Severe food allergies Disneyland and cruise

[figment41]

We have some severe food allergies in our family. Eggs milk wheat nuts sesame

We always do disney world because that is where we feel the safest. Although we still have several places we do not trust completely.

We are considering Disneyland or cruise. We would like to venture out and thought that all disney would handle allergies the same as disney world. However, I keep reading that things at the other parks are much different and we are getting disappointed.

Can anyone tell me if their experiences with allergies at either place. Good or bad and does not have to be the same allergies. We are just trying to figure out if it is worth it or stay with what we know works for us right now.

Thanks for your help

 

[Fuhnuh]

DD14 is severely allergic to milk, egg, tree nuts and peanuts. We have been to WDW and DLR six times each. We have also been on two Disney cruises. Although we have had an easier time navigating the restaurants at Disney World, we have had good luck with Disneyland and Disney Cruise. I do have to say that she has had one reaction at Disneyland (Napa Rose, non-Disney operated) and the Disney Cruise, both times to a sorbet that either had egg or albumin (egg protein) as an ingredient. We have been back to both since then and not had any problems. DD14 has a very simple palate and is satisfied with noodles with olive oil, plain rice, plain broccoli, french fries and grilled meats. We have found between this and a little packing of treats she can have, we can make do at any of the Disney properties we have been to, including Aulani. We already have another cruise planned and a visit to Disneyland in June of next year. We try to be mindful to double check some potentially problematic dishes (e.g., egg in pasta or sorbet). We also try to eat at places with menus that would most likely suit DD14 needs. This board is a good resource to find places that would suit you best.

Disneyland is not as organized as WDW on the allergy front, but we have found that, for the most part, we can get the information that we need even at quick service restaurants. It might take a bit more time. On the cruise, we ordered DD14 dinner for the next day. She also like allergy free pancakes in the morning, so we ordered them the night before and then a chef let us know what she could have from the buffet, but brought out a plate from the back. I believe there was not bread that she could have during our 2012 visit, but was some bread she could have on the 2013 DCL visit.

I hope you can gather enough advice here to decide whether to take the plunge. Don't be afraid to scan the menus at Disneyland and ask specific questions of other DISers. Also, if you are interested in going on a cruise, fellow DISers should have a lot of experience and knowledge as what to expect regarding availability of your family's preferred foods. It also might help if you let us know the age(s) of the allergic party. DD14 was 11 and 12 on our DCL cruises, so I don't know much about the younger kids clubs, although we traveled with friends that have an 8yo that is allergic to dairy and eggs and severely allergic to fish that felt comfortable with leaving their son there. Whatever you decide, I hope you have enjoyable and safe vacationing.

 

[sleepingbean]

we have done both with gluten and dairy allergies and I was disapointed with the food when compared to Walt Disney World, but we still had plenty to eat. Disneyland didn't seem able to make any "extras" or go that "extra mile" that Disney World accomplishes for those of us with allergies. So, desserts and replacements were lacking, sorely. But the food options were there for the main meals.

The cruise was bare bones food, which bummed me out a little. They just took away sauces and didn't replace them, which left dry meat. Lack luster. They could have done a bit more, but it was still ok. Beautiful, as you can see in the food photos in my link.
We did have a great time at both places!

 

[figment41]

For those of you who took the cruise, were you able to bring allergy food and snacks on board. Thinking about jelly and allergy safe bread, cookies, pretzels maybe a small bottle of olive oil.

Just incase the food does not work for us. I did not think you could bring food on board allergy or otherwise but we did not know.

Thanks keep the info coming

 

[PinkBudgie]

I'd love to hear more about DLR. I have a new food allergy. I did ok at WDW but found the CS choices to be pretty much the same everywhere whereas DLR has more variety. But I haven't been to DLR with my food allergy yet so I don't know if I will have the same options I did before.

Does DLR do the same thing at CS as WDW where you tell the cashier you have an allergy and they send a manger out to take your order?

A cruise would be fun and I guess I'd worry more about eating off the ship than on. I've heard you cannot bring anything but prepackaged food off the ship. So it seems like you would have to bring enough snacks to hold you over if need be.

 

[lanejudy]

For those of you who took the cruise, were you able to bring allergy food and snacks on board. Thinking about jelly and allergy safe bread, cookies, pretzels maybe a small bottle of olive oil.

Just incase the food does not work for us. I did not think you could bring food on board allergy or otherwise but we did not know.

Thanks keep the info coming

You can bring food onboard the ship. It must be pre-packaged, unopened and non-perishable. So I would think jelly packets rather than a jar of jelly. Not sure about the bread, though. Cookies, pretzels and other pre-packaged snacks are fine. Does the olive oil come in a small enough bottle to bring it unopened? There are no passenger facilities for food preparation onboard, and the staff will not touch any food you bring yourself (no reheating, microwave, etc.).

