Meal options for 1 & 2 yr olds

[danajune]

Hi everyone!

We'll be at Disney February 2018.

The kids will be 9, 2 (turning 3 a couple weeks after the trip) & 1 (almost 2, 21 months).

We will have the dining plan but what are the best tips for feeding the little two since they won't be included in the dining plan? We'll be doing mostly buffets for our table service meals to save money.

Any suggestions on quick service meals to split or ways to save money (snack credit options?) without having to pay out of pocket for 2 additional kids meals at every meal?

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Get an adult meal instead of a kids meal with your 9 year old's quick service credit. An adult chicken nugget meal will have 8 pieces along with a side that might be big enough to split. Or get a double cheeseburger. Not sure if the younger kids will eat a cheeseburger on a bun but if they don't, just take one of the patties off and you can then cut it up and let them split it while the 9 year old ends up with a full burger.

 

[kastoney]

Good idea doing buffets. While not my favorite dining experience, they came in quite handy when my daughter was under 3 and she could eat free.

As far as quick service I'd buy your younger 2 a kids meal to share. Especially with kids that young it should be enough to fill them. I just have one kiddo, but its a rare occasion she even gets her own meal in the world. At both counter and quick services, portions are usually so large that you could easily share your food with them and maybe just get a side to supplement if need be

 

[shoney]

At that age my kids just ate off our plate at any restaurant. Sometimes we would purchase a side dish for them like Mac n cheez or mashed
Potatoes and they would eat our protein.

 

[TOBS2010]

At that age the two youngest can eat for free at any of the buffets if you are eating there. I would think that otherwise, you could purchase one kids meal and have the two of them split it and share any food off your plate. I remember reading somewhere years ago when I was looking for the same answer when getting ready to travel with my then two year old---that if you ask for an extra hamburger bun that they would give it to you for free. So you could then order a double cheeseburger and if you got an extra bun there's a whole another meal there for you. Not sure if this is still the case, but I do remember hearing this. I also remember when being in Disney that I shared one or two meals with my 2.5 year old when I knew he wasn't super hungry---I would bring goldfish, pretzels with me in my back pack. You could order some things like fruit cups or cut up veggies from the garden grocer and bring those along with you for meal times for them. I also asked for some things like extra cucumbers on my salad and even asked for a side of fruit at dinner one time and they did not charge me for it. I would not bank on that---just if it happens consider it some extra disney magic.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

As far as I know, Disney has been charging for extra hamburger buns for years since a lot of people were ordering a double and asking for an extra bun. It used to be pretty cheap for the extra bun, but I know at one point some places were charging like $4 for it. It is a common request, but I would definitely ask the price before you order it if that's something you might consider.

 

[danielocha30]

look out for side items that can complement a kids meal, I do share between my kids 9 and 8, a kids meal with a side of soup or Maccaroni

 

[robinb]

As far as I know, Disney has been charging for extra hamburger buns for years since a lot of people were ordering a double and asking for an extra bun. It used to be pretty cheap for the extra bun, but I know at one point some places were charging like $4 for it. It is a common request, but I would definitely ask the price before you order it if that's something you might consider.

I don't even think that Disney has double burgers any longer, so the whole idea of buying an extra bun to stretch your QS burger meal is no longer valid.

As for the two kids under 3, I would just buy them a kids meal to share unless you're at a buffet. Your out of pocket costs will be less than $20 per day.

 

[Hopefully]

At that age the two youngest can eat for free at any of the buffets if you are eating there. I would think that otherwise, you could purchase one kids meal and have the two of them split it and share any food off your plate. I remember reading somewhere years ago when I was looking for the same answer when getting ready to travel with my then two year old---that if you ask for an extra hamburger bun that they would give it to you for free. So you could then order a double cheeseburger and if you got an extra bun there's a whole another meal there for you. Not sure if this is still the case, but I do remember hearing this. I also remember when being in Disney that I shared one or two meals with my 2.5 year old when I knew he wasn't super hungry---I would bring goldfish, pretzels with me in my back pack. You could order some things like fruit cups or cut up veggies from the garden grocer and bring those along with you for meal times for them. I also asked for some things like extra cucumbers on my salad and even asked for a side of fruit at dinner one time and they did not charge me for it. I would not bank on that---just if it happens consider it some extra disney magic.

