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Back when I started planning this trip in June, I was trying to find some restaurants that all of us would like and my 3 year old could handle. Since then, we have learned that our foster son will still be with us, and I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease. I am on a very restricted diet now. I still would like to eat lunch in each of the parks and perhaps a dinner for dh and I at Downtown Disney.
We will be there in early June. Our kids will be 15, 13, 4, and 15 mos. We will be staying off-site.
It's next to impossible for me to go out to eat now because sodium content is HORRIBLY high in most restaurant entrees. If I eat too much sodium, my feet swell up, and it makes walking difficult.
My questions:
Do any of the restaurants list any nutrition facts for their menu items? Planning is important.
Do most of the restaurants have something like a salad or other low calorie fare?
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant for each park?
What is your favorite counter-service restaurant at each park?
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant at Downtown Disney?
I suppose that's a bit long, but I sure would appreciate any advice.
__________________
mom to three great kids, ages 15, 13, and 4 foster mom to one little sweetie, age 14 mos.
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My questions:
Do any of the restaurants list any nutrition facts for their menu items? Planning is important. If you contact Disney ahead of time they will be glad to accommodate any special dietary requests you have. I'm sure low sodium menu items are available.
Do most of the restaurants have something like a salad or other low calorie fare? I think that if you tell your server what your restrictions are they will make recommendations for lower calorie items, or have the chef come out to talk to you.
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant for each park? MK - Crystal Palace
EP - Le Cellier
HS - if I had to pick one, I'd say 50's Prime Time, but we usually do not eat TS at HS.
AK - Yak and Yeti for lunch or dinner, Tusker House for breakfast
What is your favorite counter-service restaurant at each park? MK - Pecos Bills - their fixin's bar is great!
EP - Sunshine Seasons - lots of great choices! We just tried this on our last trip and loved it!
DS - Starring Rolls has some out of this world sandwiches, but not a big choice; desserts on the other hand are plentiful!
AK - Yak & Yeti Quick Service
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant at Downtown Disney? Raglan Road!!
I suppose that's a bit long, but I sure would appreciate any advice. Happy to help!
Like Donna said - let them know you are on a sodium restricted diet when you make your ADRs. If you've already made them, call back and ask that the notation be made on each ADR.
When you arrive at each restaurant, explain again. The chef should come out and talk to you and advise which items you could eat easier. Buffets might be great for you, or awful. You'd have to play it by ear.
Favorite places to eat:
MK - Plaza Restaurant for TS, Crystal Palace for buffet
EPCOT - Rose and Crown
DHS - 50's Prime Time
AK - I don't eat there usually. My DSis and I had a light lunch at Flame Tree BBQ last July and I was pleasantly surprised about how good it was.
Resorts: TS - California Grill, Artist's Point, Olivia's,
I haven't had a meal in DTD for years. Just never seem to be able to get there!
Like the earlier posters have said, note your dietary restrictions when you make your ADRs. I think there may even be forms you can fill out and fax ahead of time, but the chefs will be happy to talk with you when you arrive. Disney is probably more prepared for your needs than you are.
Favorite sit downs:
MK- Crystal Palace
EPCOT - Coral Reef We don't do TS in World Showcase because it's too limiting -- we prefer to graze our way around and share CS meals.
DHS- Brown Derby
DAK- haven't had TS there
Favorite CS:
MK- Columbia Harbour House
EPCOT - Tangerine Cafe (Morocco) though Sunshine Seasons in the Land is a close 2nd
DHS - nothing stands out ABC Commissary and Backlot Express were fine, but nothing to rave about
DAK - Flame Tree
We have never had a TS meal in Downtown Disney. But we LOVE Earl of Sandwich for Counter Service.
Absolutely call the WDW Dining Line and get your low-sodium need along with any other restrictions linked to each of your dining reservations.
You will likely find it easier to do table service restaurants than counter service. Your choices at CS places may be limited to fresh fruit or salad.
At TS restaurants, you can expect your restricted diet to be accommodated well. Disney is truly superb about handling such requirements. Even if your family eats at something like an Italian or Asian place where many things are usually very high in sodium, a chef will either suggest what menu items are low-sodium or will offer to make something from scratch to meet your needs. Seriously!
Counter service is much more iffy. CM's at the counter may not know which things would be safe for you; some will have a book listing ingredients. At others, you may need to speak with a manager to find out what they have that you could eat.
Don't worry! Unlike other places, WDW truly does understand how limited some of us are in what we can safely eat. You will be amazed, I guarantee.
One more thing...I would google for WDW Dining Plan even though you won't be using it. That way, you can look over a list of the Disney restaurants so that you don't accidentally make a reservation at one that's not Disney-owned. There are some, especially in Downtown Disney. I'm not sure how well they'd meet your needs. Possibly only the very expensive ones could do so with much variety.
__________________
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Last edited by Her Dotness; 11-18-2010 at 03:57 AM..
Reason: added thought
Do any of the restaurants list any nutrition facts for their menu items? Planning is important.
Contact Disney Dining and have a "Special Dietary Restriction" attached to your reservations. The servers and chefs are VERY good regarding this. They will discuss with you and design something for you.
Do most of the restaurants have something like a salad or other low calorie fare?
Yes, they do. Or they will create something for you.
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant for each park?
MK - LTT
DHS-Mama Melrose
What is your favorite counter-service restaurant at each park?
DTD-Wolfgang Puck
MK-Columbia Harbor House
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant at Downtown Disney?
