Children's meals on DDP

[bicker]

I agree, although the two separate issues do overlap somewhat. It is a DDP issue in this: any family that wants the DDP for the adult members of their party must purchase the child's DDP for every child in their party aged 3-9.

True, but they still have the choice to just skip the Dining Plan completely. If they value food quality and variety more than the low price for the child meals, then they may very well decide to skip the Dining Plan.

Other folks are unhappy about the unappealing choices offered for kids, the lack of variety, or the limited quantity/smaller portions.

Effectively, they're unhappy about not being able to get the benefits of the Dining Plan for themselves, because they could still get everything they want just by paying cash. This is a critical point. There is nothing you cannot get by paying cash.

 

[Katiebell]

Oh I agree that it makes no sense that they do not have hamburgers and pizza for children at CS restaurants that serve that. In fact I wish someone could explain why.

ITA! I was looking for CS restaurants that serve kids' burgers, and there are almost none -- at the "Old Port Royale Hamburger Shop" the only choice for kids is, drumroll please...chicken nuggets!

I am just saying that 5-6 choices per CS restaurant is to much. It would be nice to see two regular (hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza) selections and two healthy selections (grilled chicken salad, ham/turkey sandwich) per CS. I also think you should have a choice between fries and veggie sticks/fruit. My DD does not like potatoes so this would help us out.

Another ITA. In fact, I suggested a very similar thing on another thread -- two standard choices, and at least one choice keeping with the "theme" of the restaurant (pizza at a pizza place, taco or burrito at a Mexican place, etc) I like your idea of a "healthy" kids' choice on the menu too.

True, but they still have the choice to just skip the Dining Plan completely. If they value food quality and variety more than the low price for the child meals, then they may very well decide to skip the Dining Plan.

Absolutely. The Dining Plan is not the best option for every family. No "bickering" here.

Effectively, they're unhappy about not being able to get the benefits of the Dining Plan for themselves, because they could still get everything they want just by paying cash.

Yes, they could certainly pay cash, forget about the DDP, and order all adult meals for their children -- even if that is expensive. But many families could still make the DDP work well for them if they are willing to share, use snack credits for extras for their kids, or pay OOP for a few items for their children. There are a lot of creative -- and honest -- ways to tackle this.

This is a critical point. There is nothing you cannot get by paying cash.

OK, I'll take health, happiness, and long life, with a side order of world peace. To go, please...

 

[ballarinamom]

Just got off the phone with April McKenzie. She gave the generic "the comments are passed on and evaluated". She told me more people are happy than dissapointed. I asked her if they ever get on discussion boards to see what guests have to say. I know of several companies how will check them out to improve their business. She told me no tht it wasn't her job and that she does not have time to do it. I have read many replies that say to just share. At my daughter's school they are taught to not share food. She would have a germ freak out if I offered. Also, even if you are not on DDP, the kid's meal option are exactly the same if you are OOP. I don't see any other options other than mac and cheese, PB&J, drumsticks, chicken nuggets and chicken wraps for CS. Why can't they have pizza at a pizza place? (ie Pinochios Village) I don't thik adding fries or soda as an alternative is an earth shattereing change. Not that my DD will eat it but why can't a kid get a burger? It just doesn't make sense. April was mainly concerned with how I got her number.

 

[DCDisney]

When we went in Jan we were able to make do but my kids ate mostly plain pasta at TS which isn't so healthy. We also had to be very careful in picking CS places which ultimately worked out fine. The biggest issue though was the desserts. After last year's visit they were very excited about some of the kid friendly desserts like the moose, smores, and worms and dirt. Now at every TS they get fruit or a cup of vanilla ice cream with sauce and sprinkles on the side. Not that fun for a week. Though even now 3 months after our trip they still haven't asked for any ice cream We can and did some adult sharing but it's also our vacation and I personally would like to order what I'd like to eat not always what the kids want.

I wrote and called and the people at Disney were nice but this has been going on for over 6 months now and no significant changes except the Dip It going away so I'm not real optimistic that things are going to get better. 1 of my kids will be an adult next time we go so that will give us more flexibility on the sharing issue but still not like it was for the kids before.

Yvonne

 

[DaisyD]

Effectively, they're unhappy about not being able to get the benefits of the Dining Plan for themselves, because they could still get everything they want just by paying cash. This is a critical point. There is nothing you cannot get by paying cash.

Sure there is. I don't do the DDP but I still can't get most foods that DD used to eat in all our favorite restaurants. I would be willing to pay $20 for a hot dog kids meal! Or a grilled cheese! They would be GREAT. So there goes that critical point. I did end up calling the dining and getting the phone numbers to the chefs at the restaurants we are going to. I called and they assured me that they will have the two choices DD eats on the nights we are there. So not only will she have her favorite food but she will also be able to chose. It is a shame though that you have to jump through hoops to get a hot dog at WDW! LOL!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Well, how can the same restaurant have lots of choices for adults? If they make adult hamburgers, they can use the same space in their kitchen to make some smaller burgers. If the restaurant has pizzas on the menu (ie. Pizzafari), isn't it actually EASIER for them to give the kids a kids sized piece of pizza instead of a quesadilla? That's where it doesn't make any sense at ALL!

I totally agree.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

I was there in December and didn't find it to be such a big deal. The restaurants I went to DID make substitutions for me (unfortunately, DS HATES fruit!!!) and it worked out PERFECTLY.

Don't let this make or break your vacation.

And for Counter Service, technically you CAN order a Hamburger for your child...just order an Adult burger! They don't separate ADULTS and CHILDS Counter Service credits...yet.

 

[PeachesDoesHair]

Aspartame gives my daughter severe headaches, so you can imagine the fun we will have if she eats Jello. Last year all she ate was mac and cheese, so I think we will be alright this year. It's next year I have to worry about with her. Honestly, I would be much happier if they offered a cookie or brownie as additional dessert items.

 

[bicker]

She told me more people are happy than dissapointed. I asked her if they ever get on discussion boards to see what guests have to say. I know of several companies how will check them out to improve their business.

Generally, businesses check out discussion boards for two reasons: (1) To glean good ideas for new product/service offerings; and (2) To ensure that intellectual property isn't being disseminated and/or trademarks aren't being abused. Businesses that have sales data, marketing intelligence, and vast amounts of normalized survey data aren't going to believe non-normalized feedback which contradicts the information they have which is reliably representative.

April was mainly concerned with how I got her number.

What did you tell her?

 

[ballarinamom]

I told her that I got it off of the Disboard and asked her if she had received many calls. She said no. She went on to tell me that her daughter would love to eat mac and cheese and PB&J everyday. She said there is plenty of protein in cheese and that that was enough fo her. I told her that I disagreed when it came to my DD. She also said it is not WDW policy to check the boards.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Just got off the phone with April McKenzie. She gave the generic "the comments are passed on and evaluated". She told me more people are happy than dissapointed. I asked her if they ever get on discussion boards to see what guests have to say. I know of several companies how will check them out to improve their business. She told me no tht it wasn't her job and that she does not have time to do it. I have read many replies that say to just share. At my daughter's school they are taught to not share food. She would have a germ freak out if I offered. Also, even if you are not on DDP, the kid's meal option are exactly the same if you are OOP. I don't see any other options other than mac and cheese, PB&J, drumsticks, chicken nuggets and chicken wraps for CS. Why can't they have pizza at a pizza place? (ie Pinochios Village) I don't thik adding fries or soda as an alternative is an earth shattereing change. Not that my DD will eat it but why can't a kid get a burger? It just doesn't make sense. April was mainly concerned with how I got her number.

I am waiting on her to call back. I was hoping that she would be more helpful (I also found her number here and was told that she would be helpful). I guess that's not true.

I don't get why it is so hard to offer a hamburger or hot dog. Yes, we will be on the DDP and we will make adjustments, but it just seems strange that we can't get better choices. I'm not concerned about dessert, as I normally don't eat mine, so I will share; however, I do think my brother will have issues when I am ordering a chicken wrap and he's eating cold chicken.

 

[annie1995]

I spoke with April today and she went througth the whole thing about change takes time and its responses like mine that make a difference. Blah Blah Blah. I did ask her what most of the feedback is leaning to, and she said a little to the negative side of things.She said that the reason why the menus changed were because people were complaining about the unhealthy food choices. I told her that adding the healthy stuff was fine, but they should still have some more kid friendly choices available. I mentioned that fish was not available for kids CS at Colombia Harbour house, and it seemed silly that it was not because they are known for fish. Also Why not jello or a cookie for desserts. She said she could see where I was coming from. She said hopefully we will see a change before we come in September. We'll see

 

[ballarinamom]

Glad to hear her tell you that negative was creeping in there. She told me that they were hearing more positive than negative. I guess this thread may be making an ever so tiny dent. I would love for more people to call her. And by letting her know that there are tons of responses on the various boards, maybe they will begin to look at those opinions as well.

 

[bicker]

I am waiting on her to call back. I was hoping that she would be more helpful (I also found her number here and was told that she would be helpful). I guess that's not true.

The purpose of CSRs in a mass-market situation is to work through errors that were made. They surely wouldn't be in a position to address any changes in what is supposed to be offered. They can register dissatisfaction, but as I mentioned before, such feedback will be ignored in light of normalized feedback showing the contrary.

I don't get why it is so hard to offer a hamburger or hot dog.

