DDP Child Menus need improving

[robgal74]

I just got back from CSR. We were on the DDP and I have 2 kids 8 and 10. The 10 is considered an adult. I have used the plan before but this years changes are not very good for kids. We went to Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom and my 8 yr old couldn't have a slice of pizza because it was not on the kids menu! Try telling a child that he can't have pizza in a pizza place!! Also at Back lot Express in MGM he can't have a hot dog or burger...just chicken nuggets, peanut butter sandwiches. What is this. When I asked if we could make substitutions they really didn't want to do it and then said they would have to take his dessert away. I don't think I will ever use the plan again.

 

[sdb72]

its asked that kids order off childrens menu when available however its not a written rule, I don't think,, because Dis does not track the plans, and seperate kids meals from adults so he could have had the pizza.. at this point the number of meals counter service is just deducted.. so if their is 28 counter service meals that are paid for use them.. I do know that it is enforced with table service..

 

[TDC Nala]

As has been mentioned here before, Pizzafari does not sell slices. They sell whole individual pizzas in one size only. Because there is not a smaller portion option, pizza isn't on the children's menu.

Best bet for kids' pizza on the dining plan is Toy Story Pizza Planet at the Studios. They don't have a smaller portion either, but there is no separate children's menu and kids order off the regular menu. Of course, all they offer is pizza.

 

[patsal]

While it seems silly that kids can't have pizza in a pizza place that change went into effect years ago. Adults were ordering the children's pizza--the same size as an adult pizza with a a lower cost. Since people couldn't be trusted to order from the correct menu they had to make changes.

 

[ChrisMouse]

This same issue is actually the main reason we've decided against the plan for our May trip.

My DS is just too picky, and I think we'd have this argument at every CS meal, or we'd be going all over the park looking for a children's menu that would work.

Anyway, I agree with you about the children's menus. It seems like they could expand the choices (with smaller portions for kids, of course, to avoid problems they've had in the past).

I can carry my own PB&J sandwiches into the park, if that's what the kids want Since what they will usually want is chicken nuggets and pizza...we'll skip the DDP and let them order exactly what they want, and ONLY exactly what they really want. We can also share bigger items. I know we will waste less food and won't eat "extra" desserts...since we enjoy other "treats" in the park we don't need the CS desserts.

Thanks for your info!!!

 

[Crystal_27]

I think that the trend to not offer children anything other than "yellow" foods (i.e, chicken nuggets, corn dogs, mac and cheese, fries, etc.) isn't just a Disney problem - I see those offerings on every children's menu of every restaurant that we frequent. I think this trend speaks to the general unhealthiness of our country, and it certainly goes a long way to show why our children are obese and at a higher risk for diabetes. What I think is sad is that Disney succumbed to the pressure and reduced its children's menu to conform with everyone else. I mean, God forbid that a child should be expected to eat a balanced diet, with fruits and vegetables and lean meats! I guess my point is that as that since I actually expect my DD to eat a variety of diffenent foods, the limited (yellow food) choices of the children's menus are just so disappointing. However, we will plan on sharing a lot of adult CS meals and I'm hopeful that we'll at least get some good choices for her from the children's menus at the TS restaurants we chose.

 

[TDC Nala]

If they succumbed to pressure, they did it due to the level of guest complaints. Apparently they offer that stuff because that's what most kids enjoy, and what most parents want to buy them in restaurants (preferring that the kids eat instead of fuss).

Plus, I suppose they're not very expensive to offer.

 

[TruBlu]

I don't understand the whole Pizzafari thing. They really need to change the name of the restaurant if they aren't going to let kids order pizza.
We have never eaten there and never will - or not until our kids are 10 anyway.

Couldn't they just cut a cheese pizza in half?

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't understand the whole Pizzafari thing. They really need to change the name of the restaurant if they aren't going to let kids order pizza.
We have never eaten there and never will - or not until our kids are 10 anyway.

Couldn't they just cut a cheese pizza in half?

Which half would you prefer your child to get, the half that was just cut from a fresh whole pizza, or the half that was cut for a previous order and has been sitting around waiting for someone else to order a child's portion?

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

Which half would you prefer your child to get, the half that was just cut from a fresh whole pizza, or the half that was cut for a previous order and has been sitting around waiting for someone else to order a child's portion?

I think it'd be a popular choice for children and wouldn't necessarily be sitting around. I think it is a bit misleading for a restaurant to be called Pizzafari and then no pizza on the children's menu. Why else would you go to a place with that kind of a name?

