Kids/No Kids Restaurants

[denimore]

Graciespeaks..

better the kid's than the parents...at least they could care a less what adults think

 

[graciespeaks]

Graciespeaks..

better the kid's than the parents...at least they could care a less what adults think

True True True

 

[denimore]

That has never happened to my family at a WDW "signature" restaurant or any restaurant in WDW, but a few years ago we were eating TGI Fridays on 192 & there was this kid who must have been 1 or 2 years old that did not stop crying the whole time we were there. The parents didn't even take him outside to calm him down. Anyway eventually they over heard me saying to my Dad, can't this kid shut up? Well his Mother accidently heard me say that, then some not so nice words were directed at my family & the same were directed back at them.

Once before I had kids and I lived in Burlington and worked in Toronto I was on the Gotrain and a mom with 2 kids was completely ignoring their cries. I glared at her, I huff and puffed, rolled my eyes. Finally she had enough and had words with me. She'd actually just gotten her kids out of a domestic situation and was on her way to the safety of her parents.

It's hard not to judge and yes people can take their kid outside...but there has to be a better way to deal with this problem because I'll admit that not everybody is considerate..that's what I would like to explore.

 

[Luv'sTink]

I would suggest either 10, 13, 16, or 18 as the cut-off for the adult only area, my preference would be to lean towards 16 or 18, only because it is being called "adult dining." (Although I do believe that *most* ten year olds are perfectly capable of behaving very well in a nice restaurant.)

Anne

Even though I may not agree with this idea, if Disney considers 10 year olds adults to get into the parks then 10 IS adult at Disney.

 

[Alice's Mom]

I hate to cook and certainly enjoy time in restaurants. My daughter, now five, has been in restaurants from the get go. Oh man there were times when she just burst out of nowhere and tested me with climbing and under table antics, each time she acted up, we left.

I never forgot to reward her for good behavior though, which I think is key. Her reward wasn't always dessert either (don't want food as a reward mentality). I would say "you were so well behaved I think we'll see the new Disney movie this weekend" or "I think you have been so well mannered these last few restaurant visits we can go to Disneyland on Monday."

Now she is spectacular company, she gets to work on a crayola masterpiece and eats her meal. She even rolls her eyes when she sees obnoxious behavior. She even asked if we can stop having dinner with a friend and her son since her son did act up and would break her crayons with glee.

Now back to the intention of the thread. I think most posters have a problem with obnoxious kids, not the mere presence of kids. I really think this falls on parents and sadly it is something that Disney needs to try to handle with grace such as offering to box up meals or wave cancellation fees when necessary. I can't recall witnessing bad behavior while at WDW, but I certainly do see it locally.

I think adult only restaurants would be a fine option as long as a 10 year old is considered an adult as Disney entrance fees dictate. It wouldn't bother me one bit, in fact it would give me something to look forward to when my daughter turns 10.

Creating a time restriction for families would be terrible though. We're west coasters and we happen to eat late as it is. Our first few nights we had late ADR's. As the days progressed we adjusted a little, but we really never truly adjusted to the 3 hour difference, especially when trying to take advantage of extra magic hours.

I really appreciate Crisi pointing out the time zones and late night eating on page 2. I just wanted to reiterate the point when I saw the idea pop up again.

 

[JustKryssi]

Now back to the intention of the thread. I think most posters have a problem with obnoxious kids, not the mere presence of kids.

Exactly. I'm not saying kids should be seen and not heard. Nothing pleases me more than a kid's squeal of delight when they're happy. I just can't stand crying and running around.

Thankfully, I haven't witnessed that in the signature restaurants...yet.

 

[deide71]

Speaking as a Mom that speant 20 minutes looking at ducks on the lake on the Boardwalk with a cranky toddler while the rest of her family ate @ Spoodles, I think parents should respect other diners no matter where they eat. That crying child is as unwelcome @ Mickey D's as they are at a Signature Restaurant @ WDW.

And in case you were worried, DH relieved me of my duty so I could finish my meal .

