DDP and allergies

[dawnball]

What is current policy on children with allergies and the DDP at CS locations. I'm less worried about TS but with CS she either can't or won't eat all of the children's meal choices.

For example, at Cosmic Ray's the only kid's meal she can eat is the chicken garden salad with carrot sticks. Except she won't eat the salad part, and might eat the chicken if she's starving but cold chicken is usually on her "I won't touch that with a ten ft pole" list. Plus, the chicken garden salad and "chilled chicken with carrots and celery" are the only two children's CS meals the MK that she *can* eat. (I'm not actually certain she actually can eat them either, but the chances are fairly good)

She is very much in the position that she can only eat one thing (or no things) on the children's menu at CS locations. There are more things on the adult menus she can eat, and last time we went and they weren't separating adult/child credits we just ordered her something from the adult menu that was safe for her. What are our options likely to be? Upgrade her to an adult and pay the difference? If we do that can we downgrade the ticket we have to buy to a child's ticket? Drop her from the dining plan? Get a note of some kind that entitles her to an allergen-appropriate adult CS meal or child-sized meal with adult items?

At TS locations she can't eat anything that's on the children's menu at most restaurants. They're still happily just making something she can eat in an appropriate portion size and bringing it out, right?

I'm not trying to scam extra meals - I'm just trying to determine what accommodations are usually made to help evaluate if the dining plan is a good idea for my family.

 

[bicker]

There is no official policy AFAIK, except that she cannot order an adult meal. This is something you'll need to negotiate with each CS location individually, and generally CS locations are no where near as capable of satisfying special requests as compared to TS restaurants.

 

[dawnball]

There is no official policy AFAIK, except that she cannot order an adult meal.

Yeah, and if I could eat a kid's meal I'd just let her eat part of my adult meal and eat her kid's meal - but I have an even more limited diet than she does. Once you omit all the parts of an adult meal that neither of us can eat - it isn't enough to shared.

That's why I was hoping that I could pay to upgrade her to the adult dining plan and then downgrade the adult ticket I'd have to buy her to a child's ticket or drop her from the dining plan completely without having to drop everyone else.

Cosmic Ray's *used* to have a meal that was a roast chicken leg (or two) and a veggie. That would have been perfect for her but appears to have disappeared shortly after the dining plan became popular. Bleh.

 

[twinspluscade]

Hmmmm that's a tricky one!

I don't know if they'd let you buy an adult ticket to get the adult DP and then downgrade to child's ticket. I have a feeling maybe not since it's all part of a package. But it probably wouldn't hurt to call and ask.

Would it help if you did mostly buffets and/or family-style meals for your TS restaurants? The buffets seem to have a wide variety of food. The family-style meals all seem to have several kinds of "plain" meat on them, plus potatoes/gravy and rolls.

As for CS--I guess I'd maybe go ahead and order the kids meal that you think she can eat the most of, and then plan on sharing a bit of mine with her. Or.......I'd cancel the DDP altogether and plan on always buying her the adult meal at CS.

 

[twinspluscade]

OP, I just re-read your post, and on second thought I probably would just cancel the dining plan. Especially since she can't eat anything on the TS child menus. That way, you can order her whatever you want without having to take into consideration the money already spent on DDP. Maybe at the TS restaraunts you guys could then share a bit--order every one an entree but share dessert and appetizers (or skip them altogether).

I think the DDP CAN be a great value IF you don't have to buy much OOP. But if you end up buying entire meals OOP, then you're probably better off without it.

 

[dawnball]

Well, TS restaurants will make her something she can eat. I've never really had a problem with that, and it's much easier to make the argument at a TS location - I think that they have more leeway too. She won't get exciting food, or all three components, but can probably get a protein, a starch, a milk and a scoop of ice cream.

Buffets are right out, I refuse to eat at another one because cross contamination is terrible. Family style is almost as bad because we have one adult and one child who can eat normal meals, 1 vegetarian adult (usually a special meal), a special gluten free meal, my special gluten free, dairy free meal, and my DD's special gluten free children's meal. That's 6 slightly different meals for 6 different people, and if anyone wants refills of anything we have to sort out which dietary restriction and which option and.. well.. It's just not worth it.


I think that we're probably just going to say that the dining plan won't work well for us and plan on buying out of pocket. That way there's no frustration with the lack of desserts or the lack of selection. The dining plan is a lot less fun when your meal every day is a plain salad, water, a piece of cooked meat and an itsakadoozie. And if I'm not on the dining plan we're more likely to make dinner ADRs at a signature dining location every night.

 

[brymolmom]

If TS places will make a small portion of something that is safe for her allergy...and you eat one TS a day - that's probably worth the $11 a day for the kids DP price anyway (figure one small portion of an adult meal, plus a side, plus an appetizer, plus a drink, plus a dessert - that's easily $11) - plus you said that there are SOME CS places she might be able to eat - plus she can get a snack every day. If the DP works for you and any other adults in your family...you'll probably work out to the positive even if you pay OOP for her CS meal most days - since it is SO CHEAP for the kids DP price.

Good luck.

 

[Katiebell]

AllEars has an extensive page on celiac sprue and gluten free dining. It's under their "Special Dietary Needs" section. Looks like there is some really great info on what you can safely eat where -- whether or not you are on the DDP.

 

[dawnball]

Yeah, with her allergies she's pretty close to break even on the dining plan. A kid's TS meal is essentially set at 7.50, particularly since buffets are out. A snack is $2-$3. I'm also pretty close to break even since with my more extensive allergies I'm usually having salad, entree, water for my TS meals, which is around $25. Then $8 for a CS lunch, and $3 for a snack puts me at $36.

I think I'll have to work out exactly where we're likely to be eating, and what we might order, since ordering more expensive entrees or appetizers would make DDP a better deal than OOP.


