Disney with food allergies

[dancin'girl]

I know I have read somewhere that you can call Disney to tell them about your food allergies, and that they will tell you what you can order, or give you a list of safe food items, etc. Is that correct? Anybody know more about this? My DD has a peanut allergy and I have a shellfish allergy. Should I call a few days before we leave?

On a different note - I've also read about calling the airline to tell them about the peanut allergy. We're flying SW. Are they still serving peanuts these days?

Thank you!

 

[MJMcBride]

I would try calling

read this

http://allears.net/din/guestfood.htm

 

[Justsyd2]

I used this email address:

Bennett, Brenda [Brenda.Bennett@disney.com]

Explain your allergies and concerns. They will email information, and a form to fill out.

I would definitely call the airline because things change so often.

 

[tiggr33]

I have food allergies, but luckily I am not anaphylactic. So I cannot provide info specific to that. Others here might. If you have ADR's call and have the allergies notated on them. When you are seated, make sure your server knows there are allergies, and ask/insist on a chef visit. A chef will come out and go over the menu with you, and if at a buffet they will walk it with you and point out everything that is off limits.

As far as the airline, if you daughter is anaphylactic, they might require a doctors note to be faxed to them in order to take peanuts off the in-flight menu. Make sure her epi pen is in your carry one and readily available. Many bring there own food onboard, and the airline can ask passengers to not eat anything with peanuts; but they cannot enforce it or require someone not to eat somethng.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Disney is good about getting around allergies.
2) However, some restaurants cannot always comply
. . . some counter service
. . . some food courts
. . . eateries with limited cooking surfaces *
3) As for the airlines
. . . they sometimes put a serving ban on serving peanuts in-flight
. . . but this DOES NOT prevent people from eating their own food/snacks
. . . I have seen people bring out their own peanuts during such flights

* Restaurants with separate cooking surfaces can segregate food and stop cross-contamination. Some eateries do not have that ability.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

1) Disney is good about getting around allergies.
2) However, some restaurants cannot always comply
. . . some counter service
. . . some food courts
. . . eateries with limited cooking surfaces *
3) As for the airlines
. . . they sometimes put a serving ban on serving peanuts in-flight
. . . but this DOES NOT prevent people from eating their own food/snacks
. . . I have seen people bring out their own peanuts during such flights

* Restaurants with separate cooking surfaces can segregate food and stop cross-contamination. Some eateries do not have that ability.

My son(2 yr. old) has an anaphylactic peanut allergy. We have never had trouble at Disney. People are very understanding and willing to comply with our requests regarding food. However, at Beaches and Cream, the milkshakes are a problem because the same machine is used on all the flavors of ice cream(some with nuts). So, avoid that specifically.
As far as the airline goes, I always bring my epi-pen on the carry -on and I'm just hyper vigilant about being aware of the food around us. People bring on all sorts of snacks, so it is pointless to try and "clean-up" the whole plane. Just do your best...never be afraid to ask! Good luck. I know you'll have a wonderful time.

 

[cab0ad]

My ds has a severe peanut allergy. We've flown southwest several times. They clean planes overnight so your best bet is to fly on an early flight: after it has been cleaned AND before they serve nuts. Not always possible to do it this way though. When you check in for the plane (and make reservations) tell the gate personnel that your child has a severe nut allergy. they will give you a ticket that basically says"airborn nut allergy". you give it to the flight attendant when you board. they won't serve nuts on that flight. they will serve crackers or other snacks. you must give them enough notice to get "more snacks" though. I also got an assistance pass to let us board first so we could wipe down the trays and armrests with baby wipes for our son. i've never had a problem working with southwest. just make sure to let them know when you book your flight, when you check in at the gate, and give the nut ticket to your flight attendant as a reminder when you board.