It was fabulous.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Hmmm, can anyone do the math for what time 9pm in FL is in Washington state? Oh heck I will help you 6pm Yep! 6pm what time am I suppose to take my child to eat? My inlaws don't eat until 8pm PST that would be.....Yep, 11pm in FL. All of our ADR's are for after 8pm, if Disney said no kids after 9 that would leave a lot of people out now wouldn't it? I guess the poor people who live in different time zones don't count, right? Alaska and Hawaii sorry you don't eat dinner at Disney get used to it!

I have seen people say "It's 9pm children should be in bed" My child is not ready for bed at 6pm.

Some people need to think outside their own little world and think about the world at large.

 

[denimore]

A 10 year old restriction would mean that my oldest daughter would have been able to get into a Signature Restaurant when she was 20.

There's a 10 yr spread with our kids and we wouldn't split them up for dining on a Family Vacation.

 

[denimore]

Wish I'd thought of the time zone difference

Ist time we went my FIL was so upset with us for keeping our little children out past 8pm.

 

[ducklite]

Has anyone actually been disturbed by a temper tantrum during a "signature" dining experience? Or is all this mostly hype?

If being hit by thrown food, having kids crawl under your table, having a toddler wait non-stop for twenty minutes while the parents ignored it, and on and on aren't disturbing, then no.

I'd say that we've had a good dozen meals at signature resturants seriously interrupted by children.

Go read the thread about obnoxious behavior and you'll see that many people have had children seriously disrupt their meals. The kid peeing on the floor last week right in front of the mother about takes the cake so far.

Anne

 

[Leanne1977]

Anyone else bored of this thread?

Who fancies starting a cheerful thread that is full of Disney magic?

 

[Uncleromulus]

It's nearing the end of it's useful life----.

 

[Texa]

Speaking as a Mom that speant 20 minutes looking at ducks on the lake on the Boardwalk with a cranky toddler while the rest of her family ate @ Spoodles, I think parents should respect other diners no matter where they eat. That crying child is as unwelcome @ Mickey D's as they are at a Signature Restaurant @ WDW.

And in case you were worried, DH relieved me of my duty so I could finish my meal .

It was fabulous.

Did the exact same thing in June during breakfast. Poor little DD didn't feel well so I walked her in her stroller on the Boardwalk so DH and DS could eat. Since we had not ordered yet anyway we just got something from the Bakery and kept strolling. Turned into a nice moment for me and DD, and a seperate nice moment for DH and DS!

 

[crisi]

I am not going to enter the discussion but I would like to correct some information regarding Club 33. Club 33 was developed by Walt prior to his death as a private (by invitation only) club where he could entertain corporate sponsors and dignitaries. He at no time designed the club as an adult only facility nor is it today years after being changed into a private members' club. I believe this link will show a happy family (with maybe not so happy young boy) enjoying their time at the club. Walt Disney and the company that bears his name is all about families. Yes there will be adult only options, and eventually probably some restaurants in the future. But the $ that drives the Disney empire is spent by families. Let's face it folks, the marketing $ spent to attract conventions and golfers is small in comparison to what is spent on attracting families. Otherwise most of the resorts would have convention facilities and on site golf clubs if that is where the money is.

Club 33 is a private club. As a member, you can bring your family there, but its primary function is as a corporate entertaining place. As I understand it, it doesn't see very MANY children and the club needs to be reserved in advance, so it you want an adults only atmophere, you reserve it and don't bring kids. That was what I was getting at.

Disney SPECIFICALLY designed Club 33 as a place where he could take business associates to remove them from the theme park atmosphere (I read that as away from kids and crowds - similar to what I'd like to be able to do on a business trip at a nice restaurant) to do business. He died before it was ever put to that use

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I don't agree that WDW was created for "families". I believe it was created for anyone who wanted to feel like a kid, regardless if you have a family or not. I also don't agree that the people that bring in the most money are families. 2,500 couples a year marry at Disney, many of them requiring the minimum expenditure of $10,000 (most averaging around $25,000) and up to $75,000+, not to mention all of the wedding guests that come and stay on property (a percentage is required to stay on property). That's at least $75 million if not more. Add to that the income of the honeymooners, locals without kids, empty nesters, business conventions, adult vacation getogethers, and kidless vacationers and I'm positive that's equal to what families bring in. I'm not saying that families don't bring in a huge chunk of change, I just don't think anyone should feel like they're more entitled than anyone else for being at Disney and letting their kids run amok in the restaurants just because "it's all created for them".

