Adult Buffet Prices for 11 year old

[RunnerMomO]

So we had dinner at Boma's last night and I realized we are paying for our 11 year old as an adult on the buffet. This frustrates me as he doesn't eat as much as an adult and he SHOULDN'T eat as much as an adult. Any thoughts out there on why Disney chooses to say a 10 year old is eating as an adult? It doesn't make sense to me. Especially since I am pretty sure nutrition guidelines would not say a 10 year old should be eating same portions as an adult. I love Boma's but suppose we won't bother going back until my son eats more like a teenager. LOL.

 

[deserrai]

I couldn't agree more. I assume the age range is because 10 years old is the start of adult pricing for the tickets so they use the same age range for dining. My kids are 3 and 18 so I haven't had to deal with that issue, but when DD3 hits 10 years old, you can bet we will be doing CS only or no buffets until she gets bigger!

 

[JennyDrake]

I couldn't agree more. I assume the age range is because 10 years old is the start of adult pricing for the tickets so they use the same age range for dining.

That is my guess as well.

Yes, it's a bit absurd, but I have met a few 10 year olds (I was one) who could eat as much as an adult. It sure does make it hard on families though.

 

[Crystal Brewer]

Certainly feel your pain!! This will be our first WDW when acquiring DDP it was explained I would be charged adult price for DS12 he weighs 72lbs lol Not to say he doesn't "eat as adults" just not the amount (luvs steak) I wanted full experience so made the leap in scope tho made all Character meal ADRs with buffets hoping DS16 makes up for younger brother Also added pp+ so we'll have great memories either way**

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Perspective is everything.

Disney offers discounts for those nine and under. They fully disclose a difference in those prices.

Would you feel better if there was another pricing tier for 10 through 16 year olds at the current adult prices, and those 17 and older would pay an additional $5 cost?

I have no problem with the way Disney elects to price their meals. The costs are fully disclosed and it's my choice whether to spend my money for those services offered. Of course, this is one of the reasons why we elect to eat some meals off-site and avoid some buffets.

 

[Quin]

Whether they SHOULD or not, there are 8 year olds who eat more than I do. No one is going to be happy with any particular age as the dividing line. Disney uses age 10 for all things 'adult'. Before you know it your 11 year old will turn into a bottomless pit, and then for a few years buffets will be your ONLY viable dining choice because otherwise you'd go broke feeding him.

And as it is, there are an equal number of complaints about the under-10s having to eat 'kids meals' choices when they want adult food at the non-buffet TS restaurants. Just choose the type of dining that works out best for your family.

 

[6disneykids]

There is a consistent complaint about the prices for kids between 10-12 Disney adults. I think maybe some tier for that age group, somewhere between the child's price and the adult price would be great, I have 2 of the 6 that are now Disney adults, but they do eat more than I do, however DD9 can pass for 7. So, while it sounds great in theory, 2 price levels 3-9 and 10+ simplifies the system. With whatever age is set to be considered an adult, there will be some family who will not be happy because their child at whatever age is charged the adult price.

 

[JimmyV]

And of course, let's not forget to factor in some seniors who revert back to eating more like 9 year olds. Honestly, the only truly fair solution would be to weigh people's plates and charge them by the ounce/pound like your local grocery store does with its salad bar, but that just feels icky at a nice restaurant. I can walk in to Boma with a defensive lineman in the NFL, both of us being "adults", and the idea that we should be charged the same amount is absurd. In fact, I am guessing here (and I truly mean guessing), that the discrepency in food consumed as between a petite female adult and a hefty eating male adult is far greater than the difference between a typical 11 year old and his parent. Age simply isn't that much of a factor. The pricing is an odd truth that we simply have to live with unless and until somebody comes up with a better idea.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

So we had dinner at Boma's last night and I realized we are paying for our 11 year old as an adult on the buffet. This frustrates me as he doesn't eat as much as an adult and he SHOULDN'T eat as much as an adult.

1) At one time, WDW had four divisions
. . . infant (under 3)
. . . child (3-12)
. . . junior (13-17)
. . . adult (18+)
2) This applied to ride/admission tickets and some meal prices.
3) They cut it back to the current infant, child, adult.
4) WDW said it was for simplicity.
5) But, it did more more "juniors" into the adult category for food/tickets.
6) I see no way they would go back.

 

[minnie mum]

I agree with the points made by JimmyV, RustyS, and a few of the others.

My DM eats like a bird, but would never expect to pay as a child. My DH can (and frequently does) eat twice as much as I do at a buffet. Should we all pay a different amount?

Disney is quite open about the prices for buffets and family style meals. If you don't agree with them then limit yourselves to a la carte restaurants or CS.

