Saving on child meals

[Kurby]

I know we probably wont save any money on the breakfasts since most of our plans are for buffet character breakfasts but i'm wondering about lunch/dinner.

are the adult meals large enough to share between an adult and a 4 year old?

I'm trying to remember the portion sizes and seem to recall that most restaurants have very large portions

we've already decided to combine lunch and dinner with a very late lunch early dinner and just have a snack/fruit around 1pm which is going to save us a bundle but since dd doesn't eat much it seems like a good plan to save almost $200 for the 17 days we'll be there.

what do you guys think? portions enough for 1 and a half?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If paying out-of-pocket, sharing is fine.
2) In most cases, there will ample food for the adult to share.

 

[Freyja]

In my opinion, yes! I shared most meals with my then 5 year old last year and intend to do it again this year. DH will be sharing a lot with our 3 year old.
Our 12 and 14 year olds also often share meals

 

[eliza61]

I'm the opposite. I have 2 boys and I'm always looking out for these huge portions that 2 people are supposed to be able to share. With a 4 year old you may be able to do it. Is he a light eater at home. At dinner my kids had big appetites (probably from running around all day).
I tried the "buying an extra bun" and splitting a burger deal. What usually happens is in 1 hour both parties are hungry again, so we end up buying snacks.

 

[septbaby]

I think you'd be far better off sharing CS breakfasts and making those character meals a late lunch or even dinner.

The CS breakfast platters, featuring eggs, meats, potatoes and biscuit are huge and the same basic food options available at the buffets. Honestly, one could definitely be shared with you and two kids. Our 5yo and I couldn't finish one and we love that kind of food, we didn't even get the meats on our platter.

Breakfast is really cheap meal and you will get much better variety with the character lunches or dinners for just a little bit more money.

 

[lunapnp]

I think you'd be far better off sharing CS breakfasts and making those character meals a late lunch or even dinner.

The CS breakfast platters, featuring eggs, meats, potatoes and biscuit are huge and the same basic food options available at the buffets. Honestly, one could definitely be shared with you and two kids. Our 5yo and I couldn't finish one and we love that kind of food, we didn't even get the meats on our platter.

Breakfast is really cheap meal and you will get much better variety with the character lunches or dinners for just a little bit more money.

I don't think it's just "a little bit more money" for breakfast vs. dinner. But, that's my opinion. I think it's roughly $10/adult difference from breakfast to dinner. When we have done character breakfasts, we usually eat "well" and then do not even eat lunch...we'll just snack and then eat an early dinner. So, it's just a matter of how much you would rather pay and which meal you want to do. My biggest issue with paying the extra $10/person for dinner is that most of the buffet meals are less than optimal in my opinion. I don't want to spend an extra $30-40/meal for food that is usually not as good as CS!

But, to the OP question...I think sharing would be very manageable in your situation. I actually plan on sharing with either DD 8 or DD 12 or our next trip. Saving the extra $$$ will be nice...but the bigger issue with me is wasting all that food! DD8 usually fills up on salad and bread before the meal even arrives, so we're good with sharing. I'm not that big of an eater...so realistically, we could order two entrees and feed our family of 4.

 

[Kurby]

well i suggested breakfast and early dinner because it gives us a minimum of 6 hours in between the two meals.

if we had a counter service breakfast split and then paid for lunch and dinner that's still too much food.

cutting out lunch per say seemed like a good option. plus our charactor breakfasts are before the parks open so while others are having their lunch we'll be enjoying the park

 

[Dizneydaz]

My DD (now 9) and I have shared many meals at WDW and have had plenty. Personally we save money (even when on DDP) by eating breakfast in our room. Cereal, toast, pop tarts, fruit, etc. Especially since we aren't big breakfast eaters anyway. You might check out the latest breakfast times at the character meals and book that and consider it an early lunch/late breakfast.

On our last day (9-11-08) we had breakfast at 'Ohana at 11:50 a.m. and we were full for hours after. We considered it lunch and an added benefit was that the restaurant wasn't too busy. If characters are important, I would book it a little earlier, say 11:30. This year, as opposed to last year, once the characters came around once, they left. Last year they kept coming around until the last guest left. We saw them 3-4 each. This year, just once, and Lilo went by very quickly.

So, check out the latest seatings, you'll pay the breakfast price, but get lunch. (at 'Ohana, breakfast 18.99A/10.99K v.s. 26.99A/12.99K for dinner.

 

[septbaby]

well i suggested breakfast and early dinner because it gives us a minimum of 6 hours in between the two meals.

if we had a counter service breakfast split and then paid for lunch and dinner that's still too much food.

cutting out lunch per say seemed like a good option. plus our charactor breakfasts are before the parks open so while others are having their lunch we'll be enjoying the park

CS Breakfast Meal: $8.29 Platter, The Bounty Platter has two kinds of meats, eggs, potatoes, biscuit, french toast (shared this platter with a 5yo breakfast lover w/o the meats, we couldn't finish)
Lunch at Crystal Palace: $20.99 Adult $11.99 Child (open 'til 3pm)
Daily Total: $62, plus CS beverages

CS Lunches: $13 platter at Cosmic Ray's, $4 kids meals
CS Dinners: $9 Chicken meal, $4 kids meal
Breakfast at Crystal Palace: $18.99 Adult, $10.99 Child
Daily Total: $79, Plus CS beverages

It will cost your family $5 more to have lunch vs breakfast at CP. That is what I meant by not that much more money. I think the lunch meal is more diverse and better placed to last well into the night.

Crystal Palace, Hollywood & Vine, Norway Princess Meal and CRT($$$) all have a lunch option. Whispering Canyon's AYCE skillet is $15.99 per adult at lunch vs $10.99 at breakfast.

Also since it is just one child I focused on having you and DH share a meal and getting her the $4 kids choice. That is less expensive than buying a second Adult meal. You might not want to share everytime over 17 days, but you see the savings when it works for you.

I don't think you have to have the same meal schedule each day, mixing up the two can be great. Also consider Trails End Buffet as a more budget friendly dinner option, though not as cheap as sharing an entree.

I'd also suggest a couple of the refillable mugs and an empty bottle for the fridge. Use the mug to get milk to store in the room fridge for DD. In 17 days you should easily get your money's worth.