 

[robinb]

Has anyone actually been disturbed by a temper tantrum during a "signature" dining experience? Or is all this mostly hype?

I have been to Signature restaurants many times in the past 9 years I have been going to WDW. We've been to Blue Zoo, Shulas (3), YSH (2), Flying Fish (3), California Grill (4), Artists Point (2), Narcoossee's, Citricos (2), V&A's (4), Jiko (2), and Brown Derby (2). Man, do I eat well!

I do not remember a single meal being ruined by a toddler melt down. In those 26 meals I have only had two ruined by other people and both of them were ruined my adults (and both at the Grand Floridian no less!). At Narcoossee's I had two women park their extra-large butts on the porch in front of our window table 5 minutes before the start of Wishes ruining our view and the view of the family next to us. They refused to move when I knocked on the window and make a "please move" motion. Yes, I am still holding a grudge. At Citricos we were seated next to a table of 15 Italians who had extended family drop in and visit throughout the meal. Each family member was greeted "warmly" as only the Italians can, LOL! Sometimes the family members would stand and chat with the family (some of them at the other end of the table). Sometimes one would sit down and order a meal. They were there when we arrived and they were there when we left. Their kids were well behaved in comparison to the adults!

ETA: I just remembered being annoyed at a child's behavior at Blue Zoo. It didn't ruin my meal, but it does still stick in my mind. We were tucked away in a little two-topper while my 5-year old was in the kids club (a FREE service with Blue Zoo). There was a table within my direct eyesight that had a couple of bored kids about the same age as my DD in what I remember to be a large stand-alone booth. They kept on crawling all over the back of the booth and under the table. Again and again and again. Since I was there on a romantic no-kids dinner with my DH the behavior annoyed the heck out of me. Then, it occured to me that if my own DD were with us I wouldn't be so annoyed with the behavior of other people's kids since I had to concentrate on my own kid. That is why I would like to have an adult-only restaurant.

 

[Aisling]

If being hit by thrown food

I've never been hit by thrown food in a restaurant, and this includes McDs where it'd be more likely than at V&As. In the signature restaurants, I've never seen food thrown, never mind being actually hti by it. Speaking with friends and family, none of them have been hit by food in a restaurant.

I'd say this type of behavior occurs rarely, and when it happens, people latch onto it and embellish it. Maybe some people are natural targets??

 

[notnothin]

I don't agree that WDW was created for "families". I believe it was created for anyone who wanted to feel like a kid, regardless if you have a family or not. I also don't agree that the people that bring in the most money are families. 2,500 couples a year marry at Disney, many of them requiring the minimum expenditure of $10,000 (most averaging around $25,000) and up to $75,000+, not to mention all of the wedding guests that come and stay on property (a percentage is required to stay on property). That's at least $75 million if not more. Add to that the income of the honeymooners, locals without kids, empty nesters, business conventions, adult vacation getogethers, and kidless vacationers and I'm positive that's equal to what families bring in. I'm not saying that families don't bring in a huge chunk of change, I just don't think anyone should feel like they're more entitled than anyone else for being at Disney and letting their kids run amok in the restaurants just because "it's all created for them".

Well stated. I agree that it is there for everyone, and not specifically families as some would like to believe.

 

[Kath2003]

I don't think there's any need to ban kids from any restaraunts.

The majority of children are well behaved, and the majority of parents are considerate to both the needs of their children and other diners.

I think Disney should possibly make it clearer that parents do need to be in complete control of their children at all times.

Children in restaraunts should be of no distraction to other diners or staff.

Having a kid race around the dining room whilst Mom and Dad enjoy their meal simply isn't on. Having a toddler shout and scream for an extended period (i.e. more than a couple of minutes) isn't on. It's not fair on other diners, whether they are families with kids themselves, business people, honeymooning couples, whatever.

IMO Disney should take a harder line, stating that well-behaved children are very welcome in their restaraunts.

At the end of the day, though, you can't blame the kids...