Peanut allergy, share your experiences!

[neptuneflame]

I've been to Disney several times, but this will be the first time going since we found out our DD is allergic to peanuts. She's 2.5 years old and not really aware of it yet. If she wants something she can't have, we just tell her she can't have it and redirect her to something she can. We are still learning how to navigate this ourselves. So anyone who has some tips and experiences good and bad, please share!

 

[Selket]

We've been going to WDW since my son was dx'd with food allergies when he was 27 months old. Most kids meal menu items (that I recall) were fine for him but we did always check with the restaurant for QS and the chef at a sit-down. If the kid's meal had an item he couldn't eat they would substitute.

Most of the baked goods were not safe. At many places they would have a safe cookie or brownie but we had to ask. Sometimes those were also gluten free (and dairy free, soy free, etc) - so the taste is different. Always the brownies are the best (like fudge!) if the options were gluten free also.

Their manufacturing processes change so what was safe when I went may not be safe now, etc. - so we can suggest things that used to be safe but you should always check.

Most restaurants - especially Disney operated ones - are great with allergies. Much depends on the chef/manager who you run into THAT DAY - some are awesome and some are only ok and a very few are horrendous.

The only place I can suggest NOT to go is Raglan Road in DtD - they actually served my son a dessert with almonds in it when the guy assured me it was nut free. And they were mostly unapologetic - they actually disappeared. In hindsight I should have stayed there until he came out to chew him a new one because I'm still mad about it!

I'm not a fan of San Angel Inn either - just rude but they didn't try to kill him at least. In the past people have recommended avoiding the Morroccan and Chinese places in Epcot. We've dined about everywhere else there with no issues.

T-Rex in DtD has always been beyond awesome - very loud dinosaurs though so depends on your kid! We also eat at Earl of Sandwich most trips without a problem.

We've dined in most other parks without issues. Our family favorites are Biergarten, Crystal Palace, Mama Melrose, Teppan Edo.

Have a great trip!

 

[g8torphan]

My son has a peanut allergy. We've been once since he was diagnosed, and everything went fine. Just told the waiter before service (also included in our Rez request) and mentioned it at CS.
They are very good about it.

Good luck it can be overwhelming, but it's manageable. Just read labels and carry and epi pen jr.

 

[leftaslide]

^^^^what they said. my oldest daughter has PN/TN allergies. we've been twice and had not problems. just so you do know, the mickey ice cream bar is not considered safe, since it is manufactured in a facility that handles nuts. we were pretty bummed about that, but no big deal. Disney is great with allergies, all you have to do is ask.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

just be aware that other parents may give their child peanut butter snacks while waiting in line near you. also could be peanut oil from said snacks on the rails in lines. i have a grandson who reacted to this as we had no peanut butterwith us yet he reacted by touch.

 

[neptuneflame]

Wow, this is all great advice!!! Thanks, guys!

 

[frevic]

We stayed at the POR in Late November for a week with the regular dining plan. My Son has life threatening allergies to Peanuts/tree nuts and Eggs. The one nut we don't worry about is coconut which i think isn't even considered part of the tree nut category in Canada when defining allergies. My son is 7 and we have been aware of the allergies since he was 4. It can be overwhelming at times but it does get a little easier as they get a little older. We do eat out at least every couple of weeks but try to stay to the chain restuarants.

As for Disney, they are amazing! When were in the planning stages we emailed the special diets department a couple of times with specific questions and they put our mind at ease (for some reason we can't list the emial address here but you should be able to get it via the phone number). We also called their Special Dietary needs line at 1-407-824-5967 (M-F, 8-5) and they were also great. Also when booking reservations we made sure his allergies were on file.

On the date of arrival we went to the food court at Port Orleans and we were somewhat overwhelmed at both trying to figure out the dining plan and how to proceed with dealing with the allergies. Once we approched the counter and menitoned our allergies the CM referred us immediatedly the the Head Chef. The Chef spent 5 to 10 minutes explaining our options and he personally took care of the order for my son. At this time we mentioned we would not be coming for breakfast due to all the eggs and peanut butter used in the morning. He told us if we did decide to come they could take care of us. We were there first thing in the morning for my sons first restuarant breakfast since we discoverd his allergies. Truly Magical. He was all smiles eating his specially prepared Mickey Waffles. We did Breakfast at the food court 3 times that week and it was great. We did wash the table ourselves but it was great. At Riverside we also got a pizza and took it back to our room from the food Court after being told it was a safer option than ordering it via phone.

