Our son will not eat at the Biergarten will they still charge him?

[fairytalelover]

I have any extremely picky eater myself and he would rather do without than eat something he doesn't like. We occasionally visit restaurants where he doesn't eat because he has 3 other siblings who are very adventurous eater. If it's off the menu, we feed him before hand and he orders a drink. I have never found a buffet that didn't have something he would eat. Crackers, roll, fruit, dessert. Do I enjoy paying $20 for crackers or ice cream? No but we do it because the rest of our family enjoys the restaurant. Is the best choice for dinner? No but it is one meal. If he is still hungry we feed him afterwards.

Yup sounds like what we will do and just cross our fingers. My DH and love german food and don't get a lot of opportunities to have it so we will just have to take a chance.

 

[fairytalelover]

It's up to you to decide if you're going to allow your picky 3rd grader dictate where you eat.

It's not about him dictating, it's about trying not to waste money.

 

[brittanyyyrocks]

I think he'll find something to try. I married into an entire family of picky eaters and the biergarten is one of the few places that everyone enjoys.

 

[fairytalelover]

I think he'll find something to try. I married into an entire family of picky eaters and the biergarten is one of the few places that everyone enjoys.

Well that's good to hear

 

[FutureDis]

My son, who is 7, is not always adventurous, nor in to "new things", HOWEVER, I have found that when I let him pick what he wants to try, he's surprised me! He's picked many things I never would have thought he'd like. When we went on our last cruise, we made a game of trying 1 new thing each day. His choices surprised me, and he found many new things he liked (and a few he didn't. )

I guess what I'm saying is, make it a game, try something new every day (everyone!). Even if it is just a single bite. Everyone say what they liked or didn't like about that item. Perhaps by the time you get to Germany, he'll be interested in trying something new!

 

[robinb]

My son was never shown the menu nor does he have a clue about Biergarten and the reason why he is picky is not the issue here nor did I come here to get parenting advice. My DH lost his uber pickyness when he was in the Air Force and was stationed overseas. My son has been pciky since he was very little. But I am the complete opposite so he picked up a little of both of us which is why he eats all kinds of exotic middle eastern food like persian yogurt drinks, stews kabobs etc.... but he is still picky about the specific things he likes and is reluctant to try something new. He is like many kids I have met who like what they like and making them try something new is hard. They tend to grow out of it so it's not really an issue. But right now, I'm just trying to plan our trip and our dining ......it's as simple as that. Not really trying to have my kid analyzed

I apologize. It sounded to me like you did show him the menu in your OP and I misunderstood. It's great that he does not have a preconceived notion of the food because that means you can just bring him into the restaurant in a matter of fact manner and help him select a few items. The same as any other buffet you go to.

I think you're worrying too much about this. As I said upthread, I know "picky". My DD has been a vegetarian since she was a baby and we are carnivores. I was initially annoyed to spend $$ at Boma for her to eat fruit, flat bread and mac n cheese but I got over it. We enjoyed Boma and she found something to eat. It was all good. Even if your son does nothing other than filling up on strudel, he's on vacation and YOLO. It's all good.

All Ears is a good resource for menus and pricing: http://allears.net/dining/

 

[NYDisGuy]

So it's just a set price per child and adult and then it's an all you can eat buffet? How much do they charge adults at dinner?

It's a set price, all you can eat buffet. Dinner for Adults is about 37 a person including soft drinks.

 

[Mommaof3]

I realize the pain of paying for a child that is not going to eat enough to get the value for your money. I was a picky child and of my 3 children, I had one that would eat all, 1 sorta picky, and 1 very picky. I will say that 1 thing I like about buffets is the chance to try. I never forced my children to eat anything (I was forced), but I really talked up just trying things. I love buffets for that opportunity. Try it, eat more of what you liked and ignore what you don't. Think of it as exposing them to a different culture with the chance to sample new things. It makes the sting of paying a little easier! Have fun on your trip. Melissa

 

[20yBWDW]

I realize the pain of paying for a child that is not going to eat enough to get the value for your money. I was a picky child and of my 3 children, I had one that would eat all, 1 sorta picky, and 1 very picky. I will say that 1 thing I like about buffets is the chance to try. I never forced my children to eat anything (I was forced), but I really talked up just trying things. I love buffets for that opportunity. Try it, eat more of what you liked and ignore what you don't. Think of it as exposing them to a different culture with the chance to sample new things. It makes the sting of paying a little easier! Have fun on your trip. Melissa

I know OP is not looking for parenting advice, so this is kind of OT, but I'm throwing in my two cents. I was a picky child, and did not get over the pickiness until it got to the point that I was frequently watching other people eat foods I had never tried and enjoying them, but without any pressure for me to eat them. So with my own picky eaters--I will not make restaurant or meal choices to accommodate their pickiness, but I will also not force them to eat. I would not see it as a waste of money to take a child to Biergarten and have them not eat. I would see it as an investment increasing the likelihood that they eventually try some of the food. If not at that visit, maybe after the third or fourth time they see someone else really enjoy German food.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

