'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort: Walt Disney World Dining Review

‘Ohana re-opens at 5:00 pm, serving dinner until 10:00 pm, and this is another superb meal on Disney property. Once again, dinner is served family-style, and just like breakfast, there’s always way too much, to the point where we usually find the table absolutely packed, with no more room for anything else! I think it says something about the quality of the food here, that every time potential changes to the menu are rumored, there’s usually an outcry from Disney fans. One recent example was the arrival of the ‘Ohana bread pudding with bananas and caramel sauce. I have to say that I wasn’t as enamoured with the bread pudding, which is a shame, as the rest of our meal was so good.

Talking of bread, just like at breakfast, I couldn’t get enough of the pineapple-coconut bread that starts the meal, although if you want something lighter (and I wouldn’t blame you, as there’s a lot of food still to come) there are mixed greens, and fresh pineapple. Other early offerings are the pork fried dumplings, and honey coriander chicken wings. Remember though, these are just the appetizers!

It’s at this point that the skewers of grilled meat and seafood start to arrive, and they just keep on coming! I only ever get the spicy grilled peel’n’eat shrimp, and despite the description, the last time we were here, I certainly didn’t find it spicy at all. Everyone else at the table tucked into the oak-grilled chicken, marinated sirloin steak, and Asian barbecued pork loin, and I didn’t hear a word of complaint from anybody. This all comes with noodles (as if you could find the room for those as well!) and stir-fried vegetables, which are beautiful, along with a selection of dipping sauces.

As I alluded to earlier, this restaurant is not all about the food, it’s also about fun for the whole family, and that means games for the kids. There are coconut races, and if you’re near one of the walkways, you could find yourself in the firing line as the kids roll coconuts around the dining room. In the past, we’ve gone for an early meal, and specifically asked for a table away from a walkway to avoid this problem, although if you’re there at peak times, you may not have this option, as ‘Ohana is often completely full.

If you can snag a table by the window that overlooks the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom beyond, then you may be lucky enough to be treated to the nightly performance of Wishes fireworks, or even the Electrical Water Pageant on the lake outside. However, don’t hold your breath for one of those tables, as they do go quickly, and there aren’t that many of them.

Expect to spend around $40 per adult, including tax, and gratuity for dinner at ‘Ohana.

If you do want to dine at ‘Ohana, then bear in mind that it is extremely popular. We find breakfast is easier to get into, but we’ve had vacations where we simply weren’t able to get a dinner reservation for the entirety of our stay, despite checking back frequently to see if there was availability. It’s definitely worth ensuring that you make reservations at the 180-day mark, or as early as you can. Will it be an experience worth booking that far ahead for? In our experience, definitely. This is a true Disney restaurant, not only offering excellent food, but also a fun, family atmosphere to boot

About the Author: Cheryl is the author of the e-book, PassPorter's Walt Disney World for British Holidaymakers, and is the co-author of PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide: For Members and Members-To-Be. Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to Disney, and they have travelled around the world, taking in a number of Disney cruises, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani in Hawai'i, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland on the way. Click here to view more of Cheryl's articles!

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