Junior Chef Program-recent reviews?

[PrincessAtta]

cross posting from strategies...

Has anyone done the Junior Chef program in The Land recently? I'm wondering specifically about age restrictions and sign up procedures.

TIA for any help you can offer!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Hi! We just did it at the beginning of December. There was DS who is 5 and DD who is 2 1/2. They were both allowed to participate in the program. There were about 10 other kids who were aged around 2 through 10. They were divided into two teams and each team worked with one of the adult chefs. Each child was given a task or two to do (measure out sugar, pour in chocolate chips, etc.) and then they put the cookies into a "magical" oven where the cookies were done in about 2 minutes and the kids were given 2 cookies to take home. We got to the area about 15 minutes before it started and were the only ones there until about 5 minutes before it started. Every child is given a paper chef's hat with their name on it was well to take home. It was a lot of fun!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

I forgot to mention that there were no sign ups, we just stood in line and other parents and kids got in line behind us. We went to the middle of the day session, either at 2:30 or 3:00 (I can't remember what times it is offered).

 

[PrincessAtta]

Thanks Lovin' Disney!

 

[camlace]

I was second in line one day for the Jr Cooking Program with my 2 yr old daughter last fall. When the Cast Members came out they told me my daughter could not participate because there were older kids that wanted to participate We had stood in line for almost 45 minutes to participate which is a feat with a 2 yr old, but my daughter was so excited to make cookies. She has been making cookies/baking with me since she could stand. I assured the CM that she would be fine dumping a mixing cup of sugar into a bowl, but they would not let her participate. On one hand I understand she is young, but on the other hand, just because there were older kids in line should not mean the younger kids need to be excluded.

We went back to our villa and made our own cookies that night

 

[PrincessAtta]

Thank you camlace!

This was close to our experience, except that my 7yo was welcomed in, and my 3.5 yo was turned away because he wasn't 4. Never read any age restrictions anywhere, and still can't find any, and he left screaming bloody murder. He really was heartbroken, because we had built it up, and I don't want to make that mistake again. I want him to be able to do it this year, but don't want him to be burned again.

So if there is anyone else out there who has any advice I'd appreciate it.

 

[middleofamerica]

In October our kids were there, 5 and 3, and the 3 year old didn't want to participate because she was grouchy and tired, but they kept trying to get her to come. They still gave her a hat and a bag of cookies and she never went inside to participate. I'm sorry some of you had such sad things happen with them not letting your little ones participate!

 

[PrincessAtta]

That's encouraging, middleofamerica. Sounds like there's no hard and fast policy. Thanks for sharing!

 

[justhat]

My daughter did this in December in Epcot, as well as twice in DL in November. She was 3.5yo. Or 3.75yo if you ask her. There were a couple of other small kids, about her height, each time she participated and we never heard anything about an age requirement.

Oh gosh would my daughter have flipped out if they told her no in Epcot! She had already done it twice in DL and we 'just' missed the last one the first time we were in Epcot in December. We told her we'd come back the next day and all we heard all morning was "Is it time for Jr Chef yet?"

FWIW, there's no sign stating an age limit so if you wait in line and your kid is dead set on doing it, I'd kindly point that out and explain how your kid has been waiting all day, looking forward to it, etc. I know I'd be pretty annoyed myself if we waited 45 minutes only to be turned away because of an unposted/unadvertised age requirement.

 

[PrincessAtta]

Believe me I tried. This was last spring, and it was magnified by the indignity of his brother being ushered behind the magic railing and given a dramatic hat. Truth be told it broke my heart too, my husband swooped him up and took him on the boat ride (?) outside the cookie kitchen. Anyway, I know he'd be on cloud nine if I could make it happen, but I don't want to take a chance on him being hurt again.

You know how when you get there to queue up there's noone there (but said sign) to monitor line, answer questions, etc.? There's not really a good way to even sneakily figure it out.

Maybe I'll send the fam on that boat ride again if the timing's right, and then scope it out for whatever the policy of the day might be.

The website today, literally, says "kids of all ages". Oh well.

Thanks for your post.

 

[justhat]

Ya know, maybe stop at Guest Relations that day and check? Explain to them what happened last time and maybe they'll make some changes, like put up a sign or something. I know there was nothing you could do, cause once they make up a rule there's no going around it, but I know how annoyed I would have been (and I'm sure you were). I really think I would have gone to Guest Services right then and complained.

I just think it's mean on their part to break a little boy's heart like that, especially when his brother could go and not him. It's not like a ride where you can see posted height requirements or whatever. This has no guidelines at all, and if the website says kids of all ages, then they should be held to that.