Why don't they have jr. meals ?

[kangaand2roos]

Just back from Disney. I have a 7 year old and and a 5 year old and found that the kids meals just don't cut it anymore. My 5 year old could out eat a grown man (although you would never guess it by her size) and my picky 7 year old was even left hungry with the kids meals. We've gone in the past and the kid meals have worked out okay for the most part. We have found that now that the kids are older, 4 nuggets isn't cutting it, so more than once we bought a third meal and split it between the 2 of them. So why can't they have a bigger kid meal even if it costs more? What a 3 year old eats vs. what a 9 year old eats are completely different but all are considered as a kid meal at least with the dining plan. Not a huge deal but just wondering why they can't have an in between.
On a side note, why is it kids get some crappy processed chicken nuggets but adults get real chicken in nugget form?

 

[BigTxEars]

Just back from Disney. I have a 7 year old and and a 5 year old and found that the kids meals just don't cut it anymore. My 5 year old could out eat a grown man (although you would never guess it by her size) and my picky 7 year old was even left hungry with the kids meals. We've gone in the past and the kid meals have worked out okay for the most part. We have found that now that the kids are older, 4 nuggets isn't cutting it, so more than once we bought a third meal and split it between the 2 of them. So why can't they have a bigger kid meal even if it costs more? What a 3 year old eats vs. what a 9 year old eats are completely different but all are considered as a kid meal at least with the dining plan. Not a huge deal but just wondering why they can't have an in between.
On a side note, why is it kids get some crappy processed chicken nuggets but adults get real chicken in nugget form?

1. Good point, 3 and 9 is a totally different meal. Not sure why Disney does not have a middle ground meal. Maybe like a "Big Kids Meal" at McDonalds.

2. Cause kids will eat those crappy pressed chicken nuggets and adults will not :ROFLOL:

 

[britdaw]

2. Cause kids will eat those crappy pressed chicken nuggets and adults will not :ROFLOL:

What we usually do is order a regular entree and split it between our two girls. My 3-year-old eats like a horse because she's a constant ball of energy, and my older child is almost 9 so she's getting to the point where kids meals don't cut it anymore. I've found that ordering an adult entree and letting them split the plate usually satisfies both of them.

 

[swissamy]

I have a similar problem but in reverse. I have a 12 yr old that does not eat like an adult - the portion and selections are too fancy/mature for him. A kids meal is too small. I would gladly pay more for a larger sized JR meal that he would eat and enjoy!!. Great idea!

 

[tinker bubbles]

Interesting thought, when my son turned about 7 we had to bite the bullet and start letting him order off the adult menu because a kids meal was never enough. Then he was happy, but we weren't because we payed like 3 times as much for a meal that he couldn't finish even now at 11. Think a junior meal would be great and I would gladly pay a little more for it.

 

[NewfieFan]

Interesting thoughts, indeed! I'm just now encountering this myself. My kids are good eaters but not big eaters, however now that my oldest is 8 we have noticed an increase in his appetite and the amount that he can eat at one sitting. Many times on this past trip we found ourselves giving him leftovers from our meals and his sister's meals. He can certainly pack away a kids meal when he's good and hungry. I would love to see some sort of junior menu b/c I, myself find it hard to finish an adult's meal at WDW (our portion sizes are much smaller here in NL, Canada). Even if it was the regular menu but on a slightly smaller scale it would work for me!

 

[ArtieJim]

How would they be able to charge as much as they do if they had a middle ground?

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I have a similar problem but in reverse. I have a 12 yr old that does not eat like an adult - the portion and selections are too fancy/mature for him. A kids meal is too small. I would gladly pay more for a larger sized JR meal that he would eat and enjoy!!. Great idea!

I had this similar problem. At some TS restaurants we were able to get meals customized more for my daughter's age of around 10-13 at the time. For instance I remember Brown Derby, CRTable and some others would make her the kids meal but as an adult portion. So it wasn't too small like the kids meal, but wasn't the fancy meals either. Sometimes we would just ask what the options were, and they would even giver her the adult steak, but with sides that were more kid friendly.

 

[Phonedave]

I had this similar problem. At some TS restaurants we were able to get meals customized more for my daughter's age of around 10-13 at the time. For instance I remember Brown Derby, CRTable and some others would make her the kids meal but as an adult portion. So it wasn't too small like the kids meal, but wasn't the fancy meals either. Sometimes we would just ask what the options were, and they would even giver her the adult steak, but with sides that were more kid friendly.

Both California Grill and Artist Point have excellent kids meals.

They are smaller versions of adult meals - chicken breast, smaller steak, etc. as opposed to nuggets or a hamburger.


-dave

 

[jim1051]

I am sure you could buy adult meal plan for them

 

[kangaand2roos]

I am sure you could buy adult meal plan for them

I know we could buy an adult meal. But that would be a waste. They wouldn't eat that much themselves and split between the two wouldn't be enough. I had just wondered why they couldn't add a few more nuggets or another scoop of mac and cheese, etc. and charge a dollar or 2 more at quick service places. Table service restaurants are usually very accomodating with food and portions. Kona Cafe was very nice to give my picky son a double decker grilled cheese, since he wouldn't eat anything listed on the menu. We also tend to do a bunch of buffets too since we have a picky eater.

 

[CaptainShortty]

I am sure you could buy adult meal plan for them

You actually can't. The only way to buy an adult MP for a child is to also buy them an adult park ticket and treat them as an adult as far as the charge in the hotel. Due to the fact that the two are linked a person must be either "all adult" or "all child". Of course you could pay the extra bump in the cost of the theme park ticket and dining plan but from my experience few are willing to do that.