Help: Dining Suggestions for a Group--one had gastric by-pass

[CarpeDisney]

Heading to WDW in February with the family and staying at BLT for 4 nights. It will be me, DW, DD4, DD2, DFiL, and DMiL. A few years ago my mother-in-law had gastric bypass surgery, and as I make reservations I want to be as attentive to her needs and limitations as possible.

Financially, it doesn't make sense for her to pay $$$ for a buffet as she'll only "graze" (as she refers to it) on small samplings of dishes. At a la carte restaurants she traditionally orders an appetizer as her main meal, and ends up sharing that with others.

We spoke with her about some of the great character meals throughout WDW, and how many of them were in fact buffet style. For the purpose of sharing the experience with her grand daughters, she was fine with the idea of including one of these buffet meals in our plans. Plus, she was perfectly ok with the idea of my wife and I taking the kids to a buffet meal and having her and my Father-in-law eat elsewhere if we were interested in doing others. (My wife and I are very lucky to have solid, rational relationships with each others' parents)

So here are my questions:
1. What character buffet would you choose for the entire group? (princesses or other characters are all options for us)

2. What a la carte restaurants (for dinner) would you suggest as options throughout the trip? We'll most likely grab breakfast and lunch at counter service locations. (open to ideas at any resort, DtD, or in the Magic Kingdom...that will most likely be the only park we visit this trip)

3. Am I forgetting any a la carte character meals?

Thanks in advance for all your recommendations.

 

[TDC Nala]

There are no a la carte character meals. They are all buffets, family style all you can eat, or fixed price.

 

[Inkmahm]

Heading to WDW in February with the family and staying at BLT for 4 nights. It will be me, DW, DD4, DD2, DFiL, and DMiL. A few years ago my mother-in-law had gastric bypass surgery, and as I make reservations I want to be as attentive to her needs and limitations as possible.

Financially, it doesn't make sense for her to pay $$$ for a buffet as she'll only "graze" (as she refers to it) on small samplings of dishes. At a la carte restaurants she traditionally orders an appetizer as her main meal, and ends up sharing that with others.

We spoke with her about some of the great character meals throughout WDW, and how many of them were in fact buffet style. For the purpose of sharing the experience with her grand daughters, she was fine with the idea of including one of these buffet meals in our plans. Plus, she was perfectly ok with the idea of my wife and I taking the kids to a buffet meal and having her and my Father-in-law eat elsewhere if we were interested in doing others. (My wife and I are very lucky to have solid, rational relationships with each others' parents)

So here are my questions:
1. What character buffet would you choose for the entire group? (princesses or other characters are all options for us)

2. What a la carte restaurants (for dinner) would you suggest as options throughout the trip? We'll most likely grab breakfast and lunch at counter service locations. (open to ideas at any resort, DtD, or in the Magic Kingdom...that will most likely be the only park we visit this trip)

3. Am I forgetting any a la carte character meals?

Thanks in advance for all your recommendations.

I had gastric bypass surgery myself 4 years ago. When we go to Disney, I ignore the fact that I can't eat a lot and order what I want. Including buffets. I consider it a part of the cost of the vacation rather than a waste of $. I graze the protein available at the buffets and toss in a dab of potato now and then.

I don't do very many, if any, counter service meals at Disney. They have very little that is healthy for me to eat. We almost always do TS meals for lunch and dinner. For breakfast, I have my standard milk and cheese in the hotel room. Counting protein grams is very important for a gastric bypass patient. Protein first! I eat a lot of steak at WDW. Also great salmon at Artist Point, crab at Cape May, chicken at Liberty Tree and Coral Reef, etc.

That said, we eat at California Grill, Jiko, Yachtsmen steakhouse, Cape May (I eat just about 100% crab legs there), Liberty Tree, Artist Point, Brown Derby, 50's Prime time, etc. I can get good quality protein dishes at all of those places.

For a character buffet, I'd do Crystal Palace for lunch. Or Chef Mickey's for dinner.

 

[eliza61]

I had gastric bypass surgery myself 4 years ago. When we go to Disney, I ignore the fact that I can't eat a lot and order what I want. Including buffets. I consider it a part of the cost of the vacation rather than a waste of $. I graze the protein available at the buffets and toss in a dab of potato now and then.

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Hey Inkmahm.

Op also wanted to add that a good friend and coworker of mine has Gastric surgery and in reality she is very, very flexible (more so that a lot of others) when it comes to choice of restaurants.

Like Inkmahm, she simply finds good protein choices where ever we go. I really think what ever buffets you pick your MIL will be able to find good choices.

 

[999ghostslover]

I would encourage you to read my friend's TR that is ongoing. She just got back and had lap-band last year. This is actually her second trip since the surgery but this time she had more problems eating. She is quite frank about the highlights nad the dissapointments of being in her avorite place on earth after having WL surgery. I think it is a great read for anyone who has had or may have this surgery.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2558155