dining with allergies confusing.

[STACEY1378]

We are a family that visits evey other year. We choose Disney because its a safe place for DD who has life threatening allergies. Our last trip in 2011 was fantastic, she ate better than the rest of our party. I filled out the sheet with our ADRs, spoke to chefs before we traveled and was provided with a very detailed email from Brenda( not in the dept any longer) what my daughter can eat. This trip in Sept the info sent from special diets is disappointing. I got attachments for each of her allergies. I'm sitting here with 40+ pages trying to figure out safe options. I'm overwhelmed to say the least. I guess because they are on the common allergy list it should be easy? Any suggestions on who I can contact to help me. I've emailed special diets again and got the same email back.




l

 

[CarrieR]

No apologies necessary DISboards has asked that allergy issues be grouped under the umbrella of DISabilities. (I always feel a bit hypocritical asking about my piddily food issues amongst those with much greater challenges, but I can honestly say I've learned a lot & become more compassionate from reading down here.)

ETA: Stacey, what are your DD's allergies? They've streamlined the process a LOT, so that common allergens are dealt with at the restaurant level. In fact, we have multiple/unusual allergens, and I sometimes have to fight special diets to get our form sent in! We've had chefs ask us specifically to give them advance notice but it's not always the easiest...

 

[STACEY1378]

My DD is allergic to dairy, peanuts and tree nuts. Like I said they are common allergies but before I was given a better detailed list of what was available. I'm literally sitting here with a highlighter cross referencing the 3 different pdf s with 6+ pages to each.
It doesn't feel like this issue is for this board. There are so many postings allergy related. Maybe its time to make it a topic?

 

[clanmcculloch]

Even with a lot more allergies than that including some not so common ones I have to do the cross referencing myself. I put together a spreadsheet with the foods that are safe for different members of my party and where we can find them in each park. What I find really frustrating isn't having to cross reference but the fact that they only seem to include the specialty items and don't list things that are on regular menus.

All of us who have been going to WDW for more than a few years REALLY miss Brenda. One trip special diets had me so upset I was literally fighting tears as I spoke with them on the phone (sure they called but they were worse than no help; they wouldn't answer any questions even as to what brands of products might be found aroud but for some reason thought it was better to do so by phone rather than email) and I was really close to cancelling that trip as well as another one I had already put a deposit on. Thankfully, the chefs and QS managers are still just as amazing as they've always been so even if special diets is useless, we still eat really well and have great dining experiences.

With less than 4 allergies for one individual and all of htem being top 8 allergens, this is as much as special diets will do.

The disABILITIES! board is kind of used for all subjects having to do with out of the ordinary needs due to some kind of medical issue. Allergies are definitely a special need due to a medical issue. Those of us dealing with this have very specialized and specific questions that would otherwise most likely get lost among general restaurant discussions. It seems to have worked well this way for years now. Are you suggesting a sub-forum for special dining needs within the disABILITIES! forum? Not that I have any say in the matter but I could see it working. Then again I also think that using the regular disABILITIES! forums has been working well.

 

[monorailsilver]

My DD is allergic to dairy, peanuts and tree nuts. Like I said they are common allergies but before I was given a better detailed list of what was available. I'm literally sitting here with a highlighter cross referencing the 3 different pdf s with 6+ pages to each.
It doesn't feel like this issue is for this board. There are so many postings allergy related. Maybe its time to make it a topic?

We just came back and my ds has all of those plus egg white but he can have them cooked.

HE ate well! He is mainly allergic to dairy and his last labs he was in the 30s & norm is under 2. He originally was over 120. He has stuff that is shared on the same line as. I know others won't.

We stayed at the poly.

We only did 2TS and the rest was counter service. I did bring hamburger and hot dog buns from home just in case and I am glad I did he did not like the gluten free ones. I brought a plastic container so it wouldn't get smoothed.

He ate shrimp at chef mickeys as well as the chicken nuggets and many other things. He loved the chicken tenders at the poly and I was thrilled he could have a pineapple dole whip there. Actually be had 4. We never had one in the MK so it may be different there but we didn't have a need to have one there in that line since we had it at the poly.

