Tween Table Service

[huskies90]

I have an 11 year old and 14 year old. Too old for kids meals but they don't really eat all that much to justify the crazy "adult" prices. However, I like to sit down for meals and and I am not crazy about CS, although I think that is where we are heading. What are my choices? I know you can get a burger at the Plaza in MK. What other choices do I have?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

At that age - appetizers work well.

Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch has good choices.
Kona has some decent appetizers along with many of the Signature Restuarants.

 

[n2mm]

Keep in mind that most TS entrees can be modified. We travel with our grandson (now 16 yo) often and he's not a fan of fancy sauces. He looks at the menu and will switch things out. If he wants the fried chicken at the 50s PrimeTime, he switches out the mashed potatoes and greens for French Fries. At steak places you don't have to get the mushrooms and sauces on the beef, they will give it to you plain. We have found that almost every location has french fries (they are on the kids' menu) and will sub them out easily. So read how something is prepared and drop the fancy parts of the preparation. Also many places sell pasta on the kids menu and will make an adult version of it for the bigger kids too (at a slightly higher price).

 

[TAKitty]

Most places with give you a kids meal at an adult portion. So if they like something on that menu they can order those items. We went to sci fi for dinner and the burger isn't on the menu, but we could order it for dinner. Most places will also do pasta for you, even if it is not on the menu.

 

[robinb]

I have an 11 year old and 14 year old. Too old for kids meals but they don't really eat all that much to justify the crazy "adult" prices. However, I like to sit down for meals and and I am not crazy about CS, although I think that is where we are heading. What are my choices? I know you can get a burger at the Plaza in MK. What other choices do I have?

Your kids can still order from the children's menu. My tween does it all the time. I have even heard of kids as old as 19 ordering from the kids menu! Now, I think that's stretching it but an 11 and 14 year old should be just fine. You will have to pay adult pricing for them at any buffet or single priced meal like 'Ohana's.

 

[snykymom]

If you're paying OOP, then there's no issue with any of the TS places; they can order what they want, and as previously noted, appetizers work really well. Also, sharing is no issue.

The DP makes it more difficult, since you'll be paying for them as adults anyway, and appetizers aren't included in the regular plan.

 

[huskies90]

Thanks everyone, these are great suggestions. I will be paying OOP and have a TIW card. I am surprised they will let you order from the kids menu when you are 14 although, the 14 year old will eat more; she is just very picky. My 11 year old will barely finish a kids menu meal. As for off the menu, I tried that once at Whispering Canyon, ordering a hamburger at dinner time (it was on the lunch menu) and they gave me a hard time. They only agreed because it was my daughter's birthday the burger was for her.

 

[robinb]

Thanks everyone, these are great suggestions. I will be paying OOP and have a TIW card. I am surprised they will let you order from the kids menu when you are 14 although, the 14 year old will eat more; she is just very picky. My 11 year old will barely finish a kids menu meal. As for off the menu, I tried that once at Whispering Canyon, ordering a hamburger at dinner time (it was on the lunch menu) and they gave me a hard time. They only agreed because it was my daughter's birthday the burger was for her.

If the 14 year old will eat more than a kid's meal but won't eat the "fancier" foods, you can get an adult portion of the kid-type foods for her. You'll have to pay adult pricing, though. They will allow the 11-year old to order off the kids menu without batting an eye. Just ask for the menu while you are being seated. As for ordering lunch items during dinner ... that is a different issue altogether but I'm glad they did it for you anyway .

 

[bmraar]

We have taken my 13 year old a couple of times over the last few years. Her favorite restaurants were:

Sci Fi Dine In Theater: her absolute favorite. She loves the BLT soup (tomato soup with bacon on it). Add a milkshake, and she is full.

Yak and Yeti counter service (at least it's not a burger)

Sunshine Seasons counter service (huge selection, much of it made to order)

Plaza Restaurant (simple sandwiches, relatively reasonable prices by Disney sit down standards)

Earl of Sandwich

I agree with the previous poster about appetizers. My daughter thinks she is too cool for the kids menu, although her appetite size and tastes lean that way. Appetizers, soups, salads are the way we go. With huge Disney portions, if they are insufficient there is usually extra on everyone else's plates that she may take.

Good luck!
Kim

 

[cccdisney]

We had this problem on our last trip. (we just returned Saturday). My oldest turned 13 on the trip and also had an 11 yr old. We were on the DDP. Everyplace but one they had no problem finding something on the adult menu that they liked although sometimes they had to ask for no sauce, no mushrooms, etc.
However, we had a huge issue at Tutto Italia. We had this dinner as part of the CP Package on Nov 26th. This also happened to be my daughter's actual birthday and I felt very bad because there was NOTHING on the adult menu she would eat. They down right refused to let her order off the kids menu (which of course would have saved them $$) and even the pasta she ordered off the adult menu she barely picked at because it had some strange tasting cheese on it which they wouldn't change.
The CP Package comes with an appetizer - she REALLY wanted the fried mozzarella cheese balls from the kids appetizer menu (we had two kids at the table so we had that menu). They refused to let her order that INSTEAD of the adult appt. which was almost double the price. He said we could pay for the kids appetizer!
We ended paying for the appetizer since by this point she was in tears and good grief - it was her birthday!!!
BTW - I would not recommend this restaurant. Service was awful and the food was overpriced and not good. (The CP was awesome though!! )

I really think Disney needs to have a Jr. Menu at non-buffet/family style places. Having tweens ordering off of an adult menu at some of these places is ridiculous. Just my opinion!

