Ordering CS for children age 5 on dining plan

[MouseearsDeb]

I'm noticing what appears to be a lot of mac & cheese and chilled chicken for the childrens menus on counter service rest. I know I'm getting menu info second handed so to speak, but my 5 year old does not care for either of these. :lookaroun However, he will eat a burger, chicken or fish, fries, etc. Any suggestions? I'm currently going through all the WDW rest. making a list of ones we've never tried and would like to or have tried and want to again. Then I'll narrow it down to actual CS, TS, meals available to us. I figure the dining plan is the perfect opportunity to try everything we would normally pass on. I'm a planner by nature and want a game plan semi in place for our dining plan credits. Any suggestions on ordering for my 5 year old would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tigsmom]

Have you checked out the menu section here? The menus are also listed on allearsnet. There should be something for your kids. Mine live on chicken fingers and fries from counter service while we are there. They are picky eaters and think the ones at WDW are pretty good.

I think your idea is a good one, why not try some new places and foods. With a recent menu on hand it should be easy to set up a game plan. :wave:

EDIT: here is the kid's menu from Cosmic Ray's in the MK as an example...

For Mickey's Little Friends Only Please

Chicken Noodle Soup served with cheddar crackers, applesauce, and choice of child beverage $3.99

Garden Salad with Chicken served with ranch dressing, cheddar crackers, applesauce and choice of child beverage $3.99

Mini Corn Dogs with choice of potato tots or carrots, applesauce and child's beverage $3.99

Roasted Chicken Drumsticks - served with mashed potatoes, applesauce and choice of child beverage $3.99

Chicken Nuggets with choice of potato tots or carrots, applesauce and child's beverage $3.99

Child beverage includes apple juice, lowfat milk or soft drink

Not everyone has this large a selection, but most have chicken legs with potatoes listed.

Pecos' Bill's is another favorite in the MK and Tusker House in the AK.

 

[maelstrom]

I have to say that I've seen a lot of the food places starting to offer some really peculiar stuff on the kids menu. Kids usually seem to want pizza, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, hot dogs, or hamburgers. Pizza isn't on the kids menu at Pizzafari. Yes, at PIZZAfari, PIZZA isn't on the kids menu. Is it because adults were getting the child's meal deal in order to get the free ice cream, soda, and popcorn coupons for a lot cheaper? Maybe. They replaced it with what looks like cut up grilled chicken. Most kids would prefer chicken fingers or nuggets over cut up grilled chicken, I think. I don't know what's going on. I suggest heading over to allearsnet.com and checking out the menus there. All of the menus are detailed and up-to-date, the one Mad posted of Cosmic Ray's being a good example.

Good thing I'm not a kid on the dining plan now. I'd starve to death at WDW. When I was a kid I lived on the chicken fingers.

 

[maelstrom]

Looking over the menus at allearsnet.com I see that they have once again changed the kids meal offerings at Pizzafari. At least now they have peanut butter & jelly.

A few places to look into: Electric Umbrella at Epcot, Commissary at MGM, Pinocchio's Village Haus at MK, Cosmic Ray's at MK, Noodle Station at MK, Columbia Harbour House at MK, Liberty Inn at Epcot.

 

[Flamingo]

Kids Meals

Another good website to try is www.intercot.com
They have up to date menus to help you plan your dining. :wave:

 

[december]

I had the same question a few weeks ago-couldn't see eating a burger while my kids got chilled chicken! I was told (and also saw it on several other sites) that the meal allowances aren't really separated into so many kids and so many adults. We have 2 adults and 2 kids going for 5 nights. Disney doesn't specify that we get 10 adult CS meals and 10 kids. They are "pooled" into 20 CS meals. So at a counter service, I can order an adult meal for all of us. That won't work at table service, but I plan to use it at several of the counter service places!

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I had the same question a few weeks ago-couldn't see eating a burger while my kids got chilled chicken! I was told (and also saw it on several other sites) that the meal allowances aren't really separated into so many kids and so many adults. We have 2 adults and 2 kids going for 5 nights. Disney doesn't specify that we get 10 adult CS meals and 10 kids. They are "pooled" into 20 CS meals. So at a counter service, I can order an adult meal for all of us. That won't work at table service, but I plan to use it at several of the counter service places!

