From your experience-- Best TS for mult. Food Allergies or celiac?

[ekatiel]

We will be taking our first trip to the World (NONE of us have ever been including me, DH, our two boys and my mom and dad! ) next May. ODS, who will be almost 5 at the time of the trip has multiple food allergies. He is allergic wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, barley, rye, millet, flax, banana, pineapple and carrots. He also gets oral allergy syndrome symptoms to all melons, strawberries, pears and plums. He also gets a rash from MSG (we're still trying to figure that one out since MSG in the US is supposed to be gluten free). One of the main reasons we are choosing to vacation at Disney is that I've heard WONDERFUL things about how they can accomodate food allergies. So, when making ADR's I'd like to try places that "go the extra mile" for FA kiddos. So, which places had the most allergy-friendly chefs, menu, etc? Which places were willing to make special items for the FA person (ie-- a special dessert rather than giving out a prepacked gluten free snack, etc. . . or making a special batch of allergen free mickey pancakes or waffles)? I'm so glad to have found this board. Hopefully, we can get ADR's at the most FA-friendly places at WDW!

 

[Selket]

That is a lot of allergies! Will you also be doing counter service? I would think it could be difficult with all the considerations. I think there is a way to special order a counter service meal ahead of time - maybe someone else has info. Your other option is to do sit-down for all of your meals - have you considered the deluxe dining plan?

In any case I think your experience (and anyone's) COMPLETELY depends on the chef you get when you get to the restaurant - even if you've talked to them ahead of time. My son's allergies are typical for WDW (peanut/tree nut) so easy for them to deal with usually. Yet sometimes we have few dessert options. Even the same restaurant with a different chef from one time to the next will give you different options for meals. There are some restaurants known for being less accommodating (mostly in Epcot). The more I go to WDW the more I think it depends more on the Chef and not the restaurant for the most part.

That being said, if you can get Chef TJ at Boma's - you will want to eat there every night. He is the most awesome chef for those with allergies on the property. I can't recommend Boma's otherwise. You'd have to make a ressie there and call a few weeks before to see if he will be working that night.

Here is a thread that had some discussion of food allergies and buffets: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1861999
Also see the FAQ on this board for more info and links.

I would definitely call ahead and do the best you can for working out the meals that he would enjoy - especially the desserts. It is depressing to be at a restaurant (esp. a buffet) and we get all these awesome dessert choices and DS is stuck with just one choice - which is usually tofutti - that he hates! Not like we want to sit and eat dessert while he watches. I'm especially careful in buffets about this or if we're on the meal plan and dessert is included.

Are you staying at a WDW hotel? You might want to track down a chef there and discuss things with them. We've had them order special items, make sure they had Divvies, and offer to make us a packaged lunch to take to the parks (at CSR). The CS manager at the CR had Itskadoozies sent over from the MK because all of the other ice cream/popsicle choices were unsafe for DS - they kept them in the freezer in the back just for him (we paid for them as we bought them - same price as the parks). Otherwise the resort CS places are not always the easiest to navigate.

If there is some good dessert you can carry with you that you know he'll always like - always best to be prepared. And little things - like sprinkles for ice cream.

 

[BeckyScott]

We also had good luck with Tony's and with Chef Mickey's.

Tony's, Justin had gf pasta/olive oil, and "garlic toast".

Chef Mickey's the chef made him special waffles, he had that and bacon.

We stayed at Pop and found the chefs there very nice. They have gf hot dog buns, gf/cf/ef chicken nuggets, and Divvies desserts "in stock". There were the same two chefs every time we went to the food court so by the end of the week they knew us on sight. One day one did the food, the other one stood with us and talked to Justin and was very nice.

 

[ekatiel]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll definitely have to take a second look at Boma's menu and at Tony's. I'm glad to hear good things about Chef Mickey's b/c we wanted to do that one anyways. I'm also happy to hear about all the GF stuff that Pop has in it's food court b/c that's most likely where we'll be staying! I'd love to hear about more good experiences from other food allergy families, so keep 'em coming!!

