5 to 2 hours.

However, I would not take my children to V&As because (1) there is no reason to spend $125+ for a child's meal and (2) they won't enjoy it and (3) they obviously aren't wanted there (even before the ban).

On the rare occasion that DH and I splurge on a dinner at a nice (and expensive) adult restaurant, I get peeved if I'm seated next to someone else's kids. I love kids, but I'm forking out good money to enjoy a quiet meal with my spouse, not to be seated next to someone else's kids.... If I wanted to be around kids, I would've gone to a family restaurant with my own kids.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Obviously, you're not a parent b/c you'd know that it's up to a parent to teach and enforce proper restaurant behavior!!!!! Who taught you how to behave in a restaurant? I'm sure it wasn't Disney. Since when did it become Disney's job to parent children? Why should Disney have to enforce that? A PARENT should be the one to control the child and prevent them from running around and being crazy in restaurants. Some parents are quite adept at that while others aren't. Go to any restaurant (Disney or otherwise) and you'll see parents who keep their kids "reigned in" at restaurants and parents who let them run around like banshees.

Wow. That was really uncalled for. Parents don't hold a monopoly on suggestions involving children.

I *am* a parent and I understand exactly what the previous poster was suggesting. While Disney can't discipline the errant child, it *can* ask the parents to please keep their children seated -- for the children's safety and staff's safety. Of course, we know that Disney is not going to do this. Any parent who lets a child run loose in a restaurant is also highly likely to become extremely obnoxious when asked to curb the child.

Disney is a pan-generational vacation spot. If you don't want to see the youngest generation at dinner, you shouldn't vacation at Disney.

As for V&A, it's an entirely different type of restaurant where little kids do not belong. Any other Disney restaurants are meant to be enjoyed by all generations of patrons.

 

[babieemelly]

Obviously, you're not a parent b/c you'd know that it's up to a parent to teach and enforce proper restaurant behavior!!!!! Who taught you how to behave in a restaurant? I'm sure it wasn't Disney. Since when did it become Disney's job to parent children? Why should Disney have to enforce that? A PARENT should be the one to control the child and prevent them from running around and being crazy in restaurants. Some parents are quite adept at that while others aren't. Go to any restaurant (Disney or otherwise) and you'll see parents who keep their kids "reigned in" at restaurants and parents who let them run around like banshees.

Hmm, where did I say that Disney should be responsible for parenting kids?! You obviously didn't read my post... I completely understand what you're saying, it's obviously the parent's responsibility to teach kids how to behave in restaurants, and elsewhere. But some parents just don't care. They're on vacation and they just don't want to be bothered, or they're just always oblivious to what their kids are doing. I see it all the time. Disney IS a family-friendly place, whether people want to admit it or not. Regardless of whether or not you have children, most of the people visiting WILL be there with children, and all of the restaurants are open to them (except for Victoria and Albert's right now).

I think that Disney should stick to some guidelines in the nicer restaurants. If kid's are going crazy and their parents are doing nothing about it, someone should kindly mention to them that the behavior is unacceptable and unsafe, and if it continues they should be asked to leave. This doesn't sound like something Disney would do since they're always so careful about not offending anyone, but if so many people are bothered by misbehaving kids in "fancy" restaurants then maybe it SHOULD be done. As the previous poster stated, it IS Disney's responsibility to uphold the atmosphere in their restaurants. Essentially, them barring kids from certain restaurants is the same idea. If you're so against Disney setting guidelines for restaurants, than how can you support them banning kids all together? That's assuming that kid's can't behave themselves in certain situations (when I know more than a few children who CAN), and is insulting all together. The restaurants we're talking about aren't actually "fine dining" and a lot of families DO travel to Disney to be together. The families with children who are willing to pay the prices at the more expensive restaurants most likely wouldn't go if they couldn't go as a family, and that's money lost for the company. It just doesn't make sense from any standpoint.

 

[Acklander]

I wouldn't take my kids to V&A, but then again, I wouldn't take me to V&A either; so the ban has no effect on me.
That being said, when we go on a family vacation, we eat together as a family. I prefer it that way. I get more than enough "adult time" at work. When I'm on vacation I consider it "me time" and I like to spend that time with the kids.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would like to know a couple of things. First, how on earth did they come up with 10yrs old as the cut off? If they want to keep it an adult only experience, wouldn't 18 make more sense? Second, how do they plan on enforcing this rule? For the really young ones it will be easy, but what about the children right at the cusp? How are the parents supposed to prove their child is 10? Are they supposed to bring their birth certificate?

If there were only 3 kids a month going to V&A to begin with, this rule seems unnecessary.

 

[momto2girls]

well, and my other issue is that these are in hotels, and many families select their hotels based on the variety and access to the dining.

I'd be very irked if we weren't able to eat at Jiko's when staying at AK next Fall..one of the reasons we chose this hotel is for the dining options. I'm sure people feel the same way at the other hotels...you are not just paying for your actual room, but your amenities as well including restaurants.

So true! When I choose my resort, I expect to be able to eat at the restaurants within it. I would be really unhappy if I was limited to the snack area with my kids. We enjoy eating at the better restaurants at Disney (I am thrilled that there is now a Deluxe Dining Plan!).