 

[TDC Nala]

Only thing I know about Pizzafari is that according to the Food Network, which featured it in a show, the pizzas are assembled by machine. The machine makes one size of pizza. Used to be the same pizza was featured on an adults' and kids' menu. Of course, the adult menu cost more, so the adults would order the kids' pizza for themselves. Now there isn't pizza on the child's menu.

They're not set up to serve slices. It would involve having CMs in the restaurant to take the pizzas from the machine and slice them. It would also involve them coming up with a place to store the sliced pizzas until they're ordered.

Before the dining plan, none of this was an issue. What they ought to do is permit kids to order pizza on the dining plan. According to some posters, if you ask when you order, they may let you order pizza for your kids on the dining plan.

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

Before the dining plan, none of this was an issue. What they ought to do is permit kids to order pizza on the dining plan. According to some posters, if you ask when you order, they may let you order pizza for your kids on the dining plan.

I agree. The problem is with the DDP, not with Pizzafari itself. I think I would be shocked as a parent if I purchased the DDP and my kids weren't able to order pizza from Pizzafari with a credit we prepurchased for them.

I guess they should officially allow it to be some kind of an exception. Maybe the full size pizza and no dessert or something like that.

 

[Tricia1972]

I took a few minutes to look at the CS kids meals on allearsnet.com. I copied the menus from the parks and pasted them into a Word document.

While there isn't a great variety in the types of food offered, this is pretty true of CS in general (even for adults). Between the CS locations in the parks, it looks like you can either have typical children's fare (I have read lots of complaints that their picky eater can't find anything to eat in the parks, it's all to exotic) It also looks like there are a few more interesting adult options out there. You can get chicken nuggets, PBJ, Mac and Cheese, Sloppy Joe's, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Drumsticks, Chicken Wings, Fried Fish, Ham and Cheese Wraps, Turkey Roll Ups, Sub Sandwiches, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Chicken Salad, Pizza, and there are even a few locations with no kids menu - so you can order whatever they want off of the adult menu.

I pasted my word document below to hopefully help others who are looking at just WHERE you can get this stuff at.

​

[

Flame Tree BBQ
For Guests Ages 3-9
All meals include choice of 2 sides: grapes, carrot sticks, applesauce or fruit punch Choice of: 1% milk, Small Bottled Water or Apple Juice

Baked Chicken Wings $3.99
Hot Dog $3.99
Chocolate Chip Cookie or Soft Drink substituted upon request


Pizzafari
KIDS' PICKS
For Guests 9 & Under
All meals served with choice of 2 sides
Grapes, Carrot Sticks, Applesauce or Fruit Punch Gelatin
Choice of Beverage: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water, or apple juice

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich - $4.49
Spaghetti and Meatballs - $4.49

Chocolate Chip Cookie or Soft Drink substituted upon request


Backlot Express​

Kids' Picks
All meals include choice of two side items: grapes, carrot sticks, or applesauce
Choice of 1% Mickey Milk, 1% chocolate milk, small bottled water, or apple juice box

$4.49​

Chicken Nuggets OR Sloppy Joe
Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Pudding, French Fries and Soft Drinks substituted upon request


​

Pizza Planet – No Kids menu (though personally I don’t like the pizza here)

ABC Commissary
Kids' Picks
For guests 9 and under
All meals include choice of two side items: grapes, carrot sticks or applesauce
Choice of: 1% Mickey Milk, 1% chocolate milk, small bottled water or apple juice box ​

Chicken Nuggets - $4.49​

Fried Fish - $4.49
Ham and Cheese Wrap- $4.49
Chocolate Chip Cookie, French Fries and Soft Drink available upon request.


Sunshine Seasons

Children's Selection: Sweet and Sour Chicken and Beverage $3.99
Children's Selection: Mini Sub and Beverage $3.99
Children's Selection: Chicken Leg with Mashed Potatoes and Beverage $3.99

Cantina de SanAngel
Plato del Nino - grilled chicken and cheese quesadilla, tortilla chips and a small soft drink $3.99


Liberty InnKids Picks
For Guests 9 and under
All meals include choice of two sides: Grapes, Carrot Sticks Fruit Punch Gelatin, or Applesauce
Choice of: 1% milk, small bottled water or Apple juice box

Chilled Chicken over Romaine Lettuce $3.99
Chicken nuggets $3.99
Peanut Butter and Jelly $3.99


