Adult dining plan, kids meal appetites

[ashely612]

I am wondering whether or not the dining plan is our best option. This time when we go the kids will all be considered adults. The youngest still is very picky and doesn't eat a whole lot. The middle child is still pretty picky, but does not generally eat well although he can on occasion. The oldest is an adventurous eater, no problem with appetite or variety.

Has anyone ever used dining credits for some of their party and paid oop for others? I am considering letting the younger kids still order off the kids menu and just pay oop. We could reserve the additional dining credits and do more meals.

Would this work if we were to do a Candlelight Processional dinner package? Use all 4 credits for myself and the oldest child and pay oop for the younger 2. Would they get charged based off what they ordered or their age? Obviously this would not work for buffets or family style meals, but we do very few of those anyway.

 

[supersnoop]

Fantasmic! or Candlelight Processional packages will be charged based on age, the same as buffets and family style meals.

Generally speaking, once kids become "adults" for dining purposes, the dining plan will not save you money. Yes, you can pay out of pocket for kids meals and save credits for additional meals, but that approach is most often used to stretch credits during "free" dining promotions. It doesn't really save you any money when you're paying for the plan, since you're paying for the credits anyway.

 

[sharonabe]

I am wondering whether or not the dining plan is our best option. This time when we go the kids will all be considered adults. The youngest still is very picky and doesn't eat a whole lot. The middle child is still pretty picky, but does not generally eat well although he can on occasion. The oldest is an adventurous eater, no problem with appetite or variety.

Has anyone ever used dining credits for some of their party and paid oop for others? I am considering letting the younger kids still order off the kids menu and just pay oop. We could reserve the additional dining credits and do more meals.

Would this work if we were to do a Candlelight Processional dinner package? Use all 4 credits for myself and the oldest child and pay oop for the younger 2. Would they get charged based off what they ordered or their age? Obviously this would not work for buffets or family style meals, but we do very few of those anyway.

You can do what you suggest in paragraph two. With picky eaters it is a good way to get in more meals. Of course, with buffets and AYCTE places, you'll want to use credits as they will be charged the adult price.

As for Candlelight Processional, it is a set price no matter what they eat and yes, they will be charged the adult price since they are Disney adults.

 

[Original Amber]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Disney had a Picky Eaters Option? This trip, the youngest is VERY picky and prefers to graze. The oldest's appetite is often very poor. Occasionally she eats a lot, but that's not guaranteed. The guys and I can chow very easily. lol

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Disney had a Picky Eaters Option? This trip, the youngest is VERY picky and prefers to graze. The oldest's appetite is often very poor. Occasionally she eats a lot, but that's not guaranteed. The guys and I can chow very easily. lol

There is such an option - don't get the dining plan.

 

[crazy for the mouse]

Can the kids (who are adults in Disney'e eyes) order off the kid's menu?

 

[MrInfinity]

Can the kids (who are adults in Disney'e eyes) order off the kid's menu?

Sure they can order whatever they want.

If your kids are in this age where if you were to buy the Dining Plan, you'd have to pay the adult price for them, then the DDPs will just not be as good a value for you, and you really should just pay OOP for whatever you want to eat.

DDP can be a good saver for families with several kids in the 3-9 age, cuz the DDP is cheap for them. Once you get to where you're mostly adults, the flexibility to order (and pay for) specifically you want will better serve you than to get the meal plan entrée-dessert-drink everywhere all the time. Most adults don't even want the dessert every time. Unless again, you have kids in the 3-9 range, then pocketing the packaged cookie or whatever and saving it for when you're in a line and the kids are antsy can be useful.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You can order whatever you like - as long as you are not on the dining plan.

There may be some places where adults on the dining plan must order from the adult menu. That is because at restarurants not operated by Disney, they cannot ring up one type of meal and then serve you something different. And they can't ring up a child's meal and then accept an adult credit because of the way they are reimbursed by Disney for the dining credit.

You can, however, pay cash for your child's meal and save the adult credit for your party to use elsewhere.

 

[Mikie]

I'm a fan of the dining plan for certain groups and certain preferences and often "defend" it against people who outright criticize it. . . BUT for your family, it doesn't sound like a wise financial decision. It is a good bet for families with kids age 3-9 who are pretty good eaters and if the family plans on lots of buffets and fixed-price meals. If you are looking at more menu dining, your kids would have to pay as adults, and they're not big eaters, financially you're better off without the plan. Many people who just love it being pre-paid like to stock up on gift cards ahead of time as their personal "meal plan" and just pay OOP at each meal.