# Thread for allergy foods updates



## ls15

Hi everyone,
I contacted special diets the other day regarding my trip in February, and they said that they were in the process of updating everything and adding new (or removing old) products from the parks!

This is exciting because a lot of the stuff they had I couldn't have (because it would contain one of the allergens).

I thought I would start an "official" thread for those with allergies who are travelling between now and until they send out the updated forms, that way, we can say if we saw new products or comment if they took any away.

Anyone interested?


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## Leota

I hope they add some more dessert options. Thank God for Babycakes or else last trip would have been berries every night!


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## ls15

Leota said:


> I hope they add some more dessert options. Thank God for Babycakes or else last trip would have been berries every night!



I wonder if it will be more of the quick service/counter service type options? Who knows! But hopefully people can add in here as they go.

Honestly, I thought Babycakes wasn't very good. Except for the tea cake.


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## livndisney

ls15 said:


> I wonder if it will be more of the quick service/counter service type options? Who knows! But hopefully people can add in here as they go.
> 
> Honestly, I thought Babycakes wasn't very good. Except for the tea cake.



The problem with "people adding in here" is the food items change often at WDW. So what was safe yesterday, may not be safe today which is why it is best to contact Special Diets directly for the most up to date information.

Plus then you don't get personal opinions, for example we go to Babycakes just about every week and love it! It is nice to have safe options that are not "prepackaged".


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## ls15

livndisney said:


> The problem with "people adding in here" is the food items change often at WDW. So what was safe yesterday, may not be safe today which is why it is best to contact Special Diets directly for the most up to date information.
> 
> Plus then you don't get personal opinions, for example we go to Babycakes just about every week and love it! It is nice to have safe options that are not "prepackaged".



Hi there,
Sorry for the confusion.

This thread was because Disney is updating their allergy forms, and it was more of a look out that when they do, we can notify each other. Currently, there is no up-to-date info from Special Diets, I just emailed them. They said they are in the process. This will give us an idea of what other options are available as they come.

That's what I meant! I do know what you mean about things being safe, but if, for example, they got in a new nondairy ice cream, we can tell each other.


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## snorris49

While I don't have any updated forms from WDW, I do have some experience with some of the new changes, as they are in the works. I have to tell you from what I experienced, I was not so happy with the changes (nor were the chefs I spoke with). I will preface this by saying that I have multiple food allergies (gluten and dairy) and also live about 1 1/2 hours from WDW so go there on average right now 1 x a month (sometimes more), up until beginning of November, I had not noticed any new changes (was told they started a few weeks ago). In any event, here's what I experienced yesterday and today when I was at the MVMCP.

Was at LTT for dinner and normally get the Ener-G tapioca rolls. Now they do not have those anymore--they are using Udi's rolls and they have dairy in them. They are gluten free, but contain dairy. The chef even commented that he was not too thrilled with this change (and that it was global) b/c those Ener-G rolls were used for lots of allergies across the board, and he felt the new rolls were very limiting. However, lucky for me, they did have some Ener-G rolls that they found in the back, so I did get some. They still have the Earth Balance vegan margarine there too. 

When I was at the Contempo Cafe at the Contemporary, I went to see if they had the French Meadow cookies and brownies there; however, I found the OMG...it's gluten free brand brownies and cookies. The brownies had dairy in them, but the chocolate chip cookies were gluten and dairy free. I tried the cookie, and it was ok. Not very chocolatey, but a big soft cookie. Checking in the parks later, I discovered that the FM brand was now being replaced by the OMG...it's GF brand. BLech. When I went to the MVMCP I went to try to get a cookie for the night. Nope. They had the OMG brand of butterscotch cookie (which has dairy in it). Greaaaattt (sarcasm). At one station (we tried multiples to see if anyone had gf/cf kind) @ tomorrowland terrace we got the Enjoy Life cookies, but they had to scrap them up from the back (yeah, thank you kind CM!). 

Went to Kona cafe this morning for breakfast and thank the heavens, they still have the gluten free/dairy free/egg free/soy free, etc. etc. mickey waffles...good thing or there would have been a very unhappy me at that breakfast. This girl needs mickey waffles!! 

Overall, I really saw a pattern of new products that served only gluten free, not dairy free folks. Too bad, b/c there are a lot of us who have multiple allergies and this product change seems to be making things harder for us and the chefs. Yuck! I'm not sure why the change. Is it the money? I'm just very confused at Disney and very disappointed. I sure hope it doesn't last. 

Thank goodness Babycakes is there. I got sugar cookies, gingerbread men (hot out of the oven), mounds, and cupcakes this morning....

That's what I have to report. Will be interested to hear other views. I'll be back next weekend for Osborne lights, so I"ll update any new things I see and hear.


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## livndisney

snorris49 said:


> While I don't have any updated forms from WDW, I do have some experience with some of the new changes, as they are in the works. I have to tell you from what I experienced, I was not so happy with the changes (nor were the chefs I spoke with). I will preface this by saying that I have multiple food allergies (gluten and dairy) and also live about 1 1/2 hours from WDW so go there on average right now 1 x a month (sometimes more), up until beginning of November, I had not noticed any new changes (was told they started a few weeks ago). In any event, here's what I experienced yesterday and today when I was at the MVMCP.
> 
> Was at LTT for dinner and normally get the Ener-G tapioca rolls. Now they do not have those anymore--they are using Udi's rolls and they have dairy in them. They are gluten free, but contain dairy. The chef even commented that he was not too thrilled with this change (and that it was global) b/c those Ener-G rolls were used for lots of allergies across the board, and he felt the new rolls were very limiting. However, lucky for me, they did have some Ener-G rolls that they found in the back, so I did get some. They still have the Earth Balance vegan margarine there too.
> 
> When I was at the Contempo Cafe at the Contemporary, I went to see if they had the French Meadow cookies and brownies there; however, I found the OMG...it's gluten free brand brownies and cookies. The brownies had dairy in them, but the chocolate chip cookies were gluten and dairy free. I tried the cookie, and it was ok. Not very chocolatey, but a big soft cookie. Checking in the parks later, I discovered that the FM brand was now being replaced by the OMG...it's GF brand. BLech. When I went to the MVMCP I went to try to get a cookie for the night. Nope. They had the OMG brand of butterscotch cookie (which has dairy in it). Greaaaattt (sarcasm). At one station (we tried multiples to see if anyone had gf/cf kind) @ tomorrowland terrace we got the Enjoy Life cookies, but they had to scrap them up from the back (yeah, thank you kind CM!).
> 
> Went to Kona cafe this morning for breakfast and thank the heavens, they still have the gluten free/dairy free/egg free/soy free, etc. etc. mickey waffles...good thing or there would have been a very unhappy me at that breakfast. This girl needs mickey waffles!!
> 
> Overall, I really saw a pattern of new products that served only gluten free, not dairy free folks. Too bad, b/c there are a lot of us who have multiple allergies and this product change seems to be making things harder for us and the chefs. Yuck! I'm not sure why the change. Is it the money? I'm just very confused at Disney and very disappointed. I sure hope it doesn't last.
> 
> Thank goodness Babycakes is there. I got sugar cookies, gingerbread men (hot out of the oven), mounds, and cupcakes this morning....
> 
> That's what I have to report. Will be interested to hear other views. I'll be back next weekend for Osborne lights, so I"ll update any new things I see and hear.



According to the chefs I have spoken with the change has to do with money. Disney can get the new stuff cheaper. We "may" have to deal with this new line for a year. I personally won't eat the Enjoy Life stuff. I LOVE the French Meadow brownies and I am not happy to hear they are gone.

Just means more business for Babycakes!


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## snorris49

livndisney said:


> According to the chefs I have spoken with the change has to do with money. Disney can get the new stuff cheaper. We "may" have to deal with this new line for a year. I personally won't eat the Enjoy Life stuff. I LOVE the French Meadow brownies and I am not happy to hear they are gone.
> 
> Just means more business for Babycakes!



I kind of figured it was about the money. Too bad b/c I agree about the Enjoy Life stuff--I'll eat them but don't love them, buy I LOVE the FM brownies...I fully plan on writing them a letter about the whole thing. It's a shame and seems like a business loss for them considering how many people are in need of special diets related foods that cover multiple allergies. 

Yep, more business for Babycakes...


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## clanmcculloch

Thanks for sharing this even if I'm not happy to read it.  It just seems like a bad business move to take continued steps to alienate a market for whom they've worked so hard to position themselves as a world leader in that market.  Maybe they're losing money on us with all the extra effort the chefs have to take?  At all you can eat restaurants and on the dining plan they can't even charge anything extra for these more expensive foods and at all you can eat places, chefs do tend to bring us out handfuls/platefuls of packaged treats for us to take with us.  I'm not saying I agree with or like this move and in fact this continued trend towards less options and less support of allergies does make me rething how often we go but I am saying that I can kind of understand the direction.  I just means I and people like me (and you) need to spend more time investigating other vacation destinations as well.  All the other major vacation destinations seem to be slowly working towards building up their allergy support, at least based on some reports we've been seeing around here (though they all still have a long way to go to get to even the degrated level of support we get at WDW but they seem to be working on it).

Did you see if the Enjoy Life products are still available everywhere?  Last August they seemed to be making an effort to get them into as many CS locations as they could around the parks.  I know not everybody's a fan but we like them a lot (they're free of all of our laundry list of allergens and we do seem to enjoy eating them and even eat them at home).  At least they're something we know we can all eat and it's nice having SOMETHING we can find around the parks.

Is it still the Bob's Red Mill mix for the waffles as far as you know?


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## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> Thanks for sharing this even if I'm not happy to read it.  It just seems like a bad business move to take continued steps to alienate a market for whom they've worked so hard to position themselves as a world leader in that market.  Maybe they're losing money on us with all the extra effort the chefs have to take?  At all you can eat restaurants and on the dining plan they can't even charge anything extra for these more expensive foods and at all you can eat places, chefs do tend to bring us out handfuls/platefuls of packaged treats for us to take with us.  I'm not saying I agree with or like this move and in fact this continued trend towards less options and less support of allergies does make me rething how often we go but I am saying that I can kind of understand the direction.  I just means I and people like me (and you) need to spend more time investigating other vacation destinations as well.  All the other major vacation destinations seem to be slowly working towards building up their allergy support, at least based on some reports we've been seeing around here (though they all still have a long way to go to get to even the degrated level of support we get at WDW but they seem to be working on it).
> 
> Did you see if the Enjoy Life products are still available everywhere?  Last August they seemed to be making an effort to get them into as many CS locations as they could around the parks.  I know not everybody's a fan but we like them a lot (they're free of all of our laundry list of allergens and we do seem to enjoy eating them and even eat them at home).  At least they're something we know we can all eat and it's nice having SOMETHING we can find around the parks.
> 
> Is it still the Bob's Red Mill mix for the waffles as far as you know?




I don't think this change is because they are losing money on us. For the most part the Chefs I have spoken with love the challenge of cooking for  allergy people. I think the problem comes in when they started getting overwhelmed with people with "requests". A simple lunch service went from having maybe 10 people with allergies for 1 chef had to deal with, to over 50 people in a meal service. And while I do understand allergies are on the rise, in my personal experience people take "advantage". People who "claim" allergies just to get some perceived special service. I have seen suggestions on the internet to claim allergies just so you can have the chef bring you food from the back so you don't have to go up to the buffet, or to get the chef to make you something special. Some people don't seem to understand that a "picky" grown adult is not the same as having life threatening food allergies.

In my experience guests are making unreasonable demands and expecting the chefs/staff to accomadate them (vegan guest insisting that no meat be served to the other guests while she was there, lady overheard telling the server "I don't feel like walking to the buffet, just tell the chef I have allergies so he can bring me my food", and of course the lovely woman at Chef Mickeys that saw the dessert the Chef made for my DD who began yelling and screaming that she get the same thing-she suddenly had allergies she had forgotten to mention while eating her dinner.) 

This type of behavior is what is costing WDW and sadly it looks like we are the ones that are going to pay the price. 

I will say-we have been able to eat at SW twice with no problems. Humm I wonder if I can get SW to serve FM brownies LOL.


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## ls15

Thanks for keeping us updated. How disappointing! I can't eat Udi's, and I'm sure that this is going to be frustrating for a lot of people. Though I didn't really like the Ener-G stuff, it was nice to get a random item here and there.

I hope that they keep in some of their other stuff. I can't have French Meadow things, either...

Oh, darn! Well, let's keep each other posted.


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## ls15

Okay, so I just got off the phone with Reservations AND Special Diets, after about 1/2 an hour.

The short version: yes, all Ener-G stuff is phased out and replaced by Udi's. She was really nice and said she understood, and basically, it was requested by people because "it tastes better". It wasn't a cost thing. It was a request from people going to Disney.

I told her it was frustrating for those who can't have these because they have multiple allergies and celiac disease (like myself). We talked for awhile and she said that she is going to contact many of the quick service locations in the parks (since Table Service is pretty easy) and see what is available now that things are gone.

She said she would call me back in the next couple days, and I would definitely be hearing from her soon.

As soon as I hear from her I will report back!


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## livndisney

ls15 said:


> Okay, so I just got off the phone with Reservations AND Special Diets, after about 1/2 an hour.
> 
> The short version: yes, all Ener-G stuff is phased out and replaced by Udi's. She was really nice and said she understood, and basically, it was requested by people because "it tastes better". It wasn't a cost thing. It was a request from people going to Disney.
> 
> I told her it was frustrating for those who can't have these because they have multiple allergies and celiac disease (like myself). We talked for awhile and she said that she is going to contact many of the quick service locations in the parks (since Table Service is pretty easy) and see what is available now that things are gone.
> 
> She said she would call me back in the next couple days, and I would definitely be hearing from her soon.
> 
> As soon as I hear from her I will report back!



Respectfully, from what I have been told by several managers and Chefs it is a cost issue. Several of the Chefs I have spoken to do not like the Udi products and are not happy about the change. They are trying to get the products changed back.

Just to clarify, as my screenname suggests I spend a lot of time in WDW, have several friends who are Chefs/managers at WDW. My information does not come from someone on the phone, but rather from firsthand knowledge.


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## dizcrazee

ls15 said:


> Honestly, I thought Babycakes wasn't very good.



We are only dealing with peanut and tree nut allergies, and most gluten free stuff tastes bad and/or has an unpleasant texture to us.  I wish there were more dessert options at WDW for those with just peanut/tree nut allergies that is more like standard fare.


