My only three disappointments from recent trip

[maxiesmom]

I'm going to point this out one last time, then I'm leaving to let the kids menu bashing continue. In the spirit of trying to help, for the love of Pete folks, go on line and look at the kids menus you are so quick to bash. Lots of variety to be found!

At MK alone you can find steak, grilled chicken breast, grilled fish, pasta with red sauce, turkey pot pie, beef tenderloin, chicken legs, bbq chicken and pineapple flatbread, mac & cheese, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, pb&j, ravioli, cheese pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, AND chicken nuggets. This doesn't even take into account buffets or counter service places.

Now I will leave you in peace to continue on saying they don't have any variety.

 

[ChristineOH]

Regarding CRT, you may not have read the entire kids menu, because the other options for kids of steak, fish, etc are there, just listed in a different section from the nuggets and pizza. It really is confusing, they should list all entrees, but they definitely have a better selection at CRT than just nuggets and pizza. (Unless there has been a major change since Dec that I am unaware of).

I also think this may have been the problem. CRT definitely has more on the kids' menu. Even the menu previously posted had the "good" choices tacked on the bottom. I surely hope that Disney doesn't put the cheapie options front and center hoping that the more expensive items get overlooked. But that may be the case.
My son had filet had CRT, from the kid's menu!
But, OP, now you will be better prepared for NEXT VISIT! (Always looking forward to the next visit...) Glad you had a great trip with great weather!

 

[Jedana]

I don't if anyone's thought about bringing a bobble with them, but I'm going to try it on my next trip to the World next year. I've been using it on tap water in my house, and it really does taste like filtered water. Check it out on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Bobble-Water-Bottle-Ounce-Magenta/dp/B003LTFS5Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1360966113&sr=1-1&keywords=bobble+water+bottle

We always take our bobbles!
We have neoprene sleeves (found in the camping section in Walmart) that we use for them--they have a carbiner attached, and that clips onto a belt. They fit the medium sized bobbles perfectly!

 

[MoonFaerie]

Most, if not all, of the character meals are either family style or buffet. Your kids can eat anything off the buffet, not just the pizza, nuggets, etc. You will pay the full price for each child aged 3 through 9 for character meals whether they eat it or not. The baby (under three) will not be charged, but you might have to pay for a beverage for the baby. Not sure.

TIW does not offer discounts at all the table service dining and at most of the counter service, just selected counter service and most table service. And there are holiday blackouts for TIW if you are there for holiday times.

My guess is that anywhere and more than TIW offers a discount is on the Disney Dining Plan. So you might have fewer options using TIW. Unless you will forgo TIW for some of your choices for dining and just pay the listed price.

TIW also adds an automatic 18% gratiuity to your table service dining.

I don't understand that at all. Why would I have less options with TIW? I actually prefer TIW because it gives us more freedom in what we order. We eat at V&A once and split entrees or order appetizers as entrees a lot though.

 

[mydisneykids]

I don't understand that at all. Why would I have less options with TIW? I actually prefer TIW because it gives us more freedom in what we order. We eat at V&A once and split entrees or order appetizers as entrees a lot though.

I agree. We have done the dining plan in the past but are planning on the TIW for our next few trips. After doing research the TIW has many more options than the dining plan.
A child can order an adult meal
You can order just appetizers for a meal
You can share meals
You can order alcohol
Do all of this and get 20% off your bill.
The very few sit downs that do not accept TIW usually have DVC or AP discounts.

 

[DisneyHolidayFan]

Can't believe all the negative comments about Illuminations - my #1 favorite thing to see at WDW! And, the one during the Christmas holidays is even more awesome. I just didn't care for the old Illuminations - funny how we all have different taste!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I don't understand that at all. Why would I have less options with TIW? I actually prefer TIW because it gives us more freedom in what we order. We eat at V&A once and split entrees or order appetizers as entrees a lot though.

When I said less options, I was referring to dining locations, not menu choices. There are fewer restaurants that take TIW than offer DDP selections. The majority of counter service locations do not take TIW.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I agree about Florida water. That is absolutely the nastiest smell/taste I have ever experienced.

 

[MoonFaerie]

When I said less options, I was referring to dining locations, not menu choices. There are fewer restaurants that take TIW than offer DDP selections. The majority of counter service locations do not take TIW.

