Yet another Disney dinner question re: unusual problem w/children's meal plan

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

We're spending 6 days at Disney World and I purchased the meal plan for us, two adults and three kids. My kids will be 3, 5, 6 when we go. When I made the purchase, it wasn't pointed out to me that the kids have to order off the children's menu (although, duh!). Now that I'm looking at restaurant information for Disney, I'm very worried about that restriction due to how very limited the children's menus seem to be. My kids are very adventurous eaters (dd4's favorite is Szechuan beef, ds6's favorite is spicy Texas chili with jalapeno cornbread, ds2's favorite is...um, all food that is put in front of him...you get the picture). They are not picky and although there are a few things they don't care for, I would say that they easily eat 95% of the things I put in front of them. They will NOT be happy to eat chicken fingers, hamburgers, etc. every day.

 

I see that kids only have to order from the kids' menu if there is one. So, does anyone know which restaurants...

 

1) don't have a kids' menu, or

2) offer a buffet where the same food for the parents is available to the kids, or

3) have great offerings on the kid's menu?

 

Thanks for any help you can give!

[Testimony]

buffet. The last time I went there was December 2007. I don't think those kid's menus are limiting at all. The children can get things from the adults too.

 

I remember this one place we went to everything was buffet. The children were picking from the adult selections as well as the children as vice versa. I recall going to Planet Hollywood and that had a server. None of us like Planet Hollywood anyway. Most of the places that we went to were buffet. There were places where you ordered off a children's menu, but it did not seem limiting when we were there. Maybe it has changed?

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[mom2ncr]

I feel your pain...when we returned from WDW last year (with a 7yo), I promptly wrote a letter asking them to broaden the kid's choices. I cringe at the typical macaroni & cheese/chicken fingers/burger thing that they have so much of. Our favorite place was Boma's at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's a fun, colorful place to eat and has many unique and delicious offerings on their buffet. Lots of fresh foods and grains and even the picky 7yo loved the food.

[Karenciavo]

There are tons of buffets and some nice restaurant with adventurous children's menu's. I recommended Teppan Edo earlier tonight, Boma and Jiko over at the AKL, The Wave, Grand Floridian Cafe, Narcoossee's, Kona, Artist Point to name a few.

[annabanana1992]

I second BOMA. O'Hana might be ok too...

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I second BOMA. O'Hana might be ok too...

 

That's good to hear. I definitely want to do Boma and we're staying at the Polynesian so it's great to know that O'Hana is probably safe.

 

Thanks everyone! Feel free to keep on recommending. :)

[mcconnellboys]

We just stayed at Port Orleans and I don't recall noticing very limited options for children there or at lunchtime for any restaurants in the parks. Now, take that with a grain of salt because my boys are older and we got a gift card, rather than taking the meal plan option while we were there.

 

I recall that at one of the Chinese restaurants in Epcot, for instance, they had a very tasty looking bbq chicken leg offered for children, with rice (various sauces available to go over the rice at the condiment station). We ate at the more expensive Japanese restaurant and my younger son was allowed to order from the children's menu there. We chose the option of having our food prepared at table and he had the chicken. His portions for everything seemed almost as large as ours and everything was prepared the same as ours.

 

I'm not sure what the restrictions are with regard to where you can dine for the meal plan, but Disney is generally good about providing lots of info, so I'd look online for details about the plan to see if it's going to work for you.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I recall that at one of the Chinese restaurants in Epcot, for instance, they had a very tasty looking bbq chicken leg offered for children, with rice (various sauces available to go over the rice at the condiment station).

 

I'm not sure what the restrictions are with regard to where you can dine for the meal plan, but Disney is generally good about providing lots of info, so I'd look online for details about the plan to see if it's going to work for you.

 

I'm pretty sure we can dine anywhere in the parks. We each get one snack, one counter service meal and one table service meal per day. I'm guessing that most of the counter service stuff for kids is already typical kid fare, which makes it even more important to me that their table meal be special.

 

I imagine that the kids' menus have the typical fare and maybe one token special offering in keeping with the theme of the restaurant (like the chicken leg you mentioned at the Chinese restaurant). I just hate the idea of restricting the kids to that one item from the children's menu when they will want to enjoy the same full experience that we are, especially since it's probably not what they would order if they were given run of the menu. They order such different things when we go out. I'm not even surprised anymore by some of the more odd selections they make. They tend to like things that most people would never think to give to little kids. Their favorite side dish is a garden salad and their favorite salad dressing (all of them!) is blue cheese! I think that the recommendation of the buffet restaurants is probably the best in our case.

[abbeyej]

Any of the "family style" or buffet places will work fine. While most of the buffets have a "kids" section, children are welcome to eat *anything* on the buffet.