T-Rex is a must with a 5 year old boy. The food is OK, maybe high in Sodium, but at least take a walk-through.
I suppose that's a bit long, but I sure would appreciate any advice.
Enjoy!
__________________
"Disneyland has that thing - the imagination and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid."
--Walt Disney
You should ask to speak to the chef so you can explain your needs to him/her and get some menu advice. Most restaurants have healthy options available and they all should be able to provide you with something you can eat.
Favorite restaurants: MK: TS: Liberty Tree Tavern, but in your case Crystal Palace is a buffet and you might have better luck there. CS: Columbia Harbour House
EPcot: TS: Tutto Italia
CS: Sunshine Seasons
DHS: TS: Hollywood Brown Derby
CS: They're all about the same
AK: TS: Tusker House
CS: Flame Tree BBQ - they have a really nice fruit plate here that my DD17 just loves
Good luck, and don't worry. The WDW staff is wonderful when it comes to food issues.
When you make your ADRs, tell the CM that you're on a low sodium diet. It will be noted on all your reservations. Mention it at the restaurant when yu are seated.
Favorite TS
MK: Liberty Tree Tavern
Epcot: Tutto Italia
AK: Tusker House
DHS: 50's Prime Time Cafe
Favorite CS
AK: Pecos Bill's
Epcot: Sunshine Seasons
AK: Flame Tree Barbeque
DHS: Toy Story Pizza Planet
DTD: Earl of Sandwich
Walt Disney World Dining Menus Information
There are menus there and elsewhere online. Menus can change especially in market menu places that change with available foods in the markets.
The menus can let you plan ahead of time for what you can eat. You do have to be vigilant as sometimes people make mistakes but that is part of being on a special diet.
At counter service restaurants you should talk to a manager or lead. They can usually do no-added salt. Most bakeries and other purveyors of food have a book of ingredients available for you to look through. Special Diets can help you find low sodium foods.
__________________
Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
One more thing...I would google for WDW Dining Plan even though you won't be using it. That way, you can look over a list of the Disney restaurants so that you don't accidentally make a reservation at one that's not Disney-owned. There are some, especially in Downtown Disney. I'm not sure how well they'd meet your needs. Possibly only the very expensive ones could do so with much variety.
That's a good tip. I never thought of that before. We don't have any dietary restrictions in our family, but I've told others about how good Disney is to accomadate these needs. Now I'll remember to tell people to make sure they are looking at "Disney" restaraunts.
You;ve already gotten tons of great advice on a special needs diet at Disney, so i'll just share my favs!
MK: Crystal Palace (our fav inside the park, but usually one of our MK days we take the monorail to the Polynesian for dinner at Ohana!)
E: Biergarten
DHS: 50's Primetime
AK: We never eat dinner here. We usually take the bus to AKL for Boma.
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Should you avoid restaurants that are not run by Disney? There are two types of diets as far as I see.
First is the one where the person cannot have something because of religion, pharmaceuticals, allergies, etc. One speck of pork will make a dish unclean for persons of certain religions. One speck of peanut could kill someone. Some restaurants not run by Disney have been reported to not be safe enough especially the restaurant in Morocco pavillion.
Second is social, moral, low sodium, low fat, etc. In that case I would go ahead and do any restaurant in WDW. The original poster is on a low sodium diet so eating at any restaurant should be safe, if not get a manager and explain again your dietary request.
I really would like to see your trip report and see how you fare.
__________________
Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant for each park?
* Magic Kingdom - Our favorite is to take a quick monorail ride over to the Poly and go to O'hana or Kona
* Animal Kingdom - Yak & Yeti. It was SO GOOD the last time we were there. I recommend the duck.
* Epcot - Garden Grill!!! It was the best surprise of our last trip. We made an ADR there just as a filler and it was amzing! Tokyo Dining is a close 2nd. Their sushi is excellent.
* Hollywood Studios - Take the boat to Epcot. LOL. JK. Sci Fi is pretty good. But I just think that DHS is lacking in good restaurants.
What is your favorite counter-service restaurant at each park?
* Magic Kingdom - Casey's Corner
* Animal Kingdom - Flame Tree BBQ
* Epcot - Sunshine Seasons had the most options.....
* Hollywood Studios - The only CS we have ever done here was Pizza Planet and it wasn't great. We usually just snack or leave and go to Epcot
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant at Downtown Disney?
Earl of Sandwich. I know it's technically a CS, but it's so good.
Should you avoid restaurants that are not run by Disney? There are two types of diets as far as I see....
Second is social, moral, low sodium, low fat, etc. In that case I would go ahead and do any restaurant in WDW. The original poster is on a low sodium diet so eating at any restaurant should be safe, if not get a manager and explain again your dietary request.
Well, eating at any WDW restaurant may be safe enough, but I agree that asking to speak to a manager or chef would be wise even when it's something common such as low-sodium.
An amazing number of what appear to be plain grilled meats and fish have been brined to the point that one bite screams "SALT!" And I've rarely found a server who's aware that this is so often the case.
I've been amazed at the times a server has assured me that the ingredients in a sauce were low-sodium only to have the dish arrive swimming in something like a soysauce-based puddle or a creamy, cheese-laden sauce. When I inquired if that was low-sodium soy sauce or a lower sodium cheese that was used, the answer was, "Oh, no! I didn't think of that!"
But then, many who must eat low-sodium diets are accustomed to requesting no sauces or sauces on the side, so perhaps this isn't a concern.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
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Take the boat to Epcot. LOL. JK. Sci Fi is pretty good. But I just think that DHS is lacking in good restaurants. 
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