Age 9 cut off for childrens menu?

[hepcat620]

My son will just turn 12 when we go to WDW this summer. I've just looked over some of the menus for the restaraunts we'd like to eat at, and they all say that the childrens menu is for ages 9 and under. Is Disney strict about this? I can tell that my son would not go for any of the items on the adult menu at some of these restaraunts - he still loves his cheeseburgers and chicken fingers. If it makes a difference, he's small for his age (although he eats like a horse!).

Thanks!

 

[tjmouse]

He can definately order off the children's menu. Anyone can actually, but I did hear that some restaurants will charge more if an "adult" orders off the children's menu but I have never had that experience.

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

They are very strict about it for buffets and other all you can eat restaurants, there any kid 10 and over will pay the adult price no matter how much or how little they actually eat, but in my experience, Disney doesn't mind when older kids order something from the children's menu when it's a place you are paying based on what you order.

 

[slp87]

I agree with the others. My DD is 11 and the pickiest eater. I've been watching the boards for quite a while and have seen many posts about "older" children (or would that be very young "adults") ordering off the kids menus without any problems. None of the posts I read mentioned being charged more for the meal either. Guess we'll know for sure next week!!!!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I'm interested to hear about his, too. We'll have the dining plan in August, but beyond that we'll have DDE. I didn't think it would be worth it to get the dining plan once DS counts as an adult, and we always do more TS than we have credits for. Better to get the 20% off. If TS places will allow DS to order from the kids menu, then that's even better. We'll just have to deal with the buffet prices.

 

[JillinNC1964]

DD12 has been ordering off the adult menu for about a year or so... around the same time they stopped giving her a children's menu ! She ignores fancy stuff and tends to order burgers or chicken tenders anyway.. pricing not too bad on those things.

 

[ScroogesNephew]

. . . curious too.

 

[jjohnson]

I'm in the minority here but every table service we went to last August asked my children's ages & when my DS11 gave his age they said he could order off the children's menu but would be charged double. He did but when the bill came he was charged the regular price.

 

[vellamint]

I'm in the minority here but every table service we went to last August asked my children's ages & when my DS11 gave his age they said he could order off the children's menu but would be charged double. He did but when the bill came he was charged the regular price.

DOUBLE!!

Can I ask which specific restaurants these were!! Happy they did not charge you but still....

 

[MelanieC]

We went last year when the new under 9 children's pricing went into effect. Our DD13 at the time was able to order from the childrens menu's at all restaurants except the buffet meals. I found that Japan and Mexico were the hardest to get a childs menu at the beginning of the meal, but the server let her order a childs meal no problem.


This year even at 14 I am sure she will mostly order off the kids meal menu. She just prefers chicken fingers and hamburgers.

 

[jjohnson]

DOUBLE!!

Can I ask which specific restaurants these were!! Happy they did not charge you but still....

I took out my schedule from last year. I know definitely CRT/dinner, Concourse Steakhouse and GF Cafe. We all tend to order appetizers (children too) so maybe that's why they let it slide . I don't know why this happened to us so often as I haven't read much of it happening to anyone else.

 

[MelanieC]

We went last year when the new under 9 children's pricing went into effect. Our DD13 at the time was able to order from the childrens menu's at all restaurants except the buffet meals. I found that Japan and Mexico were the hardest to get a childs menu at the beginning of the meal, but the server let her order a childs meal no problem.


This year even at 14 I am sure she will mostly order off the kids meal menu. She just prefers chicken fingers and hamburgers.

 

[LBAK]

We'll use the DP in August but we will pay for DD,10's meals. We'll pool our credits together and do the Hoop Dee Doo and some other 2 credit restaurants. DD just wants her chicken finger and fries.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I took out my schedule from last year. I know definitely CRT/dinner, Concourse Steakhouse and GF Cafe. We all tend to order appetizers (children too) so maybe that's why they let it slide . I don't know why this happened to us so often as I haven't read much of it happening to anyone else.

Same thing happened to me at CRT for dinner in October 05 with my 11 yr old son. It was the one "menu" place, not a standard fixed price place that is, where they did that. I thought no way am I paying $14 for chicken fingers. Instead I paid over $20 for prime rib he hardly made a dent in. I should have asked if he could have just shared with all of us. Everywhere else we went, Kona, Sci Fi, Le Cellier, Ca. Grill, he gas been able to order a kids meal. At the buffets I dont' mind as much because he will eat plenty of things off the kids table and dessert table as well as salad. But no way is the average 10 or 11 year old going to eat much of a 12 oz. piece of meat.

 

[jonimce]

DS 17, DGS 17, DGD 16 and DGD, 14 all ordered off the childrens menu. The boys sometimes ordered 2 meals.

 

[drp4video]

As an adult, and always on a diet it seems , one year I was being very strict on portion size, and never had a problem ordering off the children's menu.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I really think 9 is an extreme cut off. DS9 is very small. Another mom and I were talking this afternoon about our kids outgrowing things - my 4th grader wears smaller shoes than her Kindergartener! Two full sizes smaller! There is NO WAY DS could ever finish an adult portion of anything, and to charge us double for a kids meal would just be asinine. Tonight for dinner he had 2 pieces of pizza, sliced peaches, and milk. He left half of one piece of pizza on his plate. I think if any TS places want to quibble over it with me DS will be sharing my meal! But it sounds like most places are being reasonable.

 

[jjohnson]

What annoys me is my children being asked at each podium how old they are. I can understand if it was a buffet but why is it necessary at a TS restaurant?

 

[Pluto's Honey]

I Believe That Rainforest Cafe Is Up To 12? Not That 1 Will Make A Difference.

 

[DisneyMim]

I guess I too am in the minority with jjohnson. My kids have always been picky eaters and have always been able to order what they want, sometimes what's on the kid's menu, sometimes off the menus, but we've always had to pay adults prices once they reached 9. I guess it depends on the CM at the time.