 

Some places I can think of where kids can eat absolutely anything served are:

Boma

Ohana

Crystal Palace

Liberty Tree (character dinner, not lunch)

Whispering Canyon

1900 Park Fare

the Biergarten in Germany

the Hoop Dee Doo

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Any of the "family style" or buffet places will work fine. While most of the buffets have a "kids" section, children are welcome to eat *anything* on the buffet.

 

Some places I can think of where kids can eat absolutely anything served are:

Boma

Ohana

Crystal Palace

Liberty Tree (character dinner, not lunch)

Whispering Canyon

1900 Park Fare

the Biergarten in Germany

the Hoop Dee Doo

 

Thanks so much! I'm especially excited about the Biergarten since my first two were born in Germany but don't have any memories! What fun to do a biergarten without the smoke. :lol:

[nanette]

You can go to allears.net and see what's on the menu. It may not be totally updated, but it will give you a good idea of where you may want to eat. We went in September with my 9yo dd and she didn't complain too much about the kids menu. Alot of times my dh or I had plenty of food, so we could share with her also. Our 3 sit down meals were Crystal Palace in MK, Garden Grill in Epcot, and 50's Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios. The first 2 are buffets, so she could eat anything. The 50's had more than you typical kids choices.

Hope this helps!

[TraceyS/FL]

Also, let your server know. My DD has in the past gotten a child portion of an adult meal without issue. They are very accommodating overall - and you might not have a problem getting a kids portion. It can't hurt to ask.

 

That said, i was unhappy overall with the last round of kid menu changes. I have a mix of eaters, but it's gotten hard to feed them. Hence they have worked with me on it without issue, so do ask!

 

Enjoy your trip - hope it warms up, heck, it's 30 here right now..... yuck!

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

You can go to allears.net and see what's on the menu.

 

Thanks so much! This should help a great deal.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Also, let your server know. My DD has in the past gotten a child portion of an adult meal without issue. They are very accommodating overall - and you might not have a problem getting a kids portion. It can't hurt to ask.

 

That said, i was unhappy overall with the last round of kid menu changes. I have a mix of eaters, but it's gotten hard to feed them. Hence they have worked with me on it without issue, so do ask!

 

Enjoy your trip - hope it warms up, heck, it's 30 here right now..... yuck!

 

This would be perfect! I had started to wonder why they couldn't just offer kids' portions so it's nice to know they might do it informally. Of course DH and I don't mind sharing from our plates but if the kids like our food better, the pickings will start getting slim. :lol:

 

And we're not going anytime soon, just about ready to make the reservations.

 

Thanks for the help!

[TraceyS/FL]

They took the kids menus "central" and that is when it got all wonky. There used to be just one "plain" type thing per place, and then fare to go with where you were. At first i was excited about the change - from the stand point of texture freaky kid, but i haven't like it.....

 

SO, do ask!!

 

Oh and i'd suggest then - NOT january. Dang it's cold! LOL!

[Danestress]

I think buffets are disgusting. I don't care how "upscale" it is, I know people are sticking their fingers in and breathing on the food and I don't want to deal with that. Blech.

 

My kids were 9 when we went to Disney. They are not "kids meal" kind of kids. They are definitely interested in regular adult foods in fairly large quantities.

 

Also, I felt like the meal plan just provided for too much food for most people. If you aren't one to order appetizers and dessert, then you probably won't need as much food as is provided.

 

So we just winged it without the plan, and I preferred that. We often didn't want a full lunch - just a snack. Or we would have a bagel for breakfast and then have a "real" lunch and a light dinner. Sometimes one of the children and I would share an entre, or I would just order a salad and have a few bites of my kids' meals, and that was fine.

 

That said, a few places had nice food on the children's menu. I know the nicer restraurant at the Wilderness Lodge (Artist something?) had grilled salmon on the children's menu, and one of my children ordered that. It was delicious.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Oh and i'd suggest then - NOT january. Dang it's cold! LOL!

 

Exactly! We're Texans so we feel your pain! It's been in the high 70s and today will be 81. Tomorrow will be 49! YIKES! There are people on this board who deal with sub-zero temps but to a Texan or Floridian, 49 is positively Arctic!

[TraceyS/FL]

Didn't they change the meal plan recently to not have as much food? Got rid of something.... i don't remember what, since it wasn't applicable to me you know?

 

I wish they made it easier for people to know what the heck they had left though.... i'm always behind the person that has no clue what is left, and how to even USE the thing. Drives me bonkers! LOL!!!

[TraceyS/FL]

Exactly! We're Texans so we feel your pain! It's been in the high 70s and today will be 81. Tomorrow will be 49! YIKES! There are people on this board who deal with sub-zero temps but to a Texan or Floridian, 49 is positively Arctic!

 

Heck, we were in the TWENTIES the last 3 mornings! 30 minutes north of me - they were showing 21 on the news yesterday morning. :001_huh:

 

I'm looking forward to tomorrows forecasted high of 74 (i'm 50 miles NW of Disney btw), it will feel HOT and i really, wearing that wool jacket twice in one week is wayyyyy enough! LOL!!

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I think buffets are disgusting. I don't care how "upscale" it is, I know people are sticking their fingers in and breathing on the food and I don't want to deal with that. Blech.

 

I try really hard to repeat the mantra, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." But, yes, sometimes they can be not so appetizing. I'm hoping for good things based on the recommendations here.

 

My kids were 9 when we went to Disney. They are not "kids meal" kind of kids. They are definitely interested in regular adult foods in fairly large quantities.

 

Exactly! I can see a lot of whining in our future if we get these fantastic meals and they're forced to dine on chicken fingers. I can't really blame them either.

 

Also, I felt like the meal plan just provided for too much food for most people. If you aren't one to order appetizers and dessert, then you probably won't need as much food as is provided.

 

So we just winged it without the plan, and I preferred that.

 

Hmmm. This actually kind of makes me wonder if it's possible to purchase a third adult meal plan and drop the 3 kids' plans. Then I could order one meal for them off the adult menu and they could all share that. That is what I do most often when we got out to dinner locally. Hmmmm. I might have to ask Disney about this. I would guess the answer is no but it doesn't hurt to ask. Otherwise, I will do my best to use these recommendations to steer toward the restaurants with great offerings for the kids as well as the adults. I'm going to spend some time at AllEars and the DisBoards today, I think. Financially, I think we'll come out ahead buying the plans, especially if we hit the really great restaurants as we intend to do

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Didn't they change the meal plan recently to not have as much food? Got rid of something.... i don't remember what, since it wasn't applicable to me you know?

 

I wish they made it easier for people to know what the heck they had left though.... i'm always behind the person that has no clue what is left, and how to even USE the thing. Drives me bonkers! LOL!!!

 

I think they left off dessert...and the gratuity. :glare:

 

I also believe that you are supposed to get a printout at the end of your meal that is similar to a check, telling you what the meal cost in dollars and how many meal plan credits it cost you. At the bottom, you're supposed to see your balance. I sure hope this is true!

[TraceyS/FL]

I think they left off dessert...and the gratuity. :glare:

The dining plan change the face of eating at Disney in huge ways. Not all for the positive. For us "locals", it's about impossible to get in to eat anywhere if you decide to pop down and eat. And service had gotten.... i dunno, but with everything thrown in servers weren't working for their tips. I actually would welcome that change and hopes that some service goes up (and it's not bad, just not what we were used to before all the free dining happened over the last few years).

 

I also believe that you are supposed to get a printout at the end of your meal that is similar to a check, telling you what the meal cost in dollars and how many meal plan credits it cost you. At the bottom, you're supposed to see your balance. I sure hope this is true!

 

OH, that would be perfect if they do that now. I swear, it was 15 minutes of torture behind this person at the MK one day....

 

Be sure to evaluate the snacks good too. There are some that are wayyyy better values for the dollar than others. So use them wisely :D (I was getting something one day that had the snack symbol next to it - the guy in front of me blew his snack on a bag of chips - dude, buy mine and i'll buy yours! LOL!!!).

 

I love eating at Disney....

 

Oh and our favorite buffets are 1900 Park Faire for dinner, and HOllywood & VIne. Good food!! (and i haven't seen anyone grabbing food with their fingers except a few kids grabbing rolls, not that i'm sure it doesn't happen - but really, overall, people do good)

[Danestress]

If you are an Army wife, are you staying at Shades of Green?

 

THis was the big dilemma for us. If we stayed at SOG I don't think we could get the meal plan (that was a few years ago though, so maybe it's changed) so we were choosing between staying at a regular resort with the meal plan or staying at SOF without.

 

Let me tell you, SOG is *wonderful.* The food was bad, but the rooms were big and very nice. We could walk right up the road to the Polynesian and get on the monorail. It was quiet, clean, comfortable, and the staff was great. We could sit on our balcony every morning and watch hawks hunt or wild turkey scramble around. It was just really great. We really could not have been happier, and I think we payed $105 a day a the O4 rate.

 

Just thought I would throw that out there.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

with everything thrown in servers weren't working for their tips. I actually would welcome that change and hopes that some service goes up (and it's not bad, just not what we were used to before all the free dining happened over the last few years).

 

Well, this is a great way to look at it so I hope that is the net effect.

 

Be sure to evaluate the snacks good too. There are some that are wayyyy better values for the dollar than others. So use them wisely :D (I was getting something one day that had the snack symbol next to it - the guy in front of me blew his snack on a bag of chips - dude, buy mine and i'll buy yours! LOL!!!).

 

Very funny! I had actually thought about just using cash if the kids wanted a cheap snack and saving the "official" snacks for something better, like the stuff in France at Epcot.

