Need to vent on 'Ohana experience

[rg35]

Out of any place we've been to at WDW since 2013, 'Ohana was the most disappointing both from the food and service perspective.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

1. Were the 2 meals prior like this?
2. Was this an issue with an promise made by the waiter which couldn't be granted?
3. Who was delivering the food items and drink items? Waiter or runners?
4. Is it possible the waiter didn't have time to relay the request if who delivers the food and drink is not him? Of course being asked multiple times to the waiter it's understandable to get irritated. Just didn't know if this was "I didn't have the opportunity yet to relay the request" type situation. Not having drinks though in a reasonable time would annoy me though.

 

[kaytieeldr]

See that? Not a name or feat that I do more than glaze my eyes over once a year although I'm sure his family members and admirers are proud of his notoriety

I don't follow it either. I just reasoned it out from the information in the post I quoted.

I also don't follow the philosophy of " If you find it on the internet it must be true" as just as easily I can find a link (or 6) that refutes it.

Just curious why this response is directed only at my post, but not at the person who found the '1.75 hour' estimate ? I simply did a quick search and selected the (i think) third result at random.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I don't disagree that you should control the pace of your meal, I'm just saying being as worked up as the OP seems to be may be a bit excessive. BUT like I said, if it was me paying the huge bill I may feel just like the OP.

People get very attached to their vision of how things are going to go at WDW, especially if they want it the exact way it went before. Unfortunately WDW rarely delivers on consistency.

We’ve never dined at Ohana but have a reservation for 11 there in June. I don’t have any expectations but at the price point + automatic gratuity, they should work to make it a memorable dining experience.

 

[hereforthechurros]

This post got me thinking about big family dinners, like Thanksgiving. Don't you all put all the food out at once and just help yourselves during those types of meals? You eat at whatever pace you want, but the food is all laid out for the taking. Ohana is like this. Just because the food is placed on your table/plate, doesn't mean you have to scarf it all down instantly. Just serve up your plates as desired and pace yourselves. That is what "family style" dining is. I don't see why it matters when the food is put down? As far as I'm concerned, at WDW, by the time I sit down for ANY meal, I'm ready to eat! Last couple times we went to Ohana, we got the salad before our drinks came around (but we had water). We all served ourselves and started eating, but we didn't HAVE to.

This is a fair point. To think of the noodles, dumplings and vegetables as a separate course may be where people are fumbling here. Think about your average pan-Asian meal, you don’t eat your noodles or rice then your chicken, you eat it all together. So noodle/dumpling/veggie plate and meats coming out close together makes sense. Would be nice to enjoy the bread and salad for a minute before this happen though. And a minute to digest before dessert.

 

[michelepa]

I’ve eaten dinner at this restaurant once, which was enough, and frankly I would never think any one person could control how fast the food was thrown at me because no one person is waiting on you. Indeed, the set up is all you care to eat but it’s not buffet so it allows more control over how long you are at your table and they do not want you there for long. Quick turnover is so obvious here it made the experience awful -even my oblivious teens noticed. Yes others will post I am wrong but I’m sorry no. Just look at all the ever present amount of people waiting to be seated. Why people go back to this place is a sheer mystery to me and the food is just not good. And for that kind of money, it’s simply Disney insanity.

 

[KenHutch]

Your not a complainer. Ohana is my families favorite place to eat and we do 2 dinners and usually 1 breakfast there every trip. On our last visit this past June our 1st dinner was perfect in every way. On our 2nd they started that rush on us. Unfortunately for them I am a retired old Marine. In my best command voice (and it carries across a room) I ordered the skewer people away until the girls were ready for them. Once they figured out that we were going to eat at the rate of the slowest person they started bringing out stuff the right way. For our next trip we will be staying at The Poly and the girls have already penciled in 3 meals at Ohana.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

Sadly we were really disappointed at 'Ohana too. I was really looking forward to it and talked it up a ton to my husband. We had an ADR but weren't sat until almost 45 minutes after we arrived (we got there about 15 minutes early like you're supposed to). The food came very quickly and we had a very hard time getting anyone to take our drink orders. Once the first one was made, never got the chance to order another before all food came & went. I felt both rushed & ignored, and I wasn't super impressed with the food. There are some places at Disney I'm happy to drop a large chunk of change on (that massive ribeye at the Boathouse, for example), but 'Ohana isn't one anymore.

