Autistic Children...alone in a buffet

[DisneyMama409]

I have a question for you asd parents. Im a single mom and will be going on this trip solo with my kiddos. I need to know your suggestions for buffet meals. I have a 2 year old jetter ! I can not take my eyes off him for a second. I have us down for ressies at Chef Mickeys and Park Fare . How would you go about fixing plates with the kids. I mean I cant just leave them there at the table . I have a couple ideas but it sounds exhausting . Should I make both of them tag along with me when I make a plate. My dd who is 5 will sit down if I tell her so im not too worried about her. Im worried about ds who jets. If I sit him in a highchair and belt him up in it than he should be fine. He typically cant move an inch once I snap him in there. So should I put him in the highchair and than get up to make everyone's plates or should I make 1 plate at a time tagging both of the children along. That sounds chaotic to me. I will have to hold ds's hand and make 1 plate at a time and trek it back to the table. So which is better highchair or taking both of them to the buffet . If I put him in the highchair and request a seat closest to the buffet and dart back and forth I should be ok right? . I dont know how Chef Mickeys is set up .In my hometown I always sit near the buffet and make thier plates without a problem with them sitting at the table.

 

[kirstenb1]

This is just me, but I'm getting tired just reading about the logistics of doing this!! I'd skip the buffets for now, and wait til they're older.

 

[christymarie]

Can you use his stroller while in the restaurant? You can push him while you get food. Just a thought.

 

[lomorton]

IMHO I wouldn't leave a 2 year old unattended in a restaurant... I'd advise to skip the buffet's until at least one child can help out and hold their own plate.

 

[toodycat]

I would at least make your 2 year old stick with you and hold your hand. It might not be easy, but he's too young to leave unattended and there will be a lot that is stimulating and unfamiliar at a buffet.

 

[Schmeck]

We've only done a few buffets, but we've found that the tables nearest the buffet are not very pleasant. Way too much traffic, and if you had a highchair at the end of the table there's a good chance that people would be bumping into it. Would your son be able to handle the extra stimulation of people going by constantly?

Would it be possible to have the waitstaff help you out? I don't know WDW policy for assistance at buffets, but I've found WDW to be great for other types of assistance!

 

[JESW]

Personally, I would just stick with counter service meals for your trip. You have been asking a lot of questions about various restaurants and it sounds like it is going to be more trouble than it is worth. Your kids most likely will not even care where they eat. I have an Aspie who is 15 now and it was always a crap shoot on how he would act when out to eat. I was usually with dh so one of us could take him out if he acted up while the other stayed with our dd who is 4 years younger. My ds only liked foods like pizza, burgers & fries so it wasn't worth it to spend the $$$$ (even if you are on the DP) at some places and instead, for those tough years, we ate at mostly counter service.

Jill

 

[tsomerville]

Thanks for the question. It helps the rest of us to see this information from the disney veterans.

 

[EllenFrasier]

Isn't there a character meal that does not involve a buffet? If not, I think the stroller idea is the best. I don't see why they would not allow it - they allow wheel chairs don't they? Just keep your ds in the stroller - get his plate first and take it back to the table. Get your dd's next and then yours. The kids won't care if the food is hot, but you will! Good luck with the buffet and have a wonderful time!

 

[Sunbeamblue2002]

Could you take them up and get a quick plate of fruit or salad that they would eat right quick. Then go back and strap them in/sit and then you could go back and get the rest of the food that might keep them busy while moms gone for a min. Best of luck and have a great trip.

 

[DisneyMama409]

Well dd is old enough to sit without getting into trouble. It's really ds Im worried about. I tried to plan family style character meals but the menus are really blah to me. I was going to do Garden Grill instead but i debated it for a long time and the gross looking food/reviews just isnt worth it imo . I think I can make ds a quick plate and put him in the chair/strap him in and than run up and grab dd a plate to occupy herself. I think I should be fine to than run up and grab my own plates . Im used to going up to the buffet quite a few times but it wont be a big deal to me if we just have the 1 plate . I can always use a cs credit if they get hungry later on. I may do my itenary over to switch the buffets out like I have Park Fare down for a meal and although i would LOVEEEEEEE Park Fare I think I should switch it to Arkeshus because it's a family style meal so i wont have to get up to leave the kiddos. They are usually well behaved in restaurants . I take them to places like Red Lobster,Applebees all the time that is why I planned casual meals for them instead of places like Jiko,Coral Reef ,Sanaa etc. I dunno I guess I have a few months to think about this! Thank you for your suggestions. I make look into another restaurant but i really wanted them to experience Chef Mickey's .