Oh, ok. We pretty much quit eating QS when we compared receipts and saw that we spent the same amount at Sunshine Seasons as we did splitting app/entree/dessert at Le Cellier and the same as apps & dessert at Raglan.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I have to agree with the OP on this one. We've been planning our trip and have been having a hard time finding restaurants that offer a decent kid's menu. Most of them are pretty terrible, offering things like chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and PB&J. And if that`s what the kids are eating at lunch as well, why expect them to eat this at dinner? Even at the restaurants where you can get one more interesting kid's option, each just one. So basically they can choose it or chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and PB&J.

Are there families that actually eat this small variety at home? Our kids eat for dinner what we cook for the whole family and it would never be these things.

Anyway, we went with The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, Be Our Guest, 50s Prime Time Cafe, Tony's Town Square, San Angel Inn, and Tusker House. However, I don`t think you should have to choose a restaurant based on the options it offers on the kid`s menu. I think each restaurant should have a couple of options that are more sophisticated.

I will agree also, kids menus are limited. We stick with mostly buffets, so they can eat what they want. For CS, all I have to say is while on the dining plan, I am glad they do not enforce the kids having to order off the kids menu when there is one. I dont think our kids ordered off the kids menu EVER. If they want people to follow that they need a little more variety, because I would have ordered off the kids menus, if the choices were the same, in smaller portions. But there were times where there were just 2 things to choose from.

 

[leebee]

Of course Disney is all about the bottom line and can do what they want, but maybe looking at kid's (and senior's) meals in a different way would be more customer-friendly. I remember, in the old days, most ts restaurants would offer half-portions of regular menu offerings, for half-price plus $1. I think the ages were under 12 and over 65. They still had traditional kids-crud-meals (nuggets, hot dogs, burgers) but this gave the kids more options as well as the chance to try something new without it being a major financial commitment with too much food. Of course, that was back in the days before the dining plan was practically ubiquitous and Illuminations actually illuminated the nations!!


(btw, can I just add what marketing genius the free dining plan was? We NEVER would have tried the sit-downs without free dining, but we sure have some favorites now! We don't want to go back to just counter service now that free dining seems to be just a fond memory!)

 

[rastuso]

Orlando water has always been gross. Plus, it funks up the fountain drinks too. I prefer Pepsi, but I MUCH prefer normal Coke over sulfur Coke that you get at Disney.

And it really seems like something they COULD fix. We do not notice the probelm at Universal nearly as much. It's still there, but nowhere near as overpowering. We drink fountain drinks at Universal all the time, but usually get Mickey's revenge if we do so at WDW.

Our first stop every trip is Walmart for spring water. Freeze a few each night to take with us.

-R

 

[World Showcaser]

Just a quick check for the Magic Kingdom shows more than 17 different choices for kids at the table service places alone! That doesn't count any of the buffets or quick service places. I think that is a lot of different choices.

At MK alone you can find steak, grilled chicken breast, grilled fish, pasta with red sauce, turkey pot pie, beef tenderloin, chicken legs, bbq chicken and pineapple flatbread, mac & cheese, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, pb&j, ravioli, cheese pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, AND chicken nuggets. This doesn't even take into account buffets or counter service places.

I really do think you are missing the point. While all of those choices are available throughout the Magic Kingdom, my children can not choose from all of that when we sit down for at one restaurant for dinner. The choice is basically three or four junk food meals and one healthier/interesting option. So, if they don't want to eat junk food for dinner, they have one choice...sometimes two. Compare that to the menu filled with options for adults and it's very limited. Does this make sense?

 

[maxiesmom]

I really do think you are missing the point. While all of those choices are available throughout the Magic Kingdom, my children can not choose from all of that when we sit down for at one restaurant for dinner. The choice is basically three or four junk food meals and one healthier/interesting option. So, if they don't want to eat junk food for dinner, they have one choice...sometimes two. Compare that to the menu filled with options for adults and it's very limited. Does this make sense?

Yes that makes sense. But I don't know many restaurants in the real world that have kids menus as big as the adult ones. Most of the time they are only 2 or 3 choices. Not sure why people would expect WDW to be different.

It would be nice, but it isn't realistic. As Disney doesn't do just smaller portions of the adult food, they would then be adding items to the menu and to the kitchen for little gain. Most kids go where their parents take them. They don't make money off of the kids menu like they do the adults, so there is very little incentive for any restaurant to have a large kids menu.

 

[starjazz]

Yes that makes sense. But I don't know many restaurants in the real world that have kids menus as big as the adult ones. Most of the time they are only 2 or 3 choices. Not sure why people would expect WDW to be different.

It would be nice, but it isn't realistic. As Disney doesn't do just smaller portions of the adult food, they would then be adding items to the menu and to the kitchen for little gain. Most kids go where their parents take them. They don't make money off of the kids menu like they do the adults, so there is very little incentive for any restaurant to have a large kids menu.

Just cuz I was there a couple nights ago....Perkins has 11 offerings on their Kid's menu. I just thought it was funny since you mentioned this. Applebee's has 5. Buffalo Wild Wings has 8. Kay - done looking them up.

Anywho, its probably gotten way out of proportion now - so sorry if I started WWIII over the kids menus.

 

[World Showcaser]

Yes that makes sense. But I don't know many restaurants in the real world that have kids menus as big as the adult ones. Most of the time they are only 2 or 3 choices. Not sure why people would expect WDW to be different.

It would be nice, but it isn't realistic. As Disney doesn't do just smaller portions of the adult food, they would then be adding items to the menu and to the kitchen for little gain. Most kids go where their parents take them. They don't make money off of the kids menu like they do the adults, so there is very little incentive for any restaurant to have a large kids menu.

I can order my children anything in the restaurant at non-Disney restaurants so they have access to the kids menu plus the adults menu. This is not true of Disney restaurants when you're on the DDP. And they do encourage you to use the DDP.

Also, most restaurants in my neck of the woods offer many more choices than a typical Disney restaurant. McDonalds here has seven options for instance and that would be a pretty limited restaurant.

 

[jennylyn_b]

Op, its not that you started WWIII over kids menus. This is a very touchy subject here lol Either the menus are too fancy for kids or too junky.
I am glad you had a great trip!

Here's a tip for you for your next trip. We try to balance what our dd eats. For example, we have dinner adrs for each night and do cs for lunch. So if we know wherever we are going that night or dinner only has the less adventurous (I will put in nicely ) options then we try to have lunch at a cs where she can have something different. It takes a little researching before the trip but worth it. She doesn't have to eat the same meals for lunch and dinner!

 

[starjazz]

Op, its not that you started WWIII over kids menus. This is a very touchy subject here lol Either the menus are too fancy for kids or too junky.
I am glad you had a great trip!

Here's a tip for you for your next trip. We try to balance what our dd eats. For example, we have dinner adrs for each night and do cs for lunch. So if we know wherever we are going that night or dinner only has the less adventurous (I will put in nicely ) options then we try to have lunch at a cs where she can have something different. It takes a little researching before the trip but worth it. She doesn't have to eat the same meals for lunch and dinner!

Thanks! Yeah, after getting good at trip planning for this last one, maximizing use of crowd calendars, and TP's, and use of FPs, etc., its going to be my goal for the next one to expand my knowledge to the arena of food and dining. As you said, there's lots to learn!

 

[mm1971]

I have to say that after a week with 10 of us in two cabins including 3 under 5 yo, I am thoroughly impressed by Disney. The customer service we experienced was second to none. They really do make it feel magical and we had an AWESOME trip.

My only three complaints were as follows from least important to most significant:

1. We found it tough to find much for kids other than chicken nuggets, and generally the food options werent very good. Maybe we needed to look harder.

2. What happened to Illuminations? I remembered this being a great show with tons of cool laser light effects and dancing lights on each country's building, projections on water sprays, etc. It was mot worth waiting for 9:30 to see in my opinion.

3. Worst off all...whats with the horrible poo water coming out of the tap down there? Blech!

Caveat=minor complaints on an overall fantastic time 2/5-2/12.

1. They have the peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches that my kids like. Some places allow them to have salad and in MK they can get chicken sandwiches, but I agree that the selections are limited. We usually pay OOP and share an adult dinner between us.

2. We still enjoy Illuminations. I'm not sure what has changed, but it is still a must do for us. We are usually exploring the showcase or having a late dinner anyways so don't remember having to wait very long.

3. It's the sulfer that occurs naturally in the water there. You get used to it. We usually bring the filter water bottles and ask for ice at the CS restaurants. That way we always have fresh water available.