The three character meals we did were all buffet styles and the chefs came out each time to explain what was safe. We have no issues. At chef Mickeys they brought us out safe ice cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles and it was big hit. At Arkershaus we also had Ice Cream and they brought us safe cake at Crystal Palace. We usually don't bother with any deserts but it is Disney and they take care of you.

One thing we did obtain thru the special diets email was a list of quick service restaurants that can accomodate allergies at each of the parks and we stuck to those with no issues. They are as follows but double check before you go:

MK – Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Pecos Bills Tall Tale Inn &Café, Main Street Bakery, Columbia Harbour House and the Pinocchio Village House
Epcot – Liberty Inn and Sunshine Season
HS – Backlot Express, Studios Catering Co., ABC Commissary & Toy Story Pizza Planet
DTD- Pollo Campero (added by a CM)

We personally went to Peco's Bills, Sunshine Season and the ABC Commissary.

I belive most of the Sit Down Restuarants can accomodate and we tried Rose and Crown, 50's Primetime and Mamma Melrose (our favourite).

I hope this helps, do as much homework as you can before you and have a blast. We did get extra insurance since we are from Canada and figured the $70 was a good investment in case anything happened. As for flying, Jet Blue was great. Communication is paramount in these situations and if you get someone who just doesn't get it, ask for someone else.

One final note, one email did caution us about Animal Kingdam as nuts are fed to the birds and therefore can be spread throughout the park. We did not go but plan to on our next trip. BABYSTEPS!

 

[Selket]

^^^^what they said. my oldest daughter has PN/TN allergies. we've been twice and had not problems. just so you do know, the mickey ice cream bar is not considered safe, since it is manufactured in a facility that handles nuts. we were pretty bummed about that, but no big deal. Disney is great with allergies, all you have to do is ask.

My son does eat "made in a facility" as I'm not worried if there are nuts in the building - as long as it isn't "may contain" - sometimes it helps to call the manufacturer. We did avoid facility warnings items for quite awhile however - just in case. The OP may want to clarify with the doctor on whether to avoid facility warning items or not if it isn't clear to them.

Many of the chefs will tell you to avoid items because it has coconut - so if your child is not allergic to coconut let them know. We've had no problems with coconut.

My son is now old enough to be dining on the "adult" menu and I'm happy to say that the chefs are just as great being able to accommodate his adventurous palate. He also has type 1 diabetes - so we make sure to carry some safe snacks (especially when he was little) with us. When he was stroller size I put the snacks in a small cooler in the stroller basket so he always had something safe to eat that he liked.

I will also note that the biggest problem sometimes comes with desserts. Some restaurants will offer very little choice (like it or nothing) - always good to have a back-up plan and have some dessert with you (prepackaged) that they like. Even with a 3 year old they aren't happy if you are eating dessert and they can't have something just as appealing!

 

[CentralFloridian99]

I have peanut allergies and I'm fine at the parks. I really only notice Smuckers Uncrustables when I'm at the park, so you should be fine. Just always have an EpiPen ready

 

[2012bella13]

if you are staying on site you can ask for VIP cleaning for peanut allergies for your room.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We do WDW with our DS6 whom is allergic to peanuts and has a resolving egg allergy and we avoided sesame during our last trip because of some questions about it's safety for him. We really had no issues. We do allow made in the same factory per his doctor's ok IF we are the ones giving it to him and we have an idea of the production line. We did ask to speak to the chief everywhere and they always came quickly and were helpful. Most deserts were not ok, he ate a lot of ice cream. We have never had chief offer any really cool dessert like some people have and we have eaten at a lot of places. We avoid Asian in general, including WDW.

One thought is on starting to teach your child about his allergy. It is NOT too early. You simple tell him that peanuts will make him very sick and that he can never have them. Teach him to start saying, I'm allergic to peanuts anytime anyone gives him food. Show him how you read every label and then tell him," ok, this is safe for you" or "nope, this has peanuts." He will not completely understand but you are setting the foundation for years of education. Show him what a peanut and a jar of peanut butter looks like. Let him see his epi-pens and tell him this is his medication in case he would ever accidentally eat a peanut. By three, talk to him about how his body might feel if he accidentally ate a peanut and how importation it is to tell a grown-up right away.

It is a scary subject, but one you want to make as comfortable and as natural as you can. By the time DS was 2 1/2, he would pick up a box and "read", "ok, no peanuts, it's ok for me"...of course we "read" it too. It really made sending him to kindergarten easier knowing that he really has a pretty good understanding of HIS allergies. He knows how to give himself an epi-pen though we do not let him carry them himself yet and of course he is never alone. It's a slow learning process.

