Milk Allergy and Buffets

[crusoe2]

Our DD's friend is joining us on our next trip and we just found out that she is allergic to diary products. I have noted her allergy on the dining reservations I've made since we found out and those are for restaurants where you order off a menu. So I assume we can mention it to the wait staff when we order and they will help to make sure her food is prepared without dairy or with appropriate substitutes. However, we had already made an ADR for the Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood and Vine before we knew about this. I plan to call and have it noted on our dining reservation. But can anyone tell me how they handle something like this at a buffet? We wouldn't expect food prepared just for her but some guidance as to what is in the dishes offered on the buffet maybe? Her reaction is pretty severe - she could end up being sick for a couple days - so we want to be really careful.

 

[Dis703]

Our DD's friend is joining us on our next trip and we just found out that she is allergic to diary products. I have noted her allergy on the dining reservations I've made since we found out and those are for restaurants where you order off a menu. So I assume we can mention it to the wait staff when we order and they will help to make sure her food is prepared without dairy or with appropriate substitutes. However, we had already made an ADR for the Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood and Vine before we knew about this. I plan to call and have it noted on our dining reservation. But can anyone tell me how they handle something like this at a buffet? We wouldn't expect food prepared just for her but some guidance as to what is in the dishes offered on the buffet maybe? Her reaction is pretty severe - she could end up being sick for a couple days - so we want to be really careful.

If her reaction is that severe I would ask them to prepare her foods in the back. Our kids have severe allergies so they do this for us at every buffet. We just can't risk the cross contamination. Otherwise, they will walk you through the buffet and show you what she can and can't have.

 

[crusoe2]

Oh wow - I had no idea that was an option. And I hadn't even thought about a non-dairy dish being contaminated by another dish. And yes, from what I understand she would be pretty sick until the dairy works it way out of her system. She can't tolerate cheese, sour cream, cream cheese or even milk chocolate or buttercream frosting. She is very good about making sure that she orders food without dairy because we've taken her out to eat and didn't even realize she had an allergy. But a buffet is a bit more of a challenge. Thank you so much for the tip about having her food prepared separately.

 

[SunnieRN]

My daughter is allergic to eggs, severely and slightly to dairy. My grandmunchkin is allergic to peanuts, oats, tuna and peas. when we go to any restaurant at Disney, a chef will come to the table to help them order, or walk them through the buffet line. They have offered specially made dishes, if there is not enough they can enjoy on the buffet.

 

[cmph]

Like Dis703, I wouldn't recommend eating from the buffet in the case of severe allergies, b/c of cross-contamination - not on the fault of the chefs, but just from everyone else loading plates. No one can control that. They are really, really good about making up plates in the kitchen after taking you through the buffet to see which items you want, and it doesn't take long at all. The server or chef will come back out and see if the allergic person wants seconds, and will bring desserts later on too if this is not breakfast. Only less-accommodating chef we've encountered was at Boma, but otherwise they're all very willing to come talk to you and bring you safe food. Four parks visits post-celiac diagnosis for DH, so far no reactions. He is very sensitive, so we don't take chances that could ruin a vacation.

 

[Nancyg56]

Make sure you let your server know and the Chef will assist. My DGD was allergic to dairy and eggs, so her choices at Bufets were somewhat limited. The Chef at CMC actually took my DSIL around to show him what was safe for her.

I would say that Disney Chefs will make sure you know what may be contaminated and what is safe.

 

[Meriweather]

DGD has a dairy allergy and the chef walked me around the buffet.
He also went in the back and made her special pancakes.....much appreciated and she loved them.

 

[CynBeth]

Like Dis703, I wouldn't recommend eating from the buffet in the case of severe allergies, b/c of cross-contamination - not on the fault of the chefs, but just from everyone else loading plates. No one can control that. They are really, really good about making up plates in the kitchen after taking you through the buffet to see which items you want, and it doesn't take long at all. The server or chef will come back out and see if the allergic person wants seconds, and will bring desserts later on too if this is not breakfast. Only less-accommodating chef we've encountered was at Boma, but otherwise they're all very willing to come talk to you and bring you safe food. Four parks visits post-celiac diagnosis for DH, so far no reactions. He is very sensitive, so we don't take chances that could ruin a vacation.

