Disney bans kids from restaurant!!!

[Tink_Or_Belle]

I could NOT figure out how they picked 10 as the cut off... then my 8 year old told me well MOM they had to say 10 because you told dad we had to go back to Disney before I turned 10.. when I turn 10 I'm a grown up there...

So do you think they REALLY wanted to say nobody under age 16 (or 13 or 18 or whatever) can eat at V&A's but didn't want to explain how they could charge adult ticket prices but not let them in as adults?

 

[CEDmom]

I don't think that's the case. There's a difference between wanting along time, and being on a family vacation across the country from home. For a lot of families vacations are special because no one's working, no one's in school, no one's at extracurricular activities or friend's houses - the family's actually all together. Luckily it was never like this for mine, but for some families going on vacation is one of the only ways to get the entire family together for an extended period of time, and eating together is something fun and special. If you want alone time away from your kids then no one's forcing you to bring your kids to eat with you. But just because you don't want to eat with your kids while at certain Disney restaurants doesn't mean that other families don't.

That's why Mom and Dad need places to eat where there aren't any kids . Being together 24/7 can push even the most Norman Rockwell of families to the edge. If I don't want to eat with my own child you can be sure I don't want to eat with anyone else's .

 

[hentob]

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.

Sadly, there are a ton of REALLY crappy parents. Yup! I said it And I even hate the word "crap", but it is the only word to use for some of the parenting I have witnessed as of late

So, um, yeah. If a child is running around in a restaurant where, let's say, a lovely (albeit scalding) Dim Sum meal is being served at a nearby table and the parents continue to chuckle amongst themselves and a glass of wine or Tsingtao Beer...

Waiters--Please tell the parents to watch their kids

Yes...Duh! It is the job of the parent, but some parents really, really suck

Whew. There. I said it

 

[hentob]

Exactly!!! After the loss of the Akershus....well, there is not restaurant that can compare, imo.

Agreed The REAL Akershus will be missed

 

[Aidensmom]

It doesn't bother me that this restaurant did this, and it really wouldn't bother me if a couple of others did it too, but I wouldn't want all signature restaurants to do so.

We have a child who is very well behaved in restaurants, and who actually enjoys food beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets, and he is not a bother to other patrons. I would hate to have to send him to overpriced babysitting to be able to enjoy good food on vacation.

 

[Cool-Beans]

It's a family park. I don't get why kids are so annoying to some people.


Just my opinion!

It's not kids. It's those kids.

The one who walks from table to table in Restaurant Marrakesh, stopping to bang on each one for a while. Parents did zip.

The one who didn't want to sit in her seat in the Kona Cafe, so she laid down under my table. Parents did zip.

The one who threw his french fries in 50's Prime Time. In their defense, the mom did count to three before he threw them.

The one who had a temper tantrum in Cape May and was not removed.

And it is the parents. The ones who keep repeating the child's name. The ones who demonstrate their ability to count to three. The ones who cannot control their children and then force the folks around them to listen and be witness to their totally ineffective discipline. And, of course, the parents who do absolutely nothing.

I like kids. I LOVE kids. And I like families. But I don't enjoy the bratty kids and the dumb parents and I'd much rather be spared all that on occasion.

Just because the park is for families doesn't make it okay for one family to ruin another family's meal.

 

[perdidobay]

I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if this has been touched upon before-
If Disney Cruise Line can provide an adult only restaurant, adult only pool, adult coffee bar and after 9pm make Diversions adult only.... in such a small space... I don't see why they can't make an extremely upscale restaurant adult only. And with so much room at WDW, I don't see why they can't develop (Letting people know before they build) an adult only resort. And no, I don't hate kids, but when you love WDW and want to have a more peaceful romantic vacation, it would be great to have a choice.

 

[Planogirl]

Why are so many commenting on this as if it's an either/or situation? Many people have suggested that only a FEW restaurants be set aside and then after ONLY certain hours and on ONLY certain days. I don't see how that excludes small children altogether.

 

[Aunt Michelle]

I'm a parent and I agree with you 100%



That sounds like a good idea.

They could also have a set time when the restaurants could be kid free.(not all of them just a few, maybe 4 ) Those dining with kids could have a booking window of 4:00-6:15

Then from 7:30 on it could be adults only.

For those say Disney is a family place, you're right. However, families come in many shapes and forms.

I don’t have a typical family, it’s just my 16 year old son and I.

A husband and wife aren't less of a family because they don't have children.