 

[kaffinito]

Don't forget to have it noted on all of your ADR's and then mention it again when you get to the restaurant. I had good luck at most of the TS places we ate at, (I'm the one with the food allergy ), and I was impressed with how careful the chefs were.

The CS meals were another matter though, since I had trouble finding someone at a CS location that spoke enough English to know that I had some serious concerns about the food. We ended up eating at Peco's Bills in MK and at the food court at POR all of the time. With so many food allergies though, I would take the pp's advice and call to request special meals.

Good luck and happy planning!

 

[BeckyScott]

Have you emailed Brenda Bennett yet? On the stuff she sends, there is one page that lists, basically, the CS's that are the allergy-friendly ones in each park. Those are the ones we tried to go to.

Most of those, IIRC, had the Ener-G buns in stock. Justin usually had a hot dog w/ Ener-G bun, and fries. He was perfectly happy eating those all the time, though, your son might not appreciate it so much. There were no pre-made desserts at them that he could eat. I don't know if they had Rice Dream or anything, usually the hot dog and fries were enough and he didn't want dessert. I also found that with the counter services, you always want to go at an off time. Don't go right at noon. They will be packed and it will take longer for the chef to come out, longer to get your food, you'll be "holding up the line" and it's more of a hassle. Go right at 11 or wait until 1:30 or 2:00. If you take a snack to eat at about 10, you can hold off on lunch. Or if you're hitting the park at opening, eat lunch early.

And yes, make sure that they note the allergies when you do the reservations, and email Brenda Bennett with your ADR's and allergies. You'll get put into the system and they'll be ready for you. Most of the time, the hostess will notice it when you first show up, and then you can tell the server (although it's on the reservation slip), and the chef will come out pretty quickly with their little allergy notepad.

 

[ekatiel]

Brendan would be completely happy with a hotdog and fries for the entire trip (or a hamburger patty and fries!). Like most little kids, he doesn't seem to care if he eats the same thing every day! I will email Brenda as soon as we book (we're still waiting for 2009 pricing to come out). I've heard that's she's great and really accomadating. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[lovin'DVC]

I can't eat gluten, and we traveled with a family that had complicated food requirements, especially one person - she is GFCF, vegan, with a few other allergies. We had WONDERFUL meals at Le Cellier in Epcot, the Crystal Palace in MK, and Mama Melroses in what is now Hollywood Studios. There were the most options for all of us at the buffet at the Crystal Palace. The chef came out and walked us through the line, showing us what was safe to eat. The chefs at the other 2 restaurants were equally wonderful, but I think their menus are more limited so they have less ingredients on hand to work with.

I strongly recommend what another poster said about getting to a counter service location at a quiet time. The cashiers can't put in an order without you speaking to a manager, so even at 11 or 11:20 AM we often had to wait 20 minutes. For counter service, we liked Pinocchio's for Amy's pizza, Cosmic Rays for burgers and rotisserie chicken, American pavilion in Epcot for burgers, Sunshine Seasons in Epcot for salmon (this wasn't listed on the most recent GF menu items I got from WDW for an upcoming trip, though, so maybe they're making it with different ingredients now), and turkey legs.

And don't forget to bring in your own snacks. We bring them in a soft-sided cooler and get a locker. WDW has no problem with this if you have food allergies. It really helps when you have to wait to speak to a manager and have some safe food on hand that the kids are used to.

Terry

 

[mechurchlady]

WARnING: Do not give your kid Ener_G foods without reading the lables.
http://www.ener-g.com

tapioca hot dog buns

Filtered Water, Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, High Oleic Safflower or Sunflower Oil, Pear Juice Concentrate, Bamboo Fiber, Yeast, Methylcellulose,Tapioca Syrup, Guar Gum, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Salt, Orange Citrus Fiber, Calcium Phosphate, Glucono Delta Lactone (from rice). Enriched with Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin(Vitamin B2), Niacin, Iron and Folic Acid.

