Fussy teens

[stitchtastic]

We would like to eat in some of the nice restaurants such as california grill. However we have 2 fussy teens(16&13)who will not appreciate the menu and who are too old for the kids menu. Would we be able to order some simpler food for them in the restaurants. We have had a look at various menus which really excite me and DH but frankly would be a waste on our 2 DDs. We don't really want to send them off elsewhere to eat as this is a "family" vacation and know they would happily go into a park one night by themselves so that we can have a romantic meal but generally I would prefer us to all eat together nad not just counter service. Thanks in advance for any tips.
:wave:

 

[tigsmom]

I'm all for a family vacation, but these last 2 years we have let the kids go off on their own (they are 18 & 12 and have to stay together) while we have a nice meal or meet a friend for a drink. Its just one meal so think about it.

I have had to give up the idea of eating at some places because the rest are picky eaters, but I was able to get them to Boma and they all loved it.
My kids and DH wouldn't eat anything on the CG menu either. You could call and see if they would make a dish "plain", but you may have to pass if you don't want to go alone this trip.

 

[wdwmomof3]

I have to tell you that if anyone has picky eaters it's me. All my children want to eat is chicken fingers & pizza but on our last trip we ate everywhere and they loved every meal that they had. I have heard, and you can check with Disney, that if you are eating somewhere and your children are not happy with anything that they offer that Disney will get something from another place for you. I have never tried this but if they are truly unhappy with the food it might be worth a try. :shrug:

Have you gone to allearsnet.com and looked at the menus for the places that you are wanting to try? I did this and had a pretty good idea of what I would be ordering for the kids before we even got there. :slurp:

 

[Master Yoda]

You can order off the kids menu regardless of age. At most there will be a slight surcharge. My best friend orders off the kid menu quite frequently and she is in her early 40's.

 

[DisneyMarg]

We would like to eat in some of the nice restaurants such as california grill. However we have 2 fussy teens(16&13)who will not appreciate the menu and who are too old for the kids menu. Would we be able to order some simpler food for them in the restaurants. We have had a look at various menus which really excite me and DH but frankly would be a waste on our 2 DDs. We don't really want to send them off elsewhere to eat as this is a "family" vacation and know they would happily go into a park one night by themselves so that we can have a romantic meal but generally I would prefer us to all eat together nad not just counter service. Thanks in advance for any tips.
:wave:

You are smart to figure this out in advance, as unhappy teens (or parents!) can really put a damper on the day. When our kids were the age of yours, we really sort of catered to their tests by telling ourselves, "this may be the last trip we take to WDW as a family. DH and I can eat romantic on our next trip which will likely be without them" (which it was, by the way). Since family was important to us as well, we really tried to celebrate family even if we had to give up our own individual desires.

On the other hand, if you are really dreaming of a fancy meal, then it isn't worth giving up. If you don't want to go without them, maybe strike a deal: Everyone gets to pick their one dream meal location, and the others are all neutral - ok for everyone. Part of the deal is that everyone else has to be very pleasant and agreeable when eating at the places that they would not have picked. I would be surprised if there weren't SOMETHING edible on the menu.

And, many a teen has been surprised to find they like something that didn't sound good to them when reading about it on the Internet.

 

[Timothy Q Mouse]

I am a true believer in the fact for families to be happy together, they sometimes need to be happy apart. Send them off to MK for the night and enjoy a nice dinner at California Grill. Plan to meet later for Wishes. They're old enough to be on their own for a few hours. You spend the other hours of your vacation dealing with fussy teens; have some "grown-up" time. You'll be much happier the rest of the vacation. Trust me.

 

[LuLaSue]

I have a very fussy DH2B and while dining in Disney we had no problems. We eat everywhere, if he doesn't like whats on the menu (in the sit down restaurants) he will ask for a steak and potato and they are very happy to accomodate him.

 

[Chickapin Chick]

Stitch, you're talking to a very picky adult here. I so desperately want to experience the fine dining in the World Showcase - particularly Germany, Morocco, and Norway - but my palate makes it quite impossible. When I see menus for these kinds of restaurants, my first instinct is to run to the nearest place with American or Italian fare.

So, when I do visit a more upscale establishment, I do the only thing I can do - I pick the entrees apart until I'm basically left with a piece of chicken and some kind of carbohydrate on the side. Now, that is obviously not an efficient use of money, especially since dining in WDW is very expensive. My advice? Keep studying those menus. A lot of the buffets are very nice, and some are served family style - meaning a never-ending supply of food is brought directly to you, which makes it feel more like a sit-down restaurant. Also, perhaps you could narrow it down to what kind of food you would like to eat - Mexican, for example. The San Angel Inn at the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot is one of my favorites, and it has a beautiful atmosphere.

I also recommend taking a look at the dining section in the Unofficial Guide book. They effortlessly break down the Disney restaurants for you.

Happy eating!

 

[natalia1681]

Just me offering my unsolicited advice here, but let them go on their own and enjoy your dinner with your husband.

I loved family vacation as a kid, but some of my fondest memories are from when I was a teen and it was me and my brothers without our parents. :wave: We felt so grown up hanging out on our own.

Plus, too much time with your family can kill you Just kidding:animwink:

 

[shoppingnut]

Also, remember that anything on the menu can be alter, ditching the sauces, switching out the veggies and getting mash potatoes or fries, salad with regular italian dressing, etc. I take my nephew every year and part of my thing is I don't care where we eat for breakfast and lunch, but dinner has to be sit down and I always remind him that things can be removed from a dish or substitute.

 

[George]

I have a very fussy DH2B and while dining in Disney we had no problems. We eat everywhere, if he doesn't like whats on the menu (in the sit down restaurants) he will ask for a steak and potato and they are very happy to accomodate him.

I have a friend who seems to eat nothing but cheeseburgers. It seems as though he can get a cheeseburger in almost any restaurant situation.

 

[BRER STITCH]

The teens could always get something they like from one of the Counter Serve places that they like BEFORE going to dinner with you! Have them get some pizza or burgers before you all head over to dinner.

When they get to your dining location, they could then just get a salad or some appetizers... or maybe just a couple of desserts!!

That way, all will have eaten, you've saved some money, and all are still able to spend quality time together!

After all, we know you didn't raise your teens to be so selfish as to ruin a family dinner! :animwink:

 

[LuLaSue]

I have a friend who seems to eat nothing but cheeseburgers. It seems as though he can get a cheeseburger in almost any restaurant situation.

:lol: Pretty much what I will be dealing with for the rest of my life! I don't mind so much as long as both our taste buds are satisfied.:wave:

 

[Nemo14]

I really have trouble relating to the whole "picky eater" thing. I was brought up believing that you ate what was on your plate, like it or not.
That being said, if you really think your teens won't appreciate fine dining, send them off to the parks by themselves with a cell phone, and go enjoy a meal alone with your hubby. You all will have a much better time.