Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show:
A Mom's Review
Okay, okay, so this isn't actually a character meal. This a full-blown luau at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort! The dinner show takes place at Luau Cove, near the Polynesian's marina. I have stayed at the Poly in the Hawaii house, which is the club level house and I never would have even known that this place was around! The theatre easily seats 200 and your tables are under a wooden structure, so even if it rains a little it shouldn't affect you. Heavy rains will result in a cancellation.
The luau begins slowly. Actually, I was really bored for the first half hour. Later I realized that this is because they are giving you a chance to eat your meal without missing the show. After a few breaks in the program for the servers to bring appetizers, entrees and desserts, the real show starts!
I was annoyed with the breaks at the time, but afterward I was thankful for them. The breaks allowed the servers to bring the next course to your table without blocking the show from those seated in the back.
The food is served "family style" at the tables and, boy, is it some great food! The picture above is our appetizer plate. There were seven of us at our table and they brought us two platters of everything. They also provided us with sweet Hawaiian rolls!
For the main course, we have teriyaki chicken, pulled pork and short ribs. I forgot to take a picture, but it was great! The teriyaki may be a little messy for kids, so keep an eye on them!
This is what is left of dessert. It was a warm pineapple bread pudding and it was out of this world! I am normally not a fan of bread pudding, but this is an exception in my book. It was absolutely phenomenal!
The show has a storyline to it, which is really weak. I understand Disney's need to "tell the story" and give a reason for the Luau to occur, but it really was just a waste of time. The dancing, however, was fantastic! The luau showcases several different styles of dance (Tahitian, Hawaiian, etc.) some of which I had never even heard of. My favorite was the Tahitian dancers (see video above).
The last segment in the show is a male fire dancer. Think masculine flaming batons! Seriously, this guy was incredible.
A side note here: My family was impressed that despite these hundreds of people sitting outside in the Florida heat with food everywhere, we did not spot one single insect. Not a fly, not a mosquito, not even a ladybug. Now, that takes some real Disney magic!
I would highly recommend this show to anyone from Honeymooners, to parents of children (big and small) to seniors. Two thumbs up! Just don't let the price tag scare you!
