Experiences with Buffets

Hoodie

<font color=purple>Going to BC and GF with one wee
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
My ASD child has some MAJOR food issues right now. He has always been reluctant to eat outside of home but there were a few standbys we could rely on. In the past year he stopped eating the standbys and would only eat things we brought somewhere or if he could verify the same brand that we use. It was to the point that earlier this summer he almost went into hypoglycemic shock because he refused to eat and my mother's house. (we had to convince him that bananas were the same everywhere. Once he got over that, it became easier).

We told him that we weren't going to go anywhere if he didn't start eating something. With DIsney as the motivator, he tried something every day we were away a couple of weeks ago. This is a huge milestone.

One thing he has finally conceded on is pasta. He will try a red sauce, but he's always good with pasta and butter. We've been at other sit down restaurants in the World where, if they have pasta on the menu (and not the icky mac and cheese, but actual pasta) they can bring it out plain, but what about the buffets? Would they bring plain buttered pasta for him (if they have a pasta on the buffet)? It's not an allergy issue, it's just one of the fun ASD issues we deal with. We always bring food with us and we are staying in the Fort Wilderness cabins so we have the ability to make him something, but I want the rest of the family to be able to enjoy some eating out.
 
I can't guarantee it, but if they have pasta on the menu (and everywhere has butter) I think it'd be something they'd be able to accommodate. It's a pretty easy request.

Maybe instead you could try breakfast buffets since they'll have bananas and other fruits if that is something you know he will eat?

You could always give a buffet dinner a try, and if they can't accommodate or he won't eat cancel any future reservations.
 
(we had to convince him that bananas were the same everywhere. Once he got over that, it became easier).

This made me laugh out loud in that exasperated "Lord, I have been THERE," kind of way. The things they need convincing of some days, I tell ya! :)

Disney is very good with accommodations for food. Explain to your server and they should be able to help.
 
My ASD child has some MAJOR food issues right now. He has always been reluctant to eat outside of home but there were a few standbys we could rely on. In the past year he stopped eating the standbys and would only eat things we brought somewhere or if he could verify the same brand that we use. It was to the point that earlier this summer he almost went into hypoglycemic shock because he refused to eat and my mother's house. (we had to convince him that bananas were the same everywhere. Once he got over that, it became easier).

We told him that we weren't going to go anywhere if he didn't start eating something. With DIsney as the motivator, he tried something every day we were away a couple of weeks ago. This is a huge milestone.

One thing he has finally conceded on is pasta. He will try a red sauce, but he's always good with pasta and butter. We've been at other sit down restaurants in the World where, if they have pasta on the menu (and not the icky mac and cheese, but actual pasta) they can bring it out plain, but what about the buffets? Would they bring plain buttered pasta for him (if they have a pasta on the buffet)? It's not an allergy issue, it's just one of the fun ASD issues we deal with. We always bring food with us and we are staying in the Fort Wilderness cabins so we have the ability to make him something, but I want the rest of the family to be able to enjoy some eating out.

AllEars.net has menu listings. You could check there and see which buffets have pasta (or anything else you might want to get your kid to try to accept before the trip) on the menu before you make your ADRs.
 
When we were at WDW in 2010 with our ASD then 4 yr old, we DISCOVERED pasta with butter. He would NEVER eat pasta, because he does not eat sauce (all pasta comes with sauce here) They could always make him buttered pasta at WDW.

Buffets are great though, for ASDers, because, at least for our son, it was perfectly fine just to take the tiniest spoonful of something to try, so he wasn't overwhelmed, and there was always something else, or something he knew to go back to if the new thing didn't work out, which is WAY better than being stuck with a whole plateful of something that turns out to have SOUNDED good, but really been impossible for him to eat.
 
Thank you for your replies! I think we'll brave one early and see if it works.
 
1) Not all buffets have Plain Pasta as an alternative.
2) You need to ask at the podium when you check-in at the eatery.
3) If they don't have it only *sometimes* can they get it nearby as a favor to you.
4) Alas, not all eateries can accommodate everyone, nor should they.
 


I found plain pasta at Chef Mickey's and plain rice at Boma and Tusker House. As long as pasta is on the menu anywhere else, they should be able to separate some freshly cooked before adding it all to the sauce.

The only thing I've found impossible to find is plain potatoes - they're either highly spiced or it's garlic mash or buttermilk mash.
 
Buffets are great though, for ASDers, because, at least for our son, it was perfectly fine just to take the tiniest spoonful of something to try, so he wasn't overwhelmed, and there was always something else, or something he knew to go back to if the new thing didn't work out, which is WAY better than being stuck with a whole plateful of something that turns out to have SOUNDED good, but really been impossible for him to eat.

This has been my experience with my DD as well. Buffets worked really well for her when she was at her pickiest. We could always find something she would eat at a buffet. Now that we've managed to expand her range of foods quite a bit, I book more non-buffet meals, but for a while there almost all my TS meals were buffets.
 
4) Alas, not all eateries can accommodate everyone, nor should they.
I would be really great if somebody could get special diets to admit this.
Ask them and they say you can eat anywhere. So reassuring as you spend an hour or two looking for food in the parks for a person with significant restrictions, after you write multiple times to ask for that specific reason. .
 

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