Gastric Bypass Surgery and Disney

[Mickey-Mommy]

Anyone ever gone who has had Gastric Bypass Surgery?

My husband is having this surgery done on June 1st and we are planning our trip for Sept. 21-Oct. 2. We're going then for the free dining :sohappy:, but was wondering what your experiences have been after surgery. :shrug:

I will also be about 7 months pregnant and traveling with a 2 year old. :sohappy:

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I've had lap band surgery and free dining is too much food for me. The best person to ask is your husband's doctor because you don't want to over-do it.

7 months pregnant and going to WDW? are you insane? :lol::lol:

 

[kimmychad]

Anyone ever gone who has had Gastric Bypass Surgery?

My husband is having this surgery done on June 1st and we are planning our trip for Sept. 21-Oct. 2. We're going then for the free dining :sohappy:, but was wondering what your experiences have been after surgery. :shrug:

I will also be about 7 months pregnant and traveling with a 2 year old. :sohappy:

my wife had this surgery about 5 years ago.
she ate nothing but yogurt and cheese for about 6 months, then gradually grew to more advanced foods after that.

there are still some foods she can't some foods today; red meat is out of the question, as well as bread. some things that she can eat today will make her sick tomorrow.
but amazingly the experience is varies greatly from person to person.

 

[disneyliv85]

My mother in law also had the lap band surgery done and all she could eat for several months was soup. It was pretty hard on her. She's doing much better now but can still only eat a little bit. The dining plan might be a lot of food for your husband. Then again, you are 7 months pregnant and might want to nibble off his plate anyway :slurp: Plus the 2 year old could eat off his plate as well, so you might want to keep that in mind when he's ordering!

 

[tigsmom]

Not sure about the bypass surgery, but it's liquids only after lap banding for 4-6 weeks and then only small amounts of soft foods and you work your way up from there. The dining plan is going to be way too much food. The best thing to do is talk to the doctor as he/she will be the one prescribing the diet afterwards. There is a 4-6 week window for recuperation and then a gradual resumption of activities (assuming there are no complications) and the last thing you want is for him to get sick while on vacation. As for being in WDW while 7 months pregnant - I would talk to your doctor about that as well as many start to restrict the distance they want you to travel towards the end of the 7th month.
I know you are excited about this trip, but if it were me I would reschedule as there are too many variables in your scenario.

 

[sring]

I had gastric bypass not quite 2 years ago. I definately think the meal plan is a waste but if you're getting free dining then you aren't loosing much by eating so little.

Some advice:

Bring a daily pill case and carry it with you to get all of the supplements in.

Use snack credits for lots of water.

Make sure you have enough time after surgery and after he is back on solid foods. Balancing the timing of water and food (and geting your 60 grams of protien a day) is tricky. Schedule ADRs around that schedule.

Consider bringing protien bars with you as a snack (I'm partial to South Beach Cereal bars...160 cals and I think 9 grams of protien).

Remember to stick to low fat protiens...shouldbe easier at TS meals.

Don't forget to plan for the travel time. It's hard to find acceptable foods at airports, there could be flight delays and you won't get protien shakes through TSA.

If your surgeon's office offers nutritional counseling or a pre-op/post-op joint support group, these would be good references for pre-planning.

 

[slappy magoo]

Anyone ever gone who has had Gastric Bypass Surgery?

My husband is having this surgery done on June 1st and we are planning our trip for Sept. 21-Oct. 2. We're going then for the free dining :sohappy:, but was wondering what your experiences have been after surgery. :shrug:

I will also be about 7 months pregnant and traveling with a 2 year old. :sohappy:

Well, I'm going to be a giant poohead and gently, sympathetically, suggest you wait a little longer. Early autumn is certainly more tolerable than summer, but it WILL be hot, and someone coming off lapband surgery might not have his strength up yet. And (again, gently) when you consider how obesity is often as much psychological as physiological (in other words, I empathize with people with slow metabolisms or injuries that prevent them from exercising as they'd like, at a certain point, you're just eating too much), to go to WDW when your husband might be feeling weak or sluggish from eating so much less than he had, AND be tempted by the food offerings, could be kind of a strain. I don't know the man, he might be stronger than that, I'm being VERY general here.

