When will Disney stop serving crappy kids food?

[faindrops27]

Or not go on the DP at all. This way you won't get with an "unhealthy dessert". And your child won't have juice or a soda when the child could be drinking just water. And what a waste to have a refillable mug for just water.

And by not being on the Dining Order, you can order whatever you want. Chicken nuggets one day and lobster the next. Adults and kids-not restricted to either one.

I was offering a solution to children being restricted to nuggets, and pizzas..A monetary upgrade, then viola no more restrictions! It's really quite easy. I do it all the time!

I get the point of not buying the ddp to save money.. But to be deterred for unhealthy desserts no, they don't have to be ordered. There are always fruit cups available, even at some sit down places. As for the water in the mug this is not a waste, we drink mostly water or seltzer (yum) so if in a mug or glass does not matter to us. I honestly think there are already tons of options with one main solution, upgrade. :

 

[jodirn2]

Try Katsura grill, Columbia harbor house, flame tree BBQ, or La Cantina de San Angel. Good CS alternatives. Fish, teriyaki meats, sushi, BBQ pork, roast chicken, steak tacos, cheese empanadas, and udon noodles and steamed veggies. We are not doing DDP for our trip this August so I have been looking at CS options. I know we can't eat nuggets or burgers twice a day so I was looking for other options besides the TS we have booked. Take a look at the menus ahead of time and you might be surprised.

 

[Bob NC]

When will Disney stop serving crappy kids food?

Do they ever refuse to serve the regular kids, or, do they just refuse to serve food to the crappy kids?

 

[goofyintoronto]

My biggest beef (pardon the pun), is not so much with the "staples" of nuggets and mac-n-cheese, as I think those can be pretty easily avoided. My DS never ate a single one in each annual trip to WDW from age 9 months to age 14. And it didn't take much planning to avoid them. So I think the focus there is a bit overblown. No. My beef is with the fact that the same children's menu is offered for 4 year olds and 9 year olds. I don't see enough "leveling up" of eating progression on children's menus. I'm not making the "let's see more healthy choices" argument. I'll leave the health debate to others. Instead, I would like to see a mix of "staples" and adult food simply because a typical 9 year old does not eat the same as a 4 year old. And vice versa.

Let's take two restaurants as examples. First comes Tutto Italia. Its kid's menu looks great for a 4 year old. But when my DS was 9, she would have been insulted by the following:

Entrees
Mozzarella Sticks $10
Spaghetti - with meatballs and parmesan $10
Piccolini alla Panna - Farfalle pasta, cream and parmesan cream $10

No veal. No chicken parm or Marsala. No scampi. Transitional foods is what she wanted at that age.

Now let's look at Mr. Paul.

Entrees
Supreme de Poulet roti aux pomme puree et haricot verts
Roasted chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans $13.00

Filet mignon et pommes puree, jus naturel
Filet mignon served with mashed potatoes and natural jus $16.00

A home run for the transitional eater, but nothing here for the typical 4 year old. (And spare me the "My snowflake would have loved those two choices when she was 4." Know what? Mine would have too. But that fact doesn't make it the majority rule. I'm trying to fashion an argument here for the masses. Not the lucky few.)

What WDW needs more of is a combination of these types of menus and we would see far more happy diners. Note that there isn't a nugget or burger to be found on either menu, so we can end the debate now that that is the only thing served at WDW. No. This isn't about nuggets and health. It is really about a fair mix of food fit for toddlers and pre-teens. That is where the diversity focus needs to be. And if your 9 year old want to eat like a 4 year old, then he will get that chance. And if your 4 year old wants to eat like a 9 year old. She can too. As long as there is a decent mix of choices. Lacking that, we never got the dining plan since many typical kid's menus were designed for 4 year olds, and unlike Peter Pan, our kids do grow up. It's great to pay a lesser fee for a 9 year old. But not at the expense of having him/her eat like a toddler.

I think there is a decent mix of choices. Just not always at the same restaurant. Each restaurant doesn't need 15 things on their kid's menu. Don't think your kids will eat what is on a certain menu? Don't eat there. Go eat at one of the other 20 restaurants in that park. Lack of options is not an issue.

Know what would happen if they had kitchens full of food choices? You would have a lot of wasted food. And with Disney streamlining their menus, there is no way they are all of a sudden start trying to please every tiny palate. Which would be impossible anyway. And all of that hassle for someone paying $18 a day for food? That is expecting an awful lot for not much money.

I'm not seeing what is so hard about viewing menus on line, and picking restaurants based on what will or will not be enjoyed. If I don't like the menu, I don't eat someplace. I don't expect them to change the menu to suit me, or to offer all sorts of choices that run the gamut from plain to fancy. That is like saying Monsieur Paul should have french fries and hot dogs, and then progress up to their escargot. I don't get why they have to have food that will make everyone happy. <<<I agree!

Ya im with maxiesmom on this one. I think youre being way too picky here. Shrimp scampi? veal marsala? Seriously, if you want your kids to have those things, pick a restaurant that serves it! I've seen chicken parm on a kids menu, I just dont remember which restaurant.

Monsieur Paul is suppose to be a signature restaurant. They chose not to serve those things. If a typical 4 yr old menu is what you want, like hot dogs or a hamburger, then you should pick a place that serves such things. Its quite simple really. Look at the menu online before you make your reservations. If you/your wife really wanna try a place but are afraid to go cause your kids wont have anything to eat, well, improvise. Order one adult meal and split it between both kids. or dine else where.

I agree that i dont think EACH restaurant in disney should have a variety of options on the menu to suit everyone across the board. There are tons of restaurants in disney, each one is different....pick the ones that you think your family will like.

 

[WDW2012]

I totally agree! When we went in September we still had two kids under 10 and were not on the DDP and we ended up ordering some adult meals for them to share in "regular restaurants". We ate at a few signatures and their kids options are a bit better and if memory serves, I'm pretty sure we were able to order the scallops at Flying Fish in a smaller portion than the adult one.

 

[JimmyV]

If a typical 4 yr old menu is what you want, like hot dogs or a hamburger, then you should pick a place that serves such things. Its quite simple really.

Actually, my point is exactly the opposite. I am saying that 4 year olds are well taken care of. It is the older kids that suffer. If you limit yourself to places that have better options for older kids, you will be limiting yourself drastically. As noted above, Brown Derby is a Sig with an upscale appeal, yet the children's menu is designed for toddlers. I don't know why it is so controversial to state that children's menus (especially at higher end and Signature restaurants) should be able to accommodate both a 4 year old and a 9 year old. If you do an exhaustive search on all of the restaurants to find which ones have menu selections for kids that mirror the level and cuisine of the restaurant itself, I think you will be able to count them on one hand. I think that people are way overestimating the variety that is available. Let’s take a closer look. Do you want to enjoy a nice seafood meal? How about going to Flying Fish. If you do, your child can choose from the following:

Baked Florida Coast Fish sticks
Bowl of Mickey Pasta
Grilled Beef Skewers
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Chicken Breast Skewers

I ask you. Is this a menu for a 5 year old, or a 9 year old? So we have an upscale, two credit seafood restaurant where the only fish dish is fish sticks. Seriously? So your advice is, well, don’t go there.

So I won’t. Maybe I will head over to Kona Café. The adult menu there looks good to me, and maybe my child would like to try out some island-inspired food. So let’s look at the menu that would be handed to a 9 year old.

Kids' Picks: Choice of 1 Appetizer, 1 Entree, and 1 Dessert - Selection of appetizers: garden salad or chicken noodle soup. Selection of entrees: Macaroni & cheese, Hamburger, or Hot Dog.

Holy smokes! That’s the worst one yet! Not a single thing on the menu that follows the theme of the restaurant itself. Did they design this menu for a 4 year old or an 8 year old? They can’t put one simple noodle or dumpling dish on the menu? So I will take your advice and skip that one. And my options are running thin.

I’ve taken myself out of the running of the only decent seafood restaurant that takes the dining plan and the Asian-inspired café that many rave about. Undaunted, I will continue my hunt to find a restaurant that has fare more fitting for a child on the higher end of Disney’s age scale. I check out Artist’s Point. They offer, (among other toddler choices which I will delete here):

Baked Salmon
Grilled Chicken Breast

OK. That’s better. Here we find a mix of “scaled down” adult-style options and toddler food, (which I did not print here). Perfect. Case closed. So you might say that I can get what I want by going to Artist’s Point and that I should never go to Brown Derby, Flying Fish or Kona. And I would respond by saying that: a) how many guests are Dis-obsessed like us and review the menus before arriving; and b) if they can make up a decent menu at Artist’s Point, why on earth can’t they do it at the two credit, high-end Flying Fish? And if the noodles and dumplings at Kona are already pre-cooked and holding in warming vats, why can’t they make up a small plate for kids? I will agree with both you and maxiesmom that not every restaurant has to be all things to all people. Especially on the lower end of the spectrum. But the Signature restaurants should, at a minimum, offer something on their menus that more closely resemble Artist’s Point and not Brown Derby or Flying Fish. And restaurants with a particular theme like Kona should be able to offer one item to kids that follows the theme. But fish sticks at a Sig and a hot dog at an Asian restaurant? I really don’t think that I am asking too much.

