Disney becoming lax with allergies?

[MickeyMouseCD524]

@MinnieSweetheart suggested I post about this here.

So on our recent trip to Disney we had two very questionable run ins with allergies, one of which I posted about a few months ago. I'm going to start off by saying I am very allergic to fish, if it comes out of the ocean I can't have it. We notate this on all our reservations, mainly out of habit and also because menus can change without our realizing it. But recently I'm becoming more and more concerned about how Disney is handling the allergies of guests and making sure they have the same experience as guests without dietary restrictions. For example we did the Fantasmic Dessert Party and my allergy was notated on the reservation, mainly because we didn't realize it was prepackaged food (and if it was a buffet I remembered someone mentioning shrimp of some form at a dessert party so I worried about cross contamination). They never asked what the allergy was just handed me a teal card and told me to give it to the next CM. When DH and our friends got their regular platter I realized I could eat everything in it so I just said to the cast member that she didn't have to worry about doing anything for the allergy I could have the normal platter. Which she then told me since I had the allergy card I had to get the allergy plate which I figured would be fine. It probably was just nut free. It was awful! the cotton candy had melted to the paper wrapping, the marshmallows were like biting into rocks, and the little cakes were stale. Even the grapes had turned sour, I had some off of DH's and his were fresh and even his cakes were moist and delicious. So what I don't understand is why Disney is applying a one size fits all for events like this and why is the food terrible for those with allergies? It was disappointing because usually Disney is great about accommodating this type of thing.

Which brings me to my next story I posted about this briefly not too long ago. We had dinner at Teppan Edo and as I mentioned above, I can't eat fish. The chef did everything he was supposed to, cooked my food separately, made sure I knew what everything was, etc. Well during his hibachi act he slipped and missed catching the shrimp tails and they came flying right towards me, we checked around my plate and in my food and it didn't look like anything was wrong. We figured no harm no foul. Fast forward to dessert when I start breaking out in hives and DH is getting nervous because of hoe fast they're spreading up my face. Clearly something had gotten into my food. The manager comes over and instead of offering some type of help, starts telling us we're not allowed to leave until we pay our bill, and even once I pay she starts telling me how I can't leave until she takes down all of my information. DH is starting to get upset because he wants to get me to first aid as quickly as possible, and when he asks about getting me there and doing this after the manager says "oh you can just walk over to Mexico when we're done here"at this point the DH of the other group we were with gets up and runs to the other side of World Showcase because he's getting increasingly worried about this, and he was able to get over to first aid get Benadryl and buy a bottle of water (because Teppan Edo told me I couldn't even have water anymore) and get back to us before the manager would even let me go. Which now leads to my next question of why are allergic reactions not being taken seriously? I'm lucky that it was only hives but if this were anaphylactic I'd probably be dead, because of her lack of urgency. I get that you need to cover your bases but I feel like the health and safety of someone is more important than paperwork and making sure you get your money for my meal.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Be it the allergy options are subpar or allergies and their reactions are not taken seriously?

 

[lovin'fl]

We don't have any food allergies so I have no experience. But you should have sent back the stale dessert tray and told them to bring you a fresh one. You paid a lot for that party. ALso, maybe you should carry Benadryl in your pocket at WDW. I do and we don't have food allergies (just have family members who are lactose intolerant so I also carry lactaids) but I carry the Benedryl just in case. I once went to dinner with a boyfriend who got shrimp and hived all up and his lips looked like clown lips. He had been eating shellfish his whole life and never had a reaction before. DR told him it would be worse the next time he ate shellfish. Poor fella LOVED shrimp too. So I always carry Benedryl because you never know. DDs played travel softball and kids were always getting stung by bees...so you never know when that could be bad (I was allergic to bee stings as a kid).

But, WDW...it's gotta be tough to manage so many allergies/intolerances. My nephew was vegetarian one trip and we had to request vegetarian meal at Ohana and other places. DH and I do low carb and that's kind of tough to do, especially when we do F&W booths. It's such chaos already and to try and ask them to leave off the pasta/rice/bread/potato....egads. Also....they allow dogs all over. That we do have family members with severe allergies. My nephew goes into bad asthma. Hopefully they deep clean the rooms that dogs stay in.

 

[sponica]

@MickeyMouseCD524 Yikes. I think Teppan Edo is managed by Mitsukoshi. You should definitely complain to them and WDW, if only to notify them about the breakdown in processes.