Hrm, ok, it looks like I probably could pay to upgrade her to the adult plan, but that it probably isn't worth it since at TS she would primarily be eating kid food. The children's appetizers and desserts (veggie sticks and ice cream) are about her speed, and the adult entrees they'd be modifying for her would come down to things like hard boiled eggs from salads, plain pasta and other starches. There just isn't enough cost there to justify it.

I see many, many spreadsheets in my future.

 

[brymolmom]

Yeah, with her allergies she's pretty close to break even on the dining plan. A kid's TS meal is essentially set at 7.50, particularly since buffets are out. A snack is $2-$3. I'm also pretty close to break even since with my more extensive allergies I'm usually having salad, entree, water for my TS meals, which is around $25. Then $8 for a CS lunch, and $3 for a snack puts me at $36.

I think I'll have to work out exactly where we're likely to be eating, and what we might order, since ordering more expensive entrees or appetizers would make DDP a better deal than OOP.


Hrm, ok, it looks like I probably could pay to upgrade her to the adult plan, but that it probably isn't worth it since at TS she would primarily be eating kid food. The children's appetizers and desserts (veggie sticks and ice cream) are about her speed, and the adult entrees they'd be modifying for her would come down to things like hard boiled eggs from salads, plain pasta and other starches. There just isn't enough cost there to justify it.

I see many, many spreadsheets in my future.

Don't forget...that $7.50 is for specifically KIDS meals - so if you (because of a medical need) are asking instead for a small portion size of an adult meal, this would be bound to be way more than $7.50 if actually priced out (think a small steak portion or shrimp and pasta....) because adult entrees just are more 'expensive' than the PB&J or mac n cheese on the kids menu. Plus when you add a potentially adult appetizer (if allowed due to medical need) - that's way more than $7.50 and likely way more than $11.00 (depending upon your choices).

I agree - I wouldn't upgrade her to adult price - that just means you need to find $40 worth of food that she can eat per day to make it break even.

 

[bicker]

... adult entrees just are more 'expensive' ...

This is a real good point, and something that comes as a surprise to a lot of folks, at first. Restaurants generally take a loss on meals for young children, expecting to make the money back on older children and adults. The heavily-discounted child meal is a "loss leader," intended to provide an incentive for young families to come in and have a sit-down meal when they perhaps wouldn't if they had to pay a reasonable price for all the members of their family, including those least likely to appreciate the special experience of a full-service meal.

A good rule of thumb is:

If the meal costs $25.00....

... a half portion would cost $20.25....

... a quarter portion would cost $17.87.

 

[allyphoe]

More expensive to the restaurant, maybe, but if you were paying OOP, how likely is it that a Disney restaurant would charge near-adult prices for a child-size portion of an adult meal that's allergy-safe? Gluten-free mac-n-cheese probably costs them 3-5 times what Stouffers does, but the guest doesn't pay a premium. That treatment IME also applies to modifications of regular menu items.

Plus there's the whole "how many 3yos would rather eat steak or shrimp and pasta than a bowl of gluten-free mac-n-cheese with a tapioca roll" question.

 

[missmun52]

I have not read all of the other post but I can say that I took my DS with allergies (thank God he no longer has them to the doctors supprise!!) Last August. He was allergic to ALL dairy and egg products, even in trace amounts. Anyone who has a child with these types of allergies knows that this excludes almost everything IMO.

The TS places including Buffets prepared something special for him, I never had a problem. I did not expect it at the buffets but they did it and they never charged me for him either (he was 18months).

Now the CS places were a different story. Depending on the childs allergy I would stay away and just take leftovers or order extra at the TS place and save it for the next day. Even doing this because the childs meal is only 11.99 and a general meal is around $7-8 you wil still come out way ahead.

I had CS places tell me things were ok, only to have my little baby get sick!!

Thank God this trip I dont have to worry about what he eats!

 

[missmun52]

I just read the other posts and I still think the plan could work for you.

I guess it depends on your child. Some things did not list milk or dairy in the ingredients but said Whey and Casin ect.,and sometimes they did not say anything but said processed in a plant that also processes milk, and that was a problem for us. In my Experience the CS places did not know what was in the food (even when they thought they did) and the cross contamination was crazy!

It was too much to bring my list of NO-NO ingredients that had probably over 20 things for them to search for. So going to TS where they would grill him a piece of chicken or steak (At no extra charge other than the child price at TS) *even when it was not on the kids menu*

When you make your ressie ask for the number and call each resturant directly so they know your situation. Ask them to make two different meals for her if they can and save one for the next day for lunch (My DS was small so we could just split the meal in two). Bring it with you in a small cooler and ask them at the CS resturant to heat it up for you.

Hope I helped a little , I know i rambled on a little

edited to say you can also heat up left overs in each baby care center

 

[DCDisney]

I don't know that being on the DDP would be that much worse. At pretty much every TS they have a child's grilled item (usually chicken but a few steak or fish) and that item has no extra stuff or marinade on it so very allergy friendly. It may come down more to tastes in that situation if it's something your child won't eat. At CS it's very hit or miss depending on how busy and what CM is helping you. I had great difficulty getting a burger with no bun that actually had not sat in the bun---and somehow after finally getting the burger remade for the 4th time it still somehow had some sesame seeds on it With the kids cs even if you just keep the grapes, carrots, applesauce, and drink you'd still be doing ok having to buy something as a main course and at some places they would probably accomodate you.

Yvonne

 

[DisneyMom5]

Just to second it -- I have heard many reports of TS buffets bringing out safe, specially prepared portions of items to avoid the cross contam thing.

We will be taking our no wheat, no peanuts/treenuts kids in Sept., so I feel your pain. CS's will be my nightmare.