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## KristenFNJ

livndisney said:


> Respectfully, from what I have been told by several managers and Chefs it is a cost issue. *Several of the Chefs I have spoken to do not like the Udi products* and are not happy about the change. They are trying to get the products changed back.



I'm curious as to what they don't like about Udi's?  Not second-guessing their opinions  just genuinely curious, if they're harder to work with cooking-wise, the taste, the company... just curious!  (Maybe there is something I don't know, that I should!)  We (well, my DH and DS1&2) are celiacs and LOVE Udi's!  For them, I'm very happy to hear that I don't have to carry Udi's rolls in my backpack at WDW anymore!

But, from a universal brotherhood standpoint, I think it's awful that they're alienating other allergies as a result.  Too bad they can't have both options.  I would think demand would be high enough that they could stand to do it since they are not fresh baked (Udi's).  I would rather carry my rolls, for you guys!!!  If it were my guys being limited, I'd be very upset!  It just seems like a big step backwards.


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## Disneynut5

I did not like the Ener-G rolls that we were served at Kona.  But several places served these little brown gluten free rolls.  They were so good.  Anyone know what they are?  I also loved the donuts that we were served at Boma but have no idea what they are either - they were chocolate.  

I really do not like being given the same OMG It's Gluten Free brownie every where we went.  I also think most GF items are better heated and this does not always happen at Disney.


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## Disneynut5

I did not like the Ener-G rolls that we were served at Kona.  But several places served these little brown gluten free rolls.  They were so good.  Anyone know what they are?  I also loved the donuts that we were served at Boma but have no idea what they are either - they were chocolate.  

I really do not like being given the same OMG It's Gluten Free brownie every where we went.  I also think most GF items are better heated and this does not always happen at Disney.


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## snorris49

KristenFNJ said:


> I'm curious as to what they don't like about Udi's?  Not second-guessing their opinions  just genuinely curious, if they're harder to work with cooking-wise, the taste, the company... just curious!  (Maybe there is something I don't know, that I should!)  We (well, my DH and DS1&2) are celiacs and LOVE Udi's!  For them, I'm very happy to hear that I don't have to carry Udi's rolls in my backpack at WDW anymore!
> 
> But, from a universal brotherhood standpoint, I think it's awful that they're alienating other allergies as a result.  Too bad they can't have both options.  I would think demand would be high enough that they could stand to do it since they are not fresh baked (Udi's).  I would rather carry my rolls, for you guys!!!  If it were my guys being limited, I'd be very upset!  It just seems like a big step backwards.



The chef I spoke to last week said he likes Ener-G better than Udi's b/c the Ener-G rolls cover multiple allergies and the Udis doesn't. Essentially, the ener-g rolls were a one stop shop that could be used for lots of different allergies and intolerances--Udi's limits it by some degrees. Now they don't have as many all encompassing standbys. 

While I agree that perhaps things like Udi's might taste better, I can't eat them b/c of the dairy. For me, I feel like the gluten allergy/intolerance has become the main focus with other allergies being put on the secondary list. Coming from a company that has been so good in the past, it's a little disappointing to have a lot less options. I was totally bummed at the Christmas Party this year--I was looking forward to French Meadow brownies or cookies and didn't have any options but fruit b/c the new product for GF is only GF....bummer.

I'm heading back this weekend, it will be interesting if I hear some more from chefs on this decision and change.


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## Minnie

Very frustrating to read as I am also gluten / dairy free and WDW has been my safe place to eat out 

This reminds me of the addition of soy to the french fries which is an issue for many people - why in the world would WDW choose to use products that have many common food allergens - sad very sad.


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## clanmcculloch

I just saw on another message board that they've completely done away with Divvies cookies.  So basically, get rid of the milk and egg free cookies because you've got a new gluten free cookie even though those cookies contain milk and eggs.  Yeah, that makes sense.

Over the next couple of days I'm going to put together an email to both Special Diets and Guest Communications to basically ask *** is going on and voice my concerns about the direction they're taking with allergy options for those of us with multiple allergies.

Everybody, PLEASE contact Disney if you're unhappy about this.  They only way they'll know that this was a poor decision is if people let them know.  My guess is that the people who were making the decisions have never actually spoken with a single person dealing with anything other than gluten issues and they just didn't consider the ramifications of this decision so we HAVE to let them know.  Disney does seem to respond when enough people contact them so we have to make sure our voices are heard loudly.


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## nfceagles

The EnerG ->  Udi's affected us.  We're not gluten free, but DS usually can't eat the regular buns/rolls due to either nut x-cont or dairy, so he gets the EnerG ones.  He won't be able to eat the Udi's if they contain dairy and/or milk.  But I figured, you win some you lose some.  Now Divvies!!?!?!?  This makes me sad and scared for our January trip.

I'm nervous what options will exist for DS.  I got an email back from Special Diets  a while ago saying they were making some exciting improvements and that I should check back closer to our trip to see if a new reference sheet would be ready by then. 

Maybe I need to start arranging some Babycakes deliveries.


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## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> I just saw on another message board that they've completely done away with Divvies cookies.  So basically, get rid of the milk and egg free cookies because you've got a new gluten free cookie even though those cookies contain milk and eggs.  Yeah, that makes sense.
> 
> Over the next couple of days I'm going to put together an email to both Special Diets and Guest Communications to basically ask *** is going on and voice my concerns about the direction they're taking with allergy options for those of us with multiple allergies.
> 
> Everybody, PLEASE contact Disney if you're unhappy about this.  They only way they'll know that this was a poor decision is if people let them know.  My guess is that the people who were making the decisions have never actually spoken with a single person dealing with anything other than gluten issues and they just didn't consider the ramifications of this decision so we HAVE to let them know.  Disney does seem to respond when enough people contact them so we have to make sure our voices are heard loudly.




Divies cookies are gone, but the popcorn and jellybeans are still available.  (SW has started selling divies cookies so my dd was THRILLED).

I spoke to two more resort chefs last week. They are not happy with the change at all. Once chef refuses to serve some of the Udi's stuff (and the items he will serve he "doctors" up and the other was telling me how much food is being sent back.


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## clanmcculloch

Just sent the following email. I'll share any response I get beyond the generic automated response.

To: SpecialDiets@disneyworld.com; WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com
Subject: Food Allergy options
I'm writing about recent reports I'm hearing of food options for people with multiple allergies at WDW. Previously, there were lots of options for foods around WDW for my family where 3 of us have long lists of allergies. Recent reports from other guests though are indicating that the breads and buns are all Udis which contain milk and that the cookies and brownies around WDW are OMG.... It's Gluten Free which also contain milk. I don't understand this move which alienates a large number of people with allergies. While yes gluten free guests are coming to WDW in large numbers because of how wonderful you've been in handling gluten intollerance problems, there is also a large community of guests who have other allergies. My family is certainly been alienated. We have a trip coming up in February and rather than my usual excitement I'm now very nervous about what options my kids will have. We also have an August trip planned and now I'm second guessing it. Yes, this decision regarding allergy foods is that big of a deal to my family and I would guess to others as well. We choose to travel to WDW because we know that our kids will have lots of options for dining with their allergies and will get to feel "normal" even if only for a short time. You've just undone this feeling in one quick decision to change vendors. I'm really hoping that these changes are not final and that you will rethink this decision to completely alienate an entire customer base that has been extremely loyal.

Thank you for your time.


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## clanmcculloch

livndisney said:


> Divies cookies are gone, but the popcorn and jellybeans are still available.  (SW has started selling divies cookies so my dd was THRILLED).
> 
> I spoke to two more resort chefs last week. They are not happy with the change at all. Once chef refuses to serve some of the Udi's stuff (and the items he will serve he "doctors" up and the other was telling me how much food is being sent back.



Well that makes no sense about the Divvies stuff.

So what kinds of things is the chef doctoring up?  Are there other products that have changed?  PLEASE tell me that the chicken tenders haven't changed.


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## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> Well that makes no sense about the Divvies stuff.
> 
> So what kinds of things is the chef doctoring up?  Are there other products that have changed?  PLEASE tell me that the chicken tenders haven't changed.



I won't tell you that the chicken tenders have changed, but I will tell you we could not find them at 2 locations we had been able to get them at.

When I say "doctoring up" what I mean is warming up the "brick" like OMG brownies and adding chocolate sauce to make them moist.


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## clanmcculloch

OK, that has me really nervous.  If the chicken tenders aren't available at as many locations then it's even worse than I thought.  Have you tried getting pizzas anywhere?  If yes, what brand of crust did they use?


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## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> OK, that has me really nervous.  If the chicken tenders aren't available at as many locations then it's even worse than I thought.  Have you tried getting pizzas anywhere?  If yes, what brand of crust did they use?



I have not, but (don't panic yet) after the holidays I plan to poke around the world and find out what is available where.

I do know- 
WL Udi products, no divies at WCC, OMG brownies. Chef offers fruit for allergies. Grilled chicken instead of chicken tenders.

Pop Century-Divies popcorn and jellybeans, OMG brownies, rice milk and rice dream ice cream. No chicken tenders. Unclear on bread products since the Chef did not really seem to understand "gluten free" and served burger on regular bun.

Sunshine Seasons-OMG brownies, baked chicken was offered when I asked about the allergy safe tenders. Piece of fruit offered for "allergy safe" dessert.

I have not been told the tenders are gone, but on two occasions when I asked about them I was offered chicken. I think right now allergy food is "fluid" at WDW. I think we will see more changes before this spring.


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## clanmcculloch

I've never tried to get tenders at Sunshine Seasons as we've always gotten either the rotisserie chicken or seared tuna there because they're different options from everywhere else so we like to take advantage of that.  We've never eaten at WL including WCC so I don't know what was there before.  I'm feeling a little bit better about that.

I'm shocked about the chef at Pop.  We've always had such great experiences there with chefs going above and beyond.  I'm assuming you only mentioned the rice milk and ice cream because you can't do soy so didn't check on those, correct?

I'm not in a panic YET but that's also partly because for our February trip these items weren't as important based on the types of plans we have but for our August trip it will be VERY important, enough so that I'm questioning the trip (that wasn't an idle threat in my email to WDW; I really am questioning the trip based on the type of plans we have for that one).


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## nfceagles

Ugh!!!  You guys are scaring me.  We leave Jan 15th.  My DS likes fruit just fine, but when we are on vacation, he does NOT consider it dessert.  Especially when the remaining 8 members of his family are eating extravagant desserts.  

I don't give a hoot about the jelly beans and popcorn.  I can get safe jelly beans all over the place and my DS can eat the regular popcorn in the parks, but I NEED a baked good!  Maybe I'll pack some Divvies.  I think I definitely will be carrying a safe treat everywhere for DS just in case.

LivnDisney- Do you know anything about the availability of soy/rice ice cream and/or Itsakadoozie popsicles.  My DS often got ice cream on his last trip and loves it.   Those would at least be better than fruit.

Does Babycakes deliver anything off their menu or only cakes?  Do guys know how much notice is required?  If I get there and find things are bad, can I quickly sign up for stuff for the remainder of the week?

I will keep you guys posted when I contact Special Diets.  I will definitely let them know how disappointing the changes are.  We bought into DVC BECAUSE they have provided us with such a magical experience wrt food allergies, something we don't get on other vacations.


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## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> I've never tried to get tenders at Sunshine Seasons as we've always gotten either the rotisserie chicken or seared tuna there because they're different options from everywhere else so we like to take advantage of that.  We've never eaten at WL including WCC so I don't know what was there before.  I'm feeling a little bit better about that.
> 
> I'm shocked about the chef at Pop.  We've always had such great experiences there with chefs going above and beyond.  I'm assuming you only mentioned the rice milk and ice cream because you can't do soy so didn't check on those, correct?
> 
> I'm not in a panic YET but that's also partly because for our February trip these items weren't as important based on the types of plans we have but for our August trip it will be VERY important, enough so that I'm questioning the trip (that wasn't an idle threat in my email to WDW; I really am questioning the trip based on the type of plans we have for that one).




We "usually" have great service at Pop. This chef just did not seem to get it. I asked about the rice milk/ice cream because we can't do soy. They did still have silk (I think it was silk) single serves in the grab and go area.


----------



## livndisney

nfceagles said:


> Ugh!!!  You guys are scaring me.  We leave Jan 15th.  My DS likes fruit just fine, but when we are on vacation, he does NOT consider it dessert.  Especially when the remaining 8 members of his family are eating extravagant desserts.
> 
> I don't give a hoot about the jelly beans and popcorn.  I can get safe jelly beans all over the place and my DS can eat the regular popcorn in the parks, but I NEED a baked good!  Maybe I'll pack some Divvies.  I think I definitely will be carrying a safe treat everywhere for DS just in case.
> 
> LivnDisney- Do you know anything about the availability of soy/rice ice cream and/or Itsakadoozie popsicles.  My DS often got ice cream on his last trip and loves it.   Those would at least be better than fruit.
> 
> Does Babycakes deliver anything off their menu or only cakes?  Do guys know how much notice is required?  If I get there and find things are bad, can I quickly sign up for stuff for the remainder of the week?
> 
> I will keep you guys posted when I contact Special Diets.  I will definitely let them know how disappointing the changes are.  We bought into DVC BECAUSE they have provided us with such a magical experience wrt food allergies, something we don't get on other vacations.



DD agrees fruit is not dessert LOL.
Rice milk and ice cream is still available in the places we checked. I did not see Itsakadoozie at the carts, but I was not looking as most of the carts feature the milk based ice creams.

I "think" Babycakes only delivers cakes. I have suggested SEVERAL times they have products at CS (What a dream!), but I know that is not really practical.


----------



## clanmcculloch

I can't imagine them doing away with the Itzkadoozies since they're one of many products from the same company so as long as they have their Nestle contract I would think that these would stay (says the woman who's confused as to why they'd get rid of Divvies cookies and keep the caramel corn and jelly beans).  My kids can't Itzkadoozies due to other allergies but I'm hoping they keep the frozen pineapple bars they added this year because they're yummy.  I figure the Dole contract will stay around for a long time as well so I'm crossing my fingers for the pineapple bars.

I'll be scouring the special diets info for confirmation when I request my lists in a few weeks.  Hopefully they'll have the info up to date by then.

My kids also agree that fruit is NOT a dessert.  DD13 does enjoy some berries with a berry sorbet if that's what's offered at a restaurant but not just fruit on its own.