I feel like I've read something about the allergy cards at the dessert parties...but I don't have food allergies so I don't pay attention when those threads appear.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

We don't have any food allergies so I have no experience. But you should have sent back the stale dessert tray and told them to bring you a fresh one. You paid a lot for that party. ALso, maybe you should carry Benadryl in your pocket at WDW. I do and we don't have food allergies (just have family members who are lactose intolerant so I also carry lactaids) but I carry the Benedryl just in case. I once went to dinner with a boyfriend who got shrimp and hived all up and his lips looked like clown lips. He had been eating shellfish his whole life and never had a reaction before. DR told him it would be worse the next time he ate shellfish. Poor fella LOVED shrimp too. So I always carry Benedryl because you never know. DDs played travel softball and kids were always getting stung by bees...so you never know when that could be bad (I was allergic to bee stings as a kid).

But, WDW...it's gotta be tough to manage so many allergies/intolerances. My nephew was vegetarian one trip and we had to request vegetarian meal at Ohana and other places. DH and I do low carb and that's kind of tough to do, especially when we do F&W booths. It's such chaos already and to try and ask them to leave off the pasta/rice/bread/potato....egads. Also....they allow dogs all over. That we do have family members with severe allergies. My nephew goes into bad asthma. Hopefully they deep clean the rooms that dogs stay in.

I did bring it up and sort of just got a "sorry that's all you get" when it came to the platter. We still had a nice evening but it was disappointing. I do carry a small Benadryl single use package with me and an epipen, but it wasn't helping much so we needed more and we only use the epipen if my breathing is effected which thankfully it wasn't.

I was more upset over how the manager held us there, as opposed to trying to help us get help. It's not the first time I've had a reaction at a restaurant and I'm sure it won't be the last, so we try to make sure we're equipped to handle them, but her lack of care when we kept expressing that I needed medical attention did not bode well with anyone at the table.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Seconding the idea of carrying an Epi-pen, Benadryl, or whatever antidote works for your kind of allergy. I have no allergies so can only sympathise.

ETA just read you latest post.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

@MickeyMouseCD524 Yikes. I think Teppan Edo is managed by Mitsukoshi. You should definitely complain to them and WDW, if only to notify them about the breakdown in processes.

I feel like I've read something about the allergy cards at the dessert parties...but I don't have food allergies so I don't pay attention when those threads appear.

I've tried to get in touch with Disney and Mitsukoshi about it but have never gotten a response.

The allergy food at Fantasmic was horrid. I've heard other dessert parties are great and I feel like if we had gone to one of the others where it's buffet style it would have been fine.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

Seconding the idea of carrying an Epi-pen, Benadryl, or whatever antidote works for your kind of allergy. I have no allergies so can only sympathise.

ETA just read you latest post.

Oh I agree you need to carry those things if you have a food allergy, but like I said above if you do have a reaction I feel like the restaurant should be treating it like the medical emergency it is rather than worrying about paper work and wether or not I'm going to pay my bill.

 

[DVC Jen]

I did bring it up and sort of just got a "sorry that's all you get" when it came to the platter. We still had a nice evening but it was disappointing. I do carry a small Benadryl single use package with me and an epipen, but it wasn't helping much so we needed more and we only use the epipen if my breathing is effected which thankfully it wasn't.

I was more upset over how the manager held us there, as opposed to trying to help us get help. It's not the first time I've had a reaction at a restaurant and I'm sure it won't be the last, so we try to make sure we're equipped to handle them, but her lack of care when we kept expressing that I needed medical attention did not bode well with anyone at the table.

it wouldn't have gone over well with me either. I would have paid and walked out regardless of what she was saying.

 

[sponica]

I've tried to get in touch with Disney and Mitsukoshi about it but have never gotten a response.

The allergy food at Fantasmic was horrid. I've heard other dessert parties are great and I feel like if we had gone to one of the others where it's buffet style it would have been fine.

You can try emailing george.kalogridis@disney.com He's the President of the Walt Disney Resort. If I could find the email address for the VP of Epcot I'd use that first...but I can't find it.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

You can try emailing george.kalogridis@disney.com He's the President of the Walt Disney Resort. If I could find the email address for the VP of Epcot I'd use that first...but I can't find it.

Thanks I'll give that a go!

 

[Pumbaa_]

No one can hold you. They can strongly suggest, but they can’t force you. Feel free to walk next time.

Also if the reaction is that strong, call 911, that will get you the help you need asap

Unfortunately you do have to advocate for yourself. It’s hard to think about choices in the heat of the moment, this does give you the incentive to plan what you want to happen next time.

And the dessert thing? That’s when you stamp your feet (figuratively, not literally). Find who’s in charge. Your fish allergy should not prevent you from yumminess

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

What worries me about the one size fits all allergy cards is that I have a not top 8 allergy.

