LET THE FLAMES BEGIN>>>adult only dining

[rickdeni]

On the Magic or Wonder they have an adults only restaurant. We do not have young children. We enjoy eating with our grandchildren as we can always have a quiet dinner at home. However, my son and daughter-in-law look forward to their dinner at Palo. Disney should have a few adults only restaurants in the kingdom.

 

[Mandabella]

I have no problems with well behaved children in a nice upscale "adult" oriented restaurant. If your children can handle the atmosphere, then that's fine. However, if your children love to crawl, run, and scream all over the place.....then take them to a more family oriented restaurant and not let them ruin other's expensive meals, wait until they are more mature, or find a sitter/children's club like Neverland.

I'm not even sure why this is even an issue. In my family, children who couldn't behave were not permitted to go to certain places like nice upscale restaurants.

 

[chobie]

Why? Walt Disney World is a family place and kids get cranky. Should the parents be banned to Culinary Siberia because they have a small child?

 

[robinb]

I'm not even sure why this is even an issue. In my family, children who couldn't behave were not permitted to go to certain places like nice upscale restaurants.

And here's the rub. Your definition of "well behaved" may not be everyone's defintion of "well behaved". I mentally allow other parents plenty of slack when it comes to kids behaving like ... well ... kids. Even in expensive restaurants. It makes for a much more enjoyable meal when I'm not fuming about someone else's 3 year old not behaving to my standards!

 

[chobie]

And here's the rub. Your definition of "well behaved" may not be everyone's defintion of "well behaved". I mentally allow other parents plenty of slack when it comes to kids behaving like ... well ... kids. Even in expensive restaurants. It makes for a much more enjoyable meal when I'm not fuming about someone else's 3 year old not behaving to my standards!

Amen. Besides, you can not always predict when I child is going to have a melt down. You can, however, predict that there will be children just about everywhere you go in WDW. If children annoy you, don't go to WDW.

 

[Wee Annie]

I completely agree with the sentiments expressed about WELL-BEHAVED children. I have no problem with parents bringing their children, no matter how small, to an upscale restaurant if the children are well-behaved. In fact, I would be very impressed with the children under those circumstances. But mine weren't/aren't like that. I must confess that I have never been part of any Practically Perfect Parents Squad (I would never receive an invitation). But I refuse to inflict my sometimes fussy or cranky little ones on other people who are spending a lot of money on a meal. It doesn't matter whether you're at WDW or your local fine restaurant. And were I to try one night and find out that one of mine was misbehaving (you do not raise your voice, run around, etc.), then I would leave. No matter where in the meal I was. Which is why I am taking my daughters to Simba's cub house while we're at Jiko next week. It's simple consideration for others.

I unfortunately had "fussy" children too (and the 4-year-old can still be a handful!) And, yes, for the privilege of having children, my culinary experiences will necessarily suffer for several years. A small price to pay.

 

[Brika]

Children LEARN from being exposed to upscale resturants. Practice makes perfect. If WDW isn't the place for this where is?

 

[Mandabella]

And here's the rub. Your definition of "well behaved" may not be everyone's defintion of "well behaved". I mentally allow other parents plenty of slack when it comes to kids behaving like ... well ... kids. Even in expensive restaurants. It makes for a much more enjoyable meal when I'm not fuming about someone else's 3 year old not behaving to my standards!

It wasn't a rub, sorry you seem to take it that. If your 3 year old loves to scream repeatedly and throw objects from the table throughout the entire meal, then I guess your definition of "well behaved" is very different from mine. If that's not what you mean, then we maybe agreeing on something...

 

[MickeyCrazed]

OK...I will jump into the flame pit...
I always expect cranky children, and prepare for it (after all we are at WDW).
But one recent incident comes to mind....
DH and I went to a late dinner one evening at Artist Point (it was after 9:00pm).
The place was completely empty except for us and 2 other tables.
Well, there was a young couple there with an infant, and the baby screamed through the entire dinner. Now AP has very high ceilings, so you can imagine how much it echoed.
To the parents credit, they did try to calm the baby down and eventually (after 45 minutes) got their dinner to go. I did feel bad for them, but I couldn't understand why they wouldn't take the baby outside the restaurant instead of walking him around the inside while trying to quiet him down.
It did spoil the dinner somewhat, but I told myself this is WDW, and it is to be expected.
I figure you got to take the good with the bad...
After all, where else can you go to a 4 star restaurant in completely casual clothes?
Comfort with the potential of screaming childern vs. formal and stuffy is worth it to me!

 

[LAWalz23]

Diners have every right to expect that a meal in a restaurant not be spoiled by a child misbehaving or having a meltdown, whether it be WDW or anywhere else. For some families it is the first time that they have gone to sitdown restaurants with their kids and the kids don't know how to behave or the kids don't behave at home why should they do it on vacation. Meltdowns are observed in the parks because parents do not pay attention to the needs of their kids and these are the same kids that are likely having the meltdowns in the restaurants. That said, WDW is a family environment and sometimes a child having a meltdown or misbehaving is not uncommon and sometimes it just comes out of the blue because of the stimulus.
And just to clarify I am definately on the side of kids but I just wish their parents would have more control of them. We took my sister's kids (twins) as 3.5 year olds to Flying Fish and Le Celliere and they were fine but these are kids that are used to going out to sitdown restaurants with their parents. This could never have been done with my brother's kids at that age because they could not behave and my brother and/or his wife have no control over them even now that the kids are older. It is not the kids rather the parents. No I don't believe parents should not be entitled to fine dining because they have little kids, but they should have some respect for others around them and not ignore kids that are misbehaving or having a meltdown.

 

[sunny04]

Hello...I have no children of my own, but I teach drama to 470 pre-k to 6th graders every week at a school. I find that children's behavior is often not nearly as bad as the adults with them. My experience at WDW has shows that parents often either excuse the behavior because they are too tired to deal with it, or are so tired that they discipline too much causing the child to then scream and cry because of this. Everyone is tired and hungry and things just end up a little crazy.

I think the main point to this thread was not that children should not be in the restaurant or that anyone doesn't want kids around at all - I think the point is simply, if you bring children to a nice restaurant, consider how they might affect others....not because they are children, but because you are the parent, and it's your job to teach them correct behavior in a restaurant.

 

[tlev]

I agree with the posters who believe that because it is Disney, people should just expect children everywhere. Sometimes the children will be upset, sometimes the parents are just plain rude and don't watch their kids and sometimes the kids will be perfectly well-behaved. That being said, Disney itself claims to be the "Number One Honeymoon Destination In The World", you would think they could come up with a few adult-only dining experiences that don't cost an arm and a leg like V&A's does. Why not add some restaurants to Pleasure Island and make it adult-only after 8:00pm?

 

[Nadine and Fred]

Why? Walt Disney World is a family place and kids get cranky. Should the parents be banned to Culinary Siberia because they have a small child?

..Boma or the Mara as a "cultural Siberia" However, your point that you are making is valid. Perhaps the earlier post about frequenting adult restaurants at an earlier hour is a good one.

 

[Mandabella]

I think the main point to this thread was not that children should not be in the restaurant or that anyone doesn't want kids around at all - I think the point is simply, if you bring children to a nice restaurant, consider how they might affect others....not because they are children, but because you are the parent, and it's your job to teach them correct behavior in a restaurant.

Very well said sunny04.

 

[Nadine and Fred]

non pejorative???????

..that it is not possible to have a discussion like this without hurling insults? I think everyone so far has responded in a thoughtful manner.

 

[bkhibiscus]

Can't help but reply to this thread. If your child normally behaves in restaurants, and is used to eating in sitdown places why should you be forced to leave them home? Our three year old daughter loves all types of food, and we would hate to exclude her from experiencing them. Disney is a family place. It was built for families. Over the years, it incidently became a vacation spot for couples, etc., and Disney ran with it, like any good corporation would. If we are going to take her to a nicer restaurant anywhere it will be Disney, and as others have said, if you are going to Disney, expect kids. That being said, we would not take her to a white glove place like Victoria and Albert's, but Le Cellier or California Grill, absolutely.

 

[Nadine and Fred]

Amen. Besides, you can not always predict when I child is going to have a melt down. You can, however, predict that there will be children just about everywhere you go in WDW. If children annoy you, don't go to WDW.

But I love WDW...and as a mother of a 24 year old (who used to be 3 and would have her "moments"), I would frequent those restaurants that had a decidedly family feel to them WITHOUT sacrificing my good tastes or the comforts of those around. While it is unfortunate to those dining around a child who may be tired, consider how unfair it is to the child who the parents admonish to "be good" or "quiet down". Children do not annoy me; children at 8:30pm at a restaurant with a decidedly adult feel who are cranky and crying and running around DO make me feel uncomfortable. I like the ideas of labeling more restaurants as "adult only" or dining at these venues at an earlier hour.
And Chobie...Disney wants EVERYONE to come and be comfortable at their resorts

 

[Nadine and Fred]

Hello...I have no children of my own, but I teach drama to 470 pre-k to 6th graders every week at a school. I find that children's behavior is often not nearly as bad as the adults with them. My experience at WDW has shows that parents often either excuse the behavior because they are too tired to deal with it, or are so tired that they discipline too much causing the child to then scream and cry because of this. Everyone is tired and hungry and things just end up a little crazy.

I think the main point to this thread was not that children should not be in the restaurant or that anyone doesn't want kids around at all - I think the point is simply, if you bring children to a nice restaurant, consider how they might affect others....not because they are children, but because you are the parent, and it's your job to teach them correct behavior in a restaurant.

Excellent points!!!

 

[sherry8253]

I totally agree with the Op. My child is now an adult but when he was young and started whining/crying in any restaurant even McDonalds he was told one time - enough or we will leave. If he continued, we left - meal unfinished. After the first few times he got the idea. I think it is rude for a parent to sit in any restaurant with a child who is whining/crying when others are trying to enjoy dinner. I understand this is Disney and there are children. I love children. It is fun to watch them enjoying Disney. But Disney or not, I think it is poor manners to have others endure a crying child in any restaurant let alone an expensive one like Jiko's. Just because the restaurant is at Disney, does not mean that parents should allow their children to cry, whine and run around while others are trying to dine.

 

[huey duey & luey]

I agree that a child should not be disruptive to everyone's meal. On a trip this past fall we went to eat in Alfredo's the minute we sat down my kids started acting up, so we did get up and leave. However we then went to the eat at Cantina de san angel. People do need to remember that it is WDW and there are going to be crying children. We had a horrible remark from someoneabout my son in Toontown. Now if it was V&A I could understand, but it doesnt get more child friendly then toontown.