Is Disney contributing to childhood obesity?

[AngiTN]

From all these post, not just yours, I'm getting that:
it's easier for all of us hard working people to spend lots of $$ on a vacation and then spend extra time sharing, splitting meals, talking to managers, not ordering one person food and getting them food from somewhere else later.......than to ask disney to make more portion sizes available to kids, teens? heck even adults?
I spend a lot of time and vacation dollars at disney, I love disney, but as a customer I am voicing my opinion that they can and should help change eating out, I think they have the power to influence change, you don't have to agree with me but I see a need for more meal options with this "disney adult" kid age group.

You can voice your opinion of course but to go so far as to say they should change their practices, that's too much. Can they? Sure but should they? No. They should do just what they want, as long as people are willing to pay for it. I'm still not sure what is wrong with just not eating it all.

 

[ELSA711]

Maybe my family are good adventurous eaters but I really don't see an issue with the 'portion sizes' they serve. If you are speaking specifically of 50s PT, then I will agree. We ate there once in 2009 and won't go back because we were so full and no room for dessert (we like dessert), can't say that about anywhere else luckily.

 

[Angel Ariel]

OP, I do see where you are coming from in terms of it would be nice if the kids menu/adult menu were altered a bit. I disagree with the childhood obesity part, but I do think they could offer something like a preschooler portion (ages 3-5) then a different size for kids like 5-12 or so. We went to DL last year and did a blue bayou fantasmic package. Our (then) 3 y/os meal was 23.99. I know that there's more into that cost than just the meal, but still..for a 3 y/o, that was steep. For my (then) 5 (almost 6) and 9 y/o nephews, that price is more understandale considering how much more food they eat compared to DD. the nutritional needs of 3/4 year olds are so much different than elementary kids, and it would be nice if that was reflected more in eating out.

That said,we knew what we were getting into when we got the package, so I'm not complaining about it..it was just sticker shock. Definitely not a package we'll be repeating for a long time..but we were glad we got it, even if it was ridiculously expensive (above and beyond typical disney expense)

 

[Magpie]

And I have received many many suggestions of things other people do and what I'm doing wrong and only a couple who think that maybe disney could offer more meal sizes for people to choose from.

That green you chose is SO hard to read! I had to highlight and squint just to see it.

Anyway, I suspect the reason's no one's really talking about "Disney could offer more meal sizes" is because it's the least controversial thing you've written. You added in so many, many more tasty tidbits for people to seize on, that no one wants the boring, bland meat of your post. (I mean, really, it was barely visible, buried under all the icing you heaped on top.)

For the record, yes, Disney could offer more meal sizes. It'd be awesome if they did! Choice is a good thing. But, I think it's possible to say so without having to raise lurid specters of a lost generation of obese children. Disney is not sacrificing babies to Baal with every meal they serve.

Oh, and speaking of being distracted by tasty tidbits...

Personally I don't think there should be kids pricing on tickets and everyone should pay the same.

Um, are you seriously suggesting Disney do away with children's ticket pricing altogether and just charge everyone the adult ticket price?

My kids are far too old for the 9-and-under ticket, and I'd STILL rather deal with supersized meals than give up the discounted ticket rates for children under nine. I mean, really, what's your logic here?

 

[HarleenQ]

I have concerns about the meal plan ages. My DS10 is in the 7th percentile for size and weight. He is often mistaken for a 7 year old. His bus buddy at school (the 5th graders took the kindergarteners to the bus each day) was bigger than him! It killed us to have to get him an adult meal plan. Had we not booked our flights through Disney directly, I would have lied about his age. I think there should be a middle set of ages in which parents can decide on the meal plan most appropriate for their child - perhaps 10, 11, 12.

My 10 year old isn't even on the charts she's so little. I've never even considered that companies should be catering to kids that might not fit the norm.

In the grand scheme of life, 10 year olds most likely eat less than an adult portion and more than a kids portion. I still think it would be just too complicated to offer some middle ground for a company. It's on us. Share. Don't get the DP (trust me, those buffet prices are hitting us hard this year). I just is what it is. Everybody doesn't need to be accounted for specifically.

If you insist on getting the dining plan, order your kid a kids meal and use his adult credits for someone else at an extra meal.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

Oh, and speaking of being distracted by tasty tidbits...



Um, are you seriously suggesting Disney do away with children's ticket pricing altogether and just charge everyone the adult ticket price?

My kids are far too old for the 9-and-under ticket, and I'd STILL rather deal with supersized meals than give up the discounted ticket rates for children under nine. I mean, really, what's your logic here? "If my eleven year old can't enjoy the nine-and-under perks, I don't think anyone else should be able to have them either!"

Now you are just being rude, I never said or implied that.
We actually have had annual passes for years so I've been paying one price for tickets for years.

 

[Bluegrrl]

@Magpie

I wasn't referring to you, directly, but since you asked, in general there seemed to be a lot of shaming and it made me angry that this idea, a bit rambling as it was, wasn't taken seriously. It is a common practice in many eateries to provide smaller portions for those in different age groups, or to provide "on the lighter side" menus of signiture meals. That's all. And the only reason that there was a big long post before me was because that person and I were writing at the same time. That post went through when I was in the middle of mine.

Now, not @Magpie part:

Really it was the general feel of this thread that made me post. And DP or no DP, there should be more variety. I worked at Peso Bills as a cp, so I am pretty familiar with Disney and the sale system/food system there. The good, bad and ugly, I saw it all. And while there was some flexibility, I do think Disney has room for improvement. Maybe not at cs, but definitely at table service. QS has to move way too fast (no pun meant).

 

[maxiesmom]

Actually, you could not be more wrong. If you don't want to read it all don't post a reply. The headline was one meant to catch attention, and hopefully get responses from people who read it and thought about the issue as a whole and NOT just focus on the obesity part of it. Complex, IKR.

Maybe use a title that you mean, and not one just meant to stir things up.

How about instead of blaming Disney for what your child can and cannot order, next time you check the menus ahead? Or plan on sharing food? Complex, IKR?

And yes, I did go read the whole thing. But it didn't change my opinion at all. Disney is not accountable for what you feed your child. You can choose to eat at a certain restaurant or not. You can even choose to bring in your own food if you find what Disney offers lacking. What you shouldn't do is order your child a large meal and then blame Disney if they eat it.

It would be impossible for them to have a menu with sizes or age limits that would make every family happy. You gotta work with what they have.

 

[Magpie]

Now you are just being rude, I never said or implied that.
We actually have had annual passes for years so I've been paying one price for tickets for years.

(Edit: You're right, that last line was a bit rude. My apologies, I'll take it out.)

However, the question still stands: When you say, "Personally I don't think there should be kids pricing on tickets and everyone should pay the same," exactly what do you mean to say? Why do you want to make children pay adult ticket prices? (Annual passes notwithstanding.)

 

[Angel Ariel]

. I still think it would be just too complicated to offer some middle ground for a company.

I don't think it's too complicated at all. There's a local franchise in our area that has 2 different porton offerings on their kids menu. one is meant for young young kids, the other for elemenary age+. They are the same menu offerings, just different portion sizes. I would even think it would save money, as there would be less food wasted and a better ability to more accurately order ingredients in the first place.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think it's too complicated at all. There's a local franchise in our area that has 2 different porton offerings on their kids menu. one is meant for young young kids, the other for elemenary age+. They are the same menu offerings, just different portion sizes. I would even think it would save money, as there would be less food wasted and a better ability to more accurately order ingredients in the first place.

I honestly think they won't do it because they would lose money. Right now if you are hungry you have to order either small or large, and most will order large to make sure they are satisfied. Give a middle option and many will order it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't think it's too complicated at all. There's a local franchise in our area that has 2 different porton offerings on their kids menu. one is meant for young young kids, the other for elemenary age+. They are the same menu offerings, just different portion sizes. I would even think it would save money, as there would be less food wasted and a better ability to more accurately order ingredients in the first place.