----------



## kkandaj

This is scary for me too.  DS has life threatening food allergies to dairy, soy, egg, tree nuts and peanut.  WDW is THE ONLY place that DS eats restaurant food--meaning, THE ONLY TIME I get a break from cooking!  We are staying off site so I can cook most of his food, but while we are in the parks, I was HOPING to be able to let him eat there.

We have an ADR for Tusker House breakfast and I will not be happy if I pay $18 for him to eat fruit for breakfast! 

I agree that so many companies cater to gluten free and leave so many other allergies out.  Anytime I mention food allergies, people say "oh, he can't have gluten?"  Drives me crazy....


----------



## SDSorority

Sigh.  Luckily we don't have a milk allergy in our family, but I can't have soy in addition to gluten, so I end up bringing, oh, 95% of our food in with us.  ANNOYING.


----------



## SMorgan711

Hi Everyone! We just got back from Disney on Monday. Disney is the ONLY place that I get to feel "normal" as I have a milk allergy. Please bare in mind that my allergy is NOT life threatening. 

Tuesday, we ate at Captain Cooks in the Polynesian and I got a turkey club on multigrain. Apparently, this was the only bread that I could have. All the other ones they had contained milk. (Also, I did not like the digital ordering system. But that's another topic!) That night I had chips from the UK in Epcot and a Cinnamon Sugar Soft Preztel from a stand near Canada.

Wednesday, we ate at Kona Cafe and I was able to have the Tonga Toast! Apparently, it's only an egg wash that it's coated in and contains no dairy. I just had to request no strawberry componte. We ate at the Plaza Restaurant on Main Street before MVMCP. I received the allergy book when I sat down and was able to look at it before the chef came out. This was super exciting because normally I would not ask about certain items and just assume they had milk in it. Because I had the book, I read through everything and found some stuff I could eat! (Like those chocolate Mickey ears on the kids ice cream cone!  I wish they did this everywhere. I had a vanilla Rice Dream (non milk) milk shake! I asked for a chocolate one because the chocolate sauce didn't have milk in it but I guess she didn't here me. It was my first (non milk) milk shake!  I also had a hamburger on a kaiser roll which was good and a salad. The salad was amazing! At MVMCP, I couldn't have any of the cookies or hot chocolate. They had sugar free cookies and hot chocolate and the allergy cookies were gluten free only. sad 

Thursday, I ate at Whispering Caynon and had a ham omlette. I was looking forward to a Mickey waffle but the Chef discouraged me from getting it. He asked if I knew about the Bob's Red Mill mix and I said no. I had the allergy friendly waffles before but I had no idea it was Bob's mix. He pretty much said it tasted badly and I shouldn't get it. Bummed me out the whole day. For dinner I had a grilled chicken sandwich at Pollo Campero which ended up coming out on a potato roll  I made a wrap with the tortillas from DF's meal. and I had a brownie cupcake with chocolate icing from BabyCakes! It was so good! When I got a cupcake there in Feb it was HORRIBLE. I was so sad. Especially because we have such an amazing vegan bakery where I live. But I was so happy to see that it was a fluke! I ended up getting a donut and red velvet cupcake. Everything was superb!

Friday, I had the Bob's Red Mill mix waffles at the Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. Totally what I ate before and still they were good to me! I also had bacon and the potatoes (OMG best potatoes EVER!) I got the allergy friendly chicken fingers at the BackLot Express in Hollywood Studios with fries. I got Rice Dream on a cone at Hollywood Scoops. That was a disaster. No one knew what I was talking about and I had to tell the manager/chef three times what I wanted.  That night we ate at the Luau at the Polynesian. I was able to eat everything except the bread and dessert. I never really liked the Ener-G rolls but I got some little brown roll instead. It was actually pretty good. I'm not sure what brand it was. My dad even tried it and liked it. The salad was awesome. I kept getting lots of refills on that. We also had a BabyCakes dessert ordered (blondie cake - Vanilla cake w/chocolate chips and choco icing) It was really good! Everyone in our party ate some and enjoyed it. (Fruit was the main meal allergy dessert so I'm glad I got the cake!)

Saturday I had the allergy friendly Mickey waffles at Captain Cooks. We also ate at Teppan Edo and the only thing I couldn't have was two of the dipping sauces and dessert. The dessert was a fruit cup. I'm talking Dole fruit filled with sugary syrup fruit cup that you buy in a grocery store. I was bummed. Also got the allergy friendly chicken fingers at Columbia Harbour House for dinner.

Sunday was allergy friendly Mickey waffles at Captain Cooks. Allergy friendly chicken tenders and fries at Electric Umbrella. Rice Dream root beer float at Fountain View. 

Monday was allergy friendly Mickey waffles at Captain Cooks and allergy friendly chicken tenders at Columbia Harbour House. I also got a Mickey shaped soft preztel in Frontierland! 

I did not see any Divvies cookies which I normally get. Only the caramel corn and jelly beans. I did get an OMG it's gluten free choco chip cookie that was milk free but I did not try it yet.


----------



## nfceagles

Thanks for all that information.  I don't have any food intolerances, but I find the Bob's Red Mill waffles to be perfectly good.

Are you sure the OMG brownie you got is dairy free?  The ones listed on OMG's website say they contain dairy, but perhaps the Disney ones are different.

The Divvies thing is really bugging me.  I understand it's hard to meet everyone's needs, but it seems they have nothing now for the dairy and egg allergic.  They should have switched to Dr Lucy's cookies.  They are milk, egg, nut, and gluten free.  A crunchy cookie, but very good IMO.

Don't they realize that a lot of GF people are also DF????


----------



## livndisney

nfceagles said:


> Thanks for all that information.  I don't have any food intolerances, but I find the Bob's Red Mill waffles to be perfectly good.
> 
> Are you sure the OMG brownie you got is dairy free?  The ones listed on OMG's website say they contain dairy, but perhaps the Disney ones are different.
> 
> The Divvies thing is really bugging me.  I understand it's hard to meet everyone's needs, but it seems they have nothing now for the dairy and egg allergic.  They should have switched to Dr Lucy's cookies.  They are milk, egg, nut, and gluten free.  A crunchy cookie, but very good IMO.
> 
> Don't they realize that a lot of GF people are also DF????



I am pretty sure the OMG brownies we saw were dairy and gluten free.


----------



## clanmcculloch

When I looked at the OMG It's Gluten Free website, all of the brownies had milk but there was a chocolate chip cookie that was milk free.  I assumed that since somebody had reported getting a milk free one that this was the cookie that was being served.  If you're allergic to milk, look again at the brownies since the website doesn't show any without milk.


----------



## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> When I looked at the OMG It's Gluten Free website, all of the brownies had milk but there was a chocolate chip cookie that was milk free.  I assumed that since somebody had reported getting a milk free one that this was the cookie that was being served.  If you're allergic to milk, look again at the brownies since the website doesn't show any without milk.



I saw that on the website, but I "think" the ones we saw at WDW had a similar label, but said "dairy and gluten free". We did not try them. I will make sure and take a pic next time I am over there.

Just checked the OMG pdf.  It looks like what I saw was the cookie that was dairy and gluten free.

In "related" news OMG also has pizza-anyone want to take bets to see if WDW switches? Won't work for us due to other allergies.


----------



## SMorgan711

I personally did not see any OMG brownies. I just saw the OMG chocolate chip cookie that was gluten and milk free. 

I feel like it should be easier for Disney to supply allergy friendly things that are at least free of the 8 most common allergies? Instead of serving one thing that's ONLY gluten free, another that's ONLY milk free, another that's ONLY egg free, etc, they'd have one thing across the board? Hm.. very interesting to see the outcome!!


----------



## clanmcculloch

I saw the pizzas on there.  DD13 won't be able to eat them but I think DD11 might be able to which would be great for her since she can't eat the existing ones.


----------



## DVC_Princess

Disneynut5 said:


> I also loved the donuts that we were served at Boma but have no idea what they are either.



I didn't see anyone else reply but last I knew these are Kinnikinnick. They are yummy and have them at a lot of breakfast buffets if you ask. My local grocery store has them as well in the freezer section.


----------



## DVC_Princess

I have celiac so I am gluten free but not dairy free so I don't know everything about that allergy. However I was just looking at the online Udi's ingredient list and they do contain egg products but not milk products. I was under the impression that means they are dairy free. I can understand that it's still harder for those with egg allergies and am very sympathetic to that. But am I missing something regarding those who are gluten/dairy free? Thanks for any clarification!


----------



## nfceagles

I was of the impression initially, based on OMG's website, that their products contained dairy.  It sounds like the ones at Disney are indeed dairy free.  So I think you may be right that it boils down to egg allergies (and vegans) losing the most.

When I wrote Special Diets about our upcoming trip, they included in their reply, "Within the next several months we will be adding additional special dietary offerings to enhance your dining experience."  I was excited even though I was happy with what they already offered.  But with the changes  I'm hearing about we've lost rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and choc chip cookies.  I understand if the Udi's GF stuff is a lot better than EnerG, it was mostly coinsidence that DS could eat those (we aren't GF), but I'm really bummed about the loss of Divvies or SOME baked good for the milk, egg, nut allergy set.  It's a pretty common combination, hence the existence of companies like Divvies.

I know Disney carries Enjoy Life too, but I've only ever seen them in table service restaurants.  Perhaps they could make those more readily available at the Counter Service places where Divvies were available.  I don't like them as well, but I get that they serve a broader group of customers.


----------



## snorris49

I had the OMG gluten free and dairy free chocolate chip cookie twice in the past three weeks. They are indeed marked dairy free. They were the only OMG products that I could find that were dairy free. I have the packaging photographed, and I'll try to get it up on my blog soon, so you can see it. 

Taste-wise, it was ok. Not that great, but not the worst GF/DF cookie I've ever had. 

As for the Bob's Red Mill mickey waffles, I love those things! I'm surprised a chef said they were awful. They are the best, especially at Kona and Kouzzina. Yum, yum, and yum! I bought some mix the other day for the holidays, though I suspect mine won't taste as good. They've been using that mix for quite some time at WDW. 

Boy, I'm not loving these new changes...I intend on writing a lengthy letter to special diets and customer service over the holiday break.


----------



## clanmcculloch

The waffles we liked best were made with apple juice instead of milk and apple sauce instead of eggs.  That's how we make them at home as well.  You can use any milk substitute and if you can eat eggs you can use those but something about the apple flavours seems to lighten the heavy bean-ish flavour of the Bob's mix.


----------



## trolleyfanma

We just returned from the World and were not impressed with the changes.  My kids each tried the OMG cookies and thought they were too crumbly and not tasty.  They had them once and never asked for them again.  Twice we ordered dd Chocolate Soy Milk which in the past was Silk brand.  Both times we were given Vanilla Kikkoman Soy Milk which was awful(both restaurants said that was all they had).  We ended up going to a grocery store to purchase Silk for DD.  Thank goodness we were in a DVC villa and could use the kitchen.  The kids preferred to bring safe sandwiches and snacks with us instead of hoping to find safe food at the quick service places.  Dh & I felt bad eating in front of them.  We had great Chefs at Cape May, 50's and T-Rex- they only table services we ended up eating at.


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## Minnie

snorris49 said:


> I had the OMG gluten free and dairy free chocolate chip cookie twice in the past three weeks. They are indeed marked dairy free. They were the only OMG products that I could find that were dairy free. I have the packaging photographed, and I'll try to get it up on my blog soon, so you can see it.
> 
> Taste-wise, it was ok. Not that great, but not the worst GF/DF cookie I've ever had.
> 
> As for the Bob's Red Mill mickey waffles, I love those things! I'm surprised a chef said they were awful. They are the best, especially at Kona and Kouzzina. Yum, yum, and yum! I bought some mix the other day for the holidays, though I suspect mine won't taste as good. They've been using that mix for quite some time at WDW.
> 
> Boy, I'm not loving these new changes...I intend on writing a lengthy letter to special diets and customer service over the holiday break.



The waffles I had at Kouzzina were made with Namaste - I love this brand and use a variety of their products 

In Oct & Nov I was surprised that several restaurants were out of Earth Balance - I hope this product is not also replaced


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## clanmcculloch

trolleyfanma said:


> We just returned from the World and were not impressed with the changes.  My kids each tried the OMG cookies and thought they were too crumbly and not tasty.  They had them once and never asked for them again.  Twice we ordered dd Chocolate Soy Milk which in the past was Silk brand.  Both times we were given *Vanilla Kikkoman Soy Milk* which was awful(both restaurants said that was all they had).  We ended up going to a grocery store to purchase Silk for DD.  Thank goodness we were in a DVC villa and could use the kitchen.  The kids preferred to bring safe sandwiches and snacks with us instead of hoping to find safe food at the quick service places.  Dh & I felt bad eating in front of them.  We had great Chefs at Cape May, 50's and T-Rex- they only table services we ended up eating at.



Was it the Pearl soy milk?  If it is OMG that's bad.  According to Kikkoman, the original contains gluten as they use malt syrup for sweetening.  They state that the vanilla and the unsweetened do not contain gulten but that they don't test to be sure they're gluten free and they say nothing about what they do to prevent cross contamination.  Kikkoman as a company uses a LOT of wheat in their products so I personally don't feel comfortable using their soy milk because they clearly state that they won't guarantee gluten free.  I really hope Silk is still available everywhere.

From the Kikkoman FAQ:  





> Does PEARL Soymilk contain gluten?
> 
> PEARL Original Organic Soymilk is sweetened with malt syrup which is derived from barley, so it contains gluten. PEARL Coffee, Chocolate, Creamy Vanilla, Green Tea and Unsweetened Soymilks do not contain ingredients that are known to be a source of gluten, but they have not been tested to confirm they are gluten-free. If you believe you are gluten intolerant, we recommend that you consult your physician to develop an appropriate diet.


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## AEPaul

trollyfanma,
I don't want turn this into a commercial, but I would like to ask for your help.  We just started AllergyEats Disney World, an online peer-rated guide to allergy-friendly dining at Disney World and I would like to ask if you would rate the restaurants you visited.  Ratings only take a minute, but each one helps increase the value of AllergyEats Disney World to the entire community of food allergic and intolerant diners visiting WDW in the future.
The link is at the end of this post.  Thank you for your consideration!
Paul

[I don't have enough comments on these boards yet to post a real link, but it is allergyeats.com/disney]


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## Blueyed Girl

I am curious to see all of the changes coming.  My son is allergic to peanuts and pea's (such as green sweet peas or "chick peas").   2 years ago he had a reaction to some pasta given to him at 50's primetime cafe.  It was found to be made with chick pea flour. 

