Will character meals allow me to bring in food for my kids?

[Treysar]

Hello all!

My kids will only eat bagels, waffles, pizza and fruit. Last time we were at Disney we paid for meal plans and spent a lot of money and still had a few meals where my kids didn’t eat anything. One amazing restaurant allowed us to bring in Disney purchased pizza, which was so nice!!
This time around I was hoping to bring food for my boys but still be able to eat at some fun places that don’t have pizza or breakfast food. I don’t want to purchase the meal plan again because with them being so picky it was a big waste of money.

Is it just not doable? Do we need to just eat the fast food meals so they can eat a bagel i bring along? Any leeway or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Several of the character meals are breakfast, so you should be able to do those and find all but the pizza.

 

[Treysar]

We have done many of those. There are some we want to try that aren’t.

 

[PollyannaMom]

You could have your kids eat their bagels before you go in, and then just enjoy the AC break with you while you eat something more adventurous. - Who knows, maybe it will look cool enough that they'll want a bite?

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

All of the character meals that I can think of are buffet, family style, or pre-fixe, meaning whether the kids eat or not, you will still have to pay for them. Most restaurants probably wouldn't mind if you brought in some crackers or something (especially for little kids), but I wouldn't plan on bringing a full meal from another place in. Also bear in mind that you sometimes have to wait for a little while to be seated and restaurants will not heat up food that you've brought in. I would either work with the kids to expand their food choices before the trip (if possible, I understand some kids have food aversions and medical issues that make that difficult), feed them before or after (and remember you'd pay for them anyway at character meals), or choose restaurants that have food they will eat.

 

[Treysar]

They will not expand their food choices. I would have done that years ago for their health. They just won’t.
I would just smuggle in a bagel. It’s a bummer to pay all that money, but it’s also the experience, not just the food, that we are paying for. We just have to suck it up!!

 

[Treysar]

By the way, one thing that saved us was a place that serves Mickey waffles all day in MK. It was by liberty square. Woot!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

From what I can see, these character meals may work for your family:
Akershus (B) has fruit and I've been told you can request waffles. (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Garden Grill (B) serves waffles and fruit.
Bon Voyage (B) has waffles and fruit.
Cinderella's Royal Table (B) has waffles and fruit.
Holywood and Vine (B) has waffles and fruit.
Tusker House (B) has waffles and fruit.
Crystal Palace (B) has waffles and fruit.
Chef Mickey (B) has waffles and fruit.
1900 Park Fare (B) has waffles, bagels, and fruit. (D) offers pizza and fruit.
Ohana (B) has waffles and fruit.
Cape May Cafe (B) has waffles and fruit.

The lunch and dinner buffets (H&V, CM, CP, TH, CMC) *sometimes* have pizza and always have fruit, but the selections do vary.

While not character meals, the following are fun restaurants that might work:
Trex (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Sanaa (L/D) offers pizza and fruit on the kids menu.
Rainforest Cafe (B) has waffles. (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Spirit of Aloha (D) allows kids to request cheese pizza and they also serve fruit.
Planet Holywood (L/D) offers pizza on the kids menu.
House of Blues (L/D) offers pizza.

Good luck! I hope you find some options that will work for your family.

 

[lanejudy]

Which "fun places" to eat do you have in mind? I'm sure you can take in a bagel. But as others mentioned, if it's an AYCE buffet or family dining - everyone is charged and I don't think they would waive that just because you brought a bagel. If you are looking at restaurants with a la cart menus, you should be fine. And it looks like a PP kindly looked up some menus to point out waffles, pizza and fruit on the kids menu or buffet.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Treysar]

From what I can see, these character meals may work for your family:
Akershus (B) has fruit and I've been told you can request waffles. (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Garden Grill (B) serves waffles and fruit.
Bon Voyage (B) has waffles and fruit.
Cinderella's Royal Table (B) has waffles and fruit.
Holywood and Vine (B) has waffles and fruit.
Tusker House (B) has waffles and fruit.
Crystal Palace (B) has waffles and fruit.
Chef Mickey (B) has waffles and fruit.
1900 Park Fare (B) has waffles, bagels, and fruit. (D) offers pizza and fruit.
Ohana (B) has waffles and fruit.
Cape May Cafe (B) has waffles and fruit.

