01/20/2024
I was recently asked to weigh in on Ohana vs Boathouse as dinner dining options. It’s important to note that this review is for dinner only as Ohana is a different experience for breakfast!
Comparative Overview of Each
Boathouse and Ohana are two uniquely themed restaurants on Walt Disney World property. Each has its own magical flair which means advance dining reservations are highly recommended if either is on your “must do” list.
The Boathouse is located at Disney Springs, scituated on the lake where you can watch the ferries and amphicar* traverse the waterways. Living up to its name, the interior is nauticallly themed, and depending on where you sit the vibe is casual coastal to cruiseliner formal. Outside dining provides a balance of both with sweeping sunset views.
Ohana is located inside Disney’s Polynesian Resort; and like the hotel, the restaurant is themed with south seas decor. There are Tiki statues dotted throughout the dining room, and all around are large picture windows that overlook Bay Lake for a view of Cinderellas Castle. A singer makes passes throughout the night, strumming a ukulele and singing polynesian melodies while you dine. While theres no outside seating, there is the possibility of viewing the Magic Kingdom fireworks right from your seat.
The Boathouse offers traditional à la cart dining and a menu centered around seafood. The exceptional raw bar is a fan favorite, and the appetizers make you question : should I even order a main? That said, seafood lovers will find a multitude of options while those who prefer farmed food to fish will find a few selections. Perhaps most importantly, there is a childrens menu for younger diners, and selective eaters with allergy or sensory concerns will find the kitchen very accomodating.
Ohana, in stark contrast is served up “all-you-care-to-enjoy” “family style,” and it’s a land-lovers delight by comparison. You’ll receive a bread service and a citrus salad before family portions begin arriving to your table: Honey Coriander Wings, Pork Dumplings tossed in a garlic-chili sauce, Wood-fire Grilled Teriyaki Beef, Spicy Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, Grilled Chicken with Polynesian-inspired Chimichurri Sauce, 'Ohana Noodles, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables. When you are ready for dessert you will be brought the Ohana bread pudding with ice creamm and caramel sauce with a number of spoons for you to share:
It should be noted that while Ohana does have an Allergy friendly menu, the kitchen is limited in its ability to accomodate sensory needs: and this can cut deeply into the value of the per person cost.
Ohana has a set price of $60 per adult and $40 for children 3-9 years old. This includes all the food, tea, coffee, and soft drinks. Specialty be erages and alcoholic drinks have an additional charge.
The Boathouse entrees range from $35-$60 and the per person cost with drinks, apps, and raw bar can easily rack up to 80-125 per person. On the other hand, feeding a child will cost less than 25 between meal, drink and either app or dessert.
Beyond the meals:
The Polynesian is close to Magic Kingdom and on the monorail which makes it easy to take a park break from either Magic Kingdom or Epcot if you get an earlier dining reservation.
The Boathouse Is in Disney Springs making later evening reservations much easier for all hotel guests, but especially those guests with ferry access to Disney Springs. Dining at The Boathouse gives you a $20 discount to takee a ride in the amphicar (normally 125 per carload of 3-4).
More On Transportation and Reservation Times:
Ohana and The Boathouse are easy to get to from the parks- simply board a boat to Disney Springs or catch a bus/boat/monorail to the Polynesian Resort.
Getting back from your meal may be harder for those with late night reservations at Ohana who arent staying at one of the monorail resorts. This is because buses do not transport guests between hotels. You may need to plan to catch a bus to Disney Springs and transfer to a bus to your hotel, or plan to get an uber/lyft/minnie van for direct service to your hotel
If you arent driving and interested in catching an uber/lyft/minnie bus, but The Boathouse is easier to get to from a non-polynesian or non-monorail resort. If you aren’t staying at the Polynesian or one of the monorail resorts, you will want to plan your dinner with enough time to catch a bus
Personal Review
Ohana food is Polynesian “inspired “ and for the casual diner it may be a little different without being too adventurous- but for expedition diners like myself, it’s somewhere between Ruby Tuesdays and P.F. Chang’s . Thats not to say it’s bad, it’s just not - Polynesian enough- for me. That said, I have dined there twice, once a couple years backk and once this December.
The quality of food includes some good, a lot of mediocre, and a couple “no thank yous”, and opinions will vary on what is the best and what’s the worst- but you can always order more of a favorite. For me, the coriander wings didn’t earn their name - and are too sweet. The terriyaki beef was too tough, and the chimmichurri chicken was inedibly bitter. The noodles were somewhere between ramen and lo mein, not enough flavor to be interesting - a safe neutral, same deal with the shrimp.
For standouts : The dumplings were really tasty, the coconut bread and honey butter and the citrus salad were phenomenal. I would rather have the bread and butter over thee dessert… in fact, I did! I really shouldn’t be your guage for the bread pudding as I am not a fan of bread pudding at all, but if you like sticky sweet over the top you might love it. I love the drinks from the Tambu Lounge and especially the Keiki lemonade!
I wouldn’t call this a date night location- it’s solidly family dining. It can be pretty loud depending on the hour. The ambiance is nice, the views can be spectacular or they can be meh (I was seated near the kitchen on the backside facing away from the window, so meh).
To make it work financially you’ll want to havee at least one big meat eater in your party.
All that said, - In the future I’ll just have a drink at the Tambu Lounge and order some pot stickers or hot wings for a fraction of the price while I kick back and enjoy the ambiance of the hotel.
——— BoatHouse Review———
The Boathouse is definitely anywhere from date night to family night to hanging with your besties- it can fit anywhere in there depending on where you sit! The waitstaff are amazing and the atmosphere -can- add to the value of the price point.
Not gonna lie - The raw bar and apps are the main attraction here. The apps were solid - the shrimp, and calamari *chefs kiss* - and yeah, I did love the bread service.
The fact that there’s a kids menu makes this a better destination for anyone who had selective eaters or sensory wary eaters. On the other hand the ambiance is a bit boring when inside and quite loud: so I’d definitely request outdoor seating on a good weather day.
As for the mains- seafood lovers can’t go wrong but land-lovers maybe let down. The waiter made the faux pas of saying their steaks measure up to the best steakhouses … they do not. The quality /cut is fine but the seasoning is boring and I make better at home. If you’re gonna pay $$$ you want something better than that imho.
That said there’s a lot of great options on the menu and if you’re going to plop down a chunk of change and seafood is your jam: The Boathouse is a great option.
Please note: The Boathouse is NOT the restaurant is a giant Ferry- that Is The Paddlefish:
