DDP for kids is terrible!!!!!!

[Pedler]

Exactly, but I'm sorry, for as much food as there is, and how expensive a WDW vacation is for us, I am unwilling to pay OOP for meals...am I in the minority here?

I guess I would look at it another way. First estimate what it would cost you for food without the DDP. Then figure out what the cost is for the DDP. Lastly figure out what CS kids options don't work and how much OOP it would cost to make it work.

After that just take a look at the 3 scenarios and see what works best for your family. If the kids meals on the DDP don't work for you then don't get the plan or pay OOP for the extra items. I wouldn't let the plan dictate how you spend your vacation. There are some DISers that only eat in TS places. The DDP does not work for them and they don't get it. There are some that prefer mainly CS places. There again they don't get the DPP. I think people are taking the DDP and trying to make thier vacations too complex or stressfull. If it works for you great, if it doesn't don't get it.

 

[slduck]

At Peco Bills we did get dd a burger4, but she wasn't allowed to get a dessert.

 

[minniebeth]

I guess I would look at it another way. First estimate what it would cost you for food without the DDP. Then figure out what the cost is for the DDP. Lastly figure out what CS kids options don't work and how much OOP it would cost to make it work.

After that just take a look at the 3 scenarios and see what works best for your family. If the kids meals on the DDP don't work for you then don't get the plan or pay OOP for the extra items. I wouldn't let the plan dictate how you spend your vacation. There are some DISers that only eat in TS places. The DDP does not work for them and they don't get it. There are some that prefer mainly CS places. There again they don't get the DPP. I think people are taking the DDP and trying to make thier vacations too complex or stressfull. If it works for you great, if it doesn't don't get it.

We made reservations for a package that included the DDP before all the changes to the children's meals were made, without notification that they would be changing. This is why I'm a little annoyed. I know that at $11 per day for children, I believe it is a good deal, just disappointed at they ways they have set choices up for children. I know overall, we will somehow be able to find solutions that will accomodate our family. I ultimately am just grateful that I research and have access to info. on the DISbds. along with other websites I have found. I have several friends who just show up and are really irritated with the food choices becasue they do not have a heads up.
(I told them, if they had only asked! )

 

[DisOrBust]

This is the reason why our server at PTC said they call the Kids Salmon the "DIET" plate. All the Moms switch with their kids. Sorry but it shouldn't be this hard to vacation and enjoy it for the ENTIRE family.

 

[skater]

It seems to me that as a vacation marketed heavily to children that Disney World needs to make the children's meals part of the magic. To me that means if the adult can get ice cream as desert, the child should as well. And kids meal options should contain a variety of fun choices.

 

[honeymo78]

minnie - nothing really changed for CS meals, the kids entrees are essentially the same as before your cancellation window closed about a month ago - you weren't supposed to order adult meals for kids in the first place. The kids TS menus changed a couple months ago and then changed again in Dec offering much more diversity. If you didn't like the kids meals that came out back in oct and nov you could have canceled the DDP portion of your plan without penalty.

If the change you are referring to is disney's enforcement of an already established rule, they didn't need to notify anyone. The plan description has never made it okay to use kids credits for adult meals (TS or CS). It doesn't matter that some people got away with it, consumers shouldn't depend on being able to break the rules in order to be happy. If buying adult CS meals for kids was the only way to make the plan work for you then maybe the plan isn't for you. Or as others have said, the kids DDP more than pays for itself with a TS and snack. Use the CS for breakfast instead of paying for that OOP and just buy the kids whatever they want for lunch.

I can fully sympathize with people frustrated with the DDP when the new kids TS meals came out with no warning since they couldn't cancel then. Anyone vacationing in 07 had plenty of time to make other arrangements based on those menus and I've already spoken about CS.

 

[frndofpooh]

This is the reason why our server at PTC said they call the Kids Salmon the "DIET" plate. All the Moms switch with their kids. Sorry but it shouldn't be this hard to vacation and enjoy it for the ENTIRE family.

- So true! DS9 found the child meal portions so small that often we switched plates. When we got home, I had lost two pounds!

 

[maminnie]

skater:

Very well put!!! My feelings exactly!! The food is part of the magic and part of the vacation.

I don't think I'll be sitting at Peco Bills eating a hamburger or Columbia Harbor House eating a breaded piece of chicken or fish while my daughter is eating a sloppy joe at Peco Bills and chilled (NOT GRILLED) chicken at Columbia Harbor House!!!! For some reason I think I'll be eating her meals and she'll be eating mine; lucky me!!!!