 When we found out that Babycakes was going to Disney we were so excited! Until we got there and found that they make their desserts with chick pea flour also.  So he can not have ANY desserts from this place.  I have been told that many places are changing to chick pea flour to accomodate people with gluten problems.  If WDW starts to do this with everything then what in the world is my child supposed to eat???  This just really irritates me in so many ways.  There are too many people with too many different allergies to just choose one brand of product to use.  99% of the time we have not had to worry about food issues at WDW.  I am hoping that this is not about to change.


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## Blueyed Girl

clanmcculloch said:


> Just sent the following email. I'll share any response I get beyond the generic automated response.
> 
> To: SpecialDiets@disneyworld.com; WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com
> Subject: Food Allergy options
> I'm writing about recent reports I'm hearing of food options for people with multiple allergies at WDW. Previously, there were lots of options for foods around WDW for my family where 3 of us have long lists of allergies. Recent reports from other guests though are indicating that the breads and buns are all Udis which contain milk and that the cookies and brownies around WDW are OMG.... It's Gluten Free which also contain milk. I don't understand this move which alienates a large number of people with allergies. While yes gluten free guests are coming to WDW in large numbers because of how wonderful you've been in handling gluten intollerance problems, there is also a large community of guests who have other allergies. My family is certainly been alienated. We have a trip coming up in February and rather than my usual excitement I'm now very nervous about what options my kids will have. We also have an August trip planned and now I'm second guessing it. Yes, this decision regarding allergy foods is that big of a deal to my family and I would guess to others as well. We choose to travel to WDW because we know that our kids will have lots of options for dining with their allergies and will get to feel "normal" even if only for a short time. You've just undone this feeling in one quick decision to change vendors. I'm really hoping that these changes are not final and that you will rethink this decision to completely alienate an entire customer base that has been extremely loyal.
> 
> Thank you for your time.



I'm glad you sent this! This is EXACTLY how I feel right now.  I plan to send one too.  Yes, please post here any response that you get.


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## Selket

Blueyed Girl said:


> My son is allergic to peanuts and pea's (such as green sweet peas or "chick peas").   2 years ago he had a reaction to some pasta given to him at 50's primetime cafe.  It was found to be made with chick pea flour.
> 
> I have been told that many places are changing to chick pea flour to accomodate people with gluten problems.  If WDW starts to do this with everything then what in the world is my child supposed to eat???



My son is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts and shellfish - not peas though.  Can your child not eat the regular pasta made with flour?  We've had no troubles with it all over WDW.


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## ls15

I am the OP and I have a few things to add to this thread now that is has been ongoing.

Blueyed Girl - unfortunately, Babycakes doesn't make their flour mixes from scratch for most of their items, and instead uses Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF mix. That is why there is chickpea flour in there. My mom can't have legumes so when we asked them about it, they said what they use and that the only things they sold without it was their brownies. You'll obviously want to double check, and I'm sure that cross contamination might be imminent.

I've been on the phone with Diane from Special Diets several times. She has been extremely helpful and asked me about a month out to call, go over every reservation with her, and she will contact everyone. She also recommended that we have an itinerary so she can contact CS locations for our other meals, as well as have the resort ready for us. I am not 100 percent sure this will actually happen - I know in the past there isn't always follow-through - but it will be better, I hope.

I'm sad to hear these experiences. My mom was sad to hear she won't be getting any burgers this year! She doesn't eat burgers ever, so Disney last year was a huge treat for her to have a nice one on a bun (even if the buns were often less to be desired).

I'm glad they still have safe pancake/waffle mixes.


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## mommyof3princess27

Sooooo glad I found this thread! My dear friend has celiacs disease and is traveling with us. I dont want to leave her out of our dining choices so trying to accomidate everyone


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## clanmcculloch

I just got a reply from Special Diets.  It's pretty generic.  I'm kind of disappointed.


Thank you for your message regarding the Walt Disney World® Resort. 

We regret your disappointment with the recent changes to our special 
dietary products. From time to time, we must make adjustments to our 
food and beverage offerings for a variety of reasons, including change 
of suppliers, product availability and Guest Feedback.  Our goal is to 
provide our Guests with items that meet our high quality standards while
accommodating as many requests  as possible. Our Guests' feedback, as 
well as their continued enthusiasm for our products and services, is 
very important to us.  We appreciate your comments and assure you that 
your remarks have been shared. As always, our Special Diets Team is 
committed to providing you with personalized service. If you are 
planning on visiting within the next few weeks, please contact us at 
407-824-5967 so that we may discuss your options.

We look forward to future opportunities to entertain you. 

Sincerely,

Christina Draper
Special Diets Team
Guest Services
alt Disney World Resort​

I'll be contacting them again in a couple weeks in preparation for our late February trip.  I'll update you with any additional info that I receive.


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## BusyMom2Three

I got the exact form letter as the PP but with this addition:

We have attached our special dietary reference sheet but, as you know, within the next several months we will be adjusting the special dietary offerings.  We are currently updating our reference materials to reflect these changes.  During this transition, we strongly encourage you to speak to a Chef or Manager at the dining location and they will be able to provide the most up to date information. Please be aware that products offerings are always subject to change without notice.  

We look forward to future opportunities to entertain you. 

Sincerely,

Christina Draper
Special Diets Team
Guest Services
Walt Disney World Resort

I am not one to complain about Disney, but I have to say I was let down by this obviously generic response. It did not address even my very specific and simple questions, such as "Did you discontinue Divvies at all locations?"  We leave in a few weeks, so I will call the number provided to try to get some concrete answers so I can pack dairy-free treats to bring for my DD if necessary. I also noticed the allergy reference sheet was last updated in June, so it is of little help.


----------



## Blueyed Girl

Selket said:


> My son is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts and shellfish - not peas though.  Can your child not eat the regular pasta made with flour?  We've had no troubles with it all over WDW.



He can have pasta made with regular flour just not four that contains chickpea (garbanzo beans).  Some pasta they use does contain flour from chickpeas.  That's what happened at 50's primetime cafe'.  During our last trip in June 2011 we had no problems what so ever.  We did ask them to make sure to look at what type of flour was used to make the pizza crust or the pasta, depending on what he was wanting to order.  We would let them know about what happened the year before and they were more than willing to double check.  MOST places we ate in June did not have items that used that type of flour.  I'm just concerned with all of this product changing that the products made with the chickpea flour may end up everywhere.  



ls15 said:


> I am the OP and I have a few things to add to this thread now that is has been ongoing.
> 
> Blueyed Girl - unfortunately, Babycakes doesn't make their flour mixes from scratch for most of their items, and instead uses Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF mix. That is why there is chickpea flour in there. My mom can't have legumes so when we asked them about it, they said what they use and that the only things they sold without it was their brownies. You'll obviously want to double check, and I'm sure that cross contamination might be imminent.
> 
> I've been on the phone with Diane from Special Diets several times. She has been extremely helpful and asked me about a month out to call, go over every reservation with her, and she will contact everyone. She also recommended that we have an itinerary so she can contact CS locations for our other meals, as well as have the resort ready for us. I am not 100 percent sure this will actually happen - I know in the past there isn't always follow-through - but it will be better, I hope.
> 
> I'm sad to hear these experiences. My mom was sad to hear she won't be getting any burgers this year! She doesn't eat burgers ever, so Disney last year was a huge treat for her to have a nice one on a bun (even if the buns were often less to be desired).
> 
> I'm glad they still have safe pancake/waffle mixes.



During our last trip I was excited to hear that Babycakes was at DTD so we went by there.  After talking to the girl working the counter, is when I found out that they use the flour that contains chickpea flour in it.  I really didn't see that coming and was glad that I asked.  I was mostly concerned about the peanuts being as though it is a dessert bakery.


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## kuhltiffany

Oh no, are Divvies gone?  DS is allergic to peanuts and relied on these when we were there last March.  Do they have an alternative?

Between my DS being allergic to peanuts and my DH being allergic to wheat, we're at the mercy of the chart that comes from the special diet department


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## itradehilton

I understand that some may not be able to eat Udi's but my DS and DH love Udi's Pizza Crust and baked goods. Does anyone know if they are using the Pizza Crust or any of the pastry type Udi's baked goods?


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## lilpooh108

We went this past October to F&W (having gone on 4 prior trips to WDW between 2010 & 2011).  DD is allergic to casein protein (ie dairy), egg and nuts--we thought we knew what she could eat.  There are so many changes now!

We were told at Narcoossee's that she could have the mickey shaped pasta marinara.

Were told elsewhere (can't remember which restaurant, I think CRT) that she could not have the  mickey shaped pasta since it had dairy in it.    CRT's chef was AWFUL.  He asked about her allergies, took 20 minutes to give her PLAIN BOILED NOODLES.  No sauce.  With fries.  Disgusting.  DD was so hungry that she ate the noodles anyway and my server was not allowed to bring me sauce since the chef was busy and couldn't OK it.  Will never go back again (especially b/c at Akershus they try alot harder, though the food isn't great there either).

We spoke to numerous chefs and it seems that they're getting confused since the ingredients in the products they use keep changing.

I also do not recall seeing Divvies at very many locations, although the Silk brand of soy milk was still widely available in October.

Van's waffles were still available at many CS locations for breakfast.  Someone on the DIS mentioned that Amy's organic products were available, but I couldn't find them anywhere.  Does anyone have a list of where Amy's products can be found at CS locations?  Thanks.


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## BusyMom2Three

lilpooh108 said:


> Does anyone have a list of where Amy's products can be found at CS locations?  Thanks.


I have the allergy reference sheet from special diets (you can email them at specialdiets@disneyworld.com and ask them to email you a copy). It says they offer Amy's gluten free products (rice mac & cheese, cheese pizza, and marinara sauce) and that they can be found at most locations but to ask the chef or manager. However, even though I just emailed special diets and asked for an updated reference sheet due to all the changes, the one I just received was stamped June 2011 so it is out of date.

ETA we have had a lot of luck at Boma and 1900 PF w/ chefs being willing to make a meal for DD from scratch to our specifications (on top of her dairy allergy, we are all vegetarians).


----------



## lilpooh108

BusyMom2Three said:


> I have the allergy reference sheet from special diets (you can email them at specialdiets@disneyworld.com and ask them to email you a copy). It says they offer Amy's gluten free products (rice mac & cheese, cheese pizza, and marinara sauce) and that they can be found at most locations but to ask the chef or manager. However, even though I just emailed special diets and asked for an updated reference sheet due to all the changes, the one I just received was stamped June 2011 so it is out of date.
> 
> ETA we have had a lot of luck at Boma and 1900 PF w/ chefs being willing to make a meal for DD from scratch to our specifications (on top of her dairy allergy, we are all vegetarians).



Thanks! DD loves Amy's rice mac & cheese.  We were hoping to find it this time, but didn't.  We'll email special diets before our next trip for sure.


----------



## BusyMom2Three

I remember that a couple places gave my DD bags of Lucy's cookies this past March. Has anyone seen them lately? If Divvies are gone, I'm hoping they're still available. 

Also, for anyone else who can't have dairy or who can't have eggs, I just did a Google search that directed me to the book _Vegetarian Walt Disney World_ which said Itzakadoozies, strawberry bars, pretzels, and popcorn sold at carts are vegan (meaning no dairy or egg). Anyone should call to verify first (I am!!). I plan to buy pre-packaged dairy-free desserts for DD and bring them as a back-up.


----------



## dntd

I'm planning a trip for next summer and I'm already panicked. I have new allergies that I didn't have in the summer during our trip though I had other food allergies just the new ones are way more restrictive. So far I can't have:corn,wheat,flax,shellfish,some treenuts. I can see my up coming trip as drinking diet coke and eating plain rice yuck...


----------



## livndisney

ABC Comissary at the Studios now has the Udi buns. They also have a supervisor who needs to understand the meaning of cross contamination. but that is another story.

A manager did tell me they do have gluten free chicken strips, but was not sure if they were the same ones they have had for awhile.


----------



## clanmcculloch

Has anybody confirmed if the Udis buns are milk free?  I know DD13 can't eat them because they have eggs and yeast but the hamburger buns I'm seeing on their website look like they're gluten and milk free and surprisingly free of anything else my 11yo can't eat which would be amazing for her.  She can't eat the Ener-G buns so this would actually be good for her.  Well, assuming they're the Classic Hamburger Buns and not the Whole Grain Hamburger Buns (the latter do have an ingredient she's allergic to).


----------



## clanmcculloch

[RANT]

I can't believe how rediculously this is all being handled by WDW.  After emailing Special Diets for our upcoming trip and receiving an email back with the standard attachment which was last updated July 2011 and including many products that have been reported here by several people are no longer available and no indication in the email that these items are changing, I emailed back asked specific questions about the products.  I received an email back asking me to call to discuss my questions.  Well, I just called.  That was totally pointless.  They couldn't tell me anything.  All she knew was that the Ener-G buns and French Meadow products are being phased out and replaced by Udi's and OMG It's Gluten Free products but she had no idea on which of these companies' products will be used.  She also had no idea if Enjoy Life products will be continued.  She had no idea what brand of pizzas will be used going forward.  She had no idea what brand of waffle/pancake mix will be used going forward (it could be BRM but she had no idea).  She had no idea what flour mix or breading mix will be used going forward.  She know NOTHING and said she had no way to find out.  I was literally fighting tears over the incompitence of the Special Diets department handling of this and my concern over our upcoming trip.  I know that's an overreaction and that chefs will be wonderful and do everything they can but it's just so upsetting and I guess I'm just emotional right now.  Thank goodness we have almost all of our meals planned where we'll be dealing with a chef rather than eating CS but it's just crazy.  Our August trip is definitely not going to be that way and in fact we'll have the QSDP for that tip (free dining bounceback from last August) so for that trip I have MAJOR reservations about the trip.  I'm not going to cancel anything while I'm emotional and in fact will wait until maybe April or May to make my final decision but right now I'm not sure about it.

[/RANT]


----------



## lillykat

Just subscribing to this thread - which has me a bit nervous.  This will be DD#1's 1st trip with her food allergies.  We did a cruise this past summer on Celebrity with mixed experiences so we are a bit nervous about this trip.

