This was a mistake, right?

[jcemom]

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?

I don't think it's completely impossible to understand. I do think they could word it more clearly.

As for the drink being included... the menus do state choice of drink, or something like that. It makes it clear that the drink is included. They don't really mention anything about dessert, while the DDP literature clearly mentions a dessert. I can see how some people may read that as their child gets a meal, with a drink, PLUS a dessert.

Is it completely impossible to understand? Nope. Might it be confusing, easily misinterpreted, whatever? Yes, I can see how it might. I don't think it should have to be explained. It sure be more clear, more precise, in the first place so that it does not require an explanation. JMO, of course.

I do understand how it works and always have. It's never been the least bit confusing to me, but then I spend far too much time on sites like the DIS, LOL.

 

[tlbwriter]

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?

Because you aren't being required to substitute anything in order to get the promised drink.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Because you aren't being required to substitute anything in order to get the promised drink.

And you don't have to substitute anything to get a dessert. I think you're missing what the desserts actually are. You can substitute if you aren't happy with those options. Therefore, they are actually giving you more choices than they used to. I don't see how that's a bad thing.

I can see how it might be confusing at first. But after having it explained, I don't see how it doesn't make sense.

 

[Pumbaa_]

it is what it is. Disney can be inconsistant at times, CM are people and people do make mistakes.

Sorry the OP had issues but there is nothing we can say that will make it better Glad you had a good trip in spite of a couple snafus

 

[kaytieeldr]

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

Because children ages three through nine using the DDP must order from the childrens' menu at any location where such a menu is available. It's pretty explicit. I'm not sure how they could make it more so.

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.

No, they call that a child's MEAL. Carrot sticks = appetizer; chicken nuggets = entree; applesauce = dessert. Appetizer + entree + dessert = meal. Voila!

 

[tlbwriter]

I can see how it might be confusing at first. But after having it explained, I don't see how it doesn't make sense.

And I don't see how it does make sense (and neither do the people at Pizza Planet, apparently), so we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think Disney sprinkled pixie dust for you at Pizza Planet. Pixie dust is never a bad thing.

Sorry you had a rough time elsewhere, but they were just following their rules. I see where the rules per the brochure are really written more for the adults and can be confusing for the kids meals.

Per the brochure
Combo meal plus one (1) single-serving non-alcoholic beverage and one (1) dessert


The kids combo meals aren't real combos but complete meals. They include the entree, dessert and beverage.

Assuming that the kids meal is just a combo really entitles you to an extra dessert and beverage. It clearly states that you get a combo meal plus one beverage and one dessert.

At the very least, at least you know how it works for next time. It had to have been frustrating dealing with the cashier while your family waited for their meals.

 

[jcemom]

The kids combo meals aren't real combos but complete meals. They include the entree, dessert and beverage.

Assuming that the kids meal is just a combo really entitles you to an extra dessert and beverage. It clearly states that you get a combo meal plus one beverage and one dessert.

I think that's where the confusion comes in. Most people don't consider applesauce or carrots, apples or grapes, the items included with most kids meals, dessert. In I think every restaurant we've ever eaten at those would be considered side items. Disney is the only place we've eaten that considers applesauce dessert.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think that's where the confusion comes in. Most people don't consider applesauce or carrots, apples or grapes, the items included with most kids meals, dessert. In I think every restaurant we've ever eaten at those would be considered side items. Disney is the only place we've eaten that considers applesauce dessert.

Amen to that! Their healthy eating is confusing at best

 

[tlbwriter]

I think that's where the confusion comes in. Most people don't consider applesauce or carrots, apples or grapes, the items included with most kids meals, dessert. In I think every restaurant we've ever eaten at those would be considered side items. Disney is the only place we've eaten that considers applesauce dessert.

Maybe that's the problem. If I remember right, all of the above items were listed as "sides." "Desserts" (i.e., the cookie) were listed on a separate part of the menu, and the menu specified that they could be a substitute for a "side."

Anyway, no big deal.

 

[jcemom]

It's probably never bothered us because we're not big dessert people, and I only have one little one, DD6. My boys are teenagers. We just share desserts and usually end up throwing a lot away. We kind of get tired of all those prepackaged cakes/desserts they switched to. Sometimes we try to find CS places with something different -- like Pizza Planet with the big cookies or rice krispy treats.

If we're not using the DDP then DD almost never gets kids meals. She just shares with me. We might share one dessert but usually we don't get any. For dessert-eating families I can see how it would be an issue though. When the rest of the family gets a real dessert and the kids get applesauce. In that situation I'd just plan on ordering a dessert for them and paying OOP. Or just use your snack credits for dessert. You can get far better desserts that way than the ones they serve at the CS places anyway.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think that's where the confusion comes in. Most people don't consider applesauce or carrots, apples or grapes, the items included with most kids meals, dessert.

Applesauce is iffy - we had it as a side dish at home, but as a dessert in school. Nobody's claiming carrots are a dessert - those are an appetizer. But apples and grapes? Fruit? When did fruit STOP being considered dessert?

 

[jcemom]

Applesauce is iffy - we had it as a side dish at home, but as a dessert in school. Nobody's claiming carrots are a dessert - those are an appetizer. But apples and grapes? Fruit? When did fruit STOP being considered dessert?

