Magic Kingdom Bigtop- peanuts in walkways and allergies

[fbb]

SO many kids we know have severe peanut allergies, they can't even be in the same room as a peanut without literally dying.

Thank goodness all of these kids were tested and found out about their deathly allergy before they ever encountered a peanut.

 

[FigNewton]

This thread is full of misinformation and lies. Everything at Disney is real.

 

[Sparkly]

No offense, but I sense this board was created to get a rise, because there's no way this is real.

 

[wdw71]

I just can't help but shake my head at this post. Seriously?????

I know... My first thought was I wonder if Pete has seen this post. Rant Rant Rant

 

[Allison]

No offense, but I sense this board was created to get a rise, because there's no way this is real.

You must have missed a thread from several months ago. A few people were absolutely serious.

 

[CentralFloridian99]

Thankfully they aren't real. I'm allergic to peanuts too but Disney would probably never do that.

 

[thedonduck]

This thread is full of misinformation and lies. Everything at Disney is real.

Note to self....don't let allergic child like ground near dumbo!!! ;-)

 

[amyemann]

Common sense is becoming a lost art!

 

[Just_Trish]

As a parent of a child with severe allergies to both peanuts and shellfish, you just have to learn to relax a little bit. I even managed to get her to age 19 without her dying from her food allergies!

1. You carry your Epi-Pen at all times and actually know how to use it.
2. Ask about ingredients before you eat somewhere new.
3. Don't be afraid of everything because you and your child with both end up in therapy!

PS: the fake peanuts in Fantasyland don't bother us at all.....and neither does Sebastian even though crab literally closes her throat up in a second!

 

[keri125]

I know... My first thought was I wonder if Pete has seen this post. Rant Rant Rant

Me too!!! LOL!!

 

[leighi123]

How could a child who would literally die being in the same room as a peanut even be able to go to Disney? How could they go anywhere?

Its very difficult, but it is possible. For example, when flying, he flies an airline that doesn't serve nuts, the airline is informed of the allergy in advance. Everyone in the 6 rows ahead and behind the child is contacted to make them aware of the allergy, the parents are allowed to board early and wipe down the child's seat and surrounding areas, and finally seat covers are provided for the entire row of seats. Its doable, but obviously a big pain in the butt and flying is limited to select events (in this case, a funeral of a family member).

Just because someone has a disability doesn't mean they should be excluded. Proper precautions must be taken, thats all.

At Disney, said child rides in a wheelchair, not because he has any issue walking, but because it provides a barrier between the child and seats/the ground, touching railings, etc.

I just can't help but shake my head at this post. Seriously?????

Obviously you don't understand the seriousness of allergies. I know it was hard for me to wrap my head around before I had an allergic child, its insane to think that a pb&j sandwich could kill someone, and no one thinks twice. But when you have a kid who suffers from allergies, it becomes a daily challenge that you have to deal with. It really really sucks but you just have to deal with it. Its not fair for you to judge if you don't understand what its really like.

Sorry, but this was ridiculous from the get go. A parent who has a child with a severe allergy should make some effort to educate herself. Really, who would actually think that real peanuts would be embedded in pavement that would see thousands of people walking over them daily? And who really thinks there is any reason to 'freak out' over fake peanuts? A small degree of common sense and reasoning goes a long way.

Overreacting is doing a disservice to both the parent and the child. Doing some serious reading and then educating herself and her child in a responsible way would seem a much more productive avenue to pursue.

Um yes, thats why I posted the question, trying to find an answer!

And why couldn't real peanuts be embedded? I've been to places where real nuts were embedded into the floor. Its entirely possible, which is why I asked in the first place. "Common sense" - I'm going off previous experience, and you can't assume anything when you have an allergic child, assume and you could up assuming incorrectly, which could be deadly.

Overreacting is sometimes necessary, better to be safe than sorry. And again, the reason I asked the question, on a Disney forum, was to get an answer to my question. You are telling me to research, when that is exactly what I was doing in the first place!

Thank goodness all of these kids were tested and found out about their deathly allergy before they ever encountered a peanut.

Peanut allergies, like many allergies are discovered when a child has a small reaction to them. Subsequent reactions are worse, and get worse with each exposure. So a child may have wheezing or hives or even just a small rash with the first exposure, and severe breathing problems with the next, and die with the third. When a child has a small reaction they are tested and appropriate actions are taken. Kids rarely go from zero reaction to death, there is some in-between. So yes, you are correct in that many kids get tested before the severity of their food allergies are fully realized by exposures.

No offense, but I sense this board was created to get a rise, because there's no way this is real.

I asked the question because I saw an article that said "sidewalks embedded with peanuts", and my kid and 2 of his close friends are allergic (my son is not deathly allergic, but both of his friends are). The article did not mention that they were fake. Yes, because there are a lot of fake things at Disney, I could have assumed, but I could have been wrong. Its important to ask rather than make the wrong choice!

Food allergies are VERY real and I don't understand why its a problem to ask a question in order to keep some kids safe.







I think there was some misunderstanding when I said that even the fake ones make me nervous.
My son's friend "I", is very aware of his allergy (he is 7yrs old), and if he sees someone eating something that might have nuts (sandwich, bag of nuts, etc), he pulls his shirt up over his face to breath through, holds his breath and turns away or moves away until they are out of range. If this child were to walk over to an area of Disney and see nuts embedded in the floor, he would do the same. He knows what its like when he is exposed (he can't breath), and that is a VERY scary thing for anyone. So even if they are fake, the sight of something that looks exactly the same as something that will KILL him is very scary. And his mother has the same reaction looking at something that will kill her son.

Its also not exactly fear, more like worry, precaution, etc. I'm not sure exactly how to word it.

Its really really hard to explain to people who don't have to deal with this kind of thing on a daily basis.


These kids want to enjoy Disney too! Its a lot of wiping everything on every attraction, bringing towels to sit on, washing hands, sitting out of the way to eat food we bring ourselves and staying away from eating areas, making sure they don't get close to other kids while sitting at the parade, keeping an eye out for dropped food that could be dangerous, etc. Its exhausting! But for a once in a while special family vacation, its worth it so the kids can experience something all of YOUR kids want to enjoy as well, it just takes a lot more work than with a kid without those allergies.

 

[disfan07]

And this is why I think so many people think that parents of kids with food allergy kids go to far with expectations....

I'm sorry, but its ridiculous to be afraid of fake peanuts. And it's EXTREMELY rare for someone to be so allergic that just being in the same room with peanuts could kill them. And if that was the case, I have this feeling they probably wouldn't be anywhere near WDW at all...there are PB and J sandwiches and you have no idea how many times I have been around someone eating peanuts in lone (I don't have to see them....I cans melt them from a mile away...lol).

If you are that afraid, your kid is probably picking up on the fear and that is NOT good!

Believe me, I get the fear. I do. I have 4 allergies that we know are anaphylaxis and about 8 others that range in severity.

But what you need to be doing is teaching your child what to avoid and how to deal with his allergies. My 3 year olds at the preschool I worked at who had allergies could tell us exactly what they couldn't have and if someone tried to give them something they were allergic to, they knew to say no.

 

[disfan07]

Its very difficult, but it is possible. For example, when flying, he flies an airline that doesn't serve nuts, the airline is informed of the allergy in advance. Everyone in the 6 rows ahead and behind the child is contacted to make them aware of the allergy, the parents are allowed to board early and wipe down the child's seat and surrounding areas, and finally seat covers are provided for the entire row of seats. Its doable, but obviously a big pain in the butt and flying is limited to select events (in this case, a funeral of a family member).

Just because someone has a disability doesn't mean they should be excluded. Proper precautions must be taken, thats all.

At Disney, said child rides in a wheelchair, not because he has any issue walking, but because it provides a barrier between the child and seats/the ground, touching railings, etc.



Obviously you don't understand the seriousness of allergies. I know it was hard for me to wrap my head around before I had an allergic child, its insane to think that a pb&j sandwich could kill someone, and no one thinks twice. But when you have a kid who suffers from allergies, it becomes a daily challenge that you have to deal with. It really really sucks but you just have to deal with it. Its not fair for you to judge if you don't understand what its really like.



Um yes, thats why I posted the question, trying to find an answer!

And why couldn't real peanuts be embedded? I've been to places where real nuts were embedded into the floor. Its entirely possible, which is why I asked in the first place. "Common sense" - I'm going off previous experience, and you can't assume anything when you have an allergic child, assume and you could up assuming incorrectly, which could be deadly.