The lunch and dinner buffets (H&V, CM, CP, TH, CMC) *sometimes* have pizza and always have fruit, but the selections do vary.

While not character meals, the following are fun restaurants that might work:
Trex (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Sanaa (L/D) offers pizza and fruit on the kids menu.
Rainforest Cafe (B) has waffles. (L/D) has pizza on the kids menu.
Spirit of Aloha (D) allows kids to request cheese pizza and they also serve fruit.
Planet Holywood (L/D) offers pizza on the kids menu.
House of Blues (L/D) offers pizza.

Good luck! I hope you find some options that will work for your family.

Omg- thank you so much for taking the time to write this out!!! This is so helpful!!

 

[DisneyOma]

They will not expand their food choices. I would have done that years ago for their health. They just won’t.
I would just smuggle in a bagel. It’s a bummer to pay all that money, but it’s also the experience, not just the food, that we are paying for. We just have to suck it up!!

I have a child with a food aversion that turned out to be an allergy to some protein found in certain meats. It took a long time but she is now able to eat pretty much everything, except meat products.

I had a good talk with our pediatrician that went something like this:

If you do not offer her those food choices, and she is hungry she won't eat anything else? She'll just starve to death? What would have happened to her if she lived in a time without those food choices?

It made me think. It made me offer her other foods when she was really hungry. She learned to eat potatoes when she was away at camp. She learned to eat her vegetables mixed together and she learned to like marinara sauce. But it takes 10-12 tries for a food to be accepted, for the most part. Not something I'd really try for at every meal on vacation, of course, but it would help to try this before you go, KWIM?

 

[JenLT]

iThis time around I was hoping to bring food for my boys but still be able to eat at some fun places that don’t have pizza or breakfast food. I don’t want to purchase the meal plan again because with them being so picky it was a big waste of money.

Is it just not doable? Any leeway or suggestions? Thanks!

It has been a few years since we went. However just about every restaurant charged for my son even though he didn’t eat. He actually didn’t even drink anything. He would drink now (unfortunately he’s learned he likes soda) but then he only drank almond milk. So be prepared that they will charge you no matter what he eats. You can try telling the wait staff and see what happens but be prepared. Also Crystal Palace brought him out a bowl of dry cereal (that’s how he eats Cheerios still) even though it was lunch time. You can ask them if they have bagels in the back.
Will your kids eat dessert?
Have fun.

 

[JenLT]

I have a child with a food aversion that turned out to be an allergy to some protein found in certain meats. It took a long time but she is now able to eat pretty much everything, except meat products.

I had a good talk with our pediatrician that went something like this:

If you do not offer her those food choices, and she is hungry she won't eat anything else? She'll just starve to death? What would have happened to her if she lived in a time without those food choices?

It made me think. It made me offer her other foods when she was really hungry. She learned to eat potatoes when she was away at camp. She learned to eat her vegetables mixed together and she learned to like marinara sauce. But it takes 10-12 tries for a food to be accepted, for the most part. Not something I'd really try for at every meal on vacation, of course, but it would help to try this before you go, KWIM?

I’m surprised by your doctor’s questions and happy for you that your daughter was able to expand her food choices. My sons have actually narrowed over the years unfortunately and they were pretty narrow to begin with. Thankfully he does eat blueberries and bananas so he gets some fruit. But my yeah my side of that conversation would no he wouldn’t eat anything else and yes he would simply starve. (Well he’d have a massive breakdown when his blood sugar got low though). But my doctor knows this because he’s been hospitalized when he stopped eating (and drinking). Thank God he wasn’t born in another time.
Very interesting about the meat protein allergy! My son used to eat a little meat - now he is vehemently against any meat at all. He can’t stand it. Wonder about the allergy connection.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

My daughter is a fussy eater and was going through an especially difficult period with food around the time of our last trip to Disney. DH and I resigned ourselves to basically accepting her behavior for the sake of the vacation, but we still made the attempt to offer her healthy choices. At several restaurants, she was so much more excited about meeting characters than eating that she refused to eat anything, even foods she’d typically tolerate like fruit. It was so frustrating paying for her Chef Mickey’s meal and she didn’t eat a single bite. But it was what it was.

