“ALOHA,” my friends!

Actually, scratch that… I’d like to say “Aloha” to our family of DFB readers.

Why? Because today we’re talking about all things ‘Ohana! And if you’ve dined at this beloved Disney World restaurant– or if you’ve ever seen the movie Lilo & Stitch — you are likely familiar with this phase: “Ohana means FAMILY.”

That said, when we’re talking specifically about ‘Ohana, the popular all-you-care-to-enjoy Table Service restaurant in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, ‘Ohana often means even more to a lot of people… like our readers! They’ve been kind enough to share their stories of ‘Ohana with us through a conversation on Facebook, including their great and not-so-great experiences.

And we, in turn, are sharing their thoughts and stories with you here, so you can know what to expect and perhaps how to prepare for your first — or next! — visit to ‘Ohana.

So pull up a chair, relax, and and get ready to dig in to the feast of information about what ‘Ohana, the restaurant, really means… .

‘Ohana Means Food… And LOTS of It!

‘Ohana serves an all-you-care-to-enjoy feast for both breakfast and dinner.

In the mornings, your breakfast will start with Freshly Made Pineapple-Coconut Bread and fruit. And we’ll gladly tell you that the bread is a pretty fantastic way to start the day.

But don’t just take our word for it. One of our readers says, “that breakfast sweet bread is life changing  I can’t wait to go back.”

Next is the Breakfast Skillet packed with scrambled eggs, pork (Hawaiian-style ham with pineapple glaze and sausage links), Island-style fried potatoes, and warm biscuits.

And who could forget the Mickey AND Stitch Waffles?!

And to wash it all down? The famous POG (passion fruit, orange, and guava) Juice!!

The current cost for breakfast (during this time when it is not a Character Meal, which we’ll discuss shortly) is $25.00 per adult and $14.00 per child ages 3-9.

Click HERE for our review of BREAKFAST at ‘Ohana!

Dinner at ‘Ohana starts with ‘Ohana Coconut-Papaya Scones served with a sweet-and-salty honey butter (as opposed to the previous Signature ‘Ohana Bread. A bit of a “womp womp” — since change can be tough to take at ‘Ohana —  but the scones really aren’t bad at all).

Next, guests receive a refreshing Mixed Greens Salad with a Citrus Vinaigrette dressing.

Then it’s time for Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, Pork Dumplings tossed in a garlic-chili sauce, and Roasted Broccolini.

Yes. WINGS. Behold…

This is all served with something that doesn’t sound like a particularly big deal, but is actually A REALLY HUGE GIGANTIC TOTALLY BIG DEAL: ‘Ohana Noodles!

Now, the signature churrascaria-style service at ‘Ohana — whereby servers visit tables with skewers holding the meats and serving whichever you like — is suspended due to current health and safety measures. So the Main Course is served in a Skillet (or Skillets, rather) for the time being.

But you won’t be missing any of the meal components, as the ‘Ohana Dinner Skillet is comprised of the same savory meats that used to pack those skewers: Wood-fire Grilled Teriyaki Beef, Spicy Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, and Grilled Chicken with Polynesian-inspired Chimichurri Sauce.

And if you want seconds or thirds? Just ask your “cousin” (that’s what the servers are known as here at ‘Ohana)!

But you haven’t really been to ‘Ohana until you’ve had DESSERT: ‘Ohana Bread Pudding served a la mode with a homemade caramel sauce.

(The mere mention sparked your craving, didn’t it? Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.)

The current price for dinner is $55.00 per adult, and $33.00 per child. P.S. Plant-based and allergy-friendly options are also available for both meals — just tell your server.

Click HERE for our full review of DINNER at ‘Ohana!

Given all this, we can most definitely relate to a few of our readers who shared that their struggle at ‘Ohana is “Eating too much, and then eating some more when the bread pudding comes out. I didn’t even know I liked bread pudding! Then not learning from my mistake and repeating every visit.”

Friend, WE HEAR YOU. And so does this reader who shares that “Eating way too much food is the only fail but both breakfast and dinner has been amazing for us everytime!”

I think the takeaway here is that maaaaaybe you’ll want to hold on that request for thirds of the shrimp or meats because you know that some ‘Ohana Bread Pudding is still on the way. Or maybe the takeaway is simply PACK THOSE STRETCHY PANTS. You’re meant to indulge and enjoy here, and we hope you love every minute of it!

‘Ohana Means “Character Breakfast”… Well, Usually.

When ‘Ohana reopened at long last on July 9, 2021, it returned with a few changes; the most notable being that Disney Characters are NOT currently present during breakfast. (Dinner was not a Character Meal, so this change affects only breakfast.)

The usual pals at the ‘Ohana Best Friends Breakfast are Lilo and Stitch, who are typically joined by Mickey (in his totally rad Hawaiian shirt!) and Pluto!

And it really is one of our very favorite Character Meal experiences. That’s why we can relate to our reader who shared: “I just got a reservation this morning (surprisingly) and I’m disappointed that there aren’t characters there for breakfast right now!!”

Another stated that they “were disappointed at our last breakfast that there were no characters. It was nice to be able to see the Polynesian resort and the Floridian (just a short walk) though and of course the food is always great!”

We don’t know when Characters will come back to ‘Ohana, but we are hopeful for their eventual return. Because we miss them, too.

In the meantime, you can find ALL of the CURRENT Character Dining options in Disney World here.

Click here to learn more about Character Dining at Disney World!