If there are specific brands that are safe for you, I suggest you contact the DCL Special Needs department (407-566-3500) and discuss it. They'll probably note your reservation (which should be noted for the allergies anyway). No guarantee specific brands will be available but they'll try.

Depending on your itinerary, you may or may not be allowed to bring food OFF the ship into ports. Some will allow unopened pre-packaged foods, but others are very strict -- this is international Customs laws and not DCL rules.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[sleepingbean]

They do have low allergen bread options and once you have your assigned servers you can let them know you like olive oil with them. I am sure they would be happy to send you with extra bread to take back to the room if you wanted it. They always brought us too much! They didn't think to ask if we wanted olive oil or anything, so they brought out plain dry bread, which is odd. Again, I am sure if you asked, they would get you olive oil. Also, when I went to breakfast buffet, I asked for low allergen milk option and they told me that they didn't have any and I could ask my server from dinner about it and they would have it for me each morning. I thought that was odd...the ship isn't that big, you'd think they could send up some sort of dairy free milk, but whatever. I found that they could accommodate, but not at the speed of Walt Disney World.
The stores on the ship closed early, for us, so buy whatever items you need early on. The two times we wanted something, the stores were closed.
Also, we did just walk into a sit down lunch and I was able to eat without trouble or pre planning. Again, it was simple and bland, but it there were options. I was a little frustrated that they didn't even try to help spice up those options, but only minor frustration. I could see that they had a systematic approach to everything, so it's just a matter of working with their system and schedule (which means talk to your dinner waiters the first meal and let them know your requests for anything like breads, milks, desserts, sauces or dressings.). They even made a gluten free gravy on the last night, for my daughter's meal. She loved that! Again, in the link photos.

As for DL CS, we didn't do much. We did get baked potatoes and brats (no buns) back by the storytime area and that was good and we got fresh fruits and veggies at carts.

 

[tartemis]

We had a very bad experience with a Disney Cruise and our daughter with a milk allergy so I vowed never to take one again unless she has outgrown it.

First, there is melted ice cream all over the ship -- every other person on departure day seemed to be eating an ice cream cone that was subsequently dripping on hand rails, deck, etc. Within 30 minutes of being on the ship, our daughter started to get hives on her hands.

Second, the dairy-free options on the ship were very limited. And I didn't have confidence in my servers to understand the severity of her allergy. Often times they would say something like -- "oh yes, I'm lactose intolerant too" -- and i would have to impress that it wasn't a tummy ache she would experience if she had dairy -- her throat would close and she could die. Or they didn't get that milk was in things like butter as well (really?).

Third, the dairy-free options off the ship were virtually non-existent, and they were very restrictive about what we could bring off the ship with us for her to eat. The poor girl basically lived on fruit and dry cereal during excursions.

Finally, while we supposedly had a special "safe" meal prepared for us at Castaway Cays, she ended up having a bad reaction to it and spent most of the day in the medical tent.

Honestly, the whole thing was very stressful and not much of a vacation for me.

 

[lanejudy]

... when I went to breakfast buffet, I asked for low allergen milk option and they told me that they didn't have any and I could ask my server from dinner about it and they would have it for me each morning. I thought that was odd...the ship isn't that big, you'd think they could send up some sort of dairy free milk, but whatever. ...

Allergies onboard DCL are primarily handled through the MDRs for all meals. It may be where the allergy kitchen is connected and to prevent cross-contamination. That doesn't mean you won't find allergy-free items at the buffet or quick service locations, but most accommodations will be made through the MDRs. You should be given the option to pre-order the next day's food each evening after dinner.

... The stores on the ship closed early, for us, so buy whatever items you need early on. The two times we wanted something, the stores were closed. ...

International law only allows shops onboard a cruise ship to be open while at sea. So if you have specific items you need to purchase onboard, I suggest grabbing them when you can because the shops may not be open the next time you want/need something.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Denine]

My daughter has celiac so is GF, but not other food allergies. She is very sensitive to cross contamination.
We went to DLR last September and stayed concierge at Paradise Pier so we could have access to the lounge. They were able to get her muffins and fruit for breakfast in the morning and chicken skewers and cheese and some other GF stuff in the evenings. We ate at the Asian place in California Adventure and we ate at Blue Bayou. Good experiences at both places.
We then embarked on the Disney Wonder for a 2 week cruise through the Panama Canal. I was a bit uneasy trusting others to keep her safe food-wise for 2 weeks. She was treated like a princess! We ordered her food for the next day at dinner each night. They always asked what she wanted for lunch and several times they made her a stirfry to her specifications. She always had GF bread at dinner and they gave us food/treats to keep in the room as well. I brought snacks with us, but I am not sure if we used any of what I brought. She got sick once because they had bakery/coffee stations set up all over the ship on Canal day. She made herself some tea and got CC'd somehow. She never got sick from the food they made for her.
We did not have a stop at Castaway, so I don't know how that would have gone.
Good luck!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

You might want to check out http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3149806 . It's a DL dining report from a family that I believe has all of the allergies you're dealing with (and then some). It's from summer 2013, but it should give you a general idea.

