Will we enjoy Spirit of Aloha?

[bethanysmom]

We have the Spirit dinner show booked for September to celebrate our "Family Day", the anniversary of our daughter's adoption. Would love to hear reviews to make sure this is the one for us!

 

[Goofy'slady]

Although alot of folks on the boards may disagree with me my family have been twice and the second time was just last year and we enjoyed ourselves both times. If you go there thinking you're going to get an authentic Luau then don't bother. My father was born and raised in Hawaii and we still have family there, not to mention my sister and BIL bought a home there a few years ago so they go several times a year and she's been to a real luau and says she loves 'em.

Disney's version is family fun and gives you a little taste of the islands. I love the dancing and the fire dancer is awesome. My family loved the food. Hawaiian food is one that is simple food, so when most people think Hawaiian food they think it's gonna be something soooo tropical and while some food there is tropical you'd be surprise just how little fruit or other tropical ingredients are used in their cooking. Again we enjoyed it and I think you will too but if you're expectations are through the roof high you might wanna sit this one out. It can get a bit pricey depending on how many are in your party and if you're willing to pay for the first tier or second tier seats. Last year our party of 5(three adults, 1 child 8yrs old and our 22month old was free) cost 360'something, we paid for the first tier seats.
As a matter of fact we we seated in the front row of tables smack dab in the center of the stage, it was perfect seating.

Enjoy! Aaaalooooha!!!

T.

 

[mickeynut1]

We went for the first time in September and we enjoyed it We thought the food was great We will definitely go back again sometime

 

[DaisyD]

I hated it. Honestly, we thought the show was beyond cheesey to the point of just embarrassed that Disney could put out such a lame show and have the nerve to charge for it. The food was forgettable. I personally wouldn't go back again if they offered it to me for free. A total waste of time for us.

 

[babiebelle]

I hated it. Honestly, we thought the show was beyond cheesey to the point of just embarrassed that Disney could put out such a lame show and have the nerve to charge for it. The food was forgettable. I personally wouldn't go back again if they offered it to me for free. A total waste of time for us.

I would say the first 15 min of the show are cheese-y. It gets much better as the show goes on. We were pleasantly suprised at how much we enjoyed it. It's def something we would do again. We expected the food to be mediocre.

 

[Dawn68PA]

This was one thing we were sad to have to leave off our schedule for our next trip. We went in '06 and loved it. The food was excellent! The show had a few slow points but all in all decent entertainment. I would recommend it!

 

[bethanysmom]

Thank you for the reviews. It sounds like something we will enjoy!

 

[kxmeeh]

We chose this show as our christmas night dinner. it was so wonderful and made for an extremly special last night for disney. my favorite part is that if anyone is celebrating something special, you can go up on stage and learn how to do a hula dance. you should let your server know about the special occasion! the youngest in our party was 6, and was totally mesmerized. the food was delicious!!! i tried to book it again, but only had the 5 pm show available. with the fire-dancers, i would not want to see this show during daylight. they do have a kid friendly meal available if your children do not like the dinner they bring. i would recommend not missing this!

 

[Stitchfans]

We went twice and that was only because our oldest DD hadn't been there. The food is pretty good but the entertainment was ok. I prefer the food and entertainment at Hoop Dee Doo Revue much more.

 

[frdeb1999]

We have done both HDDR and Spirt of Aloha show and I don't think you can go wrong with either. While the first bit is indeed "cheesy" , the rest of the show is wonderful, as is the food and service. Now depending on what the age of your dd is I'd almost opt for the HDDR....not something you mentioned...but IMO is so much more fun for younger ages. Both are wonderful though and you'll be celebrating a wonderful event....congratulations!!

 

[bethanysmom]

Thanks. Our DD will be 11 in Sept. This will be our 6 year celebration. I think she may enjoy the Aloha more since she is older and loves the luau theme

 

[frdeb1999]

I think you may be right. They have a time where the kids can go on stage and I think she will really enjoy that....great photo opts also!

 

[daisyduck123]

We really enjoyed it when we went on Dec. 22.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

The food was fantastic, the show was horrible...laughable even. It was not a "luau" but a very lame show about a girl coming back to the islands and rediscovering her roots after living in the city. It was not entertaining at all.

