Teens Dining Alone

[meremac]

This might be a silly question, but there's no minimum age for table-service restaurants right? DH and I are planning to have a date-night dinner on our weeklong trip this summer. DS16 and DD14 have been going to WDW since they were babies. They know their way around, so I'm not worried about them traveling to and from the parks. But they're also foodies , and they would really like to go have dinner at a T-S restaurant together that night. They are well-behaved in restaurants and know how to tip. There won't be a problem as far as Disney is concerned right?

 

[mom2rtk]

They'll be fine. And make some great memories I'm sure. Great idea!

 

[Pumbaa_]

My personal opinion? Sounds fantastic. As long as the kids know proper table/ordering etiquette and how to pay/tip it sounds like a very fun night. Disney transportation makes everything easy to get around and as long as everyone has a cell phone just in case. Where are you thinking? The only place I wouldn’t suggest is DS. Solely because it is so much less of the bubble so to speak.

 

[MissionMouse]

Disney property rules define children under age 14 must be accompanied by a Guest age 14 or older, so you are good. You most likely need to make the ADR if a deposit is required, otherwise, no issues. You can let them pay with cash or setup one of their bands up with charging privileges, if you think that could work.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They could also pay with a gift card, easy peasy.

 

[ljcrochet]

My 16 year old foodies went to Epcot almost every evening of our trip in June. They enjoyed all the food booths.

 

[nwcutie]

I think that is AWESOME that they are ready to have their own grown-up adventure like that (and free you up for date night!)

My 17 and 9 year old foodies had a great time doing table service restaurants while the 18 year old and I rode the rides back in 2014. The 9 year old has a pretty sophisticated palate and did NOT order off the kid menu.

(Funny thing was, the 18 yo is high functioning autistic and wanted nuggets or mac n cheese, so when we were all together, he & 9 yo would switch plates sometimes)

Good times.

 

[Octoberbaby]

This might be a silly question, but there's no minimum age for table-service restaurants right? DH and I are planning to have a date-night dinner on our weeklong trip this summer. DS16 and DD14 have been going to WDW since they were babies. They know their way around, so I'm not worried about them traveling to and from the parks. But they're also foodies , and they would really like to go have dinner at a T-S restaurant together that night. They are well-behaved in restaurants and know how to tip. There won't be a problem as far as Disney is concerned right?

I used to do it with my friends all the time! I traveled down with my family each year and was the only child, so a lucky friend of mine always got to tag along. I knew my way around like the back of my hand, and it was so much fun! Now, explaining the room charges on our way home was a different story, lol.

 

[martikus]

That’s great. My 15 year old son goes to dinner with a group of friends occasionally. We made sure he understood tipping. They feel very grown up. I also k ow he’d conduct himself well. I always tell him to think if I was sitting beside you would I be annoyed.

I hope they have a great time!

 

[meremac]

Where are you thinking? The only place I wouldn’t suggest is DS. Solely because it is so much less of the bubble so to speak.

Definitely not DS. I'm not ready for them to go there alone at night yet . Either somewhere in Epcot or on the monorail. DD really wants to try Steakhouse 71, but DS is "opposed on principle" because The Wave was one of his fav restaurants ever. When we were there last summer, I was picking up something from the gift shop at the Contemporary, and he told me he would meet me in the lobby because he had to take care of something. He actually WENT to The Wave by himself and told the host how much he was going to miss it. By the time I found him, he was shaking hands with the people working there that day. He's a character.

 

[meremac]

Thanks everyone! I think they'll have a lot of fun!