eating with a baby

[Alysa]

Not sure if this question goes here or on the families board but our trip plans include two dinners at Citricos and California Grill. We will be taking a seven month old baby girl. Would it be better to get a sitter like fairy godmothers or can we take her with us? Also we were thinking of Artist Point for breafast one morning becasue of the great cast interaction with the Pooh characters but is Crystal Palace better (haven't been there since I was 7)? Thought we would wait on the castle beakfast untill she is a little older. Any suggestions or advice?

 

[ilovefh]

Also we were thinking of Artist Point for breafast one morning becasue of the great cast interaction with the Pooh

I don't have any advice of travellingwith children since I have never done it. But unless something has changed recently AP no longer offer a character breakfast.

 

[J. Galt]

We just went in February with a 7 month old. It was very easy eating out with her. I haven't been to Citrico's or California Grill specifically, but every place that we went had high chairs for the little ones. Every restaurant also allowed us to wheel in her stroller too (this helped when she got sick of sitting in the highchair and wanted to take a snooze while we ate).

I would be nervous leaving my 7 month old with one of the fairy godmothers, but that is just us.

 

[mcr5298]

We just returned from a trip with our 7 month old daughter today actually. We rolled our stroller in to every restaurant. Our baby is not ready to sit up in the high chairs that they supply. The only place that we couldn't bring the stroller in to was Chef Mickey's. But they supply an infant chair almost like a car seat. As long as your baby is well behaved, or sleeps during meals, you should be fine with the restaurants that you have mentioned.

We went to the following places:
Flying Fish
Spoodles
'Ohana
Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast and dinner)
1900 Park Fare
Olivia's
Boma
Chef Mickey's
50's Prime Time Cafe
Beaches and Cream

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[ducklite]

I would not bring a baby to Citrico's. The California Grill is a rather noisy place, and a babies noise would probably be drowned out by the kitchen noise. (That's not to say a wailing baby shouldn't be removed IMMEDIATELY). Citrico's is a fairly subdued, quiet reataurant, and a babies noises would be easily heard by other diners. In all honesty I wouldn't take a baby to CG either, but it is more appropriate than Citrico's if you must dine at one or the other.

While I sure doting parents are used to baby noises, and therefor not affected by them, this is not going to be the case with other diners.

IMHO Citrico's is no place for children who are not well into grade school, and then only if they are used to eating out and well behaved. It is the most formal of WDW restaurants after V&A's. Service is leisurely, plan on dinner taking around two hours--far too long for most seven month olds.

The places that mcr5298 took their child are all more family oriented and casual dining exeriences (except the Flying Fish) and places that I wouldn't hesitate to take an infant or child.


Anne

 

[gepetto]

I have seen babies at every restaurant we've been to onsite.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

You should be fine taking your infant anywhere except V&A as long as you respect other diners by taking her out if she becomes a disturbance to others. We have never used a sitter on vacation and DS has gone everywhere with us.This is just how we feel. His request for this trip is CG !Start her young and you can instill good taste in her early. Our DS is now 10.




Jordan's mom

 

[MikeWazowski]

I prefer to eat with any child under the age of eight or so. The waitors always give you more attention when you have a child with you.

I've been eating in wdw with my now five eyar old niece since she was around ten months old.

We brought her to both Citrico's and California Grill when she was around one year old. The waitors were immediately attracted to the baby.

As long as little kids don't make alot of noise in the restaurants, you will have no problem.

 

[J. Galt]

We took the 7 month old to the Yachtsman Steakhouse, which I would consider to be one of the "fancier" restaurants (it is certainly one of the "more expensive" restaurants). No problems at all, they even had coloring books and crayons for the 2 and 4 year old. The only restaurant I have heard not to take kids is V&A.

Think about it, Disney was built on the concept of "family vacation". If they didn't welcome kids at the vast majority of places, they would be in big trouble. If your little one really starts hollering, you can't calm him/her down (we have all had those moments) and you just don't feel comfortable at the restaurant anymore, just ask them to box up your meal, find a nice bench and enjoy!

Good luck!

 

[Kallison]

I agree - Walt Disney built Disney World as a family destination. Take your baby anywhere you want, just use common sense about disturbing other diners (obviously you are concerned enough person to post this, so I believe you wouldn't sit there with a wailing baby for an hour)!

 

[mmounsey]

Last year, our youngest was 9 mos old and he had fun at Crystal Palace, Donald's Breakfastasaurus, Sci-Fi, & Columbia Harbor House to name a few.

He didn't freak out over the character interaction (but every kid is different---now that he's almost 2, he won't even go near Chuck E. Cheese, so we'll be on our guard and warn the characters first).

We loved Crystal Palace! In fact, we are going back this trip for a different meal (lunch last time, breakfast next).

Although I've never been to V&A, I'd have to agree (I don't think I'd want any kids with us there, just DH) on just making it a "date."

Have fun!

 

[jodifla]

For another perspective, I would say it depends on your baby and if she'll be comfortable during a long meal. We have a 16 month old and took him to the Yachtsman Steakhouse when he was five months old, and he slept through the meal-- until we were about to order dessert, when he absolutely started wailing. I took him out to feed him, my husband paid the bill, and we left. No harm there, and other posters are right -- babies are certainly everywhere at Disney restaurants.

But since he's hit the mobile toddler stage, we've used Fairy Godmothers or friends vacationing with us to watch him so we have a quiet, leisurely night out at the fancier restaurants without worrying about the baby. We head to Disney on Sunday and have a baby sitter booked already for the trip.

We saw many babies at the California Grill when we were there last for dinner -- it is a bustling place. Artist Point for breakfast should be no problem either. Our son liked the character breakfasts when he was younger.

jodifla