Signature Dining: Yachtsman Steakhouse

This post was originally featured on MouseBuzz.

On my family’s most recent trip to Walt Disney World, we chose the Deluxe Dining Plan. To make the most of this experience, we chose a few Signature meals.

Signature meals are among Disney’s most delicious – and expensive – options. In fact, for the Plus Dining and Deluxe Dining plans, two table service credits are required to “pay” for your meal. It does seem a bit steep, but in many cases, they are very much worth the expense.

Photo courtesy of Alex4981 on Flickr

My personal vote for a Signature meal? Yachtsman Steakhouse.

Now, I wouldn’t advise anyone that’s averse to meat to go to Yachtsman … because thick, juicy, delicious steaks are their calling card. Quite possibly, Yachtsman cooked up the best steak I’ve ever had. My husband and I are “foodies”, so that’s saying a lot.

Upon arrival, we checked in at the hostess stand. Our table wasn’t quite ready, so we were shown into the Crew’s Cup Lounge. This full bar offered not only the typical bar seating, but several comfortable booth-and-table setups. They also had several flat-screen TVs on the walls for your viewing pleasure.
Our table was ready quickly, and we were escorted to the dining room. There are several “rooms”, with many tables. There was a mix of family tables as well as those clearly on a kid-free night out.



Photo courtesy of Dilbertian on Flickr

We quickly chose our meals, including my daughter who is still a Disney Child (for one more year). The kid’s menu included some steak, so of course she was happy. The server guided us through the menu; including pointing out some of the more adventurous choices, since we had mentioned that we liked to try new foods. He deftly suggested the charcuterie plate, the cheese sampler, and the escargot. My daughter, not nearly as adventurous as the rest of the family, went with the safe-and-tasty chicken noodle soup. For our entrées, each of us ordered steak. My husband, his daughter, and I all ordered the filet mignon; my daughter had the children’s steak meal. For dessert, I chose the crème brulee, my husband had the lemon dessert, and my stepdaughter had a chocolate concoction. However, our desserts all pared in comparison to my daughter’s. She got the Mickey Puzzle … a white chocolate puzzle with a paintbrush and three delicious sauce “paints”. We all had a great time putting the puzzle together, and helping her paint it.

Now that we’re back home, we are still talking about our delicious meal at Yachtsman. It was one of the culinary highlights of our vacation. I highly recommend making reservations at Yachtsman Steakhouse if you have the opportunity – it was delicious!

Exploring Your Disney Resort

This post was originally featured on MouseBuzz.

One of the most overlooked opportunities for making memories on your Disney vacation is to spend time exploring your resort.

At every price point, your Disney resort offers great opportunities for family time. Many people miss what’s offered right outside your hotel room door, in an effort to spend every waking moment at the parks. Of course, going to the park is the main reason you visit Walt Disney World. But you can really miss out on some amazing memories if you don’t take the chance to stop and enjoy your resort.

In your travel documents, there is more to see than just your luggage tags. Really! There are some great discounts available in that package, and few people actually put them to use. I recently stayed at Disney’s Polynesian Resort – my “home away from home”. And rather than plan day after day at the parks, I made sure that we had plenty of down time to put those discount coupons to use. And boy, am I glad that I did!

One of the discounts we used was the coupon for the water sports. We chose to use our coupon on the Sea Raycers, also known as “Water Mice”. These adorable two-seater mini-speedboats can be rented by the half-hour or hour, and piloted out on the Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake. My daughter (9 years old) and I were in one boat, and my husband took his 11-year-old daughter in the other with him. We put the 9.9 horsepower motors on the boats to work as we zoomed around the Lagoon. We didn’t really time our trip, but we spent a half-hour on the open water. The cost was quite reasonable, especially with the 15% discount voucher. Both girls really enjoyed the excursion, and they both asked to do it again. I’d say that was a “win”.

Another discount we used was the arcade discount. My family is “that family” … we often have wars over the Galaga machine at arcades, and we weren’t disappointed with the selection of fun games at the Polynesian’s arcade. Granted, the discount coupon in the book wasn’t of much value (100 points was only four rounds of Galaga), but it was still a free bit of gaming. And we wouldn’t really have sought out the arcade otherwise.

