A little dissapointed in Disney's dining

[deelam]

We were there 6 days this trip. I was a little disapointed in some of the dining. I
found the children's menus at restaurants to be very limitted. When did most restaurants stop offering chicken fingers, the breaded kind? Even at Ohana's, where I never had a problem in the past getting breaded chicken fingers, I couldn't get them. -The regular menu at O'hanas was great, but the kids ate nothing.
Other restaurants like Whispering can had very limited choices for both adults & kids.

 

[PlutosFriend]

We just got back, did the dining plan again. My kids were unhappy with their selections at some of the table service restaurants, and I don't blame them! I will admit, that at a lot of the counter service restaurants, I ordered non-kid meals for them so they could get some chicken strips and fries. Or another example was at AK pizzafari is it called? Anyway, the choice was spagetti and meatballs and something else they won't eat, so I ordered the "adult" pizza for both of them.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

The kids menus where changed awhile ago, to be "healthy". This was a topic of heated discusion here on the Dis.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I was fortunate to have heard some of the heated discussion before I left. I had printed off all my menu choices (including the kids meals) so that I could discuss options with my kids. Now, I also ending up trading meals with some of my kids (at Pizzafari for example) because they didn't like any of the kid choices. We preplanned our counter service meals just as seriously as we did our table service meals.

Although my kids would eat chicken nuggets everynight if they could-I wouldn't want them too.

 

[deelam]

I hope I don't get flamed!

My kids were in heaven when I stopped at Mcdonald's when we got home. I know chicken fingers aren't that healthy, but it is vacation. They eat very little as it is. They did not like the kids pizza either.
I hope Disney puts breaded chicken fingers back on the menu for kids.

 

[AJKMOM]

That is why, when we researched the DDP, we decided not to purchase it for our January trip.

 

[my3disneygirls]

I think the healthy kids menus are idiotic. We go to Disney maybe once a year, I want my children to eat what ever they want on vacation, I know I do. So my children are to look at me eating yummy fattening food, while they stare at their plate filled with grilled chicken, steamed veggies and fruit. Cut me a break this is vacation! I think having healthy alternatives is great and we as parents can help our kids eat nutritious foods if we want. What I don't like is it being forced on us.

 

[Tinkerspell]

I haven't been there since May, but I don't remember my kiddos having a problem one getting chicken fingers (DD's fav) or burgers (DS's fav) the entire trip.

We cut them a deal, they could get whatever they wanted at CS and snacks as long as they tried something new (meaning not the chicken strips and burgers) at the TS meals.

I for one am relieved that healthier options are an option now instead of all the bad for them crap. Especially since my two are prone to getting seriously sick on a solid diet of fried foods with nary a veggie or fruit in sight for a few days.

 

[hipchickie]

my son eats a lot of things that other kids his age would never dream of eating, so I find the kids menu disappointing in other ways. He (and I) get sick of seeing menu after menu of "kid" food.

Healthy in and of itself isn't a bad thing, it is the lack of variety and options that is frustrating. Last trip I hated that we could only get chicken fingers, hamburger,etc. at most places for him.

I wish the kids menu would better reflect adult menus, just smaller portions

 

[jenniferma]

I couldn't agree with you MORE! Our DD6 isn't terribly picky-- but hates grilled chicken. I noticed while looking through the menus that many places had either grilled chicken or a hunk of red meat (another non-winner for my kids).

I actually decided a few of the TS restaurants we couldn't eat at due to the children's menus.

I am not usually a buffet lover, but this is one reason we love them at WDW.

Jen

 

[PlutosFriend]

And what is with the nasty applesauce? LOL My son tried it the first night and said he didn't like it. I thought "how bad could it be", so I tried it too. Warm and gross. I guess I need the sugar in there too! LOL

 

[dreambound]

That's interesting, because I'm really relieved to see more nutritious offerings. My kids like nuggets and fries and burgers, but not every day. We're going for 10 days though, so it isn't like a 4 day trip where I wouldn't mind so much. My kids are such bland eaters. Grilled chicken and raw carrots will have them totally set. But dessert better be goooood.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I have mutant kids. DD4's favorite food is broccoli. So for them, the kids stuff is like heaven.

