Children Meals

[kittyab]

We ate at T Rex tonight and the child's plate was much larger then the dinner she has last night. I think the private restaurants give you larger portions.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

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

1) This is not the issue.
2) DDP is the issue.
3) For the low reimbursement of the DDP, the kids meals need to be simple and small.
. . . French fries are cheaper than broccoli
. . . nuggets are cheaper than cuts of pork or beef
4) The DDP contract price to the eatery is fixed for a full year, so food increases cannot be passed along, as they were in the past.
5) Too many people rely upon DDP that DDP has effectively hurt the dining experience(s) at WDW.
. . . cut down the uniqueness
. . . cut down the quantity
. . . cut down the quality

 

[kittyab]

no dining plan this go around. I noticed I am getting a few looks when I ask for ice water instead of buying a pop. We had the DDP on the last trip, we thought we didn't use the plan enough to make it worth the cost.

 

[JenniferinFL]

Our daughter is 4, thus the portions are still more than she can finish. I was a pretty hearty eater at age 9, so I can picture being a little disappointed in the kid's meals at a couple locations if I was a 9 year old eating at the park. I hate throwing food away, so, can't justify an adult meal for her yet.. At the value resorts, I get the kids breakfast for me because the adult breakfast is way too much food. But, I've ordered my daughter a chicken nugget meal in the park and had it be like three small nuggets and ten fries.
I do wish they offered a scaled down adult meal. I'm a larger person, (hanging out around the 200lb mark, ugh!) and even so adult Disney meals are often more than I can comfortably finish. I left behind over half my dinner at Sci-fi! This is not a problem when we eat out near home as I just bring half my meal home and enjoy it the next day. But, at Disney my daughter and I throw away a lot of food. Really bugs me!

 

[dashofsunshine]

Our daughter is 4, thus the portions are still more than she can finish. I was a pretty hearty eater at age 9, so I can picture being a little disappointed in the kid's meals at a couple locations if I was a 9 year old eating at the park. I hate throwing food away, so, can't justify an adult meal for her yet.. At the value resorts, I get the kids breakfast for me because the adult breakfast is way too much food. But, I've ordered my daughter a chicken nugget meal in the park and had it be like three small nuggets and ten fries.
I do wish they offered a scaled down adult meal. I'm a larger person, (hanging out around the 200lb mark, ugh!) and even so adult Disney meals are often more than I can comfortably finish. I left behind over half my dinner at Sci-fi! This is not a problem when we eat out near home as I just bring half my meal home and enjoy it the next day. But, at Disney my daughter and I throw away a lot of food. Really bugs me!

If you don't do the DDP, I would try sharing an adult meal with your daughter. I'm a bariatric patient and eat next to nothing, so we never do the DDP and my husband and I just agree on something to share. We save a ridiculous amount of money, and no food waste to feel bad about

Edit: obviously if ALL she will eat is chicken nuggets/fries, that would get boring for you, lol. But there are more "normal" adult entrees at almost every restaurant that I bet a 4 year old would go for. Or, if you have another person with you on yours trips, try sharing with them

 

[JenniferinFL]

If you don't do the DDP, I would try sharing an adult meal with your daughter. I'm a bariatric patient and eat next to nothing, so we never do the DDP and my husband and I just agree on something to share. We save a ridiculous amount of money, and no food waste to feel bad about

Edit: obviously if ALL she will eat is chicken nuggets/fries, that would get boring for you, lol. But there are more "normal" adult entrees at almost every restaurant that I bet a 4 year old would go for. Or, if you have another person with you on yours trips, try sharing with them

She'd honestly prefer ordering from the adult menu. I'm just concerned about asking for a second plate or exactly how that would work. I would much rather share an adult meal with her if I thought I could get away with it without it being a 'thing'. I had tried to do that at one table service (Garden Grill) and was told I could not, but, I'm sure the rules vary from place to place. She didn't even touch her meal, the whole thing went in the garbage. Ugh!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

you should be able to share adult meals where you order from menu but not at buffets, all you can eat or prepaid meals. Garden Grill is all you can eat so it would not be able to be done there. you will not be able to share at most if not all character meals

 

[dashofsunshine]

She'd honestly prefer ordering from the adult menu. I'm just concerned about asking for a second plate or exactly how that would work. I would much rather share an adult meal with her if I thought I could get away with it without it being a 'thing'. I had tried to do that at one table service (Garden Grill) and was told I could not, but, I'm sure the rules vary from place to place. She didn't even touch her meal, the whole thing went in the garbage. Ugh!

As long as you aren't on the DDP, you can share anywhere except buffets and all you can eat stuff. It is super common and widely accepted to share. We never do buffets, so we share literally everything - we even share a beverage. We save a literal fortune, haha. And I always feel better not wasting food!!

 

[kittyab]

My dd is very picky she wont eat off the adult menu. Which makes quick serves either the small child's meal or she goes without. We were at Epcot today, that was easier then MK for meal choices.

 

[JennyDrake]

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.