 

[infopurposesonly]

My daughter has a peanut allergy, and we've never had an issue with eating at WDW. We usually bring some Divvies cookies so we know she'll have a dessert she likes. They used to have them in the restaurants, but now they've switched to some other brand which is also gluten-free.

Beaches and Cream and Main Street Ice cream Parlor will open up a new container of ice cream. So much better than just offering a "clean scoop" as so many places do, when there has already been cross-contamination in the ice cream. Some may not feel comfortable with the ice cream parlors, as there are nut toppings in the preparation area.

We found a peanut on the floor of our room at the Poly. Apparently vacuuming had not been very thorough. I know this can happen anywhere. I mention it because it's almost impossible to know where one will find peanuts or peanut residue.

 

[antree]

^^^^what they said. my oldest daughter has PN/TN allergies. we've been twice and had not problems. just so you do know, the mickey ice cream bar is not considered safe, since it is manufactured in a facility that handles nuts. we were pretty bummed about that, but no big deal. Disney is great with allergies, all you have to do is ask.

I have heard people say this, but I haven't seen it noted on the wrapper. My son is severely allergic to PN/TN and has been eating the mickey bars for years. We check the ingredients every time and I never seen the note" made in the same facility". I hope I am not missing it. We were just there in Dec. and I still didn't see it noted on the wrapper.

 

[disney david]

I have heard people say this, but I haven't seen it noted on the wrapper. My son is severely allergic to PN/TN and has been eating the mickey bars for years. We check the ingredients every time and I never seen the note" made in the same facility". I hope I am not missing it. We were just there in Dec. and I still didn't see it noted on the wrapper.

Fund is through google and of course it popped up a disboards post on e cruise line this was sent to her by special diets department while the the bar may not contain bus it is produce in a nestle plant that produces nut and wheat products. For some reason nestle Dose not put it on the label of Disney just trying to be safe know they make other Disney frozen items that contain nuts. I guess you could write nestle and ask them I know they make them in ca food network did a special on Disney treats and showed them.


The dis member posted this in 2011 so have to think it still true but just being safe

NESTLE ICESCREAMERS
PREMIUM ICE CREAM BAR
NESTLE ICE CREAM COMPANY LLC –
12647 ALCOSTA BLVD., SUITE 300, SAN RAMON, CA PLANT #06-30 1; 800-441-2525

INGREDIENTS: MILKFAT AND NONFAT MILK, COATING (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCONUT OIL, DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA POWDER, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA BUTTER, DAIRY OIL, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SUGAR CORN SYRUP, WHEY POWDER, STABILIZER (MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CELLULOSE GUM, LOCUST BEAN GUM, CALCIUM SULFATE, POLYSORBATE 80, CARRAGEENAN), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, EXTRACTS OF TUMERIC COLOR, ANNATTO COLOR.

NESTLE’S NOVELTY ICE CREAM IS MADE IN A PLANT THAT PRODUCES NUT AND WHEAT PRODUCTS.



http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2648473
_________________________________________

 

[antree]

Fund is through google and of course it popped up a disboards post on e cruise line this was sent to her by special diets department while the the bar may not contain bus it is produce in a nestle plant that produces nut and wheat products. For some reason nestle Dose not put it on the label of Disney just trying to be safe know they make other Disney frozen items that contain nuts. I guess you could write nestle and ask them I know they make them in ca food network did a special on Disney treats and showed them.


The dis member posted this in 2011 so have to think it still true but just being safe

NESTLE ICESCREAMERS
PREMIUM ICE CREAM BAR
NESTLE ICE CREAM COMPANY LLC –
12647 ALCOSTA BLVD., SUITE 300, SAN RAMON, CA PLANT #06-30 1; 800-441-2525

INGREDIENTS: MILKFAT AND NONFAT MILK, COATING (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COCONUT OIL, DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA POWDER, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA BUTTER, DAIRY OIL, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SUGAR CORN SYRUP, WHEY POWDER, STABILIZER (MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CELLULOSE GUM, LOCUST BEAN GUM, CALCIUM SULFATE, POLYSORBATE 80, CARRAGEENAN), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, EXTRACTS OF TUMERIC COLOR, ANNATTO COLOR.

