Character Dining with a 15 year old boy

[bardays]

We are celebrating our son's 15th birthday in October. In the past, we have had dinner at the Carnation Cafe. This was nice, but this time he wants character dining. He is either being ironic, or hanging on to childhood. Either way, he is a Disney fan.
Anyone have any recommendations? I realize some meals will be kid heavy, which is fine, but is there anything more "mature"
thanks in advance!

 

[Malcon10t]

Interesting.... I'd either go with the classic, Goofy's, or if you think he is being ironic, skip the character meal and do something more mature like Steakhouse 55 or Carthay.

My niece is having her sweet 16 at Disneyland and while her mom was saying this restaurant or that, so I asked my niece and she wants Steakhouse. So, while mom wants one thing, niece is getting what she wants. (Mom wants GCH, but niece wants DLH. She is getting DLH.)

 

[ParkHopper1]

Having done them all several times Surf's Up at PPH for the teenage crowd is the best IMO. Not over run with small kids (at least does not feel that way) and characters interaction is great with everyone from small kids, teens and adults. Have been there with some teen boys in our group that were on the verge of being too "cool" for characters but they all came away having a blast.

Plus you get a picture wth Mickey!

 

[SMD]

If he wants a buffet and not characters there's the dinner buffets at PCH and Storyteller's.

 

[bardays]

This is all great. I think he is after photo ops, so the characters are a must. I did some searching and it looks like dinner at Goofy's kitchen is best as we cannot do breakfast

 

[BriannaRuth]

Just have to say my DD17 can't wait for character meals! They're never too old!

We'll probably do Goofy's because Minnie and Chip and Dale are usually there, and she loves them. Plus we're staying at the DLH so its easy.

 

[mom2rtk]

This is all great. I think he is after photo ops, so the characters are a must. I did some searching and it looks like dinner at Goofy's kitchen is best as we cannot do breakfast

Goofy's is a great location too, just a short walk from the monorail station in DTD.

I hope he has a great birthday dinner! I love that he wants to do a character meal.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Just have to say my DD17 can't wait for character meals! They're never too old!

We'll probably do Goofy's because Minnie and Chip and Dale are usually there, and she loves them. Plus we're staying at the DLH so its easy.

This exactly! Quite frankly, if you are a Disney fan, you definitely aren't too old for a character meal. It's not odd, or weird, it's Disney, isn't it?

 

[bardays]

ooooh now I am even more excited than he is! I love the DLH. Hope to stay there one day! thanks!

 

[finest14]

We're taking out 15 year old son to Goofy's Kitchen next month. He loves it and asks for character dining EVERY time. We all have different tastes so the buffet is perfect.

 

[bardays]

We're taking out 15 year old son to Goofy's Kitchen next month. He loves it and asks for character dining EVERY time. We all have different tastes so the buffet is perfect.

perfect! Good point about food preferences!

 

[tkradtke]

Thanks to this thread I saw that Goofy's Kitchen has dinner now! My 15 year old daughter and I are booked to go next month (it's a Grad Night, so it's a way to do something Disney while staying out of the fray). We're both so excited! She refused to do character dining on our trip last year... what a difference a year makes!