Can "Big" Kids Order from Kids Menu?

[Frozen2014]

My son will be 12 when we come to Disneyland and he's a super picky eater. He would never eat the fish, chicken, salad dishes off of the adult menu. But there is always something from the kids menu...pizza, chicken fingers, mac and cheese.

Can he order from kids menu? What about say on dinner packages (e.g. World of Color)? I love Disney park and feel the pricey vacation is worth it, but but having the cut off age for kids meals at 9 is ridiculous (where that is a money making scheme).

 

[mom2rtk]

Counter service he can order whatever he likes.

Depending on the venue, he can probably order double the portion of a kids' meal for double the price at a table service restaurant. He probably can't just order a kids' meal at a kids' price.

For the dinner packages, you would have to pay full adult price.

That does stink with a 12 year old, but it is what it is. You're not the only one who has struggled with it.

 

[SMD]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/kid-menu.3581754/

 

[Indiana Scott]

Yes, he can order off kids menu at any Disney restaurant. Disney never questions it.
My disabled son is 26 and has been doing all his adult life.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, he can order off kids menu at any Disney restaurant. Disney never questions it.
My disabled son is 26 and has been doing all his adult life.

I wouldn't assume that is the case for all guests.

 

[Indiana Scott]

I wouldn't assume that is the case for all guests.

I should have added that my wife also likes to eat off the kids menu and hasn't ever even gotten a second look.
This has been discussed here many times and it just isn't a problem.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Yes, he can order off kids menu at any Disney restaurant. Disney never questions it.
My disabled son is 26 and has been doing all his adult life.

They actually do question it quite often...now I am sure they are making an exception and using discretion for your disabled son...but they will and do enforce the adult size/adult price policy. I have tried on several occasions.

I would be willing to bet at 12 they are not gonna question it...but just know the policy going in.

Counter service anyone can order what they want...kids menu or otherwise. It is at the table service restaurants that the policy is enforced.

 

[danceanddisney2010]

I say it really is a 50/50! Some places that are table service didn't seem to care and gen others did. For example we are at tortilla joes and we had a 15 year old (she def looks like she has on the older side) order off of the kids menu and there was absolutely no problem at all. Later in that trip we ate lunch at Story tellers athe the GCH and same girl wanted to order off the kids menu and the waitress became very huffy and puffy and said the age limited and glared at us...I get that she was trying to enforce the age policy but she went about it in a very unprofessional manner. And to top it off we said okay never mind and we're going to give a second choice when she was like "no..go ahead and order off of the kids menu as I already wrote it down" in a very snappy tone. Lunch was super awkward and uncomfortable from that point on ... as for counter service.. go for it! I ate from the kids menu this last trip as a 22 year old lol! No problems.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I say it really is a 50/50! Some places that are table service didn't seem to care and gen others did. For example we are at tortilla joes and we had a 15 year old (she def looks like she has on the older side) order off of the kids menu and there was absolutely no problem at all.

FYI...Tortilla Joes and all DTD restaurants are not Disney owned or managed establishments...they are each subject to their own kids menu polices and procedures.

 

[danceanddisney2010]

FYI...Tortilla Joes and all DTD restaurants are not Disney owned or managed establishments...they are each subject to their own kids menu polices and procedures.

Well then ..there you go!

 

[Indiana Scott]

They actually do question it quite often...now I am sure they are making an exception and using discretion for your disabled son...but they will and do enforce the adult size/adult price policy. I have tried on several occasions.

I would be willing to bet at 12 they are not gonna question it...but just know the policy going in.

Counter service anyone can order what they want...kids menu or otherwise. It is at the table service restaurants that the policy is enforced.

Well that's the thing about the internet. No matter what the experience one person has, someone else will state the opposite.
To the OP: You will not have a problem. Give it a try.

 

[mom2rtk]

My daughter is 16. When she aged into being a Disney "adult" we started asking at table service venues about ordering from the kids' menu mostly because she preferred those items anyway. Places like Blue Bayou, Character meals, places with special meal packages..... those are the sort of places that will almost certainly strongly enforce the adult pricing.

I hope the OP experiences some pixiedust. But it certainly has not been our experience and I sure wouldn't go into it expecting that.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Our last trip my kids were 12 and 16. Both ordered from the kids' menu without a problem. And both were given the glow cups at WOC with no problem, either, I might add! Although technically only the 12 year old was supposed to get one.

Anyway, I'd say order off it but don't assume they'll accommodate it everywhere.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose they won't refuse to give him the kids meal. We won't volunteer his age but if they charge us an adult price, it's not the end of the world. Personally I think it's too early a cut off, as a lot of 10, 11, 12 year olds would prefer the kids foods. We're not planning on a ton of table service, and one will probably be a character meal, and possibly WOC meal...so we'll just see. Thanks for the responses.

 

[tzeitel]

DD is 14 and always orders from the kids menu, we have never had a problem (we have done Cafe Orleans, Carnation Cafe, Carthay Circle, Blue Bayou). Of course for buffets she gets charged as an adult (we have only done 1 since she became a Disney "adult"). For packages, we did the WoC package a couple of years ago and she was charged as an adult but ordered from the kids menu. I don't like to book packages/buffets because of DD since it is a waste but we usually travel with my in-laws and they like packages

 

[Sun_soakin]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose they won't refuse to give him the kids meal. We won't volunteer his age but if they charge us an adult price, it's not the end of the world. Personally I think it's too early a cut off, as a lot of 10, 11, 12 year olds would prefer the kids foods. We're not planning on a ton of table service, and one will probably be a character meal, and possibly WOC meal...so we'll just see. Thanks for the responses.

The cut off may speak more to the portion sizes....my son is 12 and eats like a grown man (and is rail thin). My 10 y/o daughter is getting too hungry for kid meals these days too. I realize that isn't the case for all kids though.

 

[BriannaRuth]

True, some of the kids meals are tiny!!