 

[robinb]

I really think Disney needs to have a Jr. Menu at non-buffet/family style places. Having tweens ordering off of an adult menu at some of these places is ridiculous. Just my opinion!

I wish they had Junior pricing for buffets and the DDP too! For instance, we all LOVE Boma's but my 75-lb 11-year old vegetarian simply can't eat $44 worth of fruit, fufu, mac n cheese and desserts on our December trip with Holiday pricing .

 

[hannahryan]

Your kids can still order from the children's menu. My tween does it all the time. I have even heard of kids as old as 19 ordering from the kids menu! Now, I think that's stretching it but an 11 and 14 year old should be just fine. You will have to pay adult pricing for them at any buffet or single priced meal like 'Ohana's.

I really wish this was the case in every restaurant. We just got back yesterday from WDW and I was very disappointed twice. My son, who is 14, usually tries to order from the adult menu. Although, sometimes only the food on the kids menu interest him. We had trouble at La Hacienda in Epcot and The Plaza in the MK. We ordered 5 expensive adult meals at La Hacienda and then my son tried ordering chicken tenders. The server said "no, under 9 only". I politely had to ask for the manager. I was upset to be put in this situation. At the Plaza, I asked for 1 child's menu just in case. The hostess said, "is he really under 9"? I said no and she said then he can't have a childs menu or order from it. My daughter really wanted to eat there so my poor son had to walk alone over to Cosmic Ray's and eat alone. I'm still not over this one. I'm debating writing a letter, but don't know if it will help.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Pulled Pork at Pecos Bill.

 

[Quin]

I have an 11 year old and 14 year old. Too old for kids meals but they don't really eat all that much to justify the crazy "adult" prices. However, I like to sit down for meals and and I am not crazy about CS, although I think that is where we are heading. What are my choices? I know you can get a burger at the Plaza in MK. What other choices do I have?

Buffets (non-character if they're too "grown up") will take care of the picky eater problem but not the pricing problem. Everybody can eat from both the adult and kid choices. Biergarten in Epcot; Cape May for dinner; Boma. Even paying OOP, as many have noted, you can't count on being able to have adult-aged guests order off the kids' menu at regular TS restaurants. Check the menus carefully before making ADRs. Since you are not on DDP there should be no problem in making a meal from "adult" appetizers, sides, and/or dessert. If those options are not appealing to the kids, then you are back to CS.

There are some CS options that are more than the basic burger & fries. Check out some of the resorts - Pepper Market in CSR, Contempo Cafe in the Contemporary come immediately to mind. Sunshine Seasons at Epcot also feels more like a sit-down restaurant to me.

 

[Kay1]

Rose & Crown at Epcot is somewhat reasonable and offers a burger at lunch.

 

[TaraPA]

My 10 & 13-yr olds LOVE Sci Fi! And while not on the DDP, they also love Rainforest Cafe at AK or DTD.

 

[robinb]

I really wish this was the case in every restaurant. We just got back yesterday from WDW and I was very disappointed twice. My son, who is 14, usually tries to order from the adult menu. Although, sometimes only the food on the kids menu interest him. We had trouble at La Hacienda in Epcot and The Plaza in the MK. We ordered 5 expensive adult meals at La Hacienda and then my son tried ordering chicken tenders. The server said "no, under 9 only". I politely had to ask for the manager. I was upset to be put in this situation. At the Plaza, I asked for 1 child's menu just in case. The hostess said, "is he really under 9"? I said no and she said then he can't have a childs menu or order from it. My daughter really wanted to eat there so my poor son had to walk alone over to Cosmic Ray's and eat alone. I'm still not over this one. I'm debating writing a letter, but don't know if it will help.

Well, that's a bummer . We have been to WDW twice since my DD turned 10 and we have ZERO problems when we asked for a children's menu. Even on the last trip with her 10-year old friend so we were buying kids meals for two kids over 9. But I can understand that individual restaurants could be stinky, especially those that are not owned by Disney. I hope we don't run into too many problems because there is no way my DD can eat a big adult meal *and* she's a vegetarian so she can't eat 95% of the menu items.

 

[Finally08]

wow that's crazy to not let the tweens order off the kids menu when it saves THEM money.
When we did the ddp the last time my son was there he was 12 - and at every sit down restaurant we did, they handed him only the child's menu. I was bugged because I was paying adult rates for him yet they assumed he would just want to eat mac & cheese and ice cream all week I guess.

Granted, when we asked for an adult menu they would give us one, and most times he did end up with kids food because he's picky. But the assumption bugged me. We also had a younger dd, so we got the kids menu for her anyway to know that there were kid friendly options. The sad thing is it's my younger dd who wants the adult choices....she likes roast, roasted chicken, steaks, etc.

 

[snykymom]

There's a difference between letting someone order off the kid's menu (which I think should be allowed - heck, I'm in my 50's and have ordered off kid's menus in various places!), and ordering a lunch item at dinner.

Very often, the same equipment needs to be used to make lunch and dinner items, but they are used differently or with different sauces, etc. And the ingredients for the lunch items may be stored or even frozen by the time you ask for it at dinner. It's not that easy to swap out ingredients and preparation methods.

But the kid's menu items are all set up and there's no reason why they should care.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Although we've used the DxDDP the last two trips, I've never had a problem although my poor DD 13 look's 8.

It was my poor DH who couldn't find a thing at Y&Y and had to "make a deal" with the 11 yr old DD. Funny memory.

I can understand why they don't let OOP use the kid's menu but when you're on the DDP who the heck cares?

cccdisney email WDW and let them know what happened on your daughter's birthday. Save someone else a bad experience. If you're on the DDP you should be able to order whatever you please.