I am on a special GF diet with out allergens and read tons of labels.

white rice hamburger buns

Filtered water, Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Hi Oleic Safflower or Sunflower Oil, Pear Juice Concentrate, Yeast, Methylcellulose, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Salt, Orange Citrus Fiber, Monocalcium Phosphate, Glucono Delta Lactone (from rice). Enriched with Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin, Iron and Folic Acid

 

[tavettava]

Dd's (13) diet is gfcf and we had a great time at Disney, she didn't have to worry about eating like we do at home. The chef's are great and make her things that aren't even on the menu. She thought it was cool that the chef came out and talked to her. We ate at LeCellier (twice), Coral Reef, 50's Primetime, Sci-fi, San Angel, Ohana (breakfast), Liberty Tree (dinner), Boma, and Trails End. Brenda Bennet sent us a huge packet that includes all the foods dd could eat, so whenever we were in the park I had dd decide where we would eat for cs.

 

[Tosie]

In our experience, every chef we met was willing to make dd something special and safe. We've eaten at many places including

Chef Mickey's
Boma
Coral Reef
Mama Melrose's
Whispering Canyon Cafe
Sci Fi Dine In
50s Prime Time
Kona
1900 Park Fare
Grand Floridian Cafe
Crystal palace
Liberty Tree
Le Cellier
Spoodles (we all hated that one though, except dd)
Big River Grille
Cinderella Castle (before it changed)
Akershus (breakfast)

Just make sure the allergies are noted when you make your ADRs and speak with the chef at the restaurant when you arrive. A printed list of the allergies to hand to the chef wouldn't hurt (because they are so extensive).

 

[SueM in MN]

In the disABILITIES FAQs thread, in post #3, there are some links to past threads about dining in WDW with celiac (under the Diet information). Even though they are past threads, they are helpful in figuring out which places have been really helpful or really unhelpful to guests with special diet needs in the past.
Besides Brenda Bennett's email, there are some phone numbers and emails for dining in each park. Those can be especially useful if Brenda is on vacation or can't get back to you.

 

[ekatiel]

Well, we booked on Sunday (at like 7am-- yes, I'm a little obsessive!). I am so excited!

she is GFCF, vegan, with a few other allergies. We had WONDERFUL meals at Le Cellier in Epcot, the Crystal Palace in MK, and Mama Melroses in what is now Hollywood Studios.

This is great to hear b/c all three of these places are are on my list to get ADR's for!

MECHURCHLADY-- Thanks for the warning about the buns, but DS only gets oral allergy syndrome with the pears-- OAS is not a true food allergy, but happens when your body mistakes a protein in fresh fruits or veggies for a seasonal allergen. OAS symptoms only occur when eating the fruits or veggies fresh, so fruit juice or cooked fruit is ok. OAS also is usually limited to a face rash and or/ icthy mouth. Our allergist actually told us that we can let DS decide if he wants to eat those foods fresh or not, but he chooses not to-- he doesn't like to be itchy! The buns, however, should be fine! Thanks for the reminder on reading labels, though-- it's easy to get lazy and think, "Well, DS has had this before, it should be ok." We've learned to read EVERY LABEL EVERY TIME-- and it only took us one visit to the ER to learn that lesson !

Well, I can't wait for our trip!! We can make ADR's on 11/04, and I'm going to email Brenda Bennett next week (I read that she's out of town this week!).

 

[NJ2Boardwalk]

We just returned from WDW and my DD 14 has allergies to milk and artifical sugar such as corn syrup. I e-mailed Brenda Bennett and had her allergy noted on all our reservations. I found that only a few of the chefs were very helpful. Some, like the chef at Chef Mickeys, went out of his way to make her dairy free waffles and give her pure maple syrup. But the chef at Crystal palace just told her, what she could/could not have at the buffet. Heated up some gluten free waffles and that was it. The counter services were very tough, MOST were not that knowledgeable about their products but most did provide a book of ingredients when asked. We had good experiences at:
Le Cellier
Yachtsman Steakhouse
California Grill
The Wave
Chef Mickeys
I brought her bread/rolls/drink and other foods with me every day. It was a comfort to her to know she could have those foods without worry.
Good Luck

 

[mykidsintow]

I was going to suggest Cali Grill. My good friend is gluten/corn/dairy/peanuts.... and they all love Sushi. So if your family also likes that style... then I would definately recommend Cali Grill!