Overreacting is sometimes necessary, better to be safe than sorry. And again, the reason I asked the question, on a Disney forum, was to get an answer to my question. You are telling me to research, when that is exactly what I was doing in the first place!



Peanut allergies, like many allergies are discovered when a child has a small reaction to them. Subsequent reactions are worse, and get worse with each exposure. So a child may have wheezing or hives or even just a small rash with the first exposure, and severe breathing problems with the next, and die with the third. When a child has a small reaction they are tested and appropriate actions are taken. Kids rarely go from zero reaction to death, there is some in-between. So yes, you are correct in that many kids get tested before the severity of their food allergies are fully realized by exposures.



I asked the question because I saw an article that said "sidewalks embedded with peanuts", and my kid and 2 of his close friends are allergic (my son is not deathly allergic, but both of his friends are). The article did not mention that they were fake. Yes, because there are a lot of fake things at Disney, I could have assumed, but I could have been wrong. Its important to ask rather than make the wrong choice!

Food allergies are VERY real and I don't understand why its a problem to ask a question in order to keep some kids safe.







I think there was some misunderstanding when I said that even the fake ones make me nervous.
My son's friend "I", is very aware of his allergy (he is 7yrs old), and if he sees someone eating something that might have nuts (sandwich, bag of nuts, etc), he pulls his shirt up over his face to breath through, holds his breath and turns away or moves away until they are out of range. If this child were to walk over to an area of Disney and see nuts embedded in the floor, he would do the same. He knows what its like when he is exposed (he can't breath), and that is a VERY scary thing for anyone. So even if they are fake, the sight of something that looks exactly the same as something that will KILL him is very scary. And his mother has the same reaction looking at something that will kill her son.

Its also not exactly fear, more like worry, precaution, etc. I'm not sure exactly how to word it.

Its really really hard to explain to people who don't have to deal with this kind of thing on a daily basis.


These kids want to enjoy Disney too! Its a lot of wiping everything on every attraction, bringing towels to sit on, washing hands, sitting out of the way to eat food we bring ourselves and staying away from eating areas, making sure they don't get close to other kids while sitting at the parade, keeping an eye out for dropped food that could be dangerous, etc. Its exhausting! But for a once in a while special family vacation, its worth it so the kids can experience something all of YOUR kids want to enjoy as well, it just takes a lot more work than with a kid without those allergies.

I am deathly allergic to peanuts. I have had 2 anaphylaxis reactions over the past few years from accidental exposure and cross contamination. But besides wiping down the tables and my hands before eating, I've never taken any other precautions and my allergist has never advised me to take any other precautions. I ate all week at Disney very safely (except for one incident...not their fault...it was my fault). I went on all the rides and never wiped down anything, etc

And I do the plane thing as well. But I only fly on airlines that don't serve peanuts at all. According to my allergist, she wants me to avoid airlines that only do what you mentioned (6 rows peanut free, etc). So I only fly southwest, jet blue and virgin America. I've reacted once on the plane and we guess it was because i did not wipe down the tray table or my hands properly before eating. Believe me....nothing puts more fear into you than using an epi while flying. But I still go on and live my life.

So this is to say that I completely understand allergies. My life depends on me being careful....and I am. But I also refuse to let my allergies control my life and cause me to fear every little thing.

And the reaction to smelling or seeing peanuts that you are talking about is fear and panic.

 

[Jennasis]

Real nuts couldn't be embedded in the ground because they would ROT and disintegrate. Full stop.

If the site of fake peanuts is going to be distressing to a child, then the parent has failed to explain to them the difference between real and fake. A real shark can kill you...but kids seemed to understand that the one in the JAWS ride was fake. A real gun can kill you...but kids grasp that the cannon fire and gun fire in PIRATES is fake.

If a child were to have a reaction to these fake nuts it would be a panic attack, not an allergic one. I have panic attacks when i see the witch from Snow White...should Disney stop using her likeness because of me and others who have a genuine fear of her and an actual physical reaction from just seeing her?

 

[leighi123]

And this is why I think so many people think that parents of kids with food allergy kids go to far with expectations....

All I expect is that I can be informed so that I can make choices to keep my child safe. That's why I ask questions.