DD#1 is allergic to dairy, chocolate (cocoa), oranges, strawberries and shellfish.  I'm getting a bit nervous as it seems from reading this thread that everyone is mentioning the dairy free desserts and they are all chocolate (brownies or chocolate chip cookies etc) or seem to be strawberry flavored.  Will she have any fun things to have or will I have to carry around golden oreos.  Do they have things like lemon ices or pineapple sorbet or pineapple ice pops?  Do they have any cookies that aren't chocolate chips?  

She does luckily like fruit - how hard is it to get things like cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, apples and grapes?  She isn't a big banana eater - will most fruit have strawberries or oranges in it?  Will that be 99% of what they will offer to her for dessert at the table service restaurants?  I don't care at CS if they give her fruit because she will eat it and I can bring an golden oreo for her if needed.

Also does babycakes deliver to the restaurants?  If so is it only cupcakes or do they do cakes too?  Does anyone have photos of their cakes?


----------



## clanmcculloch

There are frozen pineapple bars that can be purchased from just about every ice cream cart around the parks as well as in the food courts freezer section at resorts.  My 13yo LOVES these.  They do have chunks of real pineapple if that's a texture problem for you.  The Itzkadoozie popsicles do have real orange juice in them unfortunately but at least the pineapple bars are yummy and safe.

The popcorn around the parks should also be safe provided they haven't changed brands.

A few restaurant had sorbets for desserts.  I think LeCellier and Liberty Tree Tavern both offered us raspberry sorbets in the past and Hollywood Brown Derby in the past told us that they alternate between mango sorbet and mango raspberry sorbet.

From everything I'm hearing, Tofutti ice cream should still be available everywhere.  They offer vanilla everywhere we've found Tofutti which has been every resort CS, every TS that doesn't have sorbet, park ice cream parlours and a few other park CS locations.

I believe that you should be able to get some kind of fruit at just about any TS location.  A few will be difficult such as Hoop Dee Doo Review where all my kids were offered last time was Tofutti and strawberries but most should be fine.  There are fruit cups or cut up fruit or at least apple sauce or grapes available at just about every CS location.  Some kind of fruit should be there.  My kids aren't fond of melon but I do know that I've seen plenty of melon available at CS locations.  I don't remember any citrus in any of the fruit and both of my kids have to avoid all citrus.

Isn't there frozen lemonaide available somewhere?  My kids can't drink it so I've never checked.

We've had 2 cakes delivered to restaurants from Babycakes.  Here's the one from this past August.  The pictures were brighter than they appear in the picture but you do need to know that because they don't use the regular chemical food colourings, the colours don't come out as bright and vibrant as typical bakeries.











Ask at your resort if they carry Kneads cookies.  I couldn't get confirmation if they'll still be available or not but last time we stayed at Pop Century, DD13 was offered some Kneads snickerdoodle cookies.  The chef had to bake them up so we didn't get them right away but next time we went in he brought them out to her and made sure he had some ready for us every time we came in.


----------



## lillykat

clanmcculloch said:


> There are frozen pineapple bars that can be purchased from just about every ice cream cart around the parks as well as in the food courts freezer section at resorts.  My 13yo LOVES these.  They do have chunks of real pineapple if that's a texture problem for you.  The Itzkadoozie popsicles do have real orange juice in them unfortunately but at least the pineapple bars are yummy and safe.
> 
> The popcorn around the parks should also be safe provided they haven't changed brands.
> 
> A few restaurant had sorbets for desserts.  I think LeCellier and Liberty Tree Tavern both offered us raspberry sorbets in the past and Hollywood Brown Derby in the past told us that they alternate between mango sorbet and mango raspberry sorbet.
> 
> From everything I'm hearing, Tofutti ice cream should still be available everywhere.  They offer vanilla everywhere we've found Tofutti which has been every resort CS, every TS that doesn't have sorbet, park ice cream parlours and a few other park CS locations.
> 
> I believe that you should be able to get some kind of fruit at just about any TS location.  A few will be difficult such as Hoop Dee Doo Review where all my kids were offered last time was Tofutti and strawberries but most should be fine.  There are fruit cups or cut up fruit or at least apple sauce or grapes available at just about every CS location.  Some kind of fruit should be there.  My kids aren't fond of melon but I do know that I've seen plenty of melon available at CS locations.  I don't remember any citrus in any of the fruit and both of my kids have to avoid all citrus.
> 
> Isn't there frozen lemonaide available somewhere?  My kids can't drink it so I've never checked.
> 
> We've had 2 cakes delivered to restaurants from Babycakes.  Here's the one from this past August.  The pictures were brighter than they appear in the picture but you do need to know that because they don't use the regular chemical food colourings, the colours don't come out as bright and vibrant as typical bakeries.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ask at your resort if they carry Kneads cookies.  I couldn't get confirmation if they'll still be available or not but last time we stayed at Pop Century, DD13 was offered some Kneads snickerdoodle cookies.  The chef had to bake them up so we didn't get them right away but next time we went in he brought them out to her and made sure he had some ready for us every time we came in.



Thank you!!  The cakes look great!  That is great to hear about the pineapple ice pops -she loves the Edy's ones.  She is mixed with textures (won't eat apple sauce or jello) but chunks of fruit in her ice pop won't bother her at all.  She will only be 5 this June so she is still young.  Are a lot of the sorbet's mango flavored?  If so I guess I might have to push her allergist to test her with a few more things (we avoid tropical fruits because the day she had her major reaction she also had passionfruit and mango but we tested her for so many things that we didn't want to push her any more - and those are easy to avoid).  I figure we can get her some frozen lemonades as snacks which would be nice in the heat of August.  I think she would like those if she can't get ice cream.  

What about soy milk?  Do they carry vanilla silk?  I saw a mention of another brand but I'm not familiar with it.  She will only drink the vanilla flavor she doesn't like plain soy milk.  Maybe I should just order the juice box sizes from garden grocer then and bring one along with us just in case.  I assume apple juice is readily available in the parks it was at our last trip.   With the dining plan do they get cups of apple juice from the dispenser or are they juice boxes?  What about with the soy milk?

We don't do our ADRs until February.  When I get my list of where we think we want to eat I will come over here and ask for feedback on our choices.  Right now I know we will do Ohana, and Akershus (dinners - we do breakfast in our room) - but we are going back and forth on our other choices.  How is Cinderella's castle for dinner?  We will be on the dining plan.


----------



## clanmcculloch

Much to my 13yo's dismay, the only place we were offered anything mango was at HBD.  Most seem to have raspberry.

We've been able to get Very Vanilla Silk at almost every TS restaurants and many CS restaurants we've eaten in.  They always serve the single serving boxes though at a few TS locations they like to dump them into a glass for their guests.

We've had great experiences at both 'Ohana and Akershus.  CRT was one of our less impressive experience but the food was safe and tasty; there just wasn't much option for allergy safe food.  Now that the prime rib is off the CRT menu, I'm not sure we'll go back.


----------



## lillykat

clanmcculloch said:


> Much to my 13yo's dismay, the only place we were offered anything mango was at HBD.  Most seem to have raspberry.
> 
> We've been able to get Very Vanilla Silk at almost every TS restaurants and many CS restaurants we've eaten in.  They always serve the single serving boxes though at a few TS locations they like to dump them into a glass for their guests.
> 
> We've had great experiences at both 'Ohana and Akershus.  CRT was one of our less impressive experience but the food was safe and tasty; there just wasn't much option for allergy safe food.  Now that the prime rib is off the CRT menu, I'm not sure we'll go back.



We are going back and forth on this - I hate to burn 2 TS credits - when we can see Princesses and have a fun meal at Akershus - where we ate last trip (pre DD"s allergies) and she LOVED it.  So that is a definite for this trip esp since DD#2 is older (she turned 1 on our last trip).  

We usually do Chef Mickey's but had a not great experience last time so thinking we will skip it this trip - but we also usually go Crystal Palace (the girls love Pooh) and want to do at least one meal at MK so not sure if we should add this one or not.  Tony's I haven't heard such great things about - and Liberty tree last time was eh- any recs for MK).    But not sure with DD's food where she will have the best experience and still a good deal since we are on the dining plan.  We don't do dinners in AK or HS because we are only in those parks early in the day - we prefer to do night at MK and EPCOT esp when the girls are so young and those are their two favorite parks.

We have 7 nights - so which of these would you pick or recommend some (we are leaning towards the dining plan - and definitely will do it if it is free).

Akershus (definite)
Ohana (definite)
Crystal Palace (leaning towards this)

Then we have 4 more meals - would like at least 3 more at EPCOT but then for the 4th either MK or EPCOT - so which would you recommend.

We have never eaten in these four:
Tokyo dining or Teppan Endo (was leaning towards TE)
Tutto Italia 
Garden Grill (just to do one Mickey meal - heard the food was really not good will I regret doing this)
CRT (would consider adding Via Napoli and paying OOP if we do CRT since it is 2 TS credits and then I would only do VN because I can get DD an individual pizza without cheese but don't want to use a TS credit for this so we would only do it if we go to CRT).

Have done in the past but not recently or with DD and her food allergies
Les Chefs de France
Nine Dragons 
Marrakesh
San Angel Inn (but worried about this because not sure what she will eat she had a cheese quesadilla last trip but not sure what she would have this time but we like this place)


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

clanmcculloch said:


> [RANT]
> 
> I can't believe how rediculously this is all being handled by WDW.  After emailing Special Diets for our upcoming trip and receiving an email back with the standard attachment which was last updated July 2011 and including many products that have been reported here by several people are no longer available and no indication in the email that these items are changing, I emailed back asked specific questions about the products.  I received an email back asking me to call to discuss my questions.  Well, I just called.  That was totally pointless.  They couldn't tell me anything.  All she knew was that the Ener-G buns and French Meadow products are being phased out and replaced by Udi's and OMG It's Gluten Free products but she had no idea on which of these companies' products will be used.  She also had no idea if Enjoy Life products will be continued.  She had no idea what brand of pizzas will be used going forward.  She had no idea what brand of waffle/pancake mix will be used going forward (it could be BRM but she had no idea).  She had no idea what flour mix or breading mix will be used going forward.  She know NOTHING and said she had no way to find out.  I was literally fighting tears over the incompitence of the Special Diets department handling of this and my concern over our upcoming trip.  I know that's an overreaction and that chefs will be wonderful and do everything they can but it's just so upsetting and I guess I'm just emotional right now.  Thank goodness we have almost all of our meals planned where we'll be dealing with a chef rather than eating CS but it's just crazy.  Our August trip is definitely not going to be that way and in fact we'll have the QSDP for that tip (free dining bounceback from last August) so for that trip I have MAJOR reservations about the trip.  I'm not going to cancel anything while I'm emotional and in fact will wait until maybe April or May to make my final decision but right now I'm not sure about it.
> 
> [/RANT]



Rant away.  What a useless phone call too, I'd have been annoyed as well.  Was there anything that she DID know, lol?  Was she at least able to tell you when the new dietary sheet will be updated?  It certainly sounds like the changes at Special Diets aren't necessarily for the better.  I have multiple food allergies like gluten and avocado, etc. but not dairy which I know must be very difficult to avoid!  I really hope they aren't switching to BRM since I love love love the Namaste they make the Mickey waffles with.  The bean flour in BRM bothers my stomach.

I wouldn't cancel anything either.  Maybe consider your next trip an experiment with learning what's new and offered for your DD's.  Then you can gauge how you feel about August since you'll have a better idea of what to expect.  The chefs really are amazing and I'm sure your DD's will still have options.  CS may not be as bad as it seems either.


----------



## lillykat

clanmcculloch said:


> [RANT]
> 
> I can't believe how rediculously this is all being handled by WDW.  After emailing Special Diets for our upcoming trip and receiving an email back with the standard attachment which was last updated July 2011 and including many products that have been reported here by several people are no longer available and no indication in the email that these items are changing, I emailed back asked specific questions about the products.  I received an email back asking me to call to discuss my questions.  Well, I just called.  That was totally pointless.  They couldn't tell me anything.  All she knew was that the Ener-G buns and French Meadow products are being phased out and replaced by Udi's and OMG It's Gluten Free products but she had no idea on which of these companies' products will be used.  She also had no idea if Enjoy Life products will be continued.  She had no idea what brand of pizzas will be used going forward.  She had no idea what brand of waffle/pancake mix will be used going forward (it could be BRM but she had no idea).  She had no idea what flour mix or breading mix will be used going forward.  She know NOTHING and said she had no way to find out.  I was literally fighting tears over the incompitence of the Special Diets department handling of this and my concern over our upcoming trip.  I know that's an overreaction and that chefs will be wonderful and do everything they can but it's just so upsetting and I guess I'm just emotional right now.  Thank goodness we have almost all of our meals planned where we'll be dealing with a chef rather than eating CS but it's just crazy.  Our August trip is definitely not going to be that way and in fact we'll have the QSDP for that tip (free dining bounceback from last August) so for that trip I have MAJOR reservations about the trip.  I'm not going to cancel anything while I'm emotional and in fact will wait until maybe April or May to make my final decision but right now I'm not sure about it.
> 
> [/RANT]



I feel your pain on this.  We went on a Celebrity Cruise with family this past summer (family chose it not us).  We had a great time in the end - but dining was really hard with a 4 year old.  Before we went they told us at time of booking they could accommodate anything we needed etc.  Then after final payment when we were dealing with special needs they told us that we had to fax them DD's dietary restrictions.  We asked if we could request any foods - they said yes so we did ask for dairy free desserts (ice cream - gave them several brands), silk vanilla soy milk.  Otherwise they would only repeat that they couldn't tell us what they COULD do for DD until we boarded and went to the Maitre'd and we were told to discuss it with him at that point in time and HE would THEN tell us what they could and could NOT do for DD.  It was very stressful to NOT know what they would be able to feed DD until we boarded.  It wasn't perfect but she did eat fairly well.  Once onboard we found that we had to give them her WHOLE dining choices for the day the night before.  Which if you have a 4 year old you know that is hard to do because she doesn't know everything she wants to eat for the following day.  They also told us onboard that we should make more specific requests - but the few we did make did NOT show up so not sure what that would have done.  The good news is that the few people I have spoken with who have kids with bad allergies (luckily DD's aren't severe) have all had positive experiences in WDW - which gives me hope.


----------



## GAGirlInVA

Not what I wanted to hear.    Not at all. 

My son, Xander, has egg, milk, and soy intolerance and citric acid too. Well technically protein intolerances.   Right now he is on formula (Neocate Jr Chocolate and Elecare Jr Vanilla) but I was so looking forward to when he can eat again and we can go to Disney again and be NORMAL for a week.  Right now we are in diagnosis hell.  