That's quite cool that your local place does that....but that is not something that is offered across the nation right? If I understood the local franchise part it would be something special to just that local franchise (franchises in general in comparison to company owned store locations can be like comparing apples to oranges in how they operate).

TBH it would actually make the most sense to have the following: baby-sized, toddler-sized, elementary-sized, early teenage-size (fits the middle school age that keeps getting talked about), older teenage-sized (for high school students), college-aged sized, the normal adult-sized, the just past middle-aged size and the senior size as far as portion sizes as this would ensure ALL stages of life can be accommodated.

The above statement is not meant to be taken seriously at all and is just meant to show that those who are requesting adjustments are often forgetting the other stages of life one goes through. You can see that in all stages of our lives we have, at least it seems that way, expectation of how much one might eat as far as portion sizes. As an example-a senior is perceived to eat less than they did when they were in their middle age. An older teenager is perceived to eat more than an early teenager.

I cannot expect Disney to accommodate the small subset of people who desire more portion size options to fit their particular families' needs nor can I expect them to cater to every single type of group that they may get on a given day. They are going for what will be likely to appease the masses.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Are we talking about like how McDonal'd has the kid's meal and the BIG kids meal?

 

[AngiTN]

That's quite cool that your local place does that....but that is not something that is offered across the nation right? If I understood the local franchise part it would be something special to just that local franchise (franchises in general in comparison to company owned store locations can be like comparing apples to oranges in how they operate).

TBH it would actually make the most sense to have the following: baby-sized, toddler-sized, elementary-sized, early teenage-size (fits the middle school age that keeps getting talked about), older teenage-sized (for high school students), college-aged sized, the normal adult-sized, the just past middle-aged size and the senior size as far as portion sizes as this would ensure ALL stages of life can be accommodated.

The above statement is not meant to be taken seriously at all and is just meant to show that those who are requesting adjustments are often forgetting the other stages of life one goes through. You can see that in all stages of our lives we have, at least it seems that way, expectation of how much one might eat as far as portion sizes. As an example-a senior is perceived to eat less than they did when they were in their middle age. An older teenager is perceived to eat more than an early teenager.

I cannot expect Disney to accommodate the small subset of people who desire more portion size options to fit their particular families' needs nor can I expect them to cater to every single type of group that they may get on a given day. They are going for what will be likely to appease the masses.

Never seen it here and we eat out A LOT! An obscene amount, to be honest. With DGD so we do pay attention to kids menus. At 8 she's venturing further and further away from kids menus and to the adult menu choices. I've never seen a 3rd category here. Unless you count appetizers. We do count those as meals quite often so I guess they fall between kids meals and full entrees.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

This is my last post for this topic...I feel I have stated my opinion and I am happy with what I said and don't think it needs to be explained in more detail.

BUT...I did just get off the phone with disney, who called me....I sent them the same OP in an email yesterday. I talked to a lovely woman who was a joy, we talked for 20 mins. She thanked me for my feedback and said they want feedback from their guests, how can they know to change something if no speaks up. She said the best part of her job is taking someones feedback and helping to make changes and then watching that get put into place. She said the kids meals options used to be terrible at disney but people spoke up and they listened and the menus changed and are a ton better than they used to be, but there is always room to improve and they are always looking for new ideas.

They send out surveys after people visit, they have surveys to answer after we call...disney does try to please as many of their guests as possible, that's why they are great. They need people say what they would like to see change, that does mean it will or it is a good idea, but they still like to hear it. If they just keep things the same, as many have suggested, how will they stay at the top...
She said even in their offices they are looking for employee feedback so they can make things better.

I'm out

 

[Angel Ariel]

That's quite cool that your local place does that....but that is not something that is offered across the nation right? If I understood the local franchise part it would be something special to just that local franchise (franchises in general in comparison to company owned store locations can be like comparing apples to oranges in how they operate).

