Frusteration over picky 11 y/o forced to eat adult food

[Finally08]

I am full of food posts tonight, haha.

I think it's fine if I have to pay adult dining rates for my 11 y/o ds (who is the size of an 8 y/o, with the eating habits of a 4 y/o), but REQUIRING him to order from the adult menu is just a thorn in my side right now. I will gladly pay adult fees, use adult credits, whatever, but why can't he order chicken fingers or a hot dog too?? I was told no, he will HAVE to order off the adult menu. I can see that he won't be eating anything all week.
I think it's nuts that they deny food to kids because of age....we aren't asking for a rate cut, just food for him since he has to eat whether we have the DDP or not.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Not sure where you heard this. Anyone can order from the kids menu, and if over the age of 9 will pay adult prices. My teenagers often orders two kids entrees because they don't like the selection on the regular menu. We also do it when there is a better vegetarian option on the kids menu. We've never been told no. Not in any WDW restaurant.

 

[Finally08]

I just had a lengthy conversation with a CM on the phone about it...she said no.

 

[mommykds]

Last August my then 11 year old was able to order off the kids menu but we had to pay an adult price for her. I think you just have ask your server when you are at the restaurant which is what we did & it was fine.

I hate the 10 + age group being considered adult for dining. My 12 year old eats 2 bites & shes full. We aren't doing the DDP this year because of that. She doesn't eat $40 worth of food a day.

Good luck!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

The CM, as is often the case on the phone rather than in person, was mistaken. Disney would certainly make more money off you if you are on the DDP and you pay adult prices for your son but he only eats kids meals. I have never used the DDP, but do travel several times a year to Disney and have NEVER had a problem with my kids DD15, DS12 ordering a kids meal if that is what they want. More often than not DD will now order something on the app menu for dinner instead of the kids meal, but DS is still stuck on the kids meals.

 

[Finally08]

I hate the 10 + age group being considered adult for dining. My 12 year old eats 2 bites & shes full. We aren't doing the DDP this year because of that. She doesn't eat $40 worth of food a day.

Good luck!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even if you DON'T do DDP, you're still stuck paing the adult rates, right? I mean, buffets all charge the adult rate at 10, and the sit down meals, even if they let the kids eat the kids food, will charge an adult rate. Right?
That's my problem, DDP or not, you're screwed.

 

[Minnie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even if you DON'T do DDP, you're still stuck paing the adult rates, right? I mean, buffets all charge the adult rate at 10, and the sit down meals, even if they let the kids eat the kids food, will charge an adult rate. Right?
That's my problem, DDP or not, you're screwed.

Not quite.... now we have never done the DDP (we have annual passes) but my DS (14) has never had a problem ordering off the kids menu at sit downs and we've never been charged extra.

If you have the DDP then yes he can order off the kids menu but you will be charged the adult credits and pay the adult credit price. BTW - If you are careful (we are picky eaters) most places have things he would likely enjoy on the adult menus.

Now on buffets yes you are right. It is one price (the adults if they are 10+). But when we do buffets we figure we are paying for things other than the food (no line for characters, ambiance, ect).

 

[sk8ingmom]

We've never done DDP (we only do TS every other day, at most), but I have a DS9 who regularly finishes an adult meal. However, there are also times that we will split 3-4 CS kids meals between the 4 of us (2 adults & DSs 7 & 9) & no one every questions what we are ordering.

 

[CPer'sMom]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even if you DON'T do DDP, you're still stuck paing the adult rates, right? I mean, buffets all charge the adult rate at 10, and the sit down meals, even if they let the kids eat the kids food, will charge an adult rate. Right?
That's my problem, DDP or not, you're screwed.

Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly, but if you are not on the DDP and are eating at a TS restaurant why would you think you'll be charged for an adult meal if you order something from the child's menu? If you are paying OOP you'll pay for what you order ~ and, in all our trips, we've never had a problem with an adult ordering from the child's menu at any WDW restaurant.

And Yes, at a buffet children 10 and over pay the adult price.

 

[CPer'sMom]

double post

 

[CPer'sMom]

double post

 

[Finally08]

Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly, but if you are not on the DDP and are eating at a TS restaurant why would you think you'll be charged for an adult meal if you order something from the child's menu? If you are paying OOP you'll pay for what you order ~ and, in all our trips, we've never had a problem with an adult ordering from the child's menu at any WDW restaurant.

And Yes, at a buffet children 10 and over pay the adult price.

Actually we are on the DDP but we will have a few we'll still pay OOP on. I just figured that even OOP, they wouldn't let you "get away" with ordering the much cheaper child dishes if the "child" is over 10. If they do, great, because for the meals we pay OOP we would save a lot since he won't eat the adult food anyway.

 

[Brian Noble]

I just had a lengthy conversation with a CM on the phone about it.

Sadly, DRC CMs are not known for their accuracy...

 

[Brian Noble]

I just had a lengthy conversation with a CM on the phone about it.

Sadly, DRC CMs are not known for their accuracy...

 

[n2mm]

I am full of food posts tonight, haha.

I think it's fine if I have to pay adult dining rates for my 11 y/o ds (who is the size of an 8 y/o, with the eating habits of a 4 y/o), but REQUIRING him to order from the adult menu is just a thorn in my side right now. I will gladly pay adult fees, use adult credits, whatever, but why can't he order chicken fingers or a hot dog too?? I was told no, he will HAVE to order off the adult menu. I can see that he won't be eating anything all week.
I think it's nuts that they deny food to kids because of age....we aren't asking for a rate cut, just food for him since he has to eat whether we have the DDP or not.

What restraurants made you do this???

We take our 13 year old grandson with us often and we have used the DDP 8 trips over the last 2 years and he's been an adult for a long time. If he wants the kids pasta and sauce at Kona's they give it to him in a larger serving bowl, if he wants an extra large serving of chicken strips at concourse, he gets it. When he goes to LeCellier with us, he gets a filet mignon, no sauce, no mushrooms, just the meat and gets french fries with it. We have found all places we eat at very accommodating. We always look at the adult and kids menu and combine options from both. We have never been turned down. As for my adult daughter, she orders from the kids' menu often, especially the grilled cheese at the Plaza. What the restraurant CM do and what you are told over the phone are entirely two different things.

 

[KimR]

We have never been on the dining plan; however my 15-year-old DD and 17-year-old nephew have often ordered off the child's menu and we were charged the child's prices. The CM you spoke to was wrong. On the dining plan you would have to pay the adult price; however, couldn't you just leave him off the DP and pay OOP for his food? I'm not that familiar with DDP policies but surely not everyone in your party has to be on the plan?

 

[Finally08]

What restraurants made you do this???

No one has made us do it, we haven't been yet. But that's what the CM on the phone told me. I asked because I was booking for the story**** lunch thing with the princesses in Norway and knew the lunch menu was not the norm (doubt I'll even eat!). Since she said no he couldn't eat kid food, I only got ressies for me and dd (who won't eat anywhere, anyway), and decided dh & ds will have to wander without us while we eat there. I wasn't paying that much extra for him to be denied food (we will be OOPing this meal).

(ummmkay...the board filtered the word "b_o_o_k" ???)

 

[n2mm]

No one has made us do it, we haven't been yet. But that's what the CM on the phone told me. I asked because I was booking for the story**** lunch thing with the princesses in Norway and knew the lunch menu was not the norm (doubt I'll even eat!). Since she said no he couldn't eat kid food, I only got ressies for me and dd (who won't eat anywhere, anyway), and decided dh & ds will have to wander without us while we eat there. I wasn't paying that much extra for him to be denied food (we will be OOPing this meal).

(ummmkay...the board filtered the word "b_o_o_k" ???)

Thanks for clarifying. We have stayed away from there also because of the menu. Actually when my GS turned 10 we stopped doing buffets for a couple of years because of his eating choices. He finally started eating more adult food, so we plan to take him to Cape May in August with us.

 

[Camster0307]

Thanks for clarifying. We have stayed away from there also because of the menu. Actually when my GS turned 10 we stopped doing buffets for a couple of years because of his eating choices. He finally started eating more adult food, so we plan to take him to Cape May in August with us.

I, too, will be staying away from the buffets for a few years. My 11yr.old DD eats like a bird; it kills me to pay the adult price at a buffet when she's not eating much. Will say at CRT, I paid for her as a adult, but she wanted something off the children's menu and it was no problem. They actually gave her an "adult-size" portion, which, of course, she didn't finish anyway but my brother happily did!

 

[Desnik]

No one has made us do it, we haven't been yet. But that's what the CM on the phone told me. I asked because I was booking for the story**** lunch thing with the princesses in Norway and knew the lunch menu was not the norm (doubt I'll even eat!). Since she said no he couldn't eat kid food, I only got ressies for me and dd (who won't eat anywhere, anyway), and decided dh & ds will have to wander without us while we eat there. I wasn't paying that much extra for him to be denied food (we will be OOPing this meal).

(ummmkay...the board filtered the word "b_o_o_k" ???)

Your DH and DS can still go to that ressie with you. If they don't eat they will just pay an "entertainment fee" which I believe is about $5 each. We did this at Cindy's because DH and I are not breakfast eaters but we wanted DD to experience the special breakfast. I ended up eating, but DH didn't and they had no problem and just charged us the fee for entertainment. Don't ask a CM over the phone about this because they won't know about it. You just tell your server. Most of the time we know way more than the CM's on the phone. I am a very picky eater and when we are not on the DDP I often order off the kids menu for myself! I just ask for an adult portion and they usually charge me double the kids price. I have never had a problem doing this.