Childs Age for Buffets Changed from 11 to 9

[Mich Mouse]

This from today's All Ears News Letter:

Effective July 1, 2005, the age range for a "child" at table
service and buffet restaurants and at dinner shows will be
changed from 3-11 to ages 3-9. This will bring the age range
into line with Walt Disney World theme park admission pricing
for younger children.


Oh well, this may cause some slight changes, since DD is eleven and eats like a bird.

 

[bicker]

This seems to indicate that discounts for children are having less of an impact on revenues than in the past. That's really surprising. Perhaps the economy is getting a lot better than it seemed to me.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Although I will be paying more for a meal for my DS9, I do agree with WDW on this. My son at 9 will take as much as an adult would. Now, it may not all get in his tummy, but that's another post to another thread.

 

[Mich Mouse]

I wonder if I made PS now, if the current age range would be honored, since it was in effect when making the PS.

 

[n2mm]

This is sad for us. We are leaving on July 20th and taking our 11 year old grandson. I will be spending time having to cancel some of my PS now. We have one in particular at Cape May and there is no way I can pay $25 for him to eat off of the kids section. He will not eat anything that is spiced or looks a little different. I figured hubby and I could have a nice meal, and he could find some chicken strips or mac and cheese, but no way will I pay $25 for that meal for him. Which is too bad since we're staying at the BC. I guess at some of the other places he will have to order a side order of fries or a baked potatoe, because he is so picky. I tried ordering him an adult chicken meal at the 50s PT last year and he didn't like the mashed potatoes (w/skins), he didn't like the string beans, too hard, and the chicken was dark meat....I won't do that again. Oh well, guess we'll eat at Trail's End for 4 nights, he loves that place.

 

[bicker]

I wonder if I made PS now, if the current age range would be honored, since it was in effect when making the PS.

I would assume that the pricing that will be applied is the pricing that is in effect at the time you pay for your meal. That's generally the case with all things within the travel and hospitality industry.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

Well, I think they should have a junior price. n2mm: my 11 year old won't eat as much as an adult either.

 

[bicker]

Even since we lost weight, my wife and I don't eat as much as an adult either.

 

[NYMomof4]

That's really going to affect going to the buffet style dinners for our family. My 9 1/2 year old weighs 55 lbs and his 11 year old brother is really picky. Kids just come in all different sizes with different appetites and up to 11 my kids could only handle eating child size meals. Just my thoughts...

 

[maxaroni]

This is sad for us. We are leaving on July 20th and taking our 11 year old grandson. I will be spending time having to cancel some of my PS now. We have one in particular at Cape May and there is no way I can pay $25 for him to eat off of the kids section. He will not eat anything that is spiced or looks a little different. I figured hubby and I could have a nice meal, and he could find some chicken strips or mac and cheese, but no way will I pay $25 for that meal for him. Which is too bad since we're staying at the BC. I guess at some of the other places he will have to order a side order of fries or a baked potatoe, because he is so picky. I tried ordering him an adult chicken meal at the 50s PT last year and he didn't like the mashed potatoes (w/skins), he didn't like the string beans, too hard, and the chicken was dark meat....I won't do that again. Oh well, guess we'll eat at Trail's End for 4 nights, he loves that place.

My ds12 is the same way...he said the same thing about 50's PT. My ds loves rice pilaff but if it has anything extra in it, he won't eat it. He still won't eat pasta with 'green things' on it.

We had said the same thing about the buffets but we are going with the free dining plan so the buffets are fine. However, I'm hoping there isn't a problem ordering him food at the regular TS's from the children's menu. I don't want to be charged double.

 

[Lewisc]

Disney now uses the same age for tickets, buffets and MYW Dining. Makes sense and will, slightly, reduce guests paying for child's meals to use their credits for adult meals.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

When planning our August vacation I carefully calculated the savings using the dining plan for different restaurants. I figured out what we would order with and without the plan, and compared the numbers. Based on those numbers I made the decision to go with the dining plan.

