Picky kid counter service dining options

[mrtoad]

Hello,

We are going back to WDW after a couple of years off and just starting our planning. My youngest daughter is going to have just turned 7 when we arrive and is the pickiest eater I know. We will be eating at full service locations for dinner so should not be a problem there as I am sure she will just get plain pasta with butter and we will get her some fruit or veggies to go with it (she does eat most fruit and a handful of veggies like carrots or celery). Lunch however we are going to do counter service and I was just looking at MK options to start (have not gotten to other park menus yet) and I see that Pinocchio village haus has pizza but none others do. She will eat ham sandwiches (on rolls but not slices of bread) but the places that have sandwiches mostly have turkey. She won't eat pb&j. Are there any counter service places where she could get plain pasta or yogurt? If not I was thinking I could stop first day at a grocery store and buy ham and rolls and make sandwiches for her. Are there any close by places to shop?

Thanks for any help,
Mike

 

[NYwdwfan]

Hello,

We are going back to WDW after a couple of years off and just starting our planning. My youngest daughter is going to have just turned 7 when we arrive and is the pickiest eater I know. We will be eating at full service locations for dinner so should not be a problem there as I am sure she will just get plain pasta with butter and we will get her some fruit or veggies to go with it (she does eat most fruit and a handful of veggies like carrots or celery). Lunch however we are going to do counter service and I was just looking at MK options to start (have not gotten to other park menus yet) and I see that Pinocchio village haus has pizza but none others do. She will eat ham sandwiches (on rolls but not slices of bread) but the places that have sandwiches mostly have turkey. She won't eat pb&j. Are there any counter service places where she could get plain pasta or yogurt? If not I was thinking I could stop first day at a grocery store and buy ham and rolls and make sandwiches for her. Are there any close by places to shop?

Thanks for any help,
Mike

I have ordered a yogurt as my dessert on the mealplan at Pecos Bills. I'm sure there were other places where yogurt was available.

EDIT: Menu on allears says they have strawberry yogurt.

 

[Master Yoda]

I would honestly look at packing lunches for her. Disney can accommodate most levels of picky when it comes to kids, but when you get to "Will only eat cheese pizza made with Sargento finely shredded mozzarella oriented vertically on exactly 2 oz of Ragu pizza sauce" level of picky, it will be hard for any place to live up to her desires.

Having a back up meal will help to avoid a meltdown if a place falls short.

If you will have a car, there are a number of super markets and Wal Marts within a few miles of the parks. There are also delivery services such as Garden Grocer or Orlando Grocery Express where you can hove groceries delivered to your resort.

 

[NYwdwfan]

I would honestly look at packing lunches for her. Disney can accommodate most levels of picky when it comes to kids, but when you get to "Will only eat cheese pizza made with Sargento finely shredded mozzarella oriented vertically on exactly 2 oz of Ragu pizza sauce" level of picky, it will be hard for any place to live up to her desires.

Wow - that is a spot-on description of my daughter!

 

[Master Yoda]

Wow - that is a spot-on description of my daughter!

That was #2 for us. My wife had to make her baby food. She is 20 now and it has improved slightly.

 

[Weather_Lady]

First, holy crap.

Second, and more to the point, I think you're on the right track with packing something from home (or bought locally) and bringing it with you -- something you know she'll eat without a fuss. You'll save money and won't spend valuable vacation time and stress trying to prod your daughter to eat something. Plus, you won't have to search around for a counter-service location that has "kid-approved" options on its limited menu -- visit CS restaurants that interest you instead.

 

[NYwdwfan]

That was #2 for us. My wife had to make her baby food. She is 20 now and it has improved slightly.

On our first trip, I gave up by day 3 and just let her eat ice cream and popcorn (and the occasional grape). She was less cranky with at least SOMETHING in her stomach.

 

[Master Yoda]

On our first trip, I gave up by day 3 and just let her eat ice cream and popcorn (and the occasional grape). She was less cranky with at least SOMETHING in her stomach.

