Picky eaters ages 10 & 12....what to do?

[CJK]

We're planning a large family reunion trip in 2011. Two of the boys are aged 10 and 12, so they are considered adults on the dining plan. However, they are very picky eaters and don't like to eat anything out of the ordinary (basic chicken fingers, spaghetti, burgers, etc..is all they like). We don't want to do buffets for every meal (just 1 buffet is planned). What are some of your experiences with similarly aged children? Any specific restaurants recommended? On our last big trip, we ate at:
Sci Fi Diner
Whispering Canyon
Le Cellier
Hoop Dee Doo
'Ohana

We'd like to try some other places this time, keeping the boys in mind. We're thinking of one character meal and maybe Via Napoli and Coral Reef. I'd love other suggestions/tips. Thank you!

 

[hookedondizney]

They pretty much have those same items you mentioned on all of the kids menu's......
The Hoop de Doo is so much fun! You should try it

 

[Nadjalu]

I don't have much advice, the only thing I can comment on is Ohana.

There isn't a menu, not sure if you know that. Everyone is served the same "family" all you can eat meal.
There aren't entrees to choose from.

Just thought I would let you know in case you haven't researched this restaurant.

 

[CJK]

Thanks for the replies! I apologize for not being clear with my question. I wrote it too quickly!!

The restaurants I listed are ones where we already ate at previously, so I'm looking for some new suggestions. I'm already thinking of Via Napoli and Coral Reef but am open to suggestions. Also, the boys are 10 and 12, so they cannot order off the kids' menu.

 

[sue1013]

There is another thread about adults ordering from the kids menu some are saying they can't I've not found that to be true. My DS only ate kid type foods until his late teens. We go to WDW at least once a year he was able to order from the kids menu without a problem. DS is now 6' 3 I'd guess by 17 he was close to that size most servers would ask if he wanted the kids meal adult size. That's our experience some on the other thread say they have been refused but the servers were always very happy to give DS what he wanted.

 

[habg1]

Oh man...we're in the same boat as you...Being a "Disney adult" stinks.

My 11 yr old likes the fried chicken at 50's Prime time at HS.

Tony's Town Square at MK is another decent one for the kids.

The one buffet we really enjoy is Crystal Palace.

Good luck....we've been through this recently making my ADRs for Feb.

 

[Eastern]

I would do Teppan Edo. My picky teens loved it. (and the adults liked it as well)

Cape May Cafe is a buffet but we like that a lot too.

 

[brergnat]

When you are on the DDP, you have to PAY for the kids over 9 as adults, but that doesn't mean they can't order of the kid's menu. If you are cool with paying $42/day for your kids to eat chicken strips and hamburgers, it's not an issue. The people that complain are the ones that are NOT okay with that.

Normally, I'd say don't do the DDP in this case, as you will NOT get your money's worth. However, since you're part of a larger group, I understand why you are doing it.

 

[marlower]

Thanks for the replies! I apologize for not being clear with my question. I wrote it too quickly!!

The restaurants I listed are ones where we already ate at previously, so I'm looking for some new suggestions. I'm already thinking of Via Napoli and Coral Reef but am open to suggestions. Also, the boys are 10 and 12, so they cannot order off the kids' menu.

No worries, your boys can definitely order off of the kids menu just know you are paying adult price for the dining plan for them. Via Napoli is very good and if your boys like pizza that that is an easy choice. Buffets are good too because they can get exactly what they like. Happy Planning!

 

[twinspluscade]

Even though you said you didn't want to do more buffets, with picky kids I'd plan on eating at more than one. Crystal Palace and Garden Grille both have really good "plain" food (think chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, etc.). I've heard Boma and Biergarten are both really good, but haven't eaten there yet (we'll be trying them on our next trip). According to the allears menu, they seem to have a good variety of meats. I'm a really, really picky eater too so I'm always perusing the menus to see what I"ll like.

I loved the meal we ate at Liberty Tree Tavern. It's no longer a character meal, but I think the dinner menu is still pretty much the same. Turkey, dressing, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits, stuff like that.

Do they like steak? Isn't that new place in the Contemporary (The wave, I think?) a steak place?

Prime Time looks like it has good food. My reason for avoiding it though is that--with the exception of potatoes and corn--I won't eat vegetables, and I don't want to get picked on by the waiter for not cleaning my plate..

