Question When Member of Party Has a Food Restriction

[LeilaKens]

I am planning a trip for my family to visit in 2013. There will be 4 of us and we will all 4 be on the basic dining plan. My sister will be visiting WDW also but will not be on the dining plan. Will she be able to sit with us at table service dinners? I believe I have read where all members of your party must be on the dining plan in order to sit at the table. However, she has food restrictions and will not be able to eat anything anyway. So she would not be ordering anything other than a drink. Does anyone know how this would work?

Also, aside from the dining plan question, my sister has to bring her own food with her. They are prepackaged meals that need heating in a microwave for 1 minute. Does anyone know if any of the restaurants would heat these for her? She doesn’t want anybody to go to any trouble for her and this may not be allowed so I am just inquiring. I may just need to call WDW directly and get an answer from them.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. All people on the room reservation must have the same tickets and dining plan.

2. Due to Health Department restrictions a restaurant cannot do any cooking of food from outside.

3. I would suggest going to the disABILITIES Forum and look at Post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs. There is a large section in that post dealing with special dietary needs, as well as many related links. You can get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs by following the link in my signature.

This is a very common topic of discussion in the disABILITIES Forum.

 

[Halbleib1]

She can sit at the same table without having the dining plan however Cheshire is correct everyone in the same room must have it. If she is in her own room than you will be fine. To heat her food in the parks she will probably have to use the microwaves in the baby care centers if they allow it. At the resorts she can use the microwave in the food courts.

 

[aubriee]

She can sit at the same table without having the dining plan however Cheshire is correct everyone in the same room must have it. If she is in her own room than you will be fine. To heat her food in the parks she will probably have to use the microwaves in the baby care centers if they allow it. At the resorts she can use the microwave in the food courts.

True, but just to add one thing: If you are all dining at a character meal or any other all you can eat restaurant, she will be charged for that meal. The CMs will not/can not keep up with who eats and who doesn't at those type places, so everyone at the table is charged. At any ala carte place though, there won't be any problem with her just sitting with the family. Restaurants are not allowed to heat up outside food though.

 

[TDC Nala]

Anyone on the dining plan can eat with anyone who is not on the dining plan. I think it is being noted that if your sister is staying in the room with you she must have the dining plan, unless you add her to the reservation after you check in. If she is living locally or staying in her own room somewhere she will not need the dining plan.

While everyone must have the dining plan who is staying together in one room, it is NOT required that everyone sitting at a restaurant table must have the dining plan.

Your sister may be charged the full adult price if she sits with you at buffets, character meals, dinner shows or all you can eat family style restaurants, even though she intends to eat nothing. It is general policy that everyone at the table age 3 or over is charged at these types of meals.

As far as the restaurants heating up her personal meals for her....there are health department issues regarding the restaurants bringing outside food into their kitchens. If the item is packaged and sealed by a manufacturer, that would be the only way I can imagine it might be possible. You may want to check on the DisABILITIES board regarding who to contact about this.

 

[LeilaKens]

Thanks for the replies! I figured the restaurants wouldn't be able to heat the meals do to health codes, just thought I'd ask. I don't think she even wants to bring them to the park with her so it shouldn't be an issue. Glad to know she will be able to sit at the table with us! Thought we might have to do all counter service if not. She will be staying at another resort for work so she will be on her own reservation. I appreciate all of the help!

 

[figment_jii]

To heat her food in the parks she will probably have to use the microwaves in the baby care centers if they allow it.

Again, checking on the Disabilities board would probably be helpful, but I know that over at DLR, they are very strict about the use of the microwave at the Baby Care Center. You can only heat baby food or toddler food. They do not allow anyone else to use the microwave.

 

[Marthasor]

Thanks for the replies! I figured the restaurants wouldn't be able to heat the meals do to health codes, just thought I'd ask. I don't think she even wants to bring them to the park with her so it shouldn't be an issue. Glad to know she will be able to sit at the table with us! Thought we might have to do all counter service if not. She will be staying at another resort for work so she will be on her own reservation. I appreciate all of the help!

You may already know this, but when you make your reservations, you will need to include her in your numbers whether she is eating or not.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Will she be able to sit with us at table service dinners?
. . . as long as she behaves herself (just kidding)
. . . yes, of course she can sit with you
. . . just make sure she is counted in the ADR number
. . . eg, there are four of you and her, make the ressie for five people
. . . otherwise, there might not be room in the eatery, if busy

I believe I have read where all members of your party must be on the dining plan in order to sit at the table.
. . . a misunderstanding of policy

However, she has food restrictions and will not be able to eat anything anyway. So she would not be ordering anything other than a drink. Does anyone know how this would work?
. . . at Quick Service and ala-carte Table Service, she is not charged
. . . as above, at buffets and all-you-can-eat, she is charged full price

Also, aside from the dining plan question, my sister has to bring her own food with her. They are prepackaged meals that need heating in a microwave for 1 minute. Does anyone know if any of the restaurants would heat these for her?
. . . you might get lucky, but the policy is no
. . . very seldom is the rule ignored
. . . this could be a health problem to introduce unknown food into a kitchen
. . . of course, in a Food Court, she could use the microwave herself

She doesn’t want anybody to go to any trouble for her and this may not be allowed so I am just inquiring. I may just need to call WDW directly and get an answer from them.
. . . other than paying and food prep, no problems

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

I would just like to add that when you are seated to let you server know that she is NOT on the dining plan. I went with my sister and her husband and kids for a few days last year and they were on the dining plan but I was not.

Since all of the credits are combined under each room, the server doesn't know who is using which credit and may assume your sister is on the plan and deduct a credit for her. That happened to us the first night so we learned not to wait until the check came to let them know!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

She doesn’t want anybody to go to any trouble for her and this may not be allowed so I am just inquiring. I may just need to call WDW directly and get an answer from them.

When you call Walt Disney World, unless you really know a direct number, you will get one of two offices.

The Disney Reservations Center (DRC) includes Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC), Central Reservations Office (CRO), Disney Dining, and some other lesser known information lines. To the best of my knowledge the DRC locations are in the International Drive area, Tampa, Houston, Salt Lake City and somewhere in North Carolina. There may be more. Some of the people working at the DRC call centers may never have been to either WDW or DL (or both).

The Main Switchboard (407-824-2222) is also where all calls to Disney Resorts go if you are dialing the phone number on the back of your reservations form. Also that is where calls go if you dial the Operator from your room, and possibly even calls to the Front Desk. The Main Switchboard people will, if asked, also identify themselves as Guest Services. They can put you through to any number on WDW.

At both DRC and MS they have access to a computer which has lots of Guest Information and it is very well organized. Actually, all CMs who have access to a terminal, or who even can access "The Hub" from off-site, have access to this Guest Services information. I will often open an extra window when I am responding to people and go into The Hub for the latest official information.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Not knowing just what kind of food restrictions she has it's hard to say for sure, but are you aware of just how accomodating WDW is with dietary restrictions? Depending on the dietary restrictions, chefs may be able to prepare meals for her without her rather than her having to provide her own meals.