smart casual? business casual? what's the difference?

[akayf]

So we have PS for Narcosees, Coral Reef, and CA Grill. When we made the PS, they said Coral Reef was smart casual. Narcosees and CA Grill were business casual. DH was bringing his dockers and a polo shirt for the business casual. But smart casual? Coral reef is in a park. I can understand a resort restaurant having a dress code. But a theme park one? DH is grumbling at the idea of having to change at Epcot into pants.

 

[MaryFMac]

I think Disney is having trouble deciding on how they want to word their just-shy-of-business-casual.

Naturally, as a vacation resort, they don't want to tell people to dress BUSINESS casual (who wants to think about work??), but they don't want you dressing in pool attire. They can't say resort casual for a restaurant in the park, and they certainly don't want to risk "Park casual!" We've all seen some exciting interpretations of "Park Casual."

So you hear resort casual, business casual, or smart casual. All mean roughly the same thing.

 

[ghidorah97]

Actually, I'd say that smart casual and business casual are two different things.

Business casual would include dockers and a polo shirt. Shorts would be excluded from business casual.

Smart casual is a step down from biz casual, so shorts would be included, but a nice pair of pleated khaki shorts or something similar. Jeans shorts, gym shorts, swim trunks et al would not. T-shirts, as well, would not fit. Basically I'd say that they are looking for a nice pair of shorts with a polo shirt (or nice collarless shirt, just not a logo T-shirt).

Just my two cents...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Officially, except for Victoria and Albert, there are no restaurants with a formal dress code. Park Casual is the accepted mode of dress. As a general rule this tends to mean no swimsuits and, at the non-park restaurants, no men with "muscle shirts".

Certain restaurants (such as CG, Narcoossee's and Bistro de Paris), which put on an upscale showing, say that "Business Casual" is recommended, but I have never heard of people neatly dressed with T-Shirt, jeans shorts and sandals being turned away.

I think this is especially true as there are people who are coming directly from a park (or, in the case of Bistro are in a park) who cannot change. Let's say someone without a car was staying at AKL, was at MK, and had a reservation at Narcoossee's. Two choices. One is to get the yacht from MK to GF, which lets them off almost at the door to Narcoossee's - Time about 15 minutes. Otherwise Otherwise bus back to AKL, get to room to change (possibly showering first), bus back to MK and the boat to GF - Time over an hour.

 

[crisi]

Business casual would include dockers and a polo shirt. Shorts would be excluded from business casual.

You obviously don't work in California.

My company had to come out and explain that flip flops, cut offs, and tube tops were not "business casual." Long shorts are, however, appropriate business casual if you work in the Valley.

 

[Lizzybee]

You obviously don't work in California.

My company had to come out and explain that flip flops, cut offs, and tube tops were not "business casual." Long shorts are, however, appropriate business casual if you work in the Valley.

Wow I should look for work by you, we aren't even allowed to wear nice dressy capri pants. LOL

 

[crisi]

Actually, I don't work in California and wouldn't be caught dead in shorts at work - or capris. I'm in Minnesota where we make fun of "flip flops as business casual."

Business casual is a very regional thing.

 

[BCV23]

Business casual is a very regional thing.

I agree and even think it varies industry to industry as does dress in general. I remember years ago, my DH worked for a Big 8 accounting firm in Chicago. There was also a large ad agency in the same building. It was VERY easy to tell who worked for which firm.

And as for "business casual" at CG, when I called for a PS for our meal in May, I asked the CM to read the description. It did indeed include "business" shorts as well as jeans.

 

[lisareniff]

So we have PS for Narcosees, Coral Reef, and CA Grill. When we made the PS, they said Coral Reef was smart casual. Narcosees and CA Grill were business casual. DH was bringing his dockers and a polo shirt for the business casual. But smart casual? Coral reef is in a park. I can understand a resort restaurant having a dress code. But a theme park one? DH is grumbling at the idea of having to change at Epcot into pants.

I'm not really in the know of what the definations of the dress codes. I wouldn't worry your DH too much. For the most part they are trying to say "dress nice, not t-shirt and shorts". We went to CA Grill and there was a wide variety of dress and all were accepted. We were sort of middle of the road, I wore khaki capris and a nice short sleeved shirt (but it was knit material like a t-shirt) and DH some pleated shorts and golf shirt. I was going to dress nicer but then realized we wanted to go to MK afterward for Spectro and Wishes and might be sitting on the curb! We saw very nicely dressed famlies and families with park wear (jean shorts, etc.).

 

[ghidorah97]

You obviously don't work in California.

My company had to come out and explain that flip flops, cut offs, and tube tops were not "business casual." Long shorts are, however, appropriate business casual if you work in the Valley.

You're absolutely correct -- not from California -- and I couldn't even imagine wearing shorts at work. Jeans on a casual day, not a problem, but definitely not shorts.

Maybe I'm too stuffy and need to loosen up a bit!

 

[Uncleromulus]

akayf:
Coral Reef "smart casual"?? Good grief!!
Just keep in mind that these are NOT enforced codes--they are merely "suggestions" on how the restaurant would like you to dress. Absent a swim suit and a tank top on a gentleman, virtually anything else will get you in any restaurant except V&A. I would be stunned to see some restaurant folks NOT in shorts at WDW in any of the warmer months, and stunned to see some restaurant folks NOT in jeans in the cooler months.
Don't even THINK about making DH change into long pants to eat at the Coral Reef!!!

 

[Leota]

I agree - He doesn't need to change to eat at Coral Reef. A pair of decent shorts & a decent shirt is just fine -at any place but V&A. We were told to dress in business casual for CG, which we did - but realized when we got there that they didn't enforce what we thought of as business casual at all - same with Artist Point (which we saw some REALLY casual attire at - fresh from the pool attire) They didn't turn anyone away.

Go & be comfy & enjoy. If you enjoy dressing for a special meal - dress - there will be people who do also (like me, I like to dress for some meals) If you don't like to dress for those meals, don't worry about it, there will be people there in shorts & tees as well.