Teens Favorite

[vfangue]

Our summer vacation WDW trip will include PLUS Dining Plan. It's our first trip with the dining plan so I'm looking for suggestions for dining reservations.

What's your teens favorite dining spots in WDW -- at the parks, resorts, and DTD???

Our last family trip, the girls were 11 and 12 and now they're 16 and 17. Also, if you care to share: how much freedom do you allow them at the parks and afterpark (ie DTD)?

 

[csmommy]

We pretty much go every other year, this trip DD will turn 13 & DS is 16. My kids have informed me that I MUST make reservations at Tappan Edo, Biergarten & 1 Character meal at Crystal Palace, b/c it is not a Disney trip w/o eating w/ Pooh.

Mostly, they like to eat a CS a day & a real meal at dinner. This year we are going to try Whispering Canyons b/c it is supposed to be a funny meal & offers the bottomless milkshake. DS likes buffets b/c he is a growing boy & likes/needs to eat! Thank goodness he is so active he burns it off as he eats it! We will be doing some nicer restaurants as well this time.

I was wondering about how much "freedom in parks" as well. DH & I would like to try La Cava del Tequila in Mexico, but don't want the kids hanging there with us. They will have their phones & I think if we give then a time limit, set their phones to go off to remind them to come back, they should be fine.

 

[TDC Nala]

Moved to the main board as it is a request for restaurant recommendations and not a dining plan issue.

You may also want to post the "freedom for teens in the parks" question on the Theme Parks board.

 

[Monorail Bob's dd]

Teppan Edo and SciFi Dine-In Theater are my teen's favorites.

 

[Niki in NJ]

I would ask them what kinds of places they want to visit now that they are a bit older. Do they want more themed restaurants (like Sci-Fi) or would they want to have nicer meals, like eating at restaurants in Epcot (Rose and Crown is one of our favs). I definitely think it's always fun to include at least one character meal.
With regards to your teens having freedom in the parks - This will be a personal decision, and I am sure everyone will have a different opinion, but at 16 and 17 they probably have a decent amount of freedom at home when they go out with their friends, so I don't see why they wouldn't be okay in Disney. If it were me, I would want them to stay within the same park I was in, and they would have to stay together at ALL times, and answer their cell if I were to call

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't know about telling them they have to answer the cell immediately if you call - if they're in a show or on a ride they will possibly not be able to answer the cell and talk to you instantly, you could also text them.

 

[Sgt Tibbs]

My teenage son's favorites are California Grill and Yachtsman Steakhouse what can I say he has expensive tastes.

I let him go off by himself as a 13 year old, if he stayed in the park mom and dad were in and he checked-in via cell phone every hour or so. I also let him go off by himself at the water parks and also let him explore the Boardwalk and World showcase by himself as we were staying in the Yacht Club resort at the time.

 

[clutter]

dd14 loves (wants to visit every trip) a combination of restaurants that are faves because of either food or atmosphere:

Le Cellier (a must do)
Tokyo Inn
Nine Dragons
Coral Reef
Crystal Palace
SciFi
50s Prime Time
Yak & Yeti (a must do)
Boma
Kona

She used to be a picky eater!

 

[CathieArms]

Our summer vacation WDW trip will include PLUS Dining Plan. It's our first trip with the dining plan so I'm looking for suggestions for dining reservations.

What's your teens favorite dining spots in WDW -- at the parks, resorts, and DTD???

Our last family trip, the girls were 11 and 12 and now they're 16 and 17. Also, if you care to share: how much freedom do you allow them at the parks and afterpark (ie DTD)?

We were at WDW 2 years ago, and we're going again this summer and taking DD15 and her BFF15. Of the restaurants we went last time, DD wants to do:

Teppan Edo
Akershus
Biergarten
50s Prime Time

In terms of "freedom," my plan with my girls is to start the day together and hit the popular attractions together first, then - after we break for lunch - to let them do their own thing at whatever park we're at. I'll also drop them off at one of the water parks one day.

Your girls are a bit older, so you may be more comfortable with allowing them to roam different parks than the family or DTD, but I prefer to keep my girls at the same park as myself in case they have a problem. I really think that - at 16 and 17 - they should be fine roaming mostly alone together.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

My DS (16) likes dinners with Disney Characters or a theme. His dinner favorites include Whispering Canyon, 50's Prime Time, Sci Fi, and Chef Mickey's. He also picked Tusker House breakfast last year and really enjoyed this as well.

As far as freedom in the parks, we have been there several times and he knows the park layouts very well. We let him start having some freedom at age 14. We give him specific instructions including checking in with us/returning calls within a given amount of time, staying with a buddy, meeting times, etc. and it works well for us. He knows that if any rules are violated, he would be with us for the remainder of the trip.

 

[DoleWhipMom]

My teens love 50's Prime Time, Ohana's, and Chefs de France. We used to also do Le Cellier but with the change in the # of credits this year, we are going to skip it. Their favorite counter service is Wolfgang Puck's Express. The used to love Chef Mickeys but it was disappointing last year.

This summer we are trying a bunch of new places so here is what we have planned, we are staying at the Beach Club so we have a lot of Epcot on the menu this year:

Le Chefs de France
Teppan Edo (new)
La Hacienda de San Angel (new at 8pm hopefully will get a window table)
Ohana's
Crystal Palace for breakfast (oldie but a goodie, we plan early seating so we get into MK before it opens, great to walk down Main Street empty)
Captain's Grille (new)
Via Napoli (new, dd wants to try it, walked by it last year)

Have a great trip.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

Our last family trip, the girls were 11 and 12 and now they're 16 and 17. Also, if you care to share: how much freedom do you allow them at the parks and afterpark (ie DTD)?

My DSs like a buffet because they don't have to worry about 2nds. Also the fact that there is also something they like. DD will be 16 this trip. She is pretty flexible though. She does want to do 1 character meal and she says it does not have to a princess meal. She is pretty easy going unless she is having one of her DIVA moments.