ordering off kids menu for children on DDP

[pinkerbell]

My DD's (one in particular) gets tired of the kid's menu in about 3 days.. they both end up eating off our entree's for the remaining 2 weeks of our vacation. Let's face it, the choices are horrible for people whose chldren eat real food. Maybe for a few days they can deal, but for over two weeks....

I have heard it is possible to order from the adult menu but the kids recieve a smaller portion, not sure just how that would work in most cases since you cant "reduce" the size of many items (except for at the time of purchase from the supplier EX. certian weight meat/chicken/etc), but can anyone confirm or provide info on how to make the mealtime more exciting for your young ones.

Let me also say the kids are 5 and 7, to upgrade both to an adult meal would be very wasteful as they cannot eat large protions on their own. So far DH and I have been sharing our meals, such a waste still when many of the kids meals are taken away barely eaten. Odd that no-one even asks why?

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Never heard of smaller portions of adult entrees being available for kids.

I'm not sure DDP is for you. If you are going to be there for two weeks, it might be a better value to purchase a Table in Wonderland Card (assuming you have annual passes, which I am doing based on the length of your stay).

 

[mountdew1]

Maybe they order something you will eat and then you eat the kids meal? But as the PP said, I don't think the dining plan is really for you guys. If one of you has the AP, definitely get TiW. You may very well end up coming out ahead. Since you end up paying for the dining plan anyways, just pay out of pocket and get what you want instead of what they want you to eat.

 

[pinkerbell]

Appreciate the suggestion, but TIW is not for us, yes we have an AP but this trip is during FD - and We (DH & I) don't care for the kids menu any more than they do
We can and do share our meals with them, but if we have other options, I might as well know about them

 

[EvilQueenT]

we have the same issue. my granddaughter (turning 7 soon) has always had a more adult and healthier appetite. when she goes we like narcoossee's, fultons, mamma melrose, yachtsman's and the buffets mainly because she can choose what she wants not just the typical kids choices. we also often will do counter service where we can get a big sandwich or salad and we share. we like the bakeries in epcot (norway does a soup and sandwich) and again we share.

 

[marciemi]

I also have never heard of smaller adult options (other than at places like Le Cellier which offer a kids' steak or similar) but have heard the opposite - that kids who are 10 and up who'd prefer the kids' meals are sometimes offered the option of getting a slightly larger portion of the kids' option if they don't like any of the choices on the adult menu.

I agree with the people who suggested doing buffets or all you can eat meals. It doesn't get a whole lot easier as they get older. I went with my 16 year old son last summer, and eating at a place like Le Cellier, with a cute little filet Mignon and a small glob of risotto isn't going to come close to filling him up! We ended up doing several buffets and places like Garden Grill so he could eat as much as he wanted without paying extra.

The other option is to look through the menus carefully on All Ears and see what places do offer more than the standard mac & cheese/chicken nuggets. When they were younger, my kids loved the teriyaki chicken kids meal at Yakitori House, and I know places like Coral Reef at least offer a fish choice, which might be somewhat of a change!

Good luck!

 

[Tricia1972]

They do not make smaller portions from the adult menu.

You could upgrade them to adults and then have them share their meals so they don't waste. Use the extra credits to do a few signatures. Otherwise your other option is to study the menus and pick places that are the 'lesser of the evil' and go with them.

The reason that others said that perhaps the DDP isn't for you is because it is what it is. There aren't a lot of exceptions.

There is a sticky at the top of this board that lists the Children's menus for CS locations in the park that may help you in finding places to better suit your children's taste.

Good luck! I hope you find meals that suit your family and you have a wonderful vacation

 

[shera]

What about just upgrading the oldest to an "adult"then they could share the adult meals?

 

[pinkerbell]

Ahh a previous poster pointed someting out that is different for us this year, we are doing less buffetts, this is y I am seeingmore of an issue with the kids meals Thanks for pointing that out! That said, we will plan our TS, buffets and CS meals so that they are broken up evenly through our stay. with those locations that have good options for them.

as another PP mentioned, I can now look forward to them eating us out of house and home!! And cleaning their plates on the DDP whether they like it or not!

thanks for the input, suggestions and ideas

 

[marciemi]

as another PP mentioned, I can now look forward to them eating us out of house and home!! And cleaning their plates on the DDP whether they like it or not!

Well, at least they're girls - has to be better than having the 3 teen boys I do now! And on the bright side, your car insurance rates won't go up astronomically as well!!

 

[pinkerbell]

Well, at least they're girls - has to be better than having the 3 teen boys I do now! And on the bright side, your car insurance rates won't go up astronomically as well!!

thanks, for that bit of info, when my DH gets frustrated with living w/ three girls I will give him that info !!!!

 

[Disney_1derland]

We have actually had quite the opposite experience that everyone here has described. We have a vegetarian child and we have that noted on the reservation. while there are some presumably 'vegetarian' choices on the kids menu many are actually not (like the mac and cheese which we were told has a chicken bouillon used in the making of it) Someone has always come out to ask us what she would like and she has eaten some 'modified' adult meals as a result. We have never had an issue having her accommodated in the course of 5 trips.

 

[NMW]

You have a couple options. They will not give a smaller portion of an adult meal. However, most signature restaurants have kids entrees like filet, grilled chicken, grilled fish. You could do the deluxe plan to eat mostly at signatures. You could eat at buffet restaurants. You could upgrade one child to the adult plan and have them split an entree.

 

[Faldred]

As for ordering off the adult menu (but a kid-sized portion), it never hurts to ask. Just don't count on the answer being yes. You'll probably have more luck at 3rd party restaurants than at Disney-operated, but that's just a guess on my part.

We were able to do this at Rose & Crown after I commented to the waiter that it was a shame that fish & chips weren't on the kids' menu. He told us it was no problem and brought out a kid-sized portion. The manager came over later and said that some places will do this if you ask, but that due to the "healthy eating" initiative, the restaurants are limited by Disney as to what they can put on the actual kids' menu.

Edit to add: this, of course, only applies to TS.

 

[blessedby3]

I would upgrade one of the kids and then have them share the adult meal.