Switching from Ohana to Boatwrights...am I NUTS?!!?

[nilseks]

We have a dinner ADR for Ohana in December. Taking our sons and also our nephew while my brother and his wife have their "adult night out" dinner. Ages 10, 8, 6.

I have been looking for something fun to do after dinner and we decided on Yeeha Bob at Port Orleans (brother is taking them to Trails End and sleigh ride at FW on our night out). So then I started thinking it would be a lot easier just to go to Boatwrights for dinner, since Yeeha Bob is right next door. We are staying at OKW so to get from there to the Poly, and then over to POR, kind of a pain. Probably easier just to go straight to POR and do all our stuff there, right?

Recent reviews of Boatwright's are very good and the menu looks like things we would enjoy eating. Our sons and nephew have already eaten at Ohana but we have not (brother and SIL took them last year on our night out ). Am I totally nuts to cancel the Ohana reservation??? Is it better to jump all over or will we be happy with Boatwrights?

 

[bribri330]

I do personally think u r nuts! let me first tell u i have not eaten at either... but seeing how everyone loves O'hana and ppl are dying to get in there i would not cancel...We are going to Disney in Nov and i cant get a decent dining reservation!! ugh im dying for Ohana but being we are 13 getting anything booking a late trip such as this is virtually impossible! So if i were u i would not cancel! hope u guys have a great time!

 

[FlyingBelle]

I've eaten at both a couple times and they are completely different!

Ohana - you're getting a show/activities during your meal

Boatwrights - like eating at a regular restaurant

If I had the choice - I would choose Ohana. We usually eat at Boatwrights when we're staying at Port Orleans - because it's easy.

 

[TINKSFRIEND2]

Don't cancel! We ate at Boatrights and it wasnot great. Ohana is 100% better. Yee Ha Bob is great! My family has watched him a few times.It Should only take you about an hour to watch his show and feel that you have seen enough. That is just my opinion....Hope it Helps

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

I second the don't switch my kids are older & still talk about the fun at Ohanas from 4 years ago!! the food is great too!!

Don't switch!!

 

[Big Daddy Incredible]

I don't think you are nuts. I have been to both Ohana and Boatwrights. Given a choice, I would pick Ohana most times. But Boatwright's is solid. If my family wants to dine at Boatwright's, I have no problem with it.

Boatwright's tenderloin is really good (however, it has been a couple years since I had it). The gumbo, catfish and prime rib are all very good. Stay away from the jambalaya - it was not very flavorful. But again, it has been at least two years since I have been there.

If Boatwright's fit into my schedule better than Ohana, I would not hesitate to go with Boatwright's. Just be aware that Boatwright's can be noisy. It is located right next to the counter service at POR and it is always very busy in there during meal times.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I'd do ohana or ye haw bob... no way I'd do both. However, given the age of the kids I'd probably do ohana and then maybe a scavenger hunt around the monorail resorts. I would guess that the kids energy would love that sort of memory making activity!

 

[Alsobrook]

Psssst..... dinner at Ohana doesn't necessarily mean you're doing the "show" correct?

 

[TDC Nala]

If you want Yeeha Bob to be your entertainment for the evening, go with Boatwrights, unless you have a car. The amount of time it may take you to get Disney transportation from the Polynesian to Riverside may be problematic if you are still intending to go from dinner to the River Roost. Unless your 'Ohana reservation is very early, or you are willing to take a taxi. Remember you can't go to TTC to get a bus to Riverside; there are no resort buses at TTC.

The two best ways to make the trip, other than a taxi, are probably:

1) Go from the Polynesian to the Magic Kingdom, either by boat or monorail, catch a bus at the MK bus stops to Riverside.
2) Take the bus from Polynesian to DTD and ride the boat from there to Riverside (or take a bus).

Either way, you may need more than an hour just to get there.

If you are OK with letting 'Ohana be your entertainment for the evening, stick with it.

Psssst..... dinner at Ohana doesn't necessarily mean you're doing the "show" correct?

Not sure what show you mean. Are you mixing up 'Ohana with the Spirit of Aloha dinner show? Those are two different places in the same resort. 'Ohana kind of has a "show" of its own though - and you are going to be exposed to it unless you eat there late.

 

[boydstcher]

Ohana is very hard to get reservation and it's a must do place. The food is great and the atmosphere is fun. I have not heard good things about Boatwright's but have not personally eaten there. Ohana on the other hand is wonderful. I would keep Ohana for sure

We have a dinner ADR for Ohana in December. Taking our sons and also our nephew while my brother and his wife have their "adult night out" dinner. Ages 10, 8, 6.

I have been looking for something fun to do after dinner and we decided on Yeeha Bob at Port Orleans (brother is taking them to Trails End and sleigh ride at FW on our night out). So then I started thinking it would be a lot easier just to go to Boatwrights for dinner, since Yeeha Bob is right next door. We are staying at OKW so to get from there to the Poly, and then over to POR, kind of a pain. Probably easier just to go straight to POR and do all our stuff there, right?