I'm sorry, but its ridiculous to be afraid of fake peanuts. And it's EXTREMELY rare for someone to be so allergic that just being in the same room with peanuts could kill them. Yes that severe of allergies are rare, but they are out there, and more and more people are allergic to things these days. In my small group of friends, there are 2 kids with allergies that severe. We are part of a homeschool group where there are 2 other children with that severe of allergies. We go to a music class and there is a sign outside the door saying someone has those allergies. So they arent THAT rare. And if that was the case, I have this feeling they probably wouldn't be anywhere near WDW at all...there are PB and J sandwiches and you have no idea how many times I have been around someone eating peanuts in lone (I don't have to see them....I cans melt them from a mile away...lol). Again, yes, it is a risk to go to Disney, its also a risk to go to the library or the zoo or to a music class or to the grocery store or to the park or ANYWHERE, but kids can't live in a bubble! And they are fine IF proper precautions take place. Which is why I asked if the peanuts on the floor are real. There are places where there ARE real nuts on the floor, so its a legitimate question

If you are that afraid, your kid is probably picking up on the fear and that is NOT good! The kid should be afraid. They have to be to survive. If they aren't afraid, they take risks, they take risks, and they die. Its not a "ahh a spider I'm so scared" type of afraid, its a "this might kill me so I better ask questions before I go near it" type of afraid. Maybe 'fear' is not the right word, "caution" maybe? like I said before, I'm not sure how to word it, but I think people on this board seem to think its the 'ahh a spider' sort of afraid, which isn't what I mean at all.

Believe me, I get the fear. I do. I have 4 allergies that we know are anaphylaxis and about 8 others that range in severity.

But what you need to be doing is teaching your child what to avoid and how to deal with his allergies. My 3 year olds at the preschool I worked at who had allergies could tell us exactly what they couldn't have and if someone tried to give them something they were allergic to, they knew to say no.

Great that you have 3yr olds that can do that. My son is 5.5 and he can tell people that he is allergic to things as well, but if he is jumping up and down excited about Mickey Mouse he isn't looking at the guy standing next to him eating a peanut butter sandwich - thats my job as a parent, and not something you can rely on a child to 100% remember in all situations.

My son does have reactions sometimes, and sometimes its because he has asked an adult the ingredients of a cracker, and they just say "oh yeah that doesnt have ___ in it" and they haven't really looked, or don't know the alternate words for that item (i.e. milk is called a ton of things other than 'milk', or maybe the adult just doesn't understand why the kid is asking. My kid can be too trusting and not understand himself that adults don't always understand allergies.

And even though he is allergic to things, sometimes he can't resist the temptation to taste one little bit of something. He KNOWS it will make him sick, but he can't always control himself! He is a kid!!!

 

[princessallegra]

Its very difficult, but it is possible. For example, when flying, he flies an airline that doesn't serve nuts, the airline is informed of the allergy in advance. Everyone in the 6 rows ahead and behind the child is contacted to make them aware of the allergy, the parents are allowed to board early and wipe down the child's seat and surrounding areas, and finally seat covers are provided for the entire row of seats. Its doable, but obviously a big pain in the butt and flying is limited to select events (in this case, a funeral of a family member).

Just because someone has a disability doesn't mean they should be excluded. Proper precautions must be taken, thats all.

At Disney, said child rides in a wheelchair, not because he has any issue walking, but because it provides a barrier between the child and seats/the ground, touching railings, etc.

Obviously you don't understand the seriousness of allergies. I know it was hard for me to wrap my head around before I had an allergic child, its insane to think that a pb&j sandwich could kill someone, and no one thinks twice. But when you have a kid who suffers from allergies, it becomes a daily challenge that you have to deal with. It really really sucks but you just have to deal with it. Its not fair for you to judge if you don't understand what its really like.

Um yes, thats why I posted the question, trying to find an answer!

And why couldn't real peanuts be embedded? I've been to places where real nuts were embedded into the floor. Its entirely possible, which is why I asked in the first place. "Common sense" - I'm going off previous experience, and you can't assume anything when you have an allergic child, assume and you could up assuming incorrectly, which could be deadly.

Overreacting is sometimes necessary, better to be safe than sorry. And again, the reason I asked the question, on a Disney forum, was to get an answer to my question. You are telling me to research, when that is exactly what I was doing in the first place!

