O'hana and Sanaa for Picky Eaters

[Swosutrish]

All,

I've booked our second trip to WDW in May and have tentatively made reservations for dinner at O'hana and Sanaa. I have three DS, ages 9, 6 and 3. The three of them are kind of picky, and I am worrying about O'hana for sure. What is exactly on the menu and do they do a luau or is that just at Spirit of Aloha? Thanks for all your help!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

'Ohana is not a luau. It is AYCTE. They bring out family-style salad, wings, pot stickers, noodles, then skewers of chicken, beef and shrimp. For people who turn up their noses at all of those things, they will be charged full-price for the meal, but can get mac and cheese or very expensive chicken nuggets. The kids can participate in coconut races between courses.

At Sanaa, the menu is the menu. If you don't think they will eat what is on the menu, either feed them beforehand and just order drinks, as it is an a la carte eatery, or find a new place to dine and cancel Sanaa. Sanaa does offer a pizza and a cheeseburger on the children's menu, but do not expect additional options beyond the listed.

 

[CinderDuffy]

It's probably a good idea to look at menus BEFORE making ADRs. What led you to book these places?

 

[figmentedfollies]

All,

I've booked our second trip to WDW in May and have tentatively made reservations for dinner at O'hana and Sanaa. I have three DS, ages 9, 6 and 3. The three of them are kind of picky, and I am worrying about O'hana for sure. What is exactly on the menu and do they do a luau or is that just at Spirit of Aloha? Thanks for all your help!

I would suggest taking a look at the menus for each restaurant and see if there are definitely things that your children would eat or be willing to attempt. Since you have time between now and your trip, you may also want to try exposing your children to some of the flavors they might find at Ohana and Sanaa so they won't be completely out of their element when you show up for dinner.

If you want to go to Ohana for the atmosphere, maybe you can try breakfast instead? Far more familiar foods plus you will have characters as well.

 

[rwdavis2]

Go look at the menus. I doubt they will eat much of anything at Sanaa.

 

[Swosutrish]

It's probably a good idea to look at menus BEFORE making ADRs. What led you to book these places?

I have and I think tha

It's probably a good idea to look at menus BEFORE making ADRs. What led you to book these places?

I have looked at the menus and think that the kids will eat something. The main reason that I booked those places is the atmosphere, and the adult menu. We are staying at the Poly too, and most DIS posters rave about O'Hana. Thanks for your reply

 

[Swosutrish]

I would suggest taking a look at the menus for each restaurant and see if there are definitely things that your children would eat or be willing to attempt. Since you have time between now and your trip, you may also want to try exposing your children to some of the flavors they might find at Ohana and Sanaa so they won't be completely out of their element when you show up for dinner.

If you want to go to Ohana for the atmosphere, maybe you can try breakfast instead? Far more familiar foods plus you will have characters as well.

Thanks! I think that they might enjoy the breakfast.

 

[figmentedfollies]

Thanks! I think that they might enjoy the breakfast.

I'm not going to lie, Ohana is REALLY tempting, but I don't know if we'll be able to fit it into our trip this time (some day!), but we did eat at Sanaa in 2015. I enjoyed it, but we didn't get to see much of the animals (darn those early sunsets in January) and I feel like we get better Indian at home. However, your mileage may very. I hope you have a great trip!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It is 'Ohana, by the way, not O'hana. Hawaiian, not Irish.

If you're going to 'Ohana for the adults, and your kids believe breading is a food group, be prepared to be paying for very expensive Happy Meals for the kids. Because it is an AYCTE, they will be charged for being there, and if they opt for chicken nuggets instead, they will still be charged the child rate of $25.56+tax+tip.

 

[Swosutrish]

It is 'Ohana, by the way, not O'hana. Hawaiian, not Irish.

If you're going to 'Ohana for the adults, and your kids believe breading is a food group, be prepared to be paying for very expensive Happy Meals for the kids. Because it is an AYCTE, they will be charged for being there, and if they opt for chicken nuggets instead, they will still be charged the child rate of $25.56+tax+tip.

Thanks and sorry for the misspelling.

 

[DaisyD]

We always eat at 'Ohana with a picky eater from the time she was 5 til 17. She always gets a kids meal and we are happy to pay the full price. She can get more then one meal also. Last time she got max n cheese, a hot dog and fries. They even offer to bring more. Lol. It's worth it to us because we adults love the place and won't miss it.

