DD is 10, on adult menu now. Share plates or let her go her own way?

[Tammy296]

Ok, my dd is now 10 and can order from the adult menu so she's going to be having TS meals with us this year. BIG STEP for her since she's still into spaghetti & MB, mac n cheese, pizza, etc.

Should I share some TS meals with her or pay OOP at some places for the kids menu and let her decide? What did you do with your 10 yr old?

I'm stuck on this...

-T

 

[worm761]

DS12 has asperger's syndrome and has a rather limited menu of what he is willing to eat. I am allowing him to order whatever he wants. If he wants pizza from the kids menu then so be it. I have already paid for it so I don't really care. Though we are doing the DDP mostly for the pre-paid convenience. I would just let her order what she wants. It is her vacation too.

 

[jenseib]

Are you on the dining plan? if so, then if you Pay OOP for her meals you will still have her tables services left.What will you do with them? I would let her get what she wants. But I find the adult menus much better with more variety. I wasn't exactly sure if she prefers kids meals, or adults?
Also on the dining plan, (if you are on it) technically they aren't supposed to let you share anymore.

 

[clutter]

Remember, they will adapt adult meals as you wish. When my dd was 9, she really really loved steak, so I put her on the adult meal plan. She ordered a steak, sauce on the side, with fries or plain rice for most meals. But she loved ordering off of the adult menu and she wasn't a fan of the kids meals. She's a pretty hearty eater, so we didn't share meals.

Why don't you go through the menus of the restaurants you're going to to see what she thinks?

 

[disneystacy]

We are doing the DDP and my daughter who is 10 will be ordering off the adult menu. I actually prefer it as the adult menu has much healthier options.

 

[Mich123]

We just did the DDP with our DD9 and DD12 for 11 days. DD12 loved ordering off the real menu, but she did eat the kids menu at lunch sometimes. At the buffets or all-you-care-to-eat places, there's no difference. I thought DD9 would dislike all the kids meals, but she was fine, though we sometimes supplemented her meals with appetizers that we paid for out of pocket. And on one occasion, DD9 and DD12 switched plates, the funny thing being that it was at Tokyo Dining and our nearly 13 year old found herself eating out of a monorail dish (we threatened to text a picture to her friends!).

I would note that DD12 never finished her entire meal at true TS restaurants, and she is a good eater--there was just too much food. It seems that Disney should create a mid-level for the 10-14 year olds. Half portions?

 

[hookedonears]

I even wrote a letter to the entire Disney Management staff complaining about 10 being considered an adult. When my daughter was 10, we were asked if she want'd a kids menu by the cast members at each of the restaurants we went to. My daughter, however insisted that she would only eat from the adults menu, because she didn't want to be seen as a child. It was a battle during our entire trip.

 

[chipndales]

They let my DD order from the kids menu without a problem even when she was 11. It was a non issue. She odered off the adult menu if something caught her eye, but we had that kids choice as back up. It was refreshing.

 

[Cottager]

They let my DD order from the kids menu without a problem even when she was 11. It was a non issue. She odered off the adult menu if something caught her eye, but we had that kids choice as back up. It was refreshing.

You've answered my question about whether or not a child over 9 can still order off the child's menu but I'm curious about the buffets. My son is 11 and I assume it's only logical that we have to pay the adult fee for him at buffets since they are not limited to just the kids meal type food. The only disappointment is that he still only eats the kid stuff and never ventures over to the adult food. $30 is a lot to pay for chicken nuggets! Does anyone know if there is any exceptions to the rule?

 

[Sandy321]

You've answered my question about whether or not a child over 9 can still order off the child's menu but I'm curious about the buffets. My son is 11 and I assume it's only logical that we have to pay the adult fee for him at buffets since they are not limited to just the kids meal type food. The only disappointment is that he still only eats the kid stuff and never ventures over to the adult food. $30 is a lot to pay for chicken nuggets! Does anyone know if there is any exceptions to the rule?

unfortunately no - its been discussed on the DISability thread, as well as this one - there are some things you can try and steer them to (for instance the beef items )

its Disney, they really do fine -

our dd is a picky eater, and it was hard the first time she was an "adult" - Cali Grill was exceptional in helping dd find something - she likes the flatbread pizza - they wanted to give her the kids menu, but she wanted it on the adult menu!!
(we pay oop at Cali Grill instead of using 6TS credits here!)

 

[damiel]

I had my DS 10 look at the menus to be sure there were things he would enjoy on the adult menu. There were a few times he said he didn't see anything he really liked, so we switched restaurants. We are planning a few OP breakfasts so if he ends up ordering of the child's menu we will pay OP and aply his TS credit to the breakfast. But I do know that you can switch any side for fries, my DBiL did this every meal last trip.

 

[Anal Annie]

This is another reason we don't find the DDP a good value for us. DS now 11 is a skinny 65 Lbs soaking wet and still bounces between eating adult or kids meals. Depends on what it is & where. He would prefer a personal size pizza or cheeseburger. I have found mixed results when dining at buffets at WDW. Since he's listed as an adult on the ressie some servers will charge the adult price regardless of what's on his plate while I have found others who seem to notice that he's only got mac & cheese & chix nuggets on his plate and they only charge the kids buffet price. It varies. He was charged as an adult for Boma breakfast but as a kid at Hollywood & Vine for dinner. I don't ASK for an exception but I am grateful when we have a server who seems to pay attention. They can have some of the savings difference in their tip!!

 

[chipndales]

You've answered my question about whether or not a child over 9 can still order off the child's menu but I'm curious about the buffets. My son is 11 and I assume it's only logical that we have to pay the adult fee for him at buffets since they are not limited to just the kids meal type food. The only disappointment is that he still only eats the kid stuff and never ventures over to the adult food. $30 is a lot to pay for chicken nuggets! Does anyone know if there is any exceptions to the rule?

It is a lot to pay for chicken nuggets, I agree! My DD did very well at the buffet, though, choosing a little from both adult and child and of course, dessert! We only did two buffets this time, both character, so it was well worth it to pay for that whole experience. I guess it depends on how you feel about splurging on a buffet. I'd say just let him nibble off yours which is what I would do here at home, but at WDW I don't know how that would work. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help! Maybe call and ask, see what they say!

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

It's happened to us. Kids were 10 or 11 and I paid $30 for them to eat mac&cheese. Best to just go less to the resturants.

 

[mmmears]

Now that my DD is an "adult" I have booked far less buffets than before. Paying $30-$40 dollars for her dinner is just something I dont feel comfortable with. We plan on sharing entrees at some TS places, otherwise she will order her own entree from either the adult or kids menu. Another reason we dont do the DDP...

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Ok, my dd is now 10 and can order from the adult menu so she's going to be having TS meals with us this year. BIG STEP for her since she's still into spaghetti & MB, mac n cheese, pizza, etc.

Should I share some TS meals with her or pay OOP at some places for the kids menu and let her decide? What did you do with your 10 yr old?

I'm stuck on this...

-T

I am assuming you are talking about the regular dining plan.

Tyler just turned 10 in December so will be an adult the next time we go. He is not very adventurous in eating. We love, love, love the deluxe dining plan but I am finding it difficult to justify with a non-adventurour 10 year old so I am thinking that what we will do is get the regular plan. And where he finds something on the adult menu that is worth the adult meal cost (or unfortunately at a buffet if I cannot ge tthe kids away from them!) ...he will use his adult meal credit. If there is nothing on the adult menu that he wants, we will pay for his kid's meal out of pocket and then be able to use the leftover credits on more meals. Now, there is no trip in our future at this point so this is all just speculation on my part and maybe by the time there is, he will discover eating and we won't have an issue or I will just break down and do deluze and deal with it but I think the regular dining plan sounds like the most economical way with a 10 year old who is not going to eat adult meals.

 

[eyor44]

We did Deluxe DDP for our last trip and neither children are adventrous eaters, but I wanted to have options. DS13 really surprised me. By us not worrying about how much each meal was going to cost, we were able to be flexible and not worry if he ordered something he wouldn't like. (He can always finish my meal if he doesn't like his.) He ordered all kinds of things to try and found he liked most of them. Scallops, my no-seafood kid ate scallops and loved them!

 

[Tissa]

We are on the dining plan and if my "adult" kids order from the kids menu then I'm just paying oop and using the credits later.

 

[jenseib]

How will you use the crdits later though? That means that you will have to POO for your meal then.

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

My kids are 12,10 and 6 and we always order off the kids' menu. We have cut back on Buffets because I feel we don't get our money's worth. The only buffet we do is Boma.

My kids still like the kid food: hot dogs, mac n cheese, nuggets, burgers...So far we have never had a problem ordering from the kids menu.

I don't like how Disney sets the guidelines that at age 10 you are an adult.