Peanut allergies, like many allergies are discovered when a child has a small reaction to them. Subsequent reactions are worse, and get worse with each exposure. So a child may have wheezing or hives or even just a small rash with the first exposure, and severe breathing problems with the next, and die with the third. When a child has a small reaction they are tested and appropriate actions are taken. Kids rarely go from zero reaction to death, there is some in-between. So yes, you are correct in that many kids get tested before the severity of their food allergies are fully realized by exposures.

I asked the question because I saw an article that said "sidewalks embedded with peanuts", and my kid and 2 of his close friends are allergic (my son is not deathly allergic, but both of his friends are). The article did not mention that they were fake. Yes, because there are a lot of fake things at Disney, I could have assumed, but I could have been wrong. Its important to ask rather than make the wrong choice!

Food allergies are VERY real and I don't understand why its a problem to ask a question in order to keep some kids safe.

I think there was some misunderstanding when I said that even the fake ones make me nervous.
My son's friend "I", is very aware of his allergy (he is 7yrs old), and if he sees someone eating something that might have nuts (sandwich, bag of nuts, etc), he pulls his shirt up over his face to breath through, holds his breath and turns away or moves away until they are out of range. If this child were to walk over to an area of Disney and see nuts embedded in the floor, he would do the same. He knows what its like when he is exposed (he can't breath), and that is a VERY scary thing for anyone. So even if they are fake, the sight of something that looks exactly the same as something that will KILL him is very scary. And his mother has the same reaction looking at something that will kill her son.

Its also not exactly fear, more like worry, precaution, etc. I'm not sure exactly how to word it.

Its really really hard to explain to people who don't have to deal with this kind of thing on a daily basis.

These kids want to enjoy Disney too! Its a lot of wiping everything on every attraction, bringing towels to sit on, washing hands, sitting out of the way to eat food we bring ourselves and staying away from eating areas, making sure they don't get close to other kids while sitting at the parade, keeping an eye out for dropped food that could be dangerous, etc. Its exhausting! But for a once in a while special family vacation, its worth it so the kids can experience something all of YOUR kids want to enjoy as well, it just takes a lot more work than with a kid without those allergies.

I just wanted to say that I think you're a great mom and friend, and I know you will have a fantastic trip. It is important for you and your friend to find strength and be leaders for these boys while in Disney. Your strength and lack of fear/reaction will lead the way for them to follow that example. You do what you have to do to be safe and enjoy. Be sure though, that you are choosing not to display fear or worry to the boys. Good luck mama!

 

[HippieChickadee]

If they were real (obviously they are not, but IF), would someone really die from walking over them? Out in the open? Fresh air all around them? If you were walking down the street, and someone ahead dropped a peanut, would you have to RUN the other way?

 

[leighi123]

should Disney stop using her likeness because of me and others who have a genuine fear of her and an actual physical reaction from just seeing her?

I never said anything regarding Disney NOT using the fake nuts. I just wanted to know, before I go there, weather or not they are real. Its not going to hurt anyone to have fake nuts there, but I need to know they are fake, so that I don't worry that they will cause a reaction, so that I can explain to the kids that they are fake, etc. I just wanted to know in advance, that is all! Now that I know, I can prepare accordingly. That was my point!


Shakespeare's theater floor is covered with hazelnut shells. They have been there sense Shakespeare's time, and they are not rotten, and they are still there! Its possible, that's why I asked.

 

[leighi123]

If they were real (obviously they are not, but IF), would someone really die from walking over them? Out in the open? Fresh air all around them? If you were walking down the street, and someone ahead dropped a peanut, would you have to RUN the other way?

Yes.

We were at the zoo with my friends son at a play area and someone opened up one of those uncrustible sandwiches. He son didn't see it, didn't know it was there, but was coughing all of a sudden, we couldn't figure out what his issue was at first, took a while before another mom in our group spotted the cause. He was fine, because he wasn't too close to it and his mom gave him his medication and got him out of the area quickly, but it was outside, open air, and he didn't touch anything.


Walking over nuts and cracking them causes particles to come off of them which can be inhaled.

Its crazy isn't it? It is such a huge pain in the butt to deal with, but you do what you have to do to stay safe!

 

[leeg229]

there isn't any real reason to be frightened of the IMAGE of a peanut.

But...but... the image of an angel is itself an angel!

But seriously, I don't think Disney would be able to keep real peanuts intact with the type of abuse they'd take on the ground. Also I think if they considered the idea of using real peanuts it would fail the "is it safe?" test.