Discuss the "new" menus here

[millerjudi]

We are leaving for Disney in 15 days, and I am pretty upset about the new kids menu. I showed the picture of the new food to my DD7 and DS9 and they both unequivocally said that they would not eat that food! I also e-mailed Disney guest relations to register my discontent, but I have not heard back from them. I was thinking though, Disney is all about making money, and I don't see any way that kids are going to be buying those meals--so, if they don't sell, they can't stay on the menu for long. Just a thought.

 

[Desnik]

You can get chicken nuggets and fries from the McDonalds stand at Epcot it is called the refreshment port and it is near Canada. Also there are McDonalds fries stands in AK and MK. As I am looking at the menus on allearsnet.com, I see that at the MK Cosmic Rays has nuggets and fries for kids. Also the ABC commissary at MGM has them too.

Hope that helps!
My kids are picky too. They do eat more than just nuggets and pizza, but when they are out they don't always like what is offered. They are use to my way of cooking things. I am lucky because they love salads, veggies, and lots of other things. DD actually never eats pizza. But when we are at WDW they both have a hard time trying new things. DS will only eat chicken nuggets, not chicken fingers!! So, that stand at Epcot with McDonalds nuggets was a Godsend on our last trip!!

 

[bicker]

The moderators have combined all the threads discussing the new menus. It's located here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1256259

You should be able to get all your answers there.

 

[Kath2003]

Personally I wouldn't have shown even ask my kids what they thought before the trip. You go to a restaraunt, you pick from the options, the kids will just have to cope

 

[akalittleeva]

I showed my dd8 the menu, too and she wasn't very thrilled either. I didn't show it to her in a negative way - she has been very active in helping me plan the ADRs - she has a great interest in food and loves to help me in the kitchen. She's been following the menus and been looking forward to particular menu items, so when the pic of the new kids menu came out, I presented it to her in such a way as to say - wow - look at the new great choices Disney has made for kids at their restaurants. Her first response was positive, then she asked which restaurant it was going to be at. I told her the 5 places she will see it while we are there and then she wasn't very happy. She said herself it wasn't very much to choose from. The way our ADRs are, she will have it 3 days in a row...too late to change them. It is a fine menu for a meal, not an entire 9 day vacation. We'll be paying OOP and sharing when we need to. I expect she'll eat from it maybe twice, but she'll never get 5 meals off of it.

 

[DCDisney]

You go to a restaraunt, you pick from the options, the kids will just have to cope

In our family the Disney trips are all about the kids. When we go out at home we pick where we as adults want to eat. When we go to WDW it is with the expectation that it's very child driven. When I'm spending thousands to have a nice memorable week with the kids them eating is pretty important. If there were many menus, as there used to be, we could pick and choose among restaurants we could all be happy with now with the reduced menu we have very few choices plus with an allergic family member where buffets are difficult we are somewhat stuck. Yes, we can cope and the kids won't literally starve but it's not pleasant for any of us. The net effect for my kids with new menus will be significantly less healthy than the old menus--they are going to end up eating carbs all week and very little protein.

Yvonne

 

[bartleby1]

You can get chicken nuggets and fries from the McDonalds stand at Epcot it is called the refreshment port and it is near Canada. Also there are McDonalds fries stands in AK and MK. As I am looking at the menus on allearsnet.com, I see that at the MK Cosmic Rays has nuggets and fries for kids. Also the ABC commissary at MGM has them too.

Hope that helps!
My kids are picky too. They do eat more than just nuggets and pizza, but when they are out they don't always like what is offered. They are use to my way of cooking things. I am lucky because they love salads, veggies, and lots of other things. DD actually never eats pizza. But when we are at WDW they both have a hard time trying new things. DS will only eat chicken nuggets, not chicken fingers!! So, that stand at Epcot with McDonalds nuggets was a Godsend on our last trip!!

I think that you may be looking at an old menu. According to the new menus posted on the dis, Cosmic Rays no longer has chicken nuggets on the kids menu. They do have chicken strips on the adults menu, but I know that some kids will not eat strips, only nuggets. Cosmic Rays now offers a garden salad with chicken or mini corn dogs as the only two kids menu entree choices. Cosmic Rays was the only place we could find something for everyone to eat last trip and now they ruined that for us too. The ABC Commissary hasn't been updated since the changes so I don't know if they still offer nuggets or not.

It appears you can still get nuggets at the Electric Umbrella and Liberty Inn in Epcot though , I'm still searching, but haven't found anywhere in the MK yet.

 

[jakenjess]

Ana Coolidge (she was the one who replied to my e-mail) just called me and discussed the new menu. She said it only affects 11 restaurants, not the Signature, buffets, or World showcase. She said in addition to the "healthy" choices there are always a couple of other a la carte items. I said I think the big objection is that over a week or so that gets pretty limited for the kids. She had my ADRs for February in front of her and she said the only affected one was '50s Prime Time. (We're also going to LeCellier, Biergarten, Crystal Palace, LTT, and CG.)

While I had her on the phone (how often do you get to talk to someone at Disney, other than CRO?) I explained to her that we would be drastically cutting back on dining out after this February trip because both of our kids will be considered adults and it is just too expensive. We are DVC owners and I think we'll be utilizing our kitchen much more in the future. We love the character meals, but paying for four adults is way too much money, especially for the little bit that my kids eat.

She said all our e-mails and phone conversations are being passed on and they really appreciate our input, so everyone keep sending those e-mails!

 

[Kath2003]

In our family the Disney trips are all about the kids. When we go out at home we pick where we as adults want to eat. When we go to WDW it is with the expectation that it's very child driven. When I'm spending thousands to have a nice memorable week with the kids them eating is pretty important. If there were many menus, as there used to be, we could pick and choose among restaurants we could all be happy with now with the reduced menu we have very few choices plus with an allergic family member where buffets are difficult we are somewhat stuck. Yes, we can cope and the kids won't literally starve but it's not pleasant for any of us. The net effect for my kids with new menus will be significantly less healthy than the old menus--they are going to end up eating carbs all week and very little protein.

Yvonne

I'm not disagreeing with you. But the fact is, these ARE the menus, you will either have to buy additional adult options for the children or the kids will have to eat these option. It's not ideal, but it's just the way it is. It will ONLY ruin your vacation IF you let it. I do agree that the choices aren't varied enough between restaraunts (personally I think each restaraunt should be required to do two basic dishes in child-sized portions) but the fact is, these ARE the new menus CURRENTLY being used, and people will simply have to get by.

 

[akalittleeva]

While I agree that we have to make the best out of the menus right now and will not let it ruin our trip, I think people are feeling a lot of frustration. For me, personally, we are not able to go to Disney regularly - this is only our second trip - once every 5 years for us, so we've been counting down for 5 years. And eating is a big part of our vacations. The DDP makes it necessary to make ADRs way in advance and then Disney springs these new changes overnight - yes, things are subject to change, but they had to know a long time ago these menus were going to be implemented, and if they thought it was so great, why didn't they make an annoucement a few months out, giving a starting date for the new menus - that would have given people time to accept the changes, make necessary changes and maybe have well informed CMs. They could have tried a soft opening with a few of the menu items here and there to see how they would be received on site, not with a test group. As far as the CS - it seems they have completely rid MK of nuggets and such, but is still available at the other parks. Why not reduce the # of places where they are offered at each park rather than completely get rid of them entirely in one park - then at least people would have a choice. It would be a starting point, and then phase them out entirely into 2008. Cold turkey (or in this case chicken) never goes over well with any change, especially when it comes to food.

 

[millerjudi]

Ana Coolidge (she was the one who replied to my e-mail) just called me and discussed the new menu. She said it only affects 11 restaurants, not the Signature, buffets, or World showcase. She said in addition to the "healthy" choices there are always a couple of other a la carte items. I said I think the big objection is that over a week or so that gets pretty limited for the kids. She had my ADRs for February in front of her and she said the only affected one was '50s Prime Time. (We're also going to LeCellier, Biergarten, Crystal Palace, LTT, and CG.)

Thanks so much! So long as we know for sure, at least for now, which restaurants have the new menus, we can plan accordingly. Did she give you the list of 11 restaurants? Are they the ones that others have identified in this thread? We are going two weeks from today and the only one on my ADR list is Sci Fi--I am sure my kids can get hamburgers there! Thanks again for the post!

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Fries are EVERYWHERE. In the fine print on EVERY menu billboard it says that fries are available upon request. Off hand, counter service at the waterparks, Roaring Forks at WL, Floatworks at POR, and the CS at French Quarter all have nuggets. Pretty sure that we got them at Columbia House at MK, too. Yes, you will be turned down if you walk up to a CS place and they aren't on the menu because that means that they kitchen won't stock them.
Seriously, though. All of you who are stating that your kids only eat.... (fill in 2 items).... is that all you feed them at home???? I have 3 kids of my own and, while they are somewhat picky, I just can't buy "My kid only eats grilled cheese and nuggets".

That is really about all they eat at least my oldest!!!

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Personally I wouldn't have shown even ask my kids what they thought before the trip. You go to a restaraunt, you pick from the options, the kids will just have to cope

Or go hungry!!! not an option!!

 

[jakenjess]

Thanks so much! So long as we know for sure, at least for now, which restaurants have the new menus, we can plan accordingly. Did she give you the list of 11 restaurants? Are they the ones that others have identified in this thread? We are going two weeks from today and the only one on my ADR list is Sci Fi--I am sure my kids can get hamburgers there! Thanks again for the post!

