Help with questions that I can't find answers to

Texas_Buckeye

Earning My Ears
Joined
May 2, 2017
2016 was an eye opening experience for me and I decided last Fall that you can’t put things on hold in your life and to live for every moment. With that attitude, I booked a surprise 3 night cruise on the Dream, for my 7 year old grandson and oldest daughter. I have been following the posts on this board and taking what I’ve read to heart. We are flying in the day before, staying at the MCO Hyatt, and booked Disney transportation to the port (I’m renting a vehicle after the cruise, since we’re staying a few extra days in Orlando). Just paid my cruise off, so now comes more questions I haven’t found answers to. I booked a one bedroom, concierge on the 12th floor. Concierge did contact me about special requests and the only request I had was to reserve a Cabana on Castaway Cay and inquired about MAYBE doing something special for my grandson’s birthday at the end of the cruise month. Here are a couple of questions… I am a true country girl, my neighbors are Amish, and neither Palo or Remey interests me or my daughter. I have seen pictures of the menus for the normal three restaurants and the food seems to be a bit too “uppity” (sorry, do not mean to offend anyone by this comment) for my taste. I’ve read where we can order off the kids menu or just order appetizers. I’d be happy with just a normal steak and baked potato, without extra stuff added on top. Is this possible? Also, do they offer “normal” bread and rolls, or just “funky” type bread? Second question, I’m highly allergic to strawberries and I’ve read that they can work around this, however, will it be better if I DON’T let them know and just avoid them, like to do at home? I don’t want to be “babied” because of this, but don’t want my family to suffer or for me to have any reactions. I appreciate any help y’all could provide. Again, I'm trying to find the answers to my questions from previous posts myself because I don't want to ask about things that have already been discussed before.
 
Each night menu's typically offers a "lighter fare" option that you may consider. I found it usually had a simple steak, and potato as option. Or chicken. Either way, the dining staff is so good about working with you on things. Also, remember you can have as much as you like - so I would encourage you try things you otherwise wouldn't, and then order something else if you didn't like it. Bread - I don't remember there being basic options, but I could have forgotten.

As far as allergies, definitely make a note of that. Cross contamination could occur. They won't treat you any differently and will still offer to your dining mates, they will just make sure you don't get exposed.
 
"Normal steak and baked potato" would fall under the "lighter fare" menu.

I'm gluten-free (and even before I was I tried to avoid the wasted calories from non-necessary bread), so I don't know about the bread.

ALWAYS let them know about allergies. That is the only way that you can be better assured of no allergic reaction. The only way it would affect your family is if you were going to share something that had them in it and therefore your family could not have them.
 
Since all the food is included... Why don't you try the "uppity" food? Why not order the dishes you'd usually eat and then order half portions of stuff you don't know/never tasted just to see if you like it? (Just one plate that you can share with your family) You paid for it, after all!

Keep an open mind. :)

(Palo and Remy dishes are more "upscale", that's a fact. But it's also among the best dishes I've ever tasted.)
 


The food may be described in ways that seems overly fancy but a lot of it is just a protein with a sauce, a side (a lot of them potato based) and a veg. If the sauce makes it too fancy for your taste, ask them to leave it off. If none of the menu items appeal to you, there is a lighter fare section which usually a salad or steak, chicken or salmon with your choice of side and veg. If that doesn't appeal either, yes you can order off the kids menu.

As far as the bread, yes it will have the featured bread but typically has plain rolls or slices of french bread -- something basic.

If you discuss what you like with your server, they can really be helpful in getting meals that you will enjoy.

As far as your allergy, whether to note it or not is really up to you but since you said you were highly allergic, I'd play it safe and have it noted on the reservation - especially if you want to enjoy dessert. They decorate the dessert plates with dots and swooshes of different fruit based sauces. If they know you are allergic to strawberry, they can bring you the dessert, they will just make sure none of those decorative things are strawberry based.
 
