New policy: No young kids at Victoria & Albert's

[_queenie_]

Probally not the worst idea. I didn't actually know kids under 18 were even allowed in. My kids are always wonderful in nice restauants, which we take them to often, but I still wouldn't take the three of them to V&As (and the oldest one is almost 17) or anywhere with prix fixe. Prix fixe does complicate the matter quite a bit, especially when they have adult tastebuds but a child-sized stomach (like my DD13). I just hope that that is the reason why and not because of behavior, I hate when a few bad kids ruin it for everyone.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

New policy: No young kids at Victoria & Albert's

1) Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes !
2) Finally.

 

[Brian Noble]

My kids have been told that I'll book Chef's Table for them when they graduate from college, but they don't get so much as a peek inside the place before then!

 

[Laura]

Good!

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

This is great! DD15 is dying to go there (she is a foodie) and I want to take her for her 16th birthday. I would never have taken her even younger than that. She was disappointed she couldn't do Palo on our upcoming cruise, but I told her she can look forward to getting to try it when she is 18.

I do think they should apply this policy to a lower priced signature restaurant, as well. We have 4 kids, from 3 to 15. A place other adults could get the heck away from my kids is a GREAT idea in my book!

I know we booked Cali Grill, Artists Point, and Narcoosee's for our anniversary trip in July without the kids, and I admit it, every time I see a post asking about taking a 2 yr old to any of them, my brain says "please please please dont be going when we are!"

I have only eaten 2 meals alone with my husband in the last 4-1/2 years. One happened to be V&A's.

 

[DreaminDisney]

Good idea (no young children) but I thought it was always that way.

 

[Hixski]

Now if they will do this for a couple more of the signature restaurants we will be in business.

 

[_queenie_]

Though I agree with not allowing young children at V&A's (see post above), I really don't think they should go as far as banning kids at other signature restaurants. We usually eat at a signature restaurant every night, if my DD3 wasn't allowed in that would mean ditching my kids every night at the the room while we go out, and that doesn't sound like a family vacation to me! It's Disney afterall, when you get to certain point it becomes age descrimination.

 

[TDC Nala]

Good idea (no young children) but I thought it was always that way.

It was not that way. There was no children's menu, and children had to pay the same price as adults, but there was no specific age restriction.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We just don't eat at signature restaurants with our little ones as a rule. We go to the kid-friendlier ones. We saved the signature restaurants for our trip alone.

I am for changing a signature restaurant or two to no kids because some people cannot afford to go to V&A's. And Disney is NOT just for kids. If it was, they would serve no alcohol, and PI, Jellyrolls, etc. would not exist.

If we couldn't eat at 3 restaurants out of over 100 in all of WDW on trips with the kids, I don't think I would bat an eye.

 

[WDWguru]

I'm for changing other signature restaurants, but maybe just after a certain time of night. Say, no kids under 10 after 9 pm? I think that would be a good compromise.

Jiko isn't usually too bad, but California Grill has usually a circus.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Jiko isn't usually too bad, but California Grill has usually a circus.

Awesome. That's where we booked for our anniversary night dinner. The guys at AKV CL are trying to get us a late reservation though, so hopefully it won't be bad.

 

[3DisneyKids]

As a mother of three, I have no problem with this policy at V&A's. As for other signature restaurants...I would be fine with some type of policy (maybe kids allowed at ones but not others....or as another poster said, not after a certain time of night).

Even at NON-Disney restaurants, on the few occassions when DH and I go out for an upscale dinner just the two of us, we both cringe when we see lots of kids in the restaurant....

Having adult-only time/space is good all the way around...for those WITH kids and those without.

 

[WDWguru]

Sorry to break to to you Steph, but we ALWAYS eat late - like 9:30 pm - and it's always a zoo. Here's hoping your experience is better than ours have been.

One hint - ask to be seated in the wine room (and bring a wrap or a sweater). It's a smaller room in the back with maybe a dozen tables and tends to be a bit quieter (but is usually freezing). You can't see MK from there - it's a Bay Lake view - and you could get stuck with a loud group in there but usually they are careful to seat like parties in that room in my experience. (It's usually full or closed that late but doesn't hurt to ask.)

 

[PiperGirlInWondrland]

Sounds like a great idea to me! Personally I wouldn't dream of taking my little ones to V&A's

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Yikes. We will definitely try for the wine room. We are going in July, so peak season on top of it.

DH just said "maybe we should do dinner at V&A's that night!"

See...they are getting more reservations ALREADY.

 

[WillCAD]

I'm for changing other signature restaurants, but maybe just after a certain time of night. Say, no kids under 10 after 9 pm? I think that would be a good compromise.

Jiko isn't usually too bad, but California Grill has usually a circus.

A lot of people have suggested that, but it's not really a good compromise for those whose families eat late due to being on West Coast time.

I think it's better to have a limited number of places that simply don't allow kids under 10 at all times. It's a simple, straightforward, understandable rule that's easily followed.

And frankly, after a transition period, I don't think it would bother anybody, so long as those restaurants with restrictions are not so unique that you couldn't find a similar place that do allow kids.

 

[xfiles3010]

Awesome...now if they could only ban those POP Warner kids things would be groovey

 

[disneymagic02]

Just FYI, we had reservations for V&A this past September and we aske dabout our 11 month old(just incase our babysitters for the night backed out) and they told me that I could bring him but I had to pay the adult price for the meal. I thought they did this to discourage paretns from bringing children. I like that it is adults only.

 

[nicolem05]

First off this is my first WDW trip I was a kid (WDL veterans)I guess I will be pretty shocked when we get there because I can't imagine people with small children eating at 9:30pm-10pm! (but I am on the west coast so I imagine we might push it ahead to a middle ground)

Besides all that I would have zero issue with there being a cut off time for kids at upscale restaurants makes sense to me.. but I also would have a problem with the NO kids at some of these great places.. I do have probably the most well behaved 6 year old on the planet (and he always has been) who is a very adventurous and loves good cuisine I would hate to see him banned from a bunch of signature restaurants because he is lumped in a group ill behaved children because of his age... also just who should I leave my kids with while I experience a restaurant I have been waiting for years to try?? And don't tell me some stranger from a sitting service sorry not going to happen.. so I take him everywhere with me.. I always have. My husband and I chose not to have children for many years and we enjoy having him with us. We also have common sense and dine early so he gets to bed early (7pm like clockwork) and wouldn't dream of letting our children run around a restaurant or be disruptive. So I would have to say from my shoes a cut off time would be more than acceptable as a compromise.