Bariatric Surgery and Prix-Fixe Meals

[Princesca]

Hey all - I made Fantasmic dining reservations at Brown Derby, and explained to the CM I spoke with on the phone that my partner has had bariatric surgery, and I was wondering if I could put that as a special dietary need and avoid paying full adult price for dinner. She can't eat more than a tiny bit of food at a time, so I felt that paying full price would be wasteful. The CM changed my reservation so that instead of two adults, it lists an adult and an infant, and she noted on the reservation the reason for the change.

Do you guys think that will work or is there going to be a mess when I show up with a full-grown "infant"? LOL. Also, is she going to have to order off a kids' menu?

Also - she eats small portions but I don't want her to have to eat off the kids' menu the whole time. Does Disney offer any assistance for people in terms of allowing charges for half portions of things? If not, it's okay, but I wanted to know what to expect when we, for instance, go to Yachtsmans. Odds are we'll end up sharing anyway.

 

[jayohjayoh]

Honestly, I don't have personal experience, but I've read a lot of posts where they've had to pay full price in pretty much every circumstance. I'm 99% sure they'll make you pay for two full priced adults, unfortunately.

Other restaurants that aren't buffets or or prix-frixe allow you to share or order off the kids menu. Not sure how it would work with a 'half order' though.

 

[cluvsdisney]

From reading the forums, Disney does not make allowances for this with the buffets and dinner shows so you'll be charged for 2 adults. The cost includes the entertainment so there are generally no exceptions.

At regular TS restaurants with a menu if you are paying out of pocket, your partner can order what they want such as appetizers and side dishes and won't be limited to kids meals. Of course, as you mentioned, sharing is also an option.

 

[SirDuff]

The answer is pretty consistently that at buffets, all-you-care-to-eat, and prix-fixe, you pay the full amount and this has included people with tube-fed individuals in their party. There is room for manager discretion, but that tends to be reserved for those like the tube-fed people mentioned.

I've never heard of ordering a half-order, but she could order appetizers to keep portion small but avoid the kids' menu.

 

[Princesca]

So this discussion made me panic that because they listed her as an infant, she wouldn't be allotted a voucher for Fantasmic. So I called in again and verified with a second CM who said it would be fine, that they'd just charge her a child's price but she'd get the voucher. Since I verified it with two separate CMs, it seems like they are willing to make an allowance for her. But I will go mentally prepared for anything.

Thanks everyone for the input!

 

[wilkeliza]

The phone CMs have no control over what the restaurant charges you. I am not even sure why they would say they can put an adult down as a child or infant to let you pay less. Adults are charged as adults. If they do it for people with surgery they would have to do the same for those who are tube fed, children who are over 10 but still eat like a child, at adults who eat small portions due to medical dietary restrictions or just eating habit. It sets up a precedent that could never be detained because how would they decide who gets charged and who doesn't and who is telling the truth and who is just trying to pay less.

 

[Princesca]

Valid point but when you get bariatric surgery (or have any other medical reason), it is possible to get a doctor's note to prove that reason. It's not really possible to get that for someone who just simply doesn't have a typical appetite. So how they would decide is by presenting that note to guest services and getting the allowance. I asked a third CM and she said this is frequently done for instance when they sell a dining plan to someone who has these medical exceptions. She said she has personally interceded with guest services for a child-level dining plan for an adult who could produce evidence of having had one of these procedures. So... I dunno. It's anyone's guess how it'll turn out.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

So this discussion made me panic that because they listed her as an infant, she wouldn't be allotted a voucher for Fantasmic. So I called in again and verified with a second CM who said it would be fine, that they'd just charge her a child's price but she'd get the voucher. Since I verified it with two separate CMs, it seems like they are willing to make an allowance for her. But I will go mentally prepared for anything.

Thanks everyone for the input!

Good Luck

I expect that they are going to look at you as if you have a third head and charge you for two adults. CMs on the phone just want to get you off the phone. They get paid to move those reservations along I am not sure where you are finding these CMs but I know people who have had the same surgery and they have not gotten any of these exceptions they are telling you about. (In spite of one of them showing not only does she eat like a two year old she can scream and cry like one too. She paid full price even after breaking down in tears for the manager!)

And no you can't give them a doctor's note. Due to HIPAA regulations Disney does NOT want it's staff having your PHI!