Have you ever considered having an adults-only dinner while at Walt Disney World? There is a discount coupon for the Child Activity Centers (also known as “child care”) in your documents as well. My girls were guests of the Neverland Club while my husband and I enjoyed a delicious and romantic dinner at Narcoossee’s. The price for competent and safe child care while at Disney was excellent, and the discount voucher made it an even better value. My girls had such a great time at the Club that they asked to go back a second time. As a result, my husband and I had a second delicious and amazing dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse. I can highly recommend this service, because the kids have as much fun as the adults do.

Finally, another often-missed opportunity for family fun is the nightly movie held at most resorts. Many of the resorts have a large inflatable movie screen, and if your resort has a beach, it can often be found there at night. Check out the Resort Guide given to you at check-in for times and movie selections. It’s a great chance to grab a snack at the counter service location on-site (or an adult beverage for the grown ups), and watch a great movie with your family to end the day.

I hope that I’ve given your family some new things to try while at Walt Disney World … and some new ways to Let The Memories Begin!

A great new resource

You know, I'm totally a TGM devotee.  However, Mike seems to be slipping a bit lately.  His wisdom is great, and his knowledge is vast.  And I've made some really great friends from the forums.  But one of the main reasons I subscribe is because of his Least Crowded Park Charts (LCPCs).  Mike's been pretty slow with getting them out, and this has caused some folks to miss their ADR day ... or worse, they've made bad decisions while waiting for the charts to be released.

Although I'm a pro now and I can pretty much figure out what's what on my own, I still subscribe to TGM for the forums.  The peeps are nice and hey ... Finchy's coming on Friday!  Everyone loves Finchmas.

Anyhow, I found a new resource to help with the park planning, as a way to fill the gap left by Mike's tardiness.  Check out EasyWDW.  I've been nosing around there for a bit, and even compared their suggestions to the plan I've already laid out.  And you know what?  Their calendar was right on with my assessment.  Again, I've got a pretty good handle on the whole "what park, what day" thing, based upon experience and understanding of crowd levels during my chosen travel time.  However, I like to have an independent source give me the OK too ... sort of a Stuart Smalley Affirmation, if you will.  Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it ... people like me.

At any rate, check out EasyWDW.  I'm LuvsTheMouse on their forums (shocker, right?).  So far, I've lurked around a good bit and like what I see. The park calendars seem to be right on - not as detailed as Mike's, but in my opinion they're very very good.

My thoughts on Tron: Legacy

The fam went to see TRON: Legacy on Friday night.  In 3D, of course.

I can honestly say that I give it a solid 7/10, and most of that was because it was a great 3D experience.  I can also honestly say that ...

***SPOILERS FOLLOW***

OK now that's done ... here's what I think.

Starting with what I didn't like ...

I think that they didn't do nearly as much as they could have with the possibilities presented by the storyline.

I think that Garrett Hedlund was only marginally pretty to look at.

I think that Flynn's character was less "Flynn" and more "The Dude From The Big Lebowski".

I think it's DUMB that TRON didn't remove his helmet.

I expected SO MUCH MORE from Daft Punk.

The ISO subplot was weak.  It seemed like merely a MacGuffin to get Olivia Wilde in the flick.  Don't get me wrong, I liked the Quorra character quite a bit.  However, I think I'd have liked it better if she ended up being Sam's sister or something. The sheltered weirdo that followed The Dude around?  Not the best use of her talents.

And where the Mickey Mouse were the TANKS?  Seriously - just the discs and lightcycles?  And really, since when do lightcycles have curved trails?  Just sayin'.

Now, here's what I DID like ...

I cannot express my love for Michael Sheen enough.  TEAM ARO!  I had to, of course, interrupt my husband's nerdgasm to inform him that Aro is my favorite vampire.  Clearly, I am not Team Sparkle Vamp.  Gah.

They knocked the Sirens' costuming out of the park. Home run, people ... simply fabulous.

When they used the 3D effects?  BRILLIANT.  Sadly I think too much of the movie was shot in 2D, but when they did the effects of the programs shattering?  Brilliant.

The re-imagining of the uniforms of those in the Grid, by the way, was awesome.  And I really liked when TRON was falling at the end, and his "lines" changed from the red (CLU loyal) to white (Flynn loyal).  Even though I know that it was clearly a set-up for a sequel to the sequel, it still made me squee.

All in all ... I liked it more than I didn't.  Will I buy it on Blu Ray when it's released?  Maybe.  But it's not the ZOMG MUST HAVE IT NOW!!1! that I expected to feel.