 

[liamsaunt]

One more point: if you are visiting counter service places, they all have a book on site that lists each dish that they serve, along with all of the ingredients in that dish. You can ask for the book to double check the items you are ordering. My nephew is allergic to eggs and shellfish (anaphlylactic), and Disney is wonderful about accomodating his restrictions. When you make your ADRs, have the reservationist place a note on the ADR about his allergies. This will trigger the chef to come talk with you about his restrictions.

Finally, for whatever reason, I have had the most difficulty re: his allergies at the restaurants in the World Showcase. Chefs de France in particular was a nightmare for us...ALL their breads, pastas, and desserts are made with eggs! I think he just ended up with a green salad.

 

[dancin'girl]

Thank you for all the responses.

I am going to call Disney as was suggested. Should I just call the WDW-DINE number?
I had heard that Disney is great in regards to food allergies, so I'm pretty comfortable with eating there, but I just wanted to make all the necessary calls and get everything in order before we leave.

Thanks again!!

 

[Bree]

I just dealt with the Special Diet Dept at Disney this week. They were so nice and helpful it made me all teary eyed LOL!!! I've never encountered such understanding people when it came to my son's allergies. Here is their email specialdiets@disneyworld.com. They emailed me a form to fill out with our allergy info & our ADR information. They contacted all the restaurants for us so if they don't do it automatically we just need to ask to speak with the chef. They also sent a bunch of other materials about counter service meals and where we can get food specially prepared.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Brenda will send you a form to fill out in which you would tell her the TS meals you have reservations for and the type of allergy you have. We filled ours out last week and sent it back. We did good last year while at Disney and i am hoping for the same experience this time around.

Just wanted to let you know, Continental will not take peanuts off of planes. I heard since last year that have removed all peanuts but who knows. Last year we called and the would not accomodate us, when I arrived at the desk before boarding she said she is not required to remove or not serve peanuts....I was pretty POed. I gave DD her benadryl before we boarded and had the epipen but I thought that was really rude.

 

[edk35]

I know I have read somewhere that you can call Disney to tell them about your food allergies, and that they will tell you what you can order, or give you a list of safe food items, etc. Is that correct? Anybody know more about this? My DD has a peanut allergy and I have a shellfish allergy. Should I call a few days before we leave?

On a different note - I've also read about calling the airline to tell them about the peanut allergy. We're flying SW. Are they still serving peanuts these days?

Thank you!

I have three kids allergic to peanuts and my one son is also tree nut allergic. YES SW is still serving peanuts HOWEVER you can note that on the reservation (even if you book online) and I also call after booking online to make sure it is added and that is when they put the request in for a NUT FREE FLIGHT. That means they will serve an alternate snack. Then on day of the flight we go up to the counter at the gate and let them know again. They let us board first to wipe down the tray tables. NOW we are going to try SW again in July for our flight down but we are flying home on Airtran. MY 15 year old has A HORRIBLE TIME flying home on SW becaues we fly in the late afternoon/early evening and I guess the concentration of the peanut dust just does him in. The past two flights home....he had a horrible time. HE had to take benadryl and use his inhaler. The morning flights have not bothered him thus far. The Airline always tells us we should take the first flight out in the morning because the plane is clean. Well....I don't think they can say that with 100% accuracy. We usually fly out around 9 or 10. So we are going to try SW going down. If there is a problem then we will not fly SW until they are nut free.

We have never had a problem with food/dining at WDW. They have books at all the snack carts/counter service places. YOu can look at them and the chef will talk to you at the TS places. We have been to WDW 15 times and have done great with our peanut allergic family.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going to the disABILITIES Forum and look at Post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs. There is a large section in that post dealing with special dietary needs, as well as many related links. You can get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs by following the link in my signature.

This is a very common topic of discussion in the disABILITIES Forum.

 

[skw444]

My dd has tree nut, peanut allergies and Brenda Bennett was very helpful. She was able to answer questions prior to our trip. She also had the allergy noted on all on reservations and the chefs came out to talk to us at all the table service restaurants. Breads were the one thing at all the restaurants that seemed to be a problem, even including hot dog buns, because they are made offsite.