The food should be part of the magic and their should be healthy and traditional selections for all and especially for our children who are why we personally are at Disney in the first place!!! (Without them, I'd be sitting on a cruise ship or on a beach somewhere!!!!)

maminnie

 

[minniebeth]

minnie - nothing really changed for CS meals, the kids entrees are essentially the same as before your cancellation window closed about a month ago - you weren't supposed to order adult meals for kids in the first place. The kids TS menus changed a couple months ago and then changed again in Dec offering much more diversity. If you didn't like the kids meals that came out back in oct and nov you could have canceled the DDP portion of your plan without penalty.

If the change you are referring to is disney's enforcement of an already established rule, they didn't need to notify anyone. The plan description has never made it okay to use kids credits for adult meals (TS or CS). It doesn't matter that some people got away with it, consumers shouldn't depend on being able to break the rules in order to be happy. If buying adult CS meals for kids was the only way to make the plan work for you then maybe the plan isn't for you. Or as others have said, the kids DDP more than pays for itself with a TS and snack. Use the CS for breakfast instead of paying for that OOP and just buy the kids whatever they want for lunch.

I can fully sympathize with people frustrated with the DDP when the new kids TS meals came out with no warning since they couldn't cancel then. Anyone vacationing in 07 had plenty of time to make other arrangements based on those menus and I've already spoken about CS.

As I've stated, I still believe the DDP is a good value for our family. I never had any intention of trying to use an adult meal in place of a child's meal. The other "adult" in our family is my DS11, so I have no doubt there will be plenty of food...It is not the DDP I have issues with, it is the change in children's menus I'm not very happy with. I'm glad that they've changed it in Dec. to give a little more flexibility, the thing that concerns me is that "sometiems they will accomodate you and sometimes they won't".
I think the food at WDW is good overall and we've had mostly positive experiences with food, service, etc.
My point was that I personally am not willing to put out additional money OOP after the money we've already spent....even if it is a good deal. We spend a lot of money at WDW each year and sometimes enough is enough. Even if it is a "couple of bucks here and there" ...it all adds up. My family will make the best of it....I think Disney is counting on the fact that I will ditch the kids' whatever and buy a burger. Not gonna do it....

 

[The Sweetness]

Thats something we can all agree on. The only way to fix this, I think, is to offer mini versions of the adult offerings, with 2 alts (maybe universal ones, just to simplify) Then, at least the playing field would be leveled, and I think there would still be ppl complaining. Either b/c they couldnt get the kids size meal for someone over 9 , or b/c they couldt get a burger at Pizza Planet

 

[Pedler]

.. I think there would still be ppl complaining. Either b/c they couldnt get the kids size meal for someone over 9

I think this is the real reason why Disney doesn't add in other kids choices. They don't want adults ordering kids meals (loss of revenue) and its easier to just not have choices that adults would want on the kids menu than to constantly tell adults that they can't order kids menus. I could imagine some adults getting quite confrontational if they were told they couldn't order a kids pizza (If one existed) at Pizza Planet.

 

[The Sweetness]

Confrontations is a big part of several problems at WDW, IMO. CMs don't want to confront guests. Guests (some) feel **entitled** to bend, or ignore rules in restaurants or in parks, because they paid x dollars or travelled x miles for their trip. This makes some guests feel like they are above the rules. And since the CM certainly dont want irate guests having a hissy at Cosmic Rays because a cahier wont sell them a kids meal (to eat themselves) there IS no ribs etc for them at CRs. Also, I think many ppl would lie, saying their kid is *over there* in order to score their less expensive lunch, which was intended for little kids only. Even big kids (10+) are supposed to order adult portions

So the *entitled* kind of ruin what could be...

 

[Sammie]

Confrontations is a big part of several problems at WDW, IMO. CMs don't want to confront guests. Guests (some) feel **entitled** to bend, or ignore rules in restaurants or in parks, because they paid x dollars or travelled x miles for their trip. This makes some guests feel like they are above the rules. And since the CM certainly dont want irate guests having a hissy at Cosmic Rays because a cahier wont sell them a kids meal (to eat themselves) there IS no ribs etc for them at CRs. Also, I think many ppl would lie, saying their kid is *over there* in order to score their less expensive lunch, which was intended for little kids only. Even big kids (10+) are supposed to order adult portions

So the *entitled* kind of ruin what could be...

Exactly. I have always said when some bend the rules or guidelines to suit themselves, others suffer for it.

As you said, Disney rather than confront someone and say NO, will simply remove what it was they might have to enforce.

Therefore kid's meals become meals that adults and some kids don't want to eat and we can thank those that still can't determine if they are an adult or a kid, even though they are over 10 years old.