Ohana or not Ohana... that is the question

[dekraut]

So, I know that I am asking a question that no one can really answer but my wife and I, but I am hoping you very knowledgable people can help.

We have a trip planned in Jan 2017 and are picking our ADRs. We typically don't eat at fancy places at all, at home or on vacation partially due to our family style and cost, and because of our son (explained below).

We have heard so much about Ohana, that we would love to try it. The one caveat is that our DS(11) is mildly autistic and a bit of a picky eater. He typically eats primarily from the grilled cheese and pizza food groups, but has recently branched out to try some new things. He likes chicken, and recently has grown to like steak, so we are hoping that the flavorings on these offerings wouldn't be so strong as to turn him off. My wife and I love our kids very much and always plan around them, but we are hoping to get just one dinner in for us this upcoming trip. We just want to make sure that our kids are able to eat too.

Thoughts, and any help is appreciated.

 

[dekraut]

I just saw the thread that says they offer kids' choices from other menus.. that may help us out. Any other info is much appreciated. Being able to get him a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets as a backup would be golden.

 

[jvsims]

My son is autistic & loves Ohana. The grilled steak & chicken are his favorite things there. Sauces are served on the side & they don't have any crazy seasonings on them...just yummy simple grilled meats. He doesn't have any of the sides other than the welcome bread...loves the bread pudding dessert. He eats a ton of the meats, & asks to return there each time. (I have also heard they offer something for picky kids such as chicken nuggets, but we have never needed to go that route). His 2nd favorite place is Teppan Edo....again just for the steak. Ohana is a lively, family atmosphere so don't worry about it being too fancy or anything like that. Enjoy your trip!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Ohana has been a consistently good restaurant for us over the years. We've eaten there on most of our trips.

I recently recommended dinner there to relatives, and it was a hit. Said the whole deal made it worthwhile--visiting the Polynesian Resort, the restaurant's atmosphere, the food and the entertainment.

We've never had bad food there. Service wasn't spot-on a few visits, but always received great food and drinks. We have an ADR in October there after a 4 year break from Disney, and I'm really looking forward to going.

Since your son is older than 9, you will pay the adult price for him. If he likes the noodles and steak, it will be worth it. They will serve him standard children's meals if that's what he wants, but ouch for the price!

Good luck.

 

[bbak30]

I think you should give it a try! It's one of our favorites. You can definitely get chicken nuggets there. It's a pretty fast paced meal, so you don't sit there for long without some kind of food.

 

[Nancyg56]

Most Disney restaurants have options the kids will eat, and 'Ogana is no exception. Last August our server noticed the girls were not eating so she brought Mac and cheese and nuggets, IIRC. Im sure your son will be given a more kid friendly meal if he doesn't like the food.

I will say that this is a family restaurant and kids are welcomed. It can get loud though. Give it a try.

 

[Lisa F]

So, I know that I am asking a question that no one can really answer but my wife and I, but I am hoping you very knowledgable people can help.

We have a trip planned in Jan 2017 and are picking our ADRs. We typically don't eat at fancy places at all, at home or on vacation partially due to our family style and cost, and because of our son (explained below).

We have heard so much about Ohana, that we would love to try it. The one caveat is that our DS(11) is mildly autistic and a bit of a picky eater. He typically eats primarily from the grilled cheese and pizza food groups, but has recently branched out to try some new things. He likes chicken, and recently has grown to like steak, so we are hoping that the flavorings on these offerings wouldn't be so strong as to turn him off. My wife and I love our kids very much and always plan around them, but we are hoping to get just one dinner in for us this upcoming trip. We just want to make sure that our kids are able to eat too.

Thoughts, and any help is appreciated.

my kiddo is 8, on the spectrum and finally starting to try new things as well. He loves mac and cheese and i know he probably won't like the dumplings, might like the wings without seeds, won't like the noodles or veggies but will probably like the meats. I am going to ask for mac and cheese and let him try whatever he wants. I find AYCTE places are the best for him to try new things with no anxiety (a big part for him) or pressure because he can always get something he likes if he tries something and doesn't like it. Ohana will get him kid food and allow him to try the adult food as well. I always plan around him too but disney is exceptionally accommodating and there is no reason we can't BOTH have a great time at so many places. I even took him to CA Grill and it was the highlight for him of the trip - we are doing two signatures next time!

