Hey there, Nadia! Welcome back to planDisney!
I’m so excited to see you back here with another great planning question, but I’m even more excited to see that you have a magical adventure with your niece and nephews right on the horizon! There’s nothing better than seeing the magic of
Walt Disney World through the eyes of little ones. And since you have added one of the
Disney Dining Plans to your vacation, your planning is off to a practically perfect start. Now, let’s make sure the little Mouseketeers maximize the magic of the Dining Plan!
Guests 10 and up will receive adult meals on the Dining Plan, so if your niece or nephews are 10 years old or older, they will be able to substitute the drink that's included with their Quick-Service meals with a specialty beverage, such as a slushy or milkshake, if available. My daughter is 11 years old and loves substituting her drink for a La Cantina Slushy at La Cantina de San Angel in EPCOT. Just be aware that while the terms of the
Quick-Service Dining Plan state that specialty beverages are included as part of the meal if offered, I have noticed that allowed substitutions vary at each location and can sometimes change.
I find that the easiest way to determine if a specialty beverage is included with a Quick-Service meal for anyone 10 and up is to add the meal and beverage of choice to your
Mobile Order on the My Disney Experience app. After the system applies your dining plan meals to the order, if the drink is included, it will be listed under "Included with Meals." Just be sure that it's included with the meal and not charging you a snack credit! Another fail-proof way is to ask a Cast Member at the Quick-Service location if any specialty beverages are available for drink substitution.
If your niece and nephew are 9 years old or under, their drink choices will be limited to the drinks offered on the kids' menus. But Hakuna Matata! It means "no worries." That does not mean that they are limited to water, milk, juice or soda. Many Quick-Service locations also offer lemonade, iced tea, and sports drinks for the little ones. Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom even offers a refreshing Acai Berry Vitamin Water! Locations such as Backlot Express, Catalina Eddie's and Rosie's All-American Cafe in Hollywood Studios and several Quick-Service locations at the Resorts even offer strawberry-flavored yogurt smoothies as one of the side items for the kiddos. When you are placing the Mobile Order for the kids, just be sure to tap the plus sign and number at the bottom of the kid's meal screen to see what substitutions are offered for sides and drinks. Full tummies plus happy kids equal magical vacations!
I hope this helps, Nadia, and I hope you and your family have the best time and the best food! Please feel free to stop by any time with any planning questions you have.
You've got a friend in me,
Mandy