Feeding an 11 year old

[5lilfish]

Will restaurants allow an 11 year old to order off the children's menu? My husband and I are taking our 11 year old twins to Disneyland in February. I'm not trying to be cheep, but after looking at almost every menu it will be hard for one of my girls to find something she will want to eat. The 'other twin' is more adventuresome with food.

Thanks...
Jess

 

[DLgal]

Will restaurants allow an 11 year old to order off the children's menu? My husband and I are taking our 11 year old twins to Disneyland in February. I'm not trying to be cheep, but after looking at almost every menu it will be hard for one of my girls to find something she will want to eat. The 'other twin' is more adventuresome with food.

Thanks...
Jess

Yes, definitely. My kids are 12 and 14 and order off the kids menus everywhere at Disneyland.

 

[mom2rtk]

There's no hard and fast answer. Most places will allow them to still order from the kids' meals. The exception will be buffets, fixed price and all you can eat locations.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Your kids will be allowed to order off the children's menu at all restaurants. Even adults can order off the children's menu! But be prepared to pay the adult prices. At CS locations, order whatever you want. No one will even ask. At TS locations, your kids can order off the kids menu and will receive larger portions at the adult price. Some people report that they were still charged the kids menu price. It all depends on the CM involved. But, to be safe, budget for the adult price.

 

[5lilfish]

Thanks All....

I can handle the adult upcharge, as long as my daughter can order something that she will eat. Mind you, I know that I'm not alone in thinking it is crazy that a child over 9 is considered an adult for dining. Even my more adventuresome daughter cannot eat enough to justify the cost of taking her to a buffet at Disney. It isn't even the type of food but also just the amount. My girls are small and just don't eat that much....but that is what it is.

Thanks again,
Jess

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

Our last trip, my 10 year old ordered frequently off of the kids menu at table service and several reservations, Paint the Night and River Belle dinner packages. They always charged the kids price. Frankly, I did not think about the age difference and no one asked. She looks older than ten BTW Sad dad.

 

[bumbershoot]

...I'm not alone in thinking it is crazy that a child over 9 is considered an adult for dining.

At 8 my son was eating adult sized entrees.

We knew the child meal days were done on the Orlando trip where we had to feed him after Cinderella’s royal table at magic kingdom (the picture of him staring sadly at his tiny kid meal pizza is epic), and then he ordered a kids meal then a half entree and was still hungry at Lombard’s at Universal.

And again, he was 8. We didn’t even get the buffet bonus because I don’t eat enough in one sitting to justify most buffets, and I don’t enjoy characters. There was a fine line of “total family enjoyment” making them a value, but 8 was about the limit for that, too, and we stopped going to them.


Now he’s 14, closing in on 6’, grew taller over the summer while dancing up to 30 hours per week...you can imagine how much he eats now!


So you might not be alone, but I’m not in your group.

 

[smartlabelprint]

At 8 my son was eating adult sized entrees.

We knew the child meal days were done on the Orlando trip where we had to feed him after Cinderella’s royal table at magic kingdom (the picture of him staring sadly at his tiny kid meal pizza is epic), and then he ordered a kids meal then a half entree and was still hungry at Lombard’s at Universal.

And again, he was 8. We didn’t even get the buffet bonus because I don’t eat enough in one sitting to justify most buffets, and I don’t enjoy characters. There was a fine line of “total family enjoyment” making them a value, but 8 was about the limit for that, too, and we stopped going to them.


Now he’s 14, closing in on 6’, grew taller over the summer while dancing up to 30 hours per week...you can imagine how much he eats now!


So you might not be alone, but I’m not in your group.

My toddlers eat a lot! They’ll probably be sharing an adult entree by 8.

 

[DLgal]

Your kids will be allowed to order off the children's menu at all restaurants. Even adults can order off the children's menu! But be prepared to pay the adult prices. At CS locations, order whatever you want. No one will even ask. At TS locations, your kids can order off the kids menu and will receive larger portions at the adult price. Some people report that they were still charged the kids menu price. It all depends on the CM involved. But, to be safe, budget for the adult price.

We have never been charged an adult price OR been even offered a larger amount of food. We simply order off the kids menus and get the kid sized meal at the kid sized price. Where do they give you larger portions and charge more? We would actually love this! The kids portions are sometimes too small...

 

[Didi8367]

Last summer, at Blue Bayou, we asked if my then 11 year old could order off the kids' menu and we were told no. We actually offered to pay an upcharge, but he said they couldn't do it. We didn't push it beyond that, but I was pretty annoyed. My son ended up leaving half the food on his plate. I've since been told (here and elsewhere) that's not the norm. So, it really does depend on the person you're speaking with. Judging from the other information provided here, I'd guess that you could ask to speak to the manager if your server tries to play hardball like ours did.

 

[GrizzlyGirl]

Agree with other's experiences - my son ordered kid's meals last year as an 11 yr old and was never asked his age or charged an adult price. This included a World of Color dining package. He is very small compared to the average U.S. kid and so looks younger - I don't know if that influenced our experience. He is on a medication that drastically reduces his appetite and keeping weight on him is difficult - I am hoping that he will eat adult size meals at our upcoming trip! I just need to remind myself of that when I see the bill at the restaurants It would be nice if all restaurants offered some smaller portion meals to any one who wanted them - there are people of all ages who require smaller portions for a variety of reasons.

 

[5lilfish]

Here's the beauty though.....at 8, you had THE CHOICE to order (and pay for) an adult meal for your 8 year old. Just don't use the dining plan, because, on the dining plan you are paying for a kid's meal, so that's what you get. At 10, the reverse cannot be said.
So if you have an 8 year old that can consume adult portions of food, then you can order him/her an adult size meal. If someone else has a 10 year old that cannot eat big portions (and honestly, for my 11 year old's, size-wise, it would be unhealthy for them to eat that much), that parent isn't given the option to make the food choices that are right for their child.

Like I said though, it is what it is. We are DVC members and have annual passes to WDW, and are platinum members on DCL, so obviously Disney gets my money (which they know...and why they can 'get away with' their policies).

What I am more concerned about, is whether my 11 year will be allowed to order what she feels she will enjoy it that happens to be something on the kids menu.

Jess

At 8 my son was eating adult sized entrees.

We knew the child meal days were done on the Orlando trip where we had to feed him after Cinderella’s royal table at magic kingdom (the picture of him staring sadly at his tiny kid meal pizza is epic), and then he ordered a kids meal then a half entree and was still hungry at Lombard’s at Universal.

And again, he was 8. We didn’t even get the buffet bonus because I don’t eat enough in one sitting to justify most buffets, and I don’t enjoy characters. There was a fine line of “total family enjoyment” making them a value, but 8 was about the limit for that, too, and we stopped going to them.


Now he’s 14, closing in on 6’, grew taller over the summer while dancing up to 30 hours per week...you can imagine how much he eats now!


So you might not be alone, but I’m not in your group.

 

[DLgal]

Just order the kids meals and don't say a word about her age or ask for permission. Just say "she'll have the kid's chicken nuggets" or whatever.

No one is going to make an issue of it if you just go ahead and order.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Here's the beauty though.....at 8, you had THE CHOICE to order (and pay for) an adult meal for your 8 year old. Just don't use the dining plan, because, on the dining plan you are paying for a kid's meal, so that's what you get. At 10, the reverse cannot be said.
So if you have an 8 year old that can consume adult portions of food, then you can order him/her an adult size meal. If someone else has a 10 year old that cannot eat big portions (and honestly, for my 11 year old's, size-wise, it would be unhealthy for them to eat that much), that parent isn't given the option to make the food choices that are right for their child.

Like I said though, it is what it is. We are DVC members and have annual passes to WDW, and are platinum members on DCL, so obviously Disney gets my money (which they know...and why they can 'get away with' their policies).

What I am more concerned about, is whether my 11 year will be allowed to order what she feels she will enjoy it that happens to be something on the kids menu.

Jess

Let them share an adult entree.

 

[5lilfish]

Let them share an adult entree.

I didn't know they could do that. That's a great idea, but TOTALLY different tastes. I'll keep that in mind though, if I see something they will both like. I would definitely do that.

Thanks...
Jess

 

[smartlabelprint]

I didn't know they could do that. That's a great idea, but TOTALLY different tastes. I'll keep that in mind though, if I see something they will both like. I would definitely do that.

Thanks...
Jess

My mom used to share with me at that age. Mabye someone at the table will want the same thing.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I didn't know they could do that. That's a great idea, but TOTALLY different tastes. I'll keep that in mind though, if I see something they will both like. I would definitely do that.

Thanks...
Jess

At certain TS places, they can share off your plate -- so you and your husband could share with a different child each, if that would work. Usually just asking for an extra plate is fine. We do this (order one entree and one extra plate) and haven't had any problems.

 

[emmybee]

When we checked in for the buffet at GCH, all I was asked was how many adults/kids. So I told them: 2 adults, 1 child. My kid was with me in front of the cast member. She didn't ask my girl's age, and I would have told her "10" if she had. They charged me the kid's price.

 

[dotfurio]

My 17 year old is as picky as when she was 5. She usually orders off the kids menu.

 

[Malcon10t]

What I am more concerned about, is whether my 11 year will be allowed to order what she feels she will enjoy it that happens to be something on the kids menu.

Jess

My 28yo daughter frequently orders off the kids menu at Cafe Orleans. She usually gets double the portion, double price. But it is what she prefers.

I was at Storytellers once when a family came in, mom, dad, daughter in her teens, and a preteen son. The hostess came over and went to seat them. She asked dad "And how many children 3-9?" Dad said 1. Daughter looked appalled. "Dad, he's 11. If you can't afford to pay the right price, then we should go back upstairs and just skip breakfast!", Dad sheepishly said "Oh yeah, no kids..."

When we were at Disneyland in May, we took my grandson to Goofy's for his 3rd birthday. They asked how old he was, and I told them he is 3 today. They told him Happy Birthday, and didn't charge for him It is more involved than just food at the character meals.