Currently on the dining plan and so far not happy with the children's quick service

[OurDogCisco]

So far we have eaten at Roaring Forks. My kids had a choice of Chicken nuggets (4 McDonald type) or Uncrustable PB & J. This part I liked they had a choice of 2 sides: grapes, carrots or applesauce. Plus they got dessert. French Fries were available upon request. Plus, you got drink of either: small water, milk or apple juice. My kids got the chicken nuggets. They were okay with it.

Next meal was at Pinocchios Village. Kids had a choice of Macaroni & Cheese or Peanut Butter and Jelly. Luckily the casher let us get the cheese pizza combo meal instead. I forgot the sides that came with the children's menu.

The next meal was much better because the offerings were similar to the adult choices. We ate at the Earl of Sandwich. The kid choices were Turkey and Swiss cheese Sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich, pizza, or peanut butter and jelly. My kids ordered the grilled cheese sandwich. It also included a baked good and fountain drink. I would have much preferred the fruit cup instead of the baked good. So, we paid out of pocket for the fruit cup.

The only other thing we find odd too many desserts especially with the lunch meal.

We haven't had any problems with choices at the kids dinner but so far we have only eaten at: O'hana and Crystal Palace. Tonight we are going to Flying Fish.

Oh, and when everyone tells you it is too much food they aren't kidding. The only place that had normal servings was Earl of Sandwich. However, again I'd rather get a side salad or fruit cup instead of the baked goods.

I'll keep you posted...

 

[maminnie]

Thank you for the info.

My family has been to Pinocchios Village every time we have visited the Magic Kingdom. It is a great place for hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, etc. We were considering the dining plan for our next visit but mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly at Pin. Village as the only choices for the kids seems rediculous to me!!!!

I guess I will have to reconsider because I have to admit when my kids are at the World they like their share of hamburgers, hotdogs, and fries and one doesn't like mac and cheese and the other doesn't eat peanut butter. Sounds like the plan would not work for them.

Would love to hear the experiences of others regarding the children's selections.

Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

The kids meal plan costs $11. The snack is worth $3-$4 and a TS character meal is around $15 with tax and tip. The kids plan is worth it even if you use the kids CS meal for the drink and fries and pay cash for an adult burger. You can "decombo" almost any CS meal even if the menu doesn't show it.

Thank you for the info.

My family has been to Pinocchios Village every time we have visited the Magic Kingdom. It is a great place for hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, etc. We were considering the dining plan for our next visit but mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly at Pin. Village as the only choices for the kids seems rediculous to me!!!!

I guess I will have to reconsider because I have to admit when my kids are at the World they like their share of hamburgers, hotdogs, and fries and one doesn't like mac and cheese and the other doesn't eat peanut butter. Sounds like the plan would not work for them.

Would love to hear the experiences of others regarding the children's selections.

Thanks.

 

[maminnie]

Thanks Lewisc: Good idea.

Based on some research I've done, it appears that Pin. Village has changed and no longer has the same menu as years past.

Although the dinner options for children seem ok on the dining plan based on my research so far, the counter service seems quite limited.

I'll keep digging to see what I can come up with and decide closer to my visit.


Thanks.

 

[ZekeKelso]

As for the too many dessert thing, many places have a fruit cup or other option they will let you take instead of dessert. Be sure to ask.

PS - Roaking Fork (no s). Lost a major bet to DW on that - but I do like the way I have to pay off losing bets to her -

 

[MrsMork]

At Roaring Forks we were told our DGS7 could get anything he wanted. He got a regular burger, fries, a drink and a dessert. He also had a chicken leg with mashed potatoes at MGM for lunch, we went to The Land and there were many, many options for him there. We spent 5 days at WDW and he did not once have chicken strips and only had mac and cheese once because that is what he chose. We were very, very please with the selections available at the TS restaurants. The only issue I had was that sugar free jello was always offered, came automatically with some CS meals, and I do not think pouring aspartame down children is a good idea. He just did not eat the jello that came with some of his meals. I shared my dessert with him and it was always plenty for the 2 of us after eating the rest of our meal.

