starshine514
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2010
- Messages
- 3,164
I wanted to share our recent allergy dining experiences at the Disneyland resort.
My one-year-old is allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, and sesame. She is also still nursing, so I also have to avoid her allergens (her consumption causes redness, swelling, hives, vomiting and anaphylaxis. My consumption causes congestion, spitting up and eczema in her). I order one meal for us to share.
We have been before, and had good ideas about where to go (based on prior experience). My sister and BIL were along, and only had one-park per day tickets. so, no hopping for food this trip. We do all counter service (table service is difficult with a toddler).
Our first evening there, we went into California Adventure and ate at Cocina Cucamonga. We had a great experience here. I told them we had multiple allergies and they called the chef out. She told me there were no peanuts or sesame and we got a burrito to share. My daughter ate all my refried beans and some of the tortilla.
Our second day we headed into Disneyland. We got Starbucks in the morning from the Market House. DD1 and I shared a vanilla creme frapp made with coconut milk. My sister ordered it and they noted the allergy. They did it correctly - no reaction for DD1.
We had lunch at Galactic Grill (formerly Tomorowland Terrace). The Star Wars themed makeover is not good for egg allergies as aolis are rampant and other flavor-adding items (such as bacon, avocado salsa, and even pickles) are no longer available. The french fries are made in a separate fryer and were safe for my daughter and they were able to make a burger (with bun) as well. The chef came out to talk to me and had to go check on ingredients in the back (probably due to sesame, as it isn't top 8). It was fine, but it used to be much better.
That afternoon, we got Dole Whips at the Tiki Bar before visiting the Tiki Room. The mouth feel of soft serve was wonderful! DD1 and I shared one. There isn't a CC problem here (as there is at WDW), as pineapple is the only flavor offered.
That evening, we decided that we did not want burgers for dinner. So, we would up at Rancho del Zocalo. This is a cafeteria style place, which I hate for food allergies. But, I knew DD1 would eat beans here (and would only eat french fries most other places), so we ventured in. There were three stations and I went to the second station because it seemed quieter than the first. I asked about ordering an allergy kids meal (I wasn't hungry so I was just buying for her). The female CM said she'd get a chef, but instead brought out a male front-line employee. I told him I needed an allergy meal for my daughter. He immediately started telling me she could have chicken tacos with corn tortillas, at which point I interrupted him, reminding him that I hadn't told him her allergens yet. I then told him and asked about the safety of then bean and cheese burrito without cheese. He said that would be safe. I then requested that it be made from items from the back, with fresh gloves. He said no problem and disappeared in the back. He returned a few minutes later with a fresh pack of tortillas, opened it, added it to the plate and disappeared again. He returned with an open burrito, went over to the line and added a handful of cheese. He then turned to me and asked me her allergens again. Then he started over... When he had the burrito together, I requested beans as the side. He got them from the line. Stopped, left them sitting there and returned with a fresh bowl from the back. He ended up getting it correct, but was it ever frustrating! I can't imagine that a chef would have had that kind of trouble making an allergy order.
The next morning, we went back to DCA. Got Starbucks at Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe (decaf Americano with coconut milk, which DD1 did steal a few drinks of), without incident. We noted the allergy when ordering.
Had lunch at Smokejumper's Grill. I told the cashier the allergens and she said she'd get a chef. A minute later a manager came out and said there wasn't a chef there, but he requested one from a restaurant in Hollywoodland - it would be 5 minutes. We ordered food for the rest of the party, received it...still no chef. It was at least 10 minutes. I explained the allergens and was told that the bacon cheeseburger without cheese would be fine. The fries were fine. The chef seemed annoyed when I requested toppings from the back instead of the topping bar, but complied. When I went to pay, I was told my total was over $15. I asked about it, as the bacon cheeseburger (with fries) was only $12.50. Was told that I didn't order a bacon cheeseburger without cheese, I ordered an allergy burger with a side of bacon. There was no allergy burger on the posted menu...I paid what they asked. My daughter ate the fries, some Vienna sausages I had in my bag (not something I let her have often, but they are shelf stable) and some of the toppings from the burger (she loves pickles). Within a few minutes of leaving the restaurant, I noticed her cheek looked unusually red, so I quickly gave her Benadryl and thoroughly washed her hands and face. The redness subsided and no other symptoms appeared. I'm not sure what caused it.
That afternoon, we went to Ghiradelli. We had gotten safe mango sorbet here before, so I was happy when I saw it on the menu outside. I ordered ice cream for the rest of the group and asked for an allergy scoop of the sorbet for DD1. I was told I could order sorbet, but it would just be a regular scoop, They don't do allergy orders anymore. I said no, I couldn't take that chance. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks (luckily my sister had taken DD1 out of the building while I was ordering, so she didn't see me crying). The cashier, seeing my tears and having seen my little one-year-old told me she would go back and get DD1 a safe scoop of the sorbet, but to know that she couldn't eat here again. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the sorbet. It was pixie dust that shouldn't have been necessary. I'm very disappointed about losing this option, as none of the other ice cream shops serve sorbet or any non-dairy ice creams.
That night we had dinner at Cocina Cucamonga again. This time, the cashier offered an allergy menu (the first one I was offered this trip). Since the chef had told me just two days before that there was no sesame or peanuts in the restaurant, I took a look and found something (chicken tacos this time) that was on both the egg and dairy free menu. The cashier explained that she could note all the allergies and I saw that she noted egg, milk and peanut allergies in the order slip. It went smoothly, and was safe. My daughter ate the rice too this time (score! complete protein in her).
Overall, the allergy accommodations at Disneyland have declined in the past year. Tomorrowland Terrace lost what made it interesting, and losing sorbet at Ghiradelli was a sore disappointment. Cocina Cucamonga was the shining star - and I hope the Tiki Bar sticks with pineapple only.
My one-year-old is allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, and sesame. She is also still nursing, so I also have to avoid her allergens (her consumption causes redness, swelling, hives, vomiting and anaphylaxis. My consumption causes congestion, spitting up and eczema in her). I order one meal for us to share.
We have been before, and had good ideas about where to go (based on prior experience). My sister and BIL were along, and only had one-park per day tickets. so, no hopping for food this trip. We do all counter service (table service is difficult with a toddler).
Our first evening there, we went into California Adventure and ate at Cocina Cucamonga. We had a great experience here. I told them we had multiple allergies and they called the chef out. She told me there were no peanuts or sesame and we got a burrito to share. My daughter ate all my refried beans and some of the tortilla.
Our second day we headed into Disneyland. We got Starbucks in the morning from the Market House. DD1 and I shared a vanilla creme frapp made with coconut milk. My sister ordered it and they noted the allergy. They did it correctly - no reaction for DD1.
We had lunch at Galactic Grill (formerly Tomorowland Terrace). The Star Wars themed makeover is not good for egg allergies as aolis are rampant and other flavor-adding items (such as bacon, avocado salsa, and even pickles) are no longer available. The french fries are made in a separate fryer and were safe for my daughter and they were able to make a burger (with bun) as well. The chef came out to talk to me and had to go check on ingredients in the back (probably due to sesame, as it isn't top 8). It was fine, but it used to be much better.
That afternoon, we got Dole Whips at the Tiki Bar before visiting the Tiki Room. The mouth feel of soft serve was wonderful! DD1 and I shared one. There isn't a CC problem here (as there is at WDW), as pineapple is the only flavor offered.
That evening, we decided that we did not want burgers for dinner. So, we would up at Rancho del Zocalo. This is a cafeteria style place, which I hate for food allergies. But, I knew DD1 would eat beans here (and would only eat french fries most other places), so we ventured in. There were three stations and I went to the second station because it seemed quieter than the first. I asked about ordering an allergy kids meal (I wasn't hungry so I was just buying for her). The female CM said she'd get a chef, but instead brought out a male front-line employee. I told him I needed an allergy meal for my daughter. He immediately started telling me she could have chicken tacos with corn tortillas, at which point I interrupted him, reminding him that I hadn't told him her allergens yet. I then told him and asked about the safety of then bean and cheese burrito without cheese. He said that would be safe. I then requested that it be made from items from the back, with fresh gloves. He said no problem and disappeared in the back. He returned a few minutes later with a fresh pack of tortillas, opened it, added it to the plate and disappeared again. He returned with an open burrito, went over to the line and added a handful of cheese. He then turned to me and asked me her allergens again. Then he started over... When he had the burrito together, I requested beans as the side. He got them from the line. Stopped, left them sitting there and returned with a fresh bowl from the back. He ended up getting it correct, but was it ever frustrating! I can't imagine that a chef would have had that kind of trouble making an allergy order.
The next morning, we went back to DCA. Got Starbucks at Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe (decaf Americano with coconut milk, which DD1 did steal a few drinks of), without incident. We noted the allergy when ordering.
Had lunch at Smokejumper's Grill. I told the cashier the allergens and she said she'd get a chef. A minute later a manager came out and said there wasn't a chef there, but he requested one from a restaurant in Hollywoodland - it would be 5 minutes. We ordered food for the rest of the party, received it...still no chef. It was at least 10 minutes. I explained the allergens and was told that the bacon cheeseburger without cheese would be fine. The fries were fine. The chef seemed annoyed when I requested toppings from the back instead of the topping bar, but complied. When I went to pay, I was told my total was over $15. I asked about it, as the bacon cheeseburger (with fries) was only $12.50. Was told that I didn't order a bacon cheeseburger without cheese, I ordered an allergy burger with a side of bacon. There was no allergy burger on the posted menu...I paid what they asked. My daughter ate the fries, some Vienna sausages I had in my bag (not something I let her have often, but they are shelf stable) and some of the toppings from the burger (she loves pickles). Within a few minutes of leaving the restaurant, I noticed her cheek looked unusually red, so I quickly gave her Benadryl and thoroughly washed her hands and face. The redness subsided and no other symptoms appeared. I'm not sure what caused it.
That afternoon, we went to Ghiradelli. We had gotten safe mango sorbet here before, so I was happy when I saw it on the menu outside. I ordered ice cream for the rest of the group and asked for an allergy scoop of the sorbet for DD1. I was told I could order sorbet, but it would just be a regular scoop, They don't do allergy orders anymore. I said no, I couldn't take that chance. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks (luckily my sister had taken DD1 out of the building while I was ordering, so she didn't see me crying). The cashier, seeing my tears and having seen my little one-year-old told me she would go back and get DD1 a safe scoop of the sorbet, but to know that she couldn't eat here again. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the sorbet. It was pixie dust that shouldn't have been necessary. I'm very disappointed about losing this option, as none of the other ice cream shops serve sorbet or any non-dairy ice creams.
That night we had dinner at Cocina Cucamonga again. This time, the cashier offered an allergy menu (the first one I was offered this trip). Since the chef had told me just two days before that there was no sesame or peanuts in the restaurant, I took a look and found something (chicken tacos this time) that was on both the egg and dairy free menu. The cashier explained that she could note all the allergies and I saw that she noted egg, milk and peanut allergies in the order slip. It went smoothly, and was safe. My daughter ate the rice too this time (score! complete protein in her).
Overall, the allergy accommodations at Disneyland have declined in the past year. Tomorrowland Terrace lost what made it interesting, and losing sorbet at Ghiradelli was a sore disappointment. Cocina Cucamonga was the shining star - and I hope the Tiki Bar sticks with pineapple only.
