Disney World restaurant bans children

Source: AP

ORLANDO, Fla. - The home of Mickey Mouse, Tigger and Tinkerbell has banned kids from its fanciest restaurant.

Beginning this week, children under 10 are no longer welcome at Victoria & Albert's in the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Victoria & Albert's is Walt Disney World's only restaurant with an AAA five-diamond rating.

snip...

Only about three families a month ever brought young children to Victoria & Albert's, said Rosemary Rose, Disney's vice president for food, beverage and merchandise operations.

Men are required to wear jackets, and women must wear dresses or pantsuits. The hushed atmosphere features live harp music, and the menu, which changes daily, offers seven-course dinners that can last as long as three hours. Prices start at $125 a person.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080105/ap_on_fe_st/odd_restaurant_no_children

---

My wife and I had dinner there for our anniversary a few weeks ago. This was No restaurant for children. There were none there during our three hour dinner. Kids would Hate the place.

It was the best meal we'd ever had. Worth every penny.

:popcorn:

Okay, go!

:beer:

However, children are allowed to work freely in their toy factories.

:thumbsup:

So, when Walt Disney died, the company was taken over by Dr. No?

Not too many people know that.

:eyes:

Haven't you seen all the half human - half animal creatures running around his "amusement parks?"

Touche!!

A single restaurant out of 97 that caters to adults is perfectly fine with me.

Get it? "Sounds" good...

Hee, hee, hee.

I'll probably never go to Disney World, but there are so many restaurants in our area that allow kids to run up and down the aisles screaming, throwing tantrums and generally making nuisances of themselves. Their parents don't bother to discipline them and the restaurants do nothing because they don't want to offend them, and potentially lose their business.

I can't count the number of meals that have been ruined by this, and the restaurants have lost my business.

And these are not fast food joints, or "family restaurants."

Maybe Disney World will start a new trend. I hope so.

I'd go into the bar area, especially at Red Robin, where the entire place was smoke-free. Out there, they didn't allow kids in the bars, but crimeny, the little buggers are running all over the place here, and in New Jersey!

Remember smoking and non-smoking sections on airliners? I'd pay an extra $50 for a ticket in a no-brat-kicking-the-back-of-my-seat-next-to-his-yowling-baby-brother section.

heading west, bushed from their days in the park. Others were entranced by digital movies on their DigiPlayers. That's a new wrinkle for airlines. Thank goodness.

We were about an hour late into SeaTac because of 150 mph headwinds and air traffic that night.

Ever done a red eye with a screaming child running up and down the isles? I would pay $200 extra for that ticket.

There are places kids do not need to be. Get a sitter or do not go.

that requires an airplane ride, getting a sitter or not going usually isn't a realistic choice.

I have flown with my children when they were babies, toddlers, young children, and they weren't always the perfect passengers, I'm sorry to say. However, I can tell you that I never let them run up and down the aisles, and I've almost never seen that happen on flights. I always feel very sorry for the parents when I hear or see babies or very young children acting up in any way, because I know what it feels like from their side.

Just saying I would pay extra for a flight that did not have them. On really long flights first class is a safe bet (for sanity's sake, on the company dime) for a quiet flight.

2 hours I can take anything. Over 5 and it becomes an issue. Overseas it becomes torture.

On an overseas flight, when my youngest was two, he finally fell asleep, and then when he woke up about an hour before landing he started screaming because he didn't want to be held, didn't want to be touched, and of course there was no where to set him down by himself. It was a very unpleasant fifteen minutes.

It's such a genuine shame that first class is so expensive, because you don't find kids there too often, but I know that's a totally impractical solution. Plus, of course, you could be in the last row of first and a crying baby is in the first row of coach.

I don't know if you have kids yourself, but speaking for myself, I can say that since I had kids of my own I can tolerate other crying or otherwise unpleasant kids better than before. Doesn't mean I don't frequently think unkind thoughts about what kind of parents are tolerating behavior I am certain I never tolerated in my kids.

I suppose an Adults Only airline wouldn't actually be a practical possibility.