 

[DisneyMama409]

You know what Im sitting here thinking...I really dont want to chance something happening with the kids while im getting food at the buffet. Im going to have to tag them along with me and do one plate at a time. It sounds exhausting but better safe than sorry...unless i get a seat reallllly close to the buffet where I can turn my head and see them . I may call Chef Mickey's and see how they can accomodate my situation as far as seating is concerned.

 

[sorul82?]

1900 Park Fare may be doable, but I would skip CM for now. On top of the food gathering logistics, there is also the issue of the bathroom. It is still downstairs, correct?

I seem to recall a post sometime back that a parent left to take their child to the bathroom and returned to find their table had been cleared and re-sat.

 

[sorul82?]

The seating areas at CM are sort of in different rooms. If I recall correctly, the hot food faces the dessert and the dessert blocks the view of one area. The other tables are behind the hot food, so you can't see those tables either.

 

[clanmcculloch]

We quite enjoyed the food at Garden Grill and Akershus and both of them are character meals that are served to you (Akershus has an appetizer buffer but the meal is served by waiters) so no getting up from your table to get food. There's also the breakfast at Ohana that's a character meal which is served family style. If I was in your position, I'd skip the buffets until they're older.

 

[robinb]

As a single parent you need to put your child's safety above your dining preferences. You cannot leave a 2-year old alone at the table. End of story.

Since you say your son is a "jetter", I would suggest that you invest in one of those backpack kid leashes for him. There is no way you will be able to handle two kids in WDW alone without having complete control over your son. It only takes a second to look away or be paying attention to your DD and he'll be off like a flash. When my DD was 2 she could nearly outrun me (especially when she got a good head start on me if I was momentarily inattentive) and I was not "pooh-sized" and out of shape. Oh ... and she could also undo the strap on her stroller by then too.

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would skip CHef Mickey's. I would do Garden Grill, Princess Storybook and 1900 Park Fair.

 

[Bete]

As a single parent you need to put your child's safety above your dining preferences. You cannot leave a 2-year old alone at the table. End of story.

Since you say your son is a "jetter", I would suggest that you invest in one of those backpack kid leashes for him. There is no way you will be able to handle two kids in WDW alone without having complete control over your son. It only takes a second to look away or be paying attention to your DD and he'll be off like a flash. When my DD was 2 she could nearly outrun me (especially when she got a good head start on me if I was momentarily inattentive) and I was not "pooh-sized" and out of shape. Oh ... and she could also undo the strap on her stroller by then too.

I think the kid's harness is absolutely needed in your case for the younger one. On the buffets if you really want to do them you will have to take both children with you back and forth. There's two sides to this: the evil side is someone could grab your children if unattended and either child could run. If they see a Disney character, they may want to follow one. I doubt if you have that kind of set up at home with having intricing characters at the restaurants. It's too tempting. If you can really get a CM to help watch then maybe I would trust that scenario while you were gone to the buffet, but I'm not sure in that instance, either. It's just the best of the worse.

I would stick with the counter service meals or table service meals where you stay seated. This is not the place to take a chance. You can meet characters along the way in the parks to have that experience. This sounds more to me like you want to do this than the kids; so, please for the safety of the kids skip buffets.

 

[bookwormde]

Lot a parents use the back fastening point harnesses with the "leash" and if you can wear a resonably strong belt you can put a carabener on it and just clip it over for good hands free attachment. Just be sure to disconnect the leash from both of you if you go on any rides. It will help not only at resteraunts but throughout the whole visit.

We found the Garden grill food to be above average for WDW so I would not worry about choosing there.

Have fun

bookwormde

 

[DisneyMama409]

Ds has a harness but I have not used it in months. Im trying to train him to not wander off and jet. Yesterday I had to run to the dr's office and it's a good 1 hour trip via public transportation. (2 buses 2 trains!) and I left his stroller AND his harness at home. For the most part he did very well! I was semi relaxed. Im trying to get him to understand that he cant run and jet unless mommy says so. I let go of his hands a few times and he walked near me without running and jetting. I have 4 more months to get this right! BTW Ill definetly be bringing the harness with me to DW for various reasons but I have not used it in so long. I usually have a good eye on ds at all times when were outside anywhere.