Hiya Laura! Welcome to planDisney! Thanks for stopping by with this great question.
I completely understand your struggle. My two daughters are as picky as they come when it's time to eat. If they had it their way, it would be chocolate chip pancakes for every meal. With this said, I have some experience with dining at Walt Disney World with the two of them.
Since
California Grill is currently offering a prix fixe menu with set pricing, adults and children (ages 3-9) will be required to pay the specified amount. This is the case for all dining locations that offer buffet style, family style, and prix fixed meals. This has been my experience over the years and makes planning where to eat a bit more tricky. We've made the exception on a few occasions for Character Dining meals when our children will get more value out of the experience.
While this may not be the news you were hoping to hear, I do have some great alternatives for your trip. In my opinion,
Topolino's Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera is right on par with California Grill and may even be my top choice at Walt Disney World. This dining location sits atop Disney's Riviera Resort and offers views of EPCOT in the distance, similar to California Grill overlooking the Magic Kingdom. My wife and I were looking to celebrate our Anniversary and brought our two girls along with us. Since this menu is a la carte, we were only charged for items that we ordered. With them being fussy eaters, we fed them before arrived and they ordered dessert while we ate our dinner. Our server was extremely accommodating and understood our situation.
Laura, I hope you have a magical time during your stay next year!
Stop back and see us again at planDisney!
Happy planning!
Greg