Which CS places allow use of child credits for adult entree?

[5fromabove]

:confused: Sorry if this is confusing...I remember reading a thread once that said you could use child CS credits at some of the restaurants and the item was the same for either a child or adult. For example, i know at Pizza Planet, the choice is pizza, salad & drink and that it's the same portion for children or adult. I'm curious b/c our DS-8 will have the child portion, but can eat more than me most of the time. I'd like to visit the places that he can eat off the same menu as adults for his credits (not just chicken nuggets or a hot dog). If this makes sense, I appreciate any help. We're just over 2 weeks out from out trip...so I'm fine tuning things. THANKS!!

[bcornette]

unless they have changed things in the last few months you can use them anywhere. You technically aren't supposed to, but most CS CMs won't say anything. On your plan a credit is a credit, it doesn't say child credit or adult credit.

[bigbabyblues]

Casey's at MK also doesn't have a child's menu, everyone orders from the same.

FWIW, the CM's aren't supposed to order more than your KTTW card shows. For example, if your card says 2A 2C (2 adult, 2 child), they aren't supposed to let you get 3 adult CS meals if there is a child menu. I don't know how much this is enforced.

[5fromabove]

Casey's at MK also doesn't have a child's menu, everyone orders from the same.

FWIW, the CM's aren't supposed to order more than your KTTW card shows. For example, if your card says 2A 2C (2 adult, 2 child), they aren't supposed to let you get 3 adult CS meals if there is a child menu. I don't know how much this is enforced.

Thanks for the info about Casey's. I wasn't wanting to break any rules, I was just curious which places didn't have a "Children's Menu" per se...so that he would be able to eat what we all eat like at Pizza Planet (it sounds like Casey's is a good MK option). THANKS.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I wasn't wanting to break any rules . . .

But, it sounds like that is the intention.

[5fromabove]

But, it sounds like that is the intention.

Wow, no...that is not my intention. As I mentioned, I saw a thread once about getting the most out of your dining plan and a poster mentioned about going to places that do not have a children's menu. I was curious what those places were. Forget I asked...I even said from the beginning that it was hard to explain my question. I live with integrity. Disney has several places that do not have a children's menu and therefore the kids can order off the adult menus...Disney allows that and expects it since they don't have a children's menu at those establishments. I'm not familiar with the names of all of those places which is why I asked.

[hlkeck]

I understand completely where you're coming from! And I think that post suggesting otherwise was a bit harsh. My DD6 does NOT eat off of the childs menu, so I end up eating hot dogs and chicken nuggets or just splitting with my husband b/c she will only eat double cheeseburgers. And yes, there are definitely a few places that do not have childrens menus and allow a CS off of the more adult menu. From what I remember of our Sept '07 trip, however, our DP DID make note of which credits were adult and which ones were child and we could not use a child credit for an adult meal - which was apparently a change from earlier in '06 when a friend of mine went and said there was no difference in adult/child credits...

So - I'm interested in this answer as well. i cannot remember at all which one we went to that didn't have the childs menu, but there was one...

oops - just re-read above, it was probably Casey's we did eat there.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

As someone who's worked QSR at Disney, this is how it's supposed to be:

If you have 2A, 2C and you eat at a place where there is no children's menu, you are supposed to get the 2 adult meals on the DDP and PAY OUT OF POCKET for the other meals. It explicitly shows on the card how many meals are supposed to be processed.

Whether or not every CM does their job and enforce it another question. I know I used to enforce it because that is the rules. I will say if you think about it long and hard enough, you'll see the loophole they left.

I'll take a little more tact in my approach, but I also think that it sounds like you might have wanted to try and get all adult meals for the CS.

As a side note, Disney has been talking (for some time) about trying to get specific buttons for the adult and children's meals like they have for the TS because of this reason.

[sillydisneymommy]

but I also think that it sounds like you might have wanted to try and get all adult meals for the

Wow, I can't believe how harsh some people are being about this. I'm glad I didn't ask this question, or I might not have a very high opinion of the kindness of some Intercotees... 5fromabove had a perfectly legitimate and innocent question, regarding restaurants that I have always considered to be "neutral counter service." I.E, there is just one menu with a few choices, being not really adult or child per se. I mean, seriously, when you walk into Toy Story Pizza Planet and order your "Buzz or Woody Meal Deal" in the middle of a very loud arcade with your cookie for dessert, do you really feel like your in an "adult" atmosphere? That is obviously a counter service geared toward children, and believe me, I have always felt much more like the food is a "child's meal" than an adult one! Am I supposed to assume when I go in to order, that Disney considers anything you order in there to be only for adults? That would never have occurred to me in that place. That is just the intuitive part of it all. The technical part would say, "Children 3-9 must choose from the child's menu IF AVAILABLE."

