Hi Carrie,
Welcome back to planDisney!
I am delighted to see that you have an upcoming trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort. If your son has any specific food allergies, you should certainly note these on any
advanced dining reservations when making them. You could also try contacting our
Special Dietary Requests team. Currently, those requests should be sent no sooner than 14 days prior to arrival. At those restaurants that charge per person, you should speak to a cast member at the restaurant about charges. Although there is no guarantee that they will forego or modify the charge, you can certainly explain the situation and discuss. I would do so as soon as you check-in to the restaurant. Also, have a dining back-up plan if the restaurant cannot forego or modify the charges for your son.
It also sounds as if your son may benefit from using the
Disability Access Service (DAS). If he has difficulty tolerating standing in long lines and you have not tried to register for this service, I suggest that you try to do pre-registration and then, if you are able to get him registered, make some DAS advanced selections for each day that you have valid theme park admission. This service has been a lifesaver for my family as we have navigated the parks with various health-related challenges.
Carrie, I also hope you have considered bringing a pair of noise cancelling headphones for your son. One of our girls sometimes uses these to help diminish the noise in the parks while we are there. We also always make
advanced dining reservations in a few restaurants that are calmer - Space 220 Lounge and Coral Reef Restaurant, for example, are a few of our go-to restaurants when looking for a dining experience that is more relaxing.
My wand is out and the pixie dust has been sprinkled, trusting that your time will be most magical!
Magic and memories,
Donyell