I would not try to bring outside food into a TS restaurant. If you’re planning to smuggle a bagel, leave it in your bag until your kids complain about being hungry after the meal is over. There are plenty of benches where they can take a snack break and it would be more appropriate than bringing outside food to a TS restaurant. Also, if they get hungry during the meal, maybe they would be willing to try foods that are slightly outside their comfort zone if you don’t have an “approved” food waiting for them.

Good luck!!! My DD is doing much better about eating now but for a while we were considering doing a whole feeding intervention/therapy program at the local children’s hospital. It’s a tough situation and definitely not worth ruining your vacation over. Do what you need to do!

 

[Figaroo]

I’m in the same boat with a picky eater that sounds similar to yours. At home things are different BUT when we’re at Disney we like to enjoy our time and avoid the low blood sugar meltdowns while still enjoying the dining experiences. We usually pack meals for her or buy a QS meal she likes, find a nice spot in the park to eat while DH and I people watch, then we schedule our dining right after that. At TS meals she usually doesn’t order anything and at the buffet types she’ll maybe try a few things if she’s feeling adventurous. It gives me peace of mind knowing that she’s already eaten and then DH and I can more enjoy our meal too. Yes, we end up paying for the experience and not the food at character buffets, but that’s a family choice we were willing to make.

 

[DisneyOma]

I’m surprised by your doctor’s questions and happy for you that your daughter was able to expand her food choices. My sons have actually narrowed over the years unfortunately and they were pretty narrow to begin with. Thankfully he does eat blueberries and bananas so he gets some fruit. But my yeah my side of that conversation would no he wouldn’t eat anything else and yes he would simply starve. (Well he’d have a massive breakdown when his blood sugar got low though). But my doctor knows this because he’s been hospitalized when he stopped eating (and drinking). Thank God he wasn’t born in another time.
Very interesting about the meat protein allergy! My son used to eat a little meat - now he is vehemently against any meat at all. He can’t stand it. Wonder about the allergy connection.

I took our doctor's questions as more 'what would she be eating if french fries hadn't been invented' type of question. What would your kids eat if waffles never existed, KWIM? Kids only know about foods from what we expose them to. I'm glad I never let my kids eat chicken nuggets, for example.

Hope you have a wonderful vacation!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Just to add - CP does bagels at breakfast, too. They're over by the salads/fruit section.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have a child with a food aversion that turned out to be an allergy to some protein found in certain meats. It took a long time but she is now able to eat pretty much everything, except meat products.

I had a good talk with our pediatrician that went something like this:

If you do not offer her those food choices, and she is hungry she won't eat anything else? She'll just starve to death? What would have happened to her if she lived in a time without those food choices?

It made me think. It made me offer her other foods when she was really hungry. She learned to eat potatoes when she was away at camp. She learned to eat her vegetables mixed together and she learned to like marinara sauce. But it takes 10-12 tries for a food to be accepted, for the most part. Not something I'd really try for at every meal on vacation, of course, but it would help to try this before you go, KWIM?

I can see both sides of this.

If a child is just picky about preparation method - like eating French fries but not a baked potato, then I understand the doctor's point. Some adult manipulation of what's offered is in order.

But if the child was actually allergic to something, and all you gave them was that thing because you thought they'd eat it if they were hungry enough, then they'd actually get sick.

Like so much of parenting, it's all about teasing out the stuff they can't do from the stuff they won't do.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I dont agree with the doctor my mom tried feeding me eggs still cant eat them dont care much for baked goods either and highly doubt I am allergic to eggs

 

[Treysar]

My sons are autistic. They vomit at the site of certain foods in their plates, and would starve rather than eat most foods. Once I withheld juice because they would only drink it, no water. 24 hours, not one sip of anything else I offered. It took 2 years of watering down juice to get them to drink water. 2 years!