Visiting the Carthay Circle Restaurant has been at the top of our “must do” list. But like most parents, we were a little worried about dining at the Carthay Circle Restaurant with children. Today, we decided to give it a try and brought our four-year-old son to the restaurant. We are happy to tell you that it is very family friendly!
We chose the Carthay Circle Restaurant because we wanted to get the reserved seating for World of Color. We had considered the picnic lunch option because it would only cost $16 per person. Our lunch bill for two adults and one child at Carthay Circle came to $80, or about $26 per person. So for not much more, you can get a much better meal, better seats for World of Color, and a great memory for your family.
The staff at Carthay Circle Restaurant were very kind to our son and bent over backwards to make him happy. When we checked in, the hostess asked my son if he would like to take the elevator to the second floor and then let him push the button to call the elevator. When we were seated at the table, the hostess placed the cloth napkin on his lap and removed the butter knife from his utensils on the table. When our son’s glass of water arrived, it had a plastic lid on the glass and a straw. As a parent, I was very impressed by this level of attention.
The Carthay Circle’s children’s menu has changed a little since the restaurant opened. The Chicken Schnitzel is off the menu and has been replaced with a pasta dish with your choice of a cheese or butter sauce. Our son ordered the pasta and seemed to love it, even if he did eat like a bird. A beverage is included with the children’s entrees.
At the end of our meal, the server noticed that it was our son’s birthday and brought him a small box of Carthay Circle Restaurant chocolates. It was a sweet gesture and indicative of the high level of service you can expect here.
Overall, we never felt like the restaurant was stuffy or that children weren’t welcome. Rather, we felt like the staff had all been specially trained to make children feel welcome and we were glad to have brought our son to the restaurant. I’d still recommend leaving the children at home if you visit the Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. But at the Carthay Circle Restaurant, the whole family will have a great time.
You know what, I felt the same way after I took my family to carthay circle. It felt much less formal than I had expected. The place is beautiful and the food is great. But there was just something about the service that made it feel more casual compared with something like the Napa Rose. I’d take my little ones back to Carthay Circle, but I wouldn’t take them to Napa Rose.