Very Picky 6 year old

[JD698]

First time visitor to WDW - heading there in Late January/Early February. One of my sons is an extremely picky eater. In fact, other than pizza (and I mean regular sized slices - not the little individual pizzas) he basically only eats breakfast foods and fruit. I have a few questions that I hope someone could answer:

1. Is there any chance that any of the restaurants that do offer breakfast would serve him breakfast foods at lunch or dinner time?

2. Where do they sell regular sized slices and would they be able to be purchased with the meal plan?

3. We are planning to do character breakfasts almost daily - does anyone think that would be too much and would hamper our plans to head to the parks?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sgt Tibbs]

Those are tough questions

I don’t know if there are any restaurants on property that serve breakfast all day long, you could ask your server if they could.

Full sized pizzas? The only places that come to mind are Via Napoli, (EPCOT) and Portobello (DTD). There may be others; we have never eaten at Pizzafari at DAK so I don’t know how big the pizzas are. Not sure where you are staying but you MAY be able to get a pizza from room service, we got one once when we stayed at Wilderness Lodge.

As to character meals, it depends on what time you are booking if you want to see a rope drop it may be a problem. With our son at that age after 3-4 hours in a park he “hit the wall” and it was time to return to our resort for some swimming. So it didn’t matter too much if we showed up an hour after park opening. Usually after swimming our son would crash for a while when mom and dad were getting cleaned up and ready for dinner.

Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[delmar411]

I think it depends on what you mean by breakfast foods. You can get muffins in the parks, I'm not sure if they are snack credits or not. You can also get toast. I believe you can also get croissants during the day at main street bakery and you should be able to get a bagel there too.

Fruit is easy to come by but rather pricey, you may do better by getting some food delivered and packing it in for him. You can get 2 fruit sides with every kids meal though so that may help.

I can't think of anyplace off the top of my head that would have eggs, bacon or sausage readily available...anyplace that serves a quiche during lunch/dinner could possibly make eggs for him.

I have an extremely picky eater and we struggle to keep her fed at WDW (other than just junk) and she like breakfast items as well but just things like muffins, hard boiled eggs, waffles, pancakes. I've found it's easier to just bring her food and carry it around. We also get extra waffles or pancakes for her in the mornings and put them in the cooler pack.

Most of the pizza in WDW is not sliced. It's just a personal sized pizza and smaller versions of those for the kids.

 

[sharonabe]

As far as I can remember, all of the pizzas at the counter service restaurants are the individual pizzas. Is it the amount or just the shape that he has an objection to?

What exactly do you mean by "breakfast food?" If you're wanting eggs, bacon, biscuits, etc., then you're probably out of luck. But if you mean cereal, yogurt, bagels, danish, then you can always get extras at your resort or during breakfast hours (Main St Bakery at MK has them all day long) and take them with you into the parks for later. Most of these type items can be purchased with a snack credit on the dining plans.

 

[TDC Nala]

The only place I can think of that serves wedge-shaped pizza slices is the Boardwalk pizza window and that's not on the dining plan. The options are narrowed significantly since he'll only eat pizza slices in a certain shape. From what I am seeing you aren't talking about whole pizzas cut into slices, but those actually sold as slices - I take it cutting an individual pizza into wedges won't work. You can get whole large pizzas in resort food courts or at Via Napoli, but you can't get slices in wedge shapes. Portobello and Picabu are possibilities, but neither accepts the dining plan.

 

[mommycrawford]

Perhaps, since accommodating your son's food preferences will be difficult, you can talk to him about how, when you go some place new, you have to follow the rules of that place, and that they don't have the things he likes at WDW...that is, if you believe he will still want to go!

It could be an opportunity for him to have to branch out of his comfort zone, and build a new repertoire of foods he likes....that way, if he should be able to find the things he likes ordinarily, it will be a happy suprise!

If you are going in the hot months, children often have little appetite, and, conversly, after swimming, will often eat ANYTHING!

I hope you have a great trip!

BTW...if not eating is something that will jeapordize his health, ignore me! Try calling his pediatrician for assurance that he will be ok.

 

[JD698]

Thanks for all of the responses. To answer some of the questions asked back of me: With respect to the pizza - he for some reason just doesn't like the personal pizzas (except pizza hut). He just recently started eating it reheated. I have no idea why and I honestly don't think he knows why either.

He also eats pretzels (the soft kind) so I'm sure we will find those in the parks.

The breakfast foods he eats are really only pancakes and waffles adn the occasional muffin - depending upon the type (coffee cake are ok as are blueberry). He eats no bread, bagels, breakfast meat.

I like the suggestions about waffles and pancakes from breakfast and also ordering food to send to the hotel. Thanks for those.

MOMMY CRAWFORD: I am surprising the kids with this trip so we just had a general discussion about trying new foods and making it easier when we go places. We have 6 months to hopefully work on this. I'm hoping to get him to eat either pasta or chicken nuggets and from what i've seen we would then be in a better position than we are now.

I think I might call WDW and ask these questions.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think I might call WDW and ask these questions.

From most everything I've seen, you should not expect 407-WDW-DINE to know the answers to these questions, and if they do give you an answer you shouldn't expect it to be accurate. I use them only to make dining reservations. Anything else it's a crapshoot as to 1) whether they know the answer and 2) whether they're giving you a correct answer. They're a call center, and some of them are not located at Disney World. I think it's possible they're not all located in Florida. It's not the place to find out whether individual restaurants will serve specific items.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I continously watch in amazement the troubles my best friend has getting her daughter to eat anything at Disneyworld! She's picky, like yours, only certain type of cheese pizza, only kraft mac/cheese (not found at Disney), no chicken nuggets (only grilled chicken as long as it doesn't have grill marks ?) Every vacation it's a painful battle of wills for all of us, not to mention the time it takes to get through a meal. Of course the dear heart has no issues eating, cupcakes, cake, ice cream, Mickey Bars! She would exist strickly on those crustless frozen peanut butter sandwiches (name escapes me).

