Help Please --Main St. Bakery Dessert Case Photos for Allergy Preview

[SunDevilFanAZ]

We are heading back to WDW this summer for our second visit. When we were there in 2014, my oldest who has a peanut and tree nut allergy got the short end of the stick. Nearly all the desserts and treats at the Bakery were cross contaminated with nuts. For an example, regular candy apples were intersperessed with apples covered in nuts. Chocolate chunk cookies were stacked with peanut butter cookies. You get the idea.

Needless to say, he was a bit devastated that he couldn't have any of these. On our frequent trips to Disneyland, the treats are kept in cases but separated at different ends of the case. That is fine for him. However, WDW wasn't like that at all.

Ok, here is the request part. If you have been recently or are going soon, can you please provide me with a photo or two of what the treat case looks like with the treats in them? That way, we will know ahead of time if we have to plan alternate sweets for him. Also, it will give me a heads up on creating my own when we return for whatever he can't have.

Many thanks.

 

[alliecat523]

I don't have a photo but during our last visit a few weeks ago everything was in the same case. They were separated by item but all with in same case.

You should just be able to ask for an allergy free treat and/or where you can get them. There are so many people with allergies these days that WDW is great at accommodating.

 

[Shoshana]

Even when the desserts with nuts are separated from those without, the chefs repeatedly remind me that they are prepared in the same location and there is likely cross-contamination. As the poster above stated, they will provide a nut free dessert that is not cross-contaminated.

 

[yulilin3]

A couple of things. Remember to ask at each food location for your specific allergy. They might have something prepackaged in the back or they might be able to make something on the spot without having any cross contamination
Also, I'm not sure if you are familiar with this line of snacks. They can be found all over WDW, I have tried all of these items and they taste great.
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2015/...friendly-items-now-available-in-disney-parks/

 

[wilkeliza]

I don't think there is any true separation at WDW because the nut containre is kept pretty close to the chocolate container when they make them. With items made on premises there is no guarantee there is 0 cross contamination even at DL. The only thing guaranteed is the pre-packaged items that say so.

I don't have a photo but we were there last week and I so no real pattern as to how things were kept in the case.

 

[SunDevilFanAZ]

Even when the desserts with nuts are separated from those without, the chefs repeatedly remind me that they are prepared in the same location and there is likely cross-contamination. As the poster above stated, they will provide a nut free dessert that is not cross-contaminated.

What type of nut free desserts are available?

We are well versed with the same facitilty thing so that isn't much of an issue. The only issues he has had are when something sneaks into something that is already made and on a counter.

 

[SunDevilFanAZ]

I don't think there is any true separation at WDW because the nut containre is kept pretty close to the chocolate container when they make them. With items made on premises there is no guarantee there is 0 cross contamination even at DL. The only thing guaranteed is the pre-packaged items that say so.

I don't have a photo but we were there last week and I so no real pattern as to how things were kept in the case.

On our last visit, it was disheartening to literally see items stacked on top of each other. We got him some bagged cookies but not the fresh ones.

I was befuddled on how the two parks are polar opposites in their preparatoin. I even went back and found pics from our previous visits to DL where one side of the case was nuts and the opposite was without. I sent a polite note to WDW about the differences in procedures which they were great about responding too. Unfortunately, they said they wouldn't be changing them.

 

[wilkeliza]

On our last visit, it was disheartening to literally see items stacked on top of each other. We got him some bagged cookies but not the fresh ones.

I was befuddled on how the two parks are polar opposites in their preparatoin. I even went back and found pics from our previous visits to DL where one side of the case was nuts and the opposite was without. I sent a polite note to WDW about the differences in procedures which they were great about responding too. Unfortunately, they said they wouldn't be changing them.

I guess I'm a little confused why there is no concern for cross contamination that happens in production and that happens it the case. I mean I've seen peanuts fall into the caramel or chocolate and they don't fish it out becuase none of the snack are considered nut free or nut safe.

With that said I believe all the Erin Mckenna Backery items are a go to item for those with allergies. You can email them and ask which ones are allergy friendly. I saw them this weekend at the Beach Club and previously at AKL and they have the different allergy friendly stickers on them. This is their official allergy information https://www.erinmckennasbakery.com/allergy-info/

 

[kgoodb00]

When I was there a few weeks ago, they actually had brownies with nuts stacked on top of the brownies without nuts. I too have a peanut/tree nut allergy so I feel your frustrations.

Also, someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that sometimes when you order something from the case at the bakery, they actually pull it from the back to give it to you and not directly from the case.

 

[bryanb]

When I was there a few weeks ago, they actually had brownies with nuts stacked on top of the brownies without nuts. I too have a peanut/tree nut allergy so I feel your frustrations.

