Immunocompromised and Buffets...

[Runnsally]

Hi, all. Posted this on the restaurant forum and it was suggested I do so here as well. My wife is immunocompromised and cannot eat food from buffets. Any experience with Disney restaurants accommodating this - will the kitchen send out a plate of food? I plan on calling Disney directly, but would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!

 

[DLgal]

Why not just avoid buffets?

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I have no idea, but it is an interesting question. I would just do an previous postr suggested and avoid buffets, but then that would leave off a lot of characters meals.

 

[nikkislaght]

I too am immunocompromised and I make sure I am at the first sitting when going to a buffet.. so if this is something that you cant avoid on your trip, maybe make sure you are first sitting??

Hope you have a great trip

 

[Mrsjvb]

no they will not send out a plate. and no she cannot go and not pay either because they cannot police it to ensure she does not eat.

just like anyone who is tube fed or otherwise cannot eat they will not waive the payment requirement for buffets( esp character meals) and the family style venues.

BTW I have been immune compromised for 40 years and not once was I ever told i cannot eat from buffets.

 

[redberyl]

Completely disagree my daughter is I'mmunocompromized and is not allowed to eat at buffets and I have worked with immunocompromized patients wealways told them to avoid buffetts. They will open a new carton of ice cream with a fresh scooper for allergies make off menu items to accommodate special diet needs why wouldn't they make a plate of food to be brought out And the op never asked to get in for free?,,,

 

[mamabunny]

Hi, all. Posted this on the restaurant forum and it was suggested I do so here as well. My wife is immunocompromised and cannot eat food from buffets. Any experience with Disney restaurants accommodating this - will the kitchen send out a plate of food? I plan on calling Disney directly, but would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!

Contact Disney directly, from this page: Special Dietary Requests

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Well they have Kosher meals that I believe you have to ask for (and pay for maybe) ahead of time.
Other than that I don't believe they will bring anything else out.
Just don't go to a buffet if it's going to be a health concern. Plain and simple.

 

[wilkeliza]

It is worth contacting special dietary requests. They use to make off menu stuff for allergies but i've heard mixed reports of that recently.

Could she eat from say an omelet station? Those dont get touched by other people and get served directly to your plate.

 

[Gracie09]

There have been reports of people being brought food directly from the kitchen due to allergies or other issues. email special diets.

 

[DisneyOma]

How is the food coming from the back any safer than the food in the buffet? Is it the constant contact from the visitors? You're going to get that all around the park, so I'm not sure how avoiding serving utensils makes all that much difference? Is it the time the food is sitting there in the warmers? There is no guarantee that the food at quick service or any other restaurant hasn't been sitting out somewhere for a bit. Since Disney character breakfasts have a lot of turnover, those trays of food get switched out all the time - it's placed, emptied, replaced. It's not like the local buffet where they open to a small crowd and keep the stuff sitting there until the dinner rush.

 

[stitchlovestink]

How is the food coming from the back any safer than the food in the buffet? Is it the constant contact from the visitors? You're going to get that all around the park, so I'm not sure how avoiding serving utensils makes all that much difference? Is it the time the food is sitting there in the warmers? There is no guarantee that the food at quick service or any other restaurant hasn't been sitting out somewhere for a bit. Since Disney character breakfasts have a lot of turnover, those trays of food get switched out all the time - it's placed, emptied, replaced. It's not like the local buffet where they open to a small crowd and keep the stuff sitting there until the dinner rush.

It's safer because only those (i.e. the chef or their assistants) have touched their plate and food. And chances are they had clean hands or were wearing gloves.
If this wasn't an issue of the spread of germs, why would they have CMs dispersing the food at buffets on their cruiseline when there is a concern of a spread of germs?? We have been on the cruiseline when they switched from self service to CMs being the only ones to handle the food/utensils because there are germs on board that people were spreading. They did the same with the self service drink stations. CMs were posted there to get your beverage for you. Buffets are buffets when it comes to spreading germs. People sneeze. Touch food and then do not take it. People don't wash their hands and then handle the serving utensils. Germs can spread quickly at a buffet.