And someday, when yours are grown and gone, you'll be even less tolerant of other's brats than you were in your pre-child days. It's sort of an "I've been there, done that, did not inflict my kids on anybody else (unless it was absolutely necessary), and I've had my fill," kind of feeling.

and gone. And while I'm slightly less tolerant that I was several years ago, I NEVER think of anyone's children as brats. What I've mostly noticed is that too many people whose kids are grown and gone have forgotten that their kids were young once and were thought of as brats. It's kind of like the pre-kid people who say "I'll never let my kids do THAT" and in the end they let their kids do THAT and maybe worse.

Amnesia is a wonderful thing.

Airlines should provide something to parents that will help babies' ears adjust to changes in air pressure, especially as the plane is descending.

I see many babies begin to cry as the plane starts to descend. The parents usually do the best they can to confort the child, but the child is in such pain -- their ears hurt.

If you have ever experience ear pain yourself, then imagine what it must be like for a small infant.

Airline companies should give parents something to help the babies.

I remember, when I was very little, a stewardess gave me a pair of cups with hot paper towels stuffed in them. I put those on my ears and they really helped a lot!

whose parents choose not to even TRY to control them, IMO.

The baby on my last flight was such a little angel......meanwhile there was this 3 year old who just whined and cried and cried......at least pre-flight.
Very petulant.

I've been on flights with babies who cried almost the entire time. Drove me nuts.

Now that I've had kids it doesn't bother me a bit. I sleep right through it (one of the benefits of parenthood).

Toddlers have some self control, but it is limited. Being forced to sit in an airport for several hours waiting for a flight would make most 3 year olds tired and whiny, IMO. If there is room to walk the kid up and down or to let him spread out on the floor with a toy or two, there is half a chance of keeping the child calm. If the waiting area is crowded, forget about it!

Geez. :eyes:

But if you choose to want to smack around a kid like that, that's your call, not mine.

with benadryl, so that they'll conk out.:sarcasm:

they would just love to take the kids, I'm sure.

And I bet you bitch about the lack of quality education, too.

Not allowing them to travel via plane would restrict real-life learning experience.

One of the best meals I ever had in my life was at that restaurant! Memorable.

It's an experience.

What about babyfree movie theatres?

even to films with a 'not recommended for under 13' there'll be some idiot bringing a small child. There was an boy of about eight sitting behind us in Beowulf and I have no doubt that someone will bring a 6 year old to Sweeney Todd. I fear for their physical safety as well as their psychological safety...I've been in theatres where the small child tried to run for the exit when it got bloody/noisy/etc only to trip and fall. The infants tend to fall asleep early but I still worry about their hearing. As for the older-ish kids, either the parents wait for DVD (which isn't long these days), hire a sitter or go on alternate nights. So you don't get to see a movie together for a couple of years...big deal.

I find it difficult to relax and enjoy a movie if I know there's some little kid being subjected to material above their ability to process and I have to wonder if these same jerks are taking small kids to things like SAW and HOSTEL. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

into R rated movies. When I saw "Traffic" the morons in front of me had a 3ish kid with them. Really.

Same with "Sin City" little kids with cletus parents..

and the noise doesn't bother me as much as the idea of growing up in their household.

It's not just babies. Idiots have always brought them.

Adults think it's ok to talk and take phone calls in theaters now.

They think the theater is their living room.

This is why we have a 65" Sony and rarely go to the movies any more.

but they are ruining the idea of a "public consciousness", which not only includes being respectful of others' audio environment, but also spontaneous dialogue between strangers. It used to be more commonplace, and I miss it.

I am a quiet person, not a conflict seeker type..

But have had to sound off in a theater, "this is not your living room, please be quiet"

I have seen others, take it further. I am intolerant of shitheads in a theater.

with kids, babies or adults. i go to restaraunt and no problems with kids... go to grocery store and make it thru fine. i wonder these select people that find all the problem children where ever they may go

those who expect that because they have a child, that all around them must accommodate them - even in an adult restaurant or theatre. Have you priced a movie lately? When I pay out that kind of money for a relaxing time, that's what I want - to relax.

demanding exactly what you are bitching about. as i said, with kids i about only see the kiddie movie. and still in these kiddie movies exclusively for kids i have no problems with the parents or the child causing a problem in my experience at the movies. the problem child or parent of children seem to gravitate to just a few whining adults demanding their child free environment, or being accommodated. i hear a lot of adults doing their bitching and demands of accommodation at the very site of a child. how offensive the mere sight seem to be for a handful of so called adults.

