No GF Pirate Cruise For You*! *If you have a nut allergy, that is!

[Disney Doll]

I'm over the cruise already, Esmerelda. I'm a Disney veteran and fully aware of other things we can do. Other plans will be made. Please read through the whole thread first. Life does not end over a Pirate Cruise and I don't think I am taking this as hard as some of you think I am.

Quite frankly, I am amazed that you even posted that you were disappointed that Disney wouldn't change the entire cruise for 30 kids to accomodate your child.

My mom would have just said "sorry, you can't go". And that would have been that.

Unfortunately, health issues in children sometimes make activities off limits. But kids are pretty resilient.

 

[disneyandme]

To responsed to an earlier post about way the sudden increase in allergies

One of the things we have been told about the increase in allergies is the increased use of certain foods in processing. For a while, peanuts and tree nuts where used in a lot of processing for flavoring. Peanut oil was used extensively. Therefore, children were exposed much younger and in larger quantities. Now, with less use and better labeling, we hope that severe reactions decrease.

Both of my girls have allergies, though my oldest DD has outgrown most of hers. My younger DD has many.(wheat , eggs, dairy, most veg, most fruits,almost all meats, corn, barley) She has never had any kind os nut-- we are keeping it away from her until she is much older. Her biggest and most difficult to contend with is corn. Corn is in everything. Almost all of the added vitamins are derived from corn. Fresh fuit is sprinkled with a corn product to give it its sheen. Many allergist are concerned that the overuse of corn may be the next wave of horrific allergies like peanuts. (and for those doubters, people do have anaphalatic reactions to corn, just like some do to nuts)

Disney has always been accomodating with us. If they could not be-- as was the case with 1 restaurant, they let us know. We have not been so lucky at other places, restuarants, parties, school, and other friends homes. I can understand the frustration and anger about the GF Cruise. I'd love to see it lunch free.

 

[PrincessLindy]

I agree Disney Doll. That was the point I was trying to make earlier. I know that peanut allergies are very serious. However you know that if they substitute then, they will have to do it all the time. Just like when they did it at BC. Just because they were able to do it one time at BC doesn't mean that he next time GF will be able to do it. Different places, different situations. I feel bad that some children can not go because there are peanuts. Well some children can not go on some of the rides because they get motion sickness. The fact is that there are times that you can not do things because of physical limitations. That is life. Sure someone just gets sick and doesn't die from other allergies but the fact is still they can't eat the item so is Disney suppsed to change the meal for everyone that is allergic to something? That is why they tell you the meal ahead of time so that you can determine if it is something your child can do or not.


I just hope that Disney dosen't get rid of the cruise or take away the lunch because someone complains enough.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I think that a lot of companies use peanuts when making food decisions because they are a relatively cheap commodity. Hopefully, with peanut allergies making press lately, this will decrease.

My brother has a life threatening peanut allergy. He also had a life threatening heart condition, which necessitated a heart valve replacement. He had to fly to another state to have this surgery performed.
He had *huge* troubles finding an airline who would ensure that they did not serve peanuts on the flight.

This is insane.

If my brother had a reaction on the flight, they would not have been able to perform the lifesaving operation. And rebooking that would have been near impossible.

I guess, I'm not surprised to hear that the Pirate Cruise couldn't accomodate you after finding out that virtually no *airline* will accomodate you, even if you are flying out to have an operation, not a vacation. (And he was treated very poorly by one airline and given the run around by several others)

However, it would have been nice for them to offer *something* else to you.
It is my opinion that peanuts should be avoided when making menus for events that have a set item rather than a menu choice. Why choose something that many people could die from ingesting as a set item? It just doesnt make sense. It makes more sense to choose something that is the least allergenic- or at least hypoallergenic to the touch and breathing! For example, if they served something that contained wheat and had an alternative for the wheat allergic child, that would be favorable because the wheat allergic child wouldn't have an allergic reaction just from breathing the air.