OP, I have one of the worlds pickiest eaters. Even at 15 years old, his diet is extremely limited by his pickiness. The last time we ate at Biergarten he was 12, it was mid summer and dinner. Needless to say I spent about $45 for him to eat pretzel rolls and drink soda....that's literally all he had. My DH was so angry with me for what he spent for the kid not to eat, but my older son chose it as his graduation celebration meal, and I refuse to be limited by my son's refusal to try new things.
Now that he's 15, we send him out for a few hours of solo riding, and let him have dinner on his own and charge it back to the room, whenever we want to eat at a buffet or fixed price meal.
Our yearly food and wine fest trip was torture on him before we started letting him go solo or with his cousins.
The kid wants to be an imagineer when he grows up, and wants to dine with an imagineer next trip. We are still negotiating, I won't pay if he won't eat, so he has to decide which is stronger- the desire to live on chicken and fries alone or the desire to pick an imagineers brain.

 

[TravelMommy]

I do not like Biergarten at all, in fact I hated it. Show is cute, seating was fine for us. I did not like the food at all. Mediocre buffet food. Our local German restaurant is light years ahead of them. My DH felt the same, DGM and DGP hated it too. Kiddos really liked it, ha, ha, ha!!! We have a lot of food allergies and the were good with that, as is Disney on a whole. But I have to laugh everytime I see a reference to Biergarten, we stayed away for many trips due to mixed reviews. I am sorry I ever went. Kiddos will remember their one time there fondly. lol!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I agree the food is low end buffet food but WOW that was a fun night. The young German girl serving us challenged us to that HUGE beer they have so of course we couldn't let her down. That beer put...me...down.

The show was fun. The people we sat with were awesome. That beer was heavy. The strudel was AYCE.

 

[sharonabe]

So it's just a set price per child and adult and then it's an all you can eat buffet? How much do they charge adults at dinner?

Dinner price for adults is $40.46. The prices I've quoted include tax, but not tip.

And yes, it's a set price and then all you can eat.

 

[Iowajes]

It's not about him dictating, it's about trying not to waste money.

Since it would cost more to drop him off at childcare, just try not to think about it as a waste. The money is being spent so YOU can enjoy a part of the vacation you have been looking forward to.

There will be many other parts of the vacation he will enjoy.

And maybe he'll find something he's willing to eat, so the meal is taken care of too.

 

[fairytalelover]

Is it a huge difference in the price for lunch vs dinner? And is there a difference in the food they serve at lunch or dinner? Just wondering if we go at lunch and spend less than we won't care as much if he doesn't eat much.

 

[sharonabe]

Is it a huge difference in the price for lunch vs dinner? And is there a difference in the food they serve at lunch or dinner? Just wondering if we go at lunch and spend less than we won't care as much if he doesn't eat much.

Kid's price difference is about $5, but the adult price difference is closer to $15. There are a few more meats at dinner. Check the link below to see what is offered at both:

http://allears.net/dining/menu

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

Most of the buffet and character meals WERE a waste of money with my boys when they were younger - they loved the band and dancing at Biergarten and the characters at other meals and were not interested in eating. The food was not as important as the experience they had. Now they love the food and don't want character meals or Biergarten - we ate at Restaurant Marrakesh and the twins would not even look at the belly dancer - they were scared she would pull them up to dance with her since our table was right next to the floor. LOL

 

[Patriotic_Duck]

The kid wants to be an imagineer when he grows up, and wants to dine with an imagineer next trip. We are still negotiating, I won't pay if he won't eat, so he has to decide which is stronger- the desire to live on chicken and fries alone or the desire to pick an imagineers brain.

I think we have the same 15 year old son!

 

[purple figment]

Is it a huge difference in the price for lunch vs dinner? And is there a difference in the food they serve at lunch or dinner? Just wondering if we go at lunch and spend less than we won't care as much if he doesn't eat much.

This is a thread that includes the prices for buffets, family style restaurants and fixed price meals. Lunch at Biergarten is less because there are fewer meat dishes, but many buffets in DW include entertainment (e.g. Biergarten) or the opportunity to meet characters so even though your son may not want to eat anything the entertainment or characters are included in the price of the meal.

Prices:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3108466

At buffet restaurants in our local area, everyone seated at the table above a certain age is charged. The staff cannot keep track of who is or isn't eating so the assumption is if you are at the table you will eat - you might not or it could be a few bites or multiple plates. The staff won't know for certain. The same at DW.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I'm of the mind set that we present and encourage new foods and when they are ready they will try them. Buffets and WDW are great places to do that but also a place we refused to stress over food! That said, I bet he will eat better than you think he will. They have roasted pork most of the time, so that is very much like ribs....potato is pretty much potato everywhere and he might accept some roasted chicken cut into pieces, sort of like nuggets. Also keep in mind that this is AMERICAN German food. The flavors are much less distinct than you will find in Germany. Bottom like is, you will blow 20.00 on your child many times in his life. You and DH want to eat there. Just go, present it in a positive way, and let him eat what he will, but don't stress over it. If he is hungry later...feed him and go on with life. Really....in the big picture...it just is not a huge deal.