 

[mmmears]

I think it's tied to the tickets. 10 is an adult at WDW. When my DD was 10 she was very small and didn't eat much -- we just avoided the buffets until she grew older. To be honest, we didn't miss them much, and I figure we "voted" with our money. I think there are plenty of kids that are 10 who do eat like adults and I guess they have to draw the line somewhere...

 

[disnut8]

So we had dinner at Boma's last night and I realized we are paying for our 11 year old as an adult on the buffet. This frustrates me as he doesn't eat as much as an adult and he SHOULDN'T eat as much as an adult. Any thoughts out there on why Disney chooses to say a 10 year old is eating as an adult? It doesn't make sense to me. Especially since I am pretty sure nutrition guidelines would not say a 10 year old should be eating same portions as an adult. I love Boma's but suppose we won't bother going back until my son eats more like a teenager. LOL.

Well, then there are people like my husband and me. Both adults. If we eat at a Disney buffet, I probably will stock up on things like salads, non meats (although I am not a vegetarian but I don't go overboard on meats) and things like that. Is it worth $30-$50? Probably not. But then there's my husband who will eat anything that used to graze on what I'm eating. He gets more than the $30-$50 of food. We even out.

Cut to my son and his family. Same thing with him and his wife (my son can easily eat a pounder burger and go back for more). His daughter can eat a half pizza herself. And his son? On my, he's his dad's boy. Trust me, there are people out there who can and will eat a ton of food at a buffet. And yes, my son was this way at the age of ten. And his son will be like that as well.

Sorry you have a son who doesn't eat enough to warrant the cost of a buffet. Just don't go there until he can.

 

[Disneylover99]

My son who is 9 can (and does) out eat me at buffets every time. He has been eating like an adult for a couple of years now. He is of average height and weight (but he must have a fast metabolism because I don't know where he puts it) and he never wastes food at a buffet, but he can eat and eat and loves steak, seafood, etc... anything pricey.

My daughter who is 6, doesn't eat much, but she wastes food at a buffet.

I maybe have a plateful of food, but prefer salads over heavy meat dishes.

I really don't have a problem with children of 10 or 11 paying adult prices. Right now my kids eat/waste food more then my husband or self. But we still love buffets because of variety and not having to decide what to order.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We have a 10yo grandson who is 5'7, 150lbs, and wears a mans size 8 shoe. For the last year, he has been eating his parents out of house and home. His dad now understands why we had to buy in bulk at Sam's when he and his brother were that age. His dad is 6'4, my side od the family, and he has two uncles that are both 6'6 on his mother's side of the family. It's got to be in the genes!

We're taking him in June with us to Disney, and are are planning doing a lot of buffets, and all you can eat meals while there hoping to be able to fill him up!

 

[Jennasis]

For us, regardless of HOW we eat, on our WDW vacations we simply eat based on where we want/type of food we want, and for the most part just ignore the prices. We are not the Rockefellers or anything, but we know how screwy the prices of food are at Disney, so rather than stress about it, we just ignore the prices and eat where we want. Of course it takes us two years to save for 5 days at Pop...

 

[disney1990]

This is exactly why, when we took our granddaughters to Disney last year, we didn't go to any buffets. The 12 year old eats like a bird and the 14 year old doesn't each much for than that. I am sure that there are kids that eat way more than adults, but not these kids.

I know that I don't eat enough to have a buffet be worth it, but I appreciate the variety that some buffets offer, such as Boma.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

That's the reason why we have done very few buffets for the last three years, even though I've missed Boma. My twins didn't eat enough to justify paying adult prices. This summer, they'll be nearly 14, and we're planning on a buffet or two. We'll see if it's worth it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Whether they SHOULD or not, there are 8 year olds who eat more than I do. No one is going to be happy with any particular age as the dividing line. Disney uses age 10 for all things 'adult'. Before you know it your 11 year old will turn into a bottomless pit, and then for a few years buffets will be your ONLY viable dining choice because otherwise you'd go broke feeding him.

And as it is, there are an equal number of complaints about the under-10s having to eat 'kids meals' choices when they want adult food at the non-buffet TS restaurants. Just choose the type of dining that works out best for your family.

 

[Hopefully]

I'm sorry you got all the way to Boma's before you realized that your DS was an adult for dinner pricing. As PP have said, it is a well publicized fact and frequently debated here on the DIS.
I remember the junior pricing. I liked it and was sorry to see it go. But go it did. So now the decision is yours to make as to where you eat based on Disney pricing.
As already said, no one age cutoff will meet everyone's needs. We have seen many different examples on this thread, and on every thread about this.

 

[JeffreyY]

The time this most bothered me was when my kids were over 10 and we went to HDDR, had to pay adult prices but they couldn't drink the achohol that was included and we paid for. Now I don't drink but at least I would have been allowed to, they of course were not. In that case I think there should have been a junior price for those 10 thru 20 who are not allowed to drink.