How long should we plan for a relaxed dinner at Jiko?

[Violet Parr]

Trying to plan how long the kids would be in the kids' club.

Thanks!

VP

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

Depends if you plan on ordering Drinks apps entrees desserts and taking your time prolly 3 hours

Enjoy your time at Jiko it is a fabulous restaurant

 

[bleeps]

Here's the deal.

We just returned from a week at WDW (June 7 to 14), on DDxDP. We ate at many signature restaurants, as we always do, including Jiko. We get wine, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

What we noticed this trip was that EVERY restaurant, including Jiko, has it down pat so that your meals are really not as leisurely as you might like them to be. Whereas in the past we could count on signature dining to take at LEAST two hours, we never were at the table more than 90 minutes this trip. I think the crowds overall and the dining plan have really conspired to make places need to turn their tables quickly. (We had a long conversation with our CM at Yachtsman Steakhouse about this issue.)

So, you can try, but be aware that they work very hard to get you in and out within 90 minutes. You'll be asked for your drink AND appetizer order up front (we'd often have to ask -- honestly -- for time because we wanted to choose wines based on apps and entrees, but then we'd be asked for our full order and never had down time AT ALL between courses).

So these are still wonderful places, Jiko is fantastic (a highlight of our trip, as always), but you'll perhaps want to plan to go somewhere for coffee/drinks afterwards (and/or really work to try to get your meal slowed down) if you want to have an *evening out.*

 

[Violet Parr]

Here's the deal.

We just returned from a week at WDW (June 7 to 14), on DDxDP. We ate at many signature restaurants, as we always do, including Jiko. We get wine, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

What we noticed this trip was that EVERY restaurant, including Jiko, has it down pat so that your meals are really not as leisurely as you might like them to be. Whereas in the past we could count on signature dining to take at LEAST two hours, we never were at the table more than 90 minutes this trip. I think the crowds overall and the dining plan have really conspired to make places need to turn their tables quickly. (We had a long conversation with our CM at Yachtsman Steakhouse about this issue.)

So, you can try, but be aware that they work very hard to get you in and out within 90 minutes. You'll be asked for your drink AND appetizer order up front (we'd often have to ask -- honestly -- for time because we wanted to choose wines based on apps and entrees, but then we'd be asked for our full order and never had down time AT ALL between courses).

So these are still wonderful places, Jiko is fantastic (a highlight of our trip, as always), but you'll perhaps want to plan to go somewhere for coffee/drinks afterwards (and/or really work to try to get your meal slowed down) if you want to have an *evening out.*

Thank you, this is VERY helpful information. This is a very quick trip (2 nights) and we will be celebrating our 15th anniversary and my 40th birthday. I'm thinking we should stick to our original plan, which was to have dinner at Citricos. (Or Narcoosee's?) We will be staying at Poly and the kids will be at the Neverland Club, and I think heading to GF will give us more time to enjoy our VERY rare alone time.

We will be back for a stay at AKL in November, so we could always do Jiko then when it is more convenient.

That said, which would you suggest for a special occasion? Citricos or Narcoosee's? (Or something else in the area that I have not thought of.)

Thanks!

VP

 

[Micca]

ITA with Bleeps. Very good info.

 

[Belleandtinker]

We are planning the same thing - Jikos for us and Sima's Cubhouse for our DS. We thought 2 hours would be enough time for our dinner.

 

[tinkgirl1984]

Thank you, this is VERY helpful information. This is a very quick trip (2 nights) and we will be celebrating our 15th anniversary and my 40th birthday. I'm thinking we should stick to our original plan, which was to have dinner at Citricos. (Or Narcoosee's?) We will be staying at Poly and the kids will be at the Neverland Club, and I think heading to GF will give us more time to enjoy our VERY rare alone time.

We will be back for a stay at AKL in November, so we could always do Jiko then when it is more convenient.

That said, which would you suggest for a special occasion? Citricos or Narcoosee's? (Or something else in the area that I have not thought of.)

Thanks!

VP

The food at Citricos is hands down better than Narcoossee's. The atmosphere also tends to be a little more grown up. My other top suggestion would be Artist Point. The food is delicious, the restaurant is beautiful, and I think the boat ride over there is more romantic than the monorail

 

[WDWFANCBIIIME]

Here's the deal.

We just returned from a week at WDW (June 7 to 14), on DDxDP. We ate at many signature restaurants, as we always do, including Jiko. We get wine, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

What we noticed this trip was that EVERY restaurant, including Jiko, has it down pat so that your meals are really not as leisurely as you might like them to be. Whereas in the past we could count on signature dining to take at LEAST two hours, we never were at the table more than 90 minutes this trip. I think the crowds overall and the dining plan have really conspired to make places need to turn their tables quickly. (We had a long conversation with our CM at Yachtsman Steakhouse about this issue.)

So, you can try, but be aware that they work very hard to get you in and out within 90 minutes. You'll be asked for your drink AND appetizer order up front (we'd often have to ask -- honestly -- for time because we wanted to choose wines based on apps and entrees, but then we'd be asked for our full order and never had down time AT ALL between courses).

So these are still wonderful places, Jiko is fantastic (a highlight of our trip, as always), but you'll perhaps want to plan to go somewhere for coffee/drinks afterwards (and/or really work to try to get your meal slowed down) if you want to have an *evening out.*

I do agree it was rushed on my last trip so at the beginning of every meal I told our server we wanted a leisurely meal and that really seemed to help

Sometimes I like a nice 3 hour meal especially at a place as beautiful as Jiko

 

[ElizabethB]

Unless a meal is about 3 hours, we feel rushed. But, we set our own pace. We peruse the wine list for a while and refuse to order appetizers until WE are ready. We order appetizers only and say we will decide on entrees later, after we have had a chance to enjoy our appetizers. We hold onto the menu.

We refuse to be rushed. Se WE control the meal and WE set the pace. We find waiters tend to cooperate with no problem once they realize that we are having a leisurely dinner and we are not rushing to see fireworks, etc.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Thats exactly what we do!!

And we find that almost always our server/bartender is glad to cooperate--gives them more time to deal with those who are truly in a hurry.

 

[ElizabethB]