Dining with 10 year old

[Mickey001]

I just made my reservations for January 2010 for my husband, our two nieces and nephew.

While I was on the phone with the reservation agent she mentioned that my niece who will be 10 will need to order adult meals. What???? Not only is she not going to finish 1/3 of an adult meal, looking at some of the menus there is not a thing she would eat. I just looked at Cinderalla's castle and the adult meals would not work for most 10 year olds.

How strict are they on the ages ordering meals? I was hoping to do quite a few table meals on this trip.

 

[NJ Goofy]

We have been to WDW on several occasions and my DS's (now 15 & 12) have never been questioned or refused an order from the children's menu.

Let the kids order what they want, I'm sure you won't have a problem.

 

[richmo]

This is my understanding of how it worked 2 years ago. I don't know if the policies have changed.

When you make reservations, they ask for the childs age at the time of the reservation. Normally, it doesn't matter, except they know to bring a child's menu if the child is under 9.

My understanding is that it is even OK for an adult to order off the children's menu, both at table service and counter service locations. I think at least one adult would need to get an adult entree though. In this case, age shouldn't really matter.

Where it does matter is fixed price dinners and buffets. For instance, if your child is 10, you can expect to pay the adult price for the buffet. This happened to me at Boma, where we paid adult price for my 10 yr old DD - and she basically had a plate of mac and cheese.

 

[thefigueroas]

The buffets and fixed price meals, i.e. Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's, Cinderella's Royal Table, are strict regarding charging for an adult for anyone over the age of 9 (I have an 11 year old). I have found that a-la-carte places, that is restaurants with no fixed price menu, were much more lenient regarding who could order off the child's menu and who couldn't. We basically stayed away from buffets (and yes this includes the Character dining). I just couldn't justify paying the outrageous amount they wanted me to pay for somene who ate like a bird just because he had grown one year older.

This year we are eating at buffets and the like because we have added another child to the mix and my son eats as much as I do so it makes a little more sense. I still think that child should mean up to the age of 12 but I don't make the rules. I just have to live by them.

 

[Mickey001]

Thanks for the quick replies. I guess I'll just pay for an adult meal at the Castle and ask if I can order a childrens meal in it's place.

 

[mmmears]

Our DD turned 12 in WDW last month, and the servers had no problem if she wanted to order from the kids' menu. You really get hit, $$$ wise, at the buffets, though, so we're staying away from those for the most part. (Hard to get $30 worth of mac & cheese).

At CRT, she ordered the pasta, and thought it was ok.

At many meals, we just shared one adult entree and it was more than enough for the two of us.

Have a great time!