Perhaps my wording was incorrect. When referring to a local franchise, I am referring to a local company that has many locations. It's not a nationwide company, but there are probably 20+ locations in the area, and the dual little kids/big Kids menu is offered in each of them.

and is just meant to show that those who are requesting adjustments are often forgetting the other stages of life one goes through. You can see that in all stages of our lives we have, at least it seems that way, expectation of how much one might eat as far as portion sizes. As an example-a senior is perceived to eat less than they did when they were in their middle age. An older teenager is perceived to eat more than an early teenager.

As to the bolded, there are many nationwide chains that offer senior menus without difficulty. IHOP and Perkins are 2 that come to mind off the top of my head where my parents have ordered off the senior menu in different areas of the country.

I cannot expect Disney to accommodate the small subset of people who desire more portion size options to fit their particular families' needs nor can I expect them to cater to every single type of group that they may get on a given day. They are going for what will be likely to appease the masses.

If what you got out of my post is that I *expect* Disney to "cater to every single type of group that they may get on a particular day," then you read more into my post than was there. I said it would be nice if they offered such a dual menu as I have seen elsewhwre, and that it could even save them money to do so. I never said I expected the type of catering you refer to.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Are we talking about like how McDonal'd has the kid's meal and the BIG kids meal?

Yep, that would be another example of what I was referring to.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I honestly think they won't do it because they would lose money. Right now if you are hungry you have to order either small or large, and most will order large to make sure they are satisfied. Give a middle option and many will order it.

I don't know...it's certainly possible, but no way to know for sure unless they test it. The place here that does it certainly doesn't seem to have an issue with that. We still order DD the young kids meal, but it has never occurred to any of us to order off the big Kids menu for ourselves. .
Like I said, we don't regret purchasing the package. the seating for F! was well worth it, esp. since it is down this year. But $23.99 for 3 year old was a bit overly much, IMO. She enjoyed the food she ate, and we enjoyed the seating...but Disney loses out on repeatability for us with that price. So, for us, that's money they will miss out on from our family that they otherwise would get.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I have talked with Disney several times on this issue bc my DS will be 10 on our next trip and he is a seriously light and picky eater and I wanted to make sure he would still be able to order off the kids menu. We usually get the deluxe dining plan. We like to sit down and eat our meals and we don't usually care what we eat and what we don't eat. Anyways Disney told me that is would be absolutely no problem for my DS 10 to eat from the kids menu...I think they only say 10yr olds are disney adults so they can charge more for tickets and dining and other things not so they can actually force 10 yr olds to eat bigger and probably weirder food than they would normally eat.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Perhaps my wording was incorrect. When referring to a local franchise, I am referring to a local company that has many locations. It's not a nationwide company, but there are probably 20+ locations in the area, and the dual little kids/big Kids menu is offered in each of them.

No worries on that seems a misunderstanding

As to the bolded, there are many nationwide chains that offer senior menus without difficulty. IHOP and Perkins are 2 that come to mind off the top of my head where my parents have ordered off the senior menu in different areas of the country.

This is absolutely true but my point was not just about senior portion sizes (that was just used as an example)..my point was we have expectations as a whole that throughout our life stages we eat differently and it seemed as though the point being made on this thread concentrated so much on children portion sizes without touching on the other stages of life. Regardless of whether we are speaking about a child, a high schooler, an average adult or a senior all of those can reasonably be expected to eat different portion sizes but the thread came across as very narrow in only expressing dissatisfaction in child portion sizes and the cost associated with having to purchase an adult size when in reality if that seems to be the issue then we should have portion sizes and prices based on reasonable expectations of all stages of life (that was the part where I said my little rant shouldn't be taken as I really think Disney to have all those options on the menu) because then it would be more fair.

If what you got out of my post is that I *expect* Disney to "cater to every single type of group that they may get on a particular day," then you read more into my post than was there. I said it would be nice if they offered such a dual menu as I have seen elsewhwre, and that it could even save them money to do so. I never said I expected the type of catering you refer to.

No I didn't actually think you personally expected Disney to cater to all groups I apologize if that came across that way. I was more referring to in general in response to me bringing up all the different stages of life we go through.