Nervous about Ohana dinner, is it worth it?

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I'm one of the people here that does not like it. If 200 is really no biggie, then give it a try. Nothing you eat there will be amazing except for dessert! Spend a tad bit more and dine at a signature.

If you are at all picky, do not go. If you like quiet, do not go. If you like to be seated quickly, do not go. If you like your courses to arrive appropriately spaced, do not go.

If eating ok food in a chaotic environment will seem like yummy food in a high energy environment, then go for it.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We've eaten there 4 times and have great experiences every time. We have always found the food to be very good.

 

[Ravens girl]

If food quality is most important and you can go off property try Texas de Brazil. Its about the same cost. In my opinion the food was much better. It has a quieter, nicer atmosphere, more adult. Ohana is a better bet if you're taking kids.

 

[B-Ride]

IMHO it is worth $200 for the dessert.

 

[BlondeAppetit]

Just do it! We went on our last trip! I got the fun drink in a pineapple. The food was plentiful and yummy. The atmosphere was lively. We asked for a seat by the window and the views were great! I would 100% do it again. I had no baseline as this was my first trip. We had two little ones with us and they enjoyed their food too. In my opinion, it is quintessential Disney. That is what I look for in my dining choice. Kona may have good food but it has limited ambiance. If you are not staying at the Poly and will be making a special trip there....then go to Ohana. You will get $200 worth of food and there will be something for everyone.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I've shared on the boards before... Ohana at DINNER was one of the worst meals we've had onsite in 12-ish years -- and we did NOT have sky-high expectations! For context, we go to WDW 1-3 times per year, and generally book at least 2 ADRs per day.

Food was just not good. Some was too greasy. Some was dry. Service was HORRIBLE.

While I understand there is a ton of variation based on reviews on DIS, I don't want to gamble when I pay this much for a meal!! This isn't Vegas! So many other restaurants onsite are a safe bet for us (from Liberty Tree to Jiko), that we don't intend to go back to this one.

All that said, I have had BREAKFAST here and enjoyed it, and we're going back for it in Nov.

 

[Davis2902]

I've shared on the boards before... Ohana at DINNER was one of the worst meals we've had onsite in 12-ish years -- and we did NOT have sky-high expectations! For context, we go to WDW 1-3 times per year, and generally book at least 2 ADRs per day.

Food was just not good. Some was too greasy. Some was dry. Service was HORRIBLE.

While I understand there is a ton of variation based on reviews on DIS, I don't want to gamble when I pay this much for a meal!! This isn't Vegas! So many other restaurants onsite are a safe bet for us (from Liberty Tree to Jiko), that we don't intend to go back to this one.

All that said, I have had BREAKFAST here and enjoyed it, and we're going back for it in Nov.

Not being rude but in NO WAY is Liberty Tree Tavern better than Ohana. LTT is the worst representation of a "Thanksgiving Meal" that I have ever seen, stove top stuffing is in no way cornbread dressing!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

IMHO it is worth $200 for the dessert.

You can get the dessert only at Tambu Lounge far cheaper!

 

[Nancyg56]

'Ohana gets hyped and is expensive. So people expect angels to sing and divine sprinkles to twinkle their taste buds. It is very easy to be disappointed when that's the case.

The fact that you're citing how much it would cost suggests a low disappointment threshold. So that's something to consider. $200 for 5 is going rate for AYCTE dinner at Disney.

This is what I noticed as well. 'Ohana was the worst meal we had on our August Trip. We have eaten there on every trip spice 2005, so I while I was prepared for the meal to be "just okay", as has happened a few times, I was nto prepared to wipe this one off our list.

AS you can see, 'Ohana gets very mixed reviews and your experience will depend on your server, the number of folks who are backed up waiting, the way guests are behaving in the restaurant, and a multitude of factors you have no control over.

I would never steer someone away because as you see in the thread, experiences are all over the place, so decide for yourself. But you have to look at the cost of your meal and make sure you can leave without buyers remorse if it is not perfect.

I'm one of the people here that does not like it. If 200 is really no biggie, then give it a try. Nothing you eat there will be amazing except for dessert! Spend a tad bit more and dine at a signature.

If you are at all picky, do not go. If you like quiet, do not go. If you like to be seated quickly, do not go. If you like your courses to arrive appropriately spaced, do not go.

If eating ok food in a chaotic environment will seem like yummy food in a high energy environment, then go for it.

You nailed it. !

 

[OhanaBreadPudding]

We love it. Hence my SN.

That being said, I started making my own bread pudding from a recipe I found online and I like it better than what we had last time.

