Limited or No Kid's Starters or Desserts

[Kristen'smom]

We will be going this June and I wanted to start this post to see which Sit Down Restaurants do not offer or offer limited kid's starters and/or desserts on the dining plan.

I know that Alfredo's would not give my child a starter and only offered a choice of 2 different desserts.

At Le Cellier a choice of any starter was offered but only a choice of 2 different desserts.

 

[hipchickie]

I am suprised they would not give you a starter off the adult menu. IIRC it said in the info we had that if there were no kid apps they could pick off the adult menu.
Were you there for lunch?

 

[Kristen'smom]

Yes, we were there at lunch. I really didn't like the place.
Food- I've had better here in my hometown - I love Carrabba's
Service- Felt rushed and before they would us order we have to show them out card to prove we were on the DDP, which I just thought was tacky!

 

[hipchickie]

IIRC, You do not get an app with a lunch- Apps only come with dinner.
I could be wrong, I am sure someone else may know. We never had sit down lunch and I do know at counter service lunch we didn't get app's, just dessert

If a restaurant does not have apps on the kids menu, the child can order an app off the adult menu. That is what le cellier does. In our case that was best because kids apps everywhere were things my child wouldn't eat, like salad.

 

[Lewisc]

Children have to order off the children's menu. There is no rule that says your child gets an adult appetizer if the children's menu doesn't have one, although most restaurants have added a children's appetizers. Sometimes just a salad.

Most children's menus only offer a few desserts, sometimes just ice cream. This isn't a MYW dining issue, I haven't seen any posts indicating any items from the children's menu were excluded.

 

[G. Fite]

The Disney Web page says everyone gets an appetizer, entree and dessert. I assumed this meant a kid appetizer was available or they ordered one off adult menu.

Is that not correct??

"For each night of your package, the Disney Dining Plan includes the following meals for each Guest in your
One (1) Table-Service Meal
Includes appetizer, entree, dessert or full buffet and non-alcoholic beverage as well as gratuity (children ages 3-9 must choose from the children's menu if available; dessert not available at breakfast)
One (1) Counter-Service Meal
Includes entree, dessert or one complete combo meal, and non-alcoholic beverage (children ages 3-9 must choose from the children's menu if available; dessert not available at breakfast)
One (1) Snack
Choose from a frozen ice-cream novelty or fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single serving box), single piece of whole fruit, single serving Grab Bag of Frito-Lay's Chips, 20oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or 24oz. Dasani Water, medium fountain soft drink or apple juice. Available at select counter-service and snack-cart locations.

 

[angel's momma]

For us last fall:

No kid's appetizer at WCC and Coral Reef (didn't really matter, there was SO much food, DD just shared our appetizers).

At B&C: No kid's appetizer, and dessert is a cookie that is included in the kid's meal.

Actually, I think there were only 2 choices of kid's desserts at WCC, Coral Reef, and maybe even Concourse - but they had some great kid's desserts offered so that was never a problem.

Also, appetizers are included with lunch.

 

[Lewisc]

Actually it says children must order off the children's menu. It says nothing about children getting to order adult appetizers. Many restaurants have added child appetizers, sometimes just salad, to avoid complaints. I never really thought a mac and cheese kids meal was suppose to come with an appetizer.

The Disney Web page says everyone gets an appetizer, entree and dessert. I assumed this meant a kid appetizer was available or they ordered one off adult menu.

Is that not correct??

"For each night of your package, the Disney Dining Plan includes the following meals for each Guest in your
One (1) Table-Service Meal
Includes appetizer, entree, dessert or full buffet and non-alcoholic beverage as well as gratuity (children ages 3-9 must choose from the children's menu if available; dessert not available at breakfast)
One (1) Counter-Service Meal
Includes entree, dessert or one complete combo meal, and non-alcoholic beverage (children ages 3-9 must choose from the children's menu if available; dessert not available at breakfast)
One (1) Snack
Choose from a frozen ice-cream novelty or fruit bar, popcorn scoop (single serving box), single piece of whole fruit, single serving Grab Bag of Frito-Lay's Chips, 20oz. bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or 24oz. Dasani Water, medium fountain soft drink or apple juice. Available at select counter-service and snack-cart locations.

