How is Universal with Food Allergies?

[mycutiepatooties]

We are going to Universal, FL soon and have an 8 yr. old daughter with severe food allergies to wheat, eggs, tree nuts. We are staying at the Royal Pacific and will be doing 3 days in the parks plus 1 day at Sea World. We plan to eat at Mythos at least once. We will most likely have to do some counter service places---any recommendations on these? Can I see ingredient lists at a counter service place? She would most likely get a fruit cup and all beef hamburger patty without a bun/plain but I need to know they would be able to tell me ingredients and not cross contaminate. Disney has always been superb, but this is our first Universal trip so I don't know what to expect. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips for me?

 

[macraven]

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2681315

read thru the thread for suggestions.
also on that first page, this info is listed:


Restricted Diet information: For extra help call Chef Bob at 321-388-2123 or Universal Guest Services at 407-224-4233, choose option 2


suggest you contact the Chef for the info you need for your child's dietary needs.

 

[Ninnygunk]

I just saw this post after I submitted a post with the same question! My son has a nut allergy & we have to be super cautious. I'm not sure that we'll be making reservations - going with a group that likes to go-with-the-flow this year. I may try to call the number given in the previous reply to see what info they can give me. Thanks!

 

[Metro West]

I just saw this post after I submitted a post with the same question! My son has a nut allergy & we have to be super cautious. I'm not sure that we'll be making reservations - going with a group that likes to go-with-the-flow this year. I may try to call the number given in the previous reply to see what info they can give me. Thanks!

Since this is the older thread on this subject, I'll delete the other thread you started.

 

[Ann Z]

I asked about food allergies (peanut/tree nut) when I called the main reservation line and she referred me to the website and as I pulled up section she directed me to, we realized there was nothing specific about ingredients on the Universal website. At that point, she said "the chef will come out and speak to you and that they can make something special for you if necessary." When I asked whether that was just sit-down dining or for counter serve, she did say it included counter service . . . (personally, I find that hard to believe for counter service)

I'll watch this thread and be curious what you find out from calling Chef Bob. For now, I'm planning to bring some snacks into the park to supplement whatever we buy at the park. I did notice the rules/regs on bringing food into park are relaxed for those with special diets.

 

[macraven]

from past threads, other posters have said they were advised about the food alleregies for the counter service places also.

 

[Ann Z]

It sounds like Universal counter service is better equipped to answer questions than an ave restaurant, I'm just questioning a counter service restaurant's ability to "make something special for you" as the phone operator said. After a few questions, those of us with food allergies can detect whether someone is genuinely knowledgable about food safety or trying to be friendly and accommodating (even when they don't know the specifics like this customer service rep ; )

 

[damo]

It sounds like Universal counter service is better equipped to answer questions than an ave restaurant, I'm just questioning a counter service restaurant's ability to "make something special for you" as the phone operator said. After a few questions, those of us with food allergies can detect whether someone is genuinely knowledgable about food safety or trying to be friendly and accommodating (even when they don't know the specifics like this customer service rep ; )

There are some counter service places that are more involved than others. For example, Three Broomsticks is a counter service restaurant but has a full kitchen.

 

[Chelley00]

I had a miserable experience at Universal in October. Even though I called, I was told any counter service place would have something I could eat which was totally not the case. I told one counter service I was allergic to eggs, yet they served me coleslaw with dressing made from eggs. Another place we went to had nothing I could eat. Make sure to pack snacks just in case.

SeaWorld was AMAZING.

I have reviews linked below if you are interested.

 

[hpriamson]

We were at both parks in October 2011. My youngest daughter is allergic to all nuts & sesame seeds, and my wife is crazy paranoid about it. I don't remember the details, but we didn't have any issues with counter service food, so they must have had allergen information readily available for her. Our only sit down meal was at Pastamore, and the chef came out & talked to us, to confirm that all foods at the kid's buffet was nut & sesame seed free.

 

[schumigirl]

but we didn't have any issues with counter service food, so they must have had allergen information readily available for her.

That`s really good to hear.

We have friends who have just come back from their 3 week trip where 1 week was spent at HRH, and one of their children has similar allergies to your daughter.

They were delighted with the advice they were given at US/IOA, both at sit down and counter services places.

The staff were very informed and where they were unsure they had the chef come out and speak to my friends, they said nothing was too much trouble.

Their experience was certainly positive.

 

[Kidgoingon40]

Hi, my husband was diagnosed with a severe shellfish allergy since our last trip. I am not so concerned about eating at counter service with this allergy (I don't think any of the counter service we are interested in even have shellfish on the menu). We are interested in some sit down restaurants - Hard Rock, the Kitchen, and Mythos. Has anybody with an allergy had experiences at eating at these restaurants? We are very concerned about cross contamination (when we discovered his allergy this summer, after testing, it is believed he reacted to cross contamination - he went into anaphylaxis and we had to go to the hospital by ambulance - very scary!!!). I know the routine is to talk to the chef about the allergy, but I was just curious about actual experiences. We just don't want to feel nervous about eating out (of course will have epipen and benedryl). Thanks!