meals for 10-year-olds

[Sandy55]

Hi!

We've always used DDP in the past but are reconsidering it this year. We are 3 adults (light eaters) 2 teens, 2 ten-year-olds and 1 child. Where I think we'd lose money on the plan is with the 10-year-olds. They are light eaters and I know would be much happier ordering from the child's menus (could live on mac & cheese, pizza and chicken nuggets). In fact, I think it would be tough for them to find meals in some restaurants on the adult menus they would like.

My question - counter service meals are no problem but for table service if we do NOT use the DP can the 10-year-olds order from the child's menu? What about buffets? Do they have to pay the adult price if they only want to eat from the child's buffet?

Just trying to figure out the most cost effective way to keep everyone happy!

 

[karen2669]

I have a 10 year old as well. He is a pretty good eater and will try lots of things but my 12 year old is really picky and would rather eat spaghetti or chicken fingers every day. Will disney let a minor that is obviously over 9 eat from the childrens menu. We have decided not to do the DDP because of the number of TS we would have to do.

 

[TDC Nala]

They'll let the kids order from the children's menu at a la carte restaurants if they want. However, if you are on the dining plan and use credits to pay for those meals, they'll be adult credits.

You will not, however, be permitted to order a child's price buffet or all-you-can-eat meal for anyone age 10 or over. The "child's buffet" is not restricted to children, that title just reflects the type of food displayed in that particular area. Anyone can eat the food there.

 

[Sandy55]

Okay, I understand about the buffets and it makes sense.

If I understand you correctly, if we do the DPP our "adult" children can order from the children's menu as long as they are willing to use their "adult" table service credit. Is this correct?

What if we pay all meals out of pocket? Can older children still order from the kid's menu or are the limited to the adult? All the menus list the meals as for kids up to age 9. Do they enforce this?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Camster0307]

We just went in June and paid OOP; my 12 yr. would look over both the adult menu AND the children's menu - and would just order what appealled to her the most. Our servers had no problem giving her the choice between both menus.

 

[liltoot]

I have a nine year old grandson that we will be taking. Would they let us buy the adult dining plan for him? He's going to be the only one on chicken nuggets for a week. Just kidding. I know there's more choices but he's going to want what his ten year old brother gets. Plus he has a better appetite than his brother. TIA

 

[DCDisney]

You can upgrade the child to the adult plan but you would also have to pay for adult park tickets for him on your package. By the time you pay for that it is usually better to just order the hungry kid some stuff OOP.

 

[DCDisney]

What if we pay all meals out of pocket? Can older children still order from the kid's menu or are the limited to the adult? All the menus list the meals as for kids up to age 9. Do they enforce this?

You have a few options. They will always let you pay OOP for the 10 yr olds to have kids meal at a TS place that has a menu (no pre-priced ones though like Princess meals) even if everyone else is using the DDP. Honestly it makes no sense to use a TS credit for an $8 meal times 2 kids. What we did with my 10 year old was to have half our meals as buffet/pre-priced where he used adult credits and the other half we paid OOP for him to eat kids meals. We then used those extra adult credits for an extra breakfast TS meal. With 10 year olds who don't want adult food it may make more financial sense to not use the dining plan. With just 1 10 year old we came pretty close to break even especially if you didn't count all the CS desserts we didn't really want and mostly just nibbled.

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

I will have 2 ten yr. olds when we go.
Is disney very strict about age if they order kids meals ?
My kids couldn't eat an adult portion, and they would never agree
on anything to share on the adult menu.
Have you ever heard a waitress ask a child their age ?
We would not be doing the dining plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

I will have 2 ten yr. olds when we go.
Is disney very strict about age if they order kids meals ?
My kids couldn't eat an adult portion, and they would never agree
on anything to share on the adult menu.
Have you ever heard a waitress ask a child their age ?
We would not be doing the dining plan.

My guess is that the 10 year olds will be allowed to order from the children's menu everywhere except for buffets and fixed price all you can eat meals.

I understand most if not all restaurants (again, not the buffets or all you can eat meals) will even allow adults to order from the children's menu.

