Is there a way to get allergy free list of food ahead of time

GoofyG

DIS Veteran
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Jan 20, 2007
Messages
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Last time we went to disney my kids were just gluten free. Now I have one with multiple food allergies and all the kids are dairy free too. Is there a way to kind of have an idea if any of the food will be ok for one of my kids. last time the GF buns still had egg in it so it's a no for 1 of my kids.

DD1: GF, Lactose
DD2: GF, Dairy, Egg and High Shellfish allergy
DS:GF, Dairy
 
Email specialdiets@disneyworld.com. A few weeks out. Asking early is not as helpful, the list is generated by what the chefs order to help you know where you are likely to find a product. We find that table service is easy with allergies and counter service is hit or miss.
 

Not to be too picky but those links are dated last September. This means that maybe a chef ordered something Sept 1, 2013 and it is listed but it's possible they haven't stocked that item in months and outdated lists could cause a lot of running around.
The pdf is generated about once a month and is based off of current orders. The order generates the list, not the other way around- so the only way to know what to expect is to ask for the most recent document. It can make a big difference and eliminate a lot of stress especially when you need to cross reference them to find the one thing a person with multiple allergies can have.
 
The other thing to note is that the lists you can get from Special Diets are only lists of foods provided specifically for people with food allergies. They do not include items that are normally free of the relevant allergens. They're still good because it means you'll have an idea of where you're likely to have the most luck, but they are not all-inclusive.
 
I will contact them closer to our travel date. I just wanted an idea of where would be the best option to eat. Also know if its a yes or no to certain foods. I've only found 1 kind of GF bread that doesn't have egg whites in it.
 
Those lists posted above (making sure you have recent ones) will tell you what brands of GF breads they stock. That should help you determine if those are egg-free brands. I think your egg-free child is going to have a hard time finding bread and you should prepare them to eat their things "bunless". We have trouble finding safe bread for my egg allergic child (also dairy and nuts)and we aren't even GF. You might consider bringing your own if it's important to the child.

As I plan our trips, I look at the menu for every restaurant we're planning on going to and figure out what I'm pretty sure my DS will be able to get and enjoy, but it's not based on actual ingredient lists which are hard to get from Special Diets. For example, ribs and chicken with a side of fruit and maybe fries at Flame Tree Barbeque. Steak or Grilled Salmon with fries at Le Cellier. Then I make sure I know where at each park I can get the top 8 free chicken tenders in case my plans fall through.
 
I will contact them closer to our travel date. I just wanted an idea of where would be the best option to eat. Also know if its a yes or no to certain foods. I've only found 1 kind of GF bread that doesn't have egg whites in it.

What do your kids like to eat? What kind of restaurants are you planning on trying? Table Service? Only Quick Service? A mix? We might be able to give you ideas. My allergic DS is a big meat eater so we seek out places that are meat centered, BBQ, steakhouses, etc...
 
I will contact them closer to our travel date. I just wanted an idea of where would be the best option to eat. Also know if its a yes or no to certain foods. I've only found 1 kind of GF bread that doesn't have egg whites in it.

In August we spent 2 weeks eating all over the place. The only place I can recall DS having bread (because of gluten/egg) was a roll at Coral Reef. His typical meal was a piece of meat or fish pan fried with steamed veggies or rice, then rice dream for dessert- sometimes with chocolate syrup or sprinkles. Every TS can do that. We have what I understand is an uncommon issue that we go to a counter service, wait for the manager, list his allergens and ask for options then are told they can't help us. It has always been something in the wheat,egg, shellfish triangle that has caused the issue. We have found our days more pleasant if we count on table service to feed us because of it. CS is really set up to deal with either a wheat allergy, or an egg allergy, or a dairy allergy, etc. but not to deal with all of them at the same time. You may notice that while cross referencing those lists. Life would be easier if my DS would just eat a salad.
 
I agree with the others about contacting special diets for an updated list. That's what I do. My child is wheat/peanut/tree nut free, and I just cross reference the lists. But these lists are just what they have that's definitely allergy free - in other words, there might be foods that are safe, but like others have said, they might not. So for CS, we choose places we know based on the lists where we have a known meal available, like the allergy free chicken strips. For table service, we end up doing a lot of buffets, but we are usually able to order him a main dish out of the kitchen, too.
 
we are leaving for Disney on 2/18. I contacted special diets and they sent me the lists we need for my son (with 18 food allergies :sad2:). but each list is separate- no cross referencing or a chart that points out multiple allergies. so I took the most restrictive list they sent me- the 3 pages for a corn allergy (vs. 12 for a gluten allergy) and cross referenced it myself with gluten, soy, egg, shellfish, etc..... the problem is, the already small list got even smaller. so I've been speaking to each chef and they are going to have to bring food onsite for my son. there's no way around it.

also, all the lists I just received are dated September, 2013. so these lists are the most up to date ones they have.

good luck.....
 
