Why do you love Ohana?

[DisneyHardin]

Is it more casual that if my almost three year old needs to run around he can? He can't sit for two hour dinners!

It's not so casual that you would be able to just let a 3 year old run around (there are lots of servers hustling around with bowls/plates of food), but it is a fairly open restaurant and if you needed to take your child our to the lobby for a walk around break during dinner, that would be fine.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We don't love Ohana. Too crowded. The waits are long. They never run on time. The restaurant is chaotic. Food quality is poor--tough grisly steak, low quality dark meat chicken (tastes like lighter fluid), slimy chicken wings. So many other, calmer, tastier spots to eat.

I could have written this myself. Tough poor quality steak, chicken was dry, wings very slimy, dry potstickers...poor quality food. But there's plenty of it. Yes its crowded and chaotic too. Not a big fan. I agree that there are better choices out there. Although this place does have a strong fan base. The positive things about ohana is that there's plenty of food, and the dessert is really good. Plus if you have small kids, they have coconut races and other things which looks like fun for them.

 

[maalca23]

I think we will give Ohana a try for my Birthday 28 Feb. In all my years going to WDW and DL, I have never even stepped foot at POLY. After Breakfast at BOG in the morning, a nice evening before fireworks at POLY sounds like the perfect big girl Birthday! Got a 6pm ressie just now so all set!

 

[Dakota731]

What time will the fireworks be in December for the Christmas party? We have reservations at Ohana at 530 so maybe we will get lucky?

 

[Rich M]

What time will the fireworks be in December for the Christmas party? We have reservations at Ohana at 530 so maybe we will get lucky?

I think it is at 10:30

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

It's our restaurant of the moment. I mean, we always love Narcoossee's. For the regular 1-credit restaurants, we go through phases. We had our phase with 50's Prime Time, we went through our Boma phase (finally going back this year), and now we're back in on 'Ohana. We went back for our second time ever two years ago and got hooked again. We went back last year and are going with our cousins for Halloween and family friends for Christmas.

For us, we just like the food. I know it's often ridiculed, but it feels fresher than buffets. We see the food being cooked, it comes out on huge sticks—it's kind of like Fogo de Chao, only Polynesian. We like the flavors and selection and we LOVE the bread pudding.

 

[DisneyWorldDad0830]

Lapu Lapu at the bar, hard to not feel like you are on vacation when you are drinking an adult beverage out of a pineapple. The food is great, eat as much as you want it just keeps coming. Make sure to save room for bread pudding.

 

[hmcater]

It is our families favorite restaurant, a must do every trip. I don't understand the people that seem to hate it. Is it busy in the waiting area? Yes, but I wouldn't call it chaotic and we've met some nice families while waiting for our table to be set up. Do we feel the wait is long? We've never waited longer than 20 mins for our table, so no. I wouldn't call the restaurant itself loud either, not any louder than others that I've been to. When a restaurant is full of people, should everyone just whisper? No we're all there to have fun, talk and laugh with our families. Which is another reason we love it, we have such a good time and great memories. We've never had bad food there and so far, never bad service either. We love Ohana because we love the setting, the food and the people that work there have always been just super nice and so willing to accommodate any request.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

Hello!

I'm getting close to my ADR booking day. It's my first trip to ANYWHERE Disney. As with anywhere, there are people who love/hate/are neutral about a restaurant.

I'm interested in hearing what you think is great about dinner at Ohana. It sounds different from places I've dined and might appeal to everyone in my group (ages 5-75).

Food quality? Quantity? Setting?

I'd love to hear about what makes Ohana a must do for you.

Thanks!!

I'M a 57 year old adult and I loved it. My first time was in 2015 and I am planning it for November as well. I love it for LILO. I came for LILO, I saw LILO, I conquered my visit for LILO but also got the other characters as the icing to the cake. The kids marching parade with the characters was too cute and the children will adore it. I don't even remember the food. It certainly wasn't bad. I was happy. Keep in mind that this is (or was) the only place to meet LILO. I do recall it being noisy. So what?
I left happy.

