THANK YOU food allergy parents!

[LisaFB]

I saw in several threads a few months ago the name Brenda Bennett over and over. I e-mailed her a few months ago and was AMAZED at the info she sent me for our Oct trip! OMG! I e-mailed her back telling her where we made our ADRs and the chef from every restaurant (or head chef from the park) either called or e-mailed me about everything! I can't get over how well my son will get to eat on the trip and we won't have to bring ANYTHING For him!!! Brenda even sent all ourinfo to the cruise line for me. So a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who mentioned her name and posted her e-mail addres!!

 

[DisneyMom5]

How far in advance should I contact her?

Did she give you CS info also?

We leave for FL 9/15 and will be staying through 9/27, so I would be down there during the suggested 48 hour notice that some CMs have been telling me.
But I like your experience better! LOL

We're dealing with peanut/treenut, and wheat [non-celiac, non-anaphalactic(sp?) sensitivity].
Thanks!

 

[LisaFB]

I contacted her about 7-8 months before our trip. When she wrote back and sent me all the attachments, she said to get back to her once we made our ADRs. I'm having a Brain Fart today, what's CS?! LOL We were told that even though we gave her all the info, to call each restuarant the week before we leave (and the cruise about 4 weeks before) and then speak with the chef at each place when we get there. You should be fine with the PN/TN and wheat since they have wheat free everything practically!

 

[Foxes Den]

Yep she was great - I got the list she sent, and I had her confirm for me if there was MUSTARD flour used in the Hot Dogs - and she got back to me with in a day or so. The bad news is, Mustard is used in the making of the hot dog, so that is out for us.


Just to run down - we make our ADR - then email her with the list/rsvn/etc?

Does she do the cruise as well or just the parks?

Taylor

 

[LisaFB]

Sorry hot dogs are out, but at least you know, right?! You wouldn't believe what's out for us. My son is allergic to dairy, eggs, beef, wheat, oats, barley (he doesn't have Celiac's), yeast, several fruits, etc the list goes on and on and on...... But they still have a meal planned for him for every single meal at every single place we're eating!!

Brenda doesn't deal with the cruise line, but she forwarded our info to the person who does. That person, Carol, called me about 2 days later!

When Brenda sent me the lists of everything, she asked me to get back to her when we had our ADRs so she could contact each restuarant and tell them when we'll be there, etc. We gave her the reservation numbers, times and dates for every place.

 

[Foxes Den]

Yep, no hot dogs, but I am sure the food she will be able to eat will be YUMMY!

Taylor

 

[LisaFB]

OMG it'll probably be the best food ever!!!

 

[Who'syourMickey]

Wow, could someone direct me in how to contact Brenda Bennett?

 

[RxforDisney]

Contact info:

Brenda Bennett
MAGIC KINGDOM Foods
407-824-5967
brenda.bennett@disney.com

How far in advance should I contact her?

Did she give you CS info also?

I would contact her at least a month ahead of time to allow proper response time, especially if you have numerous allergies you are dealing with. But, if you contact her too far in advance, you risk the information changing before you get there. I contacted her about 2 months in advance for our Oct 06 trip.

And, yes she did give us a list of foods that were safe at counter service (CS) places.

I hope your experience is as good as ours was. Check out this thread, if you haven't already.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1378516

 

[DisneyMom5]

Contact info:

Brenda Bennett
MAGIC KINGDOM Foods
407-824-5967
brenda.bennett@disney.com



I would contact her at least a month ahead of time to allow proper response time, especially if you have numerous allergies you are dealing with. But, if you contact her too far in advance, you risk the information changing before you get there. I contacted her about 2 months in advance for our Oct 06 trip.

And, yes she did give us a list of foods that were safe at counter service (CS) places.

I hope your experience is as good as ours was. Check out this thread, if you haven't already.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1378516

We are so blessed that we deal with very few so far. Ds7.5 tested positive for peanuts on a delayed reaction/sensitivity test (can never remember which type of IG that is) at two, so we avoided for four years, then finally had a positive test on the back prick test that confirmed. Never had a reaction yet, don't plan on it if I can do anything about it.

He also cannot tolerate wheat in large amounts, even though the allergist won't acknowledge it because he's not "allergic" to it on the back prick test.

If he gets too much, he has asthma and eczema, and feeling all around lousy.

DD2.5 is also showing the same signs, along with digestive and behavioral issues.

We keep them both wheat free, but do not have the problem with cross contam or trace that others might have.

[They both had negative celiac tests, so we're not quite sure what the problem is. Sigh.]

Would prefer to have wheat free bread and dessert options at restaurants, so that's what we're going to contact Brenda about.

[They get frustrated watching others eat bread, and cake. And sick of ice cream -- though I hesitate to say that on a board where I know lots of parents would LOVE to be able to give ther kids ice cream. Grass is always greener, right? LOL]

We also have lots of questions about both of them having to get child choices on the DDP, and what that leaves them as choices.

[Already planning on one trip to Pizza Planet with a request for GF pizza!!!]

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[LisaFB]

Sarah, all I can tell you is that if they can find food for my son with his 37 food allergies, then Brenda will be a magic worker for your boys!!

 

[RxforDisney]

We also have lots of questions about both of them having to get child choices on the DDP, and what that leaves them as choices.

I think they are pretty understanding and flexible when it comes to kids with food allergies. When we went in October, I did not expect DS(2) to eat for free. I considered paying for the dining plan for him even though he was 2 years old, but decided we would just pay individually for him. However, we were pleasantly suprised. We NEVER paid anything extra for his food anywhere we went - with the exception of Beaches and Cream when we paid OOP instead of using the dining plan. I listed all of the special foods he ate in the following thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1378516 . At counter service places he and I shared safe foods.