We were a little lucky in that most Disney QS food met with her approval or could be tweaked enough to pass the test, but she had Mickey bars on more than one occasion for lunch or dinner. When it came to outside of Disney, if they did not have chicken fingers and mac n cheese we were out of luck.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Like Master Yoda suggested I would plan on packing her a small lunch box with those slow melt ice packs to keep everything fresh.
There are a few grocery stores near by here is a small list:

Gooding's in Crossroads shopping center off Hotel Plaza Blvd and 535

Publix W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy (right before the on ramp to Daniel Webster Beltway toll road)

Super Target across the street from the Publix above

Winn-Dixie & Pharmacy on the 435 just a few minutes down the street from Hotel Plaza Blvd

* But before you make plans to make a drive to the grocery store you may want to check the menus at the Diamond Horseshoe and the Liberty Square Market Place in MK

Other places you might want to consider in the other parks:

Epcot - Boulangerie Pattisserie, Sunshine Seasons, Via Napoli

DHS - Anaheim Produce, Pizza Planet, Starring Rolls

DAK - Pizzafari

 

[MJCota]

Your daughter sounds JUST like my 8 year old son. My son actually has a sensory disorder that causes him to have issues with food. He only eats 20 foods (that includes plain noodles with butter and ham sandwiches) but we do encourage him to try other things. Like you, I don't worry about table service but definitely counter service since he doesn't eat a lot of meat (really only steak, ham and hamburger meat in a taco) and he doesn't eat typical kid fare such as PB&J, chicken nuggets and corn dogs. Though he loves pizza so lets hope there is some on the menu at most places I'm definitely following this!!

 

[cw1982]

Ok, this thread makes me giggle because I'm super picky too, and I'm 31! I seriously looked at a lot of the TS restaurants and was less than excited because I could find things on many of the menus that would appeal to me hahaha... I know, that's sad. And I'm 31.

FYI, I'm definitely planning to bring lots of my own food, probably bought at a grocery store on our way to our hotel, since my understanding is that the room will have a small fridge. I'm planning to have a cheese stick and some almonds on hand for a mid-morning snack (I don't mind the cheese sticks room temperature as long as they are still fairly firm) and a protein bar for mid afternoon. Then again, I pretty much have to eat every three hours, and I'm not paying for that many meals, QS or otherwise.

 

[gooftroop5]

My youngest doesn't eat normal kid food either, except for pizza. He is pretty picky, but we have always found something at WDW.

In HS many CS places have the "power pack"......
Power Pack - strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrot sticks, goldfish crackers, apple-cinnamon snack bar and choice of small lowfat milk or small bottled water $5.49

Epcot....Sunshine Seasons has A LOT of options.

Don't be scared to ask for what you want.

 

[popcenturylover]

My DD5 is also pretty picky but, we almost always found something that she liked at WDW. If there was something on an adult menu that she liked I would order my meal for her & order her meal for me & switch them when they were brought out to us.

 

[mrtoad]

Thanks everybody for all of your replies. The powerpack that gooftroop mentioned is something she would eat every meal (other than maybe the snack bar but will get her to try it). I need to see if that is available at the other parks as well. Is there a number I can call to find out does anybody know? If not I will have to keep stuff in the fridge at the room. Was not 100% on getting a car, but might have to. Is the place that delivers somewhat reasonable and does anybody know the hours they will deliver? Would love it they could come either at night after we get back from dinner first day or in the morning early.

And it is funny as my other daughter is complete opposite. She eats all way things that are not mainstream foods. She generally will look at the menu and if something is there she cannot get everywhere, she will want it. She had ostrich years ago at the California Grill and has talked about it ever since...

 

[JillC LI]

I'd pack the sandwiches and make it a more enjoyable trip for everyone. I was super picky myself as a kid but I could usually find at least one (and often only one) thing on the menu I ate at every place I went. I didn't eat pizza until I was 35 (not so easy at all those childhood birthday parties)! I wouldn't touch seafood or most vegetables until then either. I still don't like heavy seasoning or spices, but I've actually gotten MUCH better tasting and liking new things in the last ten years so there's hope for everyone.

 

[slappy magoo]

I'd suggest packing lunches for your kid so at the very least you're not choosing where YOU'D like to eat based on where she maybe just might be OK eating something you can possibly special order.

Having said that, you should consider making a few of the meals buffets, so she can try a few different things with the assurance that there's a ham sandwich nearby if she needs it.

As far as the power packs go, I'd consider going to a store and picking that stuff up in advance if you know she'd eat it every day.