 

[melanielll]

I believe that you can have Ohana food delivered to your room if you are staying at the Polynesian. One order serves a family - especially if the kids don't like that kind of food. As far as atmosphere - it is no different that the general atmosphere at the resort. I would try the room service option if it still exists. And pocket the $100+ that I would save on the kids.

 

[mckennarose]

Thanks! I think that they might enjoy the breakfast.

I second doing breakfast at Ohana, rather than dinner.

 

[rcraw45425]

I believe that you can have Ohana food delivered to your room if you are staying at the Polynesian. One order serves a family - especially if the kids don't like that kind of food. As far as atmosphere - it is no different that the general atmosphere at the resort. I would try the room service option if it still exists. And pocket the $100+ that I would save on the kids.

The 'Ohana feast from room service is great. My daughters and I have had it twice, once with four adults we ordered for three and had tons of leftovers, the last time was just my younger daughter and I and i ordered one adult portion and one childs portion (think the childs was like $20) and we still had leftovers . Plus you get a pitcher of POG, not included at the dinner in the Grand Ceremonial House

 

[KrazeeK120]

The food at 'Ohana really is pretty normal. You put the sauce on the meat yourself (it comes plain) so if they don't want sauce, they certainly don't have to eat it. I've eaten there 3 times and never found the food to be spicy or overly seasoned. It always surprises me when people say their kids won't eat anything there.

 

[heehee611]

All,

I've booked our second trip to WDW in May and have tentatively made reservations for dinner at O'hana and Sanaa. I have three DS, ages 9, 6 and 3. The three of them are kind of picky, and I am worrying about O'hana for sure. What is exactly on the menu and do they do a luau or is that just at Spirit of Aloha? Thanks for all your help!

My boys are 5 and 9 and we LOVE 'Ohana! It's our favorite place in all of Disney. First they serve salad (we just ask for the dressing on the side). My youngest does have a harder time finding things he likes - he won't eat the potstickers but tried the chicken wings for the first time year and liked them, and he loves the noodles and the broccoli from the stir fried veggies. He won't eat shrimp or steak, but got plenty of chicken to fill him up. It is such a great atmosphere, and although it may be kind of late since you have a 3 year old, we got an 8:30 dinner reservation this past time and were there for the MK fireworks at 10:00. it was amazing! We got to see the Electric Water Pageant from our dinner spot as well.

 

[Roxyfire]

The food at 'Ohana really is pretty normal. You put the sauce on the meat yourself (it comes plain) so if they don't want sauce, they certainly don't have to eat it. I've eaten there 3 times and never found the food to be spicy or overly seasoned. It always surprises me when people say their kids won't eat anything there.

Agreed, they offered my son the child foods and he said "no thank you, I want steak!" I think the food as it comes is pretty plain, except the wings have a sauce on them, which was sweet if I recall correctly. He thought the shrimp was a little spicy but he thinks black pepper is spicy. Gotta work on that! Realistically though, if you look at the general offerings, one can easily fill up on bread, salad, chicken, and steak if they don't care for the "exotic" (sarcasm here) stuff. They even obliged my request to bring the ice cream in a separate bowl so it wasn't melted all over the place. I do think they do want people to have a positive experience, else people would not spend the big bucks to go there each time they visit.

 

[rcraw45425]

Agreed, they offered my son the child foods and he said "no thank you, I want steak!" I think the food as it comes is pretty plain, except the wings have a sauce on them, which was sweet if I recall correctly. He thought the shrimp was a little spicy but he thinks black pepper is spicy. Gotta work on that! Realistically though, if you look at the general offerings, one can easily fill up on bread, salad, chicken, and steak if they don't care for the "exotic" (sarcasm here) stuff. They even obliged my request to bring the ice cream in a separate bowl so it wasn't melted all over the place. I do think they do want people to have a positive experience, else people would not spend the big bucks to go there each time they visit.

The noodles have always been big hit, form the time my girls were toddlers (they're now both in college )

 

[Roxyfire]

The noodles have always been big hit, form the time my girls were toddlers (they're now both in college )

Yes he loves those noodles so much! We often have a quick dinner of udon or yakisoba noodles with chicken, veggies, and egg at home after seeing those.