SOME adults order kids meals not to save money, but because they are (sorta) healthier and with smaller portions. My friends who are on weight loss programs order them as does a friend who is diabetic.

As for me, I don't eat burgers, fries, hot dogs or nuggets (and I can find many other options at Epcot!) but I LOVE a kids meal with a chicken leg and grapes!!!

And as a kid I ate "adult" food and loved it. My mom still tells stories of when I was 5 and I ordered off "grown up" menus and the servers who would try to dissuade her.

 

[Debbie7452]

Yes, that's a good point. I do this myself sometimes, but didn't at Disney. Maybe that's how I gained a few pounds on vacation!

 

[Anchored]

are the portions smaller? HECK YES! imo
I didn't notice as much at CS as I did at TS. At Sci Fi my kids were given five french fries with their nuggets. Five.

This is the kids breakfast at CRT - $42.50 inc tax and gratuity. Savor your one piece of bacon, dear

Disney should be embarrassed.

 

[kittyab]

My dinner at CRT would had fit in the palm of my hand. We ate at Epcot today. DD wouldn't eat from the food & wine festival so we got her meals at the quick serves. The portions at Epcot quick serves were larger then at MK.

 

[aimathy]

are the portions smaller? HECK YES! imo
I didn't notice as much at CS as I did at TS. At Sci Fi my kids were given five french fries with their nuggets. Five.

This is the kids breakfast at CRT - $42.50 inc tax and gratuity. Savor your one piece of bacon, dear

Holy cow!!! That is CRAZY for $42.50. I get that it's a theme park, I get that food is expensive, I get that it's DISNEY......but that is truly obnoxious to charge that much for what's there! We've been to Disney many times, but haven't been to CRT recently. I booked it for our upcoming trip in January and honestly, I think we may skip it. You would need at LEAST double that to even try to charge $40+ dollars for that. Wow.
Disney should be embarrassed.

 

[mom2grace]

She'd honestly prefer ordering from the adult menu. I'm just concerned about asking for a second plate or exactly how that would work. I would much rather share an adult meal with her if I thought I could get away with it without it being a 'thing'. I had tried to do that at one table service (Garden Grill) and was told I could not, but, I'm sure the rules vary from place to place. She didn't even touch her meal, the whole thing went in the garbage. Ugh!

My kids are 12 & 14. We were there this week and were NOT on the DDP. We were able to order any way we wanted. At Kona Cafe breakfast the kids got adult meals & I got an extra plate. At BOG, DD 14 & I both ordered a kids meal. When mine were younger I would order an adult entree for them to split or we would order 2 entrees & split them 3 ways. No one ever blinked an eye. We don't do the DDP (even when they were considered kids at WDW) because the kids meals are junk.

 

[mkla2015]

On our last trip we had DDP and I feel like all we did was throw away food especially with the kids. DS does not eat any type of meat or French fries so if no pasta was offered we couldn't even use a meal credit for him- half of the time he ended up eating soup or yogurt/fruit. Next year we're paying oop and plan on sharing most meals with the kids.

The exception to my children's minimal eating is breakfast- they LOVE scrambled eggs. That CRT picture looks ridiculous- my 3 yr old can definitely eat more eggs than that.

Has anyone asked to order more at CRT? I keep hearing that the portions are super small for all meals there. We have breakfast reservations there in March and I can see my kids wanting more.

 

[tinkersmamar]

I do have to agree the child portions r small but they r healthy what we do has a family in the parks only we order from the adult menu and share the meal cause our grand kids eat fish etc they have a healthy eating habit but we judge if they need the chic nuggets r pizza depending on time and what they ate last we use goid judgement the kids meals come w fruit we take on the run and most if a we don't give r kids soda they usually take the water bottle that is small do wish they served a Gatorade for the electrolytes

We do eat a lot if our meals in the resort restaurants less crowded and very good food and the kid portions r bigger plus u can order adult portions for the kids in a smaller version they have more time to tend to ur needs due to them not being so so busy and trying to deal with the crazy and nasty people that r stressed from the busy park and their cranky kids

 

[tinkersmamar]

We also don't do the DDP cause first we would probably never use it a and most we like to eat were ever we want and I just don't want to add another thing to my list of figuring out if the plan is accepted there

We have a Disney charge and that gets us very good discounts at any place in Disney so that equals to the DDP

 

[DIS_MERI]

are the portions smaller? HECK YES! imo
I didn't notice as much at CS as I did at TS. At Sci Fi my kids were given five french fries with their nuggets. Five.

This is the kids breakfast at CRT - $42.50 inc tax and gratuity. Savor your one piece of bacon, dear

Disney should be embarrassed.

WOW! That makes me so glad I gave up our CRT on the ADR thread....glad we got to experience it when they still had the old stuffed french toast (2011)!

 

[Derb]

I can personally attest that CRT will bring you more of whatever you want. When we went, back in 2011, my dd (who was admittedly a Disney adult) had a meltdown over the breakfast menu there, and so the waiter brought her what she wanted, in an extreme abundance: an entire platter of bacon and a half a loaf of toast. She was a happy girl