Hello Jessica!
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel with a very good question!
Disney Dining Plans make visits to the Walt Disney World Resort so convenient! I love the feeling of knowing our meals are already paid for and we can simply choose where to dine among several participating locations.
Jessica, only Guests 3 to 9 are allowed to order from the children’s menu when using a Disney Dining Plan so your 12-year-old son will have to order from the regular menu because he is considered an adult. I recommend going through the menus of the restaurants you would like to dine at and talking to your son about locations he might be interested in. Sometimes I am not very hungry and decide to pay out of pocket for an appetizer, thus saving a Table-Service credit for use at another restaurant. You can also talk to your server at the restaurant to check if you can pay out of pocket for a kid’s meal.
I believe that a great option for kids, tweens and teens is making reservations at buffet and family-style restaurants. Buffets usually have stations with children’s selections so your son would have the flexibility to choose the food the prefers to eat. Some of our favorite buffet and family-style locations are Cape May Cafe, Biergarten Restaurant, Chef Mickey’s, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House Restaurant, Garden Grill Restaurant, ‘Ohana, Liberty Tree Tavern, and Boma – Flavors of Africa. These locations require one entitlement per Guest when using the Disney Dining Plan as payment, so they might be good options for your family.
Thank you for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel once again, Jessica. I hope this helps you plan amazing dining experiences for your family.
Best magical wishes,
Thiana