10 Year old on DP ordering from childmenu

[jennipooh]

We will have Free Dining. DS (10) is now a "Disney Adult" this is great as he has a wonderful appetite and mostly enjoys grown up food.

In looking at the menus, Tutto Italia has a wonderful child's menu. I think he would enjoy the mozzarella sticks, spaghetti and meatballs, and kid's dessert (actually he rarely eats dessert/sweets so I am thinking less to waste if it is a kid's portion). Do you think they would let him order this or do you think they would atleast let me order the mozzarella sticks for him and pay OOP? I think he would really enjoy them and they are not on the adult menu.

 

[PrincessMom4]

We now have a DD who just turned 10 and will now be another "Disney adult".

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We will have Free Dining. DS (10) is now a "Disney Adult" this is great as he has a wonderful appetite and mostly enjoys grown up food.

In looking at the menus, Tutto Italia has a wonderful child's menu. I think he would enjoy the mozzarella sticks, spaghetti and meatballs, and kid's dessert (actually he rarely eats dessert/sweets so I am thinking less to waste if it is a kid's portion). Do you think they would let him order this or do you think they would atleast let me order the mozzarella sticks for him and pay OOP? I think he would really enjoy them and they are not on the adult menu.

Anybody that's paid for the DDP can order off the kids menu, kid or not. It's not a problem.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I too will have a 10 y/o adult this trip. Personally, I would pay OOP for the kid's meal and save the credit. But then in our family we share a lot of meals and that allows us to eat at more restaurants. I am sure there will be a few times when DD9 will want the kid's meal. I will happily pay OOP and save those credits for maybe a 2 TS meal. Kid's meals are pretty reasonable and, to me, it seems like a waste to use an adult credit for a meal that is under $10. But then we don't keep to our dining schedule anyway. I always make ADRs for each night and then when we are there I end up changing some of them. Being able to be fluid with our schedule is important to us (esp. my DM who refuses to spend every day doing Disney-we have to check out the "Real Florida" (which DD9 and I enjoy as well-especially the beaches!)

And you're right, the kid's meals at TI are good. We ate there for the first time last Sept. and DD enjoyed her mozarella sticks and the entire meal. It was the first time she had every had fried cheese.

Oh, and if I was dining at a 2TS and DD wanted a kid's meal I would totally pay OOP. In fact, even when she was an adult we would pay for some of her 2 TS meals. That, and my DM and I sharing, allowed us to have more sit down meals. And we never walked away hungry.

 

[jennipooh]

I too will have a 10 y/o adult this trip. Personally, I would pay OOP for the kid's meal and save the credit. But then in our family we share a lot of meals and that allows us to eat at more restaurants. I am sure there will be a few times when DD9 will want the kid's meal. I will happily pay OOP and save those credits for maybe a 2 TS meal. Kid's meals are pretty reasonable and, to me, it seems like a waste to use an adult credit for a meal that is under $10. But then we don't keep to our dining schedule anyway. I always make ADRs for each night and then when we are there I end up changing some of them. Being able to be fluid with our schedule is important to us (esp. my DM who refuses to spend every day doing Disney-we have to check out the "Real Florida" (which DD9 and I enjoy as well-especially the beaches!)

And you're right, the kid's meals at TI are good. We ate there for the first time last Sept. and DD enjoyed her mozarella sticks and the entire meal. It was the first time she had every had fried cheese.

Oh, and if I was dining at a 2TS and DD wanted a kid's meal I would totally pay OOP. In fact, even when she was an adult we would pay for some of her 2 TS meals. That, and my DM and I sharing, allowed us to have more sit down meals. And we never walked away hungry.

All that sounds like good advice... but I do not think we could take one more TS meal! So paying OOP for his meal and saving his TS probably won't work for us.

We are used to sharing most meals and like you, I have always felt that allowed us to stretch our food money. We usually pay OOP and use our discount where we can, this is our first time on the Dining Plan. I am okay with him choosing to use an adult credit on a kid's meal as long as he enjoys it. We will be having 12 other TS meals and he will not be wanting a child's plate at any of those so if it is allowed then I am comfortable with trading down this one credit.

Thanks,

 

[Selket]

When my older son was 10 and we did the DDP I recall that they would sort of make him an "adult" version of the kid's meal. They put more food on the plate (which he ate) - it was bigger portions.

It will likely come down to the server you get and the restaurant but generally they are good with those sorts of requests. If something is ON the menu somewhere, they will plate you a meal with it. I would ask if they could plate him an adult sized meal of that kid's meal (if you think he'd eat it all) - otherwise just ask for the regular kid's meal.

 

[ReneeA]

The only thing that I would be uncertain of is whether they'd let him order an appetizer off the kid's menu as part of the kid's meal since adults on the DDP aren't entitled to an appetizer, but kids are. They may let him order it, but like any other appetizer for an "adult" on the plan, you may have to pay OOP for it.

 

[Magic2000]

We're trying the dining plan for the first time - the first week we'll be on the deluxe plan and the second week, the regular plan. My DD (13) also usually orders off the kids menu (she's picky - so we never tried the dining plan before). But she is willing to try new foods now so we're gonna give the dining plan a try.

There are a few restaurants that we're eating at that I know she'll order off the kids menu. And, like you, I'm ok with her ordering kids menu items, even if its not the best "value" for the dining plan. She doesn't always order an appetizer - but when we're on the deluxe plan, she'll be able to if she wants.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[beachgrl001]

Last year they were VERY good w/my DS 14. He is a very picky eater. Also I got him and DS4 CS before we went to CR and and they just had a desert oop(accually she didnt even charge us for it) We had extra TS that way and it worked out well for us. If your son wants to order off the kids meal they will let him.

 

[Dizneydaz]

All that sounds like good advice... but I do not think we could take one more TS meal! So paying OOP for his meal and saving his TS probably won't work for us.

We are used to sharing most meals and like you, I have always felt that allowed us to stretch our food money. We usually pay OOP and use our discount where we can, this is our first time on the Dining Plan. I am okay with him choosing to use an adult credit on a kid's meal as long as he enjoys it. We will be having 12 other TS meals and he will not be wanting a child's plate at any of those so if it is allowed then I am comfortable with trading down this one credit.

Thanks,

Sounds Good! I know how you feel about having a lot of meals. By sharing though we were able to save enough credits to do 1, or 2, Signature restaurants (2 TS). But if your DS will most likely only order a kid's meal at TI sounds like you have it covered.

On a separate issue, a few years back, not on DDP, our family went to Brown Derby. My 2 DSis' and I weren't real hungry. We asked if we could order of fthe kid's menu and they server said no problem. He mentioned he could even double or triple the serving if we wanted. We were fine with the single serving of kid's chicken (though it was a little plain). We paid the kid's menu price except we had to pay for our beverages. I don't know if an adult orders one of the kid's meals that inc. an appitzer if they'll still get that? When we went that wasn't an option.