10 year old Eating off the Child's Menu?

[madelyn]

My son will be turning 10 during our summer trip and I realized that now we will have to pay adult buffet prices for him. But will he still be allowed to eat off a child's menu at sit down/counter service places? The kid's menu suites his food preferences and appetite better (unless something drastic changes in the next 6 months).

 

[firsttimemom]

It's no problem. We just got back and our 10 yr old ordered off the children's menu several times.

 

[madelyn]

Great to know. Thanks!

 

[fairestoneofall]

Does he turn 10 during your trip?

If so, and I may be wrong, but I thought that Disney recognizes the age he is when your trip starts. So, he would pay as being age 9 for the entire trip (i.e. your tickets wouldn't have to change in the middle of your trip). Of course, I may have misunderstood that, but I think that is what I've read.

 

[mountdew1]

Counter service has no way of knowing who will actually be eating the meal. You could in theory be ordering the meal for your 7 year old who is waiting at a table outside. Or back in the room if you are ordering at a food court at the hotel. Most table service places won't complain too much as long as your child doesn't look much older than the ages posted, (I.E. shaving at the age of 10, or 6 ft tall).

 

[mwehttam]

I think if would only be a problem at the buffets where they have the adult and children pricing. As for off the menu, you can order what you want. Heck, I can order the kids if I want. I might still be hungry afterwards, but Disney can't force you what to order..

 

[madelyn]

Yes, he turns 10 the 3rd day after we arrive in Orlando (although I wasn't sure when our first actual park day will be). I wondered about being a child if the ticket was purchased for a child or if it had to be used for the first time for a child. About eating, I can understand the rule of paying an adult price for a buffet since he will be 10. Although we have been at some places (can't remember if it was at Disney or not) and my child was at the age where you first started having to pay for buffets (3 years maybe?) and the server noticed he didn't eat much at all and didn't charge for him. But that's one thing and trying to lie about my child's age to get a cheaper or free buffet is another. I wouldn't feel bad about ordering something off a child's menu since you are getting what you are paying for. Although I know I wouldn't be getting what I was paying for if I paid an adult price for my son's buffet at Disney! But the rules are the rules....

 

[fairestoneofall]

Yes, he turns 10 the 3rd day after we arrive in Orlando (although I wasn't sure when our first actual park day will be). I wondered about being a child if the ticket was purchased for a child or if it had to be used for the first time for a child. About eating, I can understand the rule of paying an adult price for a buffet since he will be 10. Although we have been at some places (can't remember if it was at Disney or not) and my child was at the age where you first started having to pay for buffets (3 years maybe?) and the server noticed he didn't eat much at all and didn't charge for him. But that's one thing and trying to lie about my child's age to get a cheaper or free buffet is another. I wouldn't feel bad about ordering something off a child's menu since you are getting what you are paying for. Although I know I wouldn't be getting what I was paying for if I paid an adult price for my son's buffet at Disney! But the rules are the rules....

I'm not suggesting you lie at all. I am just sharing that I have read that Disney policy is that your child falls under the age he/she starts the trip off for the duration of the trip. So, your child ticket would not have to be changed to adult in the middle of your trip. I have no idea how that affects your dining. It might be worth your checking into. Did you purchase the dining plan?

 

[madelyn]

Sorry, I didn't mean that you were suggesting I lie! I do know that it is OK to use the child's admission ticket for him. We are not under the dining plan so while I figured we had to pay adult buffet prices if he was 10, I wondered if he would be allowed to order off a child's menu. I have heard about the rule being if he turned 10 during the trip I could pay child's prices (I thought just for tickets) but I guess if we were doing dining, he might be able to pay child's dining prices the whole trip. But since we aren't, I'm assuming that once he is 10, whether he started the trip as a child or not, we pay adult pricing at buffets....guess I could just tell the server he turned 10 today and it is up to the server to charge what they wanted.