My kids loved it. They sat the whole time and actually ate and then got up for the races and had so much fun. We had our rehearsal dinner there and got married at the poly, and I was thinking about skipping it in December, but my husband wants to go back. I like it as a tradition because it is so meaningful to us and that way we have at least one place that we keep bringing the kids to.


Is it worth $200? Gah, no. But somehow we keep justifying it year after year and love it. The wings are my favorite, but I found that I wasn't crazy about much else last time. But it was still a great night and we will always go.


Sorry if that was zero help. It's worth it to us because it's our sentimental favorite, but our neighbors go to WDW every year and are the pickiest eaters I have ever seen and I would never recommend it to them.


only go if you have enough time in your trip and like the way the menu sounds. Don't skip an MK night to go if you don't love the sound of the menu.

 

[Aliceacc]

We went once in 2008, and thought it was OK.

Not bad, no complaints, but nothing that warranted a return visit.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Is it worth it to me? No, can't stand the place. I would pass if it was free

However, to so many it is a beloved tradition. You won't know unless you try it. If you do, have realistic expectations and hopefully you will have a great time

 

[yaya74]

Great thread!!!

Q: Has anyone dined at 'Ohana around 3:45pm?

I currently have a 3:45pm ADR (trying to get a 4pm ADR though... fingers crossed) . I wonder if my children will get to play the games since it is an early sitting.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Not being rude but in NO WAY is Liberty Tree Tavern better than Ohana. LTT is the worst representation of a "Thanksgiving Meal" that I have ever seen, stove top stuffing is in no way cornbread dressing!

SUBJECTIVE. That's what ALL reviews are.

 

[Kaigler]

I wasn't overly impressed with my first visit about 4 years ago. We are giving it a second go this summer. I've also seen the mixed reviews and going in hoping for a better experience.

 

[beck00]

I read all the reviews and was nervous but hopeful for our Thanksgiving dinner. I was very pleasantly surprised. All 8 of us were happy with all the offerings...only complaint...SOOO much food! Not the worst problem to have

 

[carmelhp]

Great thread!!!

Q: Has anyone dined at 'Ohana around 3:45pm?

I currently have a 3:45pm ADR (trying to get a 4pm ADR though... fingers crossed) . I wonder if my children will get to play the games since it is an early sitting.

Not 3:45, they opened a little later than that the day we went but we were among the first dinner seatings on Christmas Day 2015. We enjoyed it very much, and I think it's the early seating. In my experience, the AYCTE restaurants are best early before they get trashed and the servers get tired and frustrated and the food gets old on the line, or rushed or run out. I always look for the earliest seating at any AYCTE. Same with H&V, it's reviews are definitely mixed, we've found it great at a first seating but bad at a later seating.

 

[honeybunches]

I wondered about it every trip, and never booked an ADR for it. I was hesitant to "waste" a vacation night on something we didn't like. On our last trip (October) we decided to give it a try. My husband LOVED it. I was so happy that he enjoyed it so very much -- he even asked if I could get another ADR before we left, which I did. The kids liked it too, and we each found something we preferred in all the courses. In our normal lives, we would never pay $200 for a meal, but on vacation we do.

 

[DisFanEY]

I say no. The wait was horrible, nowhere else would have I accepted a wait close to an hour! It was our first night though and we were tired and just wanted a dinner before bed! The waiting room was filled beyond capacity and a nearby group had a vomiting incident in that area that I alerted the staff to and no one even went over.
The food was fine, sure, but not worth the ridiculousness that preceded it. We will never go back.

 

[Shazzie B]

We have eaten at Ohana 4-5 times before always loved it. This time although the server was very attentive with drinks, bread, noodles etc we had to wait ages before meat was brought round. When it was I was disgusted, it was like the meat had been trimmed and then the fatty/ grisly bits stuck on our skewer. Even the chicken was chewy.

I spoke to the Manager and his 1st response was 'oh OK' I soon pointed out it was not OK. I showed him a lump of 'meat' on my plate that was all fat and gristle and all he Kept saying was - we used the finest meat and butcher it ourselves. The chef then came over and apologised,and said the same thing, offered us more meat but we were passed it by then.

I really feel we were treated poorly, they made us feel like they didn't believe we'd been served bad meat, even when I showed him the evidence, wish I'd made him look at the piece I'd had to spit out as it was so chewy now. We won't go back again.

Have a look at Tepan Edo instead,fabulous meal the night before, meat was trimmed & cooked in front of us so you could see the quality ( and the trimmings thrown away!).