New generic kids menu About This Page:

[graygables]

Here's the email address: WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com

and here's the email I sent:

We are frequent visitors to WDW and I have recently read that the childrens' menus have been changed to a generic set of offerings rather than the unique-to-restaurant choices we have previously had. Having seen th menu, I am grossly disappointed to the point of being angry. I undertand that this change is due to the dining plan and, if this is true, we will not be a happy Disney family. We do not participate in the dining plan as we do not see it as a good fit for how we visit (usually have an AP). On our recent trip in August, I was quite tired of being asked ad nauseum if I was on the dining plan and even had items rung up that I did NOT ORDER because the CM automatically assumed that I was, so items had to be backed off and I had to convince her several times that we really weren't on "The Plan". It was also irritating to note a failure of service in most of the table service restaurants because the waitstaff is no longer dependent on providing excellent service to receive their tip. They also, on most occasions, falsely assumed and were brought back to reality with a tip that was commensurate with their level of service (and a word to management).
Previous favorites have also been removed from menus already because of the plan. I can't imagine my children liking any of the selections I've seen and certainly not over and over and over again. Several others I have talked to "out there" on Disney boards are also upset and many have talked about cancelling the dining plan because the new menu is no longer a good value. While the dining plan may work for some, it is extremely disappointing to experience the 'dumbing down' of the menus and the service for those of us who choose to pay out of pocket. There are also things to consider such as children with special needs, dietary or otherwise, who need a broader range of choices, not to mention that some kids just like steak or fish or whatever is a change of pace. I sincerely hope this was a brief experiment and that the regular children's menus will be in place for our upcoming trip in November.

[TinkerBelz]

Dawn - what a well thought out email. I'm glad you wrote it! Although we love the DDP - my daughter is of adult age, so she gets to enjoy the restaurants full menu, I'm glad someone spoke out. I think my daughter would have been disappointed as well.

[TinkerBelz]

Dawn - what a well thought out email. I'm glad you wrote it! Although we love the DDP - my daughter is of adult age, so she gets to enjoy the restaurants full menu, I'm glad someone spoke out. I think my daughter would have been disappointed as well.

[CinderAbby]

I agree. That was a nicely written email. I have half a mind to send an email myself as my DD is Autistic but she does eat more than chicken and pizza (maybe not much more, but she does eat more). Unfortunately, a letter from me though would make no impact. We're not planning on returning for at least a couple of years and by that time, things will change again.

[coastgirl]

Dawn thanks for the address and sharing the email with us. I will also try to send a protest myself, as I really liked having more nutritious choices available (like the grilled chicken and fish at Akershus) and my kids occasionally like a piece of protein that's not pre-formed!! We're only on our second trip but it sounds like things have gone downhill b/c of the DDP; it will make us less likely to find reasons to return and/or eat on-site.

[DebbieG]

I just shot off an email myself. The new menu isn't going to work very well for my kids, that's for sure. It should be interesting to see what kind of a response we get!

Thanks for the email address Dawn!

Debbie

[BreadBaker]

Thank you for the email address Dawn! I've just sent my own letter.

There is one bright spot, which I did mention in my email. All the meals contain fresh fruit and vegetables!! That's a big plus in my mind.

[EeyoreNeedsLoveToo]

Our little guy is so NOT a picky eater, but we were hoping he could have some variety. We would like to have him eat off our plates as much as possible. -- I heard somewhere that they might be "dividing" the adult/kid credits next year too. We don't necessarily care for buffets, but that would be the way to get the variety for kids.

[award]

We just got back from WDW yest. and yes they have the three awful choices but we did not have any problem ordering DD whatever we wanted for her! We were not on the dining plan and we got excellent service at each table service meal we did including Tony's!! I did notice how the waiter changed after he knew we weren't on the dining plan he took our picture and perked up and started interacting more maybe it was my imagination or maybe not???

[Teresa]

I have just sent off an e-mail myself. Not as well thought out as Dawn's, but I think I got my message across:

We are a frequent WDW family. We have always used the Platinum Plan, through all of it's changes from Grand Plan to the Gold Plan, to Platinum.
With that plan comes the dining anywhere we like. We do NOT consider it part of the DDP, and have been very dissappointed lately with some of the changes that are being made to accomidate the less expensive DDP. (i.e. - no more lobster at Coral Reef)
We have also noticed the marked difference in attitude among the waitstaff at most of WDW's restaurants. To say that the wait staff has been getting a bit lax in their jobs is an understatement. I thought it was just us. I have since found that I was wrong. We've had staff that upon discovering we were on the Plat. Plan, added items to our orders we did not ask for! When we've complained to the staff, we've been told " Well, you're not paying for it, so what difference does it make"
I was willing to "deal" with all of these things on a case by case situation. I gave WDW the benefit of the doubt, and now feel I am paying for it.
It is my understanding that there will now be a "Generic Children's Menu" offered at all restaurants in lieu of the standard smaller portions of the same food. What a travesty!!
My children have always been required to experiment with food, especially at WDW where they can get "authentic" foods. They will now not be able to do this.
What child wants to eat the same junk - and what I have seen is JUNK - every day, every meal for a week or more? The things that are on the children's menu I have seen are things my children don't eat at home! They will not be eating it at WDW!
We have reservations in January for a week. We are on the Platinum Plan. I can assure you that if the choices I have seen and the food service I have experienced are the same during that stay, we will probably not return every year as is our habit.
And, even were we to return, we would take our dining dollars outside of WDW property.
It just isn't the same. And, that is the worst travesty there is.

Thank you,

[angiek1024]

We just arrived back home from WDW and were not happy with the new kids menu. Most of the kids choices are the same at the table service meals. There are a few variations on what can be ordered but not much. For example, mac and cheese would be on one menu but not another.

I feel like my son ate the same meal over and over again. Not a good change in my opinion. It was disappointing.

[Nala]

Well, I guess I will have to fire off an email too. We experienced the new menu at Tony's before MNSSHP on the 29th. I cannot tell you how upset my DD was that they no longer had the Mickey shaped cheese filled pasta! It was almost a major meltdown and it didn't help that I had been telling her all day she could have it!

I did not realize at that time that this was something that was going to hit all or most of the sit downs! This is never going to fly for my fish, shrimp and steak loving kid. A big part of picking a sit down place to eat for us is based on what is on the kid's menu. She wasn't happy having to eat one of these meals once, so there is no way we could make her do it for a week or more.

I think our only choice if this stays around, is to pay adult prices on a package for our DD (can you even do that?). Otherwise, she would be eating food off my plate the entire trip and I would be stuck eating one of those kid's meals if I wanted to get any food!

I sure hope this is one of those [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/foreheadslap.gif[/img] "What were we thinking" ideas that goes away as quickly as it appeared!

[Luv2golf]

[ QUOTE ]
This concerns me also. Eating is a major battle for us because DD is so pickey and she doen't like mac n cheese, grilled cheese or any type of meat. So we try to feed her as much peanut butter as we can for protein

[/ QUOTE ]
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] This is exactly what my son will not eat. We give him as many peanuts, peanut butter-no jelly of course [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] and yogurt as we can. As you know, it's very challenging and this will make even more so.
Like other posters, this will turn us to counter service even more so than usual.