Pout.


----------



## nfceagles

Wish me luck!  We leave tomorrow morning for the new and un-improved Disney.  I'm sure everything will be fine, but I am packing a few backup treats that I wouldn't have otherwise.  I'll let you guys know what I find when we return.


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## BusyMom2Three

I have a new update. My TA just told me that Itzakadoozie pops are gone. I Googled it and saw a thread on another forum showing a pic of a Nestle Triple Blast Ice Pop as the replacement. It looks like 3 diff orange colors.


----------



## nfceagles

Quick update:  No Silk soy milk at Contempo Cafe.  It's now Kikkoman Pearl.  DS hasn't tried it yet so no opinion on it.  No Itzakadoozie, Triple Blast something or other.  It's similar, but not as spectacular as the Itzakadoozie from a kids perspective.  DS's recovering from a stomach bug and has very little appetite so he didn't each much but a popsicle and fries today.


----------



## clanmcculloch

I'm totally freaking out if they've gotten rid of Silk all over the place.  Kikkoman clearly states that they can NOT guarantee gluten free.  Who the heck makes these kinds of decisions?


----------



## snorris49

The Udi's people sent me some information about the brands they provide, stating that they are gluten, soy, dairy, and nut free. Here's the info for the roll they provide:

INGREDIENTS: FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, BROWN RICE FLOUR, RESISTANT CORN STARCH, EGG WHITES, VEGETABLE OIL (MAY CONTAIN ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, NON-GMO CANOLA OIL), SUNFLOWER SEEDS, RICE BRAN, TEFF FLOUR, FLAX SEED MEAL, CANE SYRUP, WHOLE FLAX SEED, YEAST (YEAST, POTATO STARCH), GUM (XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM ALGINATE, GUAR GUM), SALT, PEA PROTEIN, KONJAC, CARAMEL COLOR, LACTIC ACID, MOLD INHIBITOR (CULTURED CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID), FUMARIC ACID, ENZYME (CALCIUM SULFATE, ENZYMES). CONTAINS EGG.

Kosher: 

Then they sent me a list of things that they also provide to WDW and Disneyland:

Here is the complete list of all the products we provide for Walt Disney World:



 Plain Bagels

 Blueberry Muffins

 Double Chocolate Muffins

 Pizza Crust

 White Bread

 Dinner Rolls

Classic (Disneyworld) and Wholegrain Hamburger buns(Disneyland)

Hotdog Buns

All of these items will also be gluten, soy, dairy, and nut free. 

I'm still curious why the chefs are saying they aren't safe? 
Sounds like all together not very clear about the new products being offered.

I'll be back @ WDW in a few weeks for my birthday and a long weekend, so I'll keep everyone posted on what I get.

Also, clanmculloch: what kind of cake flavors did they offer for the babycakes delivery (do they have different frostings??) That cake looked great!


----------



## antree

I read all the post and see a lot are not happy with the Udi's, my mom will be one of the happy ones. She loves Udi's...Now for French Meadow and Divvies being gone is very upsetting to my son who has an allergy to Peanuts and Tree Nuts...I looked up OMG and see that they are safe for him I just hope they are good..I hope there are not many terrible changes for everyone..Disney was the one place I felt safe for my son, I don't want to go in panic mode on our next trip.. I will be watching this thread and contacting them again before our next trip, since my August 2011 list is now voided..


----------



## clanmcculloch

I hope that list is accurate for what they provide to WDW.  The buns for WDW it says are the regular which do not have any orange but the wheat ones do according to their website.

I also wonder why chefs would be telling people that they're not milk free.  Weird.

I don't remember what flavours of cake were available.  I know there were 2 types of chocolate cakes (chocolate and brownie) plus I think red velvet, vanilla and a few others.  There were several icing flavours as well and they can do many colours.  If you email or call, they'll give you the details.


----------



## TMcDwyer

ls15 said:


> This thread was because Disney is updating their allergy forms, and it was more of a look out that when they do, we can notify each other. Currently, there is no up-to-date info from Special Diets, I just emailed them. They said they are in the process. This will give us an idea of what other options are available as they come.\



Can you let me know what that e-mail address is?  DS has gluten & diary allergies and I don't know where to begin!


----------



## BusyMom2Three

TMcDwyer said:


> Can you let me know what that e-mail address is?  DS has gluten & diary allergies and I don't know where to begin!


specialdiets@disneyworld.com but their lists haven't been updated to reflect all the changes yet (they are from July 2011), and a lot of us haven't had much luck finding answers to our questions recently.


----------



## SMorgan711

lillykat said:


> Thank you!!  The cakes look great!  That is great to hear about the pineapple ice pops -she loves the Edy's ones.  She is mixed with textures (won't eat apple sauce or jello) but chunks of fruit in her ice pop won't bother her at all.  She will only be 5 this June so she is still young.  Are a lot of the sorbet's mango flavored?  If so I guess I might have to push her allergist to test her with a few more things (we avoid tropical fruits because the day she had her major reaction she also had passionfruit and mango but we tested her for so many things that we didn't want to push her any more - and those are easy to avoid).  I figure we can get her some frozen lemonades as snacks which would be nice in the heat of August.  I think she would like those if she can't get ice cream.
> 
> What about soy milk?  Do they carry vanilla silk?  I saw a mention of another brand but I'm not familiar with it.  She will only drink the vanilla flavor she doesn't like plain soy milk.  Maybe I should just order the juice box sizes from garden grocer then and bring one along with us just in case.  I assume apple juice is readily available in the parks it was at our last trip.   With the dining plan do they get cups of apple juice from the dispenser or are they juice boxes?  What about with the soy milk?
> 
> We don't do our ADRs until February.  When I get my list of where we think we want to eat I will come over here and ask for feedback on our choices.  Right now I know we will do Ohana, and Akershus (dinners - we do breakfast in our room) - but we are going back and forth on our other choices.  How is Cinderella's castle for dinner?  We will be on the dining plan.



They have a fresh pineapple spear at Aloha Isle in Adventureland. I had that recently and it was very refreshing! Not sure if your DD would be okay with that or not. On a side note, I was allergic to lemons and peaches when I was little. I would break out in hives whenever I would eat them. I grew out of that allergy though 

The apple juice we had in Dec was in a juice box. Minute Maid I believe it was. I think they had Silk Soy Milk at Captain Cooks at the Poly. Not 100% sure on that though.

If you go to allears or download a Disney Dining app on your iPhone, you can look at menus from all around the parks, TS, QS, and snack places. That should help you with knowledge of places to eat.


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## BusyMom2Three

Re: Nestle Triple Blast Ice Pops that replaced the Itzakadoozie Pops...

I'll still read the ingredients when I get there, but I did find this ingredient list:

Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Stabilizer (Guar Gum, Dextrose, Karaya Gum)Natural and Artificial Flavors, Yellow No. 6, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5.

(source: http://www.grocerycouponnetwork.com/foodproducts/products.php?Id=36243)


----------



## lillykat

For anyone who would be interested.  I just heard from someone who returned this weekend from WDW.  They checked out the food court of POR for me and reported back that they only have Pearl Soy chocolate or plain.  No silk and no vanilla individual boxes.


----------



## BusyMom2Three

lillykat said:


> For anyone who would be interested.  I just heard from someone who returned this weekend from WDW.  They checked out the food court of POR for me and reported back that they only have Pearl Soy chocolate or plain.  No silk and no vanilla individual boxes.


We are staying at POR so that's good to know--thanks!

Also, I see AllEars is starting to update their menus. Quite a few of them are dated Jan 2012 now.


----------



## dntd

Looks like all the new products are out for me.....Corn allergy sucks!


----------



## AEPaul

AllergyEats Disney World (allergyeats.com/disney) also linking to all the new menus.

If you're not familiar with the new site, check it out and rate your own Disney World dining experiences.

AllergyEats Disney World builds off the successful AllergyEats site - the largest peer-based online guide to allergy-friendly restaurants.


----------



## brown1442

Those who have been what did they have by way of the Udi's muffins??  My son won't be able to have ANY of the OMG cookies or brownies at all but would happily eat those muffins.  Just curious.


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

So, so sad. DD is severely lactose intolerant and I am as well, but not as severe. WDW was our safe place for food as DD can not consume any dairy. 

Just last week I submitted my allergy form which included food requests for the Neverland Club (specifically Divvies cookies) and was not informed that they were unavailable! 

Regarding the chef confusion over the dairy in the rolls... my guess is the Lactic Acid. Yes, I know, not lactose, but on DCL we fought this battle daily and had to demand that DD COULD eat the food and that it was not lactose or lactose-derived. 

In a couple of weeks I plan to call and ask about the location of hot dogs (hope these have not changed!) and chicken fingers for DD.  I am almost considering moving off-site and splitting time with Sea World, but have not looked into their special diets as I like to just stay in one place. 

Guess we will not be renewing our AP's this year (and yes, I live in Canada) if they cannot feed DD and me!


----------



## snorris49

clanmcculloch said:


> I hope that list is accurate for what they provide to WDW.  The buns for WDW it says are the regular which do not have any orange but the wheat ones do according to their website.
> 
> I also wonder why chefs would be telling people that they're not milk free.  Weird.
> 
> I don't remember what flavours of cake were available.  I know there were 2 types of chocolate cakes (chocolate and brownie) plus I think red velvet, vanilla and a few others.  There were several icing flavours as well and they can do many colours.  If you email or call, they'll give you the details.



Yes, I hope that list is accurate too. I just keep hearing mixed things from the chefs and then the companies. Strange.

Thanks for the heads up about the cakes from Babycakes. I do like their brownie cupcakes with mint frosting...I might have to do that as a cake! 

Can't wait to report back after my birthday trip.


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

I just attempted to call Special Diets and had to leave a message. I really need to know if the hot dogs are the same and if DD can eat any of the chicken fingers and where I can buy them if she needs the allergy ones as she did before. 

I will let you all know what they say when they call back...

I am also going to ask about the rolls, although I am more tempted to believe the Udi's web site and hope that she can be served them. 

If we were going for a short visit I would not be so worried, but we are booked for 8 nights and I need to know if she can have more than one food from one restaurant in each park. 

Disney is no longer the Happiest Place on Earth for me right now.


----------



## clanmcculloch

2gr8DisneyKids, I really hope you get a better response than I did when I spoke with somebody on the phone.  They were COMPLETELY non-commital and wouldn't say anything.

I'm right there with you that Disney is no longer the Happiest Place on Earth.


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

Thank you, clanmcculloch! I still have not heard back from Special Diets, but called Captain Cooks today to find out about the NeverLand Club (trying if for the first time!) and food options for DD there. 

"safe" dairy-free kid meals there are: 

chicken nuggets
hamburger and bun (claimed it was the tapioca one, though?)

for dessert was a dairy-free cookie (the brownie contained dairy)

So, I am still good with that reservation! 

I think I might call the manager at POFQ tomorrow and see what I can find out from there about foods since that will be our resort. I am feeling a bit better and am glad that we are cutting back on the number of TS restaurants since her favorites there seem to be the ones most in question, at least for us. 

Still not happy, epically about all the secrecy and poor communication about the new foods.


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

Just got off the phone with Christine at Special Diets... 

She told me the opposite on the cookies, that DD can have the brownie, but not the cookie!  But then told me to check because she and her co-worker were not 100% sure on the cookie. 

She also said that the allergy chicken nuggets/tenders are still dairy-free and should still be available at all normal park locations, that they are not limiting the availability of allergy foods at any park restaurants. 

She also said the Umi's rolls were gluten, nut, dairy, and soy-free. 

She is sending me the ingredient info for the nuggets and the hot dogs and I will pass them on when I get them. 

Still SOOOOO frustrating!


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

Allergy Chicken Tenders
Allergy Free Foods, Gainesville, Ga. 30504
Chicken Tenders
Battered and Breaded With: Water, Brown Rice, White Rice, Modified Tapioca Starch, Sugar, Flax Seed, Salt, Spices, Dehydrated Garlic, Spice Extractives and Oleoresin Paprika
Breading Is Pre-Browned In Canola Oil


----------



## SMorgan711

2gr8DisneyKids said:


> Allergy Chicken Tenders
> Allergy Free Foods, Gainesville, Ga. 30504
> Chicken Tenders
> Battered and Breaded With: Water, Brown Rice, White Rice, Modified Tapioca Starch, Sugar, Flax Seed, Salt, Spices, Dehydrated Garlic, Spice Extractives and Oleoresin Paprika
> Breading Is Pre-Browned In Canola Oil



I am allergic to milk as well. I had the allergy friendly chicken fingers at Columbia Harbour House, Electric Umbrella and Back lot Express. They are so yummy!! 

I also had a hot dog from Casey's Corner. They did not have dairy in them (they were the same as before)

The cake I had from BabyCakes was a blondie cake. It was vanilla cake with chocolate chips and chocolate icing. Omg it was so good!!!!


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

SMorgan711 said:


> I am allergic to milk as well. I had the allergy friendly chicken fingers at Columbia Harbour House, Electric Umbrella and Back lot Express. They are so yummy!!
> 
> I also had a hot dog from Casey's Corner. They did not have dairy in them (they were the same as before)
> 
> The cake I had from BabyCakes was a blondie cake. It was vanilla cake with chocolate chips and chocolate icing. Omg it was so good!!!!



Thanks for the heads up on where the chicken fingers are! When I asked about the hot dogs she said they had not changed which is great b/c they are DD's favorite. 

Oh, the blondie from BabyCakes is divine! It was my birthday cake last year! I also love their cookie sandwiches. Good thing we are just a boat ride away at POFQ! 

I forgot to ask about dairy-free pizza. They used to have it at Pizza Planet and Pinochio's Haus but did not last time and if they are changing things I hope they bring it back.


----------



## AlphaMale

nfceagles said:


> I know Disney carries Enjoy Life too, but I've only ever seen them in table service restaurants.  Perhaps they could make those more readily available at the Counter Service places where Divvies were available.  I don't like them as well, but I get that they serve a broader group of customers.



I just started reading this thread tonight so hopefully this isn't outdated...

We were at WDW the first week of the year and we got the EnjoyLife Cookies at two Counter Service Restaurants (Cosmic Ray's and The ABC Commisary).  They also gave them to us as a few Table Services.