 

[EvilQueenT]

my best advice is to go to allears.net or onto disneys website and check the menus. you know better than anyone else what your kids would eat. i think allears is a little easier to navigate for the purpose to just looking at menus.

i know how hard it can be...my kids (now in their 20s) are direct opposites in their eating habits. one won't eat beef and prefers more seafood, pasta, or asian type of food while my son is a meat and potatoes kind of guy so i still use allears when we're all going and i'm doing the planning. plus my granddaughter (6) has a more adult palate and won't eat the typical chicken nuggets, pb&j, pizza, mac-n- cheese kids menu stuff...so it's always back to checking out the menus for us. i figure if i can find one dish i'm pretty sure each person will eat then i'm good.

 

[ancestry]

The other thing you can do is pay out of pocket for any meals they want to order from the kids menu and then others can use their dining points for other meals. Dining points are grouped together for everyone staying in the same room so you could buy them a kids meal and then use their points at a special signature restaurant one night (for example).

 

[MSSANDRA]

Most places will do the meal "plain", plain pasta, steak etc. A kids size kid meal may not be enough food for them. An adult size kids meal sounds like a good choice for your boys.

Coral Reef has a good steak my picky teen got "plain". Prime time Cafe has simple choices, Most itialian places can and will do a simple pasta dish that might not really be on the menu. They might like the ESPN club.

 

[TDC Nala]

Do buffets, or reconsider the dining plan. If you use credits to pay for their meals a la carte, and they order from the child's menu, you will be paying adult credits for child meals. You may be able to ask if an adult portion of a child's menu meal is available. You can also pay OOP for their child's menu meals and use their credits for yourself.

 

[jaybird77]

My boyfriend is a picky eater so sometimes we have this to worry about also. It seems like most restaurants you go to in Disney World are used to cusomizing. Most have a steak or chicken dish of some sort and they can do it 'plain' like without the sauce and such. Then looks for any side order on the menu the kids like and ask to substitute. Most of the time it's not an issue. I would say my boyfriend can find a burger, or ribs, or a steak plus mashed potatoes or french fries on almost any menu, and then he is set. We sat beside a girl at Coral Reef who asked to substitute fries on some fancy fish dish...well she got fries...

 

[MickeyNicki]

My niece was 9 and then 12 when we took her and she is super duper picky so breakfast buffets worked the best and then she just did counter service chicken nuggets for dinner. She had no problem eating CS before we went to our TS. At a few places she ordered the mac and cheese and liked it...the pizza was a huge bust for her though.

 

[rubato]

My son was 10 when we went in January and will be 11 when we go this January. We were on the dining plan, and he was considered an adult, so I refused to let him order from the kids menu. I had to get my money's worth. What did I get for that? A miserable child. So, this time, he can order whatever he wants off of the kids menu. I'm going to pay OOP for a lot of his meals, considering the kids meals can be as little as $7 with drink at some nice places like Narcoossee's. Then, I'll use his credits!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

My son was 10 when we went in January and will be 11 when we go this January. We were on the dining plan, and he was considered an adult, so I refused to let him order from the kids menu. I had to get my money's worth. What did I get for that? A miserable child. So, this time, he can order whatever he wants off of the kids menu. I'm going to pay OOP for a lot of his meals, considering the kids meals can be as little as $7 with drink at some nice places like Narcoossee's. Then, I'll use his credits!

That is exactly what I plan to do in August. Tyler is 11 but does not eat like an adult at all...even the things he will eat, he likes plain. So we will order adult meals for Lou and I and a kid's meal for Skye then pay out of pocket for Tyler making sure that the more expensive kid's meal is covered on the DDDP so we pay out of pocket for the cheaper one...then we will use Tyler's extra adult credits for more meals.

 

[traviesojmt]

In our personal experience, Disney has always been very accommodating even on the Dining plan. My DS13, has ordered off the adult menu, child menu and even has been allowed to order an appetizer as his meal while on the dining plan. He loves the Sticky wings at Kona and ordered that as his meal. No problem. I think that you would be hard pressed to not find something that they will eat at almost every restaurant at Disney.

 

[Ro Z]

I am a very picky eater myself. I order everything without sauces. I ask for no butter on my steaks! I even ask for the sauce on the side at Mama Melroses, just in case! Coral reef has a chicken dish that I order w/o the sauce and sub mash potato for the spaetzle. They also have fries. Most places you can get plain 'anything'. The only place I have not been happy is the Wave. They do not have fries,mashed, or baked potato. They told me the white bean mash tastes just like mashed potato. No Thank You! If it tastes like mashed potatoes just give me the mashed! I will not go back, although I love the lounge! Told you I am picky.