How do you feel about small kids at some of the nicer restaurants?

[ogreenlee]

Not Victoria and Albert's nice, but for some of the places in Epcot?

Does it come with the territory being that you're at Disney?

I try not to go to nice places with my 4 year old b/c she's so unpredictable. I know that some folks can't even stand being in a restaurant with kids. However, I don't feel sorry for folks who get annoyed with kids in restaurants like Carrabas or something like that. If there's a kid's menu, then kids are welcome, imo.

We have reservations at Le Cellier. Can I expect to see the restaurant full of kids? I'm taking mine and my friends are taking theirs. I've never been, so I don't know what to expect.

We usually do buffets or whatever.

 

[SamSam]

You will see kids at all the WDW restaurants, at some more than others. Le Cellier will definitely have plenty of kids. Personally, I don't have a problem with kids at any of them as long as their parents don't let them run wild. It is Disney and what better place for children to be exposed to nicer restaurants.

 

[Christine]

I think kids are fine at most Disney restaurants. I would expect you would see a lot of kids at Le Cellier.

There were quite a few at Artist Point and that is a step above Le Cellier. I didn't see quite so many at Citricos this past trip, but saw lots of little ones there in 2005.

Goes with the territory, I say! Of course, if your kids starts screaming and throwing things, I do think you should remove them.

 

[BCV23]

I expect and enjoy seeing little ones at all restaurants save V&A. I also expect parents to make sure children keep in their seats.

 

[novdisneydreams]

We have ADRs at mostly buffets/character meals and a couple of nicer places , too. I have two DSs - 8 and 5 - the older one is quite able to handle fancier situations, the younger is still iffy. So my plan is to make sure that he is at tip-top shape when we go to a nicer place. I will make sure that he is not exhausted and starving when we get there. I plan to take a hotel break/nap immediately prior to those ADRs. I'll include a bath, change of clothes, cool drink, snack and pep talk before boarding the bus to the ADRs. I think that if you set a little one up for success before getting there your chances of a peaceful, and fun(!) dinner for your family are good. My DS5 is at an age where I can impress him with the details of a nice restaurant - the setting, the chef, etc - really make him understand that it is special- and tell him how he is expected to use his very best manners there. Also I might offer a reward - you'll use your nicest manners at dinner we'll watch the fireworks and have mickey bars later Also - I find a few crayons and a small notebook to be invaluable during waiting times. Some preparation can really help w/little ones in grown up situations

 

[madalex]

You will see lots of kids at all WDW restaurants. Definitely at Le Cellier, as it is in a park, but also at the likes of Jiko, Artist Point, Cal Grill, Yachtsman Steakhouse, etc. It's Disney World and the children should be more than welcome at any of these places.

That being said, the nicer restaurants will take 90 - 120 minutes for the meal and the parents need to come prepared. Bring things like stickers and coloring books for the kids to play with and be prepared to quickly remove the child if he or she starts to act up. I think it is when kids are running wild and the parents are doing nothing that other guests get annoyed (and then the annoyance is not really with the kids, but is with the apparently clueless parents).

 

[tanyaandallie]

It's Disney. I say take your kids where you want to take them. We generally stay away from nicer places b/c our kids are almost 4 and 2. The little one just cannot sit long enough for us to enjoy a long dinner so we go for quick! Can't wait for them to get a little older so we can try out some of the better restaurants!

 

[wendy46001]

It is disney...but that being said...Disney doesnt mean kids rule...
In any restaurant I appreciate a well behaved child as much as a well behaved adult....What i wish folks would do is make an earlier ADRs….most kids aren’t used to dinning after 8pm, and most people know if you make your ADR for 8pm you don’t get your food till around 9…If a child is disruptive they should be taken out of the area…

I still haven’t gotten over our Christmas Eve dinner at Blue Zoo (we made an 9:30 ADR)…some nice family decided this was also a good time to dine with a 2 and 4 year old (I’m guessing ages)…well around 10pm junior needed to go to bed, the 4yr old had already fallen asleep in the chair…the 2yr old was cranky loud and disturbing….what did his parents do…ignore him….ugh

I wish more parents would expect their kids to sit and eat dinner…kids shouldn’t be left out of nicer restaurants just because they are little….but it is up to the parent to ensure the child acts the appropriate way (calm, quite, and staying seated)…. If it is simply impossible for the child to do this then the parent should know not to bring them in.

 

[MickeyNicki]

As long as they do not scream, cry, run around or through food I am fine with it

 

[Treacle44]

It's Disney at the end of the day, so children should be welcome at the restaurants and diners shouldn't get annoyed if they're there. Le Cellier isn't that upscale, so there will probably be lots of children there.

I also think a lot depends on the parents, my children will be 5 and nearly 3 when we go and we will be doing Yachtsman. I expect them to sit nicely for the meal, one thing I can't stand is when parents just let their children run around all the time, I'm sure they wouldn't at home, so why would they in a restaurant?

 

[disneypofq05]

I don't have a problem with children in nice restaurants at Disney or at home as long as they are behaving and not running wild. We went to two very nice restaurants close to home about a month ago. One had children who were all over the place, throwing Legos across the room, along with many other things. One of the children was sitting under the table and held out a long toy infront of the waitress as she was carrying food and she fell. The parents responce to all of this was to laugh at the child. They never said a word to him. The other restaurant was fancier than this one and two families with four children under the age of six walked in. The were the most well behaved children we have ever seen in a restaurant. I think it all depends on the parents.