They are okay but we really miss the FM brownies.  DD8 has peanut/treenut and dairy (life threatening) and I have peanut/treenut and corn so none of the other replacements they had available worked for us.  The chef at La Cellier did manage to find a FM Brownie for me that he doctored with fresh berries and a fresh raspberry syrup.

I asked about the brownies at The Mara because they were no longer on the floor and was told that all allergy product requests have to go through the Chef/Manager.  When I spoke with the Chef, she was not happy about the food changes.  She said the changes limited their ability to handle customers with multiple allergies.


----------



## AlphaMale

dntd said:


> Looks like all the new products are out for me.....Corn allergy sucks!



I agree.  I found I had a lot fewer options this trip than I did only 6 months ago.  I got a lot of the Enjoy Life Cookies and used some snack credits for some Surf Sweet Gummy candies.  All of the buns they have now contain corn so I always pack my own buns.

I know other allergies are hard but sometimes I think corn is one of the hardest to deal with.   It is in so many products you wouldn't expect to find it in.

Luckily, my corn allergy is not life threatening.  It would just make for a very uncomfortable trip so I do my best to avoid it.


----------



## valree

Wow, there are lots of changes going on that I wasn’t aware were taking place.  Looks like my trip this past October was my last trip with the old menu items.  Glad I was able to enjoy that last FM brownie.  

I wish Disney could come up with a chart that showed all of the menu items, and what allergens they contained.  This is just an example (I have no idea what allergens these foods actually contain):






I also don’t know why every vendor contract has to be exclusive.  Why not offer Ener-G buns to satisfy some people and Udi’s for others?  From my years of reading on these boards, there are a ton of us visitors with various food allergies so it’s hard to imagine that Disney wouldn’t be able to stock multiple brands of items and use them up with pretty quickly.  I could understand it for items that might not be super popular, but why not at least try it for dinner rolls at first?  Stock 2 brands and see what happens.

If anyone is looking for an off-site TS restaurant, I would recommend Roy’s on Sand Lake Road.  Their prices are a little lower than California Grill, and their food is excellent.  The downside is that you have to drive off property to get there, and there’s no view of Wishes, but it’s a great dining experience.  For the gluten-free diners, their flourless chocolate soufflé is wonderful!  It’s the lava-type one – not the rich, brick-type flourless chocolate cake.


----------



## ZPT1022

dntd said:


> Looks like all the new products are out for me.....Corn allergy sucks!



Yes it does!  Luckily we don't have to avoid all corn, just large amounts of it like corn flakes or corn chips or corn pasta.  This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the gluten and other allergies.

I am very sad to hear that WDW may not be the same great allergy friendly place we visited in 2010.  We were so excited to go back and we are able to have eggs this time, so a lot of the snack options that we couldn't have last time would have been available this time, but now it sounds like they won't.  I really hope that by the time we go in August they have more options and they have sorted out their new products that they're using.


----------



## ZPT1022

oops,  double post!


----------



## candacewi5

After reading all of these posts, I am very concerned about us planning our first trip ever and also the first time to Disney World.  We finally decided to make a 9 day adventure out of our 1st trip and go to Disney and enjoy eating out! My ds (age 5) is anaphylactic and contact sensitive to milk proteins, anaphylactic to peanuts/tree nuts, and has EE caused by soy.  With these dietary changes at WDW, I am concerned that our trip may no longer be the dream trip we so desperately need.  Thank you all for keeping the changes at Disney posted for review.  I guess I will have to check into the new changes further before putting our deposit down.  If the changes aren't favorable, we will have to change our vacation plans and try to find somewhere else that is willing to make the accomodations multiple FA families need.  This is so fustrating because my son wasn't nearly as excited to go to Disney as he was to be able to eat out in a restaurant and eat food prepared at the restaurant.  Doesn't Disney see what they are doing to a very loyal portion of their fan base?
Candace


----------



## dntd

2gr8DisneyKids said:


> Allergy Chicken Tenders
> Allergy Free Foods, Gainesville, Ga. 30504
> Chicken Tenders
> Battered and Breaded With: Water, Brown Rice, White Rice, Modified Tapioca Starch, Sugar, Flax Seed, Salt, Spices, Dehydrated Garlic, Spice Extractives and Oleoresin Paprika
> Breading Is Pre-Browned In Canola Oil




I guess these are out for me, good to know though... Stupid ani allergies to flax seed..... I think I could just eat chocolate and candyfloss on my next vacation lol!


----------



## dntd

AlphaMale said:


> I agree.  I found I had a lot fewer options this trip than I did only 6 months ago.  I got a lot of the Enjoy Life Cookies and used some snack credits for some Surf Sweet Gummy candies.  All of the buns they have now contain corn so I always pack my own buns.
> 
> I know other allergies are hard but sometimes I think corn is one of the hardest to deal with.   It is in so many products you wouldn't expect to find it in.
> 
> Luckily, my corn allergy is not life threatening.  It would just make for a very uncomfortable trip so I do my best to avoid it.



Surf sweets are good but most enjoy life cookies aren't safe as they use flax which happenes to be one of my worst sworn enamies next to shellfish. I have yet to find a good allergen free bun....


----------



## primrosea

Hi everyone!

We just got back from 8 days at WDW as a gluten free family and I wanted to let you know quickly some of the products we ran across.

We had Udis' buns, bread and bagels a couple of different places.  We are Udi's fans so we were happy with the change and the chefs said they are tastier to prepare, but are not mutually loved by all the guests.  

We had OMG brownies and cookies at the Pop Food Court and they were available at other resturants and used as dessert bases at many of the places we ate.  Most chefs tries to dress them up fancy, but the Garden Grill did an amazing job warming them up and topping them with vanilla whipped cream.  

We were also given Enjoy Life cookies and choclate bars at most of the quick service places we ate at.  The only we got the chocolate was if we specifically asked for them at our resort, but the chefs at Pop said that not everywhere has them.  

Pop uses Namaste and Bob's Red Mill as the base for their waffles...YUMMMM.  We had them almost every morning.

If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to answer them and I'll try to do a full Gluten Free review early next week!


----------



## Kaycap

primrosea said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> We just got back from 8 days at WDW as a gluten free family and I wanted to let you know quickly some of the products we ran across.
> 
> We had Udis' buns, bread and bagels a couple of different places.  We are Udi's fans so we were happy with the change and the chefs said they are tastier to prepare, but are not mutually loved by all the guests.
> 
> We had OMG brownies and cookies at the Pop Food Court and they were available at other resturants and used as dessert bases at many of the places we ate.  Most chefs tries to dress them up fancy, but the Garden Grill did an amazing job warming them up and topping them with vanilla whipped cream.
> 
> We were also given Enjoy Life cookies and choclate bars at most of the quick service places we ate at.  The only we got the chocolate was if we specifically asked for them at our resort, but the chefs at Pop said that not everywhere has them.
> 
> Pop uses Namaste and Bob's Red Mill as the base for their waffles...YUMMMM.  We had them almost every morning.
> 
> If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to answer them and I'll try to do a full Gluten Free review early next week!



Were you able to request the waffles at the food court? We are staying at ASM and are hoping to get some of these.


----------



## dclfun

candacewi5 said:


> After reading all of these posts, I am very concerned about us planning our first trip ever and also the first time to Disney World.  We finally decided to make a 9 day adventure out of our 1st trip and go to Disney and enjoy eating out! My ds (age 5) is anaphylactic and contact sensitive to milk proteins, anaphylactic to peanuts/tree nuts, and has EE caused by soy.  With these dietary changes at WDW, I am concerned that our trip may no longer be the dream trip we so desperately need.  Thank you all for keeping the changes at Disney posted for review.  I guess I will have to check into the new changes further before putting our deposit down.  If the changes aren't favorable, we will have to change our vacation plans and try to find somewhere else that is willing to make the accomodations multiple FA families need.  This is so fustrating because my son wasn't nearly as excited to go to Disney as he was to be able to eat out in a restaurant and eat food prepared at the restaurant.  Doesn't Disney see what they are doing to a very loyal portion of their fan base?
> Candace



I think Disney is getting inundated with special dietary requests and in response to the overwhelming uptick in requests, they are cutting back what they offer. I have a feeling it's due to budget.  As another poster mentioned, it has become "fashionable" to ask for gluten free or request special foods. After all, everyone wants to be "special" and they've seen some of the foods that have been prepared for an allergic Guest, often being jealous of that food and speaking out about it. Suddenly, next meal they have an allergy too. This is all very sad, but not unlike people who think disabled Guests get special privileges, like front of the line access or first on a bus, etc.  We all know better- we wait longer and it's not as easy to get around. No one would want to live with a food allergy, or particularly multiple food allergies or a disability whether invisible or visible, but people on vacation who perceive there to be advantages, will try and get them.


----------



## daraweb

First of all, thanks to all the wonderful people that are keeping us up-to-date on the changes in how WDW is handling special diets.  We are headed down for our first trip since my DD was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  So, eating gluten free is our only special food request.

Since this is our first trip since her diagnosis, we will not know what has changed or is missing.  It sounds to me like most of the changes are not so good for people with other allergies and that while focussing on those who eat gluten free, they are sort of loosing sight of some of the other issues (dairy, egg, etc)?

That is too bad...I had heard that disney really is (or was) and allergic kids' escape from all the living-without.

I also want to say, please be careful of judging those that eat gluten free.  It truly has become a trend (even thought there is no evidence that people without celiac and/or a sensitivity to gluten benefit from eating gluten free).

  Many on here have sounded a bit annoyed by all the people that are eating GF.  While some may be following a trend, MANY also have a very serious disease.  Doctors are diagnosing celiac more quickly that in the past (especially for children).

I would hope that WDW will continue to create a magical place for kids (and adults) with celiac but find a way to so while also supporting those with other allergies.


----------



## livndisney

daraweb said:


> First of all, thanks to all the wonderful people that are keeping us up-to-date on the changes in how WDW is handling special diets.  We are headed down for our first trip since my DD was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  So, eating gluten free is our only special food request.
> 
> Since this is our first trip since her diagnosis, we will not know what has changed or is missing.  It sounds to me like most of the changes are not so good for people with other allergies and that while focussing on those who eat gluten free, they are sort of loosing sight of some of the other issues (dairy, egg, etc)?
> 
> That is too bad...I had heard that disney really is (or was) and allergic kids' escape from all the living-without.
> 
> I also want to say, please be careful of judging those that eat gluten free.  It truly has become a trend (even thought there is no evidence that people without celiac and/or a sensitivity to gluten benefit from eating gluten free).
> 
> Many on here have sounded a bit annoyed by all the people that are eating GF.  While some may be following a trend, MANY also have a very serious disease.  Doctors are diagnosing celiac more quickly that in the past (especially for children).
> 
> I would hope that WDW will continue to create a magical place for kids (and adults) with celiac but find a way to so while also supporting those with other allergies.



I don't think anyone here has gotten "annoyed" with GF people. I think the frustration comes from the generic "special requests". Those are the ones that have negatively impacted the allergy dining experience. Grown adults with no medical issues wanting waffles in a steak table service location. 

Those same people wanting to be allowed to enjoy a dining experience, but not thave to pay for it. (why can't I go to the desert party, not eat and not pay for it?). 

 I personally have seen people flip out after seeing a desert that was brought to DD (allergy safe), because there were told they could not have the same thing. So as Kathy stated, the woman then started claiming she had an allergy. (Never mind the bowl of ice cream she had just been eating-now she had a dairy allergy). Those are the people we get "annoyed" with.


----------



## daraweb

I totally understand.  I did not mean to imply that people are becoming annoyed AT the Gf people, only that people are getting annoyed that there are SO many claiming they need to be GF.

Like I said, I have not been to disney yet with any food restrictions so I can only go by what you kind people have to say about the experience.  I am sorry if I misunderstood or miscontrued what people are saying about there being so much emphasis on those that eat GF.  

It seemed to me that there is frustration that disney has changed how they handle food allergies.  Are they now more focussed on those eating GF and less focussed on having the right product for those that have other food restrictions?  If that is what they are doing, that is not okay.

I have a friend who's DD4 has never eaten out of the house other than at Disney because of her life threatening food allergies.  I would hate to think that is going to change.


----------



## livndisney

daraweb said:


> It seemed to me that there is frustration that disney has changed how they handle food allergies.  Are they now more focussed on those eating GF and less focussed on having the right product for those that have other food restrictions?  If that is what they are doing, that is not okay.




To some degree I think this is true. (And I say this as someone who is GF). It does seem that WDW is now focused on GF. The items they are now serving cover a larger GF base-but they seem have forgotten other allergies altogether.

For example I LOVED the French Meadow brownies. WDW does not serve them anymore. They now carry OMG brownies, which I won't touch and many chefs don't like to serve.

Divies products used to be available across the property and they catered to other allergies. WDW no longer sells many of the items. 

Just last week, I spoke with a chef at the studios. He saw that I was GF and wanted to completely ignore my other allergies. He kept insisting that GF was "good enough".


----------



## clanmcculloch

livndisney said:


> Just last week, I spoke with a chef at the studios. He saw that I was GF and wanted to completely ignore my other allergies. He kept insisting that GF was "good enough".



Ooooooh, I'd better not encounter THAT attitude when we go.  Totally the wrong attitude and frankly scares me because that same person has control over our food in the kitchen where we can't see.  NOT OK!!!


----------



## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> Ooooooh, I'd better not encounter THAT attitude when we go.  Totally the wrong attitude and frankly scares me because that same person has control over our food in the kitchen where we can't see.  NOT OK!!!



No worries, he has been "dealt" with LOL

Actually, it all turned out fine-he just was stuck in a mindset and was not "hearing" me.

I have come to the conclusion that I am just not meant to eat in the studios LOL


----------



## clanmcculloch

livndisney said:


> No worries, he has been "dealt" with LOL
> 
> Actually, it all turned out fine-he just was stuck in a mindset and was not "hearing" me.
> 
> I have come to the conclusion that I am just not meant to eat in the studios LOL



You ROCK!!!  I am familiar with that "stuck" mindset but at least he finally heard you.  It really would be scary if he truely thought that GF was good enough.

Interesting.  We've had some wonderful meals at DHS, but then again we have some different allergies than you do (we can do soy and if I recall you can't).  I loved the ribs at Sci-Fi and those crab cakes at HBD; WOW.  The steak there was pretty nice as well and the chef really bent over backwards to try to come up with ideas that my kids would like.


----------



## mara61

Thanks Clanmcculloch for pointing me this way.

