Welcome aboard, Terry! If I could, I'd hand this question off to my 13 year-old to answer, as she is a big fan of
dining onboard Disney's ships!
Ever since she was young, she's had a great love of trying new foods, so ordering off the same boring kids' menu when we went out to eat locally was not fun for her. She started ordering off the regular menu quite early on. It's no different onboard Disney's ships! Though, I must say that they do offer quite a bit more on the kids' menu than the standard chicken nuggets and burgers, which are still offered, but the kids' menu includes more sophisticated selections as well. Now, that's well and good, but when there's an entire other section of the menu that has even more to offer, no one holds her back from trying the diverse selections of mouth-watering dishes that my husband and I enjoy. So, to answer your question, anyone can order off of any section of the menu! Do you enjoy chicken nuggets, but your daughter enjoys filet of beef, go for it! Your dining servers have no problem allowing the kids and teens to order from the main menu, and you're certainly welcome to order from the kids' menu. Want two of a certain item? Order them! Can't decide between two appetizers? Get them both!
You'll find that dining onboard Disney's ships is quite a treat. It's a great time for kids to try more adventurous foods that they might not otherwise at home, or you might not allow them to for the cost at a restaurant back home, fearing they might not like it. I remember vividly when my son was four and wanted to try escargot at
Lumiere's onboard the Disney Magic. He ordered it and loved it!
Have fun planning your trip and let us know if we can help with other questions as you count down to the big sail date!
Marcy