 

[jbehr12]

First off, I need to start by saying that I am not a complainer, I usually take things in stride. I think this is the first time I've complained about anything on this board.

Second, I was really looking forward to 'Ohana on my trip. This was our third trip to 'Ohana in as many years. We do a big trip every April. When anyone asked me what I was looking forward to most on this trip, it was 'Ohana.

One our first trip, two years ago, there was 11 of us celebrating a birthday. We sat, had a round of drinks, the kids played games, it was a really nice night.

Our second time, it was just my wife and kids - so 6 of us. They brought out a giant platter of grilled cheeses and chicken nuggets, so my kids loved it. We had a table by the window and saw the fireworks. It was my best memory from the trip.

<Rant start>

So, we had a reservation for 9 last Tuesday. We arrived a little early, walked around a bit and got our table. We sat down around 6:30 and the waiter came over, actually the same waiter as last time. I wanted to make sure we had a nice relaxing dinner, so I specifically asked the waiter to give us a little time to settle in before food was delivered. I offered to take care of him in the tip, knowing he would want to turn over the table. We ordered drinks for the kids and asked for a few minutes to look over the cocktail list.

We had a couple pieces of bread and no more than 3 minutes later they dropped the first big platter of appetizers. It was way too quick. We didn't even order our drinks yet. I saw the waiter and let him know that was too soon. We placed our drink order and less than a minute later they were already at the table with the skewers. It was crazy. I was pretty annoyed at this point. I asked someone to grab our waiter and send him over and I explained again that we wanted to enjoy ourselves a little. He said he would take care of it. Again, more skewers came over and a platter of chicken nuggets and fries (no grilled cheeses anymore, so my son was really disappointed).

I said something again to the waiter and he finally understood, but it was already too later. The drinks finally arrived.

I know this might seem nit-picky. It was just so crazy. I felt so rushed. I didn't even get to sit and have a conversation with my family. We were just being bombarded. Again, I just felt so rushed. I knew how much the dinner would cost, the final bill was just under $550.

Am I crazy to think that after spending $550 on a meal we could sit and enjoy the company a little bit enjoy the music, the entertainment, etc...?

I know its a busy place and they have to turn over the tables, but its also a very expensive dinner. I even specifically asked that we be given some time.

It was a very disappointing experience for the one experience I was looking forward to the most.

Am I being a baby?

<rant over>

Did you even ask for a manager once? My last experience there was pretty bad but not because we were rushed, but because it took forever. We had a nice interaction with the manager on duty and she fixed things. Next time let them know, restaurants are big and sometimes they need to be clued into when there is a problem. Most likely they want to know.

 

[Lilsia]

I eat really fast. Average time to eat a plate of food for me is well under 10 minutes. I don't inhale my food. I chew thoughtfully and enjoy it. What I don't like, and my entire family (except my mom) is this way, is talking while eating. I find that very difficult to coordinate without being rude and talking with a full mouth. I don't like my food getting cold, which happens quickly for most dishes. Everyone has a different eating style. My mom eats really slowly, but she mostly talks and takes a bite of food once every five minutes, it seems. It drives us all crazy.

Ideally, it should take a person 20-30 minutes to eat a meal with normal portion sizes. If it is taking you an hour+ to eat, you are eating too much.

An hour and a half is more than enough time for an Ohana meal. That is over 20 minutes per course, on average. No one spends 20 minutes eating a salad or bread pudding with ice cream and hot caramel sauce, which would be a melty mess after that long. It's also not really a 4 course meal. The sides are sides, not appetizers.

2+ hours is just rude at a popular place with a family style service. At a fine dining place, which purposely paces the courses, 2-2.5 hours is perfect.

I agree with this pace, if you have your food in front of you, eat it. I have been to the "fancy" places that take 2-3 hours and you only have food in front of your for a fraction of the time, the rest of the time is them giving you "time" to talk and relax in between your courses. I don't think anyone can eat food for over and hour straight, unless it is like you said with your mom, only takes a bite every 5 minutes. But then your food is cold and nasty. We eat at a normal pace and at most restaurants we are usually out of there within the hours if the pacing is normal.