He had pizza from pizzafari and pizza planet.

He had a pretzel from Germany, popcorn in the MK and I swear some people were pissed at me behind me in line at the MK when I was looking up the ingredients at an ice cream cart...oh well!

And he had a candy apple in the MK.

Candy from Germany, a piece of my turkey leg, the cm gave me a bunch of Oreos for him from a newly opened package.

The best thing I noticed on this trip was that they gave me a beeper at a few places and all our food came out at once.

Oh yeah, he had a cheese less pizza with pepperoni at Wolfgang pucks and chicken legs and potatoes in the land.

 

[STACEY1378]

Thank you! Were staying at the BC villas. I will make a trip over to the poly so she can try the dole whip..yummy! Do they still carry Divvie products? I'm not seeing it anywhere.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Divvies cookies are long gone. The milk, peanut and nut free cookies are Enjoy Life and OMG It's Gluten Free. Babycakes products are also milk, peanut and nut free (read the webiste's nut statement to be sure it's safe for your particular severity of allergies; the majority of people with nut allergies are ok with them but those with the most severe allergy will avoid it).

If Babycakes are safe for you, they do sell some of their products at Beach Club Marketplace last I heard.

Be sure that you stick with the pineapple dole whips. The vanilla has casein.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Not that I have any say in the matter either, but of the first 50 threads, 16 are allergy related. I don't see how an allergy is considered a disability but given how GACs are handed out like candy for all kinds of various "so-called" disabilities, welcome aboard and join the crowd!!

I realize you haven't been around here for long so you may not be aware, but on this board we try to remain non-judgemental and not play the "my problem is worse than your problem" game or tell people that their issue isn't a "real" issue. Calling other people's issues "so-called" disabilities is insulting and derrogatory towards a lot of people, especially doing so on a board where everybody has some kind of special need.

As I already tried to explain to you earlier in this thread, this board is used for a broad purpuse and not just problems that qualify for handicap parking tags or government disability or some other government officially recognized problem. This board is used for all issues that require people to seek some for of assistance. In the case of food allergies, we can't just walk into a restaurant and order. We have to ask for help. We have to do research in order to be safe and in some cases to not die. If you don't like it then you don't have to open the threads. It's pretty easy to identify threads having to do with special dietary needs.

 

[stackyallred]

Not that I have any say in the matter either, but of the first 50 threads, 16 are allergy related. I don't see how an allergy is considered a disability but given how GACs are handed out like candy for all kinds of various "so-called" disabilities, welcome aboard and join the crowd!!

Allergies may not fall into what most people think of when they hear the word "disability," however I do not have the ability to eat safely unless I know every ingredient that is going into my food. There are 40+ foods that I am either allergic or intolerant to. If I don't research and do all the necessary leg work to assure I eat safely I will get very ill and many others who have allergies could die if they don't do the same. Every time I put a food in my mouth, touch items that may be contaminated with an allergen or even breathe in air in certain places, my health is at risk. I realize it doesn't look like I have a disability but for those of us with allergies, it is a health issue that affects every area of my life. If anything, allergies have opened my eyes to the fact that anyone with a disability has their own individual battles to face and no one's is easy regardless of the situation.

 

[monorailsilver]

Thank you! Were staying at the BC villas. I will make a trip over to the poly so she can try the dole whip..yummy! Do they still carry Divvie products? I'm not seeing it anywhere.

No divvie products. He doesn't eat cake, cuocakes or most cookies so I just brought him Oreos and candy from home. It was just the pineapple side. There they have 3 spigots??? The one on the left is vanilla, the right is pineapple and the middle is the twist. I would verify it again just in case. I mean he ate one on August 12 so I would assume there wouldn't be a change so soon. He also loved the chicken nuggets there.