 

[Eastern]

Just went last week and had an ADR for 6:55pm, thought I would have a wait, but checked in at 6:30 and was seated in minutes. (we arrived at 6pm to have pre-dinner cocktails at the lounge and there was plenty of seating available)

Food was great and servers came by regularly. It is our new must-do ADR. I really liked the shrimp.

 

[VH103428]

We have gone to Ohana every year for the last 5 years. We have had breakfast there every year and dinner once. We loved the view for the MK Fireworks. We also schedule breakfast early so we can zip on over to MK when we are done. The food has always been good and they have Stitch and Mickey Waffles.

 

[Haley R]

What does everyone think of an 8:40 pm reservation? I found out that Stitch now has a M&G spot at MK so thinking about canceling our breakfast. The only dinner time I could get was 8:40. It says the fireworks will be at 8 pm.

 

[Cayaco]

Front page post now calling this one of the worst meals on property. Worst service, worst food, worst seating, etc. They are calling for people to never go back and the restaurant to be moved in the hotel for how bad it is.

We have this booked for breakfast in a few weeks and now are reading that it's a total disaster and serving food that people want to throw out and not even pay for with how bad it is.

What happened?

 

[KenHutch]

Ohana's was the 1st restaurant we ever ate on in WDW. We were there for the fireworks and the piped in the music. My then 5 year old daughter (now 17) fell in love and to this day we have to eat there on our 1st night and out last night every vacation. To her its still just as magical.

 

[ctipp79]

Front page post now calling this one of the worst meals on property. Worst service, worst food, worst seating, etc. They are calling for people to never go back and the restaurant to be moved in the hotel for how bad it is.

We have this booked for breakfast in a few weeks and now are reading that it's a total disaster and serving food that people want to throw out and not even pay for with how bad it is.

What happened?

We went there the other night for dinner and all of us left satisfied. The chicken, steak, and shrimp were all juicy and flavorful. Our server was full of life and fun while being on top of things.

 

[duketennisgal]

We love it. I've never felt like it was too crowded or the waits were too long. I've always checked in and then immediately headed to the bar for a Lapu Lapu while I wait though, so that may be why I never think it takes too long to get seated. I've also never had a bad experience with the food, other than it being way too much for us to eat! I don't eat steak but all of the other meats are fantastic and I LOVE the sauces. My favorite thing about it though is the atmosphere. The entertainers are amazing and seem like genuinely nice people, like really some of the friendliest people you will meet in WDW! They really make a concerted effort to treat you like you are family!

 

[hsmamato2]

We don't love Ohana either..... I guess some do,but we don't! It's noisy,and rushed,and just not that enjoyable.

 

[hllb]

For us, it's a must do. I've been 3 times over the last 10 years and loved it every time. The atmosphere is great, the kids enjoy the coconut races, and the food is great. It's AYCTE. The potstickers are amazing. The kids love the wings. The main meats are good and plentiful. View is pretty good too.

 

[cgh]

I like that you get a variety of food and you don't have to leave your seat. I've always liked the food. They have activities for the kids too that they like. It is nestled in the trees so it seems too so it just seems so lush.

That being said, our individual family has had issues that had NOTHING to do with the restaurant when we have gone there. First time, I loved the food but DS (5 months) was having none of the restaurant experience. We had to switch off with walking him around the place. It was really odd, as he had been great at every other restaurant. Second time, DS 7 became lethargic and DH had to leave with him and take him back to the hotel. (he had a 102.5 FEVER that came on suddenly while at the restaurant!)

So, we don't know if we are jinxed, or what. I'm hopeful that our next trip the whole family can eat together. We are staying at Poly so its sort of a must for us.

 

[QueenBeeMB]

I know its not gourmet (we eat at many Michelin star restaurants regularly) yes its generic Asian/Polynesian inspired food.
Add the view, the drinks (Lapu Lapu), and the potential for fireworks if your time it right.
It is just fun, the whole meal is something different.
Then take a stroll around the resort before or after if it is not where you are staying. Finish things off with a doll whip (boozy options too) and it just takes the edge off a crammed day at the parks.

Plus if there are kids involved the entertainment is just a laugh, and the kids seem to have a ball.

There are better locations if you require top notch food, but this is best of both worlds in our opinion.