This was a mistake, right?

[tlbwriter]

The menu at Backlot Express said a kid's meal includes an entree and two sides. With the dining plan, kids get the entree (which includes the two sides), a drink, and a dessert, don't they? The oh-so-friendly (NOT) cashier wouldn't let DD get a dessert unless it was a substitute for one of the sides. So basically, she didn't get the dessert included in her plan because she had to give up part of her actual meal to get it. Am I right?

 

[TDC Nala]

I believe one of the sides on the kids' menu counts as dessert. They may not follow that in all places but I think it's the general rule.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

It is foolish, but they were right. The "dessert" on the meal is often apples with brown sugar or yogurt parfait. And I agree that it looks like a side dish, but many places consider it the dessert. (only 2 let us choose an additional dessert.) I ended up buying a few extra desserts because my 8yo would have been in tears if we told him his brothers got brownies and he got apples.

 

[catne]

On the dining plan, the kids have to order off the kids menu, and the combo meal is a drink, an entree and the two designated side dishes...they put the two sides - usually fruit & vegs -on the kids meals to make them more "healthy." The components of most kids meals do not have a dessert, so that's why they don't add a dessert. The dessert has been replaced with a healthy alternative (who wants healthy on a vacation, lol!) Most places will let you sub a dessert choice for one of the sides, which is what I see a lot of people do.

 

[skier_pete]

I think that is their normal policy...with the "2-sides" meal, you can either get the two-sides or substitute one of the sides for a dessert. Usually you can substitute for something junkier than apples or yogurt, but it depends a lot on the location. (For instance, most kids menus don't list "french fries" as an option, but you can usually substitute the carrot stick for french fries.) We usually make our DD get one "good" side and one "bad" side. This is OK, since she likes grapes and applesauce.

OK, I went OT there a bit, but the gist is, I think you got the standard meal, you didn't get gypped.

SkierPete

 

[tlbwriter]

Okay, I'm still confused. The menu says this:

All meals include choice of two side items: grapes, carrot sticks, or applesauce

That means that a kid's meal - the standard meal, without dessert - should come with two sides, right? Because if you're not getting a dessert at all, you'd get two sides.

And then it says:

Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Pudding, French Fries and Soft Drinks substituted upon request

But I didn't want to substitute one of these items. I wanted to get the dessert that's included on my meal plan. As an adult ordering off the adult menu, I didn't have to substitute one of my sides in order to get a dessert. So why do the kids have to do that? Not a big deal, I know, I'm just trying to figure out how this is supposed to work. If there were no sides available, or no substitutions available, how would the dessert option work?

 

[TDC Nala]

Those ARE the desserts covered by the meal plan on children's menus. If you want one, you need to order it as a substitute for one of the sides.

Kids have to do it for two reasons:

1) The basic kids' dining plan (basic is by far the most popular plan) costs only $10 a night.
2) Disney is trying to market its kids meals as "healthy."

They will not give you the obvious dessert options for children. They want you to have to put out the extra effort to ask for them. They want you to walk away from there with apples or carrots or yogurt. Awhile back, they didn't even have the option to substitute a cookie or pudding, but a few standard dessert options were reinstated apparently due to complaints.

Most of the CS kids' meals are set up this way. In instances where the CS restaurant has no separate children's menu, they can order off the regular menu - there are not many places like that, though.

 

[delmar411]

The CM was correct and yes it is a pain esp when the child is older than say 5 or 6 and knows the difference between dessert and a side item.

If you stick to no kids menu CS location the kids can order a straight adult meal complete with a real dessert w/o any issues. (Casey's Corner is a good example)

 

[tlbwriter]

Okay. I'm not arguing with anyone - I believe you're right about how WDW enforces this policy - but I just really don't understand it.

Here's a kid's meal. It's chicken nuggets, applesauce, and carrot sticks. That's what comes in a meal.

Here's my meal plan. It says I get a kid's meal, a drink, and a dessert.

But that's not what they give me. I get the kid's meal, but I have to give part of it back in order to get the dessert. Why? Why do I not get the *entire* kid's meal plus the dessert?

I guess I'm really confused because that was the only restaurant that enforced it this way. Everyone else, such as Pizza Planet, gave us the entire kid's meal - entree and sides - plus the dessert. Which is the way the dining plan is written, IMHO.

 

[TDC Nala]

In Disney speak - at least the new "improved" Walt Disney World - applesauce is a kids' dessert.

 

[tlbwriter]

If you stick to no kids menu CS location the kids can order a straight adult meal complete with a real dessert w/o any issues. (Casey's Corner is a good example)

That's a great tip. Unfortunately, DD is 9.5 and will be an "adult" the next time we go!

 

[sandym718]

When we went in 2007, the CS locations were inconsistent with this. Some (the first few we went to) gave us a drink, main item (chicken nuggets, etc.), 2 sides - often applesauce and grapes AND a dessert. Worked out great for us b/c our kids (2 and 4 then) were sharing the meal, so they each had a side. A couple locations - place at Blizzard Beach (not sure of the name) and Flame Tree - gave 2 sides only. No dessert - no problem, they shared with us. The weirdest place was Cosmic Ray's. Went the 1st day and our last day - 1st day gave us all + dessert. Last day was 2 sides or 1 side plus dessert (for same meal - chicken nuggets). Was not a big deal to us at all, but it was interesting. They'll both have their own DDP when we return in May, and still eat very little, so either way we'll have plenty of food (that DH will scarf down, LOL).