Like another poster said, one restaurant out of 100 that caters to adults only is perfectly understandable. Usually if I want to go somewhere were screaming kids are not near me, I have to go to a strip club for dinner. :evilgrin:

If parents don't like it they can go eat and enjoy the atmosphere at Chuckie Cheese (which I'm told bans adults without
children).

The review from Frommers even states "not recommended for children".

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/waltdisneyworld/D39355.html

The Chefs Table looks interesting...

"The Chef's Table: The Best Seat in the World--There's a special dining option at Victoria & Albert's. Reserve the Chef's Table (far, far in advance) and dine in a charming alcove hung with copper pots and dried flower wreaths at an elegantly appointed candlelit table in the heart of the kitchen! Begin by sipping bubbly with the chef while discussing your food preferences for a menu (up to 13 courses) created especially for you. There's a cooking seminar element to this experience: Diners get to tour the kitchen and observe the artistry of the chefs at work. The Chef's Table can accommodate up to 10 people a night. It's a leisurely affair, lasting 3 or 4 hours. The price is $125 per person without wine, $185 including five wines. This is so popular that Disney takes Priority Seating reservations 180 days in advance, so reserve early by calling.....".

and righteousness going on

My kids would rather hang out at the concession stand anyway. They get bored to tears after we're out somewhere for an hour.

Now, my burning question is...does V&A's ban cell phones? That's a lot more of a disturbance to my dining experience (and movie experience, citing a few PP's here) than a couple of kids. There's nothing more annoying than someone loudly yapping away on their phone at the most inopportune moments.

And they do ask you to switch off cell phones when they seat you.

Disney World, after all, is becoming a big honeymoon destination- although having a dinner with screaming kids may be the birth control that a couple needs to wait on starting a family.:sarcasm:


Seriously, during my last meal at an upscale restaurant, we were seated next to a family of it looked like the young couple, toddler in tow and both parents. The kid was adorable, but she was bored and could not sit still. It was not a matter of her screaming or being noisy, it was a matter of her running around. And that, in itself, is a big safety hazard to any waitstaff, just darn annoying for people seated nearby.
As any parent can tell you, they can not sit still for any length of time. It is almost child abuse to expect them to be.

Kids don't have to be everywhere, despite how some parents may feel.

I have no problem with the dress code, either. There is nothing wrong with dressing nicely to go out to dinner.

Not necessarily for the food, but dress here is so casual, nobody really dresses for anything, much less dinner.

puts in a place to give adults a respite. Horror of horrors. :eyes:

For realiously... :hide:

I'm very familiar with all things Walt Disney World, and V&A is a VERY upscale restaurant - the most upscale in all of WDW. There are literally hundreds of restaurants - from counter service to fancy sit-down meals - where children are MORE than welcome.

I don't have a problem with this in the least.

It enforces itself, as kids hate the place.

Prices starting at $125 per person - :rofl: Who would take their kids there? The DuPonts? Those kids would be exceptionally well behaved even if they brought them there.

We took our kids (7 and 4) to the Sunday Brunch at the Deer Park Inn at Biltmore Estate. They behaved like they do for dinner at home. My son, who is seven, called it soothing. There was harp and violin music as well as fine crystal glasses on the table (we all four ate for about 90 bucks).

My children sat there, ate new foods they had never tried before from the brunch buffet, and we had four sets of grandparents come by and compliment them on their behavior.

Put the same two kids in a chain restaurant with loud TVs, music and other screaming kids, and they have trouble behaving as well (too much stimulation especially for my four year old who has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)).

That being said, I would NEVER take my kids to V&A. Five star restaurants are not meant for kids at all. Disney has 100 other places most suitable for children that they would enjoy more.

They have a five course meal that is simply amazing, and it's suit and tie and dresses, too. Very classy. For kids, they tend to sit those families in certain areas of the dining room and have a buffet of kid food just for the children. It worked very well when we were there this summer, though we didn't have our kids with us. Why can't the restaurant do something similar?