 

[racefanof88]

My guess is that the 10 year olds will be allowed to order from the children's menu everywhere except for buffets and fixed price all you can eat meals.

I understand most if not all restaurants (again, not the buffets or all you can eat meals) will even allow adults to order from the children's menu.

We ran into this problem in May when my 20yo DD wanted to order the grilled cheese sandwich at The Plaza. The waitress said it would be no problem at all but, it would cost an adult credit. To make up the difference they did give her 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and more ff

 

[TDC Nala]

We ran into this problem in May when my 20yo DD wanted to order the grilled cheese sandwich at The Plaza. The waitress said it would be no problem at all but, it would cost an adult credit. To make up the difference they did give her 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and more ff

You were on the dining plan - the poster whose question I was answering was not using the dining plan. If you are an adult for the purposes of the dining plan, they'll encounter exactly what you did - they could order the children's meal, but if they use the dining plan to pay it will be an adult credit. There is no reduction in price on the dining plan. If you're lucky, the restaurant might do what Plaza did and supplement the portion.

 

[racefanof88]

You were on the dining plan - the poster whose question I was answering was not using the dining plan. If you are an adult for the purposes of the dining plan, they'll encounter exactly what you did - they could order the children's meal, but if they use the dining plan to pay it will be an adult credit. There is no reduction in price on the dining plan. If you're lucky, the restaurant might do what Plaza did and supplement the portion.

I see now............ I did think it was funny though when they came to the table with this huge plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries.

 

[gigi1313]

sandy55, when are you traveling? if it's in '09 your family might find the CounterService DDP to be a perfect fit

 

[LisaInNc]

Your 10 year olds can order from the childs menu, you might want to pay out of pocket for that and then save those credits for a signature restaurant or an extra meanl.

I am doing that with my super picky ADULT sister that is going to only want plain pasta with butter at one of the signature restaurants we are going to. I am not wasting 2 TS credits on a bowl of spaghetti I am going to pay for her dinner and then save the 2 TS credits and do an extra breakfast!

 

[Lisa3]

We only had a problem in one place, ESPN at the Boardwalk. We were paying OOP at this restaurant and my kids (14, 13, & 11) did not like ANYTHING on the adult menu. The waitress took our order and the kids ordered the Kid's Chicken Finger meal. Nothing was said and our drinks were delivered to the table. A little while later the waitress approached us and said that when our meal came out, if the manager happened to come around that the kids should "hide" their meals since she should not have let them order off the kid's menu and she would get in trouble.

My kids are very shy and complete rule followers. They were made so uncomfortable thinking they had done something wrong that when their food came they did not want to eat! I was not please and promptly told the waitress that we should have been informed of this before we ordered so we could have left. There is no excuse for making children feel guilty.

Personally this business with a CHILD (who by law in anyone under the age of 18) who is over 9 years old being made to order something they do not like and will not eat is ridiculous. I am not asking for larger portions for the same price. I am getting the same meal anyone who has a younger child pays for. People make it sound like we want something for nothing. Then put ALL the food options on the Adult menu and I will split a meal between two kids. We will never go back to this place again.

 

[Alexander]

Well, that just makes no sense at all! The kids could have ordered nothing, and the ESPN club would have lost a few dollars! I would have definately said something and talked to the manager. My DS sounds exactly like your kids and would have been mortified if he thought he had done something wrong.

 

[musical2]

When we went this past January on DDP my 10YO daughter ordered a couple of times off the kids menu. We paid OOP for those two meals for her. That, however, left a couple of potentially unused adult TS meals on the card that week. My DW and I just went to Narcoosees and had the steak and lobster meal we love so much for 2 TS each on parents' night out. Hard to beat that.

 

[Sandy55]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I think we've finally figured this out. We're going to go with the regular dining plan. (Going in December of 2008 so this plan seemed the best for us at that time.) We've got four buffets planned (I know, not very exciting but most likely to please everyone and we are going for the kids - this time!) The other 3 days we have regular TS planned and if the 10 year olds want to order from the kid's menu we'll pay out of pocket and use their vouchers for a character breakfast just before we go home. Hopefully this will work out!

Thanks again for the help!