Warning: New Menus for Kids at Some TS Restaurants

[BlindTyldak]

For those of you going soon I would suggest buying adult meals for the kids if you can't get good selection. I realize I will get flamed for this but I ended up sharing my steak at Tony's with the kids. Luckily I wasn't real hungry so it wasn't a big deal. The credits aren't separated between adults and kids so just tell them you are ordering two meals for yourself. Yes, I realize this is unethical but when you have to make ADRs 180 days ahead of time and you plan based on meal variety for your kids you have to do something to get them to eat.

Flame away.

No flames here. You're completely correct, if people purchase something that far out and have their reservations already made and it's too late to make many changes, I see a lot more people doing this and may even do it myself where I would not have in the past. If I could change my ADR's this late, it would be one thing. If it was just a couple of the restaurants, it would be another. But I'm looking at 7 days of my DD either eating the same meals or wasting the meals I already purchased because now I'd have to pay for them AGAIN to get her something different.

I know they wouldn't do this limited menu for adults across the board and expect people to accept it, I wonder why they think it is acceptable for children?

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Subscribing...this sounds aweful...I don't even know what to say...

 

[MAGICX2]

For those of you going soon I would suggest buying adult meals for the kids if you can't get good selection. I realize I will get flamed for this but I ended up sharing my steak at Tony's with the kids. Luckily I wasn't real hungry so it wasn't a big deal. The credits aren't separated between adults and kids so just tell them you are ordering two meals for yourself. Yes, I realize this is unethical but when you have to make ADRs 180 days ahead of time and you plan based on meal variety for your kids you have to do something to get them to eat.

Flame away.

I don't think this is accurate. When you order adult TS meals you are deducted an ADULT TS credit, and a child meal is deducted a CHILDS TS credit. You are correct in that the credits are all lumped together, BUT by category.
If you have two adults and one child for four days, then you have 16 ADULT meal credits and 8 snack credits and you have 8 CHILD credits and 4 snack credits. It is not broken down per person, but it is broken down by adult/child.

 

[lkjasd]

I don't think this is accurate. When you order adult TS meals you are deducted an ADULT TS credit, and a child meal is deducted a CHILDS TS credit. You are correct in that the credits are all lumped together, BUT by category.
If you have two adults and one child for four days, then you have 16 ADULT meal credits and 8 snack credits and you have 8 CHILD credits and 4 snack credits. It is not broken down per person, but it is broken down by adult/child.

No, at least when we were there last week, they were just credits. All lumped together. We did not share them for TS but others on these boards have. We did order more adult CS due to Peanut Butter and Jelly being the only choice some places and my kids not liking Grape Jelly. So I can say from personal experience, even though I had 2 adults and 3 children, I ordered 4 adult meals and 1 child. The cashier specifically said that was fine because "a credit is a credit".

 

[BlindTyldak]

I don't think this is accurate. When you order adult TS meals you are deducted an ADULT TS credit, and a child meal is deducted a CHILDS TS credit. You are correct in that the credits are all lumped together, BUT by category.
If you have two adults and one child for four days, then you have 16 ADULT meal credits and 8 snack credits and you have 8 CHILD credits and 4 snack credits. It is not broken down per person, but it is broken down by adult/child.

That is what is eventually intended, but isn't happening YET. I asked dining about it 4 days ago myself when I called to add another ADR and they confirmed that for the time being a credit is still a credit but changes were in the works; wanted to see if there was anything new to report here. That could change tomorrow, for all we know of course.

 

[kimbac3]

Hopefully somebody will be posting updated kids menus soon. I have to go through my dining choices now and try to figure things out
Kimba

 

[sgmom]

After reading the posts about the kids' meals changing, I decided to research the restaurants we have ADR's for. I was shocked when I read the menu for Crystal Palace - Character Buffet with Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet. It does state menu items changed with a date of September 2006.

On the breakfast buffet, specific info. is no longer listed. On the lunch menu, looks like some of the adult items have changed, we have a lunch ADR booked. Dinner, again, not sure about the adult buffet. But guess what the only 2 items are listed for the kids lunch and dinner buffets: MAC & CHEESE and CHICKEN FINGERS!!!! There are a few items from the adult buffet that I could offer my kids, yes, cheese pizza, carrot sticks and apple slices.

 

[RRmouse]

Can someone confirm for me: am I right that at a buffet like Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's using the dining plan the kids are permitted to choose items from the adult buffet??

Thanks

 

[keishashadow]

That is what is eventually intended, but isn't happening YET. I asked dining about it 4 days ago myself when I called to add another ADR and they confirmed that for the time being a credit is still a credit but changes were in the works; wanted to see if there was anything new to report here. That could change tomorrow, for all we know of course.

We've used the DP several times, latest in June.

TS credits are lumped together but, the child must order from child's menu (@ every restaurant we've been to). I've asked, no cigar lol. Usually, I get stuck eating it & DS gets mine.

A few CS sites (backlot express as an example) insisted that my son order a childs meal...dried out, grilled chicken strips & limp celery that I demanded a replacement for while they rolled their eyes. We "wised up" & had DH order 1 meal & I ordered DS & mine....absurd.