 

[sharonabe]

So... I dunno. It's anyone's guess how it'll turn out.

As long as you're prepared to pay the full adult price. Please don't be surprised when that happens, because you have been forewarned. Please don't get upset with the server when they tell you differently than the phone CMs have told you.

If you're really concerned, you could forego the F! pkg and just get a FP for it instead. That way both of you can order and eat whatever you want.

 

[Princesca]

As I said previously, I will go prepared for anything... and it isn't exactly PHI. It's just a card that simply states that the bearer has had weight loss surgery and is signed by the attending surgeon. You don't give it to anyone, you just show it. An example is here: http://www.obesityhelp.com/magazine/RestaurantCard.html

In any case, I thought about just getting a regular FP, but I hate to use up a Tier 1 FP for Fantasmic, and not TSMM or RRC. I will ask her what she would prefer and just go by that. It may make more sense to just take a chance and rope drop TSMM.

 

[SirDuff]

As I said previously, I will go prepared for anything... and it isn't exactly PHI. It's just a card that simply states that the bearer has had weight loss surgery and is signed by the attending surgeon. You don't give it to anyone, you just show it. An example is here: http://www.obesityhelp.com/magazine/RestaurantCard.html

In any case, I thought about just getting a regular FP, but I hate to use up a Tier 1 FP for Fantasmic, and not TSMM or RRC. I will ask her what she would prefer and just go by that. It may make more sense to just take a chance and rope drop TSMM.

I could print out that card and sign it with a random phone number (no way is the restaurant actually going to call - and many meals are outside of office hours), so I really don't see how that can be used as any kind of "proof".

Again, all experience of those on the boards says that you'll be charged the full adult price. And, that CMs on the phone are notorious for passing on incorrect information.

 

[LilyWDW]

All experiences I have read over the years (and I spend a lot of time on the DISabilities boards) say that you will be charged full adult price for an adult that shows up. This is even done for people who have medical reasons where they can't eat ANY food, not just small amounts. I would not count on the phone CMs to be correct at all as it would be very very rare for them to charge you less.

 

[CarolynFH]

....In any case, I thought about just getting a regular FP, but I hate to use up a Tier 1 FP for Fantasmic, and not TSMM or RRC. I will ask her what she would prefer and just go by that. It may make more sense to just take a chance and rope drop TSMM.

In case it makes your planning easier, I've read more than once on these boards that it's fairly easy to get a F! FP as a 4th or subsequent FP. So maybe you don't have to give up your TSMM FP after all.

 

[wilkeliza]

To be honest for 2 adults FP and dinning isn't even needed. It really just depends on it the cost of the meal or the level of FP is worth it for you. I found our dinning seating to be no better than any standby seat we have ever gotten. We were actually further back that we have been through standby. We only did the dinning as it is a meal we would have eaten anyways so didn't mind the upcharge for the pass.

 

[Princesca]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I think it's a good value for me, but not for her at that price, but I will see what she wants to do. Thanks again!

 

[Pumbaa_]

Be interesting to see what happens. There is a huge disconnect btw phone cm and what actually occurs in restaurants.

Without the package, at bd you could order as you choose. Once you bring the prixe fix package into the equation, it changes everything.

Just as at a buffet, you will be charged a price equivalent to your age. Whether you eat a bit or a lot, one price fits all. It's then your decision if the price is worth it.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[Allison]

It is very important to know that many CM's on the phone consistently give out inaccurate information. They do not know how the parks and resorts actually function. If you need information, the most accurate place to get it is on this board. Listing her as an infant makes zero sense no matter what you are being told.

Listen to those telling you about being charged full price. This is true. There are many threads about this subject.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Bree]

I'd be prepared to pay full price. Her being able to only eat tiny portions is no different than lots of people having to pay $40 at a buffet for their 10yo to eat one meatball and a dinner roll.

FP+ rarely runs out for Fantasmic so book one after you have hit the other headliners.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Why bother with all this for Fantasmic? Just order what you want and wait standby. My wife eats like a bird and I didn't even consider jumping through these hoops.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Even people who literally don't eat food because they are tube fed are charged at character meals/buffets, I can't imagine this would be any different. I have read over and over again that Disney does not honor the bariatric surgery cards. Make sure she is prepared to pay full price when the bill comes.