And here ... via the awesomeness that is EPBOT ... check this out.  This year's IceHotel?  TRON THEMED.  This is at least twenty kinds of awesome.  Maybe more.

This is my confession.

Channeling my inner Usher here, apparently.

So, I know that this may come as a bit of a shock to everyone, but I'm a bit of a planner.  I'm kind of a control freak.  Stop laughing at me.

Disney vacations are really an OCD planner's dream.  So many options, so many details, so many variables ... of course, all must be researched and discussed.  It can be very overwhelming to some people, to the point to where they ask random people their opinions (or trust a travel agent that doesn't specialize in Disney travel).  This logic is flawed because most of the information that's given will be that of conventional wisdom.  You know ... Christmas is the best time to visit, make sure you hit those extra magic hours, and sleep in as much as possible. 

To quote my daughter: Oh noes, mommy.  Oh noes they didn't.

When planning my first trip, I scoured the interwebs for information.  There are literally thousands of Disney planning sites out there - some are based upon the books you'll find in the stores, some are web-only resources, and some are provided by travel agencies or those that have some other sort of "skin in the game".  Understanding each site's "angle" or philosophy is key, because if the site's philosophy doesn't match yours, then it's a waste of your time to even review its most basic information / guidance.

Personally, I am a pretty seasoned traveler.  OK, that's an understatement.  Travel is my drug of choice.  And my daughter has had her own frequent flier account since she was 3 months old.  My kid is better at navigating the TSA checkpoints than most adults!  So I don't need basic travel advice - I need location-specific guidance, and to-the-point facts. 

This is why I'm a devotee of TourGuideMike.  Now, many people will say "why should I pay for Disney planning advice when I can get it for free some other places?"  Well, although places like The DIS are wonderful ... sometimes the quality of the advice that's given isn't the best.  As registration isn't well-controlled (anyone can join), you will get basic and publicly available advice.  TGM, on the other hand, is a wealth of information from "the best of the best".  Not only staffed by Mike himself, the forums are a group of Disneyphiles that visit often. 

Mike (and his staff) analyze the park calendars, known group outings (such as Pop Warner, Wide World Of Sports / Disney Endurance races, etc), and other pixie dust.  They then assign each day a "color", and tell you what parks are the best to visit that day (and why).  Now, you could likely do this yourself.  But honestly, once you're paying thousands of dollars for a Disney trip, the meager TGM subscription price (approximately $20) is worth every penny.  And since I've used TGM for my last two trips, I can honestly say that he's yet to steer me wrong.  Also ... if you look around on the internet, you can find discount codes published by partner sites (one of which is the DIS), to even make it a more economical purchase. 

I highly recommend TGM.  Give them a try.

It's a holiday post!

But not the one you think.  Yes, I know today is Thanksgiving here in the US, but I have to wait for the turkey to finish cooking.  So ... while we wait ... let's talk about Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.  Or, in the lexicon of my fellow Disneyphiles ... MNSSHP.

This year was our first outing to MNSSHP.  I'd heard wonderful things about it, and was really excited about going.  At first, I balked at the extra admission price.  But then I realized that the price of admission was a small price to pay for the possibility of very low lines.  I figured that it was worth a try.

I cannot express how happy I am with that decision. 

My daughter and I arrived right after the 4:00 PM "cutoff".  We had a very short wait in line for admission, and we walked into a magical park.  Cast members were everywhere ... they asked to see our admission ticket, and gave us a wristband.  These wristbands were wonderful - because I personally witnessed some guests being denied entrance to a ride queue and being "gently ushered" toward the gate later in the evening.

Upon admission to the Magic Kingdom, we snapped a photo on Main Street USA.  We were given a special MNSSHP PhotoPass card to use that day - because it allowed us a discount and access to some stock Halloween photos.  This is a very good thing, in consideration of the fact that my fabulous little Fujifilm "point and shoot" didn't capture very good photos of some of the key moments.

After getting our photos taken, we quickly headed back toward Adventureland and Frontierland.  Our goal for the night was to ride The Mountains as many times as possible.  In fact, we had discussed our "game plan", and had bets on how many times we could just walk on to each of Maddie's favorite rides.  It turns out we ran the Splash / Thunder Mountain circuit four times back-to-back before we got bored with the rides.  Isn't that funny ... we bored of two of Maddie's most favorite rides on the planet!

