What would you do- dining?

[disneydeb]

we are another chicken nugget and chicken strip family every disney trip oh and french fries, where we ate? in magic kingdom we ate at pecos bills in frontier land, columbia house has chicken strips,you can get mcdonalds french fries between pirates of the carribean and splash mountain, we dont usually do a sit down dinner at magic kingdom, at mgm 50's prime time was good always something to keep everyone busy and entertained there, at epcot we ate at innventions, they had chicken strips and french fries, and we ate at the food court in the land, the american adventure has chicken strips, and epcot even has a mcdonalds spot that have nuggets and fries, near canada adventure. for the sit down dinners we did use tonys in the magic kingdom when i think about it, but we always ate on off hours when it wasnt too ccrowded, i also bring bubbles with me and glow sticks to keep him entertained, works good for meltdowns too, we just move to a side bench and blow bubbles until were ready to get back to fun, how old is your mother in law? maybe she'll need some rest periods , i personally couldntt do more than 5 or 6 hours in the parks anymore, we also rent a car and go to a restaurant outside the parks, which sometimes work well and i also always rent a frigde for milk and snacks when theres going to be no waiting in any line for any kind of food. just remember its disney have fun, maybe you'll get some disney magic on you m-i-l and she'll stop complaining for the trip. have fun let us know how it turns out.

 

[disneydeb]

are you going to get a gac card? if so i would put the info about your son needing some eating preferences, maybe so you can order food for him off the kids menu if thats whats needed, i have personally ordered off kids menu for my daughter when she was about 10 or 11 and no one ever really made a big deal of it. i didnt need a gac card but that was about 14 years ago so i dont know if things have changed. hope this helps

 

[Cheshire Figment]

are you going to get a gac card? if so i would put the info about your son needing some eating preferences, maybe so you can order food for him off the kids menu if thats whats needed, i have personally ordered off kids menu for my daughter when she was about 10 or 11 and no one ever really made a big deal of it. i didnt need a gac card but that was about 14 years ago so i dont know if things have changed. hope this helps

The GAC is only for attractions. There is nothing that it can be used for with respect to meals..

And there is nothing to preclude anyone from ordering from the children's menu. My late wife loved to get the children's filet at the Concourse Steakhouse.

And at the buffets, there is no children's buffet. There is a usually a section lower to the floor that has in it some foods which many children like. However an adult or a child can go to any part of the buffet for anything.

 

[mechurchlady]

The Garden Grill has characters and is pretty quiet. Explain when you arrive at a restaurant with characters the situation so that they can inform the performers. They had great food when I was there and were very good with me despite my quirks.

Buffets can be fun especially if you like to try different food. Try the earliest seating so that there will be fewer people.

 

[Brer Shay]

Hugs to you for going through each day and planning a great opportunity for your family. My DS is also Aspie and DH certainly has tendencies. MIL/FIL both deny and my parents also responded, to a degree, that parenting was the cause. What actually changed my parents was our trip to Disneyworld. Being with him nearly 24/7 and seeing him respond SOOOO differently than other children (separate from "behavior" issues) opened their eyes. Maybe MIL will see something too?!

As all Aspie moms are, I'm sure that you have had your share of having to stand up for your child. It's lousy to think that might include MIL, but if she's one more that doesn't "get it," you don't have tremendous choice.

As for food, eating at off times helps alot - breakfast at 7 am or 10:30 and lunch at 2:30 means far fewer people. Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge has a VERY active and silly waitstaff that did well for DS. Moving around was fine and there was adequate space. I always carry packs of peanut butter crackers (our stand by) and if nothing on the menu suits, that's lunch (or breakfast or dinner). You or DH can tell MIL that either you can do meals separately or that she can expect the kids not to finish their plates.

I understand the complication of her being involved in payment, but that doesn't give her parental authority over your children.

All that said, I hope you have a fantastic time. Aside from a few trigger issues (not liking to get wet), DS had a phenomenal time as did the whole family. We'll be taking them all again in 2009.

 

[SueM in MN]

The GAC is only for attractions. There is nothing that it can be used for with respect to meals..

And there is nothing to preclude anyone from ordering from the children's menu. My late wife loved to get the children's filet at the Concourse Steakhouse.

And at the buffets, there is no children's buffet. There is a usually a section lower to the floor that has in it some foods which many children like. However an adult or a child can go to any part of the buffet for anything.

to all the things that Cheshire Figment wrote.

 

[bopper]

I would tell your DH to tell her his MIL in no uncertain terms that there are to be no comments about your DSs eating habits. You are in contact with a doctor and you know your sons, so you will be working with them the way they need to be worked with. If she would like to pick out a couple of restaurants to eat at, you will definitely work those in.

 

[mechurchlady]

Bopper I like your style and agree with you.