 

[Lewisc]

Many posters have said the resort food courts have been reasonable. Don't ask for "an adult" meal for your child. Ask if you can get a child sized meal of....Depending on the CM, and the item you ask for, you may be accomodated. I wouldn't expect you'd be able to get a child sized portion of the rib eye steak at Pepper Market.

 

[minniebeth]

I hope that it can be a little flexible like some are saying...my DD is allergic to Peanut Butter...doesn't leave her much option on a lot of the menus.

 

[maminnie]

I have to bump this up again. I just took the time to review a number of menus in the MK and am quite surprised by the children's counter selections. I have one child that will not eat mac and cheese and another that will not eat peanut butter. I personally do not consider mac and cheese Disney style or Uncrustable PB and J's healthy options.

Some of the selections in addition to the above were sloppy joes, chilled (not grilled) chicken, corn dogs not regular hotdogs, etc. It was difficult to find a chicken finger and yes I must admit my kids sometimes eat chicken fingers and fries!!! What made it even stranger was that the options for adults included healthy and not-so healthy options such as hotdogs and hamburgers but this was not an option for the kids. I have to admit there are times when on vacation that I just want a hamburger and fries!!! I can't see myself enjoying a nice burger while my child eats a sloppy joe, pbj, chilled chicken, or corn dog. The only thing I see happening is my kids eating my meal and my husband and I enjoying a nice children's meal!!!!!

I agree with the above person who indicated that we could go off the plan at times but I believe the children's selections are way too limited and often not very kid friendly. The key is choice and let the parents decide what to do.

Would love to hear how things went for those of you with children.

Thanks, maminnie

 

[patsal]

When DD was 9--the first time I used the DDP, if she didn't like what was on the children's menu I just ordered her a hotdog, burger or chicken planks a la carte and she used her children's credits for the things she liked at breakfast Mickey waffles! It worked out well for us, a few places had things she liked so she'd get them at places where the items were not to her liking I paid OOP ususally $3-4 for the item of her choice. Much less expensive than the full adult price for the DDP and upgrading her ticket, She had no problems withthe dinner choices at TS and if she did we never ahd a server that didn't try to help her out by showing her how to make the choices work for something she would like (substituting part of one meal with another part of another meal to create a meal she liked).

 

[TDC Nala]

My nephew is allergic to dairy products and nuts, he could have neither macaroni and cheese nor peanut butter and jelly. The restaurants and counter service places have been pretty good about accommodating food allergies, and they'd probably do the same on the dining plan.

 

[lynn46356]

We will have a child on the ddp in February. His favorite meal is chicken strips or nuggets or cheese pizza. Will we have a hard time finding this???? I'm hoping not.

On a side note, it was ten years ago when we visited WDW for the first time with our 7 and 8 year old sons. We were having lunch with my mom, their grandma, when I told them they weren't going to be eating hamburgers or chicken every day for a week. My mom piped up and said well you did when you went on vacation with us at that age and older. So when we went on that first vacation they ate hamburgers and chicken every day and guess what they still are alive and are now 18 and 17. Food is food! And I'm not sweathing it anymore. I just want my chicken. haha

Lynn

 

[ZekeKelso]

Would love to hear how things went for those of you with children.

There were times my nephew wanted a burger. We just split a double cheeseburger adult meal, which gave each of us enough food.

 

[dbmarie]

As for the too many dessert thing, many places have a fruit cup or other option they will let you take instead of dessert. Be sure to ask.

We just got back on the 28th the kids dessert is now no sugar added jello and most places were not allowing you to subsitute the dessert. Tusker house and a couple others refused to exchange the jello for anything.

 

[OurDogCisco]

Okay.... we are leaving tomorrow. Most places allowed us to substitute when possible. So, my 9 year old didn't go hungry. It is definitely a great deal for children. My children definitely ate more than 10.99 in food. Oh, and we weren't able to change out the sugar free jello. I thought MK had the worst selection in kids meals. We didn't eat at MGM so I don't know about the offerings there.

Oh, I have to tell you in AK we were eating at FlameTree BBQ when a group sat next to us. They all ordered a children's meal. I believe the choice there was wings or hot dog. Anyways, there was another family sitting at another table and the boy was crying because of the birds. Well, the group of adults that all ordered a child's meal were feeding the birds. Finally, I had to explain to them they can't feed the birds and they are scaring the boy next to them. Oh.... they said. Not sure they understood me they spoke broken English. Anyways, I thought it was interesting they ordered children's meals.

I'm gonna add up my totals when I get home. We did end up with 26 snack credits and 6 counter services. It was a lot of food. More than I thought. We had dinner last night in England and I just couldn't eat anymore. I took a bite of everything. I was just full. I even skipped dessert. Even with the leftover credits we ended up saving. I'm sure of it. Just not sure if we would have ordered that much food at each meal. I love getting appetizers and dessert but usually I get them based on how hungry I am.

We did end up with 7 Table service credits but that was due to bad table service we got and they gave us the credits for free. But they weren't of use to us since we had more than enough food.


P.S. Excuse the typos, etc.... I'm just too tired to double check....

 

[OurDogCisco]

There were times my nephew wanted a burger. We just split a double cheeseburger adult meal, which gave each of us enough food.

This works if you want a burger too. I don't normally eat burgers. I don't think I ate a single burger on this trip so sharing wouldn't have been an option. Most of the time I ordered a sandwich. I did eat pizza and Fish & chicken strips. Or I skipped lunch...

I think it is the paying customer that losses on these children menu selections. They did let us get what we wanted most of the time. Table service restaurants let us subsititute anything we wanted. However, I thought the counter service selection for younger kids was just plain bad. The selection was limited and repetitive. I'd be curious what a paying customer ends up doing. I guess they have to share meals that they really didn't want to share?

 

[bkfree]

Mine are also somewhat picky eaters that do not eat PB and J or Mac and Cheese.We are going in 11 days. After the group hysteria invaded my brain about the new kids menus and we use the DDP, I calmed down and wrote down a daily eating scenario. First of all, the only park that gave me issues was MK. I had no trouble making all of us happy at the other parks. We are going to MK on 2 of our 6 days. Only one of those trips will require a counter service meal. So if I end up buying an adult entree or two for them that is about $12. We have a TS ressie for each day we are there. Between that and the $4 snack my two will be spending over the $10.99 I spent per day on the DDP.I am already ahead without counting a CS meal. So if I end up buying a few CS, I am still way ahead of the game.
I wasted way too many brain cells on this. The new menu changes should not even be noticed by us, my kids will eat and I will save money.
I love Disney Happy Endings.

 

[jodifla]

This works if you want a burger too. I don't normally eat burgers. I don't think I ate a single burger on this trip so sharing wouldn't have been an option. Most of the time I ordered a sandwich. I did eat pizza and Fish & chicken strips. Or I skipped lunch...

I think it is the paying customer that losses on these children menu selections. They did let us get what we wanted most of the time. Table service restaurants let us subsititute anything we wanted. However, I thought the counter service selection for younger kids was just plain bad. The selection was limited and repetitive. I'd be curious what a paying customer ends up doing. I guess they have to share meals that they really didn't want to share?

To me, it's the DDP that really limits you, because you have to scrounge around in the limited CS menu to find something your kids will like.

Since we pay OOP, we are free to choose from the WHOLE menu, where they actually have some decent food choices, for DS.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Has anyone's kids ordered the "chilled chicken"??? That just sounds gross. My kids DD 9, DD 6 and DS 5 are gonna have some tough choices! Looks like they'll be eating a lot of mac and cheese.

Perhaps Disney reads some of these boards, maybe? I can only hope they will give the kids some more options before May 13th!

 

[Lewisc]

You're missing the point. DDP guests can still pay out of pocket for anything not covered by the plan. The kids meal plan costs $11;the snack is worth $3-$4 and a TS character meal is worth $15 (with tax and tip). Parents with 9 year old kids get a great deal, use the TS credits at buffets and all you care to eat restaurants and just pay a few dollars for an adult CS entree.

Disney is making it less attractive for older kids (on or off the plan) to order a kids meal.

To me, it's the DDP that really limits you, because you have to scrounge around in the limited CS menu to find something your kids will like.

Since we pay OOP, we are free to choose from the WHOLE menu, where they actually have some decent food choices, for DS.