DDP - Kid wants adult meal at counter service?

[TKH]

There is one counter service restaurant, Sunshine Seasons at Epcot, where my 8 year old (a week shy of 9) would like to order an adult meal. We'll have the Disney Dining Plan, and it's already so much food that I hate to pay cash and end up with even more food due to the child credit that we'd then have. My question is, can my son order an adult meal and, to make up the difference, I would order a child's meal somewhere else? We would not be eating at the same time that day, because I will be at a different park for the YES Program class of my other son. I don't want to skirt any rules, just wondering if we can swap meals when we can't order at the same time. If we need to, we'll just pay cash and it's not a huge deal. Thank you.

 

[MickeyGs]

Absolutely

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[TK27]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the DDP states that children 9 and under must order from the children's menu where it is available.

 

[msmama]

I'm fairly certain that if you have a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) and are staying for 7 days then essentially you have 14 Adult TS credits and 14 child TS credits to do with as you please. If you wanted to order 7 adult entrees at one meal, you could do that.

 

[aaarcher86]

OP - you could do that. If your KTTW card says 1 adult 1 child I suppose he might get questioned being a 9 year old. I'd give him cash just in case. Are you supposed to? I don't know if this would qualify as breaking the rules. I don't see it any differently as an adult and child ordering at once (1 meal each) and then switching.

I'm fairly certain that if you have a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) and are staying for 7 days then essentially you have 14 Adult TS credits and 14 child TS credits to do with as you please. If you wanted to order 7 adult entrees at one meal, you could do that.

You're partly right. You will get all your credits at once. But you can not order more than the amount on your card. You could do 7 adult meals in one day if you want, but you can't order 7 adult meals at once since you will only have 2 adults listed on your KTTW.

 

[TKH]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the DDP states that children 9 and under must order from the children's menu where it is available.

Yes, I think that's right. It's just that he loves the adult Asian choices there, and gets tired of nuggets and pizza. I would order a kid's meal at MK that day to 'even it out', if that's allowed. We'd be using the correct allotment of adult vs kid dining plan credits for counter service.

 

[aaarcher86]

Yes, I think that's right. It's just that he loves the adult Asian choices there, and gets tired of nuggets and pizza. I would order a kid's meal at MK that day to 'even it out', if that's allowed. We'd be using the correct allotment of adult vs kid dining plan credits for counter service.

Honestly, reading this portion I think you'd have a problem using a child credit. You're clearly an adult. Even though they're taking an child entree off I think they would charge you the adult credit, even if you explained since it's kind of a technicality.

You'd probably be better off giving him cash.

 

[TKH]

Honestly, reading this portion I think you'd have a problem using a child credit. You're clearly an adult. Even though they're taking an child entree off I think they would charge you the adult credit, even if you explained since it's kind of a technicality.

You'd probably be better
off giving him cash.

Yes, and I don't want to create confusion. Maybe we'll just pay cash. I'm always afraid to eat at Casey's hot dog place at MK for that reason...I'm worried they'll charge us all adult credits since there are no kids meals...then we'll all be eating nuggets on the last day!

 

[taylor3297]

I don't think you will have any problems. As long as you are using the correct amount of credits.

Last trip dd was not hungry when the rest of us were hungry. Later on when she was hungry, I went up and ordered a kids CS meal and no one questioned where is the kid?

Also, I just looked at one of my receipts, (why do I save these things?) and for CS credits it did not distinguish between adult and kids.

Give your son some money. Have him order what he wants, and let him give them the card. If they say he can't do that, then he will have money to pay for it.

Again I really don't think they will care as long as the credits are available on the card and since you are going to be honest and order a kids meal later.

Not like you are trying to cheat on the dining plan.

 

[disney1990]

Because these are counter service meals, you shouldn't have any problem whatsoever. If you are ordering more adults meals than you have people traveling, just pay for some of the meals and go back and get another adult meal. As far as order kids meals later, you can do the same thing only with kid meals.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Yes, and I don't want to create confusion. Maybe we'll just pay cash. I'm always afraid to eat at Casey's hot dog place at MK for that reason...I'm worried they'll charge us all adult credits since there are no kids meals...then we'll all be eating nuggets on the last day!

A child 9 and under is supposed to order from the kids' menu, but they are free to order from the adult menu when no kids' menu is available, such as at Casey's.

