Limited childrens menu @ WDW

[Sharon]

I just returned from WDW in May & was very disappointed in the menu's selection for kids. I mean how much chicken nuggets & mac & cheese or burgers can a kid want to eat in a week??? Plus my DD(7) hated the burgers bc they tasted burnt all the time even when asking to make sure they didn't over cook it.Even the buffets are limited to those items. It got to the point where I was sharing my food with her & her's was a waste due to us being on the dining plan. The only meals she did eat well was bfast and the WCC dinner. Anyone else feels like this or have any suggestions for future trips?

 

[buzzmom3]

I agree with you, this was my main concern with our September trip and my DS who is 7. I called Disney and they let me change his age to 10, so he is now an adult on the dining plan. I had to pay the difference in ticket price but since we are on free dining that was it. I wish they would improve the options for kid's meals.

 

[scanne]

I have two kids - one who is super picky and only eats a limited number of things; chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac n cheese, pancakes, waffles, choc. chip cookies, etc. My other child is much more adventurous and loves almost everything.

That being said, we go to WDW at least once a year and we love the DDP. This year we are trying the DxDP and I have made reservations at several signature restaurants. I have checked the menus on All Ears to make sure that my picky child will be as happy as my adventurous child.

We find that with the buffets, both kids are satisfied. My DD (adventurous eater) likes to try things from all parts of the buffet - they don't police the buffets and scold the kids for getting adult foods. Heck, I even enjoy a chicken finger or corn dog nugget from the kids' section of the buffets once in a while.

We have never found the kids selections to be limited, even with our DD. But I guess it's a combination of what you're used to and which places you choose to eat.

Research all the restaurants in your planning and hopefully you will find a greater variety with your next trip.

 

[disnut8]

A few years ago, people were complaining but they couldn't find anything for their kids to eat on kids menus because everything was too exotic. So out came the burgers and chicken nuggets. And now it's going to go full circle again.

 

[princessjane]

Children's food selections are dismal at WDW. You are almost better off not doing the DDP or eating more counter service if you have a kid who actually likes to eat "Real" food. My son is now an Adult on the plan and even though he has a limited food palette, he certainly doesn't want to live off Mac n cheese, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. Disney really needs to do something about their kids menus. Years ago, they used to be so much better. I do know that you can order adult dishes in kid sized portions at some places. they won't always do this but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[TDC Nala]

Don't do the dining plan. If the dining plan is a must, book buffets, or register your child as 10 and pay the adult price for the plan and tickets.

WDW could likely offer less pedestrian items for children - if they raised the cost of the child's dining plan, which would cause a whole different outcry.

 

[Wendy5055]

I agree that the children's menus are limited. My dd7 has more grown-up food tastes (such as seafood including calamari). She was definately bored and upset with the children's menu. However, buffets gave us an opportunity to allow her to choose from the grown-up dishes (nobody said anything about her doing so) and so she did much better. As we did have the DlxDDP, we were able to do a nice mix of buffet and sit down which gave her a break from "kids food". As both my Mother and I each were allowed an appetizer, one of us would always order something she would like (mussels, seafood, calamari) and she would generally get something like a fruit cup. We put the appetizers in the middle and each were able to eat from three appetizers. It made it more varied and interesting for all of us!!

Dessert was a problem as WDW does not have any "Celebration" desserts for the children. My dd7 was uninterested in the make your own sundae after the 3rd time. I personally think that WDW should toss in a "Celebration" dessert for kids on some of the restaurants menus. It would make a HUGE hit with kids.

Overall, we did tremendously enjoy the DlxDDP even with the limited kids menu.

 

[kaytieeldr]

A few years ago, people were complaining but they couldn't find anything for their kids to eat on kids menus because everything was too exotic. So out came the burgers and chicken nuggets. And now it's going to go full circle again.

Paraphrasing Lincoln: "You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time..."

Even the buffets are limited to those items.

Actually, no. Every person in the buffet facility can select any/all items from all areas of the buffet. Yes, there is a childrens' section, but adults can choose food from there and children can choose food from the 'regular' sections.

 

[tinkerbell313]

I think its also the choice of restaurants. We went to Jikos, Yachtsman SH, Le Cellier, Flying Fish and while was Mac and Cheese on almost every menu, all of those restuarants had items (at least two items) on the kids menu that were not what I consider kid food...inluding shellfish, steak, salmon, etc. My 5 year old tends to have more sophiticated tastes as well...and she was content.

Regarding counter service, we just bought adult meals for my 5 year old...although we were advised that on the DDP she was to eat off the kids meal plan, there was not enough food in the kids servings and it was as the OP said...the same old kids food. Usually, I went up and ordered the food and counter services are all the same.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

we tend to do buffet b/c my son does not eat mac&cheese, hot dogs or chicken nuggets. Or if we do sit down dinners we order him from the adult menu or he share from my husband and my plate.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

You are absolutely right that the children's selection at most restaurants is pitiful but we work round it in two ways.

1) Go to buffets or family style restaurants, the kid's get the same selections as you.

2) Let them eat apps and desserts off kid's menu and then order something from the main that you know they will like the sides from then put some of your entree (especially if eating steak/fish etc as the portions are quite large.) We have found that this way they are happy and we can manage apps and desserts which we wouldn't otherwise be able to do. E.G. at Hollywood Brown dErby DD had the salad and I shared cobb salad with DS (he now classes as an adult). She had the fish with fries and veg for entree and then we added some of DS chicken and some of my steak. We all had our individual desserts.