After our ride-a-palooza on the two Mountains, we decided to pop in to Pecos Bill's for a quick bite.  I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the burgers we received.  And oh, the toppings bar was a very welcome surprise.  The fries were the same fries as are found throughout the parks, but the burgers were much tastier.

During the first "Boo To You" parade, we took the train around to the Toontown stop.  We disembarked, and made a beeline toward Maddie's other favorite ride ... Space Mountain.  We rode it twice in a row and then went to stake out our spot on Main Street USA for the HalloWishes fireworks.

Simply amazing.  I think that Disney really does fireworks "right", and this show was absolutely no exception.  Ordinarily, I"d say that you can get a better view of fireworks to the side of the castle - but I highly suggest actually staying in "the hub" for these.  You are immersed in the magic, as they explode all around you.

After our fireworks experience, we then ran quickly to the front of the stage.  One of the biggest perks of MNSSHP is the rare appearance of the Villains.  My daughter just LOVES Maleficent (or, as she says, Falefficent).  Of course, we giddily waited to snap a photo with her:

After this, her night was nearly complete - but wait!  There's more!

The Boo-To-You parade is wonderful.  In my opinion, it's second only to SpectroMagic.  Every float was amazing, there were rarely seen characters on board, and the song (heard by clicking here) is so catchy that it'll be in your head for MONTHS after the party. And the best part?  The last float, with Goofy.  It blows bubbles!

All in all, I give MNSSHP two thumbs up.  It was a great time, the lines were super short, and we got to see some things that we never see in the parks during regular hours.  In my opinion, it's worth the extra money.

Aloha to the Spirit of Aloha dinner show!

One of my favorite dining experiences at Disney is the Spirit of Aloha dinner show.  Now, I know that it's much maligned with die-hard fans.  It's often derided as "kitschy" or even sometimes "silly".  On both counts, I must agree.  It's very kitschy and silly!  But that's what makes it fun.

On the dining plan, this is a two table service credit meal.  And with the dining plan, you can only sit in section 2 or 3 (section 1 is "front and center").  Your table placement is decided by your party size and your reservation time (180 days out with a 2-person party is going to yield the best seat).

So, there are two questions here:  1, is the SoA show worth the time commitment on a busy trip; and 2, is it worth the price (cash or dining credits).  Each one is separate, I think.

First of all, I do think the SoA show is worth the time.  A wise man once said that your vacation shouldn't exhaust you to the point where you need to rest when you come home ... and really, I think SoA is a great bit of down time for a family.  The food is good and plentiful, the show is interesting (at least the second half, in my opinion), and it's fun to meet families from all over the world.  And, if you're staying at the Polynesian, it's a lovely (and short) walk back to your room after the show.

Upon arrival, you'll check in and receive a lei.  They're the simple silk-flower type, and the kids love them.  Well, until they start making your neck itch.  The cast members herd you over for the obligatory photo (not included with the price, don't worry they'll print it and stalk you during dinner) ... but you can graciously decline, of course.  Then you're herded into a large waiting area, all in a group.  There is a mobile bar available that serves wine and beer and some limited mixed drinks (cash bar, room charge wasn't accepted both times we visited).  At your reservation time (usually either 5:15 or 8:00 PM), you are then herded down a ramp toward the entrance point for the theater.  It feels disorganized and very confusing (and as my daughter says "hurry up and wait"), but when you make it to the front of the line you realize that they have this chaos very well orchestrated.

You'll be escorted to your pre-assigned table, and given a drink menu.  Soft drinks, beer, and wine are included with your meal, but of course there are other drinks available for a nominal charge.  While you wait for the show to begin, your server will bring some bread (which tastes a lot like Ohana's welcome bread).  It is worth noting that if you have a finicky eater, you can always request a na keiki (the child's) boxed meal.  This is usually a PB&J Uncrustable and some other kid-friendly fare.  However, I think that most kids will like what's offered and should really give it a try.

Shortly after the bread, a most delicious salad appears.  It's served with fresh pineapple, and topped with mandarin oranges.

 

photo courtesy of user pauliek on DisBoards

If you're anything like us, you'll tear through the salad quickly.  The dressing is sweet yet tangy, and the fresh sweet pineapple is the perfect complement to the crunch of the salad.  Try not to fill up on the salad, because there's even more delicious food coming.

After the first "act" of the luau (as part of the show), your server will then bring out your main course ... family-style. On one of the trademark pewter serving plates, you'll be presented with delicious barbeque pork ribs, rotisserie chicken with the most lovely seasoning, and sides of polynesian rice and veggies.  I'm not ashamed to admit that my 51 pound daughter and I tore through the ribs and had to ask our server for more.  The sauce was delicious, and the ribs were well-cooked.  Neither my daughter nor I were huge fans of the chicken either time we visited, aside from eating the seasoned skin and a bite or two as a change of pace from the massive amount of ribs we consumed.  The rice was acceptable, but not memorable.  Honestly, we may have eaten a small spoonful each.  The ribs were just that good.

The show continues, and before the traditional dance showcase portion begins, dessert is brought out with great fanfare.  The name "volcano delight" is a bit misleading, as the dessert that's served isn't the sparkler-laden attention grabber that's presented.  However, the single-serve chocolate mousse pyramids are certainly tasty.  Nestled on a bed of pineapple syrup and drizzled with sweet raspberry syrup, it's a diabetic's nightmare.  Sweet, rich, and oh-so-good. 

 

photo courtesy of Chip & Co.

After dessert is served, the best part of the show begins.  The cast members share dances from several different islands - all are beautiful and evoke feelings of the islands, but all are different and interesting.  From the hula of Hawaii, to the careful poi ball acrobatics of Tahiti, to the beautiful courtship dance of Samoa ... the dances are well choreographed and interesting.  But the highlight (and finale) of the evening is the Fire Dancer.  He is legendary amongst children and grown women alike ... for different reasons.  He is very skilled, and suffice it to say he's easy on the eyes.  He's my daughter's favorite performer, for sure.

All in all, it's a great night to kick back, have a good meal, and relax.  Cash prices are currently listed on AllEars, and vary based upon seating choice and age.  This is a two-credit dining experience if you are on the Dining Plan.

Back to my initial questions:

1. Is the SoA show worth the time commitment on a busy trip?  Absolutely.  A well-planned trip should include a meal or experience that causes you to slow down and appreciate your good fortune to be at The Happiest Place On Earth.  I think that SoA does just that.  The first part of the show is kitschy and a bit silly.  But if you have a child with you, I promise they'll love it.  The second part of the show is very well-done, and the food is great.  I prefer the 8 PM show, because it is easy to do a park in the morning and swim in the afternoon.  Even with the 8 PM show, we were tucked into our beds in Samoa 3607 by 10:30 PM. 

2. Is it worth the price (cash or dining credits)? This is a personal choice.  My family enjoys a good meal, and we like to linger and talk when we're finished dining.   We were not opposed to the price tag, as we considered it the equivalent to a dinner at Cosmic Ray's (with a bit better side dishes), and a nice show.  As a deluxe dining plan family, we carefully budgeted our credits for this meal and decided that it was worth the expense.  Personally, I say "yes, it's worth it".  And when planning our trip this year, this (and Cinderella's Royal Table breakfast) were my daughter's only two requests.

Score: I give the Spirit of Aloha dinner show a 9 out of 10.  As the gratuity is included in the meal price, I've noticed that the service is not nearly as attentive as other places on Disney property.  Don't misunderstand me ... our server both times did an acceptable job.  But they didn't play the part well - simply brought food, dropped it off, and cleared plates.  I've had similarly attentive service at a buffet meal on property, and the price was half of this experience.  The food is always well-prepared and very tasty, the show is acceptable, and it's a great night to enjoy with your family.  Give it a try.

Club Cool

Club Cool is a fun little place in Epcot.  Tucked in the Innoventions Pavilion by the beautiful fountain on your way to the International Gateway, it's a nice place to cool off on a hot day.

Sponsored by Coca-Cola, this lovely little shop offers the usual souvenirs, but with a bonus:  free drinks.

There are samples of several different types of Coca-Cola branded drinks from around the world; from my personal favorite (Krest Ginger Ale) from Mozambique to my daughter's favorite (Smart Watermelon) from China.  This has been the subject of much discussion amongst families, sometimes rather heated too.  However, everyone agrees on one things:  Beverly is awful.  In fact, I think that many families have one of these photos:

 

That's my daughter, trying a sip of the very bitter Beverly soda (from Italy).  Clearly, she's not a fan.  Even after I tortured her this way, she still looks forward to a Club Cool visit whenever possible ... even on our World Showcase days.

