QSDP & food allergies

[NickyNoodle]

We are using the quick service dining plan for our upcoming trip and I'm concerned about finding food my 3 year old son can eat.
Do any of you know how CS restaurants deal with food allergies?

I tried to see if Disney would make an exception and not force us to get the dining plan for him b/c of the allergies, but they don't allow us to leave him off the plan. I hate to pay for meals if he can't be served.

I've been trying planning out our meals in the parks. We love the food at Starring Rolls, but the only kid option is PB & J.
My son is allergic to peanuts, milk and eggs.

Most of the other kids meal offerings in the Studios are pizza and mac and cheese, both of which are not an option.

Will the restaurants deviate from the kids meal offerings so that he can eat something or do I need to just plan to bring food from home?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

 

[NJDisney]

I have 2 kids (3 and 10) that are allergic to nuts and seeds. The last time we went 1 of them was allergic to dairy (the 3 yr old) as well.

I know when we sat down we mention this to the waitress and I think the chef even came out at a few places to discuss what options there were for them to eat and to recommend something they could eat.

My neighbor brings down food for their kid but she is allergic to everything under the sun.

 

[squirrel]

Head over to the DisAbilities Board. You will find the e-mail there to contact Special Diets at WDW. They will send you a list of CS places in each park that will have options for your child.

You may have to pre-order a pizza (dairy free) at DHS (I found that park to be the worst for finding food for my niece). No wonder why we never ate a single CS meal at DHS (4 days over two trips). I think we just had popcorn.

I usually shared my CS meal with her-1/2 chicken meals with fries worked as she is lactose intollerant. At Sunshine Seasons we got raw vegetables instead of the fries (they don't have any). I believe DHS now has Fairfax Fair that has the 1/2 chicken meal.

At the TS places the chef should come to the table and discuss what to make.

 

[javaj]

DS used to have milk, peanut, and egg allergies. WDW is an awesome awesome place for a child with food allergies. When DS was 2, we put him down as a 3 year old to get the dining plan (we stayed DVC and did not need to get a pass).

I no longer have the contact info - but call WDW and they will provide you with the appropriate contact info for the different parks and resorts. They can then send you lists of all food items and allergens, including counter service meals.

For all meals (table service and counter service), a chef came out to talk to us and let us know what DS could eat, and they always made something special when there was nothing on the menu. Make note of the allergies at every ADR, and for counter service - make sure to go to locations where there may be a chef handy (i.e. resort counter service).

 

[BeckyL620]

We are using the quick service dining plan for our upcoming trip and I'm concerned about finding food my 3 year old son can eat.
Do any of you know how CS restaurants deal with food allergies?

I tried to see if Disney would make an exception and not force us to get the dining plan for him b/c of the allergies, but they don't allow us to leave him off the plan. I hate to pay for meals if he can't be served.

I've been trying planning out our meals in the parks. We love the food at Starring Rolls, but the only kid option is PB & J.
My son is allergic to peanuts, milk and eggs.

Most of the other kids meal offerings in the Studios are pizza and mac and cheese, both of which are not an option.

Will the restaurants deviate from the kids meal offerings so that he can eat something or do I need to just plan to bring food from home?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

Disney sent us an email detailing food allergies. The email they sent came from <WDW.Special.Diets@disney.com> I can empathize with you. Our daughter will probably be eating a lot of fries.

 

[javaj]

Searched my archives and here is the e-mail address to request info (note that this was from 2 years ago so it may no longer be valid but worth a try):

WDW.EC.Special.Diets@disney.com

 

[TDC Nala]

At CS they will have ingredient lists that show what is in each of the dishes so you can determine what your child can eat.

Being on DDP does complicate things but under these circumstances, always ask about subsituting the kids' meal food for him. Some places may even be able to prepare special items for him. It depends completely on what each CS has available, and on what cooking facilities they have.

As you've found out, under no circumstances will they allow any member of a party to be off the plan. All persons age 3 or over on the reservation have to get the dining plan, or none.

 

[NickyNoodle]

Thanks everyone!

I have gotten the e-mailed info from WDW special diets.
I guess my concern was more about how it fits into the dining plan-- since he will probably need to have the food from the regular menu, and not the kids options.

I'll definitely ask at the CS restaurants if they will make kid sized portions of some of the adult food.
I guess worst-case, I'll just look at the binder and order something for myself that I can share with him.
I found portions sizes to be more than adequate for me anyway-- especially considering all the snack credits.

 

[NickyNoodle]

Oh, and I love how many of you are referring to the allergies your children "used to have"!
Gives me hope for the future!!

 

[clanmcculloch]

We LOVE the QSDP with food allergies.

DD12 is allergic to gluten, milk, eggs, yeast, citrus, peanuts and MSG.
DD10 is allergic to milk, sesame, citrus, cranberry, blueberry, hazelnut, brazil nut, lima beans, raw apple & pear skins and raw carrots

They eat REALLY well at WDW.

We do eat quite a bit at our resort where they're better able to accomodate food allergies, but I also make a comprehensive list of what safe foods I can get at which CS and snack locations per park based on the info from Special Diets.