I cannot imagine going to Disneyworld.

It wastes so much electricty.

It is one of the best examples of conspicuous American consumption gone wild.

The thought that people eagerly plop down $1001's of dollars to take themselves and their kids to a place like Disneyworld just shows how stupid and crazy we Americans are.

It's not just Americans that enjoy Disneyworld, because of the weak dollar a trip to The States, including to Disney, are a huge bargain for Europeans.

Frankly, it doesn't even sound like anywhere I'D want to go. Too expensive, too stodgy, too long of a wait.

Because I witness far more adults behaving inappropriately in resturants, in theaters or on airplanes than I do children.

by childrens behavior. i am right there with you. the irony of these threads amaze me. the battle ready to be fought and not a parent has issue with this restaraunt declaring it child free.

If you are in a resturant with a kids menu and cups of crayons at the front desk or at a G rated Disney movie and are complaining about the presense of children - YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE.

My parents started taking me to fancy resturants when I turned six. I never bothered anybody, I liked the fancy meals and being treated like an adult. But quite often there were people who would demand to be moved because this little fucker had dared infringe on their grown-up time. To this day if I see some couple dishonestly complaining about children I will speak up in their defense.

Inappropriate public behavior is not the exclusive domain of any age, gender, race or class. But the hatred of children and the "breeders" who unleashed them is something that makes me extremely angry.

If a restaurant is not equipped with either a kids' menu or high chairs, children don't belong there. Period.

The "celebration" restaurant at our house is Daniel's Broiler. We go there infrequently, but we look forward to our visits long in advance. We're also putting money away to PAY for that visit long in advance. Daniel's caters to adults who love fine food, excellent service, and enjoy a fine evening out. I might also mention that they are known in Seattle as the "expense account" restaurant, so there are multiple business dinners going on there most nights a week.

On a prior visit to Daniel's, we were treated to someone else's five-and-two-year old children running all over the restaurant. It was their "birthday party". A five and two year old will find nothing on the menu that's attractive to them. There are no high chairs, crayons, or other accoutrements of entertaining a child there. To host what we were told was a "birthday party" there is nothing short of ridiculous.

We enjoy as much of a right to a nice evening out as those who think they're so exceptional that their kids should be entertained in a restaurant they're bored silly at.

>But the hatred of children and the "breeders" who unleashed them is something that makes me extremely angry.<

I find it interesting that anyone here expressing any opinion whatsoever that they'd like the opportunity for a quiet dinner out with other adults immediately "hates children". I also find it interesting that those of us who do not have children are censored, while those who do are free to name-call and distort as much as they'd like.

Julie

.....your parents could see you'd behave in a fancy restaurant. And you liked being there. Most kids lose interest after 20 minutes and want to start running around the table. And the problem with parents nowadays is they are more than willing to sit there for two hours and say "stop that"....."sit down"...."please behave"....."cut that out"....and annoy everyone else instead of giving one warning to the kid and then getting up and leaving with them.

.....restaurants will more than likely throw an adult customer out who's being a problem. With children, it's just accepted that they can be bratty and out of control and get away with it.

and engulfed them, as they have so many other once-worthy items.

kind of place I'd like to eat at. :thumbsup:

Parents need to learn that once they have children life is no longer "all about them". If they want to have a fancy romantic dinner- get a sitter. If they want family time then for goodness sake pick a place the child can also enjoy.

If you have a toddler, I suggest someplace with crayons on the table.

3 hours of boredom. Harps, lol. I'm wearing my best suit and calling some friends!

"Lets go get us some slop!"

I hate discrimination.

Next, they'll not allow people with black hair - too distracting. Or people with facial scars - too yucky and disturbing.

I probably cook better than them, anyway and I hate Florida, but plan to make the nauseating journey next year to take the kids.

Do you not go to bars because they can't serve people under 21?

Seriously. Disney is a failed brand. Their heyday was with top movies. Now they're non-existent. Time to move on from the Magic Kingdom. They do have their Pride Days, so I can't say that they're all bad. They're just under the radar now.