Mine would eat broccoli florets, fruit cups, grapes and sugar free jello every meal if I let them.

Although my DD did have a thing for cheese pizzas when we were there last month.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I guess I have mutant kids too because they could care less about chicken fingers. We had to book buffets so that DS8 could have his shrimp, salmon and mahi mahi. There was no way he was going to be happy with pizza or pasta while his brother was chowing on the yummy adult options. (Although DD4 was lured to the dark side by all the mac & cheese and ice cream and forgot that she eats a good variety at home.) I will agree that the kids choices are very limited though. I find the food courts have a good variety of CS choices for kids.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I guess I have mutant kids too because they could care less about chicken fingers. We had to book buffets so that DS8 could have his shrimp, salmon and mahi mahi. There was no way he was going to be happy with pizza or pasta while his brother was chowing on the yummy adult options. (Although DD4 was lured to the dark side by all the mac & cheese and ice cream and forgot that she eats a good variety at home.) I will agree that the kids choices are very limited though. I find the food courts have a good variety of CS choices for kids.

That sounds like my DD14. She was the same way at that age. She is going with us in May and is currently trying to convince me that she NEEDS to do the Chef's Table at V&A's with us. She was furious that we went last Feb without her. DH told her, "Then you NEED to get a job to pay for it!"

We actually are planning on taking her next October after the cruise for her sixteenth birthday present. She is such a foodie.

 

[wilma-bride]

I consider that my DS has a pretty healthy appetite, he will nearly always choose veggies over potatoes and carbs - and he really isn't that fond of fries. However, he does love breaded chicken (strips or nuggets) and I am disappointed that Disney doesn't offer these things as part of the kids meals. I suspect, as we aren't doing the dining plan, he will end up sharing with me or his Dad or one of the older kids. I don't see why he shouldn't be able to eat yummy food while on vacation, seeing as he eats very well when we're at home.

He did make me laugh the other day when he said he would like to have ice-cream for breakfast while we're in 'The Merica' (what he calls America) - does anyone know where we can get ice-cream at breakfast time I can't see that it would hurt just once

 

[grannyminnie]

A grandmother of two picky eaters here! DGD7 and DGS3 are very limited in what they will eat (and I must admit that I am quite surprised to see so many others with the same problem!), and the "loss" of chicken nuggets/fingers is shocking! What do the kids have to choose from, then?
Hopefully there is mac and cheese, and/or grilled cheese?
I know I saw a thread about grilled cheese on here recently..
Even the wonderful buffets that I love will do nothing for them...the money will be wasted! We definitely will NOT do the DDP, and only one buffet, if that.

 

[deelam]

I seen Mac & Cheese on many menus. I don't remember seeing grilled cheese.

Next year I will make sure to schedule buffets as there were more options for the kids. And I have to schedule my Ohana's as that is my favorite. The kids will have to eat PB&J there. I can't believe I already started planning for my next vacation that is a year away.

 

[goodferry]

I personally have my two older kids (who are "adults") share their food with the younger two so they can have the more adventurous foods they like, last trip they had calamari, escargo, grilled salmon, mahi-mahi, and they love a good steak. I hate that all they are allowed is chicken, a burger or mac n cheese. We teach them not to be afraid of different foods and they go on vacation only to find the same two or three things everywhere we go? And the Pizzafari thing is stupid, no pizza on the kid's menu? Isn't that the name of the restaurant?

 

[SmallWorld71]

I hope I don't get flamed!

My kids were in heaven when I stopped at Mcdonald's when we got home. I know chicken fingers aren't that healthy, but it is vacation. They eat very little as it is. They did not like the kids pizza either.
I hope Disney puts breaded chicken fingers back on the menu for kids.

I just remembered that they had some very tasty breaded chicken in the kids' section at Crystal Palace. My daughter really enjoyed them. Wolfgang Puck Express also had an adult chicken finger plate that could easily feed 2 children. Also, don't forget all the McDonald's throughout Disney. And, of course, the McDonald's to end all McDonald's is located in Orlando.