‘Ohana Can Mean Inconsistency

What was the most common topic regarding ‘Ohana among our readers? We’ll let them do the talking… .

“Went for breakfast… Was not impressed. Went for dinner the next day. Much better.”

“It was just very disappointing that our last experience didn’t hold up to our previous nights there.”

“Love ‘Ohana! However, the last time we visited our steak was well-done, which was a bummer!”

After a not-great first visit, one reader shared: “Amazingly though when I planned the next trip, that’s the one meal the kids wanted to repeat. The second experience was much better.” And another after a similar first go: “Next trip around, it was our favorite. ”

Yep. We’ve been there ourselves.

If you’ve been a friend of DFB for any length of time, you’ve probably heard us say something like this more than a few times: “The most consistent thing about Disney World restaurants is that they’re inconsistent.” In fact, we made a DFB YouTube Video exploring that very topic, because this can apply not only to ‘Ohana, but just about any restaurant in Disney World.

We share possible reasons surrounding the issue, and also some things that we think might help you have the BEST experiences possible no matter where you dine. Check it out:

At ‘Ohana, Timing Can Mean EVERYTHING

Your visit to ‘Ohana may be completely affected by WHEN you dine. For instance, did you know that ‘Ohana can be a pretty great spot for Magic Kingdom fireworks viewing?

Huge windows facing Cinderella Castle are the major reason behind that, obviously. But they also pipe in the music when Disney Enchantment is showing! It’s a wonderful bonus to dining later in the evening.

Of course, the flip side of this can also be true. Reservations can be hard to come by for such a popular spot, leading us to grab whatever we can get in regards to available times.

As an example: “The only thing we did wrong one year is that we got the reservation on the last day, later at night.. we were so tired and just full from the whole week .. we just didn’t enjoy it very much. Not the restaurant fault just bad timing.”

Just something to keep in mind when scoping out what’s available for Advance Dining Reservations for your trip.

And, of course, dinner and the traditional Character Breakfast are two different experiences entirely. One reader shared that they booked ‘Ohana “Thinking dinner was also a character meal. My 4 year old was not impressed.”

Ouch! But that’s definitely an understandable assumption. So this is a friendly reminder that not all locations which offer Character Meals offer them for every meal. You can check out your options for Character Meals by mealtime here.

Click HERE to find your Character Meal options sorted by time of day!

‘Ohana Means FUN!

Meals at ‘Ohana are served with a side of FUN! And that’s not limited to the usual Disney Characters at breakfast. Though these activities are suspended at the moment, kids can typically burn off some energy during games like Coconut Races around the giant dining room during dinner.

But happily, our favorite strolling ukulele player still provides live music during the evening meal. And these touches make the meal even more memorable.

One reader said it quite well: “Uncle playing ukulele made it seem like home!”

“I Don’t Know What ‘Ohana Means Because I Can Never Get In.”

If you’ve ever tried to score a reservation at ‘Ohana, this next common reader experience will probably not come as a surprise to you… .

“Struggles? Getting a reservation! We’re going to be Disney resort guests in a month, and I tried for reservations 60 days out during the week, after failing to find one weekend reservation, and we still are empty handed.”

“The only fail we’ve ever had is the failure to get a reservation.”

‘Ohana is most definitely on the list of hard-to-get Advance Dining Reservations, right up there with spots like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant. Fortunately, we’ve got some tips to share if you just can’t seem to land anything on that ever-important 60 days out booking window (which we still suggest as your best bet, but surprises DO pop up)!

Click HERE to find LOTS of tips for getting those hard-to-snag rezzies!

P.S. You can always drown your sorrows at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto downstairs or with a Lapu Lapu at Tambu Lounge right next door if things don’t work out. There could be worse things. PLUS, Tambu Lounge serves up a number of foods from ‘Ohana at the bar — including that. bread pudding — just ask your server.

And we’ve got one more thing to share…but THIS one is only for guests staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (and is still currently unavailable but was so cool, we HAVE to. share it here!). Let’s just say that you simply haven’t been able to get that ‘Ohana reservation. Or maybe you have a night when you’d rather relax in your Moana-themed guest room or Bungalow.

Enter a not-so-little something called the Polynesian Twilight Feast! It is literally ‘Ohana’s dinner DELIVERED TO YOUR ROOM!

And if it sounds luxurious, that’s because IT IS. (It’s pricey — about $60 per person — but it’s enough food to feed a small army!)

Get all the details on the Twilight Feast HERE!

And, YES…’Ohana Means Family

For many Disney World guests, ‘Ohana has become something of a home away from home.

“Once you’ve snagged [a reservation] and you’re there, it’s like coming home to a family that really knows how to cook and likes to see you eat!”

“I was finally able to make a reservation. It was worth the wait, food was delicious and the staff was very friendly.”

“No fails yet! We have been once for dinner… and once for breakfast recently. Both amazing experiences food & service were great.”

“We usually do dinner, tried breakfast not long ago and loved it. We actually have some of the most best memories there Cannot wait [to go] back!”

We can’t wait to go back, either! How about you? Remember, if you have something you’d like to share, we are always chatting on Facebook, sharing videos on Twitter and TikTok, and taking your votes on important snacking topics on Instagram. We’d love it if you join our Ohana and chime in anytime!

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Is ‘Ohana one of your favorite restaurants? Please let us know with a comment!

The post The TRUTH Behind Eating at ‘Ohana in Disney World! first appeared on the disney food blog.