 

[mpls_mm]

Ok, here is a different point of view. I grew up in Florida and have been to Disney dozens of times, i was there when Epcot and MGM opened. When I was a little girl, I remember going to the show. I must have been 9 or 10, so 20 years ago. I don't know if the show is the same but I remember feeling so grown up and drinking out of a big Tiki glass and watching the show, the dancers and the fire. I felt like the only person in the room. That will always be my favorite memory of Disney. Since then I have not been again, I either find it is sold out or it was too expensive. We are going this September and I got seats this time. It might be cheesy and the food might not be great, but my daughter is 9 and I think she will think it is magical, too. I sold my souvenir glass from there a few years ago on Ebay and the bidding was crazy, I wonder how many other people like me remember that show and wanted a reminder?

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Ok, here is a different point of view. I grew up in Florida and have been to Disney dozens of times, i was there when Epcot and MGM opened. When I was a little girl, I remember going to the show. I must have been 9 or 10, so 20 years ago. I don't know if the show is the same but I remember feeling so grown up and drinking out of a big Tiki glass and watching the show, the dancers and the fire. I felt like the only person in the room. That will always be my favorite memory of Disney. Since then I have not been again, I either find it is sold out or it was too expensive. We are going this September and I got seats this time. It might be cheesy and the food might not be great, but my daughter is 9 and I think she will think it is magical, too. I sold my souvenir glass from there a few years ago on Ebay and the bidding was crazy, I wonder how many other people like me remember that show and wanted a reminder?

I gave my opinion of the show a few posts back. This was my review of the show in summer '06. I ALSO have very fond memories of the show as a kid, once when I was 9 and once at 13. Like you, I LOVED the show then. This is why at 25 I couldn't wait to go with DBF and it was a completely different show. Not at all what it used to be.

 

[TatenEly]

Before I give my opinion, I want to say that with so many different tastes, you should go and experience it for yourself...nothing at Disney is a waste to me, it is all memories and now "I" know if it is something I would want to make more memories of...make sense?

That said, we would not make this a priority on another trip. We too were there on 12/25/07 and made it our Grand Gathering of 16 Christmas Dinner.
It starts with a picture of your party before you enter and while the pictures turned out nice (see below)....the photographer was a little agitated that we wanted a picture of the entire group and then our individual families (3 separate for a total of 4 pictures...no biggie) that set a tone that was not very Disney or Christmas like for me....Still I was excited for the show and FOOD!!. We had Group 2 seating and we were all at one long table that really left you no room to move...no way for the server to walk between our table and the ones behind us so we had to pass our dishes and drinks down the table...not a problem, just not what I expected.
Waitress must have drank the same "Crabby Juice" as the Photog (I know it is Christmas so they wanted to be home but does that mean I get the brunt of it?) she was not fun and added nothing to the evening.
The Food LOOKED great (see below) but I was disappointed...the ribs were soaked in BBQ sauce and the chicken was dry. I am NOT picky at all, I will eat just about anything but I went back to eating some salad and bread I kept before they stole it away prior to brining out the dinner platters.
The Dessert was the WORST in my opinion. A rasberry lava chocolate cake? I kept thinking,,,this is not it, there has got to be another option...but no, that was it. For 2 credits, I thought there should be at least another option?
The show was fun...not Academy Award winning or anything but still interesting and talented dancing. The Fire Dancer was great!!

That said, I will still remember it as a wonderful Christmas Dinner that I got to have in Disney World of all places!! Nothing is better!

Sorry if I sound like a spoiled brat but that is how our experience went. Still I recommend you try and see for yourself

Our Entire Group

Just Us

Salad and Pineapple Bread (best of all the food we had)

Main Course (Ribs, Rice, Veggie Medly & Chicken)

Dessert (Rasberry Chocolate Lava Cake w/Caramel Sauce???)

Fire Dancer!!

 

[*Emily*]

We had a group of 12 that did the show last September. It was fun-ish. The desert was horrible tho. Plus it was sooo hot and humid that day and the waiting area to be seated was PACKED, so many sweaty people, it was gross.

 

[*Emily*]

Dessert (Rasberry Chocolate Lava Cake w/Caramel Sauce???)

I believe it a pineapple sauce that it's served with. Either way, it's definitely up to Disney standards for a dessert

 

[emmabemmainc]

I would definitely recommend it! We went last Sept.--and my 6 year old daughter LOVED it! She got to go up and learn the hula and had a wonderful time. I think your family will really enjoy themselves. The food is decent, the show is cute and the atmosphere is magical! Have a blast!