Can kids share?

[DisneyFr33k]

We are considering a trip down this October. By then we will have a 10 and 12 year old, both being adults per the DDP. Our 12 year old eats like a bird, causing us to question if we should purchase the DDP (one counter, one table, one snack) per day.

What are your thoughts? It seems like such a waste of food as she won't make a dent in the big Disney portion sizes.

If we decide against the DDP, can we order one adult meal and have two of us share it? Will they allow that?

I wish they would allow us to customize the DDP - pick if our 10/12 year old would eat adult or kids portions for the table services (those are the biggest portions). But I guess that would create more confusion.

Thanks for your advice. I'm sure I am not the only one with this dilemma.

[KylesMom]

If we decide against the DDP, can we order one adult meal and have two of us share it? Will they allow that?
Absolutely - you won't have any problems on that front. :mickey:

I don't know that I'd spend the money on the DDP if you know that a member of your party really isn't going to take advantage of it. I will say that there were only two occassions last trip (when DS was 10) that the "adult" portions were too much for him. And that probably had more to do with scheduling meals too closely together versus actually having too much on his plate. However, I don't think I'd pay up front for the plan if I knew much of the food would go to waste.

[gerald72]

The DDP (1 CS, 1 TS, 1 snack) should be fine.
Each time the four of you eat, you will only use 3 credits. Just order the non-eater something small and pay out of pocket for that item.
By the end of 6 meals, you'll have 6 credits that you still haven't used, and the 3 of you can all eat 2 more meals.
Am I making sense?

[DisneyFr33k]

Thanks for both of your responses.

KylesMom - you make sense with your suggestions as that was the way we were initially leaning.

gerald72 - I didn't know we could spend the table services that way. This is a creative way to order more tables for the 3 of us that would eat the portions. Question: If I pay out of pocket for my 12 year old for the table service, will they allow her to order from the kids menu or would she HAVE to purchase from the adult? This is where it gets sticky as she really doesn't even finish a kids meal well.....

Thanks again for both your suggestions. Anyone else with ideas, I'm all ears (a.k.a. eyes)!

[princessesmom]

If you're ordering fro a menu, you can order from the children's menu for your 12 yo. However, if it is a buffet or family style restaurant you will need to pay the adult price, even if she only eats from the children's selection.

We just got back from a trip and used the basic DDP for the first time. It was a tremendous amount of food. We didn't have problems using the TS meals, because I made ADRs ahead of time. But the CS was tough to manage. There are 6 of us and we just don't need individual meals for each of us. Even with sharing some food with my parent's, we still ended up with 8 CS credits left over. I'm not sure I would do the dining plan again. I honestly felt pressure to eat more than I normally would just because we had paid for it!

If your case I would say don't do the DDP. Just eat what you want to eat and pay for it.

[darlingmom]

The only way the DDP makes sense is if you plan to eat at a buffet restaurant once a day (or average once a day). I found the portions at Counter Service and regular restaurants to be huge. Another option: Be selective of your restaurant choices and you can get plenty be ordering 2-3 adult meals. Great options are Whispering Canyon at WLR, Kona's Cafe at Poly, Chefs de France, Rose Crown at EPCOT, Flying Fish on Boardwalk, and many others. Just be aware that many of the Character meals are also buffets.