I just really feel sorry for people who ask innocent questions and basically get flamed for it...

[jdcastle]

I agree that the responses made to this question have clearly been completly out of line. The OP made clear the intent to avoid breaking rules by eating only at places she thought allowed this practice. This question was mentioned on this board not long ago, and has been touched on many, many times without such an unjustifiable response.

I think this was the first time I have been :mad: after reading Intercot:(

[biodtl]

If you have 2A, 2C and you eat at a place where there is no children's menu, you are supposed to get the 2 adult meals on the DDP and PAY OUT OF POCKET for the other meals. It explicitly shows on the card how many meals are supposed to be processed.
I'm confused - does this mean that if my family is on the DDP, we can't (according to the rules) eat at Casey's without going OOP? That seems a bit unfair, given that WDW is such a family destination. My kids are fine with kids menus - they eat like birds - but it doesn't seem right.

[MuchLovedMama]

I wouldn't worry about the harshness of some of these replies. I understand completely where your question came from because I've been keeping a list myself when I hear of one of these places. It has nothing to do with getting a higher priced meal instead of a less priced meal it has to do with choice of food for my kids. I think they'll get really bored with the same 2-3 foods over & over again.

With that being said the Dining Plan brochure even states "Guests ages 3-9 must order from a chidlren's menu where available." To me that says if it's available you have to but it not then you get them whatever you want. I can't imagine that they put Toy Story Pizza on there for the adults. Come on now!

I think the rude comments were very uncalled for & you shouldn't take it personal.

[ElenitaB]

Moderator's Alert

Please let's keep in mind that when we post (even the most well-intentioned of posts explaining the rules) that we don't always come off the way we intended. The written word is very different that when we speak: nuance is very had to convey through a keyboard.

So therefore, please let's keep in mind that we're among friends here!

Thank you!

[5fromabove]

I'll take a little more tact in my approach, but I also think that it sounds like you might have wanted to try and get all adult meals for the CS.
Well, I guess my only response to this is...wow, if Disney CM's all assume the worst of people like this, it wouldn't be a very Magical place anymore, would it? Scary thought.


Wow, I can't believe how harsh some people are being about this. I'm glad I didn't ask this question, or I might not have a very high opinion of the kindness of some Intercotees... 5fromabove had a perfectly legitimate and innocent question, regarding restaurants that I have always considered to be "neutral counter service." I.E, there is just one menu with a few choices, being not really adult or child per se. I mean, seriously, when you walk into Toy Story Pizza Planet and order your "Buzz or Woody Meal Deal" in the middle of a very loud arcade with your cookie for dessert, do you really feel like your in an "adult" atmosphere? That is obviously a counter service geared toward children, and believe me, I have always felt much more like the food is a "child's meal" than an adult one! Am I supposed to assume when I go in to order, that Disney considers anything you order in there to be only for adults? That would never have occurred to me in that place. That is just the intuitive part of it all. The technical part would say, "Children 3-9 must choose from the child's menu IF AVAILABLE."

I just really feel sorry for people who ask innocent questions and basically get flamed for it...

Thank you. My point/question precisely. My first response to some of these comments was...ouch, how rude. I've now decided to take the approach that I use with my children...there are rude people everywhere you go, you have to ignore them. I appreciate those of you who are actually answering my question after reading it and understanding what I was asking. It was a simple, legitimate, innocent question. I'm not trying to save money...I'm trying to get some variety for my child in what he is able to eat.


I agree that the responses made to this question have clearly been completly out of line. The OP made clear the intent to avoid breaking rules by eating only at places she thought allowed this practice. This question was mentioned on this board not long ago, and has been touched on many, many times without such an unjustifiable response.

I think this was the first time I have been :mad: after reading Intercot:(

Thank you...I'm offended myself.


I wouldn't worry about the harshness of some of these replies. I understand completely where your question came from because I've been keeping a list myself when I hear of one of these places. It has nothing to do with getting a higher priced meal instead of a less priced meal it has to do with choice of food for my kids. I think they'll get really bored with the same 2-3 foods over & over again.

With that being said the Dining Plan brochure even states "Guests ages 3-9 must order from a chidlren's menu where available." To me that says if it's available you have to but it not then you get them whatever you want. I can't imagine that they put Toy Story Pizza on there for the adults. Come on now!

