Kids' menus

[Just-me]

On the DDP, my 9 year old daughter is required to order from the children's menus. I've browsed several online, and it seems as if almost every kids' menu is limited to the standard chicken nuggets/mac&cheese/burger/pizza/steamed fish. I understand that these are tried-and-true kid fare, but are there any Disney restaurants that offer more...interesting (?)... options for the kiddos? It seems kind of unfair to me that her brother and I will have such amazing options to choose from, while her meals will be the same thing day after day...

 

[smitch425]

On the DDP, my 9 year old daughter is required to order from the children's menus. I've browsed several online, and it seems as if almost every kids' menu is limited to the standard chicken nuggets/mac&cheese/burger/pizza/steamed fish. I understand that these are tried-and-true kid fare, but are there any Disney restaurants that offer more...interesting (?)... options for the kiddos? It seems kind of unfair to me that her brother and I will have such amazing options to choose from, while her meals will be the same thing day after day...

You can pay the difference to upgrade her to the adult menu by upgrading her park ticket to adult and upgrading her DDP to adult. Not sure when you are going, but if you have free DDP then the price to only have to upgrade her park ticket is generally around $25-$30 depending on what type of ticket you have, that is. If you call Disney, they should be able to change her age to 10 and tell you the cost. This is NOT an illegal procedure. Many guests with even younger children do it all the time and Disney has no problems with it.

 

[dixonsontour]

Agree upgrading her is your best option if you have free dining.

If not we found these places had better options

Raglan Rd - DTD - smaller portion of adult meal eg fish and chips or shepherds pie

Teppan edo - same as adults - chicken/rice/ noodles

Tutto italia - DD had mozzarella balls, pizza and ice cream sundae alot better than standard kids fare - would have been $20 oop

Ohana - kids eat same as you

Also remember any family style or buffet you can all eat the same.

 

[wdw4rfam]

We have the same issue. So we just stick with buffets/ family style places. There are many, so we have no problems.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

On our January trip DD6 had steak on the kid's menu at:
Narcossee's x2
CG
YSH
LC
We like buffets because then she can have whatever she wants. We do mostly breakfast buffets. But she loved Ohanas, Teppan Edo and SOA dinner show. Our DD has never eaten mac & cheese, hamburger, pizza or pasta at WDW and she's never had a problem getting a meal. We found most TS restaurants had a steak or grilled chicken breast option for kids.

 

[HeidiLowe]

The Signatures have the best kid menus, IMO. Usually actual cuts of meat (steak, chicken) instead of nuggets, pizza, pasta. But of course they usually have one or two selections of those also, just that there's actual smaller versions of adult food offered there instead of all kiddie fare.

 

[erocrobro]

We ran into the same problem with my son. Buffets are great because they can eat whatever they want. The way we solved it for the QS meals was that since the adult portions were so large, he would order from the child's menu what he wanted, and I would let him give some input on what I ordered from the adult menu and we just shared. When it comes to fast food and lunch, I'm not that picky so I was more than happy to do that and not have to listen to him complain later. I didn't know at the time that you could upgrade, or I probably would have.

 

[goofygal531]

I agree. We tend to favor the buffet/family style restaurants where the children are not limited to the kid's menu.

 

[no capes darling]

I hated it too when my child was younger and we had tried the plan the first time- they were so frustrated about the choices!! Just because one is a child doesn't mean they're always going to want chicken nuggets, mac & cheese & pizza. We don't eat that way at home and surely there are other families that feel the same way.

I have to wonder with all the fussy eaters that seem to be out there (barring food allergies & sensory & medical issues) if those choices are being created & catered to in the home. Then when going away, those who don't have to deal with the masses that do.

The other option is to not do the dining plan of course. Had I known at that time we could have upgraded them to the adult option, I would have. Hindsight & all that.

 

[kathymu501]

I am traveling with my daughter and her family in November. We are going to more family and buffet with our dining plan as we have twins who are not quite 3yrs old, thought about upgrading them to a childs meal except that they are not always the best eaters and since they can still eat off our plates but if we are where they would't eat ours we will bop a childs meal for them to share. Anythoughts on this, think it will work?

 

[Disneylvr]

We are going to have the same problem because DD will be turning 9 during our next trip. I am wondering if we should just pay OOP for meals this time because I don't think the kid's menus are going to cut it for her except at the buffet's. If we were going during free dining I think I would just pay to upgrade her to adult.

 

[MAD4EEYORE]

I agree with this ^^^ My DD (8 at the time) and I went last year. We went during the free dining promotion. I upgraded to the DDP from the QSDP but didn't upgrade her to a Disney adult. She is a pickey eated in the most wonderful way. She doesn't care for most kids foods. She does like chicken nuggets but not Disney's. I ended up sharing my meals with her. I did have alot of buffets planned.
If we weren't on the free dining I would just share my meals with her or pay OOP for her. We are going on free dining again and I upgraded her to an adult.

 

[smitch425]

I am traveling with my daughter and her family in November. We are going to more family and buffet with our dining plan as we have twins who are not quite 3yrs old, thought about upgrading them to a childs meal except that they are not always the best eaters and since they can still eat off our plates but if we are where they would't eat ours we will bop a childs meal for them to share. Anythoughts on this, think it will work?

They should be able to share a meal if need be. That should not be a problem at all, with the exception of maybe a dinner show. Not sure what the rules are there.

 

[dixonsontour]

I am traveling with my daughter and her family in November. We are going to more family and buffet with our dining plan as we have twins who are not quite 3yrs old, thought about upgrading them to a childs meal except that they are not always the best eaters and since they can still eat off our plates but if we are where they would't eat ours we will bop a childs meal for them to share. Anythoughts on this, think it will work?

Yes under 3s can eat free at any buffets or family style meals.

If you are at a TS meal then you could order 1 child meal between them or share your food with them.