We have had nothing but great experiences at Boma for either breakfast or dinner with allergies. We have eaten breakfast at CP, Trail's End, Chef Mickey's, and Tusker House and the staff was great with the dairy and other allergies that a few members of my family have. We even did the dinner show SOA and they were great there as well.

 

[cmph]

We have had nothing but great experiences at Boma for either breakfast or dinner with allergies. We have eaten breakfast at CP, Trail's End, Chef Mickey's, and Tusker House and the staff was great with the dairy and other allergies that a few members of my family have. We even did the dinner show SOA and they were great there as well.

Glad you had a better experience at Boma than DH did. Our visit was a little over 2 years ago, and we haven't been back b/c we were nervous after that. It was very busy, didn't get seated until 45min past our reservation time. And the chef just flat out refused to make up a plate in the back. Just would not. Only time that's ever happened in WDW or DLR. Every other time, we haven't even had to ask, it was just offered. By then it was so late and everyone was starving, so he just stuck to the one section that had only safe items for him (where they carve meat), and we crossed fingers that no patrons were filling up pasta/bread/etc from a different section before heading over to that section with their plates. Consequently he didn't get much variety, and the entire dessert and apps/salads areas were off limits (crackers and breads for the dips, etc there). Anywhere else, they've brought him desserts without prompting, and the chef knew darned well that he wasn't going to be able to help himself from the stuff in those areas. Like I said, it was weird b/c it was unlike every other parks/resort buffet we've been to. But now I won't write it off for future trips, knowing we may have caught Boma on a bad day!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Glad you had a better experience at Boma than DH did. Our visit was a little over 2 years ago, and we haven't been back b/c we were nervous after that. It was very busy, didn't get seated until 45min past our reservation time. And the chef just flat out refused to make up a plate in the back. Just would not. Only time that's ever happened in WDW or DLR. Every other time, we haven't even had to ask, it was just offered. By then it was so late and everyone was starving, so he just stuck to the one section that had only safe items for him (where they carve meat), and we crossed fingers that no patrons were filling up pasta/bread/etc from a different section before heading over to that section with their plates. Consequently he didn't get much variety, and the entire dessert and apps/salads areas were off limits (crackers and breads for the dips, etc there). Anywhere else, they've brought him desserts without prompting, and the chef knew darned well that he wasn't going to be able to help himself from the stuff in those areas. Like I said, it was weird b/c it was unlike every other parks/resort buffet we've been to. But now I won't write it off for future trips, knowing we may have caught Boma on a bad day!

not saying this is reason but with allergies make sure not to have late ressies as end of night clean up starts early in kitchen and they might not be able to make as much. I base this on how it is where I work in a small park

 

[cmph]

not saying this is reason but with allergies make sure not to have late ressies as end of night clean up starts early in kitchen and they might not be able to make as much. I base this on how it is where I work in a small park

That makes sense. But in our case, it was a 6:30pm reservation timed for AK park close, so I think we just got an uncooperative chef.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Our DD's friend is joining us on our next trip and we just found out that she is allergic to diary products. I have noted her allergy on the dining reservations I've made since we found out and those are for restaurants where you order off a menu. So I assume we can mention it to the wait staff when we order and they will help to make sure her food is prepared without dairy or with appropriate substitutes. However, we had already made an ADR for the Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood and Vine before we knew about this. I plan to call and have it noted on our dining reservation. But can anyone tell me how they handle something like this at a buffet? We wouldn't expect food prepared just for her but some guidance as to what is in the dishes offered on the buffet maybe? Her reaction is pretty severe - she could end up being sick for a couple days - so we want to be really careful.

I second what others posters have said, request to have food made in back. Sometimes people take a spoon from the eggs that may have butter and contaminate a non dairy item, leaving your friend to have a reaction. We have had some great chefs do this for us (chef mickey's, cape may cafe, 1900 pf, tusker house) my daughter is allergic to all nuts

 

[crusoe2]

Thank you all so much. We've been very fortunate that no one in our family has food allergies so we've never had to think about this before. I feel much better about handling this now.