Since our plan was to pay cash for my god-daughter (10) at a number of buffet places (Boma, Akershus, Chef Mickey's) and use the extra TS credits to upgrade us to signature restaurants, this change is going to cost us quite a bit of money. I haven't calculated the numbers, but it's possible that the difference is enough that the dining plan won't make sense.

However, because of the timing of the announcement it's too late for us to change -- we've already paid the money and would have to pay a "change fee" to drop the dining.

Frankly, I understand Disney's thinking on this. Will the 10 year old eat as much as I will? No, but she won't eat less than half as much, and she'll eat far more than most 3 year olds. Having her pay the same price I do makes as much sense as having her pay the same price as a 3 year old. So, I don't have a problem with the change. However, I think they need to announce it 45 days in advance so that people have the full information BEFORE they book their packages!

Hmmm -- maybe I'll write a letter to Disney explaining my thinking.

 

[n2mm]

My ds12 is the same way...he said the same thing about 50's PT. My ds loves rice pilaff but if it has anything extra in it, he won't eat it. He still won't eat pasta with 'green things' on it.

We had said the same thing about the buffets but we are going with the free dining plan so the buffets are fine. However, I'm hoping there isn't a problem ordering him food at the regular TS's from the children's menu. I don't want to be charged double.

Kids are all the same. They do need a junior price at buffets, (Like they use to have at HDDR years ago). Again, it's not about how much or how little food our GS eats, it's mostly for us, the choices. There is nothing on the adult buffet or adult menus that he will choose from. Take it from us, we take him to WDW several times year, and have tried repeatedly to get him to try adult food and everytime he does, the server always takes an entire plate of food back away--we even withhold desert, but that doesn't help either. I too will be writing, because one size does not fit all. As for the TS, I'm hoping he can order from the child's menu and not pay double. We figured he could order a side item to supplement the smaller portion.

 

[java]

What bothers me about this is we leave in a week. We planned our meals based on a budget and included buffets for convenience with small children. Now I will have to eliminate some due to this last minute change in prices. Going forward I don't mind now that I know and can plan What I hate is having this pop up out of nowhere just before our trip. Now I am glad I have the DDE card at least I will save the 20% on his bill.

 

[java]

OMG I just looked at the price difference and it is $15 more just for one of them! I was planning the Park Fare Dinner that one is going and so is the crystal palace!

 

[n2mm]

Java, the age change is on July 1, maybe you can still get in before the change. Don't you have to wonder about all of the people who don't use the disboards (gasp) or use WDWig, and the look on their face when they get to Chef Mickeys and find out then that they are paying adult prices for the 10 year old triplets!...

 

[bobcat]

I think this is really short notice to implement this plan. While I don't agree with an 11 yo paying adult prices for meals or tickets Disney is going to do what they want to do. This may have an impact on where families eat and how much money they spend on food at WDW. I don't like this change and if it affected me for our July trip I would be pretty ticked off. Thankfully DD is 12 and I was already planning adult meal prices for her.

 

[java]

Yep we are there the first week in July and I am so mad I just called and vented big time to some poor CM. The letter is in the works now also. I wouldn't have minded if my trip was not so soon. Advanced warning is what is really bumming me out and they know that during this busy time other PS are hard to come by for big families. Well I am starving my 11 year old until we go and letting him loose on the food when we get there!!

 

[elgerber]

I posted on the other thread too, but I am really ticked. I'm sorry, but my son, who is very small for his age and eats like a bird, is not going to get an additional $15 worth out of a character meal! We always start each trip at Chef Mickeys and do Hollywood and Vine for Fantasmic, but now I don't know what we'll do. I have a few weeks before my PS time window starts, and I have some serious rethinking to do now. I agree a JR price would be better, to go from $11.99 to $26.99 for a 10 year old, that is ridiculous! And are they expecting those kids to order off the adult menu at the TS places instead of the kids menu??? Unless the kids are adventurous (which I know some are), they won't find food that they like on the adult menu!

 

[java]

Please start calling and complaining!