Where's the Mac and Cheese???

[brergnat]

So, we just spent a week at WDW. Just about the ONLY thing that frustrated me was the utter lack of macaroni and cheese on property for kids. I have a 5 year old son with Autism who LIVES on the stuff. According to the menus on All Ears, there were PLENTY of places to get it. I even wrote them down. Well, the majority of places I had written down NO LONGER had mac and cheese! This caused a great deal of problems with our son. We'd be heading to a restaurant and he'd ask me: Do they have macaroni and cheese there? And, I'd say "Yes, they do." Then, we'd get there and they DIDN'T have it! SO annoying. Why does Disney have to change their menus so often? And, why is it that EVERY place had a hot dog and pb&j, but not mac and cheese? The stuff is cheap and easy to have on hand. I mean, my son eats other things (he actually eats a great variety of things), but M&C is his "comfort" food, and he was totally out of his comfort zone at WDW and we could have really used more mac and cheese.

We did okay overall, but our son only ate about half the amount of food he normally does, and settled for other options when necessary, but I could tell he was VERY bothered by it. He would say things like "Ruby's Diner (a local chain) has macaroni and cheese...", like he was trying to justify why a place WOULDN'T have it. Poor kid.

Next time, I am going to bring his Annie's microwaveable mac and cheese singles so we can make it for him at the resort, so he can get his "fix" in when needed.

In the meantime, DISNEY: "Bring back the mac and cheese!!!!" We'd even settle for Kraft!

And, for anyone using All Ears for menus...don't bother. Almost EVERY menu was out of date...

 

[Sugardimples]

So for months (years maybe) I've been reading posts complaining that all there is for children to eat are mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. Now there's not enough mac and cheese.

I guess you just can't please all the people all the time!

 

[brergnat]

So for months (years maybe) I've been reading posts complaining that all there is for children to eat are mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. Now there's not enough mac and cheese.

I guess you just can't please all the people all the time!

Nope, you can't! I am not one of those complainers. I feel like if your kids want REAL food, then just order them REAL food from the rest of the menu and split it with them. We did that a few times too. We split the noodles & stir fry plate at Seasons because the kid's option was only sweet and sour chicken and a side and he likes stir fry veggies and lo mein noodles, so my DH shared with him. I DO feel that mac and cheese is a FAR healthier option than a hot dog, though, which has seemingly become the new "staple" for kids at WDW. I just don't think it's too much to ask that a FULL SERVICE restaurant have mac and cheese on the menu. He settled for Mickey ravioli with sauce on the side, but it's not the same.

There really weren't many places with kids chicken nuggets on the menu either, to be honest! Our other son loves chicken tenders/nuggets, and I usually had to order the adult portion and split it with him because even at places that had "chicken breast nuggets" for adults, they did NOT have a kid's chicken nuggets meal.

What I saw MOST was PB&J and hot dogs. They had those EVERYWHERE.

I think Disney kid's menus should ALL have: chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, pb&j, hamburger, and hot dog. Those should be staples everywhere! Every other restaurant we eat at here at home (good restaurants) have that list on their menu, along with smaller versions of other menu items. It's not that hard. I just don't understand why Disney can't do the same. Is it that hard to portion stuff smaller? And, to offer the SAME staples at every place, just for the sake of continuity?

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

Would you mind sharing the restaurants where the menu on Allears listed Mac & Cheese, but once you arrived found it was not available?

That would be a great help to parents looking to please their Mac & Cheese kids.

Thanks so much.

 

[Swimalie]

My son had some at the Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square. It was quite good, too. So it is in some restaurants still. I want to say that the Pinocchio Village Haus had it as well. This was 2 weeks ago when we went.

 

[Nadjalu]

Wow this is a supprise.....we were there in Dec. and Mac and cheese was everywhere!

I too would like to know where you ate that didn't have it.

 

[brergnat]

Sit downs:

Kona Cafe
ESPN Zone (we found some next door at Big River Grille...and it was Kraft, so my son was in heaven!)

We gave up on the TS after that...

CS:

Wolfgang Puck Express (they had it, so we ordered it, but it wasn't mac and cheese...it was penne with shaved parmesan on top and melted shredded cheddar...).

Pizzafari

We found it at Columbia Harbor House and Seasons food court in Epcot. Those were the ONLY places that had it at both MK and Epcot, at least last week.