As far as I know, Disney has been charging for extra hamburger buns for years since a lot of people were ordering a double and asking for an extra bun. It used to be pretty cheap for the extra bun, but I know at one point some places were charging like $4 for it. It is a common request, but I would definitely ask the price before you order it if that's something you might consider.

Disney caught on to this several years ago and stopped offering double burgers at all.
OP I would order a kids meal for your children. At buffets they will eat for free, but at regular TS and QS you need to somehow provide for them. Based on how much they each need, they may be able to share. Or as others have suggested you can supplement with extra sides
Have Fun.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I don't even think that Disney has double burgers any longer, so the whole idea of buying an extra bun to stretch your QS burger meal is no longer valid.

As for the two kids under 3, I would just buy them a kids meal to share unless you're at a buffet. Your out of pocket costs will be less than $20 per day.

Disney caught on to this several years ago and stopped offering double burgers at all.
OP I would order a kids meal for your children. At buffets they will eat for free, but at regular TS and QS you need to somehow provide for them. Based on how much they each need, they may be able to share. Or as others have suggested you can supplement with extra sides
Have Fun.

That's not entirely true. Restaurantosaurus in Animal Kingdom still offers a double cheeseburger that I think comes with bacon.

 

[robinb]

That's not entirely true. Restaurantosaurus in Animal Kingdom still offers a double cheeseburger that I think comes with bacon.

Holy cow! I just looked it up and it's $17!

 

[Dis703]

Buffets will have ample selections for the kids under 3. QS kids meals are quite cheap or you could perhaps get an adult meal and have 2 of them share. Even at most TS restaurants the kids meals aren't that expensive if you think they need to have more than sharing a plate with you. And you can always bring food in to Disney if you find that helps. We have to travel with some amount of food because of allergies but it also helps to save a few bucks here and there carrying a couple sandwiches, snacks, etc.

 

[Dis703]

Holy cow! I just looked it up and it's $17!

Yikes, for that much you could buy 3 kids meals.

 

[scard192]

we ate at Mama Melrose one time when my niece was 2. she did not like red sauce so I ordered a pasta dish (penne I think) and asked for the red sauce on the side and shared the pasta with my niece, poured the red sauce on after I put some on a plate for her.

 

[hakepb]

Yikes, for that much you could buy 3 kids meals.

But, if you get that $17 burger with the 9yo's QS credit and buy an extra bun, it only "costs" the OP ~$1 for (2) meals

 

[maxiesmom]

But, if you get that $17 burger with the 9yo's QS credit and buy an extra bun, it only "costs" the OP ~$1 for (2) meals

Technically you are still supposed to buy a kids meal with your kids credit if one is offered.

I never got the extra bun thing. Just cut the darned burger in half. Why tote a bun around?

 

[robinb]

Technically you are still supposed to buy a kids meal with your kids credit if one is offered.

I don't think that's true any longer. I believe that all CS credits are now officially pooled.

 

[squirrel]

I find the adult QS meals quite large. You could use some snack credits and add to your meals (3 QS) and share between everyone.

It also would depend on what the 9 yr old likes and how much s/he eats.

I have also heard that the CS meals are pooled.

 

[robinb]

I have also heard that the CS meals are pooled.

Which is why we can now talk about it. They were unofficially pooled in the past, but the DDP rules said that kids had to order kids meals so we couldn't talk about it.

 

[squirrel]

Which is why we can now talk about it. They were unofficially pooled in the past, but the DDP rules said that kids had to order kids meals so we couldn't talk about it.

Excellent. Then I would order 3 adult meals and share between the 5 family members. If someone is still hungry grab a dole whip or another side as a snack credit.