Also, you wouldn't have to worry about them taking too many adult credits away at Casey's because they don't keep up with counter service meals the same way they keep up with table service meals. Counter service meals come out of the same pool (you go into a counter service location with 24 credits and leave with 20); table service meals are separated into adult/child (you go in with 12 adult and 12 child and leave with 10 adult and 10 child). I would guess they do this because there are some counter service places with no kids' menu, so they have to allow kids to order from what is offered.

 

[robinb]

Yes, and I don't want to create confusion. Maybe we'll just pay cash. I'm always afraid to eat at Casey's hot dog place at MK for that reason...I'm worried they'll charge us all adult credits since there are no kids meals...then we'll all be eating nuggets on the last day!

There is no distinction between adult and child CS credits. So, you would not "use up" your adult CS credits at a restaurant that does not have kids meals. That being said, the rules do state that children 9 and under must use their credits on kids meals (if available). So the OP will need to either order a kids meal for herself or pay OOP for her child's meal.

 

[seashoreCM]

Order X adult meals and Y kids meals whatever your dining plan calls for.

When the entrees are served, cut them all up into little pieces and share.

This also allows the flexibility of ordering fewer meals than there are people if you have trouble finishing it all, for example X adult meals and Y minus one kids meals.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

Honestly, reading this portion I think you'd have a problem using a child credit. You're clearly an adult. Even though they're taking an child entree off I think they would charge you the adult credit, even if you explained since it's kind of a technicality.

You'd probably be better off giving him cash.

When you go up to a CS and order a child's meal, they will assume you are getting it for your child who may or may not be anywhere near you at the time. You will not be questioned at all at CS.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney does publish that children age 3-9 must order from the children's menu with their credits, even at CS, unless the restaurant has no child's menu. (Because it's published by Disney, the DIS follows this and I've deleted all posts that say otherwise.)

However, as long as you order the correct meal with the correct credit, it isn't going to matter who eats it, so yes, you can trade meals with your child.

 

[willowsnn3]

Hopefully there will be another adult with the 8/9 year old while you are with are busy with the other child?? So that adult could order the meal for him. Like others have said the child doesn't have to be standing by your side when you order a kid's meal. We usually send the kids to gather napkins, straws etc. while ordering. Within sight of course.

 

[JamiLeigh]

I don't see what the big deal is, especially at a QS. Just realize you will be charged an adult credit and may end up paying out of pocket at the end of the trip. My kids liked the flatbread pizza at our resort better than they did the kids meal so we ordered an adult meal for them to share one night. We never had to pay OOP because DH and I shared a sandwich one night. A TS may be more strict. They are your credits, you should be able to do with them as you wish.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Unless things have changed recently, there's no distinction at all between an adult CS meal and a kids CS meal. Your receipt just says CS remaining. TS is an entirely different story. But no one is going to count how many adult/kid CS meals you've ordered! As far as DDP, they're all the same.

 

[SoonerSean]

Very rarely do I have my kids with me when I order CS meals... the folks running the registers aren't that concerned to ask for proof if you have a kid with you or not. So I wouldn't worry if I was ordering a kid's meal and didn't have a kid around. I'd assume the same is fine if a child comes up and orders and adult meal.

Even if there is a distinction made now for adult and children entitlements you'd lose one child's for your meal and one adult's for their order... thus ending up in the same place you'd be in if you both ordered off your respective menus.

I didn't think there was a distinction either... the last time we were there my eldest (who is an "adult" per the Disney guidelines of calling anyone over age 9 and adult) wanted a kid's meal at one CS. So I ordered it figuring worst case it would take away one of our child's credits and I might end up paying OOP near the end of our trip. But the receipt showed a lump sum of credits - so in effect they used an adult's credit to pay for the extra kid's meal.

 

[bumbershoot]

Unless things have changed recently, there's no distinction at all between an adult CS meal and a kids CS meal. Your receipt just says CS remaining. TS is an entirely different story. But no one is going to count how many adult/kid CS meals you've ordered! As far as DDP, they're all the same.

Yep, this is what I have read, written by people I trust, 18,000 times.

The meal plan has rules, so of course we should follow the rules. But those rules haven't quite made it into the cash registers when it comes to QS.



It's DS's big appetite, along with my smaller appetite (even before doing WW when I'm in the heat I don't eat much at all), along with the hows and whats of what we eat, that has kept us from doing the dining plan. I keep trying to justify it, if only just to try it, but it simply does not work out to work for us.