My thoughts on 'Ohana Dinner

'Ohana is one of the table-service restaurants at the Polynesian.  'Ohana serves both breakfast and dinner. We had a chance during our recent trip to the World to enjoy both meals.  In Hawaiian, the word 'ohana is loosely translated into "family".  Meals are served family style, everyone's your "cousin", and it's a great deal of fun.

Due to my not-so-BFF Tropical Storm Nicole causing torrential downpours on our Not-So-Scary Halloween Party night, we decided to reschedule and hit 'Ohana for dinner instead.  We were tired and drained from our experience with the weather, but the lovely concierge got us a last-minute ADR (advance dining reservation, for you folks that don't know all the lingo yet).  And hey, according to CurlyKristen ... "MEAT ON A STICK! GOOD!"

 Upon arrival, they greet you and you walk in with one of your "cousins".  Stopping by the service counter, you are shown their special drinks (sadly, I was too tired to indulge), and you pick up a basket of "Welcome Bread".  I thought this a bit bizarre at first, but oh.  OH.  The bread.   It's this soft and delicious pineapple laced goodness.  It's crusty on the outside - but not TOO crusty.  It's smooshy on the inside.  Oh, so tasty.  You carry the loaf of golden brown goodness through the dining area, and past the grilling area.  There, you will see tens (close to hundreds, if they're busy) of stakes of meat.  I wanted to stop and marvel at the meaty goodness, but our "cousin" hurried us to our table.  I was annoyed, but then my stomach gently reminded me that A, my daughter was carrying delicious bread to eat, and B, it had been hours since I'd eaten anything.  So I sulked and followed along.  mmmm bread ...

As the saying goes ... "But wait!  There's more!"  Why, you ask?  Because shortly after being seated, the parade of food began.  And I do mean a parade of food.  We literally ran out of room on our table.

I have dreams about the salad dressing ... oh my.  I piled it HIGH on my plate, knowing that sticks-o-meat were coming.  It's a lovely version of sweet and sour - with a bit of a honey-lime kick.  I may or may not have licked my fingers a few times.

And then ... it ramped up.

The most delicious honey-barbeque chicken wings showed up, accompanied with one of my weaknesses:  dumplings.  Steamed dumplings that had been gently browned a bit on each side on a griddle.  Delicious!

After I'd considered lying these items on the table and making snow (food?) angels, even MORE food showed up!  Steamed veggies, dipping sauces, and lo-mein noodles were brought to our table, along with our first serving of meat.   Through the meal, we were offered:  steak, chicken, shrimp, and pork.  All were adequate, but a bit dry.  They were well-seasoned, but a bit overdone for my tastes.  That's not to say that we didn't eat more than our fair share though.

We had several "rounds", and finally said "no more".  The dishes were cleared from our table, and the heavens opened.  The angels sang.  One of the most amazing things happened to me.

'Ohana. Bread. Pudding.

This amazing concoction is mooshy challah bread soaked in caramel and sunshine.  It is topped with a scoop of cool vanilla ice cream, and placed on a plate with a serving of bananas foster topping.  When they brought it to the table, I think I heard the sound of my rear end growing larger.  And I just didn't care.

I may or may not have consumed the entire plate alone, while my daughter finished her birthday cupcake and the bowl of ice cream with sprinkles (also pictured).  You can also see the remnants of our second loaf of Welcome Bread in the back of the shot.

If you're interested, you can find the full recipe (with a video to help) for the bread pudding over at A Taste Of Disney.  I am planning to make some of this stuff here pretty soon.

During dinner, the entertainment abounded.  There were conga lines, shaking of maracas, limbo contests, and more.  There also was a sighting of a buttoned-down corporate dad wearing a coconut bra and grass skirt over his clothing.  It was fun, but got loud at times.  It's a great place for kids, that's for sure.

Would I suggest 'Ohana for dinner?  Yes.  I think that it's a good use of a table service credit.  However, I don't know that I'd schedule my day around it.  If I were staying at the Polynesian and / or was having a "slow" day (park in the morning, relaxing dinner in the evening, early to bed for rope-drop the next day), this would be a great fit and one of my top choices. 

Score:  I give 'Ohana dinner a solid 8 out of 10.  If the meat were juicier (and included sausage), it may have been a 9.  However it was a good value for the price, and a great meal.