They could be feeding people their allergens because they aren’t paying attention.

I feel like the allergy menus has made them lazy as compared to before. They tried to make it so the waiters could handle stuff but they don’t even stop to listen to your actual allergies now and just throw an allergy menu at you.

I’m not eating nasty gluten free waffles because I’m allergic to fungus.


The Teppan Edo story is horrifying. Plus if I had a reaction at Disney World, I’d expect my meal comped, not being asked to pay!!

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I did bring it up and sort of just got a "sorry that's all you get" when it came to the platter. We still had a nice evening but it was disappointing. I do carry a small Benadryl single use package with me and an epipen, but it wasn't helping much so we needed more and we only use the epipen if my breathing is effected which thankfully it wasn't.

I was more upset over how the manager held us there, as opposed to trying to help us get help. It's not the first time I've had a reaction at a restaurant and I'm sure it won't be the last, so we try to make sure we're equipped to handle them, but her lack of care when we kept expressing that I needed medical attention did not bode well with anyone at the table.

You don’t need to justify how you handled things to people without food allergies!

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Also....they allow dogs all over. That we do have family members with severe allergies. My nephew goes into bad asthma. Hopefully they deep clean the rooms that dogs stay in.

You can request a special deep cleaning of Disney resort hotel rooms where they deep clean everything and the walls. I can’t remember what it’s called or what it includes.

 

[sponica]

I’m not eating nasty gluten free waffles because I’m allergic to fungus.

This made me laugh out loud...and yeah you're right about not paying for a meal that triggered an allergic reaction.

 

[DSLRuser]

I get it. You have a serious allergy. My wife does as well. But why is it Disney's responsibility to cater to you? Why should your allergy impact the enjoyment of someone who does not share the same restriction you do?

I am not trying to be insensitive. But Tepan Edo is a Japanese style of cooking. 3 of the 5 main menu items are out of the ocean. scallops, shrimp, lobster vs chicken, beef.

At some point, you as the allergy sufferer need to take stock of your options and maybe decide on more of a non fish establishment. Especially when the one you chose is known for cooking the entire meal for 10 on a single flat top.

I do agree, they did handle your situation poorly when you were having a reaction. At 9 dragons, my wife got sick and literally threw up at the dinner table. She had a reaction to something. Couldn't even walk. They got us a wheel chair and offered 911. I knew it would clear up as it always does.

I asked for the bill, and they said, we know who you are, take care of your wife and come back later. Which we did.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

I get it. You have a serious allergy. But why is it Disney's responsibility to cater to you? Why should your allergy impact the enjoyment of someone who does not share the same restriction you do?

Where did she ask for anything that impacts the enjoyment of others?

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

No one can hold you. They can strongly suggest, but they can’t force you. Feel free to walk next time.

Also if the reaction is that strong, call 911, that will get you the help you need asap

Unfortunately you do have to advocate for yourself. It’s hard to think about choices in the heat of the moment, this does give you the incentive to plan what you want to happen next time.

And the dessert thing? That’s when you stamp your feet (figuratively, not literally). Find who’s in charge. Your fish allergy should not prevent you from yumminess

We were trying to advocate but it was a bit of a challenge especially since the manager appeared to have a language barrier. And every time someone from the party tried to leave she would get up and block their way saying that we HAD to stay to make sure she had the information she needed. Though I'm honestly not sure how taking everyone's names and home addresses did anything.

911 would have been unnecessary, thankfully, and my understanding of calling 911 on property is that a cast member has to do it so security can escort the first responders to the right area.

The dessert thing was just disappointing, and I didn't feel like making a fuss over it. It was more of a "well I know for next time".

I’m not eating nasty gluten free waffles because I’m allergic to fungus.


The Teppan Edo story is horrifying. Plus if I had a reaction at Disney World, I’d expect my meal comped, not being asked to pay!!

Lol those waffles!

At that point I was just looking to get out of there.

 

[DSLRuser]

Where did she ask for anything that impacts the enjoyment of others?

Part of the fun of "hibachi" is the aspect of food flying all of the place. Seeing how all the food is dumped onto a single flat top and built up from there.

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

Part of the fun of "hibachi" is the aspect of food flying all of the place. Seeing how all the food is dumped onto a single flat top and built up from there.

If you see my original post I mentioned that they cooked my food separately, like they had done the last few times we visited, and like every hibachi I've ever visited will do if there is a seafood allergy. So I don't see how that effected everyone else enjoying the experience. I shouldn't be restricted from enjoying a night out with friends and family just because I can't have certain items on the menu.