DisneyFamily123
Registered: November 2009
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Mon November 9, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great Entertainment, Food, and Location. Beer and Wine Included
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Cons:
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Some Seating Doesn't Look Good - Get Category 1
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Oct. 24, 2009 -- 5:15pm show. I was concerned because there are so many mixed reviews. I thought this show was wonderful. We were staying at the Polynesian, so easy to get to. The show was fun and I thought the food was great (and I'm a little picky). The ribs were delicious, I didn't get to the chicken. The salad and bread was great. They brought several items off the menu for my son who has allergies. Lots of opportunity for audience participation including one part inviting all the children up to the stage to dance. The beer, although Bud/Light was non-stop flowing. Wine is also included. Do get category 1. Some of the Category 2 and 3 seats were way back and it would not have been as much fun. We were right up front. A cast member confirmed, that within each category of seating, the best seats are given in order that you make your reservation... so if you make your reservation right at the first possible time (now 180 days in advance) for Category 1, you are pretty much guaranteed front row seats. The fire juggler was awesome, so even if you are bored -- DON'T LEAVE EARLY! I saw some people leaving early and they missed it. The Polynesian is a great resort and you can stay afterward to enjoy the Polynesian beach and watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from there... great views.
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disney husband and wife
Registered: September 2009
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Sat October 24, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 4
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Show was not too bad a little hokey but the fire show was good. The food was very disappointing. The pineapple, salad, and bread were very good. The ribs, chicken, and rice were ok. We were expecting something more Polynesian not main land American. We could have gone to a local buffet at home and had the same quality food. The dessert was good. At least the wine was included in the meal!
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mrsfarrell
Registered: August 2008
Location: Northern New Jersey USA
Posts: 55
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Review Date: Mon October 12, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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Service, atmosphere
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Cons:
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Price, food
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Having paid a hefty chunk of change to sit in level one seating, I had high expectations of this experience. We waited in line to check in, we waited in line to be seated, with nowhere to sit down in oppressive heat. We had very good service, but didn't like the chicken, ribs or dessert. In fact, we almost left a few times. I'm glad we got this out of our system.
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BoomNLeon
Registered: July 2007
Location: SC
Posts: 128
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Review Date: Mon September 28, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Show and food
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Cons:
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9/8/09 was our second time at the Luau. The food was good, the salad and fresh pineapple are a great start and the ribs were awesome. The service was fair, but not bad. The show has been updated since we last saw it is 9/07. It seemed tighter and more energized. Love the dances from the islands and the fire dancer.
We were lucky enough to have had great weather, so the show was able to go on. And walking throught the GCH and the grounds of the Poly to get to the Luau puts you right in the mood. This has been a consistently good experience for us.
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cyndisue726
Registered: September 2009
Location: orchard park, ny
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Tue September 15, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 3
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Pros:
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our seats and fast waitress
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Cons:
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dinner and no show
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My boyfriend and I visited Disney World the last week of May 2009 when it was raining everyday. We were scheduled to see the dinner show on our 3rd night. After being out in the rain all day, we wanted to cancel our reservations because we didn't want to have to travel to a park and take yet another bus to get to the Polynesian resort (we stayed at AKL). We were told by the concierge that we can cancel, but we will still be charged the full price of our tickets; however, the Polynesian has the luxury of canceling their show at the last minute. We decided we had no other choice and took the bus to, MK then the monorail to the Polynesian (which was shutdown for several minutes) all in the pouring rain, which the ponchos couldn't resist.
We were delighted to arrive at the Polynesian and began to get excited for the show. We left early to ensure on time arrival and waited almost an hour for the show to begin. After waiting, it was announced that the dinner show that night was canceled. We were so aggravated at this point that we took a taxi back to our resort.
Upon our return to AKL, we asked concierge to print out our reservation list. It turns out that we were scheduled to see the dinner show the next day! I was sure there was no way that I made this error (planning for several months and confirming all reservations), so i checked my paperwork and sure enough, I was right. I gave concierge my confirmation number and they couldn't tell me why the error was made, but ensured me I was the lucky one because I get a second chance at the show.
So the next evening we took a bus to MK and the monorail to the Polynesian yet again in the pouring rain. We waited and were surprised that he show wasn't canceled because it continued to lightening and pour.
We were led to our seats, category 3, which was the best part of the whole ordeal. We were the first table, slightly to the left side, with nothing blocking our view. Things were looking up. Our waitress served our salad and drinks ASAP. The show began, so we sat back, ate, and enjoyed.
About 20 minutes into the show an announcement was made that "due to the weather, the show will be delayed." We continued to eat and enjoy our time. After about another 20 minutes the show began again. Well that lasted all of 5 minutes before the actors were off stage and the announcement made again. The main course was served, then dessert, and still no more show. We decided to wait and have another drink. So after about another 45 minutes there was still no show.
People began leaving, children were crying, and we decided to leave as well. I guess Disney didn't want to refund the money to everyone yet another night (we heard that this show was canceled the past several nights due to the rain).
This was the biggest disappointment during our trip. Not only did we pay way too much for a mediocre meal, but we had to do it twice! Disney should be ashamed that they were too greedy to cancel a show when it was clear that they wouldn't be able to finish.
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Ruissimo
Registered: August 2009
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Mon August 31, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 4
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Pros:
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Fire Show, Some of the Dancing, Some of the Food
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Cons:
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Lost Reservations, Service, Start of Show
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"Oh Disney... what has happened to you?"
What a difference a few years (and a bad economy) make. My wife and I honeymooned there exactly 8 years ago, and it was one of the best vacation experiences either of us ever had. We decided to take our two kids and our inlaws this time, and man oh man... it is just not the magical place it once was.
As most folks who booked a WDW vacation recently, we were given the free "base" dining plan. We decided to upgrade it to the premium dining plan, and booked all of our character meals (six breakfasts and two lunches) and two dinner shows (Spirit of Aloha and Hoop Dee Doo Review) in late May 2009 (exactly 3 months prior to our visit which started on August 22, 2009).
For this review, I will focus on the Spirit of Aloha dinner show, but wanted to give a little background first, which I feel is relevant in the review.
Reservations
POOR. On our second day at the Grand, I decided to head down to the concierge desk to pick up my six tickets to the dinner shows. The lady at the desk says, "I'm sorry, sir... but I only have tickets for two adults and two children". After speaking to concierge-lady, the reservations lady, and finally the dinner-show manager (over the course of 2 days), they told us we could be seated together, but at Tier 2 instead of Tier 1. HOW UNFAIR! They are the ones who lost our reservations, and we were the ones who paid for their mistake. They sat us on the second level, behind one of the hut pillars - awful seats. My son lost interest, and I walked around with him for at least half an hour of the show.
Compared to 2001 Visit: My wife and I didn't know about the Luau, and the concierge at the Grand was able to get us a table for 2 that same night, up front, smack-dab in the center. I'm guessing the Dining Plan is causing overbookings at all of the restaurants, not just the Luau, and this is leading to their inability to acccomodate issues like ours these days. Best guess anyway.
Friendly Advice: Don't suffer like we did - After you make your reservations, CALL BACK a day or two later and confirm that the reservations are correct. I'm hoping it was a simple mistake on their part and not some scheme to sell our Tier 1 seats to some VIP on the day of the show! You never know these days...
The Show/Atmosphere
GOOD. The start of the show is sooooo corny. Cheesy, really, really cheesy. I guess we didn't care much, because at that time, we were figuring out drink orders and eating our salad (service and food reviews below). The dance parts in the middle were very nice and entertaining (some more than others), and the fire show is just outstanding, no matter how many times you've seen it, it never fails to impress. The atmosphere was nice - tropical, but not a traditional Luau as many have mentioned. The kids will probably enjoy it more than the adults, but it was... nice.
Compared to 2001 Visit: Same show. Our fire guy back then was not as skilled as the guy this year (he dropped his gear twice that show) so that was a nice little change. Who knows... maybe it was the same guy as 8 years ago, with better skills xD
Friendly Advice: Get your drink orders, and eat the bread and salad the minute you get there (and as soon as the hot food comes out). You can afford to miss the first 45 minutes or so of the show 
Service
POOR. I'm going to attribute the service to us being a party of six which automatically gets an 18% gratuity added to your check. Though, to be honest, he also served a couple of tables of four, and they didn't appear to get better service than us. This guy was slow, he hardly ever checked on us, and didn't crack one single smile the whole night. My father in law got two (really tiny) glasses of wine the whole show. The service just didn't feel Disney-like. I was very disappointed.
Compared to 2001 Visit: Night and day. Our waiter back then was everything you'd expect of Disney - he was friendly, outgoing, interactive, and seemed geniunely excited to be there! Not this guy. Picture a tall Hawaiian version of Grumpy - that's about what we got this time around.
Friendly Advice: None... you get what you get. Not sure if he was having a bad day, or if the Disney working conditions have changed due to the bad economy, or if the overbookings are taking a toll on everyone. Good luck!
Food
AVERAGE. Salad was pretty good. The coconut bread was just not as good as that same bread from Ohana, which we had for dinner the night before. They also provide some pineapple, and it was pretty sweet. The hot food consisted of a vegetable rice (pretty good), ribs (good sauce, but very fatty ribs), and chicken (which was just okay). The dessert was like this huge deal - they say it's a chocolate mousse volcano, but it didn't taste like it. It was just alright. The chocolate flavor was overpowered by the raspberry sauce they dribbled all over it. The drinks were... well... average also. I ordered a virgin pina colada, and it was decent enough. My father in law didn't much care for the red wine they served (which was included in the meal, as was beer supposedly. We didn't order any.
Compared to 2001 Visit: Same.
Friendly Advice: None. I can't say you're gonna be disappointed, because you won't leave hungry... but the quality is just average.
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disneymom35
Registered: August 2006
Location: NJ
Posts: 25
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Review Date: Sat August 22, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Fun
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Cons:
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Not authentic enough
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Having been to a real luau, I was disappointed that it wasn't a true representation of a Hawaiian luau to show my kids. It was fun. I think if I didn't use my DD and paid out of pocket for it, I would have been more disappointed. Fun evening.
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angeldn3
Registered: July 2009
Location: Brentwood, NY
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Wed August 12, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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loved everything
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Cons:
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none
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We went there our first night at Disney. My DH, and DD didn't think they were going to like it. Not only did they love it, we are going to make it one of our favorite restaurants. Our waiter Tom was great as well. The chicken was excellent, they gave you all you can eat and drink. the appetizer with the pineapple and the salad wow, the coconut/pineapple bread was great, I don't like coconut and loved this. The show was wonderful as well. the story line a little corny but the Hawaiian dancing and at the end the guy with the fire dancing was great.
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Delgon
Registered: July 2009
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Thu July 23, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Good food, and flame thrower
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Cons:
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very long
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We attended the 8:00 pm showing on June 20th. It was our first night at Disney, so we were very excited and anxious. It was very warm, and there was a long wait to actually get into the seating area. After making ADR about 3 months prior to even arriving, there were many complications. My first dinner reservation was overseen, so I had to book again. We had the dinning plan, so we booked category 2 seating. Upon arriving there, we were told that they booked the four of us (2 parents, and 2 small kids) at two different tables. Which was not gonna work.
So they had our, very sweaty, family wait outside to see if they could get us a table together. (Mind you, I had made this reservation for a family of four, 3 months in advance). After about a 20-30 minute wait, after everyone was seated and being served, the lady thought we waited really long, and patiently, so she upgraded us to level 1 seating. The table was directly in the center of the show, and had a great view (compared to the two tables they were gonna sit us at first). The first song got us fired up and in the disney mood. But after a while the show kind of just dragged on. Only to be excited at the end of the show with the flame thrower.
The kids were very exhausted afterward, but it was a fun way to start off the vacation. And walk through the resort. It is beautiful!
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Grandma Donna
Registered: June 2009
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Tue June 30, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 4
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Pros:
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Flame Thrower
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Cons:
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Length of show, audio quality, seating
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We attended the 8 o'clock show on June 17th. We had paid for the tier one pricing but we were still very much off to the side with two tables in front of us. The food was okay but difficult to serve as it was set above the table. The show was long and it was difficult to hear and understand the mistress of ceremonies. The highlight of the show is the flame thrower. They would do well to end the show on a high note rather than continue with more uninteresting aspects after. I would definitely not attend again.
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juker88
Registered: June 2009
Location: arkansas
Posts: 14
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Review Date: Sun June 21, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Great food
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Cons:
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a little too long of a show
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We had ADR on Tues. June 17 at 5:15 show. It began blowing up a cloud to rain/storm and they got everyone seated immediately. The food was excellent. Our DD9 loved this show and learning to hula dance. The show itself is long especially at beginning, but the ending is great with the flame thrower. It lasted altogether between eating then the show about 2 hours which we thought was too long. I'm glad we did this show, but would rather to a character meal in place of it next time.
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firefghtrwife
Registered: June 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Sun June 7, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Entertainment was nice, Great food!
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Cons:
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Tight seating!
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I can only think that people that don't like to try new things are the one's that write negative things about the food. The food was great-ribs fall off the bone and I've never tasted such yummy veggies!!! My kids loved the interaction with learning how to hula and my son was in awe with the flame thrower! Our server was attentive and thoughtful-our daughter has type 1 diabetes and he brought a sugar free frozen fruit bar for her for dessert. Only down fall...if the people that had reserved the table infront of us had shown up my kids wouldn't have been ale to see very well.
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wethegrl
Registered: May 2009
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Mon May 25, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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The food, very nice servers
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Cons:
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show is a bit hokey
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My husband and I went to this show on October 2, 2008. We both found the food to be very good ... the pineapple bread was suprisingly tasty, the chicken was juicy and very well seasoned, the rice was excellent and the bbq ribs were also good. We were more divided on the show. The show was somewhat hokey, it was a story about a girl returning to Hawaii. My husband really enjoyed the various island dances at the end of the show, I found it to be boring. Overall though, I would go again for the food and the atmoshpere.
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moon1
Registered: May 2009
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Wed May 13, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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nice server attentive
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Cons:
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food ok show terrible
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Would not go back or recommend. The food was ok. Would have much rather have gone back to Ohana's twice for the 2 table service meals it took. Food didn't compare to Ohana's. Dessert was too sweet, salad was good. I thought the show was very boring until the end the fire dancer was good. The atmosphere was pretty, but just did not think this was worth the money . Much better food at other place. Show was not worth the extra table service credits.
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Bella
Registered: May 2009
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Wed May 6, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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great food
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Cons:
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Show was long
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The ribs and chicken were great the mixed vegetable were a nice surprise. The salad, bread and rice all very good. No complaints about the food. I would go back for the all you can eat food. However the show seemed to drag out at the end seemed to have a few too many encores. As we went to the 8 pm seating I was ready to leave after eating so much. My son enjoyed the fire dancer at the end.
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