Celebrating birthdays in WDW - things to do?

[Brave Princess]

For our 2021 trip, our oldest will have just turned 16 a week before, I'll turn 40 during the trip and our youngest will also turn 3 during the trip. I'm already planning on birthday ears, shirts and buttons for all of us.

For our youngest, I was thinking of a princess character breakfast, aiming toward 1900 Park Fare over CRT. What are the main differences in characters at each? And what should I expect, like do the characters generally make a fuss over birthdays? Can we get a birthday cupcake and sing? Any other little extras I should look into? I know we arent interested in BBB. She'll have a pretty birthday outfit and she won't even know it exists to miss it.

Also, last time our oldest was there, she was 12, so a bit of a difference that she'll be 16. Any recommendations for a special celebration meal or other extra for her? I'd like to make it a little more grown up. Maybe even a late night just the two of us? I can talk Dad into taking one for the team and take the youngest back to the hotel since it'll be my birthday too

Lastly, it's a shame to have only one child who isn't celebrating a birthday at Disney. So, we'd like to do something for her as well, but it won't be close to her birthday at all. Can we still grab a birthday button for her and have a birthday celebration?

 

[KayaWildfire]

For your youngest, 1900 Park Fare doesn't have princesses at breakfast-they have characters from English stories-Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice, and the Mad Hatter. At dinner, they have Cinderella, Prince Charming, Stepmother and stepsisters. CRT has the princesses at breakfast-Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Belle, and Jasmine is who we have seen. These do change around a bit. Another princess breakfast to consider is Akershus at Epcot-same characters but quite a bit cheaper. They may bring a cupcake out and the characters will comment if they are told, but to be perfectly honest, tons of people are celebrating their birthday so nothing is guaranteed. You can get cakes for a fee, which might be somehting to consider if you want something guaranteed.
For your oldest, what sort of food does she like? Another option other than food is doing a tour, there are several options such as different animal ones, behind the scenes, etc.
And your poor other kiddo whose celebrating her un-birthday-she absolutely can have a button as well.

 

[Brave Princess]

Thank you. Her name is Alice and she has an Alice in Wonderland themed room and already has had an Alice party, so we were aiming for Alice and Mad Hatter since she already loves them so much. But thanks for clarifying, because I thought Cinderella and Prince Charming and others were also at the breakfast. So I may rethink that.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I don't think I've ever seen any of the restaurants sing for a birthday, though of course you yourself are welcome to sing her Happy Birthday if you wish. The server *might* bring out a free birthday cupcake (usually not a candle though) but they might not as well and it's considered Pixie Dust if they do so not really something you can ask for. You can pay for and order a cake to be delivered to most restaurants (there's a sticky on the Restaurants board if you want more info) or the Disney Floral and Gifts website offers cupcakes (though pricey) that you can get delivered to your room (they also offer birthday packages and room decor (but again pricey).

For the 16 year old, I think she would probably love a night out with just her. Let her pick a restaurant to celebrate at and then hit a few rides afterwards. If you're looking for a nice gift item, maybe hit up the Pick-a-Pearl location in Japan in Epcot and let her pick an oyster. They will open it and make a big deal about the Pearl inside. She can keep just the Pearl or you can have it made into jewelry.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Sana’a does a little drum / birthday celebration at your table. It was a little different and my 4 year old daughter enjoyed it. (No dessert / cupcake on the house since she ordered from the kids menu and had the African Shield dessert already.)

 

[Brave Princess]

Sana’a does a little drum / birthday celebration at your table. It was a little different and my 4 year old daughter enjoyed it. (No dessert / cupcake on the house since she ordered from the kids menu and had the African Shield dessert already.)

My oldest LOVED Sanaa so much! That would be a good idea for her, thanks!

 

[Brave Princess]

I don't think I've ever seen any of the restaurants sing for a birthday, though of course you yourself are welcome to sing her Happy Birthday if you wish. The server *might* bring out a free birthday cupcake (usually not a candle though) but they might not as well and it's considered Pixie Dust if they do so not really something you can ask for. You can pay for and order a cake to be delivered to most restaurants (there's a sticky on the Restaurants board if you want more info) or the Disney Floral and Gifts website offers cupcakes (though pricey) that you can get delivered to your room (they also offer birthday packages and room decor (but again pricey).

For the 16 year old, I think she would probably love a night out with just her. Let her pick a restaurant to celebrate at and then hit a few rides afterwards. If you're looking for a nice gift item, maybe hit up the Pick-a-Pearl location in Japan in Epcot and let her pick an oyster. They will open it and make a big deal about the Pearl inside. She can keep just the Pearl or you can have it made into jewelry.

Thank you for all the info!!!

 

[KenHutch]

For our 6th trip next year this is a birthday trip as the 11 year old turns 12. She has already made some go to do plans. Dinner at her favorite 50's Prime Time. Jedi Training one last time and she has been looking hard at those droids and the new light sabers. Teaching that girl to love Star Wars may have been a mistake.

 

[tobin04]

I love this thread. We've been for my oldest's first, 13th, and now we're going in March for her 16th. I ordered her a sweet 16 sash. For her 13th we did do the room celebration from Disney florist. It was neat, but pricy. I wish Disney would do something like this!

 

[Feberin]

We're going in April and all my kids birthdays are within two months of our trip. Each child gets to pick a restaurant for a special meal. My older two (7 and 9) requested particular restaurants. My four year old just wanted princesses so we're doing Akershus. We picked one we thought my youngest would enjoy. We're doing these instead of birthday parties. Partially to save money but also because I am not planning four birthday parties and Disney in a 3.5 month period. Besides a special meal I have nothing figured out. One child has a birthday a week afterwards and I was asked if I wanted a birthday button for her but I declined since it didn't seem fair to my other kids since their birthdays are further out. We're not able to go to Disney frequently.