Same thing for me and my son. He likes burgers, not chilled chicken. He is 9 and we ordered from the adult menu for him. The dining credits were not specified adult and children. I do think it would make a difference for a sit-down meal, however. For sit down meals, we had to order off the kids menu. (this was ok though, those menus all had hamburgers)

 

[MouseearsDeb]

Unless something changes, I think we are going to combine everyone's advice. He, the 5 year old, :animwink: generally eats like a bird anyway, so more than likely at the 'regular' sit down rest. we will order only 3 adult meals and either let him eat off our plate or pay for his out of pocket. At the character meals, I know we will be using 4 credits for each one we attend. With the counter service meals, lots of times we will order two or three different combos/etc. and all share so that we can try different things. So, we'll just keep doing that. I know all meals are pooled and this plan shouldn't be a problem unless Disney decides to change how everything is alocated. With this in mind, this is our rest. of choice: Tony Town Square, Coral Reef, Sci fi dine in, Kona Cafe, San Angel Inn, Garden Grill, Libery Tree Tavern, Le Cellier, Ohana(Breakfast) and Shutters. That's what we're looking at for TS. The list for counter service looks like this: Columbia Harbour House, Main St. Bake Shop, Pinocchio Village Haus, Toluca Legs Turkey Co. (always wanted to try one ), Casey's Corner, Tusker House, Toy Story Pizza Planet and finally Restaurantosaurus. phew!

Nothing worse than being at Disney and doing the 'where do you want to eat?', 'I don't care, where do you want to eat?' routine.:lookaroun :brick: :lookaroun

What do ya think?

 

[tigsmom]

Your list looks pretty good. There have been some not so great reviews of the Coral Reef lately, but plenty of others really like it, all a personal matter of taste, I guess.

From your list I have eaten at:

Kona Cafe (breakfast & lunch)
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch & dinner)
'Ohana (dinner)
Main St. Bake Shop
Casey's Corner
Tusker House (the salmon & roast chicken are :slurp: )
Toy Story Pizza Planet

Enjoyed them all expect Pizza Planet. We are used to NY Style pizza so that was a bit of a disappointment.

 

[MouseearsDeb]

Your list looks pretty good. There have been some not so great reviews of the Coral Reef lately, but plenty of others really like it, all a personal matter of taste, I guess.

Yeah, I have a few concerns, but....it's been many, many years since we've ate there and would like to give it another try. I think the last time we ate there there was something like aligator sausage on the menu.

 

[slduck]

We had great luck at Cosmic Rays and Pizza Planet! At Pecos Bills we ordered her a burger from the adult menu, but my DD wasn't "allowed" to have a desert. The CM was quite rude about it! This was our 2nd bad experience there, so we won't return.

I agree that at the CS menu choices at most places are poor! I wish they would have small burgers on the kids menus.

 

[MouseearsDeb]

I think a standard small burger, hot dog, chicken tenders would work great. But, maybe have a alternate *healthy* :lookaroun option as well. As many children as there are at WDW, you would think their menu would be a little more exciting!

 

[tigsmom]

We had great luck at Cosmic Rays and Pizza Planet! At Pecos Bills we ordered her a burger from the adult menu, but my DD wasn't "allowed" to have a desert. The CM was quite rude about it! This was our 2nd bad experience there, so we won't return.

I agree that at the CS menu choices at most places are poor! I wish they would have small burgers on the kids menus.

I've noticed that since the dining plans have come out little things like an extra dessert are no longer overlooked. Rudeness should not be tolerated though, and should always be reported to the supervisor. I know they work long hours and are short staffed and we all can have a bad day, but you don't let it show.

Watch out for really late nights too (like EMH) we noticed quite a few places running out of sides and desserts and many times entire meals were not available. This could have just been a problem last summer (when the plan became very popular) and has straightened out by now.

 

[tigsmom]

I think a standard small burger, hot dog, chicken tenders would work great. But, maybe have a alternate *healthy* :lookaroun option as well. As many children as there are at WDW, you would think their menu would be a little more exciting!

They seem to be adding things like allowing carrot sticks abd fruit instead of fries and things like that. I guess the more we ask for healthier options they sooner they may listen. I try to make a trade off with my kids, have a salad, piece of fruit, etc and I'll get you the giant rice krispey treat or cookies later. :lol: