Children Meals

kittyab · Oct 7, 2015

Anyone noticed the portions are smaller? My dd will not eat the adult options at most restaurants. The last visit not a problem the child meals were more than enough for her. This trip I noticed the portions are much smaller. I almost suspect Disney is trying to force kids who are almost 10 to eat off the adult menu.

Well if that is the case fine, but have something they will eat. Even at 10 or 11 a child's taste buds are not the same as a adult.

We ate Pesco Bill's last night the quesadillas my DD had were so small it would not satisfied a 5 year old.

Baklava · Oct 7, 2015

My kids have both had the opposite problem. People assume that their taste buds are unrefined and will be soothed by chicken nuggets and burgers and instead they're both looking at the adult plates going, "Why can't I have that? That looks like real food." It's a waste of money and food to get them full adult portions when they're little but I wish restaurants would serve small portions of the regular menu items. My five year old is going to start taking hostages if I offer her chicken nuggets at Sanaa.

Hopefully · Oct 7, 2015

Reading the 2 previous posts illustrates the point that in this case Disney seems to not be able to win.
If they serve "kid friendly" food a portion of guests are unhappy and if they serve smaller portions of regular adult food a portion of guests are unhappy.

piccolopat · Oct 7, 2015

Baklava said:
My kids have both had the opposite problem. People assume that their taste buds are unrefined and will be soothed by chicken nuggets and burgers and instead they're both looking at the adult plates going, "Why can't I have that? That looks like real food." It's a waste of money and food to get them full adult portions when they're little but I wish restaurants would serve small portions of the regular menu items. My five year old is going to start taking hostages if I offer her chicken nuggets at Sanaa.

I can really relate to this. When my DD when 3, I was going out with some work friends for dinner and they wanted me to bring her. They were floored when she order the mussel appetizer as her meal. That was around the same age when my mother asked her if she wanted ice cream and all DD said was she wanted trees. It took a while before mom figured out she wanted broccoli. And then there was the time we were on vacation with DD, now age 4, and we were finishing up. The waitress asked if we wanted anything else and we said no so she started to walk away. DD then waived her back and asked for a decaf cappuccino. I wish more kids would learn to eat good food at an early age.

Debbie7452 · Oct 7, 2015

My son is 9 and not a big eater, but the portions were very small. They seemed aimed at the 3-5 age group. He wanted soda to drink and he couldn't have that either. I think the purpose of the changes are to discourage adults from ordering them to save money.

Baklava · Oct 7, 2015

Hopefully said:
Reading the 2 previous posts illustrates the point that in this case Disney seems to not be able to win.
If they serve "kid friendly" food a portion of guests are unhappy and if they serve smaller portions of regular adult food a portion of guests are unhappy.

Absolutely! Although it's relatively easy to offer small portions of items already being prepared in the kitchen.

ChasingLeslie · Oct 7, 2015

Hopefully said:
Reading the 2 previous posts illustrates the point that in this case Disney seems to not be able to win.
If they serve "kid friendly" food a portion of guests are unhappy and if they serve smaller portions of regular adult food a portion of guests are unhappy.

There's really no reason they can't make both sides happy. Have a children's menu with "classic" kid food, but offer child portions of some "adult" menu items as well. They have the food available, there's no good reason that they can't serve a smaller portion.

ELSA711 · Oct 7, 2015

Hopefully said:
Reading the 2 previous posts illustrates the point that in this case Disney seems to not be able to win.
If they serve "kid friendly" food a portion of guests are unhappy and if they serve smaller portions of regular adult food a portion of guests are unhappy.

I think it goes beyond kid friendly though, the portions seemed to have been reduced quite a bit in the past few years. I'm kind of lucky. I have one kid who is considered a Disney adult so she gets to order the adult platter when on the plan and give it to her brother who may be 8 but has an 18 year old boys appetite.

kittyab · Oct 7, 2015

Yeah i thought the portions were more for preschoolers. I am glad i brought her sone extra snacks yesterday. I told dh we will have to order a large platter and share with her if she will eat it.

Baklava · Oct 7, 2015

ELSA711 said:
I think it goes beyond kid friendly though, the portions seemed to have been reduced quite a bit in the past few years. I'm kind of lucky. I have one kid who is considered a Disney adult so she gets to order the adult platter when on the plan and give it to her brother who may be 8 but has an 18 year old boys appetite.

I am now really curious about portions at WDW. People keep going on about how the dining plan is too much food and now I'm hearing the opposite.

rlovew · Oct 7, 2015

Debbie7452 said:
My son is 9 and not a big eater, but the portions were very small. They seemed aimed at the 3-5 age group. He wanted soda to drink and he couldn't have that either. I think the purpose of the changes are to discourage adults from ordering them to save money.

That is new- they have always allowed even though they have not advertised sodas in kids sizes with the kids meals- you asked and they didn't allow him to get one or was it just that it wasn't listed as a choice- they haven't had them listed in awhile but they have always been available in the past.

ELSA711 · Oct 7, 2015

Baklava said:
I am now really curious about portions at WDW. People keep going on about how the dining plan is too much food and now I'm hearing the opposite.

We always always have more than enough food, but the child size meals for my boy are not enough, but we are lucky he can trade up for his sisters meal! We do eat buffet a lot though. Tusker House, Chef Mickeys, etc. Trying two new buffets this next trip too.
We like the value of buffets especially if it comes with characters for the kids.

supersnoop · Oct 7, 2015

The kids meals are an appropriate portion for a 3-9 year old. People often complain that Disney calls 10 year old children "adults" for dining purposes. But that really very appropriate based on the portion size.

Baklava · Oct 7, 2015

ELSA711 said:
We always always have more than enough food, but the child size meals for my boy are not enough, but we are lucky he can trade up for his sisters meal! We do eat buffet a lot though. Tusker House, Chef Mickeys, etc. Trying two new buffets this next trip too.
We like the value of buffets especially if it comes with characters for the kids.

When my daughter and I do a special lunch at CRT my husband and teenage son are going to have lunch with Pooh bear because, "that's where the buffet is."

Debbie7452 · Oct 7, 2015

Maybe I'm remembering it all wrong. I might have been refused fries for the fruit and I got mixed up. Anyway, I was told no substitutions. i was surprised I couldn't get anything for him, but fruit. Sorry if I gave any wrong information about the soda. I don't think they let us have it but can't be certain.

ELSA711 · Oct 7, 2015

Baklava said:
When my daughter and I do a special lunch at CRT my husband and teenage son are going to have lunch with Pooh bear because, "that's where the buffet is."

Our boys sound alike

ELSA711 · Oct 7, 2015

supersnoop said:
The kids meals are an appropriate portion for a 3-9 year old. People often complain that Disney calls 10 year old children "adults" for dining purposes. But that really very appropriate based on the portion size.

I guess for the most part, I just remember going to a few places last year and the kids getting like 5-6 fries with their meal.
My kids have a super high metabolism I guess. Because they are all super super skinny but eat a ton.

kittyab · Oct 7, 2015

I can definitely say the portions are smaller from our last trip both adult & child. Its a good thing they had dinner rolls at Cinderella's Royal Table! That was definitely a meal all three of us were hungry afterwards.

joannamet · Oct 7, 2015

On our last trip, July 2014 the portions seemed fine for my 9 year old daughter and for me as well. We eat mostly CS and I don't remember either of us being left hungry. Have the portions changed in the last 15 months?

DisBuckMan · Oct 7, 2015

joannamet said:
On our last trip, July 2014 the portions seemed fine for my 9 year old daughter and for me as well. We eat mostly CS and I don't remember either of us being left hungry. Have the portions changed in the last 15 months?

We were there last week and had no issue at all with the portions on adult meals. Seemed the same as always.

Children Meals

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