Dining plan for people with 10 year olds!

[goofy4tink]

I'm also amazed at the picky eaters I see. My boys have been eating us out of house and home since they were about 6. (And no, they are not overweight). They are now 18 & 19. One is 6'5" and about 200 and the other one is 6'4" and about 180. Fortunately the older one is off at college and on a meal plan, so our grocery bill has dropped to about 200 a week instead of 300

I was delighted at our first trip in 97 when the boys were 9&10 that they were still considered children at buffets. We ate at a lot of buffets because that was the least expensive way to fill them up!!!!

We went to Hoop De Doo a couple of years ago, and the servers were amazed at the amount of ribs my boys put away

However, we won't do the meal plan in May as me & hubby have APs.

Carol

Sounds like my older kids!!! They would eat anything. I think that I've babied this kid a bit too much and am now paying the price. Seems to be a 'texture' issue with her. I keep telling her that we aren't going to WDW in Oct if she doesn't eat more things...that I'm not paying $38 a day for her to eat mac and cheese!!! She is getting better. It's an idle threat but it's working so far.

 

[DebIreland]

I also think it's crazy that a 10 year old is classed as an adult. Last year we did not do the dining plan for this reason but this year I'm thinking it will be better value for us. We'll be paying 38 dollars for our 11 year old who still eats off the kid's menu so that kinda sucks but our 2nd child is 9 so he just gets in under child price (phew! lol) and our youngest is 2 so she just still gets to go free so even though we lose out on paying adult price for our eldest it kinda balances out. Especially now that I'm reading a 10 year old has to pay adult price at a buffet? Did I read that correctly? What was the age before now? All I know is that we were charged child's price last year with our 11 year old.

Oh also can anyone tell me are gratuities included in the price of the dining plan?

 

[goofy4tink]

I also think it's crazy that a 10 year old is classed as an adult. Last year we did not do the dining plan for this reason but this year I'm thinking it will be better value for us. We'll be paying 38 dollars for our 11 year old who still eats off the kid's menu so that kinda sucks but our 2nd child is 9 so he just gets in under child price (phew! lol) and our youngest is 2 so she just still gets to go free so even though we lose out on paying adult price for our eldest it kinda balances out. Especially now that I'm reading a 10 year old has to pay adult price at a buffet? Did I read that correctly? What was the age before now? All I know is that we were charged child's price last year with our 11 year old.

Oh also can anyone tell me are gratuities included in the price of the dining plan?

They changed the dining age last July! Went from 12 and under to 9 and under. We went in June and my 11 y/o dd ate from the children's menu...suited her just fine. Then, when we returned in August, it was adult prices for her.

Yes, the gratuities are included in the DDP...which is nice. You don't have to worry about that issue at least.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Gratuities are included with the DP as well as taxes. We normally tip 15-20% on our total bill and it doesnt matter if it steaks or chicken strips.

I agree with others that $11 for the childs DP is reasonable to pay for a 2 or 3 year old. I just returned with my 2 year old niece and she is very petite but with drinks, snacks, and ice cream (who wants to share an ice cream with a 2 year old?) she could easily hit the $11 mark. Especially with taxes and tips included.

Most kids meals were $4.79 without a drink or dessert. She did like the mini hotdogs km and a juice was $2.99. That one CS meal would cost $7.78 plus tax and tip. An ice cream or popcorn or bottle of water would break even and then there is still a TS meal credit left easily worth another $15 or more.

Although she ate free at Character Meal Buffets, we ate alot at the resort counter service and TS also where having the DP would have been great for her.

 

[pezpam]

You really have to crunch your own numbers to answer the question.....

Try looking at menus (allearsnet is a good source) and add up what you think you'll eat, plus tax and tip. Then compare your family's total to the family DP total. It might be that you save enough on your own meals to make it worth having the plan for everyone - if, for example, you 'waste' $5 of your child's $10 in a day, but save $25 on your meals and snacks, then the balance works out to your advantage overall.......

The plan isn't for everyone, but it's worth a bit of number crunching to see if it's good for you.......

 

[DebIreland]

They changed the dining age last July! Went from 12 and under to 9 and under. We went in June and my 11 y/o dd ate from the children's menu...suited her just fine. Then, when we returned in August, it was adult prices for her.
Yes, the gratuities are included in the DDP...which is nice. You don't have to worry about that issue at least.

Thanks very much goofy4tink! Wow! That does make a difference about the child's age being reduced. It also makes it seem a bit fairer now that the dining plan adult's charge is 10 and up. That is great about the gratuities being included. We tipped 20% last year - do you know what percentage is included? We would add to it if it's less than 20%. We found the staff at almost all the places we ate to be exceptionally nice and accommodating.
Thanks.

 

[pbharris4]

Our oldest DD will be 10 next month and our youngest DD will turn 3 the day before we get to WDW. So we paying even more this year than last year. We spend around $1250 in food (which includes snacks, drinks, food, taxes, and tips) for 6 nights. That is what we will pay for 10 nts on the DP this year and she's an "adult" and youngest DD will be a "child." We defintely will save. The cost of food is just GINORMOUS in WDW. My older DD likes crab legs, filet mignon, shrimp, lobster, plus the regualr stuff. SHe has expensive tastes. My youngest will try some new things too, but she's at that age where one day she eats like a horse and the next, she picks, but she does like a variety of things to choose from too. Vacation is our week to let loose . We try new things and experiment. It's part of the experience for us. We don't always eat all of the food, just until we are full. For us the DP is well worth it. I know we'll save a few hundred $$. If our kids ate very little and didn't like a variety of foods, I probably would still do it because we'd probably still save $$$, but maybe not as much.

 

[patsal]

For my just turned "adult" diner I plan on starting her off with the adult menu and then if there is nothing she likes on it asking for a childs menu--I may ask for both upfront and have her go to the child's menu if she can't find anything she would like to eat. If she chooses to eat from the children's menu and her app/dinner/dessert and beverage are at the $22-25 level I will use her dining credit to pay for it, if she just wants a kids meal/dessert I will pay OOP. If she does this twice we may add a signature meal, if she does not than no biggie! It could go either way, sometimes she gets adventurous and sometimes she gets on a mac and cheese/hotdog/chicken fingers jag. Vacation will not be the place where I get bent out of shape over it.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

My daughter will be 10 on our next visit and I am sure by then (2007) the price will be closer to 40 dollars. That is a little hard to swallow. I still plan to get the dining plan, though. We had the free dining last year and we think it will still be worth it, even paying adult prices for our 10 year old. At current rates, it would cost my family of five $136 a day to be on the plan. Some of our dinners were over $150, and that was just for one meal!

I wish they would charge kids ages 10 to 13 (or so) a "junior" price. Like $19.99. I think that would be a lot easier for many families. It would be more fair. Kids that age do not eat the same as an adult.

 

[pbharris4]

I wish they would charge kids ages 10 to 13 (or so) a "junior" price. Like $19.99. I think that would be a lot easier for many families. It would be more fair. Kids that age do not eat the same as an adult.

Hey! That's a great idea! You should email Disney with that one! Seriously.

 

[allaboard]

We also have a 10 year old this spring on the dining plan ... and for summer she'll be 11 ... but regardless we're paying that adult price ... and she likes the kids items more than adult items. More lately though she's been getting things off the adult side in restaurants around town ... so I think we'll be okay ... as long as there is steak and a baked potato on every menu !!! She likes that! aw: