Hi Claire,
Welcome back to planDisney!
Happy early birthday to your daughter! This question tugged at my heart because we took our girls to the Walt Disney World® Resort to celebrate their sweet 16 birthday and their birthday is also in October! So, I have a few ideas.
First, you definitely need to make an advanced dining reservation at a special restaurant. I would suggest
Cinderella's Royal Table or
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall if she wants a royal experience. If she wants a more casual but fun character meal, try Topolino's Terrace - Flavors of the Riviera for breakfast or 1900 Park Fare. One of our girls wants to study sea turtles so she loves Coral Reef Restaurant and we always request a table closest to the underwater habitat. While requests are not guaranteed, cast members will try to do their best!
Next, consider one of the
Enchanting Extras Collection experiences. If your daughter loves animals, try the Caring for Giants or Up Close with Rhinos tours at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. If you do the Caring for Giants tour, be on the lookout for
baby Corra! These tours were just the right amount of time for our family and they fit our budget.
Finally, I have a few other suggestions. Consider doing a
Capture Your Moment: Magic Kingdom Park photo session. We had the best time doing one of these photo sessions. And the photos were perfect for a holiday card. Also consider one or more services at
The Grand Floridian Spa. They have special services for children and teens.
Claire, I am so happy for your daughter's sweet 16 birthday! We had such a magical time with our girls. Although it was a tad bittersweet since, of course, it seemed like we had just taken them on their first visit to Disney when they were 5-years old, we were so delighted to see them growing up, happy and healthy. Of course, do not forget to pick up a celebratory button so that your birthday teen can wear it (if she chooses!). Consider adding a
Mickey Mouse Celebration Cake to a meal. And, check out some of the possibilities with
In-Room Floral & Gifts! Sending a little extra planning pixie dust trusting that whatever you decide to do will come with the most priceless memories.
Magic and memories,
Donyell