We are a pretty basic family with food, as well. And, we haven't found that the main dining options are that fancy. They may write them up that way, but in reality they are steak (filet or prime rib) with sauce on the side, if you want it - or, chicken or fish. They may serve the vegetables in little cubes with some dishes - but, they taste pretty basic. As for the bread, we have found that to be "normal" - basic rolls or maybe some type of wheat bread, and cornbread. There is typically a selection of rolls or bread in the basket. And, it is just the dipping sauce that they provide that may be "funky" - but, you may like it, you never know......and, they do provide butter and butter substitute, if you just want that. And, yes, you can just order a plain/basic steak and baked potato - I believe that is always an option. Don't worry - this is the time to try new things food-wise, since they're all included!:)
 


As soon as you board the ship, you can open the Disney Cruise App and see all of the dinner menus (including the children's menus) for the length of your cruise. This will give you an idea of what you can expect before you even arrive at your restaurant for dinner. It will also give you an opportunity to speak with your server to discuss alternate food options. Don't worry, they will go out of their way to make sure you like your meals. And yes, plain bread and butter is available if you ask, no problem. Be sure to download the Disney Cruise app before you leave home - it will speed up the download and save on data. Have a great cruise!!!
 
There is also white rice on the lighter fare menu. I will often order the beef option that is on the regular menu(most are very good, and I am a plain/picky eater) and get the rice as a side.

As for the bread usually they will mix some plain rolls in with the bread of the day. If not you can just ask and I'm sure they could get you some. I don't like most of the dips they give for the bread but you also get butter if you prefer that.

Absolutely tell you servers about your allergy. Being that it is just strawberries, that shouldn't bee too hard for them to work around without making a big deal about it. My son has a peanut allergy and last year he was eating gluten free during our cruise too. Our servers have always been more than accommodating. :thumbsup2
 
Definitely tell them about your strawberry allergy! Tell them in advance, and then double check that they have it noted when you arrive. I would think concierge can do that for you, or at least help you with the form you fill out in advance. No one is going to think you're odd or asking or special treatment. Plenty of us choose Disney b/c they make dining with allergies easy! So many kids today have far more allergies than that, too, - it'll actually be a rather easy one for the staff to deal with, I suspect.

My mom is a fairly simple eater, as well. She absolutely ordered off the children's menu some of the time, preferring things like chicken noodle soup to whatever was on the adult menu. And my kids ordered a mix of adult and children's menu items. No one will blink an eye at any of that, and like others have said - you'll find simple items listed every night too. The lunch buffet will have lots of simple things as well.
 
2016 was an eye opening experience for me and I decided last Fall that you can’t put things on hold in your life and to live for every moment. With that attitude, I booked a surprise 3 night cruise on the Dream, for my 7 year old grandson and oldest daughter. I have been following the posts on this board and taking what I’ve read to heart. We are flying in the day before, staying at the MCO Hyatt, and booked Disney transportation to the port (I’m renting a vehicle after the cruise, since we’re staying a few extra days in Orlando). Just paid my cruise off, so now comes more questions I haven’t found answers to. I booked a one bedroom, concierge on the 12th floor. Concierge did contact me about special requests and the only request I had was to reserve a Cabana on Castaway Cay and inquired about MAYBE doing something special for my grandson’s birthday at the end of the cruise month. Here are a couple of questions… I am a true country girl, my neighbors are Amish, and neither Palo or Remey interests me or my daughter. I have seen pictures of the menus for the normal three restaurants and the food seems to be a bit too “uppity” (sorry, do not mean to offend anyone by this comment) for my taste. I’ve read where we can order off the kids menu or just order appetizers. I’d be happy with just a normal steak and baked potato, without extra stuff added on top. Is this possible? Also, do they offer “normal” bread and rolls, or just “funky” type bread? Second question, I’m highly allergic to strawberries and I’ve read that they can work around this, however, will it be better if I DON’T let them know and just avoid them, like to do at home? I don’t want to be “babied” because of this, but don’t want my family to suffer or for me to have any reactions. I appreciate any help y’all could provide. Again, I'm trying to find the answers to my questions from previous posts myself because I don't want to ask about things that have already been discussed before.