Recent reviews of Boatwright's are very good and the menu looks like things we would enjoy eating. Our sons and nephew have already eaten at Ohana but we have not (brother and SIL took them last year on our night out ). Am I totally nuts to cancel the Ohana reservation??? Is it better to jump all over or will we be happy with Boatwrights?

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

i would keep ohana. take the monorail to mk and take the por bus right over. ohana is a great meal and a great experience!!

 

[nilseks]

Hmmm...thanks for encouraging me to keep Ohana. I guess I will just sit on it for a while and mull it over.

 

[turnlisa]

Last time we went to Boatwright's was the worst meal I have ever had on property. The menu had changed from the last time we were there. The waitress had our order rip in the machine so my meal wasn't placed in for the cooks. While the rest of the food arrived for my table, she realized she was short a plate. I waited 20 minutes for my food - and thankfully, she didn't charge us for it because it was inedible. We will never go there again.

Given the 2, I would stick with Ohana. It's not my favorite restaurant but it's fun for the kids.

 

[DisneyDreamersAreWe]

We go to boatwright's every trip for the prime rib and have never been disappointed. Going back in 5 weeks for prime rib again!

Never been to 'Ohana's though, so I can't compare the two.

 

[danceintherain]

I've never done Ohana for dinner or Boatwright's at all, but I would go with convenience and switch to Boatwright's. It would be too complicated for me to deal with the transportation, especially with 3 kids in tow (but I only have one very portable child right now, so that's my only frame of reference, though I do have 4 younger siblings).

The other thing you might consider is doing a meal at a park, which would make it easier to get from your eating location to POR, or it might be fun to eat in DTD, then take the boat to POR.

I would not plan on going directly from resort to resort to resort without a car, but that's just me.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I think you are making a better choice...we loved our Boatwrights meal this past May, it was delish and the resort was not busy so it was very relaxing. Ohana was just a mad house, terrible service and the only thing that we loved was the dessert, not keen on the rest of the food.

 

[Alsobrook]

If you are OK with letting 'Ohana be your entertainment for the evening, stick with it.


Not sure what show you mean. Are you mixing up 'Ohana with the Spirit of Aloha dinner show? Those are two different places in the same resort. 'Ohana kind of has a "show" of its own though - and you are going to be exposed to it unless you eat there late.

That's exactly what I was asking.... when I made my reservation for dinner at Ohana.... they said nothing about a show. So I'm in the dark.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I have done both and while I like 'Ohana very much the food, the meats in particular is very hit or miss.

Boatwrights has always been excellent for us and while the atmosphere is not like the Poly's, its a very solid choice. Incredibly good prime rib and other nice selections.

POR has a lot going for it in addition to Piano Bob. You could also do a carriage ride and its a lovely resort. If you are driving you could park in Downtown Disney and ride the boat over which is a very pleasant and scenic route. Just walking around the resort itself would be fun, its got a great arcade and playground.

The entertainment at 'Ohana is the worst part of the meal, its loud, that woman's singing voice makes me want to drink heavily and were it not for the salad, apps and dessert, I'd probably never go back! Being on the monorail is great if you have an MK night planned. I don't mean to sound like I hate 'Ohana because I don't (eating there next trip after a three year break) but the entertainment there for me is a reason to avoid the place, not go there!

I'd do something different and do Boatwrights, I think the kids would love Piano Bob and a carriage ride. The convenience factor alone is worth quite a bit with or without a car.

And for those not in the know, the "show" at "Ohana is a singer that sings Hawaiin songs, plays the uekele (sp?) and lets the kids do coconut races, and hoola dancing. Frankly she sounds like a cross between somebody's drunk aunt emceeing a wedding reception and bad Karoke! If you have young kids the coconut races and Hoola dancing can be fun but its weak in the overal show department.

Yeehaw Bob at POR is great act, lots of fun, very talented and the kind of thing that if I lived in the area I'd go to.

 

[nilseks]

Thank you for all the insights, and I'm glad to see some more glowing reviews about Boatwright's.

Yesterday after reading the posts I told DH I thought we were making a mistake cancelling Ohana and he was a little annoyed b/c he said the menu at Boatwright's looks good. So I said since this is our night taking out the kids, let's let the kids decide (we have plenty of other 'adult' meals planned, like Raglan Road, Kouzzina, Artist Point, etc.). I asked my son if he could remember what he thought of it when they went last year, if he liked it, etc. His response: "Mom I *HATED* that place. It was so obnoxious in there (he's not keen on noisy places) and there wasn't enough food that I like. I like the menu at Boatwright's". Welll...okay then! Decision made.

So I guess that frees up an Ohana reservation for someone who really wants it!

 

[TDC Nala]

'Ohana features a strolling singer who plays the ukulele, plus children's parades (limbo, maraca parade) through the restaurant and games (coconut roll, hula dancing, hula hooping) carried out in the middle of the restaurant. And the OP's son is correct - it's really noisy.