 

[believeinthemagic]

Hello,

We are going back to WDW after a couple of years off and just starting our planning. My youngest daughter is going to have just turned 7 when we arrive and is the pickiest eater I know. We will be eating at full service locations for dinner so should not be a problem there as I am sure she will just get plain pasta with butter and we will get her some fruit or veggies to go with it (she does eat most fruit and a handful of veggies like carrots or celery). Lunch however we are going to do counter service and I was just looking at MK options to start (have not gotten to other park menus yet) and I see that Pinocchio village haus has pizza but none others do. She will eat ham sandwiches (on rolls but not slices of bread) but the places that have sandwiches mostly have turkey. She won't eat pb&j. Are there any counter service places where she could get plain pasta or yogurt? If not I was thinking I could stop first day at a grocery store and buy ham and rolls and make sandwiches for her. Are there any close by places to shop?

Thanks for any help,
Mike

Dear Mike,
My kids are both picky eaters and not all restaurants have mac and cheese or hot dogs and like you said ham sandwiches. I in fact do bring my daughters lunch (and save a whole lot of $$) I bring a multicompartment glad container (or similar) per kid and buy the lunchmeat/crackers/carrots whatever I also bring a small fold up cooler and pack a freezer pack in my checked bag. It sounds like a hassel but well worth the effort and no where near as bad as a hungry kid (or two) there are Publix and Super Walmarts on the way from the airport, and near downtown disney there is a Publix supermarket. You can google their locations. Make sure your hotel has a mini fridge/freezer, not all do, you can request one most times for a nominal fee. I in fact stay off of property for less money, pack 1/2 the clothes since i have laundry, and shop at either of the places above and we eat breakfast every morning before we go. Two places I recommend are Floridays Resort and Sheraton Vistana Villages. We save our $$ for the big ticket items like dinner w the princesses and the adults get what they want and the little one eats what she wants. You can make you WDW dining reservations 180 days in advance and I recommend you do so! You can cancel 24 hrs in advance with no fee charged. It is a must for the charecter dining. Hope this helps!
Lisa

 

[mrtoad]

Thanks again for the replies. I am going to start looking at rental cars. We do have dining reservations set up for each night, 3 are princess meals so pretty good for dinner. The counter service places were my bigger concern. I would rather as most suggested, eat where we would like and not what we are forced into by her picky eating. As it is when we go out to eat now, she has 2 go to meals. Pasta with butter (on very rare occasion she will get sauce) and pancakes. I will look to get cold cuts for her on the first day from the airport and pack in the fridge I think. Hopefully I can find a car priced reasonable enough.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Thanks again for the replies. I am going to start looking at rental cars. We do have dining reservations set up for each night, 3 are princess meals so pretty good for dinner. The counter service places were my bigger concern. I would rather as most suggested, eat where we would like and not what we are forced into by her picky eating. As it is when we go out to eat now, she has 2 go to meals. Pasta with butter (on very rare occasion she will get sauce) and pancakes. I will look to get cold cuts for her on the first day from the airport and pack in the fridge I think. Hopefully I can find a car priced reasonable enough.

Try Car Rentals.com! hey usually have the best deals! Also if you only need a car for a day or two you may want to consider either just getting a cab or renting a car from the DTD Hilton on Hotel Plaza Blvd

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks again for the replies. I am going to start looking at rental cars. We do have dining reservations set up for each night, 3 are princess meals so pretty good for dinner. The counter service places were my bigger concern. I would rather as most suggested, eat where we would like and not what we are forced into by her picky eating. As it is when we go out to eat now, she has 2 go to meals. Pasta with butter (on very rare occasion she will get sauce) and pancakes. I will look to get cold cuts for her on the first day from the airport and pack in the fridge I think. Hopefully I can find a car priced reasonable enough.

Some car services include a 30 minute grocery stop in the price of picking you up at the airport and dropping you off at your resort. You can lso use a service like greengrocer.com, do the shopping online and have it delivered to the resort and they will keep anything refrigerated/frozen that needs it.

Also, a correction to comment #17, from beliveinthemagic - I'm pretty sure at this point a dorm-room sized refrigerator is included in all WDW resort rooms. If your doesn't have one, one will be brought to you without any fee. There was a potential defect in fridges in some of the rooms (basically the rooms with the smallest sized fridges versus the slightly larger fridges in DVC studio villas and the Value suites; the full sized fridges in larger DVC villas and FW cabins were also OK). To my knowledge, all of the potentially defective refrigerators have now been replaced, so you shouldn't have to ask for one, and if for some reason the room you get doesn't have one, you can request one at no additional charge.

Next up, why is there a "d" in "fridge" but not in "refrigerator?"