Lotus Blossom
Kids' Picks

​

Beijing Barbecue Drumstick - with rice and apple sauce -$5.95


Sommerfest - No kids menu

Tangerine

Kid's Meal - All kid's meal are served with choice of 1% milk, bottled water or juice. Kid's meals are served with Carrot sticks and apple slices
$6.95 ​

Hamburger
Pizza
Chicken Tenders
French Fries and Soda available upon request


Casey's Corner - No Kids Menu


Cosmic Ray's
Kids' Picks
(Children 9 and under)
(All Sides of Restaurant)
All meals include choice of 2 side items: grapes, carrot sticks or apple sauce
Choice of: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water or apple juice
Mixed Greens Salad with Chicken $4.49

Chicken Nuggets $4.49
Peanut Butter and Jelly $4.49
Chocolate Chip Cookie $1.19


Pecos Bill's​

Kids' Picks For Guests 9 and Under
All meals include choice of two side items: grapes, carrot sticks or applesauce
Choice of: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water or apple juice
Chocolate Chip Cookie, Fries or Soft Drink available on request

Chicken Nuggets $3.99
Garden Salad with Chicken $3.99


Pinocchio's Village Haus
Kids' Picks
For Guests 9 and under
All meals include choice of two sides items: grapes, carrot sticks, or applesauce
Choice of: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water, or apple juice ​

Turkey and Cheese Roll-up $4.49
Macaroni and Cheese - $4.49
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (Smucker's Uncrustable) $4.49
Chocolate Pudding$1.19
Chocolate Chip Cookie, French Fries and Soda available upon request.


​

Columbia Harbor House
Kids' Picks
For Guests 9 and under
All meals include choice of two sides: grapes, carrot sticks or applesauce.
Choice of: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water or apple juice.

​

Macaroni and Cheese - $3.99
Grilled Chicken with Cheese - $3.99
Sugar-free Jello $1.19​

​

 

[jenjersnap]

Pizza Planet has just one-size pizza with no kid's meal offerings at all, right? I wonder why Pizzafari doesn't do the same?

 

[A's Princess]

We just returned from our trip and had the DDP - also very disappointed with the kids options for CS. For us the TS buffets (Cape May and Boma) were great meals for our kids - tried new foods (salmon and clams!) but the CS meals got picked at and they only ate the grapes! Toward the end of our trips we just split our CS lunches with them or they existed on snack credit pretzels and fruit. We felt like we got our money's worth for us from the DDP but agree with a previous post about bringing in PB&J sandwiches. At least they will get a smidge of protein on whole wheat bread (what they are used to) and not be frustrated with limited choices.

 

[TruBlu]

Which half would you prefer your child to get, the half that was just cut from a fresh whole pizza, or the half that was cut for a previous order and has been sitting around waiting for someone else to order a child's portion?

Well, my kid is into "college prep." eating - he likes his pizza cold out of the frig. So we wouldn't care, but I'm sure there are others who would. I think a better solution would be to offer a "kids meal" of a pizza for the same price as the adult meal along with the other kid offerings. Then kids could actually eat pizza at a pizza restaurant.

 

[TDC Nala]

Pizza Planet has just one-size pizza with no kid's meal offerings at all, right? I wonder why Pizzafari doesn't do the same?

Because Pizza Planet's menu has no options other than pizza (except for one salad).

I don't think Pizzafari even needs to offer a kids' pizza. What it ought to do is permit children on the dining plan to order pizza (and only pizza) off the regular menu, perhaps also eliminating the dessert for this option as suggested.

 

[Crystal_27]

Tricia, WOW and **thank you** for putting together that list. I guess I was mistaken that Disney has put only "yellow food" on the children's menus - it looks like there are eateries were we can find some suitable alternatives. Anyway, your hard work is certainly very appreciated and thank you again!

 

[Vickis3js]

Thank you very much for posting the menus!! My older 2 will be very happy. They LOVE salads thats what they get pretty much when ever we go out so I am happy to see that they can have them as a choice at some restaurants. My youngest is extremly picky and eats mainly fish so seeing that we can get that for her at atleast one CS place is great!!

No since there is only a few places that offer salads and fish and stuff like that how does sharing work? We have 3 kids and we are on the DDP for 7 days so do we have 21 kids cs meals and 14 adult cs meals or do we just have 35 cs meals? My kids were looking at some of the wraps and sandwiches and they want to try some to split but wanted to know if that was possible?

 

[disneyfan2]

thanks for the nicely compact childrens menu, definely need to do this for my trip!!

Also for those who have been on 2008 dining plan, are the childs CS now separate from adult CS