Outdoor Eating

[Rayvnn]

My 4yo son, with Autism and SPD, has issues with eating inside unfamiliar enclosed buildings. He freaks out when we go out to eat around our home area. Is there outdoor places to eat at the parks and hotels? Are they table serve or quick serve?

Leslie

 

[jennipooh]

Most outdoor spots are quickservice. There a few TS with inside and outside seating. Rose and Crown is one that I hear many on hear choosing for TS.

 

[coltsfanatic]

There are several restaurants on property that offer outdoor seating (I also like sitting outdoors because most outdoor restaurants in Disney have scenic lakes nearby).

There are great choices at DTD:
I believe that Bongo's, Paradiso 37, House of Blues, Portobello and WP Cafe all have outdoor seating, as well as Earl of Sandwich as a QS. Also, if QS sounds better, you could always take out food and sit outside. There are plenty of well-spaced out seating areas in DTD.

Some other choices in the parks off the top of my head are:
MK-Casey's, Peco's, Tortuga and Cosmic's. I also found Crystal Palace to be a nice place to go. Tables are nicely spread out and before your name is called you sit on the outdoor porch with a great view of the castle.

Epcot-Most QS, along with La Hacienda, I believe, and Rose & Crown

HS-Brown Derby as TS, unfortunately in this park, as much as I love the food, there aren't many outdoor seating areas, except for Toy Story Pizza Planet

AK-Yak and Yeti QS, Flame Tree, Rest. and Pizzafari

Resorts-ESPN Club, Kouzzina and Narcoosee's

Hope I helped!! Have fun!

 

[Flora Fan]

Be aware on the Rose and Crown...the "outdoor" seating is enclosed with a plastic type of protection. Also, the area is narrow so the walls of the restaurant and the line of tables against the plastic "walls" are not very far apart. You may want to look at pics if you can find them to see if your son will be comfortable here.

They do have a take away spot with fish and chips nearby (Yorkshire County Fish and Chips) and the rose garden behind the row of shops is usually quiet. (As you turn from the Fish & Chip shop, just take the path to the left of the Twinings Tea Shop, follow it around) If you are lucky, you may find Mary Poppins hanging about.)

Japan has a shop that has an outdoor eating area. I believe it is called the Yakitori House. America has the Liberty Inn burger/dog place that has outdoor eating just in front of it. Also Norway has a desert shop (Kringla Bakeri og Cafe) with an outdoor eating area, but it is small and usually loud, busy and quite crowded...suggest a short walk.

MK...Columbia Harbour House has good sandwiches and could be taken outdoors, but you'll have to find the spot to sit. Tomorrowland Terrace is all open seating but is seasonal.

Afraid I am not familiar with the other two parks, but highly suggest AllEars.net as they have all of the restaurants and counter service places as well as the list of menus for these places.

Last suggestion, call Disney and explain your situation, they will gladly help you to make advanced dining reservations in places that will be perfect for your son.

 

[Quin]

Turf Club is a TS location at SSR that offers dining on the big wraparound porch overlooking the golf course; at least during the summer, it is open-air but is roofed. Not sure whether they enclose it during cold weather.

You can eat outdoors from any CS location; some have actual dedicated outdoor seating and others, well, people just pull up a convenient section of a wall or a park bench.

Or going to the other extreme, for 2 TS credits you have outdoor/open air dining at the Spirit of Aloha show (Poly) and Mickey's Backyard BBQ (Ft. W). DS would be a good age group for both of these shows if they do not present any other stimulus triggers for him. Agree with a prior poster who said YouTube is your friend; you can probably pull up videos of both these events to get an idea of whether they would work for you.

 

[Que_Sarah_Sarah]

Via Napoli has an outdoor seating area. It is covered, but if you sit towards the outside it is no different than sitting on a deck with a railing.

 

[Rayvnn]

Thank You everyone!

Leslie

 

[disnut8]

For quick serve, you can easily get your meals and eat it on a nearby bench. You don't have to be inside.

I know of the following that will help.

Magic Kingdom - Cosmic Rays - easy to sit outside since everyone wants inside; Columbia Harbor House (go towards Liberty Square and the quick service there)

Epcot - well, tons.

Animal Kingdom - Flame Tree BBQ, Pizzafari (carry the tray a ways towards Camp Minnie Mickey)

Studios - Studio Catering and Backlot Express

With counter service, you can take it anywhere.

 

[mkarizona]

Rainforest Cafe in DTD has outside seating by the lake.

 

[kathyell]

At DHS, the whole counter service area near Tower of Terror (includes Fairfax Fare, Rosie's, Catalina Eddie's) has outdoor seating.

There's a little bit of outdoor seating at MK's Pecos Bill's, but not nearly as much as there is inside. Ditto for Cosmic Ray's, as several other people have noted.

If you walk all the way back toward the lake in the seating area at AK's Flame Tree BBQ, you'll even find tables that are completely out in the open and not under those open-sided roofs.

There are several other places, but I was just trying to pick out a couple of things that haven't already been mentioned.

 

[Rayvnn]

Thank You Everyone!

Recently, we were able to eat inside an Applebees and he didn't freak out until 30 minutes had past. We went at 11:45am for lunch during the week.

Leslie