My daughter orders steak and white rice every single night of the cruise. Sometimes she will throw a curve ball and order a salad. :) I think the serving team love her because she is so easy to please. As for rolls...yes indeed...plain white dinner rolls for my daughter as well. Again, super easy to please and after the second first night when she asks for just plain white rolls she gets her own basket. (she does share though)
Please let them know about any allergies ahead of time..make note on your reservation and via Concierge team as well. This is very important information that they need to have so that they don't serve it to you in error.
Have a great cruise!!! :)
 
On the "Lighter Fare" portion of the menu, there is steak and potato, roasted chicken breast and some kind of fish. Ask them to leave off the sauces.

On the cruise, is the time to try new dishes. If you don't like it, don't eat it.

In Palo, there is an appetizer: Pasta Pursiettes. Try it. It is awesome.

Food allergies: call ahead of time and let them know. Also, tell your wait staff. DCL takes food allergies very seriously.
 
I can guarantee you my daughter will be ordering plain steak and plain potato. No butter, sauce or anything funky in sight. I've studied each of the menus to be sure there is something for her to eat. She is NOT the just let them go hungry kind of kid. She can and will starve herself if she doesn't like it. I learned a long time ago to just let it go and serve her protein plain while the rest of us get the sauce. Maybe one day I can convince her to add butter to her potato.

I'm also a picky eater, and want to chime in and encourage you to try new things. After all, there's zero risk as it's already been paid for and if you don't like it then order the plain steak and potato. Does this mean you'll find me eating the escargo? heck no. Does it mean I might be willing to try the lamb, or some of the cheese at Palo? yes, yes it does. I draw the line at the snails though. :rolleyes:
 
On the food allergy specifically- one thing to keep in mind is how severe are your reactions? My husband is allergic to raw apples and raw carrots. If he accidentally eats a bite his throats starts to itch and he knows to stop eating whatever dish it is and then he takes an allergy pill (and usually is able to avoid it in the first place). If he ate a whole apple or carrot he'd have a severe reaction and stop breathing eventually but he gets a warning with one bite and couldn't eat enough to cause a strong reaction.

On our first cruise I marked it as an allergy and he was given a menu the night before and told he had to order then so his food could be specially prepared. For buffets he had to be escorted through the line by a chef. He thought it was way overboard for something that's really manageable and told me to never do that to him again.

DCL does a GREAT job handling allergies, but the flip side is that take it very seriously (which is fantastic for those with severe allergies and severe reactions). It might be a lot though for someone who needs to just avoid and wouldn't have a strong reaction with slight cross contamination.

Just our personal experience.
 
I can guarantee you my daughter will be ordering plain steak and plain potato. No butter, sauce or anything funky in sight. I've studied each of the menus to be sure there is something for her to eat. She is NOT the just let them go hungry kind of kid. She can and will starve herself if she doesn't like it. I learned a long time ago to just let it go and serve her protein plain while the rest of us get the sauce. Maybe one day I can convince her to add butter to her potato.:rolleyes:

This was my son on our last cruise when he was 13. Plain steak or chicken and white rice or plain potato. Now at almost 16, he is much more adventurous and can't wait to try the fancy food. I can't wait to watch him try it!
 
Not allergy-related, but a funny experience with our servers and our favorite cocktail. During a DCL Caribbean cruise, on the first night, my son (mid-40's) and I asked that we have a shrimp cocktail brought before us at every meal. So it began... Next night we got about four apiece with sauce. It was great! Next night we got about 8 each, with sauce. (Don't get ahead of me!) The next night we got maybe 10 each and we gladly shared them with two other people in our party that loved shrimp. (Ok, now think Sorcerer's Apprentice.) The forth night they must have cleaned out the frig. We got a large plate about 2 inches deep with shrimp. We yelled, "uncle!!" Rick and I stopped the shrimp machine and I haven't ordered it since. Too much of a good thing.
Concerning allergies, of the eight DCL cruises we have been on, two have been delayed or disrupted by medical emergencies. We were also 45 minutes late leaving Acapulco once because of a late DCL excursion. The mouse ships do not like disruptions in their schedules, but can cope if needed. Time is $$. If someone is stricken with a severe allergy it could mean an unexpected or prolonged docking, maybe a life flight at sea. From the experiences of others, you can tell that the mouse has seen/experienced just about every allergy or medical condition and, with proper notice, can make it almost routine to handle. Trust DCL to make your cruise Hakuna Matata..
 
