Hiya Alison,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! I am happy to hear that you will be using the
Disney Dining Plan for your upcoming Walt Disney World vacation. My family loves using the Disney Dining Plan and the ease in which it allows us to dine in some of our favorite Walt Disney World
restaurants. Being able to allow my children to order whatever they want from the menu brings a little extra magic to our vacation.
I have found the restaurants and Cast Members throughout Walt Disney World to be very accommodating, especially for picky eaters. My youngest can be quite picky and she has been eating off of the adult menu for years, as she is now a teenager. Typically she can find a menu item and make special requests to simplify it. You can ask the Cast Member at the restaurant if your 10-year-old can order off of the children’s menu, but it will still be the adult dining credit that is charged. You can also request the children’s menu item be served in a larger adult-sized portion. These requests are at the restaurant’s discretion so you will want to discuss this with the Cast Member serving your table.
There are some excellent buffet and family-style restaurants that might suit your picky eater, as he will be able to select as much as he cares to enjoy of any items on the buffet or family-style platter. I highly recommend
Chef Mickey’s, in
Disney’s Contemporary Resort, as they have a plentiful buffet and the chance to meet some of your favorite Disney Characters. Another great buffet restaurant is
Crystal Palace in
Magic Kingdom Park, with Winnie the Pooh and friends.
Garden Grill, in
Epcot, is a favorite of mine, with all natural sliced turkey and fresh veggies, many of which are grown right there in the
Living with the Land greenhouses in Epcot.
I hope that you have a wonderful vacation in The Most Magical Place on Earth! Please stop back by if we can help answer any more of your vacation questions.
-Angie C.