It looks like I will have to bring all of my youngest ds snacks and be even more careful with his regular food at the counter service rest. These subs don't work out so well for him, he has a salicylate sensitivity and sometimes gluten/dairy/nut free foods would work for him.


----------



## ls15

Hi everyone!


I am very glad that I started this thread when I first read this was happening.

I thought I would give an update of my progress of how I've been going about the situation. My trip is in two weeks, and I am staying for 15 days, so I'll also give a full-detailed report when I return.

To give a little more info, if you haven't read my other posts, I am gluten-free and dairy-free (but I'm also a vegan). My mom can't have gluten, dairy, eggs, or soy.

We have Table Service reservations every night. Some of the chefs we went to last year, so we're comfortable, but we're trying a lot of new things as well.

I was in contact with Special diets directly about my concerns (I noted this in a past post on the thread), and have been talking one on one with them. So far, all chefs except for 3 have called me. Pretty much, I've already ordered our dinners.

I only have a moment, but I wanted to express that all of the chefs I've spoken to think the situation is pretty bogus. They said it has been hard. I can give an update of those I've talked to and how they handled it, as well as their names, if anyone is interested.

I am going to post more later, but I just wanted to chime in. And if anyone wants me to check anything out while I'm away, I don't mind. Just let me know  

We know counter service will be difficult because it already was last year, but we'll see how it goes.


----------



## primrosea

Kaycap said:


> Were you able to request the waffles at the food court? We are staying at ASM and are hoping to get some of these.



YES!  All we had to do was ask to speak to the chef and he gave us a list of options that he could make.  It was much easier (and faster) to get a meal when it was not primetime for meals.  I get up early so I would down ordering breakfast by 7am and bring it up to the room.

For dinner they could prepare almost anything we wanted at Pop.  We had pizza (Amy's...yuck), lo mien, a rice and veggie stir-fry (amazing), chicken tenders, french fries, salads, milkshakes and pasta with sauce.  I was really impressed.  The chefs also gave me their business cards so they could send me the recipes at home.

We did take the time to thank the chefs for their time and effort.  They were overwhelmed the first night we came in with 10 special orders at once.  We saw a couple of guests speak very rudely to them, roll eyes and generally treat them badly when ordering food.  We remained patient and honestly were very thankful at the time they spent keeping our family safe while providing us with great food.


----------



## clanmcculloch

primrosea said:


> We did take the time to thank the chefs for their time and effort.  They were overwhelmed the first night we came in with 10 special orders at once.  We saw a couple of guests speak very rudely to them, roll eyes and generally treat them badly when ordering food.  We remained patient and honestly were very thankful at the time they spent keeping our family safe while providing us with great food.



We saw a family doing that with the club level chef at Poly.  I really don't understand the attitude.  You have chefs who are treating you better than you've ever been treated and you give them attitude?  Seriously?  That level of entitlement is what gives those of us with special needs a bad reputation with those who don't have such needs.  Drives me nuts.  The chefs go so far above and beyond what we have any right to expect and yet some people for some reason don't see it as enough and don't give them the respect and appreciation that they deserve.  Even changes like the options available are not the fault of the chefs and I have full confidence that the chefs are going to continue to do their best with what they're given so why give them a hard time?  That attitude and sense of entitlement makes things harder for everybody.


----------



## dclfun

clanmcculloch said:


> We saw a family doing that with the club level chef at Poly.  I really don't understand the attitude.  You have chefs who are treating you better than you've ever been treated and you give them attitude?  Seriously?  That level of entitlement is what gives those of us with special needs a bad reputation with those who don't have such needs.  Drives me nuts.  The chefs go so far above and beyond what we have any right to expect and yet some people for some reason don't see it as enough and don't give them the respect and appreciation that they deserve.  Even changes like the options available are not the fault of the chefs and I have full confidence that the chefs are going to continue to do their best with what they're given so why give them a hard time?  That attitude and sense of entitlement makes things harder for everybody.



I fully agree about attitude and a sense of entitlement making it harder for everyone. I worry all the time about the level of services decreasing because for one, they don't *have* to prepare special diets. Then the excitement and joy the chef's once had to accommodate those who needed special foods would be severely compromised by those Guests who are demanding and who feel as though they deserve something that's not required. While I don't have dietary needs that would require assistance from a Disney chef, I do know plenty of people who do and for whom their trip has been made so much more special by the accommodations they've been given. As grateful as they are, it really peeves me to hear of those who aren't.


----------



## mistysue

Anybody have any newer updates about what may be coming in or going out at the parks?

I sent an email a couple weeks ago, pleading with whoever read it to please let me know anything they could, or even just tell me that they don't know but please don't send me a template response... just to ask if there are places in the parks where I might have the most luck and where we would be the easiest for the chefs to help us- and was given an identical email to when I wrote last year and was sent a form to fill out before we arrive.

So they aren't even reading their messages.
I'm worried about the changes because in addition to others, DS can't have dairy and eggs which the new items all seem to have... I don't want to run around feeding him bunless plain burgers for two weeks and I'm going to be pissed if we get a dining plan and they can't feed him! He's 3, sitting a plain salad in front of him just doesn't work out. This was so easy when he just had the peanut allergy.


----------



## ls15

mistysue said:


> Anybody have any newer updates about what may be coming in or going out at the parks?
> 
> I sent an email a couple weeks ago, pleading with whoever read it to please let me know anything they could, or even just tell me that they don't know but please don't send me a template response... just to ask if there are places in the parks where I might have the most luck and where we would be the easiest for the chefs to help us- and was given an identical email to when I wrote last year and was sent a form to fill out before we arrive.
> 
> So they aren't even reading their messages.
> I'm worried about the changes because in addition to others, DS can't have dairy and eggs which the new items all seem to have... I don't want to run around feeding him bunless plain burgers for two weeks and I'm going to be pissed if we get a dining plan and they can't feed him! He's 3, sitting a plain salad in front of him just doesn't work out. This was so easy when he just had the peanut allergy.




Leading up to my trip, I've been in constant contact with Special Diets, a few women from the team, as well as the chefs. All my chefs have called me except for one, and I've all their contact info to follow-up during my trip. So far, so good. I'm feeling very confident.

I'm leaving in 1.5 hours for my flight and am very excited! I am staying for 15 days and have ADRs for each day. Each chef I have spoken to in depth regarding my stay, and a few of them have really gone out of their way already. 

I'll be home on the 9th, but I will have my computer with me because I'm self-employed and have to get work done while I am gone. Please feel free to ask me about things while I am in the park, and I can definitely try to check them out for you!

I'm planning on giving a full report when I'm back similar to the one I gave last time. No stone left unturned! 

If anyone wants more details (my ADRs, et cetera), let me know!


----------



## 2gr8DisneyKids

mistysue said:


> Anybody have any newer updates about what may be coming in or going out at the parks?
> 
> I sent an email a couple weeks ago, pleading with whoever read it to please let me know anything they could, or even just tell me that they don't know but please don't send me a template response... just to ask if there are places in the parks where I might have the most luck and where we would be the easiest for the chefs to help us- and was given an identical email to when I wrote last year and was sent a form to fill out before we arrive.
> 
> So they aren't even reading their messages.
> I'm worried about the changes because in addition to others, DS can't have dairy and eggs which the new items all seem to have... I don't want to run around feeding him bunless plain burgers for two weeks and I'm going to be pissed if we get a dining plan and they can't feed him! He's 3, sitting a plain salad in front of him just doesn't work out. This was so easy when he just had the peanut allergy.



We leave on March 4 for 9 nights (and then some nights at Disney's Vero Beach after that) I was really worried at first and then called all around. I called Special diets asking specifically about hot dogs and chicken nuggets/fingers since they are DD's favorites and then I called the chefs at POLY (the kids are trying the Neverland Club for a night) and POFQ where we are staying. I was in a much better place after that. DD is no dairy. 

Special Diets seems to respond much better to specific food item questions compared to broad "where can my child eat" questions. If your DS has certain foods that he really likes call and ask for the ingredient list and call the restaurants where you have ADR's and call the resort where you are staying. Like the OP said calling seemed to work the best. It took a day or two for them to call back, but I am sure they are getting slammed.


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## minnieandfamily

primrosea said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> We just got back from 8 days at WDW as a gluten free family and I wanted to let you know quickly some of the products we ran across.
> 
> We had Udis' buns, bread and bagels a couple of different places.  We are Udi's fans so we were happy with the change and the chefs said they are tastier to prepare, but are not mutually loved by all the guests.
> 
> We had OMG brownies and cookies at the Pop Food Court and they were available at other resturants and used as dessert bases at many of the places we ate.  Most chefs tries to dress them up fancy, but the Garden Grill did an amazing job warming them up and topping them with vanilla whipped cream.
> 
> We were also given Enjoy Life cookies and choclate bars at most of the quick service places we ate at.  The only we got the chocolate was if we specifically asked for them at our resort, but the chefs at Pop said that not everywhere has them.
> 
> Pop uses Namaste and Bob's Red Mill as the base for their waffles...YUMMMM.  We had them almost every morning.
> 
> If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to answer them and I'll try to do a full Gluten Free review early next week!



We are headed down in April, my first time there since I found out that I can no longer have gluten.  Would love to read your review!


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## PSMC

I will be following this thread closely.  The ability of Disney restaurants to accommodate my son's dietary needs will be the deciding factor in whether we bother to make reservations for dinners in the parks.

I emailed the Special Diets folks and was really disappointed by the response.  I am hoping that some personal experiences might make me more hopeful.

He has  kidney condition that requires his diet be extremely low in sodium.  Certainly no salt added, no prepackaged food, no sauces, all natural food made from scratch.  There is very little when it comes to bread products that would be acceptable as well because of the baking soda/baking powder element.  

It can be pretty tough to accommodate outside of our home, but I am hoping that we can get in at least a character dining experience and a dinner at Coral Reef (my kids *love* fish and I am an aspiring marine biologist  ).


----------



## Plutos Mommy

I am upset reading all the changes that are in the works. My DD22 has severe dairy allergies. We are doing our first WDW trip in June, and she was so excited to see that there were way more dining options available for her than at Disneyland. It is a huge struggle for her to find anything at DLR. I will be keeping an eye on this thread. 

How soon before our trip should we contact special diets? Should my daughter contact them or should I since the ADRs are in my name?


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## GAGirlInVA

*ls15: *


I'm especially interested in what can be found at the quick service restaurants that are dairy, soy and egg free. 

My son will be 3 on our trip, but if we have to buy him a kid's meal on the meal plan and then buy an adult meal and swap meals around to get safe food for him (if no kids options are available) that is what we will do.  

I just want him to enjoy himself.  He's been through so much already this year (8 days hopitalized- 4 in one hospital and 4 out of state, another ER visit, a bout with cdifficle and now either another round with cdiff or small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and our trip next year is the one little ray of sunshine that keeps me trucking along at this point.


----------



## ls15

GAGirlInVA said:


> *ls15: *
> 
> 
> I'm especially interested in what can be found at the quick service restaurants that are dairy, soy and egg free.
> 
> My son will be 3 on our trip, but if we have to buy him a kid's meal on the meal plan and then buy an adult meal and swap meals around to get safe food for him (if no kids options are available) that is what we will do.
> 
> I just want him to enjoy himself.  He's been through so much already this year (8 days hopitalized- 4 in one hospital and 4 out of state, another ER visit, a bout with cdifficle and now either another round with cdiff or small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and our trip next year is the one little ray of sunshine that keeps me trucking along at this point.



We are on day three here (of 15) but haven't been to the parks yet. I'm doing the race this morning (we leave at 3am, and it's 1:23am right now!) so we don't do our parks til after this. I'm at POFQ and thing are amazing so far. The chefs are fab and I'm going to do a full review when I get back. But so far, everything is great and there are tons of options. Where will you be staying?


----------



## BusyMom2Three

GAGirlInVA said:


> *ls15: *My son will be 3 on our trip, but if we have to buy him a kid's meal on the meal plan and then buy an adult meal and swap meals around to get safe food for him (if no kids options are available) that is what we will do


Are you on the dining plan? If so, you won't have to do that. If there is not a kid's meal he can have but there is an adult option, they will give him an adult option (sometimes a scaled-down version) and count it as a kid's meal. We have had to do this a few times. We have done so at Cosmic Ray's, Tortuga Tavern, Sunshine Seasons, and Backlot Express, that I can think of. A couple of times, the CMs ringing up orders have said they can't do it, in which case you just need to ask for a manager, and they have always said no problem.  I think if you aren't on the dining plan, you would have to pay for the adult meal, however.


----------



## BusyMom2Three

ls15 said:


> Leading up to my trip, I've been in constant contact with Special Diets, a few women from the team, as well as the chefs. All my chefs have called me except for one, and I've all their contact info to follow-up during my trip. So far, so good. I'm feeling very confident.
> 
> I'm leaving in 1.5 hours for my flight and am very excited! I am staying for 15 days and have ADRs for each day. Each chef I have spoken to in depth regarding my stay, and a few of them have really gone out of their way already.
> 
> I'll be home on the 9th, but I will have my computer with me because I'm self-employed and have to get work done while I am gone. Please feel free to ask me about things while I am in the park, and I can definitely try to check them out for you!
> 
> I'm planning on giving a full report when I'm back similar to the one I gave last time. No stone left unturned!
> 
> If anyone wants more details (my ADRs, et cetera), let me know!


We leave for POR in 9 days. Do you notice any changes, positive or negative, to dairy-free, vegetarian options there (anything other than the pasta bar, any desserts)? Oh, and how's the gf pasta (only some of us need it)? Thanks so much!


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## zumbergc

How much notice do you have to give babycakes to order a cake thru them?
Or can you just pick up a birthday cake at the downtown disney location,  and have them ice happy birthday xxxx?

The allergy chicken nuggets.  Does anyone know if they are baked or fried?  I can't digest fat very well, so its the difference between eating them or getting sick.
thanks


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## disney fan4

Hi, this is our first trip to WDW. We are goin the last week of March. My Ds8 has gluten, dairy and peanut allergies. I have wheat, corn and peanut allergies. I just got my dining reservations from my travel agent and am going to be e-mailing special diets. We have the dining plan. I have been told they will accomodate my son even if it is not typically on the kids menu for no extra charge because of his allergies. Is that correct?
  And can anyone with similar allergies recommend some quick service meals or good snacks covered by our dining plan? I am nervous hearing about all the changes and afraid he is going to end up with a bowl of fruit for dessert while my