 

[sleepingbean]

tartemis, oh I am so sorry to hear that! That must have been scary and incredibly frustrating. We didn't find that issue, as the ship was immaculate when we were there with people cleaning everything all the time, but I can see where that could be a big issue with the ongoing self service of ice cream on main upper deck. I'm really sorry that her castaway day was in the med tent that's not magical at all.

 

[Fuhnuh]

As far as bringing food items on a DCL cruise, we have brought a grocery bag full of sealed snacks and drinks (rice milk) without any problems. Also, we have brought bread but results may vary. Tartemis, I am sorry you had such a stressful, nonmagical trip. DD14 has contact allergy to dairy also and it would worry me a lot more if she was younger because she has much better environmental awareness now and is not around as many messy eaters. We found that planning as much as we can through the MDR helped immensely. We always went to the buffet and talked to a chef after a mildly negative experience with a server at table service breakfast our first morning. We happened to be sitting next to another group that had a party with an allergy and our shared server was terribly under-informed about allergies. It could have turned out in a reaction if not for our multiple inquiries. DD14 has had her meal delivered twice out to Castaway Cay without issue, but I could see things could go wrong. I remember that we didn't trust that they would get the right bread, so DD14 had grilled chicken and fries. One thing that helps in our situation is that DD14 has not developed a taste for many foods that traditionally have dairy in them, although a greater number of baked good options would be nice.

 

[Stinkerbe11]

My DS has an anaphylactic tree nut allergy and DD is allergic to egg. We have been local regulars at Disneyland for over 10 years and have gone on 5 cruises with DCL. I feel that Disney does a great job when it comes to allergy dining in the parks and on the ships. At the sit down restaurants, I always ask to speak to a chef and they have always been accommodating/very helpful. At the counter service restaurants, the CMs will bring out a book with all of the ingredients listed and will show you packaging etc.

On DCL, the kids' orders always went through the server, head server and the chef to ensure safety and they checked and double checked everything. I think that Disney handles many food allergies competently on a daily basis and I feel very comfortable dining with the kids in the parks and on the ships

 

[DCDisney]

I personally feel like I can eat better at DL than WDW at QS. They have more foods that are not pre-prepared/frozen/million ingredient foods at DL. Sit down places are not quite as adept as WDW but we tend to eat more of our sit down meals off site in DL anyway. We haven't done a cruise yet but I'm considering Alaska.....

 

[PinkBudgie]

I personally feel like I can eat better at DL than WDW at QS. They have more foods that are not pre-prepared/frozen/million ingredient foods at DL. Sit down places are not quite as adept as WDW but we tend to eat more of our sit down meals off site in DL anyway. We haven't done a cruise yet but I'm considering Alaska.....

That's good to know. Food allergies aside, it seemed like DLR has more choices for QS which is mostly what we eat at DLR. At WDW, the days we didn't have a table service I usually ended up with the same thing no matter where we went.

 

[ptisme]

We just got back from DL for the half marathon weekend. I have had an intolerance to pork most of my adult life and was just diagnosed with celiac in July. Eating out at home has been a nightmare! I was so impressed with DL though. We ate at Goofy's kitchen the first night and the chef was very knowledgeable. He checked on a few items for me after I questioned the ingredients and made me my own plate of veggies as they are cooked in the pasta water! He even checked on the creme brule for me.

We ate at Flo's Cafe for lunch the next day (QS) and the chef came out to talk to me. I was offered several options and chose what I wanted and he came up to the cashier to help me order my food.

That night we ate at Wine Country Tattoriea and the chef was amazing in creating an Italian dish for me. The wine ambassador went out of his way to find a safe wine for me as I didn't know any of the brands and had not been able to contact them for safety.

We had breakfast at the Surf's up character meal in PP the next morning where the chef walked the buffet with me and made me a mickey waffle.

That night we did the Pasta in the Park which is part of the marathon weekend. I signed up for this before my diagnosis! At the expo, I made sure they knew I had CD and could accommodate me. This was my only bad eating experience the whole weekend. We will never do this again - not worth the money. It wasn't until I complained to the runDisney rep that I even got to talk to the chef and the event was almost over before I got GF pasta. They did have a GF dessert but it had nuts so not good for someone with multiple allergies.

Sunday we ran the half marathon, went back to our rooms and packed up then went to DTD to get some shopping done. We checked a couple of restaurants there but not many options. Not sure where we ended up eating but there were only one or two things on the menu I could eat safely, but didn't want to walk anymore!

Overall in the parks very good experience. The chef's where knowledgeable but still needed questions asked to be really safe. I was most impressed with the chef at Flo's cafe. Least with the one at Goofy's kitchen as I knew more than him. Really unimpressed with DL catering! Loved the wine ambassador at WCT.

Hope this helps.
Monica