What was Ohana before it was named Ohana?

[missypie]

I assume that Ohana has only been named Ohana since Lilo and Stitch came out. What was it named before? Did they rename an exisiting restaurant that already had the skewered meat concept, or did they close down a restaurant to open Ohana as we know it today?

 

[HeatherPage]

It was named 'Ohana with the skewered meat dinner before Lilo & Stich came out. Now what kind of restaurant and what it was called before that (before the skewered meat dinner), I'm not sure.

 

[jenny2]

When we ate at the character breakfast there in 1991 I'm pretty sure it was called O'Hana then.

 

[Maleficent13]

I believe it used to be called the Papetee Bay Veranda (excuse spelling).

We never ate there, but I don't think it was anything like Ohana's is now. I don't know when the transition happened.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I believe it used to be called the Papetee Bay Veranda (excuse spelling).

We never ate there, but I don't think it was anything like Ohana's is now. I don't know when the transition happened.

Yes, that was the name. It was very different back then. No open kitchen as we know it now. They had a buffet breakfast with all the usual fare, and used to give every guest a button that said "I had breakfast with Minnie" on it (very cute - Minnie had a hula skirt on).

 

[missypie]

It was named 'Ohana with the skewered meat dinner before Lilo & Stich came out. Now what kind of restaurant and what it was called before that (before the skewered meat dinner), I'm not sure.

Interesting. "Ohana" must have seemed like an exotic name before we all knew the word from Lilo and Stitch.

 

[HeatherPage]

After Lilo & Stitch came out, I speculated if they (Lilo and Stitch) might be added to the character breakfast - apparently not, oh well

 

[CamColt]

I believe it used to be called the Papetee Bay Veranda (excuse spelling).

Thats it! I knew it was something else but I couldnt think of it so I refrained from posting. Thanks for the answer. It would have driven me nuts all day.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Missypie, I was amused by your question, not to laugh at you, please don't take me the wrong way, if I didn't know I would have thought the same thing as do tons of other people I'm sure. I was amused because ohana in the movie worked, great advertising! I ate at 'Ohana back in 1997 and it didn't really seem "exotic" in a weird kind of way, one would just assume that a resturant in the Polynesian resort would have a Polynesian kind of name. At the AKL they got Boma and Jiko, I just assume they mean something in African. I'm sure Disney put the word 'Ohana in L&S for marketing the resturant. The same reason Disney came out with Pirates of the Carribean, Haunted Masion, and Country Bear Jamboree Movies. Usually attractions at Disney are based on Disney movies or other media but I'm sure if we thought about it we could think of other examples where Disney has borrowed concepts from park attractions. I heard someone on another post say that they heard a woman in the Pirates telling her family how Disney opened the ride after the success of the new movie. OMG! I got that Minnie button somewhere too, it was Minnie's polynesian Breakfast, or somthing to that effect. I was 7 when I was there.

 

[BCV23]

When we first started going to the Polynesian in 1983, Papeete Bay Verandah wasn't yet a character breakfast. It was a wonderful buffet in the morning and at lunch and a la carte for dinner. A very quiet experiance with that beautiful view and good food.

There was a charcter breakfast in the South Seas Dining Room and a buffet dinner there as well but without characters. This was on the first floor.

Ah, memories.

 

[Crazy Hakim]

I assume that Ohana has only been named Ohana since Lilo and Stitch came out. What was it named before? Did they rename an exisiting restaurant that already had the skewered meat concept, or did they close down a restaurant to open Ohana as we know it today?

Here is a review I wrote back in 1995 for the Prodigy Disney Fans BB!

DINNER - 'Ohana - Disney's Polynesian Resort
Hours: Breakfast 7:30 - 11 a.m. daily; Dinner 4:30 - 10 p.m. daily
Reservations: Recommended
Phone: (407) WDW-DINE
Non-smoking section: Smoking not permitted
Price: Fixed price, $19.50, $13.00 ages 12-16, $8.00 ages 3-11
Drinks: All drinks are extra.
'Ohana is a fun restaurant with good food served skewer-style. There is no menu just sit down and the food starts to arrive. Just make sure you're seated in the main dining room, otherwise you will miss all the fun.

