Child's Dining Plan

[sharibrat]

Last trip DD was 2 and shared our food. This trip she is on the dining plan. I am learning that she MUST order from children's menus..........right?

Well I just looked, for instance, at the Crystal Palace dinner. We dined there last time and had a huge selection and a very well balance meal. The kids portion of it is mac n cheese or chicken fingers. THAT'S IT???????? No veggies, nothing else??

Can I buy her an adult dining plan??? I really don't want her eating fried chicken fingers and french fries all week long.

 

[momtotwinglesx4]

I believe that at a buffet restaurant, such as Crystal Palace, kids can eat any of the items on the buffet, not just in the kid's area.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I believe that at a buffet restaurant, such as Crystal Palace, kids can eat any of the items on the buffet, not just in the kid's area.

This is true. You do not need to stick to the child's section at any of the buffets.

Also many of the restaurants have selections other then chicken fingers and french fries. They just always have the standard kids foods for those who that is all they will eat.

My DD is allergic to eggs and milk. That means most chicken nuggets and fingers our not allowed. Many times they will just grill up a chicken breast for her with no problem at all.

 

[TruBlu]

Have you looked at the CS offerings for children? They are even more limited! My DS wouldn't eat a nugget or cold chicken for a million dollars! We had a hard time finding places for him to eat using the DDP.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Have you looked at the CS offerings for children? They are even more limited! My DS wouldn't eat a nugget or cold chicken for a million dollars! We had a hard time finding places for him to eat using the DDP.

I don't see how the CS are limited to only adult meals. There really isn't much of a differnce in price between adult and child. Unlike a waiter they don't know if you have a child or adult. If you have a hard time finding things for them to eat on the kids plan, you will have a heard time anywhere on property.

I would look at the menus online before hand so you have an idea of what and where you want to eat before hand.

 

[andychris14]

Last august my two children we able to eat anything off the menu that they wanted for table service and counter service meals. We asked the person behind the counter and our waiter/ress. We were told they could order anything. We never got charged. We ate everywhere. I do not my kids to eat chicken fingers/fries or peanut butter 2X's a day for a week. YUCK!!!
Ido not know if they changed their policy this year. We are going in a couple of weeks and I will find out.

 

[minnie61650]

Well I just looked, for instance, at the Crystal Palace dinner. We dined there last time and had a huge selection and a very well balance meal. The kids portion of it is mac n cheese or chicken fingers. THAT'S IT????????

The Mac and cheese or chicken fingers is an addition to the regular buffet.
It means they are offered to children and on the menu so parents will know that they are available in addition to the standard buffet fare. Many young children are picky and would not eat most items at a buffet but would eat the Mac and cheese or chicken fingers.
Rest assured children may eat any of the foods at a buffet.

Have fun at Disney!

 

[TruBlu]

I don't see how the CS are limited to only adult meals. There really isn't much of a differnce in price between adult and child. Unlike a waiter they don't know if you have a child or adult. If you have a hard time finding things for them to eat on the kids plan, you will have a heard time anywhere on property.

I would look at the menus online before hand so you have an idea of what and where you want to eat before hand.

At several (not all) CS places, the CM looked at my card before I ordered and stated that I could order 2 adult and 2 child meals. We were not given the option of ordering an adult meal for DS even though the prices were similar.

 

[TruBlu]

Last august my two children we able to eat anything off the menu that they wanted for table service and counter service meals. We asked the person behind the counter and our waiter/ress. We were told they could order anything. We never got charged. We ate everywhere. I do not my kids to eat chicken fingers/fries or peanut butter 2X's a day for a week. YUCK!!!
Ido not know if they changed their policy this year. We are going in a couple of weeks and I will find out.

Please let us know when you get back! It will help me decide if we should do the plan again next year.

 

[DisneyPhD]

At several (not all) CS places, the CM looked at my card before I ordered and stated that I could order 2 adult and 2 child meals. We were not given the option of ordering an adult meal for DS even though the prices were similar.

This may have been discussed before, but I don't normally get into the "is it ok to bend the rules" threads. Too much drama.

Does it state you have 2 kids and 2 adults on your card? Because if your kids are back at the table with DH then how would they know?

I guess my youngest DD's allergies makes things different for us. Of course she is under 3 years old so she isn't even on the plan. Often I would adjust her sisters meal (or my own normally since I couldn't have dairy or egg at this time since she was nursing.) I never had an issue with it at all. Just explained she couldn't eat the other food (actually I usually had them verify it, yes the chicken has milk in it.) They were also really good about just making plan chicken instead of breaded at any table service place. We did like the buffets because there was more variety and fresh fruits. Waiting for the chef to tell you what was safe and what wasn't was a pain in the bum. I started having DH just get what he new would be safe for her (lunch meats, fruits) and then I would wait for the chef. It was too hard when others could eat and she couldn't.

Still if what I wanted to get for them wasn't on the kids plan, then I would order an adult. An example is Pecos's Bills. No hamburger on the kids meal. I actually ordered a double hamburger, since my kids only eat the meat and gave them each a patty.

Of course food allergies make eating in general a pain in the bum.

 

[beattyfamily]

deleted due to mistake!

 

[Lewisc]

Exactly the card would say 2A 2C. Disney charges $11 /night for children. A child character meal costs around $15 with tax and tip. A snack is worth $2-$4. The meal plan make ssense even if the parent pay for adult CS meals for kids and don't use any of the child credits for CS meals.

Does it state you have 2 kids and 2 adults on your card? Because if your kids are back at the table with DH then how would they know?

 

[Precious1971]

I have a question...

My youngest DD will be 2 by the time we go to WDW. Will she have to share on someones else's meal? Can I buy her a DP? I ask cause she eat a lot, most of the time, more than her older sister.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[beattyfamily]

I have a question...

My youngest DD will be 2 by the time we go to WDW. Will she have to share on someones else's meal? Can I buy her a DP? I ask cause she eat a lot, most of the time, more than her older sister.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Yes, at a restaurant with a menu she would have to share or you would pay for what you order for her. She would be free at buffets, all you can eat and family style restaurants though.

Some have reported having luck putting a 2 year old on the dining plan BUT you will also have to buy at least a one-day base ticket for her.

IMHO, there's plenty of food on the plan and she's already free at the buffets, I wouldn't buy it for a 2 year old...but that's just my opinion. It wouldn't be worth the $11 a day plus one-day base ticket.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I have a question...

My youngest DD will be 2 by the time we go to WDW. Will she have to share on someones else's meal? Can I buy her a DP? I ask cause she eat a lot, most of the time, more than her older sister.

Thanks for the help in advance.

You will have plenty of food, especially at TS meals. Even if you have to order her an extra order of something at CS, or a drink at the TS (which we had a couple of sit downs give my dd a drink for free, not always does this happen though) it would still be cheaper to pay out of pocket for those few things. But you probably won't have to. We couldn't eat everything, and we had 3 on the adult plan, 3 on the child plan, and 2 under 3. Never bought the 2 youngest anything! We ended up splitting CS meals because they were big, and had CS credits left over at the end of the trip.