Another food allergy question

[robynchic]

I was just diagnosed with severe nut allergies. I've known I'm allergic to certain things (apples and nuts), but had no idea how bad they were until I was tested (apparently, ear, nose and throat itching and swelling lips is not a "mild" allergy!). Until I was tested, I just avoided the allergens when they're obvious. But now that it's been determined that I'm severely allergic, and my doctor's told me to be careful of all foods, should I let the person making my dining reservation know when I make the reservation? If I do, what happens when we get to the restaurant? (A note about my allergies- I can eat applesauce and drink apple juice because they've been cooked well enough, but I have to avoid nuts at all times; also, I'm mildly allergic (now that I know the difference!) to peanuts, but not badly enough that I need to avoid all peanut products).

 

[pudge the fish]

tell them when you make your ADR's
tell them when you check in to eat
tell them when your waitstaff comes to the table
That way all bases are covered

email Special Diets team (see FAQS) and explain your allergy and ask for information- They send a form you can fax back with all your ADR information - this lets the chef know in advance, But I do lots of day trips and when I make my adr's I just let them know of my allergies. I have only had 1 issues with 1 chef at Crystal Place not being very helpful but other than that for over 200 meals No problems!

They will send you info for CS - I make a copy of foods I can have for the park-and carry it - Like if we are going to MK I print a copy of places I can eat at and pull it out instead of having to DIG thru the *NOTEBOOK* at each CS place (that weighs 300 lbs )
I can go to Cosmics Rays, pull out my paper and show them I want a hot dog with gluten free roll and apples -They can do baked fries but it takes forever They always call for a manager and I order.
Very easy to have it all in advance

Have a great time

 

[Selket]

I have only had 1 issues with 1 chef at Crystal Place not being very helpful but other than that for over 200 meals No problems!

Your experience in restaurants often depends on what chef happens to be called to assist you. We've found Crystal Palace to be one of our best and our worst experience, hands down, was Chef Mickeys. Sometimes you just have bad luck with the chef.

There are restaurants that people routinely complain about when dining with food allergies - like Epcot restaurants in Morocco and Mexico. Some have had bad experiences at Boma (except when Chef TJ was their chef - he has moved to O'Hana).

If you can track down Chef TJ at O'Hana's he is not to be missed.

I agree with Pudge - notify all the people, ask questions, let them know and you'll be fine.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disAILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Look especially in Post #3 about Dietary Concerns.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[mechurchlady]

I eat a bit of cheese but am not supposed to have dairy. Trust me, it builds up in your system and if you get enough toxins then you can slowly get sick. I had a horrid rash on my back from bad skin from food issues. A very strict diet with very few times eating dairy, eggs, chocolate and soy cleared up the skin. So watch the cumulative toll of allergens.

WDW chefs are wonderful as are the DLR ones. Know what the other names for your allergins are. Read the online menus to get familiar with what brands are out there. I know I can have kettle brand and lays chips for example. I know that I cannot have Vans waffles because of soy.

Read the menus to see which places do not serve your allergen as those usually are safest. Accidents can happen, manufactures change ingredients, and chefs change suppliers and items. Just know the signs of a reaction like rapid pulse, hyperness, itches, and swelling. Stop immediately your eating then talk to the chef or wait staff. I have purged recently after a major reaction to something in my dinner and it is a gross option for when you have ingested something that is causing major reactions. Better that than a week of suffering if I get a speck of wheat in my system.


Some restaurants are privately run and are not always good with dealing with allergens and include Chefs de France, Morocco - any restauarant, San Angel restaurants, Coronado Springs - all restaurants, Yak & Yeti, the Italian restaurant named Tutto, and Rainforest Cafe. It depends on the allergen, the ingredients of food served in those restaurants, and severity of the allergen. They are not Disney so you may get stellar allergen awareness or almost not allergen service. San Angel for example does not serve gluten free chips which is ludicrous as Mission and other companies make gluten free corn and potato chips.

Marrakesh is the worst for food allergies. They hand you a white menu with black typed words. This is for ALL special diets. One person reported going twice and each time different items from the same menu were the only item available. The Disney way is where they hand you a regular menu then the chef or site manager will walk you through the menu and might hold some items like onions and cheese on a burger. Marrakesh is that menu and that is it and they just cross of everything that they think may have the allergens you list. eek.

 

[robynchic]

I remember a while back (when I had an epi pen for nut allergies, before my allergies got better then worse again) when my family went to Marrakesh, and I told them I could not have baklava because it has nuts in it. They were extremely accommodating and gave me cinnamon ice cream, instead.

It's such a shame that Epcot seems so careless. It's my fiance's and my favorite park, and it's been my goal to eat at every restaurant there.

 

[mechurchlady]

Walt Disney founded his empire on marketing. Happy customers come back over and over. WDW restaurants are an example of Disney bending over backwards to keep guests healthy and happy so they spend money and come back again.

Unfortunately Epcot has a lot of restaurants that are under non-Disney control. I do not know why that is or if they will every take back Epcot. I doubt people really care about the name behind the food except Alfredo's and the Landry's restaurants. Most people do not even know that Coronado Springs and so many Epcot restaurants are not under Disney control.

Glad to hear you are doing better with your allergies. Number one rule is to talk to the chefs. At Outback Restaurants I ask for the Alice Springs chicken quesadilla with no bread so they give me a giant bowl of the chicken for the price of the appetizer but that is not on the Gluten Free menu. working the system is very important for people on special diets.

Have a dole whip for me.

 

[robynchic]

Oh, my allergies were bad enough to warrant en epi-pen, then got better...and now I just filled another prescription for an epi-pen. It really sucks, because I got to enjoy apples and baklava again...and now I have to avoid them again!!

 

[mechurchlady]

It is not uncommon for people to crave the thing they are most allergic too. I love cupcakes that are gluten free but crave the frosting which has soy in it apparently. I guzzled down diet pancake syrup, I mean drinking it, because it was sooooo good that I could not stop. It had barley in it which means it had gluten.

That is part of living with allergies, the missing and craving for foods you cannot have. I doubt you can find any place but at home the baklava you crave but without nuts but you can try doing it at home or finding someone who could adjust the recipe for you.

Focus on the things you can have like steak, french fries, bacon, eggs, waffles, and cheesecake. I have people pity me for my strict diet that includes no soy, dairy, egg, chocolate and wheat gluten. Add to that no booze because I am a Baptist, Sensory issues like no slimy food and drain liquids, no caffeine or fizzy drinks because of the celiac, watch sugar for medical reasons, and pickyness like nothing looking like it was when it was alive. They pity me until I mention all the gluten free baked goods I can eat, prime rib, burgers, steak, fries, and so much food out there. It takes work but I rather have allergies that most things that I could have gotten.

Maybe in time you could try shots to get over the apple allergy. Count your blessings and name them one by one. prime rib, chops, onions, salads, and GF cornbread with butter and jam, sigh.

Hugs
Laurie

 

[robynchic]

My shots already have way, way too much in them (my new allergist was shocked at how my back looked after the 15 minutes...I have a pic from 8 hours later, and it's not pretty!). I had so much in my old shots (from my old allergist, before I moved down here) that I had to get four shots at a time.