[TraceyS/FL]

Wouldn't the Salute rates/passes be cheaper than a package anyway right now?

 

I stayed at the Shades of Green.... back when it was the Golf Resort. That was the BIGGEST room we have ever had. The next year we stayed at the Poly though - since we spent so much time there while staying at GR (the only choices back then was the GR, the Poly and the Contemp, then the GF).

 

Anyway, i'm apparently avoiding what i'md supposed to be doing this morning huh??

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

If you are an Army wife, are you staying at Shades of Green?

 

THis was the big dilemma for us. If we stayed at SOG I don't think we could get the meal plan (that was a few years ago though, so maybe it's changed) so we were choosing between staying at a regular resort with the meal plan or staying at SOF without.

 

Let me tell you, SOG is *wonderful.* The food was bad, but the rooms were big and very nice. We could walk right up the road to the Polynesian and get on the monorail. It was quiet, clean, comfortable, and the staff was great. We could sit on our balcony every morning and watch hawks hunt or wild turkey scramble around. It was just really great. We really could not have been happier, and I think we payed $105 a day a the O4 rate.

 

Just thought I would throw that out there.

 

I had friends who stayed at SOG and they loved it also. I'm sure we could save a bundle there, but here's the deal...

 

My husband and I honeymooned at Disney World in 1997 and then went back in 1998 when they opened Animal Kingdom. The trips were easy and convenient since we were stationed at Fort Rucker, AL at the time. I actually surprised him with the second trip as a celebration of his flight school graduation. I even got his leave approved without him knowing.

 

He has been looking forward to taking our kids to Disney since before they were born! He wanted to go earlier but I always insisted we wait until our youngest was at least out of diapers. We stayed off site when we went in 97 and 98 and he really, really wanted to stay at one of the Disney resorts this time (the more theme-y the better, according to him). He liked the prices at SOG but not the fact that it didn't feel as Disneyish. So, fine. I reserved at the Polynesian and was just happy to get a big military discount there. We are mostly homebodies so it doesn't bother me too much to spend the extra money to honor his elaborate daydreams. The pool with the volcano slide will be worth the extra money, I think. :001_smile: Plus, my kids are so young that I see spending a reasonable amount of time at the hotel, relaxing during the afternoon hours for down time. Our other vacations are mostly camping at state parks or visiting family and friends (free lodging!) so really, if we average our expenses over time, it's no big deal. That's what I'm telling myself, at least! On the bright side, we're avoiding air fare again because we're going to be attaching this trip to my husband's TDY for the Advanced Course.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Wouldn't the Salute rates/passes be cheaper than a package anyway right now?

 

Yes, my Disney package is just for hotel and meals. We're getting the Salute park passes separately. We get five days at the parks and it's only $400 for my family of 5. Yippee!!

[always cookin']

They no longer include appetizers or gratuities. Disney does not allow you to purchase for only certain members of your party (I asked). You have to purchase a meal plan for each member of your party over 3 years old.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

They no longer include appetizers or gratuities. Disney does not allow you to purchase for only certain members of your party (I asked). You have to purchase a meal plan for each member of your party over 3 years old.

 

Bummer. I'd rather have an appetizer than dessert and the kids surely won't need the extra sugar.

 

I guess I'll stick to the kids' meal plans and just be sure to hit the restaurants that will allow them to be the most adventurous, as recommended here.

 

Thanks for the helpful info!

[always cookin']

We leave Tuesday to stay there for a week (Port Orleans Riverside). I am a little nervous about possible Superbowl crowds (from Tampa). I didn't think of that when I planned the trip. My dh and kids have never been there. We decided against the meal plan. I wish they were a little more flexible about it. We are going to bring a bunch of food and keep the costs down a bit that way. Have a good time!

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

We leave Tuesday to stay there for a week (Port Orleans Riverside). I am a little nervous about possible Superbowl crowds (from Tampa). I didn't think of that when I planned the trip. My dh and kids have never been there. We decided against the meal plan. I wish they were a little more flexible about it. We are going to bring a bunch of food and keep the costs down a bit that way. Have a good time!

 

Oh, have fun! The warmer weather is on its way! Florida is stealing it from Texas! ;)

 

We're not going until late summer but the reservations woman told me that they're working out kinks in the dining reservations and she thinks I'll be able to make my dining reservations for table meals 6 months out. After hearing people say how they can't make reservations when they try closer to their travel date, I'm hoping to call the first possible day I can, which is why I'm obsessively researching now.

 

And, um...no school for the next 6 weeks as my husband finally returns from this heinous 15 month deployment in two days and I just can't focus on anything intelligent now and refuse to do so when he's got his leave after coming home. You would think this time would be better spent mopping the kitchen floor instead of deciding which Disney buffets were the most kid friendly for our meals months away but nope... :lol: