Planning meals with food allgeries

[2Pinks]

Is there a link to menus for the different restaurants somewhere? We aren't going to WDW until Dec 2011 but I wanted to get a grasp as to where my daughter can and can't eat!

My oldest daughter has Celiac Disease so she can't eat anything that contains gluten or wheat products - which eliminates quite a bit of food offered in most restaurants. I am just curious if there is a list somewhere that shows which places might offer a gluten-free menu.

TIA!

 

[Jessica14]

When you make ADR's online or over the phone, you can let them know and it is noted on your reservation. Also remind them when you are seated. My DD has lactose intolerance and a milk allergy and when we went to the Chrystal Palace, the chef came over and told us what our options were. They also presented both our kids with dairy free ice cream and brownies. It was really nice! I do want to know about the same kind of "ice cream" at a place like Beaches and Cream. It would be fun to get a sundae that she (and now my DS5 who we recently discovered was lactose intollerant)could enjoy!
Jessica

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2306960

Welcome to the disboards. The above is a link all about GF dining around the world. My son too has a gluten allergy, as well as a dairy one. Disney truly is our happy place because they really cater to food allergies. Each and every restaurant we ate at, the chef him or herself came out and visited with my son, asking him what he felt life eating, and then they made him whatever he wanted! At buffets, the chef personally escorted me around and pointed out what to eat, and what not too. What a pleasure it was! You will have no trouble at all eating at WDW!

 

[Vickilynn42]

Hi- we have to go gluten free also, and we emailed Theresa Joiner at theresa.joiner@disney.com and she sent us quite a bit of info on dining and what was available where for Counter service and Table dining. Also, she sent a form for us to fill out with our allergies, etc. so they could inform the chefs, etc. It was so much help to us!

 

[2Pinks]

Fantastic! That is so much easier than I am used too - even just ordering for her at a normal chain restaurant can be frustrating! My parents are coming with us and my father has a dairy allergy, so he will be happy to hear that too.

Thank you so much for the link - that will come in so handy.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

The menus might change tho, Dec 2011 is far away....

 

[meway]

When you make your dining reservations, they'll give you a person to contact. For 4 trips, they have emailed me information about ingredients, safe foods for DS (peanuts, eggs). Once you are there, they take food allergies very seriously. The chef will walk you through the line and point out what your child can/cannot eat at buffet restaurants. You can tell they train their cast members on handling food allergies. The only problem I've ever had happened at an Epcot restaurant with our server, and it was obviously a language barrier issue. I simply asked to speak to the chef and got the answers I needed.

Eating at WDW is easier than eating out here in our own town! Have a *magical* trip with no worries!

 

[Raenstoirm]

Vegetarian here and the chef at Boma walked me through all the food to tell me what I couldn't eat. It was great!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going over to the disABILITIES Forum. One of the first threads is the disABILITIES FAQs. On Post #3 we have a lot of information for people with dietary restrictions as well as useful links about special diets. To get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs from here just click on the link in my signature.

 

[I_believe_in_pixies]

I agree that food allergies at Disney are so easy! My oldest and I are gluetin free and she is also peanut free. When I made our dining reservations I told them about the allergies and they were noted on the reservation and the restaurant was prepared.

At buffets the chef would come out and take us through the buffet line pointing out things that were and were not OK for us to eat. He/she would then ask if there was anything we would like to have prepared for us. One chef made my DDs day when he made her (YUMMY) gluetin free mickey waffles!

Counter service is fairly easy for us as we typically just order a hamburger and ditch the bun LOL!

Nick

 

[pudge the fish]

Most counter service places that sell Hamburgers & Hot dogs have Gluten Free buns I think they are N-ergy ones
( I probably spelled energy brand name wrong

Caseys Does not have the GF buns, But most other places do and you can get a list from Special Diets as to where they have dedicated fryers for Fries so no cross contact.

The managers will make sure there is no cross contact between foods.
I second Cheshire Figments advice and check out the disABILITES board for more info.

 

[wildeflowers]

Just came back from a trip. Disney is much better about food allergies that I thought they would be. They have a really good system in place, and I am pretty sure there is a rule that the chef must come talk to your table if you've indicated an allergy. They did this for us, even though I told them it wasn't necessary, that I just needed to know if any of the meals contained our problem ingredient. What I love is that they do this without making a huge fuss, thereby satisfying everyone.

Definitely contact them prior to your trip, list it as a note on your ADRs.

 

[eebadeeba]

My DD has wheat, dairy, egg etc.. allergies. We ate at an Italian place on the boardwalk and they brought us very good dinner rolls that she could eat. I am amazed at how well they handle the allergies.

 

[720L]

My DD has a tree nut allergy. We only eat at CS restaurants, will this be harder than a sit down?

 

[minniejack]

Fantastic! That is so much easier than I am used too - even just ordering for her at a normal chain restaurant can be frustrating! My parents are coming with us and my father has a dairy allergy, so he will be happy to hear that too.

Thank you so much for the link - that will come in so handy.

All 4 of us need to be gf and we usually only go to a very good local place in town that really does a good job at everything.
However, last night as part of a fundraiser for my DD's youth orchestra, we went to Bob Evans, the 2 adults just decided to be safe and get eggs. But DD16 hates eggs, everything she wanted had to be double checked by the waitress with several items unable for her to order. And when she orders the salad, I'm emphasizing no croutons, when the waitress asked her what kind of bread she wanted.

Then DS14 who had arrived at the restaurant a full 15 mins before we did, couldn't find anything he wanted. Kept saying he was going to walk home.

Not a fun night at all...But on a positive note, none of us got sick.Especially great that DS didn't because he has standardized testing coming up.

No wonder I cook so much...I absolutely can't wait until August. And I'm thinking about another trip soon. Just because I hate going into restaurants and being terrified of a mistake.

 

[tzolkin]

My dad also has celiac. My parents and sisters did the deluxe dining plan last fall (usually did 2 TS meals per day) and they were thrilled with the gluten free options. They met a chef at every restaurant who either walked them through the menu or buffet and also offered gluten free options that were not on the menu. I know in at least one place my dad got pasta and one buffet (either Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey's) made him GF Mickey waffles.

He has never had a better food experience anywhere and he felt that he had a whole menu of options at every restaurant.

 

[CrabbyPatty]

Another pleased GF person here! We went last August and it was SO easy to get GF food. I contacted Special Diets beforehand and gave them my ADRs and at each TS location, the chef came out and either told me what I could have on the menu or buffet, or made something special that was GF.

For example, at WCC, I had the eggs benedict (it's made with beef and an amazing barbeque-tinged hollandise) and they made it with a GF english muffin. It was wonderful. At Tusker House, they made GF mickey waffles for me - they were not tasty, but I appreciated the effort!

At CS locations, there is a big binder that shows all the food ingredients, but it was easy to steer clear of GF at most CS places - I had the best rotissiere chicken at Sunshine Seasons and the CBR food courts, and at Cosmic Ray's, I got a GF bun for my burger.

This year, I'm planning to go to 50's Prime-Time Cafe. Someone on the DISabilities board mentioned that they make awesome GF fried chicken!