 

[JimmyV]

I'm pretty sure we were able to order the scallops at Flying Fish in a smaller portion than the adult one.

Not if you are on the DP. Look. I'm not defending the DP. We don't get it for all of the reasons that I discuss above. It is better for us to order adult meals for kids. But Disney pushes and pushes the DP, yet doesn't seem to account for kids on the upper end of the age scale.

 

[dansamy]

OK. That&#146;s better. Here we find a mix of &#147;scaled down&#148; adult-style options and toddler food. Perfect. Case closed. So you might say that I can get what I want by going to Artist&#146;s Point and that I should never go to Brown Derby, Flying Fish or Kona. And I would respond by saying that: a) how many guests are Dis-obsessed like us and review the menus before arriving; and b) if they can make up a decent menu at Artist&#146;s Point, why on earth can&#146;t they do it at the two credit, high-end Flying Fish? And if the noodles and dumplings at Kona are already pre-cooked and holding in warming vats, why can&#146;t they make up a small plate for kids? I will agree with both you and maxiesmom that not every restaurant has to be all things to all people. Especially on the lower end of the spectrum. But the Signature restaurants should, at a minimum, offer somehting on their menus that more closely resemble Artist&#146;s Point and not Brown Derby or Flying Fish. And restaurants with a particular theme like Kona should be able to offer one item to kids that follows the theme. But fish sticks at a Sig and a hot dog at an Asian restaurant? I really don&#146;t think that I am asking too much.

I will concede this point. At every themed restaurant, there should be at least one dish that is in keeping with the restaurant's cuisine & theme. There should be at least one "kid food" dish. The remaining 2-3 choices can be either or.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Actually, my point is exactly the opposite. I am saying that 4 year olds are well taken care of. It is the older kids that suffer. If you limit yourself to places that have better options for older kids, you will be limiting yourself drastically. As noted above, Brown Derby is a Sig with an upscale appeal, yet the children's menu is designed for toddlers. I don't know why it is so controversial to state that children's menus (especially at higher end and Signature restaurants) should be able to accommodate both a 4 year old and a 9 year old. If you do an exhaustive search on all of the restaurants to find which ones have menu selections for kids that mirror the level and cuisine of the restaurant itself, I think you will be able to count them on one hand. I think that people are way overestimating the variety that is available. Lets take a closer look. Do you want to enjoy a nice seafood meal? How about going to Flying Fish. If you do, your child can choose from the following:

Baked Florida Coast Fish sticks
Bowl of Mickey Pasta
Grilled Beef Skewers
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Chicken Breast Skewers

I ask you. Is this a menu for a 5 year old, or a 9 year old? So we have an upscale, two credit seafood restaurant where the only fish dish is fish sticks. Seriously? So your advice is, well, dont go there.

So I wont. Maybe I will head over to Kona Café. The adult menu there looks good to me, and maybe my child would like to try out some island-inspired food. So lets look at the menu that would be handed to a 9 year old.

Kids' Picks: Choice of 1 Appetizer, 1 Entree, and 1 Dessert - Selection of appetizers: garden salad or chicken noodle soup. Selection of entrees: Macaroni & cheese, Hamburger, or Hot Dog.

Holy smokes! Thats the worst one yet! Not a single thing on the menu that follows the theme of the restaurant itself. Did they design this menu for a 4 year old or an 8 year old? They cant put one simple noodle or dumpling dish on the menu? So I will take your advice and skip that one. And my options are running thin.

Ive taken myself out of the running of the only decent seafood restaurant that takes the dining plan and the Asian-inspired café that many rave about. Undaunted, I will continue my hunt to find a restaurant that has fare more fitting for a child on the higher end of Disneys age scale. I check out Artists Point. They offer, (among other toddler choices which I will delete here):

Baked Salmon
Grilled Chicken Breast

OK. Thats better. Here we find a mix of scaled down adult-style options and toddler food, (which I did not print here). Perfect. Case closed. So you might say that I can get what I want by going to Artists Point and that I should never go to Brown Derby, Flying Fish or Kona. And I would respond by saying that: a) how many guests are Dis-obsessed like us and review the menus before arriving; and b) if they can make up a decent menu at Artists Point, why on earth cant they do it at the two credit, high-end Flying Fish? And if the noodles and dumplings at Kona are already pre-cooked and holding in warming vats, why cant they make up a small plate for kids? I will agree with both you and maxiesmom that not every restaurant has to be all things to all people. Especially on the lower end of the spectrum. But the Signature restaurants should, at a minimum, offer something on their menus that more closely resemble Artists Point and not Brown Derby or Flying Fish. And restaurants with a particular theme like Kona should be able to offer one item to kids that follows the theme. But fish sticks at a Sig and a hot dog at an Asian restaurant? I really dont think that I am asking too much.

