Dining Plan - For kids, can they chose off of the adult menu?

[sahlink]

OK, this is the first time we are going to be chosing the dining plan. I have young children, but my oldest always wants more of the more grown up food. Can she chose off of the adult menu at the CS restaurants? If she is tired of chicken finger, etc? I have heard somewhere that you can.... but???

 

[bumbershoot]

I believe the official rule is that if there is a child's menu, the child must order from that part of the menu.

I've read of exceptions, but like with any exception you can never really count on that.

That's what I've learned about the dining plan, at least.

 

[ChelleinNC]

The only time a child can order off the adult menu while on the DDP is if there is no child menu available.

From the Dis DDP FAQ:

Guests ages 3-9 must order from a children’s menu where available.

I understand that where there is no child menu, children can order off the regular menu. Which CS locations do not have a separate child menu?
• Catalina Eddie
• Taluca Turkey Legs
• Cool Wash Pizza
• Casey's
• Pete's Doggone Good dogs
• Pizza Planet
• Sommerfest
• Yorkshire County Fish Shop

If your child is over 9, they're a "Disney Adult" and will have adult DDP credits, 3-9 are children

 

[daisyduck123]

What I usually do is let DS9 get an adult meal, & I order a child's meal.

He has a bigger appetite then I do, & I don't mind the kids' meals, most of the time.

 

[n2mm]

OK, this is the first time we are going to be chosing the dining plan. I have young children, but my oldest always wants more of the more grown up food. Can she chose off of the adult menu at the CS restaurants? If she is tired of chicken finger, etc? I have heard somewhere that you can.... but???

If your KTTK card says 2A and 2C (meaning you purchased the ddp for 2 adults and 2 children), you will be able to order 2 adult meals and 2 children meals. However, as another poster said, they don't care which of you eats them. So the adults can certainly eat the kids meals and you can give your adult meals to the kids, no problem.

 

[nononsensedisneydad]

Are the CS credits still pooled? I know that the TS are not pooled, but I was told that the CS credits are.

 

[Traci35]

Are the childrens menus just burgers, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, chicken finger, corndogs and the like? Or do they offer any small portions of regular food. DS is not a big fan of standard kids fare. I figured he and I would share food. Ds could order off the kids menu and dh and I would order off the regular menu and then we could all just share everything.

 

[brymolmom]

Are the childrens menus just burgers, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, chicken finger, corndogs and the like? Or do they offer any small portions of regular food. DS is not a big fan of standard kids fare. I figured he and I would share food. Ds could order off the kids menu and dh and I would order off the regular menu and then we could all just share everything.

Do your research and you should be OK. MOST of the CS kids meals are nuggets, mac n cheese and PB&J - BUT, there are exceptions that you can be on the lookout for. Some places have pizza, small subs, grilled chicken, soup. Go look at all the menus so you don't just 'end up' and places with the standard fare. And, the best part is you can way make up for it with the sit down meals - you can get buffets where the kids can eat anything, fish, grilled chicken, pasta. Again, some of the kids' meals even at sit-down places are mac n cheese - so DO YOUR RESEARCH.

And, above all, keep in mind that if you're getting it free OR even if you're paying for the kids' meal plan - even if you just use the snack credit plus a couple buffets - you're more than getting your money's worth because kids' meal plans are so cheap. So, if your child does want an adult CS meal here or there - you're still going to be making out like a bandit on a kids meal plan.

 

[Katiebell]

The average price for an adult CS meal (including beverage and dessert) is about 9.00-16.00. A child's CS meal is about 4.50. The entire day's price for the kid's dining plan is 9.99. It does not make any sense at all for one kid's CS meal to possibly exceed the cost of the whole day's plan, which also includes a snack up to $4, AND a TS meal, too.

If the kid's meals don't have enough food or aren't choices your kids prefer, you can always buy an extra item or two to round them out, or share some of your adult meal with them. There are a few CS restaurants that do not have kid's menus, so you could plan to go there. And as brymolmom suggests, do your research because there are some different kid's choices out there, too -- it's not all chicken nuggets.

As far as TS, if the kid's meals don't look appealing for your children, then stick to buffets or restaurants that serve "family style" -- your kids will have all the same choices as adults, and whatever portion sizes they want. There are a lot of choices: Trail's End, 1900 PF, Chef Mickey's, Boma, Tusker House, Cape May, 'Ohana, Crystal Palace...