Dining at WDW with 10, including twin 6 year ASD

[jmrbc9900]

So DH and I have been tasked with the planning of family vacay for 10 including autistic twin 6 year olds. Parents have provided the following info/requests:
1. Diet restrictions of no processed foods and no white starches
2. Not interested in character meals
3. Biergarten with oompah band too loud for twins

We'd like to get some dinners for all 10 (at one table! not split) at table service. We're staying at WL and villas, spending majority of time at MK. Have park hopper tickets so can travel and all 3 boys like planes, trains and automobiles

Looking for recommendations for table service dining for dinner and counter service at MK for lunch.

Please recommend away or ask questions to offer advice! The more info the better.

 

[GS for life]

I do not have any good suggestions but wish you luck!

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[Lilliputian]

The no processed food thing strictly limits your options. Most of the table service restaurants can work with that. They can do something like chicken or steak with vegetables. The more expensive the restaurant, the more access to real (non-processed) ingredients the chef will have. I wouldn't try to do a buffet or family style meal. I probably also wouldn't do 50's Prime Time. I didn't have a great experience there, but it may have just been that particular chef.

Options for counter service aren't that great, depending on what they mean by processed foods. Sometimes the chicken that's in the grilled chicken sandwiches doesn't have too many ingredients and is "real" food. There are packages of carrot sticks, grapes, and apple slices available for sides. Another option would be a hamburger patty.

Sometimes it's best to count on packing your own food and just using Disney food to here and there to supplement what you've packed when you have very strict dietary restrictions, especially with kids because they tend to be a little pickier. As a mom of 5 in a family where everyone has food allergies, we've come to appreciate staying offsite in Windsor Hills and eating most of our meals at our house.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Since your at VWL, eating at Trail's End at FW would be a good option. This is one of the few resort to resort trips that's simple as there's a bus that goes between them. Breakfast and dinner are buffets and lunch is ordered off a menu. The chef will be able to prepare foods from each meal in simple ways that don't include anything processed or starchy. We had great experiences at Trail's End with complicated diets (3 people with long lists of allergies) where one person is autistic. The atmosphere is fun with all the rustic themed stuff to look at but we found it quiet and relaxed while not having to worry about being too quiet. You can also take the boat from MK directly there on MK days and then when you're done you have the choice of back to MK or easy transportation back to your resort.

I would also consider the Wave at the Contemporary. There's a boat that goes directly from WL to CR. The Wave boasts their fresh foods and they definitely have the ingredients to make some wonderful foods that contain nothing processed and only complex starches as the starch. Lighting isn't bright and the restaurant is pretty quiet. The atmosphere in general I found to be relaxing so a great place for decompressing. If the get antsy, somebody can take them out into the resort to look around the lobby and even watch the monorail assuming somebody is willing to leave the group. On MK days you can walk there and then when you're done you have the choice of back to MK or easy transportation back to your resort.

Magic Kingdom is itself is difficult. Crystal Palace and Cinderella's Royal Table are both character meals so they're out right away. That leaves Be Our Guest, Tony's Town Square, and Liberty Tree Tavern. LTT for dinner won't have many options. I'm not sure if there are marinades on the meats but I know the turkey wasn't safe for my girls because of the "broth" they inject the bird with having lemon in it. Tony's is mostly pasta or breaded meats. Their meatballs I know are ONLY beef with nothing else and the menu does show salmon and shrimp that could probably be done without any sauce but I'm not sure if there's much in the way of non-meat foods that would meet their needs. BOG I would not suggest trying at lunch as it's CS and I don't think there would be anything they could do to meet their needs at lunch. Dinner may be an option if you can get the ADR. The menu does have some simple meats and vegetables that could be made to meet their needs. You don't have to go see Beast.

I know you said you'd be spending most of your time in MK, but I think LeCellier at Epcot would be a good option for you. It is quiet with some very simple foods on the menu that could be made easily to meet their needs. My biggest concern would be how close the tables are together. As long as they're seated away from people (as in against a wall) so they won't be bumped then you should be good.