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Thread: Children Under 10 Prohibited at Victoria & Albert's

  1. #1
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    Children Under 10 Prohibited at Victoria & Albert's

    It was reported in today's The Orlando Sentinel that children under age ten are no longer permitted in Victoria and Albert's in the Grand Floridian.

    They have strongly discouraged them in the past, as all meals are a flat price (over $150 per person including tax and tip without alcoholic beverages or options) and there is no children's menu.

    For those not aware, V&A is one of only 46 restaurants in the country rated with Five Diamonds by AAA.

    Apparently people have complained that for the prices they were paying for elegant meals they were sometimes being ruined by rambunctious kids. Note that V&A also is the only restaurant that has actually been enforcing its dress code.

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    Wow - hard to believe people actually brought their children there, but I guess it stands to reason that kids would get rambunctious in there. It's not meant for children's attention spans at all - and shame on the parents who can't or won't see that. I for one am happy for the change, even though I have no plans to eat there. A couple spending $300 and up for a romantic dinner should be able to be free of other people's kids! Cruise ships (including Disney) have restaurants that are limited to people age 18 & older...it's a much nicer experience than family dining!

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  4. #3

    I agree with Disney's decision. Even at 12, it took some convincing to let me into V & A. Now, I was quite mature at the time and went to nice dinners often. I know that all kids are not that way (especially at 10.) And I agree that if you pay that much money, you should be allowed to have a nice dinner.
    I think it's great that Disney put their foot down on this.


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    One seriously-high-end restaurant that doesn't allow young children.

    Bravo.

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    It always blew my mind that there are people who would bring their children to places like this. It's not fun for the kids and the other diners should not have to deal with peoples kids in that type of restaurant. I have kids and would never think of taking them to any thing like that, especially since ht ere is no kids menu- I for one would not spend that kind of $$$$ to watch my kids not eat the food. I have been to The Party for The Senses the last 2 years $110-125 per person (+tax) and there where a few kids there, even babies. Why, what kind of fun is that? We left our kids in a program at the Beach Club last year and they loved it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by KJSJpipe View Post
    It always blew my mind that there are people who would bring their children to places like this.
    If you knew absolutely sure that your child could handle it (and yeah, I know, every child can have something spring up unexpectedly), I'd be ok with it, but otherwise, I'm one of those who doesn't want to deal with someone who's being really disruptive at a place like that. (I've not actually been to that restaurant, but I'm talking about high-end restaurants in general.) And it's not just about children. Adults can be really disruptive too, but at least you can kind of reason with them generally. Small children, not so much.

    I don't think Napa Rose is on the same level as Victoria's and Albert's but it puzzles me when people want to bring small children there as well. I also can't imagine why someone would want to bring a small child there and have the child be unruly or disruptive or whatever. If you're tending to the child, you're going to be seriously preoccupied, so if that happens at Napa Rose, you're spending a lot of money on food and atmosphere you're not really going to have the opportunity to enjoy.
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  8. #7
    Registered User ericles's Avatar
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    we have a 10 & 12 year old. we like taking them nice places and exposing them to different things in life. Our 10 yr. old could handle V&A's - but my 12 yr. old has recently come down with a cast of the "mouth" and symptoms include attitude, petulance, and being goofy! I expect it'll hit the 10 yr. old soon (and they are boys!)

    There are times & places for kids....and $150 pp meal and a top establishment might not be the place. My folks keep their boat in the BVI's and while recently down there they witnessed a set of parents allowing their kids to run free through out the restaurant ( a very nice place) and when one of them started climbing the rocks that formed a wall in once section of the establishment the parents were heard to say "Joey, don't do that. Joey, don't do that"....

    Joey didn't listen. Dad said they had to listen to that all thru the dinner, not that the kids listened.

    Still, I'm sure there are parents out there who "know" that their little ray of sunshine would never act up and couldn't understand why these policys are in place. It's really more about the quality of the experience for the other diners and less about potentially upset parents, although they might not see it that way.


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    All I have to say is that I think this change is for the better. While I have not been there yet, I would like to go someday. At the same time, if I am going to pay that kind of money for a dining experience, for one, I am not going to bring my kids and I really do not want to have to deal with anyone else's kids for that matter.

    I do know that there are some kids out there that would be pretty transparent to the others dining at V&A. And in those cases, I applaud the parents for teaching the children such manners.

    Would I bring my 13 year old? Most likely not. But not because that she would not be a polite young lady but it is the price that would be somewhat prohibitive. (Although I am sure she would enjoy it.)

    Yes - Disney is a family experience but it is also an experience that can (and in some cases, should) be had by adults sans kids.

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  11. #10

    In all of the threads on this subject that have popped up around the internet, I've only found 1 guy who doesn't like the change. He has kids, and they are in the well-behaved camp, and he feels it's a tragedy that they now won't be allowed in to V&A's.

    I'm with all of you - plenty of other nice places to take your kids. What's wrong with ONE place where you don't have to deal with the li'l rugrats?

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  12. #11
    Registered User ericles's Avatar
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    besides - it's not as if they've put up a sign saying - "you got kids? you're not welcome!"......

    they are simply saying, "please, no kids under 10" - so it's not as if we can't take our kids at all, ever.


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    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    He has kids, and they are in the well-behaved camp, and he feels it's a tragedy that they now won't be allowed in to V&A's.
    I'm sorry, but I fail to see how kids not being able to go to one restaurant rises to the level of "tragedy".

    And yep, as stated by others, they can go when they're older or they can go to any number of other fine dining restaurants.
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  14. #13

    While I'm not opposed to the no kids policy at all (I'd never drag my young kids to V&A) I would like to see disney offer if not for free at least a discount on the kids clubs with a reservation.