 

[dekraut]

Thanks everyone. We have made the call to secure a reservation and give it a try. Thanks for making us feel like we are not alone in this situation.

Regrettably, I mist admit that we are probably our own worst enemies as we (my wife and I) are so afraid that something won't go well that we probably limit the opportunities for our son. I have such guilt about sometimes not offering him opportunities, not because of his limitations, but because of our fears.

Thank you for reassuring us, and here is hoping that he loves the place! We are going to book it for our final evening's dinner.

Sincere thanks to you for the help.

 

[MSLRAC]

Glad you decided to give it a try because we love it...including DS who is on the spectrum. He started out just eating bread, salad, fries, and ice cream but last trip he ate it all with the exception of shrimp (he couldn't get over the little legs and having to peel them).

But I totally understand where you are coming from when you say you are probably your own worst enemy because it has taken us years to finally get over our fears, step outside of our comfort zones, and allow DS to try things. Sure we have had some epic failures in the process but we've had way more successful adventures. Just keep trying and taking steps (like eating at 'Ohana) forward. It's a great feeling when your guilt is suddenly replaced with pride because your kid just did something that you never thought they'd be able to do!

 

[Disneypapa]

O'hana is one of my favorites at WDW. I love the décor of the resort and the entertainment is cute. Food is good and plentiful. I think you should give it a try!

 

[oceanmarina]

Thanks everyone. We have made the call to secure a reservation and give it a try. Thanks for making us feel like we are not alone in this situation.

Regrettably, I mist admit that we are probably our own worst enemies as we (my wife and I) are so afraid that something won't go well that we probably limit the opportunities for our son. I have such guilt about sometimes not offering him opportunities, not because of his limitations, but because of our fears.

Thank you for reassuring us, and here is hoping that he loves the place! We are going to book it for our final evening's dinner.

Sincere thanks to you for the help.

Yes, give it a try. My DS is 11 and is also on the milder side of the autism spectrum and can be a picky eater too, so believe me, I know how it is. When he was a lot younger, textures used to be a big issue for him. But he has been branching out more with food. I agree with previous posters that he will probably like the meats (especially the chicken and ribs). If I were you, I would ask to talk to the manager before they seat you. Tell them you are concerned that he might not eat and i'm sure they will have a back up plan for picky eaters. Disney is always so accommodating when it comes to stuff like that. That happened to us several years ago at Garden Grill, my kids would not eat anything and our server brought out a huge platter of nuggets and fries (which is not on the menu). Absolute worst case scenario - Captain Cooks quick service is right downstairs about 1 minute away. You could always stop there for a quick slice etc. for him after Ohanas if it doesn't work out (if he doesn't eat there). I know exactly what you mean about our fears and limiting their opportunities. I'm more protective of my DS since he's a more vulnerable kid with his autism - it can't be helped. You and your wife should not be hard on yourselves because I would say the majority of us with a special needs kid do the same thing . But a lot of times he surprises me (something I was worried about and he wound up doing just fine)!

Hope this helps,
Marina

 

[bookbabe626]

One thought...dekraut, how does your son react to noise and mild chaos? Because dinner at Ohana is not a quiet, sedate affair. There's a singer with a ukulele that wanders the restaurant, as well as periodic activities for all the kids, including mass races where they push coconuts around the restaurant. It's a lot of fun to watch, but could be a bit disconcerting if you're not expecting it...

