Walt Disney World Goes Above and Beyond for Food Allergies
If you suffer from food allergies or have a child that does, you know how difficult traveling can be. Vacations are often planned around food allergies; at least in our house they are. There are just some places that are not safe for a multiple food allergic six year old.
So this winter we are planning our second trip to Walt Disney World. We went in 2006 and they were allergy friendly then, but boy have they stepped up their procedures.
If you are planning a trip to Disney as well, here are some steps you can take to ensure you enjoy your meals reaction free:
1. Make any table service dining reservations by phone by calling 407-WDW-DINE or online at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/. When calling you can mention your food allergies then. When reserving online there is a section called Dietary Needs that you can click on. Here it will ask you what allergies or other medical conditions you have and whether you require special pre-order meals. (Keep in mind that special pre-order meals like Vegan or Gluten Free meals may have a cancellation fee attached to them for no shows). If you don’t require a special meal you just check off the allergens you are dealing with.
2. Email specialdiets@disneyworld.com to let them know of your upcoming vacation and your food allergies. They will email you back with several attachments and additional information including the following link: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/.
Attachments include:
Guest Dietary Letter: a welcome letter explaining their policies and protocols.
Food Allergy/Dietary reference sheet: lists the ingredients of several basic items like hot dogs, burgers, and chicken nuggets as well as locations that might be better options for those with dietary restrictions, and has a listing of allergy friendly products carried within the parks like Divvies and Enjoy Life.
Guest Letter Dietary Request Form: a form you fill out and email or fax back stating your names, allergens, any dining reservations you already have, and any additional information that needs to be relayed.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind:
Many restaurants accept reservations 90-180 days beforehand. If there is a restaurant you would like to go to, you must make your reservations early. Walk ins are typically not accepted at table service restaurants especially during peak season.
Disney does allow outside food into the parks. If you have any problems let them know of your food allergies and they will okay it.
Disney encourages guests to ask for a manager or chef at any table service or counter service restaurant to go over the menu and items. Things can change and this ensures you get the most up to date information.
Disney reminds you that you eat using your own judgment. While they go above and beyond to ensure food is safe via cooking and cleaning practices, they do serve thousands of people a day. Be sure to ask about ingredients, may contains statements, and ask that your dish be made in a clean pan.
Cast Members in Animal Kingdom often times carry peanuts to feed to the animals and birds therefore they may have peanut oil on their hands. (This stated in the above attachments from Disney).
Resources For More Information
Walt Disney World: The official Disney vacation site.
AllEars.net: Up to date information on all things Disney from accommodations, to dining, to parks information.
MouseSavers.com: If you want to save money on your trip this is the site. Here you will find the most recent codes for any Disney special offers as well as tips on how to save on accommodations, dining, tickets and more.
DisBoards.com: Message board for all things Disney. Here you can ask questions, chat with other Disney lovers and learn anything you need to know to plan your vacation.
WDWInfo.com: Parent site of the above message board. Another great site with tips and information on all things Disney.
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World: This book is one we use and is truly a miracle worker. There are touring plans listed and if followed–will minimize your wait time in lines by hours. We used this on our Disney World 2006 trip, the Disneyland version on our 2008 trip, and just bought the 2010 version for our upcoming December trip. This trip will be the best test of the book’s ability as we will be in Disney World during peak Christmas season.
Summary
Our trip in 2006 was fantastic (except for a reaction on the plane ride home which I’ll save for another post). At every restaurant the chef came to our table before we could even ask. One even walked us through the Buffet at Crystal Palace restaurant to let us know what our son could and could not have.
With the increase in food allergies and the step up in the Disney policies, I expect this trip will be just as great.
If you’ve been to Disney and have an allergy story to share, tell us about it in the comments section below.
Tagged food allergy, food allergy travel, traveling with food allergies, Walt Disney World and Food Allergies
Related Posts
Enjoy this post? Join our RSS Feed or share this post using the icons above. Thanks for visiting!
Michael TigheNovember 2, 2009 at 3:58 pm
We went to Disney World in Orlando in August of this year (2009) after a really successful trip in 2007. Our experience (three family members with food allergy and food intolerance issues) was wonderful. The staff at Disney really went out of their way. The chefs routinely came to the table and talked with us. Usually they went back to the kitchen and made something separate – pretty much stuff that was on the menu, but prepared in a safe manner for our family. Even the team at the counter service places took care to get us safe french fries for our children. We sent notes to Disney Customer Service after we got home so that the people that the staff that helped out so much got recognized for their focus on making our experience truly great!
Special awards go to the chef at the Tusker House Restaurant and the chef at the Brown Derby. An excellent and safe time was had by all!
– Michael Tighe
Ruth SmithNovember 2, 2009 at 10:07 pmAuthor
Michael,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’m so glad you and your family had such a wonderful time at Disney. We’re definitely looking forward to our upcoming trip!
Hubert MinardiSeptember 16, 2010 at 8:51 pm
The Walt Disney World park happens to be my family’s favored place to go during summer. My children love to go there annually to go on the rides and the water park. This spot is a must go for a family trip at least once in your life span. The tickets might be a bit expensive, but it’s well worth the fee!
JesseMay 16, 2012 at 4:18 pm
I was wondering if you still had the attachments they sent you. I’m especially interested in the ingredients of common kid food (nuggets especially). I emailed them and they didn’t send me anything but a link to website and some tips which I already knew.
I’d appreciate additional info if you hav it. Thank you!
Ruth LovettSmithMay 22, 2012 at 1:37 pmAuthor
Jesse,
I can’t seem to find the files I received. It was over 3 years ago so I’m guessing they have been lost and are probably outdated anyway.
Did you try the specialdiets@disneyworld.com email?
Disney may have changed their protocols since then and may no longer send the attachments I mentioned above.
Sorry I can’t be of more help.
JesseMay 24, 2012 at 1:39 am
Thank you for checking. I did email and they basically recited back to me what I had already read on their website. Hoping I can have better luck once down there.
Ruth LovettSmithMay 31, 2012 at 12:24 pmAuthor
Please let us know how your trip goes.
If I find anything else, I’ll be sure to post it.
DanielleMarch 31, 2013 at 11:27 pm
I have multiple allergies (lucky me!) onion, garlic, soy, egg, milk and peanut so I never expect much and am usually happy if they can slop anything on a plate for me so I don’t sit there empty handed while my family eats. That is why I was shocked that not only did Disney make actual meals for me at every restaurant but they were awesome AND they were kind about it. I’m the type that tends to get a little embarrassed about the whole ordeal and they didn’t make me feel embarrassed at all. Tusker House made a brilliant meal for me, The Prime Time 50′s Cafe made a great chicken and mashed potatoes meal for me and the Crystal Palace made me so much food that I ate until I was about to die but kept eating because I knew they’d gone through so much trouble to make me my own personal buffet…something I certainly didn’t expect and was shocked by! Disney was great with food allergies both times I went and we are going back in April and hopefully it will be just as good! :) Thanks for the input!
Ruth LovettSmithApril 1, 2013 at 9:27 amAuthor
Danielle,
Thanks for sharing!! I am so happy to hear that you had such a great experience.