    If you add it up- over $300 for 2 adults dinner plus $11/hour per kid for babysitting, so thats about another $100. . . it looks like I won't be eating there for a while.

    There's no reason that a 50% off discount shouldn't be offered with a V&A reservation.



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    Quote Originally Posted by jengold29 View Post
    There's no reason that a 50% off discount shouldn't be offered with a V&A reservation.
    I'm looking at it from the other side. What's the reason for them offering a discount? Sure, people might like it, but what's the benefit for Disney? The only reason I can think of is if they're enticing people to go, and I can't imagine that they're hurting for diners. Yes, it's expensive to go out, especially to something like that. If you can't swing it, I'm not sure that I understand why Disney is supposed to subsidize it.
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  16. #15

    If you listen carefully, you can hear the screams of glee from all the children in the "well behaved camp" who've just been told the treat of V+A's is to be denied them. They were last seen heading towards Chef Mickey's en masse

     

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  17. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by cstephens View Post
    I'm looking at it from the other side. What's the reason for them offering a discount? Sure, people might like it, but what's the benefit for Disney? The only reason I can think of is if they're enticing people to go, and I can't imagine that they're hurting for diners. Yes, it's expensive to go out, especially to something like that. If you can't swing it, I'm not sure that I understand why Disney is supposed to subsidize it.
    Well, they do free child care for people who are dining at Shula's in the Swan, I think...? (Never done it myself as I don't have children, and I've never been to the swan or dolphin, so I could be wrong about which restaurant too) So I do see how there's a precedent to give a discount on (or free) child care, although that's also a different company, isn't it? Honestly, though, every time I've been to V&A, they appeared to have been full. I never have trouble getting a reservation, but I also do it well in advance...but I do believe that translates to them not hurting for guests. So I agree, even if there is precedent, there's no *reason* to subsidize it.

    Incidentally, my opinion is that this rule from V&A doesn't go far enough. I think the age limit should be 16 or 18 minimum. But change is slow and every journey begins with a single step.
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  19. #18

    I have taken my kids to Jiko and Flying Fish, which are "nice" places, but welcome children, and they do fine at places like that, for a meal of a normal duration. It is not as though banning children from V&A means they can only eat chicken nuggets and burgers. My kids would have no interest in sitting through a meal like that, and I would have no interest in having them there, if we decided to go.


  20. #19

    My husband and I have been to V&A, and we enjoyed it very much. I am not sorry that they have imposed this rule, and I do not plan to take my kids there on our upcoming trip, even though they are technically old enough to go.

    When we went to V&A before, our kids went to the Neverland Club at the Poly and had a great time. They are counting on a repeat visit there, and my husband and I figured that we'd try to get a reservation at V&A that evening.

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  21. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kwahati View Post
    Well, they do free child care for people who are dining at Shula's in the Swan, I think...?
    It is not free child care.

    Everyone who dines in Shula's pays for some of the guests to have "free" child care. I am sure that neither the Swan, Westin, nor Starwood are doing this out of the goodness of their corporate hearts. I am sure that Shula's is billed by the Child Care Center, just as they are billed by the valet parking company for the validated parking.

    So the cost for the child care is built into the cost of all meals served at that restaurant.
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  22. #21
    Registered User littlej's Avatar
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    So let me get this straight, couples who dine at Shula's who leave their child(ren) at Shula's child care are not charged an additional fee over what is being charged to the couple without children? (I just want to make sure I'm getting the fact correct.) If so, that's good to know.

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    This link has a link to a story about the ban.

    Things I don't get from the article:

    To me, this decision was anything but grand. It completely contradicts the family-friendly image that the Disney Company has cultivated and promoted for decades.
    So does that mean Pleasure Island should be demolished?

    Only a handful of top restaurants across the country have rules that ban children.
    I'm going to figure that in most cases, that's because they're stand-alone restaurants where people wouldn't dream of taking their kids along. But if they're at a Disney park, then all bets are off, regardless of what kind of restaurant it is.

    We all know what it's like dealing with kids and wanting to have a relaxing night out, but we're talking about the family vacation at Disney World. There are 51 other weeks in the year they can hire a babysitter and go out and have a kids-free dinner at any elegant, exclusive restaurant. If you're on a family vacation, then spend it as a family.
    Ummm, yeah, so spend it as a family and go to one of the bazillion other restaurants on Walt Disney World property.

    Some of the pro-ban parents that were interviewed seemed to want to have it both ways - Disney's legendary family-friendly environment and an "adults only" restaurant. It's the same story I get from many parents who get harried after spending a few hours with their kids at Chuck-E-Cheese.
    I've never been to V & A, but I'm guessing it's not a family-friendly environment per se. I can see wanting an adults-only restaurant coupled with Disney's attention to detail and theming and service - that's not just for kids. And using Chuck E. Cheese as a comparison is just plain stupid.


    I could see the uproar if they were banning kids under a certain age from something like Goofy's Kitchen or Chef Mickey's or even Storytellers. But something like V&A? One frickin' restaurant? One frickin' 5 star restaurant? Seriously? The world is coming to an end and Walt is spinning in his grave? Please.
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  24. #23
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    Ummm...not everyone who goes to Disney has kids. Or some people take their grown kids. Heck some people who aren't even married go together (like siblings or best friends or neighbors.) Disney isn't just for families with little kids.

    I will be going on my honeymoon to V&A's, and it's our first special meal as husband and wife. We'll run around the parks like kids at heart, but want one special night together for a bit of romance. Disney is all about princes and princesses and romance afterall.

     

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