She didn't give me the list, just told me which one on my list has the new menu. It seems like people are reporting seeing it at more than 11 places from reading through this thread, but I haven't made a list to see. Have fun on your trip!

 

[Kath2003]

Or go hungry!!! not an option!!

I assure you, no child will voluntarily go hungry They may WANT chicken nuggets but if it's not an option, they WILL eat chicken strips!

 

[bartleby1]

Fries are EVERYWHERE. In the fine print on EVERY menu billboard it says that fries are available upon request. Off hand, counter service at the waterparks, Roaring Forks at WL, Floatworks at POR, and the CS at French Quarter all have nuggets. Pretty sure that we got them at Columbia House at MK, too. Yes, you will be turned down if you walk up to a CS place and they aren't on the menu because that means that they kitchen won't stock them.
Seriously, though. All of you who are stating that your kids only eat.... (fill in 2 items).... is that all you feed them at home???? I have 3 kids of my own and, while they are somewhat picky, I just can't buy "My kid only eats grilled cheese and nuggets".

If you have 3 children, surely you must have some understanding of why people are complaining about these new kids menus when their kids have to eat off of them for the entire vacation. The counter service menus were bad before the changes, now they are horrid. I also think that most people do not mean that their kid "only eats grilled cheese and nuggets" at every meal at home. However, many people consider these their "safe" bets when ordering from a restaurant. Kids are funny with their food. They may only like the way mom cooks or may only like a certain brand of something. For instance, my kids love yogurt - but it cannot have any lumps (aka fruit chunks or seeds). So, while they eat tons of it at home, I cannot usually find it for them on vacation unless I make a supermarket stop. Restaurants just don't carry it. Most kids tend to be very picky about their mac n cheese too. They either love kraft out-of-the-box kind or love the creamier stouffers frozen kind with is closer to homemade. This is why we try not to order mac-n-cheese when we are out. My kids will only eat one kind. Now, for some strange reason, most kids, not all, seem to be less particular about their chicken nuggets. My kids do prefer certain brand nuggets over others, but I never had them refuse any brand nugget. That is why it is considered a "safe" menu item at a restaurant. Chilled chicken or a garden salad with chicken is not a "safe" menu item for children. Also, at home, I make a three course meal for my family and I make sure that there is at least one item that each kid will like so they can fill up on one item if they don't like the other choices. They might choose to eat three servings of brocolli rather than eating the meatloaf and potatoes one night. Another night, they might eat three servings of turkey but not much else. In the end, it all balances out. This is not an option when you eat out, unless it is a buffet, so what you order is what they must eat. That is why most people don't want to start out ordering something that they already know their child won't touch.

So, when I say that my kids will "only" eat a certain food at disney, it is not that they eat nothing else at home. It is just that they will not eat anything else from a restaurant. I don't think that it is that kids ONLY eat nuggets or other foods, it is just that most nuggets don't vary as much in kid's eyes and are safer for them. Most kids do not do well with too much change. They want to eat something familiar to them.

If you have not had to experience any of this with your three kids, consider yourself very lucky because that is not the norm. My third child is a nightmare when it comes to eating and it is not at all fun to have to worry about how to get some nutrition into her. My pediatrician has told me to just be sure to offer LOTS of different choices for her to pick from. Disney is doing just the opposite. They are limiting the choices in order to provide a so-called healthier menu but in doing so, many kids will be forced to eat the same foods over and over and over for a week or more. Not only is this not fun for them or the parents, but it is NOT a healthy way to eat. Kids need variety to eat healthy.

 

[bartleby1]

I assure you, no child will voluntarily go hungry They may WANT chicken nuggets but if it's not an option, they WILL eat chicken strips!

You obviously, haven't met my "almost" 2 yr old.

She WILL starve herself and just get crankier and crankier. I will not put her, myself, or the rest of disneyworld through that while we are on vacation, lol!

 

[jakenjess]

I agree with bartleby1. That's my DS. There are certain types of mac 'n cheese and pizza that he loves and will eat a lot of. At a restaurant it's hit or miss. About the only real "safe" food we can order at a restaurant is PB & J (which I don't see on the new menus, or am I missing something there?) Some chicken nuggets he'll eat; some he won't. Same with grilled cheese, pizza, mac 'n cheese, hot dogs. He won't eat a hamburger. And he WILL go voluntarily hungry, believe me! Drives me crazy!

 

[MikeAidanEoinMom]

You obviously, haven't met my "almost" 2 yr old.

She WILL starve herself and just get crankier and crankier. I will not put her, myself, or the rest of disneyworld through that while we are on vacation, lol!

My "almost" 4 year old also!!!

 

[polixeny]

My 3 year old will eat nothing off the new menu and she will starve herself