 

[Pumbaa_]

the kids meals come with a combo and a dessert and a drink

but the pp are correct, one of the 'sides' is actually a healthy dessert. Combo meals generally do not have 2 sides (think burger/fry combo)

you can substitute soft drink for beverage, fries for side and a dessert for side. But it is a substitute not an addition

it is confusing since the meals come all cute with the ears filled

 

[tlbwriter]

the kids meals come with a combo and a dessert and a drink

but the pp are correct, one of the 'sides' is actually a healthy dessert. Combo meals generally do not have 2 sides (think burger/fry combo)

you can substitute soft drink for beverage, fries for side and a dessert for side. But it is a substitute not an addition

I wonder why it's not a substitute on an adult meal. Or why they don't make this difference more explicit.

it is confusing since the meals come all cute with the ears filled

Do they still have the cute Mickey plates? I didn't see a single one on this trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

Some TS restaurants use the Mickey plates.

It's not a substitute on an adult meal because children's menus are set up differently from adult menus. Granted, if it's confusing they should make it explicit.

I believe they are using the term "substitute" because when they first revamped the children's menus, they didn't even have the option to get a cookie or pudding or anything sugary. The "dessert" options at CS for children were generally unsweetened applesauce and sugar-free gelatin - and at TS they were cooked apples with cinnamon or fresh fruit. That was it. Due to complaints from guests, they had to throw back in some sweets, but they did it grudgingly, and they aren't going to make those easy to get on the kids' menus. The "healthy" stuff is the default. If you want sweets for the kids, not only will the choice be limited, you have to ask for them, and you have to know to ask for them.

WDW's actually getting praise for this approach from the Surgeon General and probably from other health-related organizations.

It's still pretty easy to get unhealthy snacks, though.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Okay. I'm not arguing with anyone - I believe you're right about how WDW enforces this policy - but I just really don't understand it.

Here's a kid's meal. It's chicken nuggets, applesauce, and carrot sticks. That's what comes in a meal.

Here's my meal plan. It says I get a kid's meal, a drink, and a dessert.

But that's not what they give me. I get the kid's meal, but I have to give part of it back in order to get the dessert. Why? Why do I not get the *entire* kid's meal plus the dessert?

I guess I'm really confused because that was the only restaurant that enforced it this way. Everyone else, such as Pizza Planet, gave us the entire kid's meal - entree and sides - plus the dessert. Which is the way the dining plan is written, IMHO.

I'm not sure what you are finding so confusing. On the meal plan, each person gets a main, a drink and dessert. So, at the Back Lot Express, these are the choices for your child:

1. Main

Chicken Nuggets or Sloppy Joe
plus grapes, carrot sticks, applesauce, or french fries

2. Drink

1% milk, chocolate milk, small bottled water, apple juice box, or a soft drink

3. Dessert

grapes, carrot sticks, applesauce, french fries, chocolate chip cookie, or chocolate pudding

Does that help you to understand?

 

[tlbwriter]

I'm not sure what you are finding so confusing. On the meal plan, each person gets a main, a drink and dessert. So, at the Back Lot Express, these are the choices for your child:

1. Main

Chicken Nuggets or Sloppy Joe
plus grapes, carrot sticks, applesauce, or french fries

2. Drink

1% milk, chocolate milk, small bottled water, apple juice box, or a soft drink

3. Dessert

grapes, carrot sticks, applesauce, french fries, chocolate chip cookie, or chocolate pudding

Does that help you to understand?

My issue is that the entree should be the entree as listed on the menu. WDW calls a chicken nuggets with applesauce and carrot sticks an entree. They call a chocolate chip cookie dessert. If you were paying cash and ordered an entree and a dessert, you'd get chicken nuggets, applesauce, carrot sticks, and a cookie. If you didn't want to pay extra for dessert, you have the option of substituting one of the sides instead. But when you're on the dining plan, they take away that option and say you must substitute one of the sides. I don't think that's right. I think your pre-paid entree should be exactly the same as the cash entree, and your pre-paid dessert should be exactly the same as the cash dessert.

And to make it even more confusing, they don't all follow this "rule." Pizza Planet provided the side and dessert.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

My issue is that the entree should be the entree as listed on the menu. WDW calls a chicken nuggets with applesauce and carrot sticks an entree.

Can I ask where you see this? Every menu that I have consulted calls what you describes, along with a drink, a "kid's meal." That is, an entire meal.

 

[jcemom]

I think Disney's wording is confusing. I know how the plan works, but their DDP information does state that you'll receive "entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage" or "combo meal, plus one dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage."

A child's chicken nuggets meal with carrots and grapes is a combo meal. According to Disney literature they should receive that plus one dessert. It doesn't say you have the option to substitute a side item for a dessert. It says you receive a combo meal plus a dessert. They should either change the wording or change the kids meals.

If the kids meal was chicken nuggets, carrots and a cookie, for example, then it wouldn't be so confusing. You could have the option of substituting grapes for the dessert. I know why they don't do it that way, they want healthy meals. But then the wording on the DDP literature should probably read that children receive a kids meal and beverage, with the option of substituting a dessert for one of the sides.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It may be confusing but I don't think it's completely impossible to understand. I mean, obviously a kid's meal is a complete meal. They list the drink in it and everything. Nobody's arguing that the drink is part of the entree because of the way it's worded. No one's saying that you should get the meal as stated w/drink, sides, etc. plus another drink. So why the argument about the extra dessert?