Besides, he's going to be weak from surgery recovery, YOU'RE going to be limited from your condition, AND you'll have a 2 year old with you. If you go, I certainly wish you the very best, nothing but fun, not raining on your 3 o clock parade. But this is a vacation that's going to be a lot of work, and neither one of you will be in peak condition. Is there any chance you could delay it until after the baby's born? Even though it'll be more expensive, I'd rate the odds of you enjoying the trip more as astronomically higher.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

^^ You said it WAY more tactfully that I was going to. Well put! :sohappy:

 

[JenShelby]

So excited this question came up, my mother had this surgery in August 08. My whole family is going to Disney in July. We are not on the dining plan and my mother cannot eat alot of food and since she is over the age of 9 cannot order from the kids menu (which she does if we are out at a fast food place) anyway we are not wanitng to pay 35.00 for a princess castle breakfast when 1) she cannot eat everything that is served and 2) she cannot eat that much. My sister in law called Disney and they said that they will assign her a personal chef for the week and will let her know what she can and cannot eat from each restaruant she chooses. They did not answer the questions about price though. Does anyone have any information on this?

 

[tigsmom]

So excited this question came up, my mother had this surgery in August 08. My whole family is going to Disney in July. We are not on the dining plan and my mother cannot eat alot of food and since she is over the age of 9 cannot order from the kids menu (which she does if we are out at a fast food place) anyway we are not wanitng to pay 35.00 for a princess castle breakfast when 1) she cannot eat everything that is served and 2) she cannot eat that much. My sister in law called Disney and they said that they will assign her a personal chef for the week and will let her know what she can and cannot eat from each restaruant she chooses. They did not answer the questions about price though. Does anyone have any information on this?

Unless policy has changed, she will have to pay regular prices. This is considered a "special dietary need" and while they will work with her food needs they will not subtract from the price. Sorry.

 

[disneypunker]

Unless policy has changed, she will have to pay regular prices. This is considered a "special dietary need" and while they will work with her food needs they will not subtract from the price. Sorry.

I know if eating at the Crystall Palace they will charge child's price, not sure about other locations usually eat at counter service locations.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I know if eating at the Crystall Palace they will charge child's price, not sure about other locations usually eat at counter service locations.

Really? I just ate at CP for my Bday last month.


BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.....I'm an adult, with or without lap band surgery, I should have to pay adult prices IMHO

 

[slappy magoo]

I know if eating at the Crystall Palace they will charge child's price, not sure about other locations usually eat at counter service locations.

I would say that was probably a judgment call on the part of management and/or your server at the time. Which is a nice gesture and perhaps good customer relations, but not a guarantee it will happen with everyone.

 

[JPVonDrake]

Officially for all Disney own/operated Restaurant locations:

A la Carte (Menu) Locations:

All Guests can order off the children's menu if they choose; however, the drink will be charged separately.

Buffets / Family-Style / Pre-Plated / Dinner shows / Price Fixed Locations:

Guests will be charged the price appropriate for their age. These set-priced meals are "all-you-care-to-eat". The Guest can select as much or as little as they choose.

 

[disneypunker]

I would say that was probably a judgment call on the part of management and/or your server at the time. Which is a nice gesture and perhaps good customer relations, but not a guarantee it will happen with everyone.

Well my wife had the gastric bypass 2 years ago, we have ate at CP at least 4 times if not more since and everytime it has happened.

 

[slappy magoo]

Well my wife had the gastric bypass 2 years ago, we have ate at CP at least 4 times if not more since and everytime it has happened.

...and I/m happy for you, but it's still not official policy. And all that means is, no one should assume it will happen, and in fact should plan for it to not happen. So if it does happen, great, but if mgmt start enforcing official policy, you won't be disappointed, One time, years back, some bozo posted a plug for a booklet they themselves wrote and were selling about saving money at wdw. One of their tips was to take advantage of the "free food" at the Poly. Unless it were troll lies, this poster claimed to pay for one night in a concierge room at Poly before movong to a mod, but kept going back to the concierge lounge to stock up on the food laid out there throughout the day. The idea that s/he got away with fraud was irrelevant on the posters' opinion. Free food! I can only imagine the embarrassment on the face of anypne else who tried this and failed since they weren't entitled to concierge services. Your situation is different in that it's not fraud, not by a long shot. But it's still contingent on management bending the rules, and no one should plan their day around things like that going their way unless...you kmow...they're hot

 

[Mickey-Mommy]

I have emailed Disney several times about this and this is what their replies have been:

~~~I asked what they would charge for my husband and this was the reply~~~

Usually the managers will work with you on that. Have a notation put on your reservations and bring your doctors note. Buffets usually charge a child’s meal and they don’t usually have a problem with sharing in the other table service locations.

Hope this helps!
Brenda

~~~I asked if my husband didn't eat and this was the reply~~~

Most areas do no charge for not eating unless it’s a Character buffet where they have a $5.00 cover charge. I checked with Crystal Palace and they do not have the cover charge.

Have a wonderful day!
Brenda

~~~I asked if Chef Mickey's had a cover charge~~~

Krista,

At Chef Mickey's we do not have a cover charge. Look forward to serving you,

Thank you,
Dee Foundoukis
407-824-12307

~~~I asked about Cinderella's Royal Table how they would charge and the Area Manager responded~~~

if the reason is gastric bypass.. we charged the adult as a kid..

V



These are responses from Disney and the managers. We will bring our drs note along with a copy of the emails I have received. Hope this helps someone else too.

 

[slappy magoo]

I have emailed Disney several times about this and this is what their replies have been:

~~~I asked what they would charge for my husband and this was the reply~~~

Usually the managers will work with you on that. Have a notation put on your reservations and bring your doctors note. Buffets usually charge a child’s meal and they don’t usually have a problem with sharing in the other table service locations.

Hope this helps!
Brenda

~~~I asked if my husband didn't eat and this was the reply~~~

Most areas do no charge for not eating unless it’s a Character buffet where they have a $5.00 cover charge. I checked with Crystal Palace and they do not have the cover charge.

Have a wonderful day!
Brenda

~~~I asked if Chef Mickey's had a cover charge~~~

Krista,

At Chef Mickey's we do not have a cover charge. Look forward to serving you,

Thank you,
Dee Foundoukis
407-824-12307

~~~I asked about Cinderella's Royal Table how they would charge and the Area Manager responded~~~

if the reason is gastric bypass.. we charged the adult as a kid..

V



These are responses from Disney and the managers. We will bring our drs note along with a copy of the emails I have received. Hope this helps someone else too.

Well, if that is policy, then I (believe it or not) cheerfully stand corrected. I just didn't want anyone in this situation going into a restaurant expecting a break that they weren't guaranteed to get, so they wouldn't be disappointed IF they didn't get it.

 

[scottnj1966]

Pricing will not be lowered.
They will get him types of food he is allowed to eat, but the price will be the same.

 

[DisneyHoneymoon]

I will be going to Disney World in August, and my lap band surgery is this coming Monday.

I disagree with the poster who said "lapband or not" every adult should pay adult prices at Disney. Why on earth would I wish to pay an adult price if I am having 3 ounces of food? That is absolutely ridiculous. Especially in these tough financial times.

Many surgeons have a printed wallet card they give to Weight Loss Surgery patients. It reads something like this -

Special Menu Request
The above named patient has had bariatric surgery, which has surgically reduced his/her stomach capacity to less than three (3) ounces at a meal.
Please allow this person to order a smaller portion or to order from the children's menu.
Thank you for your consideration.
Signed, Surgeon's name

I would think you could create a similar ID card (laminate it) and present it to servers at Disney. I am sure they really could care less and will allow you to eat the smaller portion at the child's price.

Another alternative is to simply select an appetiser from the menu. It should be more than ample and not the price of an entree.