 

[DisneyOma]

It's safer because only those (i.e. the chef or their assistants) have touched their plate and food. And chances are they had clean hands or were wearing gloves.
If this wasn't an issue of the spread of germs, why would they have CMs dispersing the food at buffets on their cruiseline when there is a concern of a spread of germs?? We have been on the cruiseline when they switched from self service to CMs being the only ones to handle the food/utensils because there are germs on board that people were spreading. They did the same with the self service drink stations. CMs were posted there to get your beverage for you. Buffets are buffets when it comes to spreading germs. People sneeze. Touch food and then do not take it. People don't wash their hands and then handle the serving utensils. Germs can spread quickly at a buffet.

They do that on cruises as people are trapped there - it helps create a sense of false security. If the food is tainted, it doesn't matter who touched it. If it's a virus spreading through the ship, it's people contact that will happen anyways. If the people handling the food are sick, you're still in contact with those people, even if you avoid the food, KWIM?

 

[wilkeliza]

They do that on cruises as people are trapped there - it helps create a sense of false security. If the food is tainted, it doesn't matter who touched it. If it's a virus spreading through the ship, it's people contact that will happen anyways. If the people handling the food are sick, you're still in contact with those people, even if you avoid the food, KWIM?

It isn't really a false sense of security it is a security measure. If CMs are handing out food they typically wear gloves which is another line of protection. On top of that it is much eaiser to control a crew of a select few then everyone on the ship. While you may come in contact with sick people later it is not false security to do what you can to prevent coming in contact with germs.

 

[DisneyOma]

It isn't really a false sense of security it is a security measure. If CMs are handing out food they typically wear gloves which is another line of protection. On top of that it is much eaiser to control a crew of a select few then everyone on the ship. While you may come in contact with sick people later it is not false security to do what you can to prevent coming in contact with germs.

Unless they take the gloves off after each serving, etc, the gloves are doing nothing. What would normally go on their hands is now going on their gloves. If a virus is running rampant through a cruise ship, the staff is in contact with it just as much as the guests.

 

[jmartinez1895]

We have the same issue and Disney has always been super about it. Each place we have eaten has always handled it the same way. We inform our server of the issue and they get either the chef or someone else from the kitchen. That person then goes to the buffet with my son while he tells them what he wants and they make a note then they go to the back and plate it and bring it out to him. When he wants more or something else then weet our server know and it's repeated. We also bring plastic forks for him and we use a ton of hand sanitizer and take breaks during the day just to wash hands.
The places I can recall that we ate at that brought him food from the back are:
Crystal palace in MK, 1900 park fare, both breakfast and dinner at Grand Floridian, Tusker house in AK, Hollywood and Vine in HS

 

[Bete]

Personally, I would avoid the buffets if it's a problem. Even if you get assistance from the staff this will all take longer I'm sure. Why put yourself through this?
Skip the buffets.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Unless they take the gloves off after each serving, etc, the gloves are doing nothing. What would normally go on their hands is now going on their gloves. If a virus is running rampant through a cruise ship, the staff is in contact with it just as much as the guests.

You are missing the point!! That particular CM is the ONLY ONE touching the serving utensil!! Not every person (including the little kid who just picked his nose a minute ago) is touching the same dirty handle of that serving utensil. If the CM is the only one touching it, why would they need to change their gloves??? That doesn't make any sense. They are standing there watching over the food and putting the food on your plate for you. What are they doing that is dirtying their gloves so they need to change them between every serving???

 

[Runnsally]

Thanks very much for all of the thoughtful replies.

The other significant food safety issue that I don't think was mentioned is the temperature at which buffet food is kept.

We'll be sure to pack a few extra Luna Bars, but sounds like we may not even need them!

 

[DopeyDame]

no they will not send out a plate. and no she cannot go and not pay either because they cannot police it to ensure she does not eat.

just like anyone who is tube fed or otherwise cannot eat they will not waive the payment requirement for buffets( esp character meals) and the family style venues.

BTW I have been immune compromised for 40 years and not once was I ever told i cannot eat from buffets.

Have you ever actually asked?
Because they will 100% bring out a plate for people with allergies, and I can't begin to imagine why they wouldn't for this situation - it's even easier. They don't need to make different food, just ensure that it goes directly from being cooked to the plate to the guest.