Narcoossee's & Portable DVD Player.

[disneyfav4ever]

I've seen people on their laptops at Flying Fish once and thought it was pretty tacky. I personally wouldn't let in ruin my meal, as long as I couldn't hear it, or unless the glare from the screen was bothering me.

 

[waltskids]

1) Funny you should mention this.
2) We had a situation like this with a kid at a nearby table.
3) I don't know how, but my Coke spilled from my table and landed on the kid.
4) Yes, I know, sometimes I am clumsy.

To the OP, I guess if the children have headphones then it's not a problem to the other diners. Our DS (2.5) has been dining out since he was an infant and does very well coloring, looking at a book, etc. but if he stated to misbehave we would leave immediately (we have done this a handful of times). I won't use electronic equipment to pacify him as he needs to learn how to behave in restaurants. This will hold true for our DD too as she gets older. Luckily when we tell him we will leave he knows it may happen since we have actually left a restaurant before. This is usually enough to get him to settle down. If we go somewhere really nice, then DS and DD are with a sitter. I think if the children aren't able to sit through a nicer meal, maybe they aren't ready for that particular restaurant yet. I know many couples who go to dinners in WDW and I wouldn't impose on their nice dinner with a glaring light from a DVD screen. Just my opinion

 

[ROEDISNEY]

another option if this is really for you all, is to put the kids in one of the kids clubs for dinner so you can have date night.

I agree 110 % with u.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

This is a very touchy subject on many levels. I've taken my son every where with me since he was little and he's always been very well behaved but some places/restaurants are not appropriate. I think it's asking a lot of a 3 & 5 year old to sit through dinner at Narcosse's. Some venues lend themselves to bringing items to entertain children, an upscale dining establishement in my opinion is not one.

I love Jiko, I had the unfortunate experience of dining at Jiko with "Tyler" and his parents last June. Tyler, all of 3 years old, was not in our party but he frequently rolled on the floor by my feet with his mother constantly asking him to come sit, to color, to be quiet. This went on for well over an hour.

Needless to say we didn't have a relaxed nor enjoyable dinner, nor did Tyler enjoy his dinner, but his Mother and Dad seem to. At 9pm, Jimmy, after a full day at the park, really needed to be in bed, not dinind at Jiko. I truly felt bad for him, he shouldn't have been put into this situation. Tyler's parents in my opinion, should have asked for a doggy bag when things started to fall apart and leave the restaurant, if not for the sake of the other diners but at least for Tyler.

If you truly want a special intimate dining experience at Narcosse's, which I love by the way, perhaps a sitter is a better option for every one concerned.

 

[LoraJ]

I have no problems with a portable DVD player as long as they are using headphones. Once at Fulton's there was a little girl watching a portable DVD player and the volume was up and it was very distracting. I would still prefer than over a child running around or rolling on the floor.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I will be at Narcoossee in 10 days

We will be celebrating our 26th anniversary dinner. I have to say, movie watching at the next table would not add to my dining experience (neither would Tyler, by the way )

I would expect Signature Behavior at Signature Dining

Yes, I know I am at Disney, and if I was eating at CM, I would not be surprised at much. However, not all kids are ready for 2-3 hour dinners. If yours are, congratulations! If yours are not, please recognize that factor and choose your ADRs accordingly

I think Disney dining is great because it has so many options for so many different families.

 

[Kit'smommy]

My child is now 5 and has gone out to dinner with either DH and Me or my parents 2-3 times a week since he was an infant. He is very well behaved and usually does very well even through longer meals. He will also sit through an hour long church service with minimal issues. We have always set very clear and realistic exectations up front and he knows he will lose privileges/or get a tiny reward based on his behaviour.

However, we recognize the fact that he is a small child with a child's limited attention span. If we have a lengthy meal and he is done eating and is tired of coloring or playing with whichever very small toy he has been allowed to bring, I will allow him to watch some of one of his favorite movies on my iPod. Fortunately, this is a small, unobtrusive device and has to be used with headphones and it works out for us. We probably have used it in a restaurant 2-3 times in the past year, so it is a treat and he does not expect to be allowed to use it frequently.