So, if the children are able to behave in the restaurant, I say bring them!

 

[dalt01]

here we go, sit back relaxe and enjoy the ride.

 

[rentayenta]

We have been taking our children to upscale restaurants since they were babies. They behave very well. They are not picky either. That being said we have also had to change plans due to them being tired or overly squirly. We have never been to WDW but when we go I expect to children everywhere.

As a former server there is about nothing worse than ill behaved children who's parents think that it's part of the server's job to watch out for their children who are running around the table.

 

[eva]

It doesn't bother me to have children in the signature restaurants as long as they are not disrupting others dinner. That being said, I do believe that it is a vacation for the little ones too. Please try to find meals that they will enjoy as well. If you feel that they would enjoy CG, then by all means take them. If you know they will be totally bored and would rather be at Chef Mickey's, then I would thing twice. Once our girls hit 9 or 10 they really did enjoy the nicer restaurants. But before that we ate at character meals and places like Biergarten. Soon I will be taking the grand kids with us. I guess we will be back to character meals again.

 

[ogreenlee]

That's why I ask. I worked in restaurants for the better part of my twenties. Kids running around was my pet peeve. I always said that I'd never let my kid act like that.

Well, here I am with a 4 year old, and while I'd never ignore her as she ran around, it's a lot harder than I ever expected to make her behave the way I want her to behave. Some days while dining.... a perfect angel. Some days...

She's unpredictable, but I'm always prepared to walk out.


I've seen folks with kids who sit patiently and wait. It's unbelievable. I'd pay top dollar to get a lesson on how the parents managed that.

 

[BillyRayJimBob]

I say let the kids enjoy themselves and be kids. It's Disney and they are as much a part of Disney as anyone. I think most people try to keep their kids behaved and most do a good job. If you're an adult-only party and kids really bother you that much that your meal will be ruined if they eat in the same restaurant as you and may act up, you might opt for a very late meal time. You'll either miss most of the kids or be eating with the really tired and cranky ones.

Do some of the posts remind anyone else of the child catcher in the Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang movie?

 

[hbehrman]

We have twin DD4 and a DS2. Last Septmeber we did not take DS because we felt he would have more fun with grandma and grandpa. This September we are all going. My DW and myself practice at home and local restaurants to teach proper table manners as a part of educating the children, however that being said unruliness does spontaneously occur. When it does occur, it is dealt with. Usually with a little bathroom break and talk. After dinner is finished praise or discussion of good behavior/unruliness is done to encourage/discourage behavior.

At Disney a part of this is to adjust our dinner time. What we try to do is to eat early and keep them on our current meal schedule (added benefit of beating crowds). For instance for dinner ressies I typically ask what time the establishment opens and place a dinner ressie within the first hour. Typically this allows for less people in the restaraunt and quicker service. They will only learn proper manners if you teach them to behave in those surroundings.

My DW and I do not believe in leaving the kids at a sitter (unless another family member volunteers to give us a couples night out) so we will be taking the kids to the California Grill (the adult meal treat for this visit) (last time it was Brown Derby). Our ressie is at 5:30pm and the kids love whats on the menu including sushi. Our other dinner ressies are for Chef Mickeys,Boma,Tony's,1900 Park Fare,Crytal Palace, and Ohana's all between 5 and 5:30 (about 30-60 minues earlier than their normal dinner time).

Oh, and I hope this didn't come off as too critical,but it is just the philosophy my wife and I take to eating with the kids.

 

[jarestel]

I'd have to take it with a grain of salt, considering it is WDW after all. I think sometimes the parents push the wee ones too hard in an attempt to see everything and do everything. So it's no wonder the kids are occasionally a bit cranky or mischievous when it comes to meal times.

Sometimes the best thing to do is forget about that ADR made 6 months ago and just get room service or a quick CS meal when the kids are tired. But that's hard for some parents who have been anticipating certain restaurants to do.

Yes, there will be children at Le Cellier, as there will be at any of the theme park restaurants.

Have a great trip!

 

[zaza]

We were eating at the Plaza Restaurant in MK in 2005 and a family with 3 little ones was next to us--I actually complimented the parents as we left on how well-behaved their children were. (I do try to do compliments whenever I can for whatever I can--people are too quick to criticize and seldom compliment). I remember how hard it sometimes was with my own children and now that we have the Princess granddaughters, it seems even harder! We are taking one of the Princesses to WDW next month and we have several TS ADRs. We will take her away if things get bad though! We go, with or without the Princesses' parents, to nice restaurants with them a lot. I think children only learn how to behave by practicing! I'm not sure I answered your post or rambled. . .

 

[Kath2003]

I have no problem with children in nice restaurants. I do, however, expect them to be well-behaved. If they are not behaving, I expect the parent to deal with that by removing them from the restaurant. I don't expect to have my meal interrupted by excessive noise or children running around the tables. Generally, I haven't seen this at Disney. I think most parents are conscious of other diners and make an effort to ensure that their child is entertained throughout the meal. As part of this, I would not expect parents to bring overly-tired children to a sit-down dinner at 9pm.