Flying Fish too loud with 3 yr old?

[turningleaf]

DD3 is usually pretty good dining out - stays put most of the time as long as we don't take too long eating. I've been reading some comments that Flying Fish isn't good for kids? Is it because it's too loud or it's more geared towards adults? I could see how she would be bothered by noise, but if it's really loud even DH and I might not like it? Can anyone give me some idea of the noise level compared to say, Ohanas? Or your typical neighborhood Chili's ?

Any suggestions for TS in the same area with a 3 yr old? Thanks in advance!

 

[Colleen27]

It isn't anywhere near as loud as Ohana! My DD2 did fine there on our last trip (at 2.5) and we plan to take her there again on the next one.

Disney's signature restaurants do take longer than one credit meals and offer a somewhat more upscale dining experience, but it is still Disney and they are still quite kid-friendly on whole. And among the signatures, I think Flying Fish is one of the better options for families because the decor is colorful and interesting, the kids menu is fun with a number of good choices, and the ambiance isn't so quiet that happy/normal child chatter would stand out.

 

[Pakey]

As long as your child can sit quietly for 90 minutes, you will be fine. Flying Fish has an open kitchen but I have never found it loud.

 

[OhThePain]

I think out of the signatures FF and CG are more "kid friendly" than the others. They tend to be louder than other signatures opposed to say Jiko or AP which tend to be much more relaxed and romantic (IMO). 'Ohana is a place where we feel we have to yell in order from the person sitting across from us can hear, FF you can be heard in a "normal" talking voice, Jiko you can be heard in a soft voice.

For the reccord, FF is one of our favorite restaurants on property. Make sure to try the Carmelized Banana Napoleon (best dessert on property).

 

[goofy4tink]

Noise level isn't why others say FF isn't for a 3 y/o. While children do go there, and are welcomed there, you don't think of it as a place for kids. We love it there..it is a welcome respite from the other WDW restaurants. We have been lucky so far and haven't run into any unruly children there. The noise level is great. We can have nice conversation without having to scream. It's a wonderful restaurant, with terrific food and service.
As I said, children are welcome there. It is WDW after all. But, it is really expected that the kids are not running around and causing a commotion. And that has been the case when we have been there...very nicely behaved children.

 

[JMD]

We went with my son when he was 2.5 years old, and he was great. I'm not sure why people complain about the noise at FF. Yes, they have an open kitchen and it can be noisy, but its not any worse than many other restaurants in WDW.

 

[DEA]

The loudness is almost purely a function of how crowded the restaurant it, like at most places. When you hit the fat part of the dining curve, it's going to be a loud but convivial place. Go earlier in the evening or within an hour and a half or so of closing and it is a much quieter place. We're going with our DD6 and DD4 this year. Next Monday, in fact

 

[turningleaf]

Thanks for all your replies! I think we'll be fine here, so we'll give it a try!

 

[sydneysmom]

we took our DD4 and she loved it ! ( you can get a white chocolate puzzle that they "paint" for dessert...it's awesome !!)

I brought stuff in the backpack to keep her entertained though.... we did this everywhere we went because we did only TS. I have NO complaints about any restaurant we ate at....all were welcoming of children. We took her to Le Cellier, Narcoosees, FF, and Coral Reef to name a few....

But I'd bring little things like a coloring book / crayons / travel etch a sketch, etc just to keep them busy. The good thing about FF, if they get antsy, you can "take a little walk" on the boardwalk . We almost had a slight tired kid meltdown, and while DH waited inside, I took her outside on the boardwalk and got a little air. Sometimes, it can all be a little overwhelming....but throw a magician from the boarwalk in the mix...happy kid again !

 

[Micca]

Aren't toddlers the reason why most restaurants are loud? I remember being at Boma when a child let loose a shriek that stunned the entire room. I laughed heartily being thankful that in this case I wasn't responsible for that particular kid.

 

[goofy4tink]

Aren't toddlers the reason why most restaurants are loud? I remember being at Boma when a child let loose a shriek that stunned the entire room. I laughed heartily being thankful that in this case I wasn't responsible for that particular kid.