You indicate that older kids suffer? (im assuming you mean 5-9 yrs old). Youre assuming most older kids are adventurous eaters. That is not always the case. If your older kids are adventurous, pay OOP. Or upgrade to the adult DP. I know a lot of older kids who would prefer mac n' cheese or chicken fingers. The "4 yr old stuff". On the flip side, I know a lot of younger kids who would prefer something more fancy. It all depends on the kid.

Regarding these items:
Baked Florida Coast Fish sticks
Bowl of Mickey Pasta
Grilled Beef Skewers
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Chicken Breast Skewers
You ask if these are for a 4 yr old or 9 yr old? Well, both. This is a good mix of items. You get skewers that older kids might prefer. And softer food that the young ones might like.

If youre kids want something fancier than that, its out there. You just have to look at the menus. Citricos has crispy fried shrimp, beef tenderloin etc for kids. Chefs/France has flounder and orange roughy!! Tokyo Dining has a tempura combo. Yak/Yeti has veggie lo mein on the menu. 50's has grilled fish of the day. And lets not forget about the items at BOG. If your kids want something fancier than that (such as escargot and caviar) then you might need to order an adult meal for them. As i said, split a dish with him/her. Or get both kids to split a meal. I dont see a problem here.

 

[bumbershoot]

The grilled cheese at BD is quite nice. Whole wheat bread, which is a refreshing difference. It's large enough for DS which is fabulous. It looks like a realer sort of cheese than one would expect. And we can get it with his side of carrots and celery with mustard for dipping though everyone always looks askance at the mustard thing. He hates ranch and loves mustard! It was at BD that he first asked for mustard to dip actually.

Please don't lump BD's grilled cheese in with other things, as it is a really nice choice, very similar to the version we make at home.

 

[dansamy]

The grilled ham & cheese that's on the adult menu at BOG is pretty good. There's 2 cheeses, one of which is a gruyere. The bread is, I think, a whole grain wheat or maybe a wheat berry. It's quite good & one could order a soup & the sandwich page to split between 2 kids or an adult & child & eat quite nicely for not that much.

 

[Sugardimples]

[So I won’t. Maybe I will head over to Kona Café. The adult menu there looks good to me, and maybe my child would like to try out some island-inspired food. So let’s look at the menu that would be handed to a 9 year old.

Kids' Picks: Choice of 1 Appetizer, 1 Entree, and 1 Dessert - Selection of appetizers: garden salad or chicken noodle soup. Selection of entrees: Macaroni & cheese, Hamburger, or Hot Dog.

Holy smokes! That’s the worst one yet! Not a single thing on the menu that follows the theme of the restaurant itself. Did they design this menu for a 4 year old or an 8 year old? They can’t put one simple noodle or dumpling dish on the menu? So I will take your advice and skip that one. And my options are running thin.

I've checked the menus for Kona for dinner and see Grilled Shrimp Skewers: Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds, Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Vegetable Rice Pilaf, fruit salad
Grilled Chicken Breast: Grilled Chicken Breast served over Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds with Steamed vegetables, fruit salad

I also see Grilled Fish of the Day.

Maybe you need to relook at the menus.

 

[bdklein]

I've checked the menus for Kona for dinner and see Grilled Shrimp Skewers: Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds, Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Vegetable Rice Pilaf, fruit salad
Grilled Chicken Breast: Grilled Chicken Breast served over Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds with Steamed vegetables, fruit salad

I also see Grilled Fish of the Day.

Maybe you need to relook at the menus.

Looks to me that Kona (and other restaurants) have traditional (mac and cheese, burger, etc.) and "Mickey" alternative meals like the Shrimp skewers and Grilled chicken. Sounds like the best of both worlds.

 

[ilovepooh]

Some places do offer healthier alternatives but until the masses stop buying the crapy food it will unfortunately continue to be offered.

 

[maxiesmom]

I've checked the menus for Kona for dinner and see Grilled Shrimp Skewers: Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds, Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Vegetable Rice Pilaf, fruit salad
Grilled Chicken Breast: Grilled Chicken Breast served over Mixed Greens with Fruit and Almonds with Steamed vegetables, fruit salad

I also see Grilled Fish of the Day.