I think timeframes would be a good way to handle it, and it doesn't have to be all the signature restaurants. It would be nice to know that after 8:00 PM or so adults could enjoy a nice dinner (without spending $125/ea for V&As) without children in the restaurant, because even though everyone thinks their children are well-behaved and happy to sit through an adult meal, there are an equal number who are not.
Now, while I am zipping on my flame suit, let me point out that I have been to WDW on many occasions with my nieces and nephew who I absolutely adore, but as good as those kids are, they have NO desire to sit through an adult meal at 8:00 PM at night.

 

[honugirl]

For my significant other and I, we would love the ability to be able to have a nice romantic meal at WDW without having to deal with a bunch of kids around. Currently we live completely across the country from each other and only get to see each other twice a year so when we get together we like to enjoy a meal where we can just talk in a normal conversation tone. We can't afford Victoria and Alberts, so why should we constantly be subjected to screaming fits, food all over, etc. because we can't afford the only adults only restuarant on the property? Not saying all good restaurants should go adult only, but we choose later seating times to avoid as many children as possible in the first place so it wouldn't hurt us if we had to wait until after 8 pm to eat in peace. We love Disney and feel that we have a right to be there too and after a whole day of dealing with everyone else's children, we feel like we could use some adult only time.

 

[poohandwendy]

Then those families can choose from the other 96 restaurants on property. They can wait to experience V&A's as a family until the children are of appropriate age. Just as they would have to wait for any Richard Petty, paragliding, and bungee jumping.

ITa

They are making ONE restaurant, one that the majority of families with kids either could not afford to visit and/or wouldn't take their kids there anyways, and made a rule of 10 and over. Why on earth is that a big deal? I can't even imagine this rule will make more than one or two parents irked when making their reservations. If anything, I think MOST people who are making reservation there will see it as another plus. I think it would be wonderful if they made several of the restaurants adults only, even if only a few evenings of the week. I love kids, but I think it would be nice to have that option.

I don't understand the my children must be welcome EVERYWHERE mentality. In my experience, that attitude usually goes hand in hand with the letting the kids go wild no matter who it bothers and ignore it mentality. I am sure there are exceptions.

As far as the question of why the need for the rule, if so few children go there anyways? My guess is that the very few parents who did take their young children there were the type of parents who feel their children should be allowed to do anything they want, whenever they want and whereever they want. This would not have happened if that weren't the case.

JMHO

 

[Acklander]

I think timeframes would be a good way to handle it, and it doesn't have to be all the signature restaurants. It would be nice to know that after 8:00 PM or so adults could enjoy a nice dinner (without spending $125/ea for V&As) without children in the restaurant,.

The problem with after 8 PM is that would mean that all families with children would have to be seated by 6:30 in order to be cleared out by 8 PM. So I don't see how that could work.

 

[meandtheguys2]

For my significant other and I, we would love the ability to be able to have a nice romantic meal at WDW without having to deal with a bunch of kids around. Currently we live completely across the country from each other and only get to see each other twice a year so when we get together we like to enjoy a meal where we can just talk in a normal conversation tone. We can't afford Victoria and Alberts, so why should we constantly be subjected to screaming fits, food all over, etc. because we can't afford the only adults only restuarant on the property? Not saying all good restaurants should go adult only, but we choose later seating times to avoid as many children as possible in the first place so it wouldn't hurt us if we had to wait until after 8 pm to eat in peace. We love Disney and feel that we have a right to be there too and after a whole day of dealing with everyone else's children, we feel like we could use some adult only time.

The problem with this is that you are working against the reality. If you want private quiet adult time, it is illogical to go to WDW, pure and simple. At least if you want to leave your hotel!

That said, I don't have an issue with the V & A decision, nor would I have a problem with later seatings being adult only. But you know, someone will always push the limits, claim their 8 year old as a 10 year old, or not vacate the restaurant at the allocated time, etc. And Disney is infamous for not dealing with such things. Which, comes back to my original point. WDW is kid loaded, and some will be crawling around unattended. If people can't deal with that (or don't want to) Disney is not the best choice for vacationing.

 

[Nancyg56]

The problem with after 8 PM is that would mean that all families with children would have to be seated by 6:30 in order to be cleared out by 8 PM. So I don't see how that could work.

It would also hamper those who choose to keep their families in their own time zone. What is 9 PM to me feels like 6 PM to others.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

ITa
I don't understand the my children must be welcome EVERYWHERE mentality.

well, in a family vacation destination I do expect my children would be welcome to eat just like everybody else in the dining locations and times frames we judge as their parents to be appropriate...

on the flip side, I don't understand the I go to a family vacation destination and expect not to have children around mentality.