 

[Lisa F]

Yes, give it a try. My DS is 11 and is also on the milder side of the autism spectrum and can be a picky eater too, so believe me, I know how it is. When he was a lot younger, textures used to be a big issue for him. But he has been branching out more with food. I agree with previous posters that he will probably like the meats (especially the chicken and ribs). If I were you, I would ask to talk to the manager before they seat you. Tell them you are concerned that he might not eat and i'm sure they will have a back up plan for picky eaters. Disney is always so accommodating when it comes to stuff like that. That happened to us several years ago at Garden Grill, my kids would not eat anything and our server brought out a huge platter of nuggets and fries (which is not on the menu). Absolute worst case scenario - Captain Cooks quick service is right downstairs about 1 minute away. You could always stop there for a quick slice etc. for him after Ohanas if it doesn't work out (if he doesn't eat there). I know exactly what you mean about our fears and limiting their opportunities. I'm more protective of my DS since he's a more vulnerable kid with his autism - it can't be helped. You and your wife should not be hard on yourselves because I would say the majority of us with a special needs kid do the same thing . But a lot of times he surprises me (something I was worried about and he wound up doing just fine)!

Hope this helps,
Marina

Honestly you really do not have to go to the lengths of talking to the manager. I would just ask for what he wants off of the typical kid menu directly from your server and have them bring that and then let him try whatever he is interested in off of the adult menu as the food comes out. It is AYCTE so you can do that and you can ask for more of what he likes. dessert is a brownie with marshmallow topping and m&ms for kids who are not into the bread pudding. This is my plan for my kiddo on the spectrum with similar issues. The thing is he WANTS to try new things but it also creates a bit of anxiety for him to do so so if he has something familiar right there as a backup he is much more to have a good time trying new things. It seems like the kid desserts are brought without even asking most of the time.

Also realize that even though disney CHARGES adult prices for kids over 9, they do realize that 10-pre teens are still kids. Your kiddo is still a kid and they will accommodate it without batting an eye. Believe me, he is far from the first and won't be the last kiddo who wants kid food, even after they turn 10!

Before mine was diagnosed we had many food battles and I followed the traditional parenting advice about making your kid eat what is presented and it cost me a couple of years of undoing the anxiety that created. Now we are very easy going - if you want to try it, try it. if you don't like it, no big deal. if you do like it, have more. if you change your mind once it is presented because you don't like how it looks or smells, no big deal. IMO any of the AYCTE places are pretty much the best for this kind of thing, after our last trip he is begging me to do more buffets so he can try more things because it is so low pressure (though I do let him try things off of my plate and then order a kid meal from him at plated restaurants). We are doing some regular TS too for atmosphere but only places where there are known quantities on the kid menu. I, too, sometimes treat my kiddo with kid gloves. But with food, I REFUSE to battle. If he wants what is familiar he can have it. if he wants to try something new, he can have it.

Places like Ohana or buffets are the best of both worlds. If you are looking for other places that have appealing menus for adults but also plenty for picky kids, Boma and Tusker House are two great choices too. I love interesting and ethnic food, but they have mac and cheese and corn dog nuggets and that kind of stuff too. Breakfast buffets are also great because he can eat his weight in Mickey waffles and bacon. Sci Fi was another favorite of his - milk shakes and mac and cheese, what's not to love? There are plenty of places that are enjoyable for the whole family even when the kiddos have food issues.

 

[Lisa F]

if it is more comforting check out this page - it's from last year BUT grilled cheese is there, along with kiddie desserts.
https://ifyoucandreamittravel.wordpress.com/category/resorts/

Also I have found that previewing things with my kiddo helps enormously but he may have more of an anxiety piece than most. I have shown him pictures of ohana, pictures of the food, shown him what the coconut races are all about etcetc. we are ready lol

 

[dekraut]

One thought...dekraut, how does your son react to noise and mild chaos?

Thanks for thinking of this, but in this regard we are good to go. In fact he used to be more sensitive to noise but now he is a proud musician in his school band and doesn't mind a lively environment. It does make it harder for him to be focused, and sometimes at the end of the day he is a bit more agitated, but for the most part, loud and busy environments no longer affect him like they used to.

Breakfast buffets are also great because he can eat his weight in Mickey waffles and bacon.

Waffles and bacon! So true. But we have to disagree on teh mac and cheese - he cannot do that consistency! Poor kid doesn't know what he is missing!

Thanks for that link !! Very reassuring.

 

[lubob]

Ohana is a must do every trip for our family . Food and atmosphere is fantastic. Also pete and other dis unplugged staff have high praises for Ohana. Awesome place to eat.