Chef Mickey's & SPD?

[Woodmnky]

I really hope some parents on this forum may be able to help me out. My son is 18 months and exhibits some symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder. Most of his issues are with loud pronounced noises and he also is very concerned about other people being very outgoing near him. I keep getting the suggestion that I should take him to Chef Mickey's when we are in WDW, but I am very concerned how he will react to singing, dancing, napking waving, ect. We tried to take him to Johnny Rockets a month ago and everything was fine until the staff started their singing/dancing routine and he couldn't handle the situation. In this case the performers were standing 2-3 feet away from him and I think this contributed to his distress.

Any parents out there with similar sensitive children who have dined at Chef Mickey's? How did it go? I am very torn between wanting to keep him in a comfortable environment and allowing him to experience new things which he may love.

 

[clanmcculloch]

There are going to be LOTS of situations at WDW where there will be a lot of outgoing people near him. You can't control when and where this will happen (well, not completely; you can control it to some degree using a really good touring plan, a stroller as a wheelchair tag and possibly a GAC). Since it's so upsetting to him, I'd probably try to minimize the number of situations whenever you can. The trip will already be overwhelming so a busy and loud place like CM may be a bit too much for him this trip.

You've now got an excuse to go back in the future. Not that I'm a Disney enabler or anything.....

I think a better way to see the Fab 5 would be to head over to Character Connection right away when the park first opens (you really have to be there before the gates are opened to avoid the wait but that's something which is totally doable).

 

[Woodmnky]

Thanks for the advice. This is what I have been thinking as well. One of my main concerns about some place such as Chef Mickey's is the inability to remove ourselves from the situation easily. Of course we can get up and leave, but that may leave us with little/no dinner verses if a situation occurs in a park where we can just leave the area with no ramifications. I know I am a bad Disney goer, but DS has no idea who the characters are and I could go through the trip without meeting them and be fine.

We are doing dinner at Crystal Palace which (although loud) appears to be a bit calmer and we are doing a late breakfast at Ohana.

 

[livndisney]

Thanks for the advice. This is what I have been thinking as well. One of my main concerns about some place such as Chef Mickey's is the inability to remove ourselves from the situation easily. Of course we can get up and leave, but that may leave us with little/no dinner verses if a situation occurs in a park where we can just leave the area with no ramifications. I know I am a bad Disney goer, but DS has no idea who the characters are and I could go through the trip without meeting them and be fine.

We are doing dinner at Crystal Palace which (although loud) appears to be a bit calmer and we are doing a late breakfast at Ohana.

DD has similar issues. We have successfully done Chef Mickeys a couple of times. (We usually ask for a table in the main room and put dd where she can see what is happening (less chance of surprise), we have not be able to do Crystal Palace. It is too "close" and too much noise. Because it is so close, there is not a way for dd to "escape" so to speak. And the characters are right in close.

We did do the Breakfast at Ohana. We went early and got a table in the middle of the room with space on either side. DD could see the characters approach.

I do agree with Clanmccolluch, we really try to not put dd in a situation we know will not be enjoyable. We see characters in "safe" places like the meet and greets. The one at Epcot actually has a glass wall opposite the characters so your little one can "see" what is going on (before you get into a line). We used to have to do a few walk by passes in front of the window before we went in.

 

[Woodmnky]

DD has similar issues. We have successfully done Chef Mickeys a couple of times. (We usually ask for a table in the main room and put dd where she can see what is happening (less chance of surprise), we have not be able to do Crystal Palace. It is too "close" and too much noise. Because it is so close, there is not a way for dd to "escape" so to speak. And the characters are right in close.

We did do the Breakfast at Ohana. We went early and got a table in the middle of the room with space on either side. DD could see the characters approach.

I do agree with Clanmccolluch, we really try to not put dd in a situation we know will not be enjoyable. We see characters in "safe" places like the meet and greets. The one at Epcot actually has a glass wall opposite the characters so your little one can "see" what is going on (before you get into a line). We used to have to do a few walk by passes in front of the window before we went in.

Thanks for the input. DS actually usually does best if he is in a corner or against a wall. I think he is like his father and wants to be able to see anything coming towards him. I was actually thinking about asking if it is possible to get an out of the way table (you know the ones that most people complain about ). It is not noise levels that bother DS, but rather noises that go above and beyond the general level of an area. We are doing Epcot on our first full day, so I will definitely try and let me meet characters there and will try your suggestion.

 

[CaliKT]

My older son is 7 and has Asperger's Syndrome with severe sensory processing difficulties. Honestly, the sensory issues are our biggest problem.

He hated Chef Mickey's. That and the Biergarten were our only two bad experiences at WDW last year. Looking back on how he was at 18 months old, I think he would have hated it, too.

Obviously you know your son best and can figure out whether or not he'd enjoy it or not, but in my experience, you are wise to have your sensory radar going off about that place.

A general suggestion: consider getting some noise muffling earmuffs and get your son used to wearing them. They were a godsend on our trip in general. In fact, my neurotypical 5 year old kept on stealing them and wearing them because it made noisy places much more tolerable.

 

[kirstenb1]

Your son is so young. It really set my teeth on edge to take our older typical daughter out to restaurants at that age. You never know what's going to happen. Our younger dd has high functioning autism, and with her, we just did counter service places for the first few years.

 

[shannonstar]

My DS9 has sensory processing disorder and has been to all the character meals. Luckily since about age 3 he has been able to isolate and verbalize his problems.

His least favorite character meal is Chef Mickey's because of the loudness, open ceilings, etc. Every trip I book this is a place he asks not to go to again.
His favorite is Garden Grill because it rotates in a circle, we sit in a booth, the characters come to each table and you don't really see the other diners.