I suggest that while at Disney, let him eat what he wants, you're there for just a short while. If he really enjoys breakfast foods, then Character breakfasts may be you're best bet, if he fills up in the morning, then at least he'll get some nutrition in during the am if not so much at night!

It's something I luckily have never had to deal with my son from the time he had teeth ate brussel sprouts, steak, asparagus, beets, lamb chops Etc. By the same token we've never done kids meals, he's always preferred what is considered "adult" food, if there is such a thing. I empathize with you, I know it's not easy!

Good luck and don't worry!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I went with a very picky niece and we did character breakfasts and they worked like a charm...the rest of her meals we let her eat CS when she was hungry and we did have TS dinners booked but she didnt eat anything other than the bread and fries. I did carry cereal in my purse for her and that came in very handy. She didnt starve though, there was plenty of place we could get her pizza (but we asked for it without sauce) and she ate alot of fruit and raw veggies.

 

[ebtbmom]

OH OP, I feel your pain! My picky eater is now 13, and when he was 6 I always assumed that he would have outgrown it by now. He eats a few more foods now than he did at 6, but only about 3 more-and it's all meat!

He always likes the large pizzas at the food court at our resort. My DS also doesn't really like mini pizzas b/c he feels like by it being smaller the crust is too thick, or something crazy like that!

Does you son eat Pop Tarts. I hate them, and they are terribly unhealthy, but they have been a life saver for us on many trips, even took a box to Ireland!

We just let him eat what he wants, I try to get a piece or two of fruit in him here or there, and the rest of the time he eats a lot of popcorn! He's always survived the trip!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

He's always survived the trip!

 

[JD698]

I continously watch in amazement the troubles my best friend has getting her daughter to eat anything at Disneyworld! She's picky, like yours, only certain type of cheese pizza, only kraft mac/cheese (not found at Disney), no chicken nuggets (only grilled chicken as long as it doesn't have grill marks ?) Every vacation it's a painful battle of wills for all of us, not to mention the time it takes to get through a meal. Of course the dear heart has no issues eating, cupcakes, cake, ice cream, Mickey Bars! She would exist strickly on those crustless frozen peanut butter sandwiches (name escapes me). I wish he ate chicken. He does like cupcakes and certain cookies but not ice cream - only ice cream cake - ugh don't get me started. LOL

I suggest that while at Disney, let him eat what he wants, you're there for just a short while. If he really enjoys breakfast foods, then Character breakfasts may be you're best bet, if he fills up in the morning, then at least he'll get some nutrition in during the am if not so much at night! That's what i'm hoping will happen.

It's something I luckily have never had to deal with my son from the time he had teeth ate brussel sprouts, steak, asparagus, beets, lamb chops Etc. By the same token we've never done kids meals, he's always preferred what is considered "adult" food, if there is such a thing. I empathize with you, I know it's not easy! wow, you are lucky!!!

Good luck and don't worry!

Thanks!!!

OH OP, I feel your pain! My picky eater is now 13, and when he was 6 I always assumed that he would have outgrown it by now. He eats a few more foods now than he did at 6, but only about 3 more-and it's all meat!

He always likes the large pizzas at the food court at our resort. My DS also doesn't really like mini pizzas b/c he feels like by it being smaller the crust is too thick, or something crazy like that! Really not sure what he has against mini pizzas.

Does you son eat Pop Tarts. I hate them, and they are terribly unhealthy, but they have been a life saver for us on many trips, even took a box to Ireland! He doesn't even eat pop tarts

We just let him eat what he wants, I try to get a piece or two of fruit in him here or there, and the rest of the time he eats a lot of popcorn! He's always survived the trip!

LOL

 

[dixonsontour]

DD isn't picky but does prefer to eat little and often.

eg we will eat a breakfast buffet then not need to eat again until dinner but she needs more regular food.

I took a small insulated lunch bag in filled with snacks for her - things like crackers, raisins etc. When waiting for a parade she would choose a snack. Worked well for us.

Maybe schedule your character breakfast later like a brunch - so you can do some rides and work up an appetite. Then at least if your son eats well it will take the worry away for the rest of the day.

Resort foodcourts do 16 inch pizza's with a variety of toppings - 2 QS credits gets you the pizza, 2 drinks and 2 desserts. We've had this at all star movies and POFQ but I think most foodcourts have this deal.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Do any of the lunch or dinner buffets have pizza? That may be an option plus allowing him to try other foods without worrying about going hungry.

 

[WantToGoNow]

If you are wanting to do character meals, I would do the latest breakfast times available so the he can get the breakfast foods. Then plan whatever the rest of the family wants for dinner and get him a soft pretzel and/or a fruit cup as a snack before you go so he won't be hungry.

That said the individual pizzas at Disney are very good in my opinion - I like those better than the Pizza Hut ones.

 

[Ali]

The Mara at AKL has flat bread pizza that could be cut with a pizza wheel before you brought it to the table into triangle shapes. Values and mods ahve large pizzas you could buy and heat up as needed. I don't think any dinner buffets have pizza.

 

[dixonsontour]

Park fare dinner buffet definitely has pizza on the kids buffet - one large cheese and tomato pizza cut into thin slices.

 

[mpetti]

Does he like Toy Story? If he does you could take him to Pizza Planet at DHS. It's not the regular size pizza, but maybe if you tell him this is the pizza that Woody and the gang eat he will try it and like it. I am sure you will find plenty for him to eat. Good Luck and enjoy.

Maryann