Our experience with the kids meal menu....

[bartleby1]

But call us crazy - we didnt think we needed to introduce cold chicken strips to our kids

And again, neither does Disney. The cold chicken strips that so many people are focusing on were an ADULT meal at a COUNTER SERVICE restaurant in MGM.[/QUOTE]

They are not serving cold chicken as part of the children's menu [/QUOTE]



Perhaps people are confusing it with the "CHILLED" chicken KIDS meals that are offered at many, many counter service places (and they are most definitely kids meals, not adult). I'm assuming that the "chilled" chicken is indeed served cold although we've never tried it since I know my kids would not eat cold chicken. So, disney DOES indeed feel the need to introduce cold chicken to our kids. Maybe not at the TS places, but they are certainly doing it at the CS places. This was available before the new TS menus came out though.

BTW, has anyone ever tried the chilled chicken? We didn't attempt it, but I've always wondered exactly what it was and if it was any good.

 

[TDC Nala]

Jenga, it is silly. But, I have witnessed on several occasions adults, with no chldren at CS ordering kid meals, to eat themselves. But then again, in the real world. If we want to order a happy meal as an adult, we can. I think most people dont see this as breaking the rules. But they are, at Disney. I dont have an easy solution for it. Especially at a CS. But, I know most adults will not be quick to order themselves those new kids plates.

I've done this at CS. Why shouldn't I? Sometimes the adult meals are way too big for the situation.

I won't do it at TS restaurants.

I have the chilled chicken at Backlot Express for a snack. (I'm well over 10 but order it anyway) It's pretty good actually. Get some barbecue sauce to dip them in.

 

[faindrops27]

TDC, Listen. I was just making a point, to another poster. A point about how Disney views things. The child's menu. Is for ages, 3-9. Disney, expects the one consuming the meal to be in that age bracket. I don't make the rules. I dont understand by my logic. Some of thier rules either. Ie, how my son magically turned into an adult, on his 10th birthday. But, hey, its Disney, and they make the rules.

 

[faindrops27]

Oh yeah TDC. I know Disney's logic for sprinkling pixie dust, and making my child an adult, when he turned 10. One word. Money.

 

[TDC Nala]

TDC, Listen. I was just making a point, to another poster. A point about how Disney views things. The child's menu. Is for ages, 3-9. Disney, expects the one consuming the meal to be in that age bracket. I don't make the rules. I dont understand by my logic. Some of thier rules either. Ie, how my son magically turned into an adult, on his 10th birthday. But, hey, its Disney, and they make the rules.

Well, then it's good to know that when he turns 10 you can still order him a chilled chicken at Backlot Express.

 

[Super Momma]

First off, I am not trying to stir any pots. But has the new kids menu made anyone cancel their Dining Plan? If you aren't on the Dining Plan then shouldn't you be able to order what ever you want from the menu for your kids? I can at any normal restaurant. Also, when did mac'n'cheese become healthy? Didn't realize neon orange was a natural & healthy colour. My mistake.

 

[orljustin]

First off, I am not trying to stir any pots. But has the new kids menu made anyone cancel their Dining Plan? If you aren't on the Dining Plan then shouldn't you be able to order what ever you want from the menu for your kids? I can at any normal restaurant. Also, when did mac'n'cheese become healthy? Didn't realize neon orange was a natural & healthy colour. My mistake.

Yes, you can order whatever you want from the kids menu on the DDP with a kids credit.

No one claims every entree is "healthy".

 

[kvogel11202]

Yes, you can order whatever you want from the kids menu on the DDP with a kids credit.

No one claims every entree is "healthy".

Exactly, they added healthy options- you can still get the junk food. I don't get the fuss. I just spent a week there, and my kids had no problem eating. And this was 4 kids whose tastes range from meat only, to veggies only, junk food to the pickiest eater I have ever seen. The biggest complaints seem to come from either parents whose kids have special dietary needs, which Disney bends over backwards to accomodate, and parents who are simply to lazy, oh sorry I mean choosing their battles, to get their kids to eat right. Sorry, but if I allowed it my kids would eat the same food every day. Choosing your battles is code for lazy, and not wanting to deal with it. Your the parent, not their friend, and it is your job to teach them to eat right. So yes, this is a battle you should choose to fight. Sorry, just how I feel.

 

[mackey_931]

...... and parents who are simply to lazy, oh sorry I mean choosing their battles, to get their kids to eat right. Sorry, but if I allowed it my kids would eat the same food every day. Choosing your battles is code for lazy, and not wanting to deal with it. Your the parent, not their friend, and it is your job to teach them to eat right. So yes, this is a battle you should choose to fight. Sorry, just how I feel.

I fully agree (big surprise if you've read my previous posts in this thread). I choose my battle too......all of them. It s^cks while I'm fighting them, but I (and the kids) am much better off afterwards. Hence I don't need to fight them when I go on vacation.

 

[SamanthaL]

Exactly, they added healthy options- you can still get the junk food. I don't get the fuss. I just spent a week there, and my kids had no problem eating. And this was 4 kids whose tastes range from meat only, to veggies only, junk food to the pickiest eater I have ever seen. The biggest complaints seem to come from either parents whose kids have special dietary needs, which Disney bends over backwards to accomodate, and parents who are simply to lazy, oh sorry I mean choosing their battles, to get their kids to eat right. Sorry, but if I allowed it my kids would eat the same food every day. Choosing your battles is code for lazy, and not wanting to deal with it. Your the parent, not their friend, and it is your job to teach them to eat right. So yes, this is a battle you should choose to fight. Sorry, just how I feel.

Well now this isn't a very nice thing to say. I don't like the new meals one bit and I am not lazy...oh sorry...picking my battles. My kids will eat 2 out of 3 of those new meals. Chicken salad is NOT something they will eat and the veggies on that plate just aren't enough to fill them up.

My problem, as I have read is the case with most of the posters, is the lack of variety. I refuse to take my child to LeCellier where she loves the kids steak and find she can't get that anymore. What's the point of going to a Canadian Steak House if you can't actually GET steak?
I refuse to accept that we will dine in a seafood place and she can only eat chilled chicken, pizza or a burger when she LOVES fish. These are healthy options too. Why should they be omitted.
When we dine at the 50's Prime Time she should enjoy the comfort foods that the adults are ordering too.

My children DO NOT eat the same foods at every meal and that is exactly my point. With these new meals their choices will be a burger, pizza (minus the chicken if you can get it) or cold chicken strips and if we are lucky the occasion plate of spaghetti for 8 days.


From what you posted above it would seem you have picked some battles too. You have a child who will only eat meat and one who will only eat veggies? Both my kids will eat meats, seafood, poutry, veggies and fruit. They are very well rounded and guess what? I STILL HATE THESE MEAL AND THE LACK OF CHOICE. Variety is my only complaint....oh and being told I am lazy because I don't agree that these changes are all so fabulous.

 

[TDC Nala]

Looks to me like the biggest complaints are from parents whose kids like fried chicken strips.

You can still get those all over the place at WDW and it won't hurt to ask at the table service restaurants. Buy the kids some chicken strips at a counter service right before your TS reservation and when you get to the full service restaurant they can order the veggies, that would make a full meal.

I would say it's also been established that the grilled chicken strips offered on the table service standardized children's menu are NOT served chilled. The chilled strips are offered at some counter service locations.

It's also been said that if you ask at Prime Time they may make children's plates of the regular offerings available.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I refuse to accept that we will dine in a seafood place and she can only eat chilled chicken,

One MORE time... the dreaded chilled chicken is NOT one of the options on the updated childrens' menu. It's a specifically-described kids' entree at Backlot Express counter service restaurant in MGM. See: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=141 "Chilled Chicken & Vegetables "?
The GRILLED chicken now standard on the new menu at SOME table service restaurants is HOT. If it's warm rather than hot when it gets to your table, discuss that with your server. If it's not hot by the time your child is done eating it, discuss that with your child.

eta: "Chilled chicken" is also on the kids' menu at Liberty Tree Tavern. That's IT. Two restaurants out of ALL the food venues at Walt Disney World serve chilled chicken.

 

[DisneyPhD]

One MORE time... the dreaded chilled chicken is NOT one of the options on the updated childrens' menu. It's a specifically-described kids' entree at Backlot Express counter service restaurant in MGM. See: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=141 "Chilled Chicken & Vegetables "?
The GRILLED chicken now standard on the new menu at SOME table service restaurants is HOT. If it's warm rather than hot when it gets to your table, discuss that with your server. If it's not hot by the time your child is done eating it, discuss that with your child.

eta: "Chilled chicken" is also on the kids' menu at Liberty Tree Tavern. That's IT. Two restaurants out of ALL the food venues at Walt Disney World serve chilled chicken.

I might be wrong, I am going from memory here, but at Columbia Harbor House (I love that place.) One of the kids meals is a cold chunk chicken meal. Think the pre cooked cubed chicken you can buy in the deli section from Tyson. It comes in a black Mickey plate with grapes and cheese chunks. Now I haven't been back to WDW since May so it might have changed but it was there too.

 

[SamanthaL]

One MORE time... the dreaded chilled chicken is NOT one of the options on the updated childrens' menu.

And one MORE time....I am hearing others say that it is indeed chilled at more than just the places you mention. Oh and I never used the word "dreaded". My kids will indeed eat chilled chicken but NOT at LeCellier where they love the kids steak meal. AGAIN....my point being VARIETY SUCKS as far as I can tell.

And as far as the Prime Time I am also hearing people having trouble getting anything aside from the pre-set menu. It all depends on the server.

 

[marcyinPA]

Exactly, they added healthy options- you can still get the junk food. I don't get the fuss. I just spent a week there, and my kids had no problem eating. And this was 4 kids whose tastes range from meat only, to veggies only, junk food to the pickiest eater I have ever seen. The biggest complaints seem to come from either parents whose kids have special dietary needs, which Disney bends over backwards to accomodate, and parents who are simply to lazy, oh sorry I mean choosing their battles, to get their kids to eat right. Sorry, but if I allowed it my kids would eat the same food every day. Choosing your battles is code for lazy, and not wanting to deal with it. Your the parent, not their friend, and it is your job to teach them to eat right. So yes, this is a battle you should choose to fight. Sorry, just how I feel.