Yes, there is overkill about allergies (if you even say the A-word at the buffet they bring out a chef!) but it's for our benefit.

For example, at the Kona Cafe in WDW I asked to have a steak without the tropical fruit salsa, since I'm allergic to mangoes. When my meal arrived the server had given me extra fries "because I found out the potato salad contains mangoes."

Who puts mangoes in potato salad?!?! I wouldn't even think to ask about that... but many dishes are garnished with a strawberry...
 
I can guarantee you my daughter will be ordering plain steak and plain potato. No butter, sauce or anything funky in sight. I've studied each of the menus to be sure there is something for her to eat. She is NOT the just let them go hungry kind of kid. She can and will starve herself if she doesn't like it. I learned a long time ago to just let it go and serve her protein plain while the rest of us get the sauce. Maybe one day I can convince her to add butter to her potato.

I'm also a picky eater, and want to chime in and encourage you to try new things. After all, there's zero risk as it's already been paid for and if you don't like it then order the plain steak and potato. Does this mean you'll find me eating the escargo? heck no. Does it mean I might be willing to try the lamb, or some of the cheese at Palo? yes, yes it does. I draw the line at the snails though. :rolleyes:

My daughter is the picky one that will eat steak and white rice every night of the cruise. That being said, she has tried the rack of lamb (loved it) and will eat some of the steak from the regular menu but does not like any of the vegetables that come with it.
My son on the other hand has tried just about everything once on the menu. He has had Escargot (ugh) , Deer venison (not bad) , Sea Bass (oh boy...no) and on our latest cruise we brought him back some caviar from Palo. (No) He will have every steak type but then he also loves the pizza, mac and cheese and cheeseburgers from the kids menu with the chicken noodle soup. He will eat the Penne pasta, the chicken breast fetticine and is now hooked on the Black Truffle Pasta pursiettes...(my influence)
I one hundred percent agree with your observation about at least trying it though and falling back on the old standbys that we know we love. I will cop to that. :)
 
On the "Lighter Fare" portion of the menu, there is steak and potato, roasted chicken breast and some kind of fish. Ask them to leave off the sauces.

On the cruise, is the time to try new dishes. If you don't like it, don't eat it.

In Palo, there is an appetizer: Pasta Pursiettes. Try it. It is awesome.

Food allergies: call ahead of time and let them know. Also, tell your wait staff. DCL takes food allergies very seriously.

They have the pasta pursiettes in Animator Palate as a standard menu item for the first 3 nights of the cruise. So, I always let the server know my great love of them and they bring them to me as an appetizer for every night of the first three nights. :) The first night the portion is standard, but the second and third night it is like they pour my serving and two others into the dish. lol I love them.
 
Now at almost 16, he is much more adventurous

You mean I might actually see her put butter on her potato? and LIKE it? I wait eagerly for the day.

OP, I'm reminded of coming home (to Kansas) from college in Montanta exclaiming over how I had found manna from heaven in the cafeteria. What was it? Cornbread.
Yep, good old cornbread. My mother HATES cornbread, like really really hates it. Therefore I had never had it before. I thought it was some fantastic new thing coming out of the north that we didn't have in the boring old midwest. yeah, she still makes fun of me for that one but I've never been able to duplicate the school cafeteria's cornbread it was almost like cake it was so moist.

so sometimes there is truth to the adage try it you might like it.
 

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