 

[livndisney]

Not that I have any say in the matter either, but of the first 50 threads, 16 are allergy related. I don't see how an allergy is considered a disability but given how GACs are handed out like candy for all kinds of various "so-called" disabilities, welcome aboard and join the crowd!!

http://www.foodallergy.org/advocacy/disability
"Disability

A food allergy may be considered a disability under federal laws, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/food-servers-more-vulnerable-legal-threats

"The Justice Department said in a recent settlement with a Massachusetts college that severe food allergies can be considered a disability under the law."

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=19&cont=255

"Does the ADA Apply to People with Asthma and Allergies?
Yes. In both the ADA and Section 504, a person with a disability is described as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or is regarded as having such impairments. Breathing, eating, working and going to school are "major life activities." Asthma and allergies are still considered disabilities under the ADA, even if symptoms are controlled by medication."

 

[Fuhnuh]

Not that I have any say in the matter either, but of the first 50 threads, 16 are allergy related. I don't see how an allergy is considered a disability but given how GACs are handed out like candy for all kinds of various "so-called" disabilities, welcome aboard and join the crowd!!

I for one am happy there is a place to get information about dining with allergies. DD12 has life-threatening allergies to egg, dairy, tree nut and peanuts. This forum has been invaluable in navigating the safer dining options for our last four trips to WDW. It is also a valuable tool to those who have more or less serious allergies. I don't know where it would be best located, but the posts would be a lot harder to locate in the regular restaurant forum. Allergy sufferers who use this forum are not seeking GACs, they are searching for information that will allow them to travel to WDW without putting their lives or health at risk. Perhaps there are people who abuse this info, but my concern when coming to this board is the health and safety of my child. Anyone who has been present when someone goes into anaphylaxis knows how serious allergy matters can get. DD12 had a reaction on the Dream that gave DW and I a scare that I don't wish on anybody. This forum has served my family well and I hope it can do the same for you.

 

[Schmeck]

We are a family that visits evey other year. We choose Disney because its a safe place for DD who has life threatening allergies. Our last trip in 2011 was fantastic, she ate better than the rest of our party. I filled out the sheet with our ADRs, spoke to chefs before we traveled and was provided with a very detailed email from Brenda( not in the dept any longer) what my daughter can eat. This trip in Sept the info sent from special diets is disappointing. I got attachments for each of her allergies. I'm sitting here with 40+ pages trying to figure out safe options. I'm overwhelmed to say the least. I guess because they are on the common allergy list it should be easy? Any suggestions on who I can contact to help me. I've emailed special diets again and got the same email back.




l

What kind of help are you looking for? They gave you the info they have, is there some issue with what is in the attachments that you don't understand?

 

[livndisney]

I am worried because the recent abuse of the GAC, that received national attention, will lead to a crackdown on the number of people that can accompany a disabled person (which is 6).



I was being facetious. God knows how people survived all these years being allergic to so many things.



Yes, our DD9 has severe CP, profound intellectual disabilities and cannot regulate extreme heat so we will be limited to the parks to maybe 3 to 4 hours at most. A GAC will allow us to enjoy the parks just as much as a non-disabled person but in half the time. We are hoping that since it will be mid-September when we visit, the parks won't be as crowded and we won't need to utilize the GAC as much. I read where we don't even need to get a GAC since DD is in a wheelchair (and obviously disabled) but due to the rampant abuse by low-life scum, I had better get one because of the impending crackdown.

Sorry, I am not following you. It sounds like you intend to use the GAC as a way to shorten your wait in line and to get around the long standing standard of the disabled person and their party of 5 (6 in total).

I realize you are new here, but you really seem to come off very harsh. You may want to review the DISboard rules and also take a look at the sticky Sue wrote. Sue has a daughter in a wheelchair and their may be some tips you find helpful.

And as I said before I hope your children have a wonderful trip!

 

[mistysue]

I was being facetious. God knows how people survived all these years being allergic to so many things.

They didnt. These people with all the allergies simply would have died in the past. Please dont make fun of allergies. It can be extremely disruptive to daily life, just like any other disability. In the past two weeks of vacation, it would be fair to say one person's allergies have taken up about 60 hours of our trip. That us on top of all of the pre-trip planning.