FYI: The allergy chicken tenders are safe for your son as are the fries at the locations that carry the chicken tenders though you'll want to confirm that this is the latest and greatest info as this can change at any time. This was true a few weeks ago everywhere that we got them.

When there isn't a children's option that's safe, they will allow you to order whatever the chef/manager (at resorts and Sunshine Seasons it's chefs, in parks other than Sunshine Seasons it's managers) says he/she will make for you after discussing your son's allergies and preferences. Most places will have something kid friendly that he can eat in kid portions. Stick with the places suggested by Special Diets.

Remember that you have the option to get CS to go. If you and DH want to get something at Starring Rolls, grab your sandwiches to go and head over to ABC Commissary for chicken tenders w/fries (get some Enjoy Life cookies for his dessert; yummy) or grab a turkey leg at Toluca Legs in Sunset Market (half way between Starring Rolls and Tower of Terror). I don't believe that Starring Rolls will carry any meal that's safe for your son even on the adult menu (the allergy bread contains eggs).

One of the best things about using the dining plan is that when paying OOP there's often an upcharge for allergy foods (they cost a lot more for WDW to buy so it makes sense) but on the dining plan you just pay a credit since the credit covers any meal.

I also like that if we have to order off-menu (this happens a lot more at resorts where the chef will prepare something that's nowhere on the menu as long as they have the ingredients to do so) then I don't need to worry about how it gets entered into the computer since I'm just paying with a credit.

 

[NickyNoodle]

Thanks clanmcculloch!
I was wondering about the "to go" option. Glad to hear you can do that!

And you're right-- it seems like the dining plan will def. make things less complicated, and cheaper!

I'm so glad I asked, this is great info.

 

[BeckyL620]

clanmcculloch- I have a question you may or may not be able to answer since you just went. About the chicken tenders-the non allergy ones have milk but the allergy free ones I assume have rice flour instead of wheat(for people with gluten, wheat allergies) Will they make chicken strips without milk but with wheat or is it one or the other? My question is are they premade and you get the allergy free one or the non allergy free. Or do they prepare them fresh?

 

[clanmcculloch]

Becky,

The allergy chicken tenders are pre-made. Sorry. They are very tasty though. DH and I tried them and no way would I have ever guessed that they were specially made to be allergen free if I didn't know. They really are good.

Before they carried these, chefs in the food courts at resorts as well as at TS locations did make chicken tenders for them specific to their allergies but now they all just use the same premade chicken tenders everywhere. You're right that they're gluten free meaning rice flour (I assume it's rice flour; I haven't looked in a while). They're trying to cover as many allergens as possible as easily as possible.

I really don't know if the regular chicken tenders have milk. I assume that they do. I know they have something that DD10 can't eat but I don't know if that's milk or nuts (I'm pretty sure it's one of these even though there are other foods she can't eat). I assume they have milk. The info that Special Diets sends you should tell you if there's milk in them or not.

At 50s Prime Time Cafe they special make the fried chicken to order for allergy sufferers so you might be able to get milk free fried chicken made with regular flour. Oh, and the dairy free milk shakes and dairy free brownie sundaes there definitely make it a worthwhile meal. YUMMY!!!!!

 

[marypopfan]

Can you tell me if the shakes and sundaes are dairy and soy free? I would be so excited if they were. I know alot of stuff is dairy free but I also have a soy allergy.

 

[clanmcculloch]

They do carry rice dream ice cream and rice milk (I think Pacific brand). I'm not sure if they have a milk shake mixer that's always soy free if it's just a dedicated dairy free milk shake mixer though. I don't know if the allergy baked goods have soy or not. They use the same French Meadow brownies found everywhere else for the brownie sundaes. I think the chocolate syrup is Hershey's and I don't know if the Mickey sprinkles are soy free or not. These are questions you can ask of Special Diets. They'll likely have a chef from the restaurant email you directly with the answers.

 

[marypopfan]

Thanks for the info. I have an egg allergy also so I think that the french meadow brownies are out. This is my first time going to Disney with my allergies so I love all of the info that everyone gives.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Yes, the French Meadow brownies do contain eggs. The good news is that they can make that fried chicken at 50s PTC without eggs and you can get ice cream and a milk shake.

 

[snorris49]

I just got an email from the chef at 50's Prime Time for my trip this next month (I'm gluten and dairy free). They can use tofutti (chocolate or vanilla) and rice dream ice creams for those shakes. The fried chicken I asked about was gluten and dairy free, but I'm sure they could just do a dairy free or egg free version. Incidentally, they also make their mashed potatoes for special diets dairy free.

As for the allergy free tenders, As clanmcculloch said I'm almost positive they are rice flour. I think I might have that listed on my blog, but special diets usually sends this as an attachment. (the ingredient list on the package). Good luck on your trip. WDW is the best for food allergies.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Just to torture you, here's our gluten, milk, egg and nut free fried chicken from 50s PTC.

 

[snorris49]

Just to torture you, here's our gluten, milk, egg and nut free fried chicken from 50s PTC.

OMG that looks so good. My mouth is watering!
I just keep telling myself less than a month and I get to eat that fried chicken! YUM!

Thanks for sharing!