 

[ErinsMommy]

We used to love the breakfasts, but the wait times have just gotten so long -- plus getting served drinks and the breakfast platter takes way too long.

 

[TaraWasHere]

I personally never understood how O'hana managed to get onto the most wanted reservations list. I've been there a grand total of 3 times, and after the last experience, I've taken it off the list entirely. The food is just "ok" and yes, we felt rushed as well. On our last trip were were just trying to relax and enjoy the evening, and were constantly being asked if we needed this or that. It felt like they were subconsciously telling us to get the heck out if we were done. I understand where the op is coming from completely, and don't think he is overreacting at all. His feelings are valid, even if they are not shared by others.

 

[nkereina]

Sorry if I missed this, but I'd be curious to know whether OP attempted to decline the food or send it back when the food runner dropped the items off too soon. To me, a solution in the moment would be to explain to the food runner that you weren't ready for that course yet and could they please take it back. Or similarly, flag the waiter down and have him take it back. All diners get the same food at Ohana, so they are constantly making batches of the same things. The food could have easily just gone to another table, and the waiter or food runner could have grabbed another one whenever OP was ready for it.

We ate Ohana dinner in October and thought it was fast as well. It wasn't bothersome to us, but I can see how it would be so I think the OP's complaint is valid.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The food could have easily just gone to another table, and the waiter or food runner could have grabbed another one whenever OP was ready for it.

In terms of food safety rules can the food be given to another table after it's already been dropped on at another?

 

[DLgal]

In terms of food safety rules can the food be given to another table after it's already been dropped on at another?

No. Once it is put down, if you don't want it, it goes in the trash.

So, if you are going to do this, make sure you speak up BEFORE the plate hits your table.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No. Once it is put down, if you don't want it, it goes in the trash.

So, if you are going to do this, make sure you speak up BEFORE the plate hits your table.

That's what I was thinking. So only way it can easily go to another table is if it's done prior to it being put down on the table by whomever. Not a bad idea just gotta get the timing right.

 

[Lilsia]

I personally never understood how O'hana managed to get onto the most wanted reservations list. I've been there a grand total of 3 times, and after the last experience, I've taken it off the list entirely. The food is just "ok" and yes, we felt rushed as well. On our last trip were were just trying to relax and enjoy the evening, and were constantly being asked if we needed this or that. It felt like they were subconsciously telling us to get the heck out if we were done. I understand where the op is coming from completely, and don't think he is overreacting at all. His feelings are valid, even if they are not shared by others.

15-20 years ago it was a great place. The food was amazing. The meats at the time were cooked correctly and did not have weird sauces on them. The service was very good and timely. The entertainment was fun. It was just a completely different place. They have suffered from their own success probably due to poor management. They keep trying to get as many people in as possible that everything is suffering for it. I don't know why they could not just open from lunch on or just let it be someplace that is extremely hard to get into.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Its amazing to me how the dinner is so fast, yet the breakfast is so painfully slow.

 

[Lilsia]

No. Once it is put down, if you don't want it, it goes in the trash.

So, if you are going to do this, make sure you speak up BEFORE the plate hits your table.

This is a food safety rule that I think people should know, but most don't. When you go to a restaurant, once it is given to you, it can not be taken back or given to anyone else. This includes at counter service restaurants when someone takes a crap ton of napkins that they don't need and leaves the pile on their table when they leave, they get thrown away. The next person is not going to use them and the restaurant has to throw them away. Take only what you are going to use.

 

[Anthony1971]

Everyone eats different... I however would not classify Ohana as a place I would like to spend a lot of time at... for us I think an hour and 15 minutes max would be it.... including drinks. Even cruise ships only allow 2 hours max and I will say in most cases we were much later than most in getting up never felt rushed and always have now the drink package before the wine package and spent time looking over the menus..... Have I spent longer yes... at Michelin restaurants but they feel way to long even with the 7 course abbreviated meal much less the full nightmare... Expectations of Disney on a place like Ohana are likely at most an hour and half cleaned and new quests being lead to the table.... If you want more of a food experience I would be looking at Kona at the very least where you have a menu and can order at your pace and enjoy a drink... Ohana is eat entertain the kids and get out.. kids entertainment does come out a price even if this not something you choose or can use.... Adults don't expect to see young children running around at California grill and Kids don't expect to see a lot adults at Ohana having conversations....