Hmmm....are you offering parenting classes?? Guess I need'em cuz I'm one of those "lazy" types who chooses not to fight over food with my 7 y/o ds. He eats a limited menu, but he does eat two veggies, most meats, and lots of dairy and all fruits. His pickiness comes in how things are prepared. No sauces, no spices, nothing touching anything else, no dips, etc. Actually, he eats like my 74 year old father-in-law does. I digress....
My son knows EXACTLY how to eat right, because we cover that territory at EVERY meal. However, I refuse to force the food into his mouth when he will, indeed, puke it up right back on me.
So, I guess the phrase "Don't judge me until you've walked a mile in my shoes" is suitable here....

 

[TDC Nala]

And one MORE time....I am hearing others say that it is indeed chilled at more than just the places you mention.

Everyone on this board I have seen that actually ordered the chicken meal says it is not served chilled. There's even a photo of the meal in one of these threads and it does NOT look like the chicken meal served at Backlot Express. The photo on the menu (the menu itself has been posted) looks a lot like the Backlot Express chicken, so I think people are assuming that it's the same meal. It's not.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I might be wrong, I am going from memory here, but at Columbia Harbor House (I love that place.) One of the kids meals is a cold chunk chicken meal.

Okay, I searched specifically for "chilled chicken". But checking the menu available here on wdwinfo.com, Columbia Harbor House serves "Kids' Picks: Grilled Chicken with Cheese or Macaroni & Cheese " http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/menuoutput.cfm. Now, I'd expect "grilled" to indicate hot, or at least warm, but since you've been there and I haven't, I defer to you

And one MORE time....I am hearing others say that it is indeed chilled at more than just the places you mention.

Okay, here's what I did.
I linked to the wdwinfo.com Home page, then from there I linked to the Dining Menus page.
I used the "Or Search Items based on the following criteria:" option on that page, and filtered my criteria to All meals + Entree/Main Course Meal Portion + Poultry Main Ingredient.
On the resulting page, I originally did CTRL+F (to find specific text) and searched for 'chilled chicken'. TWO Disney restaurants offer CHILLED chicken on the kids' menu, and they're both counter service restaurants.

Now I'm expanding my 'find text' criteria to "cold chicken, since apparently there's a difference. Siesta's Pool Bar sells a Cold Chicken Caesar Wrap Combo, but that can't count since it's on the adult menu. That's it. That's the only location that offers cold chicken.

Again, anyone whose child has gotten COLD chicken at any of the table service restaurants with the new menus has an issue with the server, NOT the entree. And yes, I'm aware you didn't call the menu "dreaded", but there's enough uproar over the changes that it's hard to view it as anything else.

 

[angelmav]

WOW, Mackey and KVOGEL are quite the judgemental little dis'ers today. Cant believe how hard people are defending the same menu at various restaurants regardless of the theme. Its not about the junkfood choices, its about having a DIFFERENT menu that at least reflects the restaurant your sitting in. Great that some kids think apples or yogurt are desert. Great that some kids like these pre-plated options. Great that some people absolutely dont mind an increase in price for reduced choice for their kids.

 

[DisneyPhD]

WOW, Mackey and KVOGEL are quite the judgemental little dis'ers today. Cant believe how hard people are defending the same menu at various restaurants regardless of the theme. Its not about the junkfood choices, its about having a DIFFERENT menu that at least reflects the restaurant your sitting in. Great that some kids think apples or yogurt are desert. Great that some kids like these pre-plated options. Great that some people absolutely dont mind an increase in price for reduced choice for their kids.

I agree.

kaytieeldr, you sure have done your research.

Last time I was at CHH, I don't remember mac and cheese being an option, but then again my DD was allergic to milk so I was really looking for what she would eat, and had them substitute the cheese for extra grapes.

My older DD wasn't thrilled with the cold chicken, but it is good toddler food (I used to buy Tyson's in the store and bring it to the park as easy snacks along with lunch meat, but with the DDP we don't need to do that.)

I guess my biggest complant is the same as angelmav, we get the DDP to make things easier and this menu is not that. If I wanted to bring my own food in (as I have done it the past) I wouldn't get the plan. Disney isn't going about these changes in the right way (across the board.) It should be individual to each place, just as the adult meals are.

 

[psimon]

As someone who has been to WDW under the new menu options here is my take:

1 - The grilled chicken is NOT cold! - I don't know who started the idea that it is but it is simply not true.

2 - The restaurants WILL take the chicken off the pizza. Just be polite and ask and it is really no problem with this.

OK... I just came back last night....

At Olivia's I was told the grilled chicken IS cold, and they WOULD NOT serve us the pizza without the chicken. We were told that is the way they come and how it would be served! Take it or leave it!

Sounds like your experience is completely different from ours.

---Paul in Southern NJ (sadly, I'm now back home! )