A piece of fruit has never been considered a dessert in my house, or anywhere else I've eaten. It is part of breakfast or a snack, but not dessert. We don't eat dessert every day, maybe twice a week, here at home. But to us dessert is ice cream, cake, a cookie, pie, sherbet or sorbet, something like that. I can't see plopping an apple down on a plate and calling it dessert. I've never seen a restaurant with plain fruit on the dessert menu. Maybe a fruit salad, or fruit cobbler, but not grapes or an apple.

We never received fruit as a dessert in school either that I can recall. Neither have my children. Applesauce has been on the lunch tray, but I never considered it a dessert. Fruit has also been served, but again, I never considered it a dessert if it was just plain fruit.

I like fruit and wouldn't mind having it in place of dessert half the time, or more. There isn't any fruit listed under the dessert portion of Disney's menu though. It's only considered dessert when it's in a kids meal. So your 10 year old gets cake, and your 8 year old gets applesauce.

Just seems weird to me.

Yes, you can request fruit instead of cake, and sometimes I do, but that's not really mentioned anywhere that I recall. But when it's the kids meal you have to request the cookie instead of the fruit. Backwards. I'm pretty sure all the menus do state that you can substitute the cookie though, so at least it is mentioned, although in fine print.

 

[jcemom]

Decided to look it up... according to Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: des·sert
Pronunciation: \di-zert\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from desservir to clear the table, from des- de- + servir to serve, from Latin servire
Date: 1600

1: a usually sweet course or dish (as of pastry or ice cream) usually served at the end of a meal
2 British : a fresh fruit served after a sweet course

So, the British consider fruit a dessert, but it would be served after the sweets which I think most of us Americans would consider dessert.

Now I'm curious, does anyone else here consider a piece of fruit a dessert?

It would be healthier, that's for sure.

 

[delmar411]

If you ignore Disney's preferred healty sides and flat out substitute to what your child really wants the child's meal looks like this:

burger
fries
soda
cookie or pudding

Just like yours right? So sub out the fruit and veggies and make it look like the adult meal and there should be no issue with the sides/dessert portion clearly defined.

While I agree that how they currently display it isn't overly clear in regards to the meal plan, putting in the subs does make it pretty darn clear that your child is getting what they've been 'promised' by the meal plan.

My kids are happy to get the grapes or apples and even a yogurt at some of the CS places. They get enough sugar at home! LOL

 

[delmar411]

Now I'm curious, does anyone else here consider a piece of fruit a dessert?

yes and I was raised that way too.

 

[jcemom]

yes and I was raised that way too.

Interesting. So after dinner you put a plate of grapes on the table? Really?

My kids like fruit and don't mind getting it at Disney instead of cake. They actually prefer fruit over cake anyway. But I just seriously have never heard of serving it for dessert, or at least not calling it dessert.

When I was growing up my mom gave us cake, ice cream, pie, that kind of thing, sweets, for dessert. Not every day, of course, but then we didn't have 'dessert' every day. Just like I do now. We have what we consider 'dessert' once or twice a week. It would seem so strange to me to eat a meal and then have someone put a plate of apples, grapes, whatever, on the table and call it dessert. I didn't know anyone did that. Nobody I know does.

As for that sample meal, subbing all the unhealthy choices, I agree that it looks very similar to the adult meal. My issue wasn't really with what was available (well, I wish they had more options, but that's another topic, lol), but rather the way it's worded in the DDP literature and on the menus. I think they could make it less complicated.

My DD would never eat a meal like that anyway. She usually shares with me if we're not on the DDP and she's not limited to kids meals. But on the DDP she'd get pizza or nuggets, milk, and then either carrots and grapes or double grapes. We don't care for the prepackaged cookies they offer as dessert with the kids meals. We do like the other cookies, the ones you can get as a snack (Pizza Planet used to have them too as dessert, not sure if they still do). But we consider that a snack and get it not with a meal but at some other time.

 

[delmar411]

Interesting. So after dinner you put a plate of grapes on the table? Really?

No we don't do a classic dessert but my kids are allowed to get a piece of fruit after they eat their meal, whatever kind they want. Or yogurt. They like yogurt as a sweet something after a meal.

 

[jcemom]

No we don't do a classic dessert but my kids are allowed to get a piece of fruit after they eat their meal, whatever kind they want. Or yogurt. They like yogurt as a sweet something after a meal.

Oh, okay. Now I'm smacking myself on the forehead for being a doofus, LOL. Well, we do that too then, we just don't consider it dessert. Mostly my kids won't have it right away but later on, so I consider it a snack.

I seriously was envisioning a plate of apples on the table, everyone taking one and eating it while they chatted, sitting at the table. Forgive me, it's been a long week, LOL.

 

[delmar411]

Oh, okay. Now I'm smacking myself on the forehead for being a doofus, LOL. Well, we do that too then, we just don't consider it dessert. Mostly my kids won't have it right away but later on, so I consider it a snack.

I seriously was envisioning a plate of apples on the table, everyone taking one and eating it while they chatted, sitting at the table. Forgive me, it's been a long week, LOL.

Ah that would be my dream meal...the everyone sitting at the table part at least! My kids are 10,5,4, and almost 3 (in 2mths) and DH is almost never home for dinner....I don't even sit down for most meals, I hover and play waitress.