DDP & kids

[lhermiston]

My wife and I like the convenience of the DDP. I especially like knowing all of our meals are paid for when we get there.

Our beef (no pun intended) with the DDP is that kids seem to have the same few options ( Mac & cheese, cheeseburger, chicken nuggets) at every single sit down restaurant. Our two daughters are very healthy, non-picky eaters and we were a little frustrated by the lack of options (the exception being the rainforest cafe), almost enough to reconsider using the DDP.

Sorry if this has already been posted, but can anyone else tell me if they feel the same and how they've dealt with this issue?

 

[Mary7116]

I agree. The same kids choices are found at buffets too. All kids chicken nuggets, pizza etc. are exactly the same too no variation. It's funny you would think Disney would serve higher quality food to their youngest biggest fans.

 

[shan23877]

I'd have to agree. We tend to seek out signature restaurants that offer more 'grown up' choices for kids, and at buffets we encourage DD to choose from the whole buffet rather than just the children's section.

They are adding more "whole meals" to the kids menus which are much, much healthier, and Be our Guest is causing quite a stir for having left the usual suspects of the kids menu all together. It does seem to be improving!

 

[lhermiston]

I agree. The same kids choices are found at buffets too. All kids chicken nuggets, pizza etc. are exactly the same too no variation. It's funny you would think Disney would serve higher quality food to their youngest biggest fans.

That's the thing...the adult meals are so high quality, it's a head scratcher that the kids' meals are so uninspired. My girls love salads and quinoa and healthy food just as much as hotdogs and grilled cheese. I know it's cheaper to buy frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets in bulk, but you know what? It's cheaper to rent a beach house for a week than do WDW. I'm making an investment, they should, too.

It doesn't have to be elaborate, just give me some variety - soups, salads, more fruit and veggie options, etc.

 

[ironpig70]

I would wager that the majority of kids like whats on the kids menus as this is pretty standard across the board wether at WDW, Applebees or the Olive Garden.

I would like Disney to leave some of the standard fare on the menu but add some new stuff. I do like that Disney has healthy stuff like grapes and carrots but this to seems to be at all kids places and I think after a couple days that will get old.

Be nice to have more variety.

 

[bdklein]

Don't go on the Dining Plan. That's the solution. If there were "better" choices for kids on the DP it would more expensive and probably not offer the same value.

 

[maxiesmom]

Sorry, but I have to disagree with all of you. If you do some research you can find a lot of variety for kids meals. Look at the menus on line ahead of time. We have easily found things like salads, steak, fish, turkey, meatloaf--there IS a lot of different food available. And healthy choices too. But you have to look for them.

Btw, keep in mind for every person who complains about the lack of variety, there is someone complaining that the food is so strange their kids won't eat it. Be our Guest has a menu that is not all mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, and there has been a huge uproar over it!

 

[ses1230]

Look at the menus here on the info side of the boards, or on allears. There is more than nuggests and mac and cheese for kids. Just off the top of my head, BOG as pp mentioned, Biergaten has roast chicken and potatoes, Chefs has fish, LTT lunch as turkey and mashed potatoes, 50's has grilled chicken and grilled fish.

 

[lhermiston]

I would wager that the majority of kids like whats on the kids menus as this is pretty standard across the board wether at WDW, Applebees or the Olive Garden.

My problem isn't so much with what's on the menus - my daughters like chicken strips and cheeseburgers as much as anyone else - but the lack of alternatives. During our last WDW trip, they pretty much ate the same thing at every table service restaurant we went to and we tried several. It'd just be nice to add a salad to each menu and maybe one item specific to each menu.

To the whoever suggested that we not do the DDP, we have considered that option for this very reason. For now, the peace of mind and savings associate with the Disney plan is enough to make us think twice about dropping it. Maybe we need to look harder for other places to eat, which is why I posted this in the first place, to get some suggestions.

I've seen BoG suggested several times. Where else have you all had luck with good kid options?

 

[maxiesmom]

Maybe we need to look harder for other places to eat, which is why I posted this in the first place, to get some suggestions.

I've seen BoG suggested several times. Where else have you all had luck with good kid options?

My young niece loves the salmon at the Grand Floridian Cafe. And the buffet at Biergarten was a huge hit. Le Ceiller is a hit too, though now that all meals are 2 dining credits it is a bit pricey. But they have steak, salmon, grilled chicken, and pasta on the kids menu.

Tutto Italia was very accommodating with regards to adjusting menu items to taste. We have enjoyed all our meals at the Liberty Tree Tavern too. For lunch they have a chicken and pineapple flat bread on the kids menu. Along with mac & cheese and pasta in red sauce.

Those are the places we have eaten that come to mind. There is a link to the menus on the Disboards. They are very helpful!

 

[ptlohmysoul]

We saved up points on our Disney credit card. We used it for our meals and had enough money to cover all except the last 3 meals (we stayed 5 nights). It made it feel like we got free meals . We are also a quick service, no reservations/last minute decision, kind of family. You could always buy Disney gift cards instead, having paid for it advance, if pre-paying is the main issue.

 

[khaoskat]

My wife and I like the convenience of the DDP. I especially like knowing all of our meals are paid for when we get there.

Our beef (no pun intended) with the DDP is that kids seem to have the same few options ( Mac & cheese, cheeseburger, chicken nuggets) at every single sit down restaurant. Our two daughters are very healthy, non-picky eaters and we were a little frustrated by the lack of options (the exception being the rainforest cafe), almost enough to reconsider using the DDP.

Sorry if this has already been posted, but can anyone else tell me if they feel the same and how they've dealt with this issue?

We are in the process of planning our first visit, and after going through all the MK places to eat, I am less than thrilled with the eating options available for my children.

We are not a PB&J, carrot and grapes and drink type of family for meals. Or even the chicken nuggets, carrot and grapes and drink. We generally have sit down meals at home that consist of a variety of foods -- beef (ground beef dishes, roast, steaks), pork (chops, ground, roasts), fish, poultry.

We keep the foods simple, so it is just a plain grilled stead with like sauteed onion, potato done on the grill, and veggie. Or lemon pepper salmon with garden fresh sweet corn and salad.

I was thrilled to see the offerings at BOG, but very disappointed to read the thread on Everything you wanted to know, and people not believing kids would eat these types of foods, and therefor mad at Disney for not giving traditional "as they call it" food offerings for kids. Wish more of the places offered food like this for kids.

Hopefully Disney will keep up the changes, and make more options like that available at other QS/CS and TS meals for kids.

 

[Aristocath]

On our last trip only one of our three sons was on the children's dining plan. We had a two week trip that included Universal, Kennedy Space Center and WDW. We had ten days of the DP and while we went to a variety of restaurants, we found the choices for our youngest to be very repetitive. We searched out QS restaurants that didn't differentiate adult and child, like the patisserie in France. However, despite our efforts, by the end of the trip our chicken nugget loving son swore them off forever. He hasn't eaten mac and cheese or chicken nuggets since 2010. I am not kidding.

We are planning our next ten day trip and we have decided to forgo the DP even though all of the boys will be "Disney adults." My youngest is so excited.

 

[bumbershoot]

Don't go on the Dining Plan. That's the solution. If there were "better" choices for kids on the DP it would more expensive and probably not offer the same value.

We are vegetarian, and most kid offerings (beyond the mac&cheese and occasional grilled cheese) are meat. That's not helpful for us! Since the cost of the kid's plan is what helps the total plan's cost make more sense, but the kid's plan doesn't make sense for DS much of the time, the whole thing makes no sense for us. Not to mention, the plan doesn't really work for the adults, based on what we normally eat.

Therefore, the plan isn't for us. Might not be for the OP, either.

I agree. The same kids choices are found at buffets too. All kids chicken nuggets, pizza etc. are exactly the same too no variation. It's funny you would think Disney would serve higher quality food to their youngest biggest fans.

Kids do not have to eat off of the kid area at the buffet. At Tusker House, our fave buffet meal, DS gets a bunch of mac&cheese, then puts all sorts of interesting things around it, like the pearl couscous, etc etc.

 

[Mickfarland4]

Sorry, but I have to disagree with all of you. If you do some research you can find a lot of variety for kids meals. Look at the menus on line ahead of time. We have easily found things like salads, steak, fish, turkey, meatloaf--there IS a lot of different food available. And healthy choices too. But you have to look for them.

Btw, keep in mind for every person who complains about the lack of variety, there is someone complaining that the food is so strange their kids won't eat it. Be our Guest has a menu that is not all mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, and there has been a huge uproar over it!

If you know some of these resurants by heart would you pm me with them? DS is a picky eater and I am planning our first trip for next year and am struggling with going on DDP...I want to so that dh and I eat one good meal a day that we normally wouldn't if we were home! Thank you!!

 

[mrsclaymation]

I've also been a little concerned about the lack of choices for children. I don't want to hijack the thread but I have a related question - one of my children is on the adult plan, and he is the one who would be happier eating mac and cheese, nuggets, and cheese pizza. Would it be possible for them to swap food after it has been ordered and brought to the table?

 

[worm761]

I've also been a little concerned about the lack of choices for children. I don't want to hijack the thread but I have a related question - one of my children is on the adult plan, and he is the one who would be happier eating mac and cheese, nuggets, and cheese pizza. Would it be possible for them to swap food after it has been ordered and brought to the table?

That is perfectly acceptable.

You can easily find all the menus here: http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

Some suggestions though:
Animal Kingdom
Flame Tree BBQ (CS)- baked chicken leg
Rain Forest Cafe (TS)- burgers, chicken, shrimp, hot dog, grilled cheese, ribs, pasta, and pizza.
Restaurantosaurus (CS)- turkey wrap
Yak and Yeti (TS)- vegetable lo mein

Hollywood Studios
50's Prime Time (TS)- salad for app, meatloaf for meal, fruit salad for dessert; also grilled fish and grilled chicken
ABC Commissary (CS)- turkey sandwich
Brown Derby (TS)- apps of salad, soup, or carrot sticks dippers. entree's of grouper, grilled chicken,
Mama Melroses (TS)- Grilled Fish of the Day with Whole-Grain Pilaf, Green Beans and Carrots, Apps: Garden Salad, Vegetarian Minestrone Soup. Chicken Parmigiana

Epcot:
Coral Reef (TS)- apps of soup of the day. entree of mahi mahi, grilled chicken, pizza. grilled fish of the day.
Sunshine Seasons (CS): sweet and sour chicken w/ rice, Caesar salad w/ oak fired grilled chicken and a side, pizza panini, chicken leg w/ mashed potatoes or rice,

There is a ton of variety in the TS restaurants in World Showcase!

MK:
Columbia Harbour House (CS): tuna sandwich
Liberty Tree Tavern (TS): apps include salad and soup, entrees include oven roasted turkey and BBQ chicken and pineapple flatbread.
Plaza Restaurant (TS): apps include tomato soup and garden salad, entrees include burgers, grilled cheese, and turkey sandwich. This is a sandwich shop though. good sandwiches!
Tony's Town Square (TS)- apps include a garden salad, entrees include fish of the day, spaghetti, grilled cheese dippers, Mickey shaped ravioli, steak skewer "speidini"


There is plenty of variety if one is willing to do the work to find it. Check out the link for the menus. It has prices also. Especially at World Showcase in Epcot. Tons of variety there!

 

[brymolmom]

Great post worm! I don't like when people comment all the time about only PB&J or nuggets on the plan. Don't get me wrong - I KNOW it is a lot of that - but with planning, it is more than possible to get variety in kids meals. I have found in conversations with people that it is not truly variety that they are after a lot of time (not necessarily with the posters here), but that there is not the specific variety that their kid likes.

Anyway - thought I would add that we frequently use our kids credits at resort food courts and have found a lot of variety there. For example, Pop Century:
Pasta with meatball
Beef & broccoli
Chicken Noodle Soup

Or at Poly:
Chicken & Pineapple Skewer
Fish & vegetables

We would use our kids credits there and share an adult credit or two (with a couple extra sides using snacks) when at the parks if there weren't good kids options. Between that and eating at WS in EPCOT, plus places like Starring Rolls (no kids menu) - we would get plenty of variety.

Then, for TS - I would choose many of our options based on kids menus, with one or two specifically for the adults and not worry about it. We do 2 - 3 buffets since kids can eat plenty of beef, chicken, salads, fruits, etc. here. We might do a place like Tonys where there is pasta or ravioli for kids.

Keep in mind everyone that the kids DP is pretty cheap - so you can't imagine there would be more than cheap options on there or a lot of variety. But there is a bunch of variety if you look.

 

[jenjersnap]

OP, this is why we used to do the deluxe DDP. With a typical day of one character buffet and one signature, my kids never ate a single chicken nugget in several trips. Now we have a Disney adult and, originally, I wasn't going to consider the DxDDP but, the more I research, I figure DxDDP or OOP (with younger two splitting entrees at places with unacceptable kid's meals) are our best options.

 

[khaoskat]

I don't like when people comment all the time about only PB&J or nuggets on the plan. Don't get me wrong - I KNOW it is a lot of that - but with planning, it is more than possible to get variety in kids meals. I have found in conversations with people that it is not truly variety that they are after a lot of time (not necessarily with the posters here), but that there is not the specific variety that their kid likes.

Keep in mind everyone that the kids DP is pretty cheap - so you can't imagine there would be more than cheap options on there or a lot of variety. But there is a bunch of variety if you look.

I am just very glad I found this board before our trip to Disney and started researching, otherwise I wouldn't know where to go to get the variety of food options that my kids eat.

I think that the person who is totally unprepared for Disney (who has not done the research), and just goes to the random CS will most likely find the "traditional" offerings (PB&J, nuggets, mac n cheese). I am glad I am able to plan, and preview the menus in advance and pre-pick out the CS places (or have a list) that have food we would eat.

There are a lot of families out there that their kids like a variety of foods and a verried diet with non typical kids foods.

I feel better prepared of knowing what is at each place, and can make a list of eating places that my kids would prefer their choices (either kids if available or adult if no kid meal available) at.

And thanks for your additional suggestions..my kids would love some of those.

And BTW, it is not just Disney that has the traditional kids foods. We do King's Island and Cedar Point all the time, and a lot of their kids meals are chicken strips, Mac N Cheese, or hamburger....we rarely eat in the park when we visit Cedar Point (King's Island is local, so even more rare to have a full meal there) for a weekend trip, we usually head back to the rental house/room and fix meals there, with one meal in the park during our stay. Or we pack our own lunch, and have dinner back at the rental unit.