Allergy question - who to ask about ingredients or kitchen practices?

[Raya]

I have an rare allergy. In general, I avoid everything that's related in anyway , but I'm hoping there might a way to talk to someone in advance and see if there will be cross contaminant concerns at the quick service places. I've listed my allergy at all the table service places, where they usually bring someone out from the kitchen to talk to me before preparing my food. Is there an equivalent person for bake shops and kiosks? Any ideas?

 

[pharmama]

The quick service places all have a chef who will come talk to you for allergy concerns- just ask/let them know when you're ordering. Even with mobile order our experience has been that if we mobile order off one of the allergy menus, typically they will send the "order ready" message and then have you talk to the chef when you come to pick up before actually preparing the meal (so your food isn't actually ready yet, though that's common with mobile order anyway). However, our allergy is one there is a menu for. If yours is rare then you'll probably need to skip mobile order.

Random carts and kiosks that are just selling items made elsewhere or that are pre-packaged will not have someone available though.

 

[l4dyj8]

There is a Specialty Dietary Needs contact here: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/ (scroll down to FAQ for email) and there is also The Plan Disney site (an official Disney place to ask questions.)
It may take several tries. I've gotten very generic answers. (They've even replied with the wrong allergy) We don't have a rare allergy. Just one that wasn't listed... as one of the top 8. We are tree nuts and sesame. And I noticed that there has been an increase (and change) to include MORE sesame. I'd rather avoid locations than to go and discover that the burger buns have our allergen. I wish all allergy menus were online.
In the past, you could make special arrangements. Or get lucky and they actually guide you to places to avoid. Sit down locations are more ideal. But I've found some locations, where they can and need to make-to-order, are accommodating.

 

[Her Dotness]

Don't even try mobile ordering. I'm gluten and dairy intolerant and was told I should always order at the counter. That's because the allergy menus rarely have dishes safe for both, but some items could be modified when ordered directly.

You'll need to go to the counter at QS and tell them you have an uncommon allergy. They'll do what they can. However, much QS food uses processed ingredients, so you may find there's nothing safe for you. That'd be the primary concern, I'd think, as Disney food prep areas are generally cautious about cross-contamination.

Bake shops and kiosks are unlikely to be very accommodating. I get mostly packaged treats, reading labels carefully.

TS are by far better at accommodating unusual allergies. We simply book almost entirely TS due to DH's peppers allergy and their ability to provide me with more than salad.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

If you are doing table service dinning….. not the allergy on the reservation

Disney has an allergy chief in each kitchen, they will come to the table and basically cook you anything you want…

don’t fell bad for asking, more than a few of the chiefs have told me they enjoy cooking something different…

oh yea, they will not only do salads and mains but if at all possible deserts as well

don’t be afraid to ask, you are paying to have a great time

 

[Her Dotness]

If you are doing table service dinning….. not the allergy on the reservation

Disney has an allergy chief in each kitchen, they will come to the table and basically cook you anything you want…

Perhaps things have returned to this former practice since our trip last fall. I hope so but wouldn't count on it.

We found only one TS chef who'd create something for us both, which was a shocker since we eat almost exclusively TS meals because of our allergies. We'd long been accustomed to chefs offering to do this when nothing on the menu appealed. Another said she could only modify menu items.

The rest told us they had "pre-prepared dishes" and hadn't additional ingredients to make other things if we couldn't eat what was on the allergy-friendly menu. They couldn't even serve a sauce on the side oftentimes because the dish was already sauced.

Consequently, DH ate a lot more steak than he wanted, and I had to eat salad much more often than previously or pick from the kids menus at the few places which listed plain pieces of fish or chicken on the kids allergy menu.

Menus in general were extremely limited compared with pre-pandemic ones. I'm uncertain if this was due to supply problems, costcutting efforts or possibly both. The result was far more limited options than we'd formerly enjoyed at TS restaurants.

 

[Her Dotness]

Meant to add that for baked goods a possible exception might be Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC in DS.

"From brownies to cookies to cinnamon rolls, every single item is kosher and refined sugar-, gluten-, wheat-, soy-, dairy- and egg-free." (from Disney restaurant page) All are common allergens, though, so this may not be an option for you.

They're expensive and have had a rather limited selection when we've looked in there.

Quality-for-price is unlikely to be an issue, I would think. I use McKenna's Babycakes recipe books and enjoy what I've made.

 

[Flashfacts]

The Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen on Main Street has a folder with all the ingredients and nurtional information listed for their treats. You just need to ask for it. I was there a few weeks ago and stopped by when it wasn't busy and picked out some treats I could have for the rest of my trip. They were very nice about it with no rush to get it back. This was super helpful because I have trouble with lactose, but have no issue with butter and other low lactose foods. 'Dairy-free' cuts out most baked goods, even if I would have been fine eating them.

I found out about the folder last year at WDW when I asked a cast member at Main Street Confectionery about ingredients. She just pulled out the book and my sister and I were shocked! Especially to have all the nutritional information! My sister is a type 1 diabetic and she normally has to guess about the number of carbs she is eating at Disney. I bet the DCA equivalent bakery will have a similar folder.

Of course, these folders probably can't speak to cross contamination, but it might help!

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

Unfortunately Disneyland is less helpful than Disneyworld as a whole in regards to allergies. They will send you a generic email in response to your questions. We had to physically go and wait in line at many quick service just to find out it wasn’t peanut allergy friendly . Not sure what your allergy is. For example, no corn dogs anywhere there. We stayed away from all baked goods and desserts because there aren’t dedicated bakeries like they have at Beach/Yacht and Be our guest ( usually supplies the dessert parties at MK ) . So unfortunately you will probably need to do more TS and bring snacks and order stuff for the room. Good luck I hope it goes smoothly for you .