Hey there, Bella! Thanks for Being Our Guest here at planDisney!
From snacks consumed while rushing to the next attraction to leisurely dinners at my
Disney Resort Hotel, I love
dining around the Walt Disney World Resort and it is one of my favorite topics of discussion. Bella, when we last traveled to the Most Magical Place on Earth with my Mom, we spent a lot of time looking over menus in advance and considering which restaurants would be best as she is both gluten and dairy free.
Now, to your question, the quick answer is that it depends on the restaurant. In restaurants that are
not buffet or a prix fixe price, you are welcome to order a drink or dessert in lieu of a full meal or entree. For example, one day my husband and I had a reservation at
Tony's Town Square Restaurant. We opted to only order drinks and appetizers to share for a light lunch. If your friend's dream restaurant falls in the category of character dining where you would need to pay the fixed price regardless, I'll encourage you to check out
THIS PAGE about special dietary requests including how to order Kosher or Halal meals. While I can't guarantee anything, when we visited with my Mom, the chef at each location was fantastic about creating items she could enjoy, even if they were not listed on the menu. To accomplish this, we just let the Cast Member know when we checked in that she may need to speak with the chef and they came to the table.
Bella, I hope this helps as you're looking ahead to your next visit. Please come on back to planDisney with any additional questions. Just like Lumiere from Beauty & the Beast, "We only live to serve!"
Lauren