 

[mechurchlady]

OAS, wow something new for me to learn about. Can I use that for an excuse why I dont eat veggies, lol. I am itching lately, probably eggs, and agree with your son on not wanting to be itchy.
<--- me up against a wall when itchy.

 

[ekatiel]

OAS, wow something new for me to learn about. Can I use that for an excuse why I dont eat veggies, lol. I am itching lately, probably eggs, and agree with your son on not wanting to be itchy.

Yeah-- I've learned about all kinds of new allergy things with DS-- his allergic ability never ceases to amaze me!

We managed to visit Sea World San Antonio this weekend without a reaction, so I'm hoping that Disney will go well, too!! And, he got to ride his first roller coaster the Shamu Express kiddie coaster, and LOVED it!! I can't wait until Disney!!!

 

[DVCDawn]

My DD8 is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. We have had "over the top" experiences with chefs going out of their way at both California Grill and Narcoosees. I was especially pleased with our last visit to Narcoosees. We were on the dining plan and the chef came out and asked DD what items she liked on the children's menu. Said she liked both the fish and the pasta (which were separate entrees) so he made her a plate with both. Her little sister, who has no food allergies, said she liked those, too so he made her a plate of the same. In addition, none of the desserts on the kids menu were safe for her, however, one of the adult desserts was safe and he allowed her to have that instead.

In past visits we've had special times at the California Grill. DD8 really loves that Mickey pasta which was not on the menu there at the time, but they happily brought her out a big bowl. As a matter of fact, the first time we went there she was only 2 1/2 and her FAVORITE thing to eat was peas. In converstion with our server we mentioned that she loved peas and the next thing you know, he brought her out a big bowl.

Artist Point also deserves an honorable mention. They chef there came out and gave us detailed information about how DD's food would be segregated in order to avoid cross-contamination. We felt very confident about the meal there and have returned several times since.

Truly, our very worst experience was at Spoodles. They were uninformed and unwilling to bend. DD actually cried there it was so awful.

Hope this info helps!

DVCDawn

 

[sleepingbean]

I was going to chime in to say that I'd advise you to dine at earlier / off hours to make it easier for good service (instead of smack dab at the busiest time). We always dine a bit early in WDW.

And look through the menus to determine what you think you COULD eat ahead of time. Then ask for those foods and present your allergy list with the request. I think that would be much safer for you to go that method!

We dined with gluten free, dairy free, and one person with shellfish allergies and had no trouble, but you have many more restrictions to include.

here are pictures of our meals and where we ate with comments, if that is helpful
food pictuers gluten free dairy free some shellfish free

You can review menus on Allears.net. I did find that helpful to know where we could go ahead of time and what I could expect! For example, knowing that pizza dough (and flour) is tossed in the air as part of the prep process in the dining viewing area at Spoodles made me cross that off the list. If flour is flying around in the air, that is just pushing our luck with the gluten issue. It's safer for us to dine elsewhere.

Places with Buffets did very well as they had plenty of items to choose from and the chef would just prepare ours in a clean pan without seasonings that are typically used.

it can be done, but it should take a little leg work on your end to make it smooth and safe!

 

[della]

My dd is GFCF and we have had many Disney trips. I would have to agree with the previous poster who said it often varies from chef to chef even within the same restaurant. I have had chefs whip up GFCF brownies with rice cream or tofutti ala mode. Others will simply say we will bring out Rice Dream when she is ready for dessert. Most will go the extra mile. They will usually make the gf waffles and most will fulfill her resquest for steamed broccoli (yes that's her favorite). One chef (at 1900 Park Faire) went to another GF restaurant to get dd sorbet. We did not have ADR's and basically went there to get out of the rain. On the whole our dining experiences have been wonderful!