Has that not been explained in this thread yet? The most compelling explanation I've read is that that makes the child meal more attractive to adults looking for a less expensive option than the adult meals. Disney has a very hard time with a policy of "saying NO"; it makes them look like villains. Some guests have been observed brow-beating CMs in cases where the guest was told "NO" about something. Furthermore, directing a negative answer at a guest probably depresses that guest's purchasing behaviors in the parks themselves. By contrast, if something is simply not available, the vast majority of guests will just accept it amicably. I think if more guests would have amicably accepted the limitations that Disney had imposed, then Disney might have felt better about relying on telling folks "NO".

 

[bicker]

Glad to hear her tell you that negative was creeping in there.

I'd be careful about reading too much into that. If I understand the scenario correctly, this is a CM who has been contacted repeatedly by the same disappointed guest, about the same issue. Clearly, at that point, as a CM, I would deduce that the only way to satisfy this guest is to say something encouraging, give the guest some hope. I'm not saying that the CM was aiming to just get rid of the guest at this point, but after you've provided all the information you have, done everything you could, it wouldn't be surprising if a CM did do something like that.

I don't doubt that the unsolicited feedback is negative... it always is. People don't typically call in to emphasize how good something is. That's why I didn't understand why she had indicated earlier that the comments she were getting were positive. That sounded so "off" to me.

So it was an easy thing for her to say, despite it probably not meaning anything. Disney's going to rely on their sales figures and normalized marketing surveys.

Having said that, you can expect that child meals will change continually, every year, until the end of time. Disney will keep making changes in response to the sales data they have, the marketing surveys, trends in the industry, economic conditions, etc. It's like the weather in Seattle: If you don't like it, just wait around a while; it'll change.

 

[WildGrits]

ok, please don't flame me.

I have looked over the menus at All Ears for years. Love the site.

I personally think that the kids menus are very limited. Especially if you think that famillies sometimes spend 10 days at Disney. Lucky Dogs Although I happy to see 1% Milk on the menus, I find it a little discouraging that the kids foods looks mostly like finger food.

We are not health nuts by any means but there is always a veggie, meat and starch at every dinner in our house. And dessert is part of dinner here.

I would like to add that I see that the kids menus that are recently posted for the MK do look like a change from the norm.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Has that not been explained in this thread yet? The most compelling explanation I've read is that that makes the child meal more attractive to adults looking for a less expensive option than the adult meals. Disney has a very hard time with a policy of "saying NO"; it makes them look like villains. Some guests have been observed brow-beating CMs in cases where the guest was told "NO" about something. Furthermore, directing a negative answer at a guest probably depresses that guest's purchasing behaviors in the parks themselves. By contrast, if something is simply not available, the vast majority of guests will just accept it amicably. I think if more guests would have amicably accepted the limitations that Disney had imposed, then Disney might have felt better about relying on telling folks "NO".

I am assuming you didn't mean to come off as speaking down to me. When I stated I didn't understand why a kid can't get a hot dog it was more of a rhetorical question. Only Disney can answer the true reason.

I truly don't see the problem with an adult ordering a kid's meal. If they are on the DDP, then an adult is probably losing money by ordering a kids meal. If they aren't on the plan, what is the issue there? I can go to McDonald's and order a kids meal. Plus, how expensive can a hamburger really be, especially if it is smaller than an adult meal?

 

[bicker]

I am assuming you didn't mean to come off as speaking down to me.

Absolutely correct.

When I stated I didn't understand why a kid can't get a hot dog it was more of a rhetorical question.

Sorry, I didn't realize that. Often, that's a very sincere question asked here in the forum. Please interpret my reply in that spirit.

Only Disney can answer the true reason.

Also, absolutely correct. And that's really a source of frustration for many -- the fact that generally Disney would never even dream of providing the general public with "true reason" since it's proprietary information.

I truly don't see the problem with an adult ordering a kid's meal. If they are on the DDP, then an adult is probably losing money by ordering a kids meal. If they aren't on the plan, what is the issue there? I can go to McDonald's and order a kids meal. Plus, how expensive can a hamburger really be, especially if it is smaller than an adult meal?

You're speaking rhetorically again, right?

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

You're speaking rhetorically again, right?

No. I would like an answer as to the problem with an adult ordering a kid's meal. If someone can give me a good reason, I'd be happy.

 

[bicker]

Okay, I'll take a shot. Again it comes back to how to deal with a general public which often has within it people who are arguably unreasonable. I know people (one is an immediate family member) who will use the fact that they were allowed to use a TS credit at a CS eatery to argue, forcefully argue, with a CM at a TS restaurant that she should be allowed to use a CS credit there. I have to love her, but I don't have to agree with her, and unfortunately, Disney would have to deal with her if they opened that door.

Regarding the hamburger, the issue there is that the restaurants price child meals with minimal profitability, or possibly even as loss-leaders, planning on them helping provide young families the incentive to patronize the restaurant since they young children with them wouldn't add much to the price of the dining experience. If you just sell loss-leaders, then you're losing money on the transaction. Adults should pay the profit-loaded adult price, rather than loss-leader price.