Usually, but not always. I've found that other adults can be really noisy as well. Kids are kids...nothing you can do about it. They make noise. But, if parents can keep them entertained during the meal, all will be well.
I can't imagine spending that kind of money for a nice meal, all the while having to deal with my kids getting antsy and not behaving nicely. I don't mind the noise at character meals or such.....but if I'm at a Signature restaurant, I want it to be somewhat quieter and nicer.
And I have been lucky so far....the kids at FF when I was there were always well behaved and not causing any ruckus. And by ruckus I mean, running around, getting underfoot, screaming, arguing with siblings, throwing stuff....that kind of thing. Not the everyday noise the children make.

 

[FredQc]

DD3 is usually pretty good dining out - stays put most of the time as long as we don't take too long eating. I've been reading some comments that Flying Fish isn't good for kids? Is it because it's too loud or it's more geared towards adults? I could see how she would be bothered by noise, but if it's really loud even DH and I might not like it? Can anyone give me some idea of the noise level compared to say, Ohanas? Or your typical neighborhood Chili's ?

Any suggestions for TS in the same area with a 3 yr old? Thanks in advance!

I don't believe that noise is the reason why many people are not enthusiast to recommend Flying Fish (or some other Signature restaurants) to those who go with young children. I don't know your DD, but keep these considerations in mind:

- For a full meal (appetizer, entree and dessert), do not expect to sit less than 90 minutes (2 hours would even be a more reliable prediction in my opinion).

- With adult beverages (and FF has a great wine list), people - and likely those who will sit next to your table - easily spend +100$ each. They don't pay just for food and drinks, but also for atmosphere and the whole dinning experience.

 

[tinacaplan]

FF was pretty noisy when we were there and it seemed to be a good place to take kids. There were a lot of young kids there when we were there. We took our three year old son to Jiko this past February and he was great. My husband took him out for a walk at one point and we actually had a very nice, relaxing meal. Personally, as long as your child isn't completely unruly when you eat out, the signatures are nice at Disney because they afford you the chance to eat at a really nice restaurant that I probably would not take my child to in the "real world." I also made sure my ADRs were fairly early, too.

 

[Colleen27]

Aren't toddlers the reason why most restaurants are loud? I remember being at Boma when a child let loose a shriek that stunned the entire room. I laughed heartily being thankful that in this case I wasn't responsible for that particular kid.

I've been pretty lucky I suppose, but that hasn't been the case at more than a couple restaurants where I pretty much expect it (Crystal Palace, Ohana, Chef Mickey).

A lot of Disney's restaurants are loud as a consequence of architecture and decor; they're very short on soft, noise-dampening surfaces compared to similar quality restaurants in the "real world", and are much larger to accommodate the sheer volume of demand that Disney deals with. A hundred or more adults talking in normal conversational voices gets to be pretty loud in a wood-and-glass space like Narcoosees even if there isn't a single unruly kid in the place.

I agree with Tina - I enjoy Disney's signatures in part because they are so welcoming of children, which means we get to enjoy dining experiences that we'd probably steer clear of in other destinations because similar restaurants in other destinations frown on families bringing younger children (no matter how well behaved).

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Aren't toddlers the reason why most restaurants are loud? I remember being at Boma when a child let loose a shriek that stunned the entire room. I laughed heartily being thankful that in this case I wasn't responsible for that particular kid.

Touche'! I almost spit out my drink over that one!

We've never been to FF, but will have the opportunity to do so this Aug. Will be bringing our 5 & 9 year old grandchildren. They "normally" behave quite well in the nicer Disney restaurants - but wouldn't put it past any kid to have a meltdown at an inopportune moment....

As for price - I think all WDW restaurants are overpriced so wouldn't hesitate to take my grandchildren to a Signature restaurant. Having said that, I wouldn't hesitate to remove them if they became the least bit disruptive to other diners either! BUT because it's Disney, I don't have a problem with exposing them to the finer things in life. They've actually learned to conduct themselves well, if I may say so myself, over the past few years.

After our last trip (while enjoying the DxDDP) they went home expecting "Appetizer, Entree, and Dessert" at every meal! While their mother wasn't exactly pleased, I thought it was funnier than all get out!