 

[bookwormde]

We did Chef Mickey with our Aspergers son and sat off to the left. We did not find it that bad, although my son has developed the skill to politly let the characters know when he does not want interaction

Not saying that he "enjoyed it" but his younger brother did, and experiancing things that he would not choose to do just for himself is beneficial

 

[Woodmnky]

My older son is 7 and has Asperger's Syndrome with severe sensory processing difficulties. Honestly, the sensory issues are our biggest problem.

He hated Chef Mickey's. That and the Biergarten were our only two bad experiences at WDW last year. Looking back on how he was at 18 months old, I think he would have hated it, too.

Obviously you know your son best and can figure out whether or not he'd enjoy it or not, but in my experience, you are wise to have your sensory radar going off about that place.

A general suggestion: consider getting some noise muffling earmuffs and get your son used to wearing them. They were a godsend on our trip in general. In fact, my neurotypical 5 year old kept on stealing them and wearing them because it made noisy places much more tolerable.

Thank you so much for the earmuffs suggestion. DS will plug his ears when things get too loud, but ear protection would work better.

We have ruled out Chef Mickey's. I am still planning on Crystal Palace, but I will reevaluate that choice right before going. It's also hard because I feel like we need to rule out restaurants that are known for their antics, such as 50's Primetime & Whispering Canyon, because I am unsure if DS will have the ability to understand that it is a joke. I know that currently he would not understand and it may be upsetting, so we are skipping these.

I appreciate everyone's input as it is helping me to get an idea of possible problem areas as well as giving me peace of mind that DS will enjoy this experience (even if I make a bad choice along the way).

 

[tabithakp]

noise cancelling ear muffs work best for my son. i bought the construction ones (about $30) they come in kid sizes. you can buy them at "sensory" type stores but i found them to be very exspensive. ds even wears them in the car, his ears seem to be very sensitive to sound right now. good luck!!!!

 

[SmallWorld71]

One suggestion if you do try to do a character meal: if you can get the first ADR of the day/ meal (or one close to it) things will be a lot more peaceful because half of the tables will still be empty. You will also be less likely to have to wait for your ADR and the characters.

As far as Crystal Palace goes: while it is a family favorite and DD's must do - it is a very chaotic environment. It is a large restaurant and can get pretty loud. They don't wave napkins but there is music and a parade with the characters every so often which is, IMO, just as distracting as the napkin waving. Because it is a buffet, people are getting up and down, up and down.... so you will have people walking by your table constantly. If you get a table that is out of the way, then you will have a ways to the buffet yourself. If you decide to dine here, I would suggest avoiding peak meal hours, but know that it is pretty much packed all day long.

Good luck and I hope you have a great trip!

 

[dzorn]

We have found Cape May to be a quieter character meal if you get a later resevation. DD also thought CM was quite loud.

Denise in MI

 

[KathyRN137]

Hello!

We've done numerous character meals with our son who has autism and many sensory issues and I have to be honest: Chef Mickey's was not one of our favorites. The noise is amplified by the huge open space and it was not an enjoyable experience!

Other posters have noted that there are other character meals that are smaller and less agitating such as Cape May Cafe. Definitely go during off-peak hours; we request early seatings.

Also, we always request a table by a window or wall when we check in with the hostess and tell them that we are willing to wait for it. We are always accommodated. Then we have B. sit with his back to the wall so he gets a feeling of security and characters can't surprise him.

Each character moves around the room with a "handler." Intercept the handler before the character comes to your table and explain your son's sensitivities. The characters are always so gentle when they get this information from the CM.

We use the squishy ear plugs for fireworks and noisy attractions; ear muffs may work better with such a young child.

Good luck and have a wonderful time!


Kathy

 

[babyberger]

Oh I am happy I read this. We have ADR for Chef Mickey for our Jan trip and my DS (9) also has Asperger's and has severe issues with sound and music. He really wants the experience iCM and being below the monorail and thinks it looks super cool. He does not interact with the characters but DD(7) does and he doesn't mind them coming around. Besides the noise from the restaurant being open is there music playing?

 

[buffettgirl]

also, when you're being seated they generally ask that the kids be seated on the aisles so that the characters can interact with the kids easier. Don't be surprised if they suggest that . They're not trying to be rude or tell you how to handle your child, or where to make them sit

Just simply explain that your child may not want character interaction other than a wave.

I also find Crystal Palace pretty chaotic.

 

[CaliKT]

To be honest, I can't remember if there is continuous background music or not, but periodically they do play music and have all the kids and characters wave their napkins in the air. My NT son LOVED that part.

I forgot to mention that my Aspie son thought CM and the whole Contemporary smelled bad. That bothered him as much as the noise. He also complained about the Biergarten smell.

 

[babyberger]

To be honest, I can't remember if there is continuous background music or not, but periodically they do play music and have all the kids and characters wave their napkins in the air. My NT son LOVED that part.

I forgot to mention that my Aspie son thought CM and the whole Contemporary smelled bad. That bothered him as much as the noise. He also complained about the Biergarten smell.

We have cancelled our ADR for CM, just too many issues we know we are going to have to deal with and now that you mention smell forget it. I can't tell you how many places we had to walk out if because DS couldn't handle the smell.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Jut a couple more thoughts: We found CP to be louder and more chaotic than CM. The table are very close together and there is really no where to escape. It rocked my shy, but not atypical kid a little bit. WCC is CRAZY over the top loud and it rocked me....a lot! 50's prime time is differnt. No overly loud and the antics are so adult focused that your little one should not be effected at all by them if you want to try this place. My vote for a character meal would be Garden Grill. Quitest, low keyed character meal on site. The way the seats are you have no other kids etc to deal with. Not our favorite food, but perfect interaction!
Another caution: Rain Forrest Cafe. Way stimulating!