'Ohana Means Family

On our first night in Disney World, we visited 'Ohana's for dinner. It had been a long day of traveling and we were looking forward to a nice, relaxing, savory dinner. Well, this place did not disappoint us. In fact, it was probably our favorite meal of the trip.

We took the bus to the Magic Kingdom and then the monorail to the Polynesian Resort to get to the restaurant. This was a bonus magical experience because we got to sit up front and be co-pilots. The kids loved this (and the grown ups thought it was pretty cool too)!

When you arrive at the restaurant you sign in and relax in the lounge while waiting for your table. The theme here is Polynesian, so it really puts you in vacation mode. Be prepared to wait even with an advanced dining reservation--this is a popular restaurant.

Once seated, the food started coming and didn't stop. They start you off with Fried Won tons served with peanut sauce, chimichurri sauce and harissa mixed greens with a honey-lime dressing. This is followed by appetizers: Spicy-sweet and sour shrimp and Honey-coriander chicken wings. Can I just tell you that at this point we were all pretty much full and they hadn't even brought the main course. The main course is a carnivore's dream come true. You are served marinated meats (steak, pork and turkey) on skewers. The sides were stir fried veggies and scalloped potatoes. You definitely want to bring your appetite!!

We were on the free dining plan, but I think this place is well worth the cost of $25.99 for adults and $11.99 for children 3-9. You definitely get your money's worth with all the food they bring. I think we would have been full for the rest of the trip from just this one meal!

This is all you care to eat and is served family style (served on a Lazy Susan in the middle of the table). I really like family style over buffet--so much more relaxing--especially with young kids that need help getting their food.

'Ohanas has a really great atmosphere for adults, but is fun for the whole family. They have fun activities including a coconut race and a hula hoop contest. These were really cute to watch and our kids really enjoyed them.

Overall, I rate 'Ohana's an A+ and I look forward to going back again this December!

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