Hi Kristianne,
You'll be at "The Most Magical Place on Earth" in less than two weeks! It's always wonderful when you can combine something so beneficial like your conference with the magic and fun of the Walt Disney World Resort. I hope that you're getting super excited for your trip!
Lunch at
Garden Grill Restaurant does sound like a fantastic plan. Not only will it be nice and cool in there, but the food is fresh and delicious, the character interactions are really fun, and it's so neat to get to see
Living with the Land from a different perspective. As far as whether or not your teens would be able to dine there independently, here's what I can tell you:
Guests have to be at least 14 years old to be able to enter the theme parks without someone who is at least 14, and
anyone under the age of 18 needs to have parental permission to call to make a dining reservation. While that sure sounds like your girls should have no trouble enjoying lunch on their own, I did have two Cast Members tell me that Guests should be 18 to dine without an adult, but that it's often up to Cast Member discretion. Here's my advice to you: I'd suggest calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 to make your dining reservation rather than
booking online and double checking with the Cast Member who is setting up the reservation. That should give you some extra peace of mind that your girls will be able to enjoy the lunch you book for them.
Thanks so much for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel again with another great question, Kristianne, and please feel free to keep them coming as you're pulling together all of the final details for your trip. I hope that you all have a truly magical visit!
Missy