 

[SueM in MN]

REMINDER:

SARCASTIC COMMENTS, BELITTLING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS AND MAKING FUN OF OTHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE DISBOARDS.

IF YOU MADE A COMMENT ON THIS THREAD AND IT IS NO LONGER HERE, IT WAS DELETED BECAUSE IT FIT INTO ONE OR THOSE CATEGORIES.
SOME POSTS WERE ALSO DELETED BECAUSE THEY QUOTED ONE I NEEDED TO DELETE.

SO, in the words of Thumper's mom, "if you can't say nothing nice, don't say nothing at all ."

 

[Sparkly]

REMINDER:

SARCASTIC COMMENTS, BELITTLING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS AND MAKING FUN OF OTHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE DISBOARDS.

IF YOU MADE A COMMENT ON THIS THREAD AND IT IS NO LONGER HERE, IT WAS DELETED BECAUSE IT FIT INTO ONE OR THOSE CATEGORIES.
SOME POSTS WERE ALSO DELETED BECAUSE THEY QUOTED ONE I NEEDED TO DELETE.

SO, in the words of Thumper's mom, "if you can't say nothing nice, don't say nothing at all ."

I don't know how you stay sane moderating these boards, thank you!

 

[STACEY1378]

What kind of help are you looking for? They gave you the info they have, is there some issue with what is in the attachments that you don't understand?

Our previous trips the information was detailed for DDs allergies. Brenda was fantastic. Now for an example: popcorn is on the non dairy list and non peanut list but contains coconut oil which is a tree nut. If I missed that my DD would have gone into anaphylaxis shock. Its just a lot of paperwork. I will always ask at restaurants and carts but she is old enough to realize (7) if I ask and its not safe she gets upset. Its nice to know what I'm up against when I get there and direct her toward safe snacks.

 

[Schmeck]

Our previous trips the information was detailed for DDs allergies. Brenda was fantastic. Now for an example: popcorn is on the non dairy list and non peanut list but contains coconut oil which is a tree nut. If I missed that my DD would have gone into anaphylaxis shock. Its just a lot of paperwork. I will always ask at restaurants and carts but she is old enough to realize (7) if I ask and its not safe she gets upset. Its nice to know what I'm up against when I get there and direct her toward safe snacks.

OK, I see how having multiple allergies can be difficult. So, in the past, Brenda did all the work for you, but they don't have anyone doing that job anymore, right? It's time consuming, that's for sure, but you have to do it to keep your daughter safe. I wouldn't have trusted the CM anyways, and would have asked for the lists you are using now.

We have multiple allergies, sensory disorders, and aversions in my family, so I understand the difficulty in finding stuff that is safe to eat. Since your daughter is going to have to live this way for the rest of her life, perhaps she should see a therapist or someone else who could help her so she doesn't get upset?

 

[STACEY1378]

OK, I see how having multiple allergies can be difficult. So, in the past, Brenda did all the work for you, but they don't have anyone doing that job anymore, right? It's time consuming, that's for sure, but you have to do it to keep your daughter safe. I wouldn't have trusted the CM anyways, and would have asked for the lists you are using now.

We have multiple allergies, sensory disorders, and aversions in my family, so I understand the difficulty in finding stuff that is safe to eat. Since your daughter is going to have to live this way for the rest of her life, perhaps she should see a therapist or someone else who could help her so she doesn't get upset?

She too has sensory and other issues. She does see a therapist monthly. She has a brother & sister that do not have issues. So you can't blame her for getting upset If popcorn is her favorite snack, I somehow didn't realize it contained tree nuts and she couldn't have it. As an adult i prob would too. She is a child who is so used to not being able to have things that other children have. Life isn't fair and she is learning this lesson faster than most kids. It is what it is.
My original post was written because I was overwhelmed. I didn't know if there was someone else I could speak to before we arrive? The dole whip suggestion was awesome. Didn't know if there were more other than the "lists"?