Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Iris!
I see you’re arriving at Walt Disney World Resort tomorrow – are you so, so excited?! You will be in the middle of the magic so soon.
Iris, my family loves the
Disney Dining Plan because it’s so easy to use and makes our vacation feel all-inclusive. Plus, the two snacks per person per day mean that we can try so many delicious Mickey-shaped treats! We were in your exact situation on our vacation last year – our daughter was 9, and thus considered a child in the world of Disney Dining, but there were times when what she wanted to order an adult entrée.
The good news is that because your daughter is 9, you paid the child price for her Disney Dining Plan. This means that she will be entitled to children’s meals as her entrees, and those selections will be listed on the kids’ menu at
Table-Service restaurants. If you’re not sure how many meal entitlements you and your daughter have, you can always track them in your
My Disney Experience mobile app, or you can see a breakdown on each receipt. You can also stop at your resort hotel’s front desk and a Cast Member can look up your account and answer any questions you might have.
My best advice is to talk to your server and see what they can do. Sometimes, they can serve a child-sized portion of an adult entrée, or there may be other options, depending on the restaurant. This is not guaranteed, but I find it really helpful to talk to my server and ask questions, because you never know where there might be flexibility. When my daughter was 9, we did end up paying out of pocket for an adult entrée for her at one restaurant; she ate every bite, and then we used that additional entitlement another day, so it was worth it for us.
Don’t forget that, as part of the 2019 Disney Dining Plan, specialty beverages are included, so if there are milkshakes, smoothies, or other fun kids’ drinks on the menu, your daughter will be able to enjoy those, too. On that same trip, my daughter was served a Shirley Temple by a kind Cast Member who saw how ready she was to be a Disney Adult – she was thrilled, loved her drink, and that simple kindness made a magical memory for us.
I hope you and your daughter have the best time together starting TOMORROW, Iris! Let the magic begin!
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn