Kona Café vs Ohana?

ForEver2016

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jun 5, 2017
We are trying to decide whether to do Kona Cafe or Ohana for our dinner on our one day drive-in trip to MK. We will have our one year old with us. We’ve never tried either restaurant and are excited to check out the Poly.

We currently have an ADR for Ohana at 6:40 PM. We were hoping to watch the fireworks from the beach but I realize with a 6:40 ADR that will be nearly impossible due to wait times. So, we may try to ask for a table with fireworks viewing but realize that is a long shot, especially probably on a Saturday evening. We have been hearing less than stellar reviews lately, especially regarding undercooked chicken which freaks me out.

So, we were thinking of switching to an earlier ADR at Kona Café so we could be sure to be able to see beach fireworks. However, the recent menu changes seem to have not gone over well and its “hidden gem” status seems to have diminished. But having never been before, will we be disappointed having never had previous menu items that were replaced? We are not huge Asian food/sushi lovers but the dinner menu seems pretty decent to us. Also concerned that the ambiance won’t be as good as Ohana because it’s open to the lobby (from what I gather?)

We are also curious about realistic transportation times from MK to the Poly. We’ve heard plan at least an hour but is that really necessary?

So - Ohana and risk missing fireworks or Kona Cafe and guaranteed beach fireworks?
 
What time are the fireworks that evening? We much prefer O'hana over Kona. O'hana is an experience from the serving of the food to the live entertainment and games. Kona is just a resort restaurant in dire need of a refurb. If you are just looking for a casual restaurant (like Kona), you would find better food at The Wave at CR (and you could watch the fireworks from there as well - from the 4th floor observation deck). The food at GF Cafe is better than Kona as well, IMHO and you can watch the fireworks from GF as well. For Poly or GF, I would be walking out of MK about an hour before the reservation. For CR, it takes about 10 minutes to walk there from the MK gates (15 if you walk slowly)
 
Thanks for your reply! We want to specific visit the Poly that evening but will keep your other recs in mind for the future for sure. Fireworks at 8 PM that night. Any idea how many tables are in prime fireworks viewing zones at Ohana?
 
I would go with Ohana too. Not sure how many tables have a good view. Last time I went we randomly got a view table.
 


Another vote for Ohana, we did not care for Kona at all. I don't think that transportation will take an hour. You can take a boat directly there which should only be about 20 mins, give or take. The monorail might take about 30 mins.
 
Thanks for your reply! We want to specific visit the Poly that evening but will keep your other recs in mind for the future for sure. Fireworks at 8 PM that night. Any idea how many tables are in prime fireworks viewing zones at Ohana?
The problem with the tables with a view of the fireworks is that guests who had an earlier reservation tend to linger so they can watch from the table. Then the guests who tried to book close to fireworks time wind up not being seated until after the fireworks are finished. You see a mass exodus from Ohana right after the fireworks are over.
 
The problem with the tables with a view of the fireworks is that guests who had an earlier reservation tend to linger so they can watch from the table. Then the guests who tried to book close to fireworks time wind up not being seated until after the fireworks are finished. You see a mass exodus from Ohana right after the fireworks are over.

Do you think that will be a problem with a 6:40 ADR with fireworks at 8?
 


Do you think that will be a problem with a 6:40 ADR with fireworks at 8?
I'd guess you would be seated around your time, but you would be finished quite a bit before 8PM. You would become a lingerer (unless you went out to the beach to watch).
 
I have to bid for Kona :)
We have eaten there twice for lunch and were very satisfied with the food and the service.
But, we have never eaten at Ohana, so..................
 
We had another fabulous dinner at 'Ohana recently and would choose it over most onsite restaurants these days. We were seated almost exactly at our reservation time and it was for Thanksgiving dinner, so a busy time. We were done and at our cars just an hour later - it was not rushed but instead the perfect length. I think you'll probably be fine for the fireworks but it also wouldn't hurt to check in early and perhaps get seated a bit early. Never hurts to try. If you don't get seated early, you can poke around the hotel.

Kona used to be really tasty but a standard, hotel lobby feel to me. I'm not intrigued by the new menu at all so haven't been recently. I think GF Cafe and Wave are both nicer atmospheres.

It won't take an hour to get there - I think you're safe with 30 minutes by boat or monorail. If you drive, you may want to give more time simply because the guard station gets backed up frequently.
 
I think you'll be fine with your O'hana time. I would try to get there around 15 minutes prior to your ADR and hope to be seated on time. The meal doesn't have to take long. It's family-style, AYCTE, so the service doesn't take very long. The last time we went, the longest we waited was for our check, so you may want to ask for that when you are seated (you can explain you are trying to catch the fireworks on the beach), that way you can eat and leave.
 
O'hana is one of my favorites. I tried Kona Café once, and was very disappointed in the food selection and service.
 
We like Ohana's so much we eat there twice every trip so my vote goes there. As to time unlike some of the previous posters we have never been seated on time usually 10 to 15 minutes late. With that in mind you should be fine for the fireworks, just linger a bit don't ask for the desert until 10 minutes or so before the fireworks.
 
OP, I think you made the better choice of the two. Food and service are hit or miss at Ohana, but at least there is a chance it will be good. I used to be a major fan of Kona Cafe, but IMHO their new menu is terrible. I also agree with @DisneyWishes14 that The Wave has better food.
 
I guess I'm on the other side. I find the meats at Ohana disgusting. Tough, dried out and low quality. I'd go to Kona any day over Ohana. And I don't think you'll make the fireworks with your reservation time. Usually, it takes them a while after your ADR time to get seated.
 

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