Kids welcome @Artist Point?

[ppan77]

Would you say this is a "family" restaurant? We would like to eat there but with our youngsters ds3 and dd9 months. We eat out often but not sure if we'd get hairy eyeball from others. I wouldnt dine at Jiko with kids...is this similar in dining atmosphere?

 

[GailT]

I look at it they can't turn you away. If I had little ones and wanted to go there I would, as long as my kids are screamers and run uncontrolably.
I say go any enjoy yourself, they are nicer resturants but remeber you are in Disney were kids rule.

 

[crisi]

Its a similar dining atmosphere to Jiko.

 

[momtotwinglesx4]

I took my 4 younger kids (ages 5 -11 at the time) there by myself last Sept (dh couldn't go) and they seemed very welcome there. They are usually pretty well-behaved in restaurants though; I wouldn't take a child that won't stay in his/her chair, screamers, etc. There were several other tables there with children too.

Honestly, I've taken my kids to almost every restaurant at WDW and it has never been a problem. The only one I can think of that I *wouldn't* take them to is V&A's, but I can't afford to go there myself, either, so it's a non-issue!

 

[TDC Nala]

The only one I can think of that I *wouldn't* take them to is V&A's, but I can't afford to go there myself, either, so it's a non-issue!

You couldn't anyway - except the 11 year old - only diners age 10 and older are permitted at Victoria & Alberts.

 

[webray]

The dining room is similar to Jiko, and families are welcome in both.

We have taken our granddaughters to AP, starting when the oldest was about 18 months old. AP is well equipped to try and help you keep the little ones busy. She is very good in restaurants, but on the night she decides she isn't in the mood for a relaxed meal our son/daughter in law know that one of them will get up and leave the dining room with her.

This has only happened once and she is five now. It's good for kids to learn how to behave in a nice restaurant.

The only Disney restaurant I wouldn't take kids to is V&A's. I wouldn't let in anyone under the age of 18 there.

 

[Lynne M]

Kids are very welcome at AP, but the atmosphere is very similar to Jiko. They're both in the Signature category, upscale and quiet, and the meals tend to take longer.

 

[disnut8]

If you eat out often and your three year old can sit and enjoy a meal without running around the dining room and screaming, you should be fine. You can't really tell with a nine month year old but if you are willing to leave the dining room if he gets loud, you will be fine with that as well.

As far as anyone else having a problem with it, they should follow Dear Abby's advice. Either THEY should leave or they should divert their attention elsewhere. Besides, how the heck are kids supposed to learn how to behave in restaurants if they are never taken there? It's kind of like learning how to drive but never getting on a road.

 

[Uno Mas]

I didn't find AP to be quite as upscale as I was led to believe it was. It was a fairly open dining room with rustic appointments - definitely kid friendly if you ask me. We went as a party of 8 - two families, four kids total - and it was fine. They had nice menu options for the kids if they wanted to try something a bit nicer than the standard mac and cheese. The wait staff was very attentive to them. But again- they know that if they take one step out of line, they are in trouble. We've taken our kids to fancy restaurants since they've been born and the ground rules have been well-established! It drives me nuts to see bad children in restaurants and parents doing nothing about them.

 

[crisi]

I was there for a business dinner, and found it more formal than I expected. Its rustic, but that's its decor, not its atmophere - its still a two hour, white tablecloth, waiter has a little bread crumb scraper restaurant. Jiko is actually a very similar restaurant - open with a formal African feel - and formal African isn't the Rainbow Room.

Children are permitted, the OP said she was not comfortable with hers in Jiko. Lets respect THAT choice as much as we try and respect people who are comfortable with their kids in signature restaurants.

 

[ppan77]

Thanks everyone for your help!! I know our ds3 will be fine or else we would remove him. My main concern is that the dinner is too long for both kids. One of them is bound to get irritated if dinner lasts 2 hours. I will say that my kids dine out quite often and we try and teach them how to behave in restaurants. I also dont leave home without our portable DVD player...it helps!! We may save AP for another year!