NESTLE’S NOVELTY ICE CREAM IS MADE IN A PLANT THAT PRODUCES NUT AND WHEAT PRODUCTS.



http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2648473
_________________________________________

After I read this post last night, I searched google too and came up with the Disney Cruise.
I didn't like that Nestle site doesn't talk about it. I am going to contact Nestle
before our next trip in Nov.
My DS is 10 now and has been eating them for about 5 yrs now. I hate to think we just have been lucky. His Peanut Allergy is off the chart as the nurse said one time. Every time he gets tested it just gets higher and higher. His tree nut allergy goes up and down, which is confusing.
I am going to have to research this some more.

 

[disney david]

After I read this post last night, I searched google too and came up with the Disney Cruise.
I didn't like that Nestle site doesn't talk about it. I am going to contact Nestle
before our next trip in Nov.
My DS is 10 now and has been eating them for about 5 yrs now. I hate to think we just have been lucky. His Peanut Allergy is off the chart as the nurse said one time. Every time he gets tested it just gets higher and higher. His tree nut allergy goes up and down, which is confusing.
I am going to have to research this some more.

Your right because I am not sure by the post but it sound like Disney might be playing it safe by saying it made in te plant. Since they make the other items with nuts their. It might not be made on the same equipment just in same building that could also be why your okay. Not sure how serve the allergy is but try nestle and see what they say.

 

[disfan07]

Your right because I am not sure by the post but it sound like Disney might be playing it safe by saying it made in te plant. Since they make the other items with nuts their. It might not be made on the same equipment just in same building that could also be why your okay. Not sure how serve the allergy is but try nestle and see what they say.

I've never eaten the Mickey bars. I've always been told they were off limits because of cross contamination. My peanut allergy is through the roof high. I get retested every 6 months right now to see what's going on with my allergies and My allergist skips testing me for peanuts on the skin test right now because it's just too severe and it complicates the reading of the other allergens.

I personally don't trust nestle. I have found that thei labeling stinks and they are not too open about their possible cross contamination issues. At least with products in The US. They are better in Canada and Europe.

I just went to Disney in December with anaphylaxis allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and shellfish plus additional mild to moderate allergies to wheat, oats, coconut, sesame, ginger, broccoli, and soy. I am also sensitive to all raw fruits and veggies because of oral allergy syndrome.

They were amazing. I ate better for that week than I have since my most recent 8 allergies were diagnosed last June. It was so wonderful. We ate at POP century food court, sunshine seasons, 50s prime time, Sci Fi, Columbia harbor house, the plaza, crystal palace, 1900 park fare, plus a few other places. The chefs were amazing. But be aware....when we were there, the chefs were slammed with allergy requests. When we went to prime time, there were two chefs making the rounds to 7 allergy tables while we were there so lunch was about 2 hours for us that day. But it was amazing and so worth it.

 

[NJ Dance Mom]

I haven't been to WDW in a few years, but have been reading the boards lately to keep current with how they are handling allergies nowadays. Prior to my last trip, I did contact Nestle directly concerning the Mickey Bars. My DD loves them and is also off the charts allergic to peanuts and most nuts. I recall that Nestle responded with their usual response which is something along the lines of "we take food allergies seriously and take every precaution to prevent cross-contamination."

I did let my DD eat the Mickey Bars that trip, but I admit, I freaked out a little each time.

NJ Dance Mom

 

[laughinplace199]

^^^^what they said. my oldest daughter has PN/TN allergies. we've been twice and had not problems. just so you do know, the mickey ice cream bar is not considered safe, since it is manufactured in a facility that handles nuts. we were pretty bummed about that, but no big deal. Disney is great with allergies, all you have to do is ask.

Just curious, do you let your DD eat store bought ice cream?

 

[333disneymom]

We go to Disney every year with a family member who has severe peanut allergies. Disney is great with accommodating food allergies. I would first contact special diets with any concerns you have.

When you make ADRs online, you can check a box to indicate which food allergy your child has. We always check peanut and tree nut, because of the risk of cross contamination. If you make ADRs on the phone, let the cast member know about the allergy, so that they can include it in your reservations. When you arrive at your ADR, mention the allergy at check-in and with the waitress. They will then send a chef to your table to go over options. TS locations we avoid are Ohanas because of the peanut dipping sauce, Tusker House because they have a pb&j make your own station at lunch and dinner, and any Chinese restaurants.

As for quick service meals, when you reach the cast member at the register, let them know about your allergy and they will send a manager out with a binder full of ingredient information, which they will look up what you want to purchase, and make sure it is safe.

Good luck and if you have any questions, let me know.