Signature Restaurants & kids?

[Steph9072]

I know I should put this on the Resteraunt thread but I wanted parents opinions.

Is it okay to take kids to the Signature Restaurants that are on the DDP?

I would love to try Narcoossee, but only if the kids can come.

TIA

 

[jodifla]

Narcossee's is a good choice with kid. We saw a lot in there the last time we were there.

 

[MoniqueU]

JMHO but only if you are prepared to take a doggy bag back to the room if your kids misbehave.

 

[tchrrx]

We are taking DD with us to Narcoossee's this year & she's also been to several other very nice restaurants (at WDW & other places). I think one of the key things is to go early and make sure your children are well rested so that they are more likely to behave.

 

[DISNEYNV]

We ate there last December on the DDP with a four and one year old for my dads 60th birthday dinner. They were fine and my one year old loved the kids steak fillet! He did get a bit antsy halfway through dinner and I just took him out for a stroll. There were other smaller children in the restaurant as well. The only restaurant in Disney that kids are not allowed is Victoria and Alberts.

 

[Colleen27]

My kids were fine with several signatures on our last trip, and we're planning even more for our next one! Narcoosees and California Grill were the most kid-friendly of the signature restaurants we've tried so far, but they were fine at Artist Point and Yachtsman Steakhouse as well. This trip, we're doing Brown Derby, Narcoosees, California Grill, Artist Point and Flying Fish.

I do think it is important to take a realistic look at your kids' behaviour if you're going to do signature dinners, though, because they are longer meals that require some patience. I'm blessed - I have two of the most mellow kids ever born, and the one that isn't especially easy-going is a little foodie. He's a handful sometimes, but he wouldn't even think about acting up in a restaurant!

 

[crisi]

I agree with the above. There will be kids in any signature place and its certainly permitted. But the dinners can be longer, and at the price (whether dollars or credits) its a poor meal to be eating out of a styrofoam box back in the hotel room. You are the best judge of your own kids.

We didn't risk it with toddlers, but did start with one - at Narcoosee's - when my youngest was about four. Narcoosee's is a good choice for kids - the open kitchen and a fairly casual decor make for a restaurant where a lack of inside voices doesn't stand out.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

We don't do signature dining with our kids.

Our daughters are 10 and 8, and eat in restaurants often enough to be well behaved. My mother thought it would be fun for us to all eat at the California Grill for my 35th birthday a few years ago. It was terrible; we spent the entire two hours trying to entertain the girls (who were 7 and 5 at the time-much less well behaved) with tic tac toe and magic squares while my parents just sat there and looked out the windows and grumped about the price of the food.

It sucked.

I couldn't enjoy my birthday, I was *exhausted* from keeping the girls happy and quiet, and annoyed that my parents had insisted on that restaurant without even thinking of what would work for small kids.

I just don't want to deal with the stress of "what if they get antsy".

I also don't want to ruin other diners' evenings if the girls are getting loud and giggly, and there are *so* many restaurants in Disney that are aimed right at them that we choose better suited restaurants.

When we were in Disney without the kids for our 15th wedding anniversary, we ate at the Yachtsmen steakhouse and we specifically asked to be as far away from children/babies as they could manage.

 

[disneynuts777]

We have been taking the 2 DD's to signature's since they were small and they are now teenagers. It has never been a problem.
We did cancel a ressie once because we knew from earlier in the day behavior that a nice sit down meal was not going to be an option.
Go and enjoy!!!

 

[Steph9072]

Thanks for all the input. DD will be 9 when we go and I know she will be fine behavior wise. Ds will be 5 and for him if we take the little notebooks with a small pencil or crayon he will write the whole time. (he plays Blues Clues and likes the notebooks like Steve/Joe have.

One more quick question which one of he Signature's can we see Wishes?

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Thanks for all the input. DD will be 9 when we go and I know she will be fine behavior wise. Ds will be 5 and for him if we take the little notebooks with a small pencil or crayon he will write the whole time. (he plays Blues Clues and likes the notebooks like Steve/Joe have.

One more quick question which one of he Signature's can we see Wishes?

California Grill.

Ok, having bad flashbacks here .

 

[crisi]

California Grill.

Ok, having bad flashbacks here .

You can also see them from Narcoosees - with MUCH less hassle.

But do keep in mind that fireworks are late for most four year olds (if you are coming from the West Coast, they are darn early). Expecting a four year old to sit through a signature meal is one thing - expecting a tired one past his bedtime is often another (once again, you know your kids). Also, while there won't be no kids in a restaurant at 9:30 at Disney, many of the signatures have noticibly fewer the later you dine.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I see no reason at all to stay away from signature dining with kids if your kids are well behaved and are able to sit through a longer meal. We see many kids at Jiko, CG, Narcoosees, Citrico's, etc. We have taken our own kids to the signature dining since they were small with no issues. It did help that CG and Narcoosees used to have the paper tablecloths that the kids could draw on. That used to keep the kids busy drawing or playing games with each other during what was otherwise a long and drawn out meal.

 

[Steph9072]

Thanks for the advice on the fireworks...I did not realize they were that late at night. Maybe better to catch them at the park were he can sleep in the stroller if need be.

 

[all4fun]

We loved our meal at Cali Grill however IMO the fireworks from the roof top there are a bit over rated. Not to say it wasn't a unique perspective, but I personally think they are much better viewed from inside the park! Also, everyone obviously has different opinions about kids in Signature restaurants but we were oh so glad we did not have ds with us, given the wait just to get a table (2hrs), and that was with a ressie. I love my ds more than life itself, but it would not have been the relaxing, enjoyable night it was, if he had been with us. Instead, he enjoyed an evening with my parents, who were at WDW with us and graciously offered to sit for us so we could have a nice couples evening out.

 

[mom2meiko]

it totally depends on the kids and how they are behavior wise. we wouldn't think twice about bringing dd (assuming she is well rested and generally not crabby at the time - as good as she is , she still has her limits occassionally) but there are plenty of children we would not recommend because they can't behave properly in mcdonalds!

if you are confident that your child knows how to behave nicely in a restaurant - then why not bring him/her along?

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

given the wait just to get a table (2hrs), and that was with a ressie.

You obviously are a very patient person because I would have walked out about a half hour into the wait. Bless you for hanging out that long! I have to say that I guess we have been extremely lucky all these years because we have never waited more than 10 minutes for our table at CG-even on Christmas Day.

 

[all4fun]

You obviously are a very patient person because I would have walked out about a half hour into the wait. Bless you for hanging out that long! I have to say that I guess we have been extremely lucky all these years because we have never waited more than 10 minutes for our table at CG-even on Christmas Day.

Thanks, I guess we are! I was determined to eat there because it was our anniversary dinner and we had even changed into dress clothes for it. Wasn't going to go "slum it" at some lesser restaurant - if we could have even gotten into one at that point. I admit I was a little p.o.'d when I found out what caused the delay - a group of conventioneers had some how horned their way in (obviously, management let them) which put the regular park guest customers behind. Some people who got there before us were eating their meals at the little tables in the waiting area! I just thought it was ridiculous. But once we were seated, it was a wonderful meal with great service. In the end, it was worth the wait.

It sounds like from your experience, that type of thing isn't the norm, so hopefully if we go back some day, we won't have a long wait time.

 

[Magical09]

I took my two little ones to California grill. They had crayons for the kids and I brought snacks. They had a highchair for the one year old. There were other kids there. I also took them for a walk while waiting. Many look out the window at the castle.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Our kids have been to California Grill, Artist Point, Jiko, and Narcoossee. We love doing our one "fancy" restaurant on each trip. It is a nice break from the rush!

Have fun!