Special Diet Needs

[ibleedblue]

Hi all!! We have a large family trip planned for June 12-20 this year and we've got a family member who has special dietary needs that I don't see any information on. She has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and has to have a very low, prefferably no sodium diet. I know if we were to eat sit down meals everywhere that we can request special meals, but what about the fast food places? I know she can get grapes instead of fries but are there any other options. Can we just order a plain broiled piece of chicken? I know there are chicken wraps available at some places, but if the chicken is marinated and cooked the wrong way, she can't eat it. We had thought about cooking hamburgers at the house we're renting, freezing them and bringing them into the parks, but we didn't know if there was an area to warm them up when it was time to eat. Can anyone help me out with this? Thanks!!

Greg

 

[HaleyB]

Disney is great about dietary needs. You need to call or email the head chef for each park, and they will tell you what is avaliable and where for walk up food. If you want any sit down meals make Priority Seating reservations with Disney and have them make a note on your ressies, then call the chef to make arrangements.

This is what I have for numbers, I have not called yet so I am not 100% sure they are right:

numbers to head chefs
Magic Kingdom: 407-824-5967
Epcot: 407-560-7292
Disney-MGM Studios: 407-560-7830
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Head Chef Ralph 407-938-2441

 

[Anne MN]

look at the menu's that are posted..

if that doesn't help, I would call one of the 1-800 numbers that have been listed on the board and ask to be transfered to the special needs ( not the right name for it) they do all the resort special booking for accessible rooms, they should be able to help you out or point you in the right direction.

I would use the 1-800 number (same as the 1-407) so you are not paying long distance charges, and it usualy get's answered quicker!

 

[SueM in MN]

In addition to the head chef for each park, this phone number: (407)-566-5815, which is the office of Deiter Hannig, Senior Vice President for Food and Beverage for WDW.
His office deal with all the menus at WDW (from full service to food carts) and will be able to help with your questions.

I think the Resorts Special Reservations number would just give you this numberr plus the ones that were already posted.

 

[SueM in MN]

We had thought about cooking hamburgers at the house we're renting, freezing them and bringing them into the parks, but we didn't know if there was an area to warm them up when it was time to eat.

That's not a good idea, especially in June when it can get very hot. Even if you have a place to warm the meat up, you would have a hard time keeping the meat at a safe temperature until time to eat it. Better choices would be things like fruits, vegetables, etc that don't have such critical temperature.

If you look on the park maps, you will see many restaurents marked with an apple icon to show they have vegetarian (not always low sodium, but more likely to be ) and healthy options (again, maybe not low in sodium, but likely to be lower than other foods).
If she's working with a dietician to learn about her low salt diet, she can probably get some help with making the best choices wile eating out from the dietician or suggestions on low sodium foods that keep well for lunches. Also, you may have trouble keeping things cool, but a thermos could keep a portion of low sodium soup hot and she could get (or bring) a salad or piece of fruit.
Here are some internet resources that might help:
http://www.abouthf.org/module2/default.htm One part of the module has info on choosing food in restaurants.
http://www.dialadietitian.org/ Has some fact sheets about making low sodium choices including in restaurants. www.dialadietitian.org/media/downloads/ resources/handouts/low-na-25.pdf