Dinner Pkg and non-eater? No judgment please!

[gigi1313]

WDW is very consistent on the DDP. Even families with a family member who is tube fed and doesn't eat anything at all have to pay for the plan. The best way to not pay would be like the agent said waiting and adding him at check in which works totally fine as long as you aren't using magic express. They stopped doing the entertainment fee at character meals so you would have to pay full price for those. We have not been charged once when my child ate 2 bites and fell asleep but that's really unusual. You can email special diets and they will try and accommodate when they can but it's not normally down to specific brands of syrup. They also can not heat up items you bring with you as there is some legal liability so if you bring the pizza or spaghettios to a restaurant he would have to eat them room temp.

just a note on this... the resort food courts do have microwaves... if you need to have the spag-os heated, perhaps bring a thermos and heat them in the morning and carry them heated for a quick meal whenever ds opts to enjoy them...

i think i said it above, but agree w/the others that if you opt for the DDP for your son, you will get your $s worth just w/snack, CS (share amongst those that opt to eat) and not having to go OOP for the character meals...

however, the bottom line is that you ENJOY! and have a MAGICAL VACATION!

 

[DisneyDiana]

Jenny,

I have nothing to add but just wanted to say I understand. My DS9 has autism too. We will be on the QSDP since we got the FD for June. Thankfully, he eats most pizza, chicken and french fries, he also eats bananas so I will use his snack credits that way. My son is the same though with only one brand of frozen pizza (Mr P's) and the Aunt Jemima Lite syrup. He is terrified of the characters though. Have fun!!

 

[smiths02]

I don't know how many nights you are going to be there, but if you plan on character meals and something like Fantasmic where the price is per head vs. what the person eats...it might be worth it just to pay for his dining plan since he is a child...it is only like $12-13 a night and you would get an extra CS meal that someone could eat for breakfast and an extra snack

 

[sukhakuli]

You'll get no judgement from me. People who don't have a kid with autism don't understand the food issues at all, or how serious they are. We're lucky that my son will eat most foods that are round. We've had trouble with chicken strips before (his favorite food is chicken nuggets), but when we moved to Texas we told him that they were Texas sized chicken nuggets and he bought it, lol. Now he'll eat those. I have a feeling that he's going to eat better at Disney World than at home because I try to offer him new foods everyday, and he doesn't eat hot dogs and chicken nuggets 3 meals a day. But when we're at DW, I'm going to make sure he gets what he can eat.

As far as the dining plan goes, look through some menus and price out what you would buy for 3 or 4 days, and compare that to what the dining plan will cost you, including what you'd pay for him on the plan. You might save enough with the plan that it would make it worth it, but maybe not.

For us, I'm really torn if we're going to get it or not. I think disney does such a fabulous job marketing it, that they make you think you have to have it. I think a lot of families would probably save money without the plan, because you'd order less food. When I was going through the menus and pricing out what we'd probably spend, it is obvious that there are some thing we typically don't order. Like we usually drink water (free), we don't get dessert, we share a lot of entrees. But it would be nice with the plan to just order what we want and not have to think about the price.

Is there anything he would like? Even the desserts, drinks, snacks? Make sure you figure that in, too. And it's possible he will surprise you. My ds is terrified of getting messy, but he saw his cousin eating cotton candy one time and he had to have it! But as you know those examples are few and far between. But if you think he will eat even $13 a day in snacks and milkshakes, then it might be worth it.

 

[princesscharming]

Also keep in mind that if you think the DDP might not be enough to cover all your stomachs desire (ie. buying more snacks), you could always use his snack credits, and someone else in the family eats the food. Also, you said he's particular, but that with pb&j he just doesn't eat uncrustables. I'm just wondering if the restaurants would be able to throw a regular pb&j together.

 

[hroyale]

Hi,
I didn't read any of the replies, so sorry if you've already replied that you have made your decision.

This is the first post I've ever read from someone with the exact same situation as we have. My DS (now 7) is also on the autism spectrum. He is very high functioning, but has a very self-restricted diet. He will eat one of three restaurant foods 1. most french fries (but not all and he won't eat them at home), 2. a hot dog or 3. fruit.

He has been to eating therapy but after a year only added scrambled eggs into his menu and that is only a sometimes food. Never know when that sometimes will or won't be.

We almost always pack food and bring it with us. It's only been the past year that I can count on him to eat a hot dog and fries from a few select places.

We have been to disney for the past 3 years in a row and have gotten the DDP each time. I tend to book enough character meals that I consider his portion of the DDP to be an entrance fee for the entertainment. I bring food but try to get him to try some food if they have anything I think he'll try.

Every trip he has surprised us all and added a new food. That's where french fries came from, last year it was the hot dog.