 

[bettyann29]

I havent used the dining plan yet but will be when we go in 2 weeks.. luckily there is me, DS12, DD14 and DD8.. the 2 oldest are considered adults due to their age so I wont have to worry about that as I am sure there will be way enough food for all of us to share the different appetizers and deserts..

 

[hipchickie]

Actually it says children must order off the children's menu. It says nothing about children getting to order adult appetizers.

It says children must order of the childrens menu if available if there is no option on the childrens menu they get an appetizer of the regular menu. Every restaurant we ate at followed that policy, and since the dining plan clearly states that everyone gets an appetizer I would have been mad if they did not.

and as G. Fite c&p'd, there is an app with table service, but not with counter service. So if you ate at a TS restaurant at lunch you would get an app. We never did, all our TS were dinner

 

[angel's momma]

I never really thought a mac and cheese kids meal was suppose to come with an appetizer.

Not all kids eat that way, and some of the restaurants offer a kid's version of steak, fish, etc. Concourse was the only place that we ate at that offered a kid's appetizer other than the grapes, carrots, etc. - they actually have a kid's shrimp cocktail. While DD enjoys mac & cheese, to her it is a side dish, not the main course, and she eats way nore than the typical child. (And no, she's not overweight - she's actually small for her age.)

JMO, but I do interpret the plan as - if there's no appetizer option for kids, they don't get an appetizer. Most CMs make sure you know what can be ordered (helps their tip), so when DD wasn't offered one at a couple of places, we didn't ask about an adult option for her. If we had been offered one, we most likely would have accepted. For those who were allowed an adult appetizer for a child - that's great.

 

[Lewisc]

It says children must order of the children's menu if available if there is no option on the childrens menu they get an appetizer of the regular menu. Every restaurant we ate at followed that policy, and since the dining plan clearly states that everyone gets an appetizer I would have been mad if they did not.

and as G. Fite c&p'd, there is an app with table service, but not with counter service. So if you ate at a TS restaurant at lunch you would get an app. We never did, all our TS were dinner

The question is moot since restaurants have added child appetizers, sometimes just salad, BUT a few posters emailed Disney. They were told children must order off the children's menu. The portion of the brochure that talks about an appetizer refers to the adult portion of the plan. Children are limited to whatever is on the children's menu. Many people posted being allowed an adult appetizer, a few were not allowed any appetizer. The cost of an adult appetizer can be almost as much as the dining plan cost for the day.

I'll say parents with older children should check the menus carefully. Some restaurants have good options and some just offer the standard mac/cheese chicken strip type of choices. Too me the question isn't really the appetizer but the entire child meal.

 

[pplasky]

The literature states that children order off the children's menu if available. Most restaurants now have children's apps on the menu, if the kids don't like it, oh well. For the restaurants that do not have apps available on the kids menu, the children are still entitled to an appetizer, even if it is off the adult menu. We used the plan last August and for the few restaurants that didn't have kids options for the app they were able to pick off the adult menu. When we go this August, I will assume they are entitled to an app whether or not one is availbale on the kids menu.

 

[Lewisc]

Emails from Disney as well as the experience of the OP in this thread indicate children are not entitled to an adult appetizer even if the children's menu doesn't offer any.

Most restaurants either offer child appetizers or will allow a guest to order an adult appetizer but the OP gave you a real world example, Alfredo's, where the children weren't able to get any appetizer. The majority of the posters seem to share your experience but not all restaurants are as generous as the one's you patronized.

Disney's position is children order off the children's menu and the appetizer/entrée/drink/dessert description applies to adult meals and children are limited to whatever is on the children's menu.

The literature states that children order off the children's menu if available. Most restaurants now have children's apps on the menu, if the kids don't like it, oh well. For the restaurants that do not have apps available on the kids menu, the children are still entitled to an appetizer, even if it is off the adult menu. We used the plan last August and for the few restaurants that didn't have kids options for the app they were able to pick off the adult menu. When we go this August, I will assume they are entitled to an app whether or not one is availbale on the kids menu.