FYI, leaving tomorrow, will try & take notes on kids meals offered/

 

[akalittleeva]

No flames here. You're completely correct, if people purchase something that far out and have their reservations already made and it's too late to make many changes, I see a lot more people doing this and may even do it myself where I would not have in the past. If I could change my ADR's this late, it would be one thing. If it was just a couple of the restaurants, it would be another. But I'm looking at 7 days of my DD either eating the same meals or wasting the meals I already purchased because now I'd have to pay for them AGAIN to get her something different.

I know they wouldn't do this limited menu for adults across the board and expect people to accept it, I wonder why they think it is acceptable for children?

This is my problem, too. With the DDP, you need to make your ADRs so far in advance, and mine were chosen based on the menu choices for everyone - yes, I thought perhaps they could change some, but this is ridiclous, IMO. I had not planned on trying to work the system at all, and still do not, but if I have to pay OOP for my daughter to get a meal she can enjoy like the rest of us, I will, and if that means I end up using her credits for an adult meal later on, so be it - we have one extra TS booked that we planned to pay OOP for anyway. With the old menus, my adult 10yo son would have ordered off the children's menu more than the adults, but with the changes, he now plans on going with the adult menus - can't say I blame him - I wouldn't want to eat like that for 9 days. The kids planned on "switching meals" a few times, but ds won't touch any of the kids choices mentioned now, so OOP for DD is really our only option. A healthy variety is the key to good nutrition, and I don't feel the new changes represent that at all - especially for guests with an extended stay. Also, the choices may be fine for the younger kids, 3-5 year old - I could have convinced my kids at that age that the menu was great and fun etc., but I think it is a very hard sell for the older kids, 6-9.

 

[NMW]

I agree completely. It's not the new choices that are the problem. My kids loved them. It was the fact that they had the SAME CHOICES everywhere we went. That got old very fast. For next year, we'll eat at more buffets to vary the selection.

This is my point too. I bet that lots of kids and their parents will have no problem with the new choices. I think it's the fact that they will have the SAME choice night after night that will start to wear on families doing a week or more.

 

[NMW]

A few CS sites (backlot express as an example) insisted that my son order a childs meal...dried out, grilled chicken strips & limp celery that I demanded a replacement for while they rolled their eyes. We "wised up" & had DH order 1 meal & I ordered DS & mine....absurd.

/

That sounds really gross. I have thought for a long time that kids CS choices were seriously lacking. This past Dec (not on the DDP) all 3 of my kids ate adult CS every time we ordered (except one time) because the kids choices were so bad. I think if faced with that kind of choice many normaly honest people would consider splitting up to place the order.

 

[Merriwind]

This is my point too. I bet that lots of kids and their parents will have no problem with the new choices. I think it's the fact that they will have the SAME choice night after night that will start to wear on families doing a week or more.

Precisely my thinking. We'll be there next week, but doing mostly buffets and F&W, so we'll dodge this bullet until next trip...

 

[RRmouse]

Precisely my thinking. We'll be there next week, but doing mostly buffets and F&W, so we'll dodge this bullet until next trip...

So the changes to the kids menu do not affect buffets and family style places, right? Kids can choose any items offered at these? We are on the dining plan and made ADR's at buffets, 'Ohana, WCC because my kids like "adult" food. Just want to know if I need to re-think things or whether we are ok.

Thanks!

 

[The Sweetness]

I also kind of find it weird that they are using the same kind of Mickey "trays" they use at CS. I don't really know why I find it strange but I guess I'm just used to my children eating off real plates at a sit down meal.

That would be a deal breaker for me If my kids were kids ddp age (they arent~ They'll be 15 and 2) I would cancel the plan, or use the kids plate as something for us to pick at as a family (IE dd15 may want the salad etc...) Id share w the ddp aged child, and supliment by ordering an extra ap or whatever we needed OOP)

 

[The Sweetness]

That's true! You could easilly do all buffets (some breakfast, some dinner, and never have to contend with the *heads* at all

 

[DCDisney]

I've been pondering things and we really don't want to change ADRs for some of our sit downs. Like Sci Fi the kids very much want to go to. I'm thinking we could always use some CS credits and get the kids take out meals to bring with us to Sci Fi. I'm sure we can balance out the use of credits as we were planning on some extra OOP meals anyway.

I'm really at a loss for what to do and perhaps we should just drop the DDP and mix and match more like we did in previous years. I'll wait though in hopes that there are enough complaints to see a change before January.

Yvonne

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

Does anyone know if the WCC will be affected by this?

 

[nbodyhome]

I think also that there needs to be more variety. Personally, I would prefer to see Disney have a childs portion size of adult entrees, and a half portion for those of us who don't want to eat as much or waste food. It isn't exactly hard to do - they are already cooking those items! Then add burgers, chicken nuggets and spagetti for a few extra kids options if they won't eat anything else.

Applesauce is a nice option, though I'd prefer if they used Healthy Harvest (Motts). A number of different flavors to choose from, no added sugar - at least it isn't the same on each time.

 

[nbodyhome]

Oh - and I'm not that big a fan of the choices for adult counter service in many places. A friend and I (we are local) were at Epcot last night - we'd done a few Food and Wine things during the afternoon, and we chose to walk to the Boardwalk, get on a bus to Downtown Disney and go to Earl of Sandwich for a good meal. Mine was just a tomato soup (which is great there) and a baked potato, but that was plenty - and the total was $2.67 or so with tax. There are a lot of great choices there in sandwiches, salads, etc., all freshly made.

I wish Disney would put Earls in each of it's parks, it'd be a nice change.