In August we spent 2 weeks eating all over the place. The only place I can recall DS having bread (because of gluten/egg) was a roll at Coral Reef. His typical meal was a piece of meat or fish pan fried with steamed veggies or rice, then rice dream for dessert- sometimes with chocolate syrup or sprinkles. Every TS can do that. We have what I understand is an uncommon issue that we go to a counter service, wait for the manager, list his allergens and ask for options then are told they can't help us. It has always been something in the wheat,egg, shellfish triangle that has caused the issue. We have found our days more pleasant if we count on table service to feed us because of it. CS is really set up to deal with either a wheat allergy, or an egg allergy, or a dairy allergy, etc. but not to deal with all of them at the same time. You may notice that while cross referencing those lists. Life would be easier if my DS would just eat a salad.

It still shocks me that you've had this experience in multiple locations. We've never been turned away with our laundry lists of allergies. We don't have shellfish in our list though so maybe that's the difference? For the most part I do know already which places have which types of safe foods so I do limit our CS meals to those locations so maybe that makes a difference.

I thought the GNI buns were egg free? My egg free child can't eat them because of other allergens so I haven't followed up to be sure but I could have sworn that pictures I saw posted online of the packages said egg free.
 
I thought the GNI buns were egg free? My egg free child can't eat them because of other allergens so I haven't followed up to be sure but I could have sworn that pictures I saw posted online of the packages said egg free.

You know, I think you may be right. I may have never looked closely enough because DS is content going bunless, not a fan of some GF stuff since he's not used to it, and I'd heard a fuss about all the new GF brands containing eggs. The GNI website shows that there regular GF hotdog bun contains egg whites, but they also carry an "Allergy Free Hot Dog Bun" that does not contain egg. It wouldn't surprise me if it's the "Allergy Free" line that Disney carries, but you should confirm. Special Diets should be able to answer that question for you.
 
My DD is a pretty good eater. She will eat grilled Chicken if she has too. She doesn't eat fish, we stay away from anything like that. Her shellfish allergy was a surprise and we were grateful she never had a severe reaction when we found out she had it. (she was still eating shrimp) But last time we were there we ate at the park for lunch and dinner. We do have some character meals planned again. My son is the kid that will only eat hamburgers, so I have to make sure there is GF buns.
 
It still shocks me that you've had this experience in multiple locations. We've never been turned away with our laundry lists of allergies. We don't have shellfish in our list though so maybe that's the difference? For the most part I do know already which places have which types of safe foods so I do limit our CS meals to those locations so maybe that makes a difference.

I thought the GNI buns were egg free? My egg free child can't eat them because of other allergens so I haven't followed up to be sure but I could have sworn that pictures I saw posted online of the packages said egg free.

I know, it annoys me that it seems to only be us. As a couple my husband and I have really strange luck such that things that go well are amazing but things that go poorly are a huge disaster... So either we show up, ask for suggestions and they offer the world, or same setup and they act like we are nuts to expect food. :confused3 It crosses so many arenas of our lives that when it's not good we just pick up and try the next place without a second thought. With the exception of Columbia Harbor House a single time, the places that turned us away were the ones we went to that weren't "the one" safe place per park we've learned to rely on.

I know I've read people say some of the buns are egg safe but didn't encounter them. DS doesn't ask for burgers and I avoid hot dogs that aren't what he is used to.
 
We just returned from WDW earlier this month, and we visited in January and March of 2013. I know things change, but here are our experiences (I am gluten-free and vegan (no animal products or meat), and DD is allergic to tree nuts, coconut, and shellfish).

Ohana at the Polynesian was able to accommodate us for breakfast and dinner. We had to wait a very long time for our food (even though our needs were marked on our reservation) and it was WAY too much food, but it was really good and plentiful. They customized our whole meal, and it was fantastic. I posted photos a long time ago in the vegan and vegetarian thread in the Dining forum (you might check there, as a lot of us are vegan and we share our experiences in dairy-free and egg-free dining). We had bread, appetizers, I had a huge salad, a giant, gorgeous, delicious stir fry, and a sundae with DF ice cream and Enjoy Life cookies and chocolate sauce. My kids still talk about that sundae and how good it was (I had to share because I could really only take one bite- I was SO FULL!!!).

Kouzzina on the Boardwalk was fantastic, too. They understand allergies, and they take very good care of you. No one will leave hungry.

Babycakes NYC (in Downtown Disney) has vegan and gluten-free cookies, doughnuts, and cupcakes. The cupcake frosting is gross, but the baked goodies are great! They also have small servings of Babycakes in some resort food courts and in the allergy stand at Animal Kingdom.

Teppan Edo in Epcot is great. They will prepare your meal first, on a clean grill, or in the back on a separate pan.

Cosmic Ray's in MK is one of the only counter service places where I have had a good experience. They have GF/EF buns, a GF fryer, and will use a green tray to signify a food allergy so no one "accidentally" dumps cheese all over your dairy free food like they did at the Mexican counter service in Epcot.

You can look at the menus on Allears to scope out possible food choices before you travel, but remember you will still have to ask questions once you arrive.

And do check out the vegetarian/vegan discussion in the Dining forum. We have a lot of people avoiding egg, shellfish, gluten, dairy... many with allergies too. It is a great source of info!
 














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