 

[pplasky]

Emails from Disney as well as the experience of the OP in this thread indicate children are not entitled to an adult appetizer even if the children's menu doesn't offer any.

Most restaurants either offer child appetizers or will allow a guest to order an adult appetizer but the OP gave you a real world example, Alfredo's, where the children weren't able to get any appetizer. The majority of the posters seem to share your experience but not all restaurants are as generous as the one's you patronized.

Disney's position is children order off the children's menu and the appetizer/entrée/drink/dessert description applies to adult meals and children are limited to whatever is on the children's menu.

I do not work for Disney, therefore I do not know their "official" position, but I do not wish to patronize a restaurant where my children are not entitled to an appetizer since this is one of their favorite parts(even veggies and dip). As you have stated, others have had a hard time at certain places. I will keep track of what people post and plan accordingly. The fact that most places allow children to order an app leads me to believe we will be able ok, no matter what e-mails you may have received. I was just posting our experiences so other families know to at least ask if there is something there child wants, usually the wait staff is accomodating.

 

[hipchickie]

This is just going in circles The literature does not state that that is only applicable to adults, it clearly says it is all guests on meal plan. My real world experience and communication with disney has been that a child must order from the childrens menu *if available* if not, they are still getting an app according to the plan. The same was true of desserts in every case we had.
I am sure disney added kids app's so that they could shove a 19 cent food cost salad at a child instead of a $2 food cost regular appetizer, not because of complaints. But really, no-one knows, this is all message board conjecture. Just like many disney "policies" everyone seems to have a different experience.

Well pplasky here was our experience from January (We also ate at hollywood &vine, biergarten, ohana and liberty tree, but it is a set menu at all of those):
Sci fi drive-in: child apps available on menu, and childrens desserts
Le Cellier: no child apps, allowed to order off regular menu. Child dessert choices were fun and delicious
CA Grill: no child app or dessert, ordered off the regular menu for both

as far as lunches, many places had a childs plate that came with the dessert and app. The one instance I can think of that didn't was the fish place next to rose & crown, dessert there was shortbread cookies for everyone

 

[Lewisc]

and the real life experience of the OP in this thread is Alfredo's didn't have any children appetizers and didn't allow them to get an adult appetizer.

I'm not disagreeing with your experience, the Disney owned restaurants will either have a child appetizer or will let you order an adult appetizer. My point is a few restaurants are sticking with the requirement that children order from the children's menu.

I'll agree with your conclusion, really no reason why a restaurant couldn't just spend the less than .50 it would cost to offer a salad or even a fruit cup.

This is just going in circles The literature does not state that that is only applicable to adults, it clearly says it is all guests on meal plan. My real world experience and communication with disney has been that a child must order from the childrens menu *if available* if not, they are still getting an app according to the plan. The same was true of desserts in every case we had.
I am sure disney added kids app's so that they could shove a 19 cent food cost salad at a child instead of a $2 food cost regular appetizer, not because of complaints. But really, no-one knows, this is all message board conjecture. Just like many disney "policies" everyone seems to have a different experience.

Well pplasky here was our experience from January (We also ate at hollywood &vine, biergarten, ohana and liberty tree, but it is a set menu at all of those):
Sci fi drive-in: child apps available on menu, and childrens desserts
Le Cellier: no child apps, allowed to order off regular menu. Child dessert choices were fun and delicious
CA Grill: no child app or dessert, ordered off the regular menu for both

as far as lunches, many places had a childs plate that came with the dessert and app. The one instance I can think of that didn't was the fish place next to rose & crown, dessert there was shortbread cookies for everyone

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

My experience is this.

Spoodles allowed a flatbread off the adult appetizer menu (they've since added child's appetizers. A make your own Sundae was the desert. The toppings and such came on an artist's pallete.
CA Grill did not allow an appetizer and had a kid's desert menu.
Marrakesh did not allow an appetizer and ice cream was the kid's desert.
CRT had special Children's appetizers and deserts.