So, I say get the DDP. It's kind of a deal for kids under 10. Use his QS credits for yourself or other child, and consider it his cost of admission to dinner "entertainment". It just feels better than paying OOP for a child who isn't eating. It's not an on-the-spot decision. You don't need to justify it each day. The decision has been made, you just need to go with it.

And look for the Disney magic. You might be surprised.

Have a great time.
Heather

 

[gigi1313]

i agree with Disney being a catalyst for trying new foods... my son's protein for years consisted of sausage (patties only), chix nuggets and hot dogs... after a few WDW trips he has grown to eat cold cuts (and chef salads!!! although i have to pick out 90% of the veggie things), steak and sesame chicken (of all things?! it started w/the honey chicken at 9 Dragons)... he was dx'd with sensory integration dysfunction...

 

[CathieArms]

Hi everyone....a couple of questions...

We are a family of 4 (the kids are 4 and 6). My six year old has Autism and some serious food aversions. We normally pack his food with us wherever we go, because he won't eat restaurant food. Basically he will eat Pb&J (not the uncrustables), spaghetti O's and Pizza (but it has to be frozen totinos) and Eggo Waffles with Aunt jemima Lite syrup. (He has super taste buds and can taste slight variations in syrup and the such....as part of his diagnosis he has an extreme fear of changes like this...

His brother on the other hand will eat anything.

Anyways..we have considered the dining plan but haven't done it because I cant see paying for a dining plan for a kid that wont eat anything. When making reservations, the CM on the phone told me to book the room as a family of 3 and then add him when we check in at the Resort and we won't have to add him to the dining plan. But this seems off to me, what do you think?

Also, I made a reservation for the Garden Grill (character meal) and will have to pay $20 for him? (Is this non-negotiable?)

Also, I would like to do a Fantasmic Dinning package, but do I have to pay for his dinner too even though he is not eating or is there a way I could pay just for the reservation hold not the food? or maybe I can hold a child in my lap for the show...is this allowed?

Any help regarding dinning and not having to pay for someone who won't be eating would be helpful.

I know that there is a number to request specific foods at the Restaurant reservations...but will they make it exactly how I say? Even then, I'm not sure it's reasonable to pay $20 for a simple pb&J or can of spaghetti O's...?

Thanks in advance.
jenny

I'm sorry, but from everything I've read over the years, I think the answer is going to be yes - you'll have to pay for him at buffets and family style meals, as well as on the dining plan if you choose that option. I know it doesn't seem fair or right with your extenuating circumstances, but it's the way it works.

 

[gigi1313]

I'm sorry, but from everything I've read over the years, I think the answer is going to be yes - you'll have to pay for him at buffets and family style meals, as well as on the dining plan if you choose that option. I know it doesn't seem fair or right with your extenuating circumstances, but it's the way it works.

Cathie, it's likely you are correct, but there are many cases (i had one just in january at 1900PF) where the server sees that the guest doesn't eat anything and opts to waive the cost... (my dd16 was feeling sick, but did not want to miss her li'l bro meeting cinderella [he has a crush on her] so she tagged along, i planned to pay, she ordered a soda, but the cm said no charge, she didn't eat a bite!) Hopefully the OP will be prepared to pay but be pleasantly surprised... or better yet, be more than pleasantly surprised when her ds finds something new to eat!

 

[budafam]

My husband is exactly the same way with his food. He refuses to eat anything unless it's a certain brand or special kind. We made reservations for a few character meals and I emailed Disney about his "special diet". They basically told me that he's just going to have to eat what's on the menu (even though I had checked the "special dietary needs" box when I made the reservations). We will see how it goes in 4 days... I packed a lot of food for him and we're bringing along our own mini fridge just to make things easier but I never even considered getting the dining plan. It would be a waste for DH

 

[CathieArms]

Cathie, it's likely you are correct, but there are many cases (i had one just in january at 1900PF) where the server sees that the guest doesn't eat anything and opts to waive the cost... (my dd16 was feeling sick, but did not want to miss her li'l bro meeting cinderella [he has a crush on her] so she tagged along, i planned to pay, she ordered a soda, but the cm said no charge, she didn't eat a bite!) Hopefully the OP will be prepared to pay but be pleasantly surprised... or better yet, be more than pleasantly surprised when her ds finds something new to eat!

I think that's awesome and - honestly - that's the way it *should* be. I'm going to cross my finger and hope the OP is given a bit of leeway on this. If *I* were the server or in a position to make that call, I'd absolutely call it in her favor.

 

[snykymom]

Yes, an individual server may waive a charge if someone isn't eating, but Disney won't waive the requirement that everyone on the reservation be on the same plan. I went two days before my daughter arrived, and stayed a day later. Even for paid dining, I would have had to pay for her for the three days she wasn't even there! Needless to say, I didn't get the plan. (She had to be on the reservation because she was taking ME.)

There are no "extenuating circumstance" exceptions to that particular rule.