I think the rude comments were very uncalled for & you shouldn't take it personal.

Thank you...I'm trying not to take it personal and do appreciate the kindness of those of you who took the time to read my question and understand that what I was asking was quite simple indeed.

[bigbabyblues]

Thanks for the info about Casey's. I wasn't wanting to break any rules, I was just curious which places didn't have a "Children's Menu" per se...so that he would be able to eat what we all eat like at Pizza Planet (it sounds like Casey's is a good MK option). THANKS.

I didn't take it that you were intending to break any rules, just asking a question. :mickey:

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I'm confused - does this mean that if my family is on the DDP, we can't (according to the rules) eat at Casey's without going OOP? That seems a bit unfair, given that WDW is such a family destination. My kids are fine with kids menus - they eat like birds - but it doesn't seem right.

No. You can eat your two meals allowed by the DDP - the adult ones. For the children, since there is no children's menu, you will have to pay OOP for those 2 meals. So you are using the DDP for 2, paying OOP for 2 (2A, 2C).



Well, I guess my only response to this is...wow, if Disney CM's all assume the worst of people like this, it wouldn't be a very Magical place anymore, would it? Scary thought.

I didn't say you were doing it. I said it sounded like you might have had the intention of doing it. It's one of those questions where for the majority of people asking it, they are trying to 'cheat the system'. Like using old mugs at resorts, trying to stay later in the parks on hard-ticket nights without paying. Usually, when people ask, they have a reason for asking and it's usually not a good one.[/QUOTE]


I mean, seriously, when you walk into Toy Story Pizza Planet and order your "Buzz or Woody Meal Deal" in the middle of a very loud arcade with your cookie for dessert, do you really feel like your in an "adult" atmosphere? That is obviously a counter service geared toward children, and believe me, I have always felt much more like the food is a "child's meal" than an adult one!....That is just the intuitive part of it all. The technical part would say, "Children 3-9 must choose from the child's menu IF AVAILABLE."

I just really feel sorry for people who ask innocent questions and basically get flamed for it...

I didn't flame the OP. At all. Not even close. I'm 23, and I order from there. They also have the chocolate cake there for an adult dessert. And honestly, you would pay $9 for a "children's meal" when the rest of the places are $3.99? That doesn't even include a drink or dessert/side! The point is that there aren't any 'neutral' CS places. It's lazy CM's who don't do their jobs and when they don't enforce it, this is the result - people abuse the system (not saying that people here are doing it).

It also makes those of us who do enforce the rules (me) the bad person here. So who is to blame? The person being lazy and letting people get things they aren't supposed to or the person who enforces the rules and gets yelled at because the other person didn't do their jobs.

If you only have X amount of adults on the DDP and Y amount of children, then the CM's should only process X adult meals, and if there are more adult meals than adults on the card, then the additional meals are supposed to be paid OOP. They are not supposed to process the children's meal as adults meals.

As I said before and most people tend to not catch it, but there is a loophole. I won't say more than that but if you think about it and look at what I've said instead of ignoring me for what you consider 'rude', you should see it.

Editted to add: Take a look at some of the menus and you will find a lot more than just "hot dogs and nuggets." You can get grilled cheese sandwiches, pork and beans, quesidillas, sweet and sour chicken, stir-fry, chicken legs with potatos, mac and cheese, PBJ, corn dog nuggets (sold at Cosmic Rays), grilled chicken, fried chicken with veggies, fish, and yes, some places like Pizzafari have a children's pizza. And all of those are just the ones in the parks. I won't include all the ones from the resorts.

[DizneyRox]

An alternative that many poeple forget is, you can book them as adults when you make the reservation if you want them to be able to order from the adult menus.

Yes, they will also have to buy an adult ticket, and yes, there may be additional charges for the room if there are more adults in there. BUT it does get you around the problem of not being able to find anything on the child menus for your kids.

[Mickey91]

As someone who's worked QSR at Disney, this is how it's supposed to be:

If you have 2A, 2C and you eat at a place where there is no children's menu, you are supposed to get the 2 adult meals on the DDP and PAY OUT OF POCKET for the other meals. It explicitly shows on the card how many meals are supposed to be processed.

Whether or not every CM does their job and enforce it another question. I know I used to enforce it because that is the rules. I will say if you think about it long and hard enough, you'll see the loophole they left.

I'll take a little more tact in my approach, but I also think that it sounds like you might have wanted to try and get all adult meals for the CS.