Maybe you need to relook at the menus.

That is what I see too. I'm thinking wherever that poster is checking, they haven't updated the menus recently. I hope it is not here on the Dis!

 

[messyjessy]

Maybe I will head over to Kona Café. The adult menu there looks good to me, and maybe my child would like to try out some island-inspired food. So let’s look at the menu that would be handed to a 9 year old.

Kids' Picks: Choice of 1 Appetizer, 1 Entree, and 1 Dessert - Selection of appetizers: garden salad or chicken noodle soup. Selection of entrees: Macaroni & cheese, Hamburger, or Hot Dog.

Holy smokes! That’s the worst one yet! Not a single thing on the menu that follows the theme of the restaurant itself. Did they design this menu for a 4 year old or an 8 year old? They can’t put one simple noodle or dumpling dish on the menu? So I will take your advice and skip that one. And my options are running thin...

And restaurants with a particular theme like Kona should be able to offer one item to kids that follows the theme. But fish sticks at a Sig and a hot dog at an Asian restaurant? I really don’t think that I am asking too much.

We were at disney a couple weeks ago and on the Deluxe Dining plan. My daughter turned 5 on the trip and despite the plethora of nuggets, pizza and hot dogs offered on the kids meals, I'm happy to say that she never ate one! We always found something tasty for her to enjoy and that I might feed her at home.

I looked for restaurants that would offer food similar to what I make - mostly veggies and fruit with chicken or seafood once a week. We enjoy Asian inspired meals so Kona and Ohana were a must for us. They and the other restaurants we visited offered a variety of things to choose from. Some standard kid fare was available but there were usually 2 options that were more adventurous to order off the kid menu. Whether they would suffice the appetite of a 9 year old is questionable. My daughter would eat 3/4 of the meals and she was served an App, entree and dessert. At places that were family style, she ate a considerable amount. She just turned 5,is 37 lbs, tall and skinny but my goodness she can eat if she likes something! I counted 8 wings that she ate at Ohana along with 5 dumplings and a pile of noodles. She ate more than me!

Anyway...At Kona Cafe she had grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers. Those were listed on the kids menu beneath the Mac and cheese, hamburger and hotdog. She also shared some of my sushi appetizer. The waitress also brought her a bowl of just Cotten candy - a kids dream - for dessert!

At Ohana she ate salad, wings, noodles, dumplings and grilled shrimp and fruit. She really liked this meal - as did we!

At Whispering Canyon she had fruit, BBQ pork, ribs, potatoes and corn. She also shared some of the apps we ordered. This was another family style meal.

At Liberty Tree Tavern she had fruit, turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans. Also soup for an app.

The other meals (buffets and character meals items) she had roasted chicken legs, steak, fruit and veg.

At Cinderella's Royal Table she had tenderloin steak with mashed potatoes, fruit and veg.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that there are currently options besides pizza, hotdogs and Mac and cheese if the parent chooses to seek them out. I've seen them. It's there and it's not hard to find. If you can get your kid to eat something other than the standard fare then go for it. However, there are a lot of kids that really like the familiars so I wouldn't scratch them off the menu just yet. It would be awesome to have a few more choices besides the regular stuff. Maybe a happy medium? But I won't hold my breath.

 

[G719]

Allears.net is a really good resource for the menus. I think those are updated fairly regularly and they are very detailed.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Allears.net is a really good resource for the menus. I think those are updated fairly regularly and they are very detailed.

unfortunately their website is down for maintenance.

 

[JimmyV]

unfortunately their website is down for maintenance.

Correct. So as an alternative, I went straight to the WDW menu site. That is what I used as a reference point. If Kona has since added shrimp, then more power to them.

 

[JimmyV]

If your older kids are adventurous, pay OOP. Or upgrade to the adult DP. Yes, this is the option that Disney seems to be pressing guests into. And it works. But is that a better solution than smaller plates of food that appear on the adult menu, with perhaps some minor modification? That's a fairly debatable issue.

Regarding these items:
Baked Florida Coast Fish sticks
Bowl of Mickey Pasta
Grilled Beef Skewers
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Chicken Breast Skewers
You ask if these are for a 4 yr old or 9 yr old? Well, both. This is a good mix of items. You get skewers that older kids might prefer. And softer food that the young ones might like.

I guess the nuance that was lost in my post is that when you take your family to the Flying FISH, a Signature restaurant with a name that entices one with food of fin and scale, one should not have to resort to Beef or Chicken Skewers as a safe harbor for a more adult-style meal. Make one of those skewers with Swordfish, Shrimp or Scallops, and we will all be on the same page.