Food Allergies and the Cruise

[ducklite]

I have some food allergies. At WDW I've always been accomodated with a minimal of hassle.

At WDW the chefs come out and discuss your allergies and if need be prepare something especially for you.

Do they do this onboard? Has anyone with allergies sailed, and how did you handle it?

Anne

 

[tecdavidt]

I informed my TA and she called Disney. They faxed her a form my doctor needs to sign. I suppose they are confirming you have the problem. Kathy

 

[TnRobin]

A friend of mine cruised last year. Her TA told Disney of her allergies and she also reminded her server of her food allergies. She had no problem at all.

 

[moocow35]

Hi!

My daughter is highly allergic to eggs. We just got back tonight from the 2/16 7 day, and have gone 2 times prior to this cruise. We always just tell our server about her allergy, and from that night on, he found out in advance what she could and could not have on the cruise. Each night he would go over the menu with her, and tell her what she could order. We never had to fill out any Doctors note.

Disney definately takes care of their guests!

Robin

 

[tecdavidt]

I am glad you don't always half to fill out a doctors note but I do have one sitting her next to my computer that DCL is insisting that he sign. My problem is I can not have wheat. Not a life threatening problem so I really don't understand why I need to have my doctor sign it. In fact I would say someone with diabetes has a more "at risk" problem. This is a condition that has finally been discovered since my last DCL cruise. When I read that you can notify DCL and they will help I thought, easy enough. So I told my TA and what she got in return from DCL was this medical release form that acts like I have some horrid desease and they are prepared for it on the ship. I am sorry but having intestinal problems because I ate wheat does not rank up there in that they need a hospital bed for me. Nor will I have breathing problems. I will ignore the note signing and just tell my servers. Kathy

 

[Cruise]

Kathy,

I would urge you to reconsider submitting the medical form prior to your cruise. While it's not a life threatening condition, one of the reasons for the form is so that your cruise goes more smoothly and is more enjoyable for you. With the form, your servers will know *before* you ever get on the ship that you'll have special requests at dinner. Otherwise, you'll just be springing it on them at the last moment and they'll have to make changes at the last moment. I would think they'd also be less likely to forget your sensitivity to wheat if they knew ahead of time.

Just a suggestion

Julie

 

[my3kids]

I also have a food allergy and received the form. While there is a place you can have your physician sign, if you wish, there is also a section for you to fill out the information you need to convey and you can send it back like that. I didn't have the allergist fill out the paperwork, what more could he say than what I already said. I was told, "No problem." The server will be aware and tell me which foods I can't have. Sounded okay with me.

 

[CamColt]

My DS is allergic to peanuts. We just told our waiter and he went above and beyond the call of duty checking everything DS ordered. I think he was more concerned about it than us, LOL! At one point he wasnt sure about something(a special celebration cake), that most likely was peanut free, but because he didnt specifically ask the chef, he told us not to let him have it. He then brought out a special dessert just for DS.
They seem to be very good about allergies on the ship.

 

[kshabare]

Fear not, you will have no problems if you have Celiac Disease (wheat-free, gluten-free). SIL filled out the form and FACS it in. We labeled it in our booking. When we boarded we went to Sessions and the dining people were there. They assuered her she would have her pasta but that night they didn't. Within 30 minutes Alana had her wheat-free, gluten-free rolls and pasta in front of her - made fresh.

Communicate it to whomever will be serving you. One night she didn't want to come to the dinner table and Roger, our server, brought it right to her cabin! It's all about YOU, not DCL.

Kim ºOº

 

[albiats]

The medical form is just a 'one size fits all' form. They have sections and signature lines to accomodate those with more serious problems, but if you have a more moderate problem, the same form will do.

I also use the form without my Doctor's signature for a diabetic diet and it helped in several ways. The first was that I was wait listed for the 6pm dining and it helped to get me moved up. If I had to wait until 8:30 to eat, it would have been difficult for me to adjust smoothly. The second was that the head server was alerted to my needs and so was our regular server, well before I boarded the ship. With the head server coming by every meal to check with me and with our regular server, it would have been difficult for him to have forgotten about it, so I felt very secure. Sometimes, it's difficult to tell if an entree or appetizer has been prepared or marinated with sugar and with the 'formal reminders', the server was very careful about checking with the chefs and more observant than I am sometimes.

By filling out the medical form and having my TA fax it in to DCL, I enhanced my enjoyment of the cruise, so I would recommend anyone with a problem to do the same.

 

[NCRedding]

albiats: We going in Oct. with the whole family. Brother is a diabetic. Can you give us any hints in making it a fun trip without having to worry too much about food, etc. What worked for you?

 

[albiats]

I'm not a diabetic but I do have Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and the diets are the same.

I stay away from all sauces (except really simple ones) and generally stick with beef or chicken dishes. You have to be careful even with things like the butter that is served because they sometimes have something added to enhance the flavor, such as honey or sugar. If I'm not sure of something on the table, I ask my DW if she can taste any sugar in it and if there's any doubt, I don't have it. If she isn't there to taste it, I just don't have it.

I have unsweetened ice tea with lemon at the meals and then I have coffee while the others have their desserts. Even if the waiter recommends something for dessert as 'no sugar', I don't eat it unless it makes good sense to me. Sometimes I think they mix up 'no sugar' with 'no added sugar', and it does make a difference. The menus say that they have 'sugar free desserts' every night in the dining rooms but they aren't always tasty, at least to me.

I really recommend that he fills out the medical form just for the benefit of having added help with screening the food at dinner times, it helped me considerably.

My biggest 'secret' method is to mentally imagine unkind things about the ones dining around me that are having multiple desserts every night, and especially the chocolate ones that even smell really good from three feet away. Just unkind things like a chocolate smudge under their chins for the rest of the cruise, or maybe some of that icing stuck in their ears or hair. Not kind, but it gets me through.

On the last cruise, a server in Palo's recommended that I try a non alcoholic beer that they served. I was very reluctant to try it because I was afraid it would have something else that would bother me, but he brought it to the table so we could check the label and it was Ok. I tried it and it taste's great, with no bad effects, it's called Sharps, and it's made by Millers.

Oh, I almost forgot, the Dessert Buffets are just plain EVIL, to someone on a diabetic diet.

 

[NCRedding]

Thanks for the tips. I discovered Sharps when I was pregnant. I'm not that big of a beer drinker, but something about not being able to drink it for nine months made me want it. I'll also try to be careful around brother with the desserts--who knows, it could be me dealing with diabetes next.