Last night (May 27, 1995) we visited 'Ohana, the new restaurant at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort, formerly the Papeete Bay Verandah.
The name of this newest Disney restaurant means family. 'Ohana is very much participatory dining you may be invited to clap along with a song, provide some of the lyrics, play an instrument, try your hand (or more specifically your hips) at a hula-hoop contest.
'Ohana is a skewer-service restaurant. Skewer service means that the foods are delivered to your table on long rods and portioned onto your plate by the server. These are accompanied by a lazy·Susan filled with a variety of salads and sauces. There is no menu just sit down and the food starts to arrive.
As you are escorted to your table, your hostess will explain some of the decorations and traditions. She will instruct you to greet all servers as "cousin" and perform that surfer's hand signal, thumb and pinkie shake, to all your cousins. You stop at the fire pit, and she will get you some bread. A sort of breaking of the bread tradition.
We were taken to our table, and our server told us that "The Storyteller" would be out. Well, she never came out. Some of the other tables were progressing, but, I guess, they were waiting for our table to fill up. We ate bread, drank water, ordered drinks and waited.
Finally, the salads arrived. They were placed in the center of the table, lazy-Susan style. The salads include 'Ohana leaves, six kinds of lettuce torn into bite-size pieces and dressed with a honey lime sauce. Napa slaw features Napa cabbage tossed in a dressing of race wine vinegar, and soy sauce, seasoned with parsley, green onion and fresh cilantro, which was the most dominant flavor. The "fruity berry" salad is on the table for the kids. Its red color and jamlike texture is attractive and the, sweet flavors of apple sauce, mandarin oranges, bananas and fresh beeves make it tasty. a tomato ginger sauce, and toasted sesame peanut sauce for dipping. Steamed siu mai dumplings are classified as a salad, too.
The first of the skewered foods to arrive included a couple of sausages, a smoked chicken and apple sausage and a Hawaiian sausage, stuffed with pork, garlic and parsley. The chicken sausage tasted like a "no-fat" hot dog to me. I didn't get any apple taste from it. The Hawaiian sausage was very good and flavorful. Danielle liked them both, but only ate 1/2 of each, Michael didn't like either.
These were followed by skewers loaded with sliced hunks of turkey breast and beef. The turkey was tender with a wonderful smoky flavor. Our server suggested putting the berry salad on the turkey. This was a good suggestion! I thought the turkey was a little dry without it. The beef had a different kind of smoky flavor, which it got from mesquite wood. Danielle complained that some of the beef was rare. Michael liked the turkey.
Next they brought over a wok of Poly Veggies & soft noodles, you can't fool me that's Lo-Mein! We all dug into that!
Next there are big, teriyaki pork ribs, good and tender and jumbo shrimp. The shrimp were huge, but they had not been peeled, so it was necessary to dig in and get a little messy. One bit of caution: You get only one plate and all this food is piled upon it. If you're one of those people who takes a lot of food but doesn't eat it all, your plate is going to be pretty messy by the end of the meal. We took an empty plate from the table and filled it up!
Take note, each entree is brought to the table and one or two portions are placed in you dish. The foods are billed as "all you can eat," but, you MUST ask for more, it is not directly offered. Michael liked the turkey, so I had to request more after the shrimp had been passed out.
Finally, some entertainment began. Our "Aunt" from Hawaii came out with a ukulele, and walked around the tables talking. She found out what birthdays or anniversaries were being celebrated, or where you were from. She sang a song. Then they passed out traditional instruments and we sang another song. She had to leave (I'm sure she is the same woman who narrates the Luau show) and a young Hawaiian guy took over.
After the meats, a boat of sliced pineapple is served with a caramel sauce for dipping.
The next thing brought to the table was the check. I mentioned the drinks were not included, so here are some sample prices: Mai Tai or Pina Colada- $5.75, Mickey Mouse - $2.75, Virgin Pina Colada - $3.75.
My wife got a coffee and apparently it was included, but we had to ask for it.

Suggestions:
1. Make a later reservation, the first seating was slow to start, the room was half empty.
2. Sit at a table (in front of the Fire Pit).
3. Don't be shy! You want more ASK! Disney is NOT shy about the price you are charged so make the most of it.