I'd never take my kids to V&A's...I never took my kids out past 7pm the entire week we were there. Our latest dinner seating WAS 6pm. My almost 4 year old just finally figured out she never got to see the fireworks when we were there ..but not everyone has the option of brining grandma (or yia yia in our case) on their trip. In 05 we did have our DD out much later because she stayed up later then and she never acted up. We regularly ate at 7:30-8pm with her....

I think if Disney wants to go forward and make a new adults only restaurant, fine...but some of the suggestions of signature dining places that should go kids-free...as I've pointed out before in the deluxe hotels people are paying for amenities those restaurants being some of them.

 

[Nancyg56]

well, in a family vacation destination I do expect my children would be welcome to eat just like everybody else in the dining locations and times frames we judge as their parents to be appropriate...

on the flip side, I don't understand the I go to a family vacation destination and expect not to have children around mentality.

I feel that Disney is a family destination but it is not all families with children who go there. There are all sorts of people who visit and their idea of a vacation destination may not be the same as mine or yours. While I respect your decisions to only frequent restaurants where your children are welcomed, and this is mine as well, I do not feel that everyone must vacation in the same manner as I. I also do not question that there are families in which the adults may dine without the children on a special occasion. If they are comfortable with their choice then I won't question it. Disney employs people who are well qualified to care for youngsters if Mom and Dad choose to leave their children in their care. I know that my DGD would love to spend a few hours in one of the adventure clubs if her Mom agreed.

The decision to have a few adult only restaurants would enhance some vacation experiences for people and would not take anything away from those who choose not to go. When people bring their children into this world it is not a free pass to bring those children into every building simply because they feel the need. If a couple is honeymooning in Disney, and wants a romantic evening they should be able to choose the dining environment they want, and if this is child free I am all for that.

If this type of restaurant survives it is because there are enough consumers who will patronize this establishment. If indeed this is an offensive option, the policy will change. I do believe that there are enough people that will use the restaurant, indeed it would be very popular.

 

[LoraJ]

It's a family park. I don't get why kids are so annoying to some people.


Just my opinion!

My husband and I are a FAMILY also.
We go to the parks during the off-season to avoid crowds in general. We don't mind seeing families with kids. In fact it puts a smile on our face to see them having such a good time.

But we don't enjoy trying to have a good meal and have to deal with whining and crying and bad behavior. At certain restaurants we can expect that behavior, but at others it can put a damper on your meal.

I think it would be great if they added one more signature restaurant as child-free. I think the 10+ age limit is a good one.

No one is saying they don't want to see kids around AT ALL. I don't know where people are coming to this conclusion.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I've never eaten there and probably never will-but the outrage over this really is making me laugh.

My suspicion is that the decision was made after more than one under 10 year old darling made evenings miserable for other patrons. Now of course, no parent on the DIS would allow that-but we've all seen the ones that do.

 

[grlpwrd]

It's not kids. It's those kids.

The one who walks from table to table in Restaurant Marrakesh, stopping to bang on each one for a while. Parents did zip.

The one who didn't want to sit in her seat in the Kona Cafe, so she laid down under my table. Parents did zip.

The one who threw his french fries in 50's Prime Time. In their defense, the mom did count to three before he threw them.

The one who had a temper tantrum in Cape May and was not removed.

And it is the parents. The ones who keep repeating the child's name. The ones who demonstrate their ability to count to three. The ones who cannot control their children and then force the folks around them to listen and be witness to their totally ineffective discipline. And, of course, the parents who do absolutely nothing.

I like kids. I LOVE kids. And I like families. But I don't enjoy the bratty kids and the dumb parents and I'd much rather be spared all that on occasion.

Just because the park is for families doesn't make it okay for one family to ruin another family's meal.

I have 5 kids and I feel the same way. I know that the world does not revolve around my kids.

Oh my goodness, just in a store recently I saw a mom who let her toddler free and touched fragiles and everything else. ugh.. .Or when we went to eat at a local Chinese restaurant and some of the kids were running around. double ugh

 

[jrmasm]

I've never eaten there and probably never will-but the outrage over this really is making me laugh.

My suspicion is that the decision was made after more than one under 10 year old darling made evenings miserable for other patrons. Now of course, no parent on the DIS would allow that-but we've all seen the ones that do.

Yeah me too but for a different reason. 2-3 families per month hardly like a good reason for a new policy.

I'm sure more noise was made by the people that were outraged to even see children at V&A than the few kids that were actually there.