Surprisingly and frustratingly, this method of display might even be a "responsible" thing. I was at a bakery once that similarly displayed products all together. When I asked why, they said they wanted to make it very clear that the baked goods were made on shared equipment. If they had separated them, it might create an illusion of safety where none was promised... and someone might inadvertently take a chance.

Of course, if they actually would quarantine nut products and follow strict care to avoid cross-contamination, people with nut allergies would be able to enjoy a wider variety of fresh goods. But in the absence of that, they decided to make it very clear that these products were already cross-contaminated.

 

[Selket]

Hmmm....we go to WDW often enough and one of my kids has a severe peanut/tree nut allergy but he can eat things made in the same facility but not may contain and generally we avoid made on the same equipment. I've yet to have an experience in the bakery there (in the MK) where any of those baked goods or apples, etc. are safe for him. Even the mickey head rice krispie treats on the stick that were "made in a facility" now have the "may contains" or "contains" warning (I can't remember which).

Dessert has always been a sticking point and we find it most often at the sit down restaurants. Chef Mickey's has recently been phenomenal with the desserts he can eat. However, and I hate to say it, but I think A LOT of it depends on the chef you get from one time to the next. One may say "oh yes all of this is safe but this or that" and the next one will say "all of it could be cross contaminated so stick to the soft serve ice cream". It's tough to know really how likely some dessert - whether at a restaurant or in the bakery - could be cross-contaminated.

 

[DVC_Princess]

I have celiac so not exactly the same, but I have to eat gluten free. I understand your frustration. Seeing the treats of those cases (especially at the Confectionery on Main St) is so hard. I know that many of them are gluten free, but none of them are safe because of cross contamination. I agree with PP who said displaying them so closely is actually a good thing because no effort is being made in the kitchen to keep things separate. It stinks, but I'd rather be disappointed than sick.

 

[Music City Mama]

However, and I hate to say it, but I think A LOT of it depends on the chef you get from one time to the next. One may say "oh yes all of this is safe but this or that" and the next one will say "all of it could be cross contaminated so stick to the soft serve ice cream". It's tough to know really how likely some dessert - whether at a restaurant or in the bakery - could be cross-contaminated.

I completely agree.

Unfortunately, part of having a peanut and/or tree nut allergy usually means that you don't get to have all of those yummy desserts in the display cases. My child is far from deprived because I can make just about anything at home using safe ingredients and so many candies (even a lot of brands of chocolate) are safe for him. But when it comes to baked goods at restaurants/bakeries -- it's just something we accept. As others have pointed out, it wouldn't matter if they were separated in the case -- the same person who picked up the handful of nuts to coat one candy apple might be touching the non-nut covered candy apple right after that.

As @yulilin3 posted above, they have pre-packaged treats all throughout the parks/resorts that are safe. And of course, some desserts will be safe at table service restaurants.

 

[OKW Lover]

They have more merchandise than is in the display cases. When asking for an item, preface it with "I'm allergic to nuts" and then ask the CM for one of the item that hasn't been in contact (or near) those with nuts. Disney does a great job of accommodating those with food allergies.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I have a peanut/nut allergy and while generally cross contamination hasn't been an issue, I prefer to be safe. I usually ask for a new item to be brought from the back, explaining my allergy. Most times they are able to accommodate unless they don't have more of the item I'm asking for. Also, I always ask them to use fresh tongs/serving utensils to be on the safe side.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was befuddled on how the two parks are polar opposites in their preparatoin. I even went back and found pics from our previous visits to DL where one side of the case was nuts and the opposite was without.

Many people here have said that with an allergy you talk to them and they get something from the back.

The stuff in the case is simple choice for non allergic consumers; not the allergy stuff.

Disneyland is smaller. They don't have the same sort of space to keep items in the back, so they have it more separate than wdw does (from your experience; I haven't noticed it, but then most of the case items are not ok for ds because of either corn syrup or gelatin, and the allergy items are generally corn syrup filled as well (tofutti,darn you)).

Also, someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that sometimes when you order something from the case at the bakery, they actually pull it from the back to give it to you and not directly from the case.

That's what I've read over the years.

Imo wdw does it better because they have the space to properly separate things. Assuming Disneyland does it better because they have the case kore separated isn't necessarily seeing or understanding the full story or Wdw's full capabilities.

 

[bryanb]

Even if they pull something from the back, please keep in mind that unless a facility is specifically set up with procedures and equipment to be allergen-free, there is some risk of cross-contamination.

A truly nut-free process means that every employee is 100% aware at all times of contamination. For example, if they grab an item that might have come in contact with nuts, they must stop and decontaminate their hands/utensils/etc before moving on to the next task. Every single time. Everyone needs to be aware of when they must stop and change their apron/uniform. Or let an oven cool down and be deeply cleaned before baking nut-free products. Not every facility can handle this intense focus and reduction in productivity.