We did not visit DHS, so can't comment.

We ended up getting it at Picabu at the Dolphin and Seasons at Epcot, mostly, since we stayed at BC. We cancelled all our TS ADRs because we didn't want to trek all the way to the places to find they did NOT have mac and cheese after the situation at Kona and ESPN zone (two places that I considered sure bets).

In general, though, the menus at All Ears should be taken with a grain of salt. Unless they are "updated" in 2010, disregard them...

 

[Disney Lifeguard]

At Sanaa (AKL) the waitress said that the kids menu item Meaty Mac ? could be made with cheese, usually comes with a red sauce and turkey meat, but they used a cheese sauce and voila Mac and Cheese...and fantastic Mac and Cheese I might add. Not Kraft, but homemade.

My 3YO stated she wanted Mac and Cheese and the waitress said no problem. Maybe others can make it too but TS Sanaa will for sure.

 

[brergnat]

That's good to know. I tried that at Kona. I figured they HAD to have some or be able to make it, but to no avail. The best they could do was put the red sauce on the side of the ravioli.

But, if they HAVE cheese sauce in the kitchen (at places they do the meaty mac), why not just list mac and cheese as an option on the menu???

 

[disney4us2002]

Not mac 'n cheese related, but we also found a few slight differences in actual menus versus what was posted at allears. In particular the Brown Derby menu did not offer several of the items listed at allears, such as the corn & crab chowder, pan-roasted duck & venison, flourless chocolate cake and strawberry cheesecake. All of those items we had intended to order. We ordered other items and had a terrific meal, but it was a bit disappointing when you are in the mood for one thing and then it isn't available. I think there were also lots of changes from the posted ESPN Zone menu and the actual menu. I believe both of those restaurants say they are from 8/09 so I suppose it is to be expected.

To the OP: last summer my 13 yo ds wanted mac 'n cheese and we also tried Wolfgang Puck Express. He hated it but I actually loved it! LOL. My son only likes the "blue box" mac 'n cheese and especially doesn't like "real" mac 'n cheese from scratch.

 

[JESW]

I still don't know why they stopped serving Mickey pasta! Ds15 is an Aspie and he would live on pasta if they had it but it is hard to find. I do feel your pain about finding things to eat.

Jill

 

[Chloesmom]

I wonder if in cases like the OP if the special dietary line could be called and a request could be made to have mac and cheese at an ADR. They will make special things for people with allergies and have done things for my diabetic DD so I wonder if they would do something for an Autistic person?

 

[jagafen]

Thanks for the heads up!!! Mac N Cheese is a staple for us too!

 

[Pumbaa_]

menus can be out of date 10 min utes after posting. Good idea to not get your heart set on an iten, chef's do change the mene

many signature dishes do not change (thank goodness give me my red snapper at FF)

here is a link to the DIS menus. Our great folks try to keep them up to date, but again, they can all change tomorow!

 

[Disney Lifeguard]

The other day my DD's and I were having lunch at the Brown Derby in DHS and they also had the Meaty Mac entree for kids but were not able to do what Sanaa did. They had no cheese sauce ability.

Fortunately #1 DD wanted a grilled cheese that day and all was well.

 

[Swimalie]

I still don't know why they stopped serving Mickey pasta! Ds15 is an Aspie and he would live on pasta if they had it but it is hard to find. I do feel your pain about finding things to eat.

Jill

Mickey pasta is served at dinner at Akershus. Or it was on March 24th when we went.

Our son also had Mac N Cheese at lunch at Sci Fi Diner on March 21st.

 

[wheredreamsbegin]

My DD6 had macaroni and cheese at several restaurants on our recent trip, including: Rainforest Cafe (AK), Crystal Palace, Liberty Tree Tavern, '50's Prime Time, and Sci-Fi. I honestly felt that all she was eating was macaroni and cheese!

 

[brergnat]

I guess I am more wondering why it wasn't at more CS places. It's all over the place at DLR CS...so I guess I was expecting the same.

 

[LJD2143]

Please don't tell me it's gone at Chef Mickeys!
It's one of my sons all-time favorite things at WDW!
And as a mac-n-cheese lover myself, it's actually quite good!

 

[danielle.st]

Maybe if you go again, you should call ahead to the restaurants to see if they have mac & cheese on the kids menus. If you called the day before, it would be more accurate than any online menus.