Child's price at buffet lowered to 9?!

I just returned from a weekend trip but in the course of my stay, I talked with a guest who had lunch at Tusker House with her two children aged 10 and 11. When they received the check at the end, she was shocked to find instead of being charged for 2 adults, 2 children, they were charged 4 adults. When it was questioned, their server informed them the age cut-off for children was lowered from 11 down to 9.

Have any of you experienced this?
I'm not sure if this is an isolated incident just at Tusker House or if this is property-wide.
As others have stated, the age cut-off has been under 10 for quite some time. I suspect the guest either hadn't been to Disney in a really long time or misunderstood/misheard. When guests purchase tickets, the age cut-off is pretty clear.

As far as eating goes, my 9-year-old can pretty much always out-eat my 11-year-old and sometimes other adults, so I suppose the line has to be drawn somewhere. I've chatted with my kids about the alternative at buffets - weighing people before and after and charging by weight. I'm guessing most people would not approve.
 
They take up the same seat as an adult at the restaurants too.
Well, there is that. If you owned the profit/loss of the restaurant you want as high of revenue as you can from that captured audience ( the children). The kids aren’t going to show up and eat at these buffets without the parents.

I would like to think that the amount of food being consumed would have something to do with the cost of the meal though

Dan
 
I don't remember when a child was cut off at 9 years old at WDW---pretty sure it was even the case when I was that age.
I don't know how old you are now, but I remember when my 42 year old son was 10 at WDW-pretty sure that's when he started paying adult prices, or rather we started paying adult prices for him.
 

DS stopped eating off the kids menu at 2-3. He just didn’t like that kind of food. DD is 9 and still can’t finish an entire kids’ meal. Fortunately we don’t really eat at buffets but as far as I’m concerned everyone should be able to order a kids meal, even if they aren’t 9 anymore. Some people just don’t need that much food. No one checks at quick service but it may be an issue at table service restaurants. Otherwise I’ll just order DD a side of fries and call it a day.
 
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DS stopped eating off the kids menu at 2-3. He just didn’t like that kind of food. DD is 9 and still can’t finish an entire kids’ meal. Fortunately we don’t really eat at buffets but as far as I’m concerned everyone should be able to order a kids meal, even if they aren’t 9 anymore. Some people just don’t need that much food. No one checks at quick service but it may be an issue at table service restaurants. Otherwise I’ll just order DD a side of fries and call it a day.
I believe most Disney restaurants allow an adult to order a kids meal, I've ordered just an appetizer for my entire meal. The issue here is the prix fixe meals. Everyone pays the price based on your age no matter how much or how little or what items you eat. It is easy to avoid those restaurants and go where you can pick what you want to eat.
 
I believe most Disney restaurants allow an adult to order a kids meal, I've ordered just an appetizer for my entire meal. The issue here is the prix fixe meals. Everyone pays the price based on your age no matter how much or how little or what items you eat. It is easy to avoid those restaurants and go where you can pick what you want to eat.
Fair enough. That's one of the reasons we tend to avoid buffets. Just can't justify the price for what we're going to eat.
 
Yes, on a broader topic I think it's disingenuous of Disney to have such a low age to be considered a "child", especially for meals. Park tickets? Maybe, they take up the same attraction seats as an adult would. Food? NO WAY. Personally 12 and under seems more appropriate for child food quantities.

We stopped going any buffets when we no longer could travel during the time of year when "free dining" was offered. Food cost at Disney is already extreme. Buffets are ridiculous (IMO)

Dan
For parks, it is a lesser charge because in general, children under 9 are smaller and may not be able to ride all the attractions due to the height requirements. That is why they charge less. Statistically, once a child is 10, they are usually tall enough to ride all the attractions.
 
I suspect this is came about because of an epidemic of “11 year olds” who suspiciously looked more like high schoolers. A 14 year old may be able to be passed off as 11 but definitely not 9.
 
Most 10 year olds don’t eat adult size portions and a lot are not going to want to eat the adult choices.
Maybe it's because my son is a dancer and most of the kids I know are dancers, but most kids I know eat a ton.
I have a picture of my son at 8 when we were at CRT for the first and only time. The kid's pizza was absolutely tiny. He refused to try our vegetarian entrees (just a few months later his tastes changed and he was sad he didn't try it) and we had to feed him more later. I belive it was the same trip when he ate two half-portions of ravioli with pesto sauce over at Universal. We were trying to be careful, ordering the half portion, but he was still hungry. And that is when we stopped messing with kids meals for him.

And FWIW when I was a kid I ate adult foods; "kid foods" didn't really exist in my house.

Just can't justify the price for what we're going to eat.

Same, as an adult. Literally the only buffet that made sense for me was The Wave. I only ever booked character meals because of my then-husband because he LOVED the characters.
 
I dunno. Have you met my 10 year old?

Kid's gonna blow the budget when we go to Citrico's - I know he's going to order the priciest steak.


(it's his birthday dinner, we're fine with this:D)
When we did space 220 I got filet and lobster on the side, my 10 year old days I'll have the same😂
 
I dunno. Have you met my 10 year old?

Kid's gonna blow the budget when we go to Citrico's - I know he's going to order the priciest steak.


(it's his birthday dinner, we're fine with this:D)
Same same!! :rolleyes1
 
It has been the case for quite a few years that child priced dining is only for 9 and under. Thus, why many parents with children 10-12 tend to avoid buffets - it's a huge price escalation.

Yep this is us. My 14 year old DD eats as much as I do, but my 11 year old eats like a bird and wants the "kids menu" style food (nuggets, pizza, mac and cheese.) So we avoid buffets. We have no trouble ordering off the kids menu for her at traditional table service places.
 
At the Prix Fixe places, how does food selection work if you have a picky kid paying adult prices? I understand that over 9 they need to pay adult prices, but can they still choose the kids food anyhow (while still paying for the adult food)? I understand my 11 year old needs to pay adult prices, but can she get really expensive mac and cheese from the children's menu at Be Our Guest instead of the adult steak or fish, for example? (I can't have the only picky 11 year old!)
 
At the Prix Fixe places, how does food selection work if you have a picky kid paying adult prices? I understand that over 9 they need to pay adult prices, but can they still choose the kids food anyhow (while still paying for the adult food)? I understand my 11 year old needs to pay adult prices, but can she get really expensive mac and cheese from the children's menu at Be Our Guest instead of the adult steak or fish, for example? (I can't have the only picky 11 year old!)
yes your child can eat the expensive mac and cheese from kids area of buffet and most likely get an adult sized serving at most Disney owned places. nonDisney owned most likely no from what has been said
 

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