As a side note, Disney has been talking (for some time) about trying to get specific buttons for the adult and children's meals like they have for the TS because of this reason.
When we looked at the dining plan rules, it states that a child must choose from a child's menu when available. This leads me to believe that when a child's menu is not available, a regular meal is charged on a child's credit. And, I don't think that someone simply asking a question to help them navigate the parks and have a less stressful vacation is a bad thing. I know you guys encounter a lot of hard to take people. But, let's not judge everyone by the standards of a few. It was a very simple question. Who can blame anyone for trying to get the best meal option possible for their child? Not in a manner that is cheating the system but in one that clearly follows the rules? It does not say anywhere in the brochure that a child must pay OP if a child's menu is not available. Furthermore, if the OP was trying to be a cheat, they wouldn't have asked! Afterall, it is always easier to apologize than to ask permission.

[MuchLovedMama]

For the children, since there is no children's menu, you will have to pay OOP for those 2 meals.

It also makes those of us who do enforce the rules (me) the bad person here. So who is to blame? The person being lazy and letting people get things they aren't supposed to or the person who enforces the rules and gets yelled at because the other person didn't do their jobs.



Not meaning this to sound rude but if I were you I'd check with a manager on these rules or something because I just don't believe that what you are saying is how it's supposed to be. The plan states that children must order off of the children's menu if available & I don't think Disney would've left a big loophole there so people could if they weren't supposed to. I think if their intent was that children could only order from places that had a children's menu unless paying out of pocket they would have stated so.

Like I've said I'm not trying to sound rude but maybe when they originally taught this stuff to CM's that was their original intent but since they don't state that then they can't enforce it. If a CM were to refuse me then I'd be asking to speak with a manager becuase I'd be pointing out the "if available" part & asking them to prove me otherwise. In my 7 days I'm only doing this at one place it's not like I'm going crazy trying to find them all & do this but I wanted just once for my children to have a better selection. I mean it's pretty bad that at some of the pizza places they don't have pizza as on option on the kids menu or a burger place having burgers as an option or that fries aren't offered as a side at most places. Also I think it's sad that adults can get a cake or big ice cream thing or pie & the children are stuck with jello or a cookie at most places. I think if it's allowable that theres nothing wrong with a person trying to maximize their dining plan & get the most for their money.

[MuchLovedMama]

There's another website that I visit sometimes that provides Tips & Tricks & one of the tips on there is:

A few quick service locations don't have a kids' menu. That means you can order any combo or entree on the menu with a child credit. These locations are: Casey's Corner at Magic Kingdom; Toy Story Pizza Planet, Catalina Eddie's and Toluca Legs Turkey Company at Disney's Hollywood Studios; Sommerfest at Epcot (Germany) and Yorkshire County Fish Shop at Epcot (UK)

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

See, that is exactly what both our managers and trainers trained us to do. Like I said, there are CM's who don't enforce the rules though and that is the vast majority of them.

There are enough eateries that offer a children's menu. In all honesty, the ones that don't are things you can get somewhere else in the park like Casey's - they have children's hot dogs at Cosmic Rays.

But that isn't the loophole I was referring to. Every person in the party has a KTTW card......

[SurferStitch]

No. You can eat your two meals allowed by the DDP - the adult ones. For the children, since there is no children's menu, you will have to pay OOP for those 2 meals. So you are using the DDP for 2, paying OOP for 2 (2A, 2C).

That doesn't sound right at all. I would think that if this were the case, then it would be stated in the DDP rules that any CS location without a child's menu requires the guest to pay OOP for that meal.

I've never once seen a CM tell a guest that they must pay OOP for their child at places that didn't have a kid's menu. I can't help but think that if this were true, it would have been discussed here before.

By the way OP....I totally understood where your question was coming from. It's quite obvious you weren't trying to dodge the system. It was a legitimate question, and sorry that some thought you had ulterior motives.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I honestly cannot believe that Casey's and Pizza Planet are not meant for children on the dining plan. I have never once read a sign that stated this or heard anyone talk about it or have been told by any CM that my child needed to pay for his meal. Like others have said a Manager would be called immediately.

