Disney Dining plan and a two year old

[RonDis]

Hi.......... We will be in Disney on April 12th - 19th staying at the Wilderness Lodge ( why can't it be today)! We got the Dining plan for my wife and two daughters ( 8 & 6). We did not for my two year old son as I thought he can eat for free. Can someone clarify this ? Can we order off the childrens menu for him and it weill be free or does he have to eat from our plates - or I can order and pay for his meal. I think the buffets we are fine but how about other restaraunts ? Thanks !!!!!!

 

[Superspectral]

Your two year old will get a plate and a re-fillable drink. At buffets and family style meals this works out as if your 2 year old paid for the buffet as you can fill the plate anyway you want. At regular TS you will have to share food to put on your two year old's plate. These are called an "infants kids meals" on your check for $0 regardless if you pay OOP or use DDP. You can order a kids meal at regular TS so he/she gets his/her own food, but you will pay OOP if you have he DDP.

 

[RonDis]

Thanks Superspectral !!!!!! I guess I will see how it goes with each restaraunt and weather to share or buy him a seperate meal.

 

[amyj1024]

I had this same question...just one more thought. Do you think the kids meals are large enough. My kids are 5 and 1, so the 5 year old is on DDP, but not the 1 year old. Would it be feasible to think they can share? Or is the serving for the kids meals too small?

 

[Merilyn]

When we took our one year old to WDW, he was fine eating off our plates. I would think if your 5 year old isn't a big eater, they should be able to share fine. We ate at Garden Grill and they gave Cooper a childs plate and we didn't pay for him. It was lots of food. I told them he wasn't on the dining plan but they thought he would rather have childrens food. We are taking him this May and he will be 2. We didn't have to pay for the meal plan this time either and we have many buffets planned. We can get him whatever he wants and not pay for it. I wish they did this until a child was a little older. We won't be doing it again until he eats better!

 

[n2mm]

I had this same question...just one more thought. Do you think the kids meals are large enough. My kids are 5 and 1, so the 5 year old is on DDP, but not the 1 year old. Would it be feasible to think they can share? Or is the serving for the kids meals too small?

Kids meals are not large enough to share, JMHO. Our granddaughter was 2+ last August and we bought ALL of her meals OOP for her. She had no problem gobbling down the entire meals. The little pizza was just her size. And I don't think your 5 yo would be happy with 2 nuggets and a couple of fries at some of the CS locations. Your best bet is be prepared to buy the meals, but adjust your plans during each meal. We never shared any of our food from our plates for her as she was not really interested in the strange food we had. We don't do buffets, so that is not an issue with us.

 

[crazykids]

I just came back from a trip w/ my 2 & 3 year old. They shared every meal & I never had to order anything besides a drink for the 2 year old. There were a few occasions where the two of them couldn't finish one kid's meal at a TS restaurant. They get an appy, dinner, & dessert - I always told the server upfront that they would be sharing & to bring an extra bowl/plate w/ each course. Also, I was never charged for the 2 year old's drink at any of the TS restaurants.

 

[Minniemouse07]

During our December trip, ds (2yo) out ate his older sister (6.5yo) everywhere we went. Thankfully we booked a lot of buffets because ds has a pretty large appetite!

We would sometimes get dd a kid's meal and then use a snack credit or two for ds...augmenting w/ whatever dd didn't eat. Other times we just purchased him his own meal OOP.