Personally, I would never even consider taking a portable DVD player to a restaurant as I think it would be annoying to people at other tables and would probably annoy me.

 

[eyor44]

I wanted to add a vote in on using one of the kid's clubs. DD went to Neverland Club in June and loved it. It was so great, I wanted to stay and play, but we were going to dinner at Victoria & Alberts.

 

[Colleen27]

I personally wouldn't take them if they couldn't sit for the lenght of the dinner without entertainment, and would probably be bothered by the glow of the screen at the next table. I would go with a kids club if you don't think they can sit through dinner. And, before you ask, yes I have kids.

I agree, and I also have kids. Three of them. I think we (as a culture) are far to quick to reach for an electronic gizmo to buy some easy quiet time, whether than means DVDs in the car or video games on the airplane or movies to get through dinner, and in general I don't think it is a positive trend.

If I didn't think my kids could make it through a given meal, I'd either leave them in a kids' club or plan to have dinner somewhere they could handle. As a parent, I wouldn't want to set up a dynamic where my kids essentially isolate themselves at the dinner table in some form of electronic stimulation rather than engaging in conversation with the rest of us. I'll stick with coloring and other quiet pastimes that keep the kids entertained while remaining connected to the occasion at hand.

 

[disnyrcks]

just for another twist...we do take a i pod touch for my son..he is 8 years old and has autism..so no we aren't "lazy parents just trying to keep him entertained"..we also have 4 other kids 3 of which are younger and they all sit nicely and we always get compliments of ALL of their behaviours..without his electronics he would never be able to eat at any restaurant..way to many sensory stimulations in it..so just try not to judge..we are VERY concentious of other people around us..just trying to be as ""normal" as the next person...with a twist

 

[princessmom29]

just for another twist...we do take a i pod touch for my son..he is 8 years old and has autism..so no we aren't "lazy parents just trying to keep him entertained"..we also have 4 other kids 3 of which are younger and they all sit nicely and we always get compliments of ALL of their behaviours..without his electronics he would never be able to eat at any restaurant..way to many sensory stimulations in it..so just try not to judge..we are VERY concentious of other people around us..just trying to be as ""normal" as the next person...with a twist

I dont think that anyone is judging here, just saying what we do with our own kids, and how we feel about electronics FOR THEM. Your DS is what i would call an exception to the rule in my book. For a child without his challenges I just don't think it is necessary to plug them in to something to get through a family dinner. In his case it is a coping tool that he needs, and it works for him. I never said anyone was "lazy" and I don't think anyone else did either. I just feel that as a society we have become to dependent on electronic entertainment devices. I think that they isolate children form what is going on around them, and I feel that this is a bad thing. Not everyone agrees with me ant that is ok. It is just my opinion.

 

[Colleen27]

I dont think that anyone is judging here, just saying what we do with our own kids, and how we feel about electronics FOR THEM. Your DS is what i would call an exception to the rule in my book. For a child without his challenges I just don't think it is necessary to plug them in to something to get through a family dinner. In his case it is a coping tool that he needs, and it works for him. I never said anyone was "lazy" and I don't think anyone else did either. I just feel that as a society we have become to dependent on electronic entertainment devices. I think that they isolate children form what is going on around them, and I feel that this is a bad thing. Not everyone agrees with me ant that is ok. It is just my opinion.

Exactly. And while I may have rather strong opinions when things come up on message boards, I know that there are exceptions that aren't necessarily recognizable at first glace (like autistic children who need that "isolation" from sensory stimulus at times) and I'm pretty darned oblivious in real life. Unless you've got a portable DVD player blaring on the table next to me, I'm not likely to notice any specific family's decision on these things, because I'm too busy making sure my own crew toes the restaurant-behaviour line.

 

[disnyrcks]

im sorry i don't mean anything personally to anyone..and yes i certaintly agree with on many respects..i just wanted to let people know there is other reasons why its happening and to try not to pass judgement so quickly...sorry if i didn't explain right..this was against no pervious comments..like i said just a twist to the way of thinking