If the above is true, which I could think it's not, then maybe our snack credits are not good for children either. We always get Mickey bars as our snack and they don't come in different sizes or are not specified as adult or child, either by dining plan or menu? My son is enjoying the same amount of ice cream as an adult but paid for a childs plan for dining. Would that be considered cheating the system since he is getting the same amount as me or should it be paid out of pocket since it does not specify? just wondering.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Look, I don't make the rules. It was asked, I gave the answer that as a CM, I know to be true based on what I was trained with and have had supported by my leaders. Like I said before, it's because of lazy CM's who don't enforce the rules. And because they don't enforce it, word gets spread that at such and such location, they don't enforce the policy. Then it gets spread again. And again. And again. And then what should have been stopped while it had the chance becomes the norm and the idea of enforcing the very same rule becomes taboo and 'rude.'

Keep in mind that not all of the 16,000,000+ Guests who visit the WDW resort are here on Intercot so the opinions and interactions voiced by those here do not reflect all of those that have occurred at WDW.

As for the snacks, it's not a full meal and has to be under $4. It's a single serving and at the most, the difference between the items would be less than $2. For the meals, there is a difference between spending $4.25 (the cost of a complete child's meal with a drink and dessert/side) and $16.95 (the average cost of an adult meal with a drink and dessert).

So please don't blame me for explaining the rules that we are trained to enforce. It's really not my fault that 99.99% of the CM's don't enforce the policy.

[r4kids]

See, that is exactly what both our managers and trainers trained us to do. Like I said, there are CM's who don't enforce the rules though and that is the vast majority of them.

There are enough eateries that offer a children's menu. In all honesty, the ones that don't are things you can get somewhere else in the park like Casey's - they have children's hot dogs at Cosmic Rays.

But that isn't the loophole I was referring to. Every person in the party has a KTTW card......

I really don't mean to sound uninformed but what is a KTTW card? Also I never knew this was an issue until this tread. We always just said X amount of adult meals and X amount of kid meals. I never really paid attention. Ahhhh "Key To The World" card.... never mind the first question....but I still don't see the loop hole. Maybe I am not looking hard enough. :confused:

[eandrsmom]

WOW! I had no idea that we were breaking rules when we ate at Casey's last Feb. If someone had told us something, I would have asked to speak with a manager.( It was not a problem when we ordered for our family. )
We are not trying to "cheat" Disney, we just like Casey's. If a restaurant is listed on the DP, you have to order from the kids menu if one is "available". Since there isn't one at Casey's, we ordered from the regular menu. If it were Disney's intention for families not to eat there, don't you think they would have put a disclaimer on the plan?

[FredTaco]

If it were Disney's intention for families not to eat there, don't you think they would have put a disclaimer on the plan?

I think this is really where the breakdown is. If it as Jessica states, and there's no reason not to believe her, then the brochure should really clarify this. (I'm assuming it doesn't because I don't have the time to go read it at the moment.)

Pizza Planet is one of our favorite counter services and we were actually planning on going there. We probably will still, but if there's no kid menu then I guess we'll just let my child eat off our plate.

[sndral]

I just looked @ that terms on line - It's clear that you are able to eat at the enumerated places that participate in the DDP and that children must order from the childrens meal where available. Capt.JS doesn't say when she worked in CSR and it's possible that when she did the language in the terms was different (perhaps to close a loophole that some had taken advantage of in the past?) I assume Disney's legal staff ok'ed the current terms and from a legal perspective if they wanted children to pay @ the places not offering children's meals they would have worded the sentence differently. Something along the lines of 'children's credits not accepted at ...' would do the trick.
Just my :twocents:

[MelXThree]

I totally agree with the last post. Disney is smart and they will always cover there bottoms :blush: There is no way that this wording is incorrect for 2008 & 2009. If you had to pay for a childs meal I think it would have to say it.

P.S. I don't think by eating at these places you are trying to "get away" with anything. My DS is 5 and would LOVE to eat at Pizza Planet and he has no idea what an adult or kids meal is.

[Mickey91]

I agree with the last couple of posts. It really has nothing to do with what the CMs do or don't allow. It is what is stated in the plan itself. A child must order from the children's menu where available. If you had to pay for a child's meal otherwise, there should be more than a CM saying so. So, whether or not there are rule breaking CMs, if I would be told to pay for a meal OP when no child's menu was offered, I would raise a major stink! Not because another CM let me do it earlier, but because the policy is very clear that I only have to order from the child's menu when available.

Thank The Lord my child turned 10!:mickey:

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I worked QSR from January-August 2007 at Pop Century. The policies haven't changed much (on our end as far as processing them) from when I was trained.

The specific loophole I am referring to has yet to be rectified.

Like I said, I don't make the rules. I just have the unfortunate job of explaining them and trying to enforce them (at work).

Not that I work QSR anymore. I technically could....but I don't wanna. Too messy/annoying.