 

[cara76]

I'm sorry they couldn't accomadate your DS. We live with this and other allergies everyday. My DS is one of those that couldn't even be on the boat with the cheese sandwiches as he is also anaphlaytic to dairy, with no adult except CM's on board there's too high of a risk of accidental exposure. So I can see where the accomendations can get out of hand. In my opinion, I wouldn't allow DS on one of those cruises if I couldn't be there with him. There are too many kids, and not enough adults trained in using an Epi Pen or allergic reactions.

His contact anaphlayis allergic is peanuts, he's had reactions to trace amounts of residue left over from Peanut Butter. We do ask close friend, family, and playgroups to not have any peanut products around DS. We also carry 2 epis, benadryl, clorox wipes, and antibacterial wet ones with us at all times. I generally wipe down all eating surfaces with the clorox wipes. I also bring in my own stroller and rarely rent a Disney stroller.

Disney is very accomadating but I can see the legal issues this would cause, a cruise of this type is out of my comfort zone and would be for many others. At least they were straight forward with you and that I am greatful for.

Ok switching gears now

Allergies in general are on the rise, there is no reason that they can come up with for it, just a bunch of theories. There is also a 20% chance that our children will outgrow their peanut / nut allergies. I'm not holding my breath but it could happen. He's more likely to outgrow his allergy to milk, eggs, and citrus fruits before he is his peanut allergy.

I'm involved in some really great online support groups for parents of kids with food allergies. If anyone would like the links, you can PM me and I will send them to you.

Hugs to you all!

Cara

 

[ajwomic]

MouseWorshipin,

I don't have it on hand as I have not had to deal with PA in about a year, however I remember reading some of Dr. Hugh Sampson's clinical trials and some info from the Food and Allergy networks national conference to this effect. Mt. Siania Hospital has done extensive research on this as well. I also used to read articals on www.peanutallergy.com so there may be some info on there as well. I also know from experience as I personnally know 3 that have outgrown. My allergist went to a national food allergy conference and she was telling me this as well. Hope this helps!

Alicia

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Quite frankly, I am amazed that you even posted that you were disappointed that Disney wouldn't change the entire cruise for 30 kids to accomodate your child.

My mom would have just said "sorry, you can't go". And that would have been that.

Unfortunately, health issues in children sometimes make activities off limits. But kids are pretty resilient.

Quite frankly, I was willing to just say OK, he can't go. However, once I thought about it, I was bothered by the fact that the "entire cruise" as you say, was changed to accomodate my child once before, so I guess I was surprised when I was told that they wouldn't (not couldn't) substitute the PB & J with something else. If you read earlier posts, you will see that I never asked the BC to do anything, they took the initiative and did it on their own. So why should I not expect to be accomodated at the GF? How obnoxious of me, huh?

I refuse to defend myself any further. This thread is not about my "demands" or my "refusal to accept reality" regarding my child's condition.

I'll say it only once more---there needs to be a consistent policy and it needs to be stated when someone calls WDW to make the ressie for the cruise and it needs to be followed. OR perhaps the policy should be changed and they should reconsider serving food or change the type of food they serve.

I do understand where Disney is coming from and yes, I do appreciate that they are "looking out" for my son. Is that what some of you have been waiting for me to say?

 

[DeeCeeSW]

I agree Disney Doll. That was the point I was trying to make earlier. I know that peanut allergies are very serious. However you know that if they substitute then, they will have to do it all the time. Just like when they did it at BC. Just because they were able to do it one time at BC doesn't mean that he next time GF will be able to do it. Different places, different situations. I feel bad that some children can not go because there are peanuts. Well some children can not go on some of the rides because they get motion sickness. The fact is that there are times that you can not do things because of physical limitations. That is life. Sure someone just gets sick and doesn't die from other allergies but the fact is still they can't eat the item so is Disney suppsed to change the meal for everyone that is allergic to something? That is why they tell you the meal ahead of time so that you can determine if it is something your child can do or not.


I just hope that Disney dosen't get rid of the cruise or take away the lunch because someone complains enough.

Take away the cruise? Now this is getting ridiculous. Yeah, if there can't be peanut butter, I guess it's best if they scrap the whole thing.

 

[maxiesmom]

I understand that you are upset because your child will miss the cruise. But I don't understand the depth of your anger. You are upset because they accomodated you before on a different cruise, but will not now. Why not be greatful that they did accomodate you before and understanding when they can't now? The only way they can guarantee no child will have a food allergy to whatever they serve is to not serve food at all, and your statement that that is what they should do is incredibly selfish. I am sorry that your child will not be able to experience everything in life that you want , but to think that because he has limitations no other child should be able to do the things he cannot is just not right. And unless I misread, the BC cruise did not have food, so you are comparing apples to oranges. Not the same kind of cruise, so no fair comparison can be made.

 

[singingpixie]

[/QUOTE]And unless I misread, the BC cruise did not have food, so you are comparing apples to oranges. Not the same kind of cruise, so no fair comparison can be made.

I think she said that the BC cruise served food, but it was after the cruise itself on land. They did change the food in this instance.

 

[maxiesmom]

But the food was not on the ship. So it is not as likely to have peanut butter squished all over it.

 

[Cass]

Why not be greatful that they did accomodate you before and understanding when they can't now?

Because she wants her little boy to have a GF Pirate Cruise.

Get a grip. It's not about me, it's about him. I cried FOR MY SON not for myself.

Why does he even know about the GF cruise and the problems with it? He wouldn't miss or be disappointed with what he doesn't know about.

 

[JELBoggio]

Because she wants her little boy to have a GF Pirate Cruise.



Why does he even know about the GF cruise and the problems with it? He wouldn't miss or be disappointed with what he doesn't know about.

I am in the same position as the OP. My DS (4) knows about the pirate cruise because I told him about it. The trip is 3 months away now. Maybe some parents surprise their kids with things when they get there, but I tend to tell my kids SOME things beforehand. Once it was booked, I told him because I was excited for him. I'm sure that is what the OP did. Now, you have a child that thinks he is going and gets excited about it. Then, you have to bring the bad news that he's can't go. So, there's bound to be disappointment for the parent as well as the child. Cass, you'd be right if he didn't know beforehand about this trip that there would be nothing to miss or be disappointed about and it would only be the parent that would be upset. But apparently he did know about this.

I just learned about this situtation from the OP, not Disney when I booked it and I did mention my DS's allergy. So now I will have to tell my DS too. I didn't even realize there would be food on the boat. Will he be upset - probably a little. Will he get over it? Definitely. There's lots to do at Disney and I think the OP feels the same way too.

As like any parent, you want to keep your child as safe as possible. It can be frustrating and overwhelming as a parent who has a child with life-threatening allergies or a parent of a child with any disability. It can be hard Cass, so go easy on the OP. This should be a friendly place to vent frustrations, but I know that is not always the case.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I guess you are still not getting the point that exceptions were made on BOTH cruises, where they substituted the PB & J for something else. There needs to be CONSISTENCY--if there IS a policy, then stick to it. Don't randomly giveth then taketh away.

And regarding future posts, thanks, I will skip over them.

Yes, exceptions WERE made on both cruises; however, apparently at some point in the last eighteen months (between when one poster was able to get the GF to substitute something else for everyone on the Pirate Cruise, and when the OP tried), Disney consistently does not change its menu on this feature to accommodate peanut allergies.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I ama first grade teacher. One of my little ones has a severe peanut allergy and I can tell you it is hard! I am only the teacher and I worry. We have put the following rules into effect in my room. When the little one has snack she picks 2 friends to sit with. I check their snacks. If they are not in the original bag or package they are not allowed to sit with her. They have a list Mom gave me of things that are safe and not safe. All birthday party treats have to come off of this list. I do not give out candy or treats at partys without them being in the original bags. (no bulk even though we know hersher kisses are ok we cannot be sure the scoop hasnt touched m&m peanut etc.) AFter snack the kids have to wash their hands and desks. At lunch again she picks 2 friends and their lunches are checked and she is at a seperate table with her "nut free" friend. Again after lunch all hands and tables are washed . I have her epi pen with me and it is given to all the teachers she is with. She is to small to take it herself. I worry every day that she will come in contact with someone who has had a peanut. I know how to use the epi-pen etc...but I would feel terrible! I know her Mom is so cardful but you never know. I feel for anyone who has to deal with this on a day to day basis. It is so hard and you can't keep your kids with you 24 -7. I would never have thought about the boat having peanut residue on the rails etc....

 

[BuckNaked]

It is my opinion that peanuts should be avoided when making menus for events that have a set item rather than a menu choice. Why choose something that many people could die from ingesting as a set item?

Perhaps because it isn't "many people", it is relatively few.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

DeeCee
It seems they are rather committed to serving peanut butter sandwiches on it. I know some parents have written to WDW to ask they change the menu.

I would definitely be willing to write and ask that they change this menu, as well as pretty much every other children's menu at Disney! IMO, it's "crap on a stick" for the most part, and we won't allow our son to eat it. He's young now, but in the future, I expect it to be a real problem. I know our experience is not the same as other people's (we must avoid dairy but that's only a consumption issue, not a contact allergy), but I have to say that Disney, while quite accommodating to those of us with food preferences and allergies, still generally offers junk and nothing else for children on the regular menus. BOO!

 

[kaytieeldr]

He did do the pirate cruise when he was 8 with no problem years back (he is now 14) and we were not even warned back then of the nut issue. I can't recall what they ate at the time but he really did not enjoy himself and asked to never go on this cruise again. (his younger brother 5 at the time did enjoy himself...go figure...lol)

I don't think Uncrustables were around six years ago - or if they were, Disney was not yet selling/serving them. I do know it's a fairly new product, I'm thinking about three or four years old, but could be longer than that.

I think one or more people in this thread wondered why Uncrustables arebeing served on the Pirate Cruise instead of something else. The first explanation that popped into my head is 'ease of preparation'. Simply take them out of the freezer in the morning, let them thaw and voila - entirely self-contained lunch!
Now, Uncrustables DOES make a grilled cheese version - but those need to be microwaved fairly close to serving, to make them edible, and it's probably not feasable to have a microwave oven onboard the Pirate Cruise

I understand that you are upset because your child will miss the cruise. But I don't understand the depth of your anger. You are upset because they accomodated you before on a different cruise, but will not now. Why not be greatful that they did accomodate you before and understanding when they can't now? The only way they can guarantee no child will have a food allergy to whatever they serve is to not serve food at all

I don't think it's even that simple. The boat that's used for the Pirate Cruise is also used for the Moonlight Cruises, and probably daytime cruises as well.

 

[disneyandme]

D,L,andK's Mom-- I loved your post. Not many teachers we have run into are as thorough. My oldest does not have any anaphalactic allergies, but did have some as well as some serious digestive problems throughout her preschool days. Two teachers were great, but one year was horrible. SHe would give my DD whatever the other kids had-- for parties, cooking activities, etc-- even when she had been repeated instructed not to without check EACH item with us first. Several times my DD got sick. It fianlly came to a head when I blew up at her-- then she would not allow DD to have anything, even if we preapproved it. Some people just don't get it. This year, her teacher has 2 sons who have peanut allergies, so she is very aware. We worry about starting preschool with DD2 since she has really bad food allergies.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Perhaps because it isn't "many people", it is relatively few.

Your argument would make more sense if the penalty were, say, a mild reaction...perhaps even a moderate "attack" that could be cleared up with medication one would carry on one's person. However, we're talking about severe anaphylactic reaction, hospitalization, and death here; and more particularly, the potential death of a child. My son is not truly allergic to anything (that we know of), but I would be quite willing for him to never have peanut products outside of our home if it meant other children would be safer. I know not everyone is willing to make that kind of...sacrifice? Most peanut butter served in restaurants, etc. is hydrogenated, anyway...which we WON'T let him eat, so maybe it's not much of a sacrifice for us.