Allergies at DisneyWorld

[Tinbadge69]

Our son just got diagnosed with soem severe allergies to peanuts and pepper. Has anyone had any problems with allergies at any of the parks? What was your dining experience like? Are there better places to eat than others? Any advice would be great. Sorry for so many questions but kind of worried about a trip in September.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Our son just got diagnosed with soem severe allergies to peanuts and pepper. Has anyone had any problems with allergies at any of the parks? What was your dining experience like? Are there better places to eat than others? Any advice would be great. Sorry for so many questions but kind of worried about a trip in September.

I believe you will find that many visitors have problems with allergies. If I were dealing with food allergies, I would probably work with an allergy expert to find out if there were a immunotherapy regime ("allergy shots") that could be implemented if the allergist feels that they are necessary.

Maybe your son can be sufficiently desenitized before your trip in September that this does not interfere. Good luck.

 

[Sweetpeamd]

My son has severe allergies (anaphylaxis) to 2 types of tree nuts. We have travelled to WDW many times and he is always cared for very well by the staff. We have not had any bad experiences at any of the restaurants.

First of all, make sure you tell everyone you can about his allergies. Start with the cast member who makes the reservation. If you prefer to use online reservation, there is a place to document the allergy when you make every single reservation. That information SHOULD make it to the check-in area and chef at the restaurant where you are dining. I always remind my server about the allergy at the time that he introduces himself. If the waiter does not offer, ask that the chef come to your table and discuss the allergies with you. He will either explain which dishes are safe or walk around the buffet with you and your son and show you which dishes are safe.

Make sure you have 2 EpiPens with you at all times. This is standard practice for severe allergy sufferers but on vacation it can be easy to forget. Bags are often switched at the last minute and the medication can easily be forgotten. Avoidance is the only way to prevent a reaction but it is crucial to have the EpiPen just in case.

I hope that helps. I will subscribe to this thread and can answer more questions if you have them. I can't imagine a destination that is better than WDW for people who have special health concerns. We have been very grateful for the care the cast members have taken over the years.

 

[book_junkie]

Our son just got diagnosed with some severe allergies to peanuts and pepper. Has anyone had any problems with allergies at any of the parks? What was your dining experience like? Are there better places to eat than others? Any advice would be great. Sorry for so many questions but kind of worried about a trip in September.

Hi!
I have a very nasty allergy to the Caspian peppers, is that what your son has? (Anything but black or white pepper, so red, green, yellow, bell, chili, jalapeno, even paprika sometimes, etc.) I have found Disneyworld and Disneyland to be most accommodating to allergies, but I had to be proactive about it. Even though I stated it on all my dining reservations online and called later about it, sometimes it did not make it through to the restaurant. What I found helped was checking out menus online (Allears has relatively recent ones, and Disney is now doing much better in posting their menus online ) and seeing what I might be interested in. Then when we checked in for table service ARDs I would let the server know about food allergies and would ask to speak with the chef. Since my allergy is a bit unusual, the Chef sometimes would have to be informed to what it would entail (you could see them hiding panic about not having black and white pepper until I explained ) and then they would go through the menu about what I could and could not have.

The absolute BEST experience I ever had at Disney with a Chef was at Boma. My husband wanted to try it, and I figure that I would eat the kiddie stuff, and we'd be good and enjoy the experience. We talked to the server about the allergy, the server brought out the chef, and then the Chef proceeded to walk my husband and I though the ENTIRE buffet line, pointing out what had peppers and what didn't, what everything was, and then offering to make some of the dishes (a chicken dish and a soup and a rice ) without since they weren't busy (we went near the very end on a week day many years ago). It was wonderful, and the highlight of that trip.

Also, please don't be afraid to speak up about the allergy and send something back if it's not right. Especially with peppers, they tend to sneak into anything and everything (pasta and pizza sauces, salads, soups, etc.) and aren't listed as a traditional allergy so people tend to think it's weird, but it's just as dangerous to me as someone having a reaction to another food allergy. Disney (table service anyways) has always worked with me and I've only had a couple of problems in the many times we've eaten there.

 

[Tinbadge69]

He is allergis to Peanuts and Black Pepper. Peanuts we can get through, but unfortunately Black pepper makes its way into a lot of food, like chicken nuggets.

 

[PeterPan09]

I have lived with a severe nut allergy for nearly 50 years and the BEST treatment I have ever received in my life was always at Walt Disney World. Way back in the dark ages when we first went there, the CM's went out of their way to not only protect me, but also to treat me with respect. Back then, I thought I was the only kid in the world who couldn't eat peanut butter sandwiches, and I got teased so often about it that I hated mentioning it. Not at Disney! Even today, when I go Disney Dining, I know that I will have a great experience and the food will be safe.

The advice you've been given is great. Tell everyone, even if it seems like you're repeating yourself and be prepared with the proper medications just in case. Enjoy your trip!

 

[kaligal]

My Disney experience was the same as all my other "eat out" experiences.

We order stuff that doesn't have nuts. We avoid restaurants heavy on nuts (many foreign food places). We carry Benadryl and an Epi-pen, like always.

I've never told them about the allergy. Nobody ever came to the table. I took charge of it like always. I don't care what they tell me. I don't trust them.

Many years ago, I learned the hard way that I trusted other people (chefs, teachers, etc.) with my kid's life, I was putting his life at risk.

I always took care of him myself. It also avoided making him a spectacle, which was nice. But I did it because it kept him alive.

 

[miksilver]

My DD has a nut allergies and WDW is fantastic! When you sit down at a restaurant simply inform the server of the allergies involved. We found in most places the chef will come out to the table and discuss the options. If it's a buffet, they will walk you around the buffet and inform you of the "safe" food options. Many of the breads and desserts served at WDW do have nuts in them so be careful with that. Since my DD is a little carnivore and simply adores everything meat we tend to find stuff on the menu that she likes, but don't be afraid to ask for something.

For the counter service options you can ask to see the allergy book. Just make sure to tell the first cast member when you order the food. This sometimes becomes a bit harder or more tedious, but again it's worth it. And after a while you will see a pattern emerge from the counter service options. And if your child like chocolate chip cookes there is an allergen free one that they have at some, not all, counter service restuarants.

As for a preferred restaurant -- Tokyo Dining is a nut free restaurant. Nothing is made with nuts there. That is what the manager told us at least. And the food was very good.

Good luck with your trip!

 

[book_junkie]

Heya-
With the peanuts, according to Disney's link for special dietary requests it's a common allergy and most table service can accommodate it. From the site: The locations listed below have quick-service menu items or products that, upon request, may accommodate Guests' common food allergy or intolerance requirements.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park:
* Restaurantosaurus
* Flame Tree Barbecue
Disney's Hollywood Studios Theme Park:
* Backlot Express
* Studios Catering Co.
* ABC Commissary
* Toy Story Pizza Planet
Epcot Theme Park:
* Liberty Inn
* Sunshine Season
Magic Kingdom Theme Park:
* Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café
* Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café
* Main Street Bakery
* Columbia Harbor House
* The Pinocchio Village House
For prepackaged items, we recommend that Guests read the ingredient list on the label before purchasing any product.

For the black pepper allergy, as it's such an uncommon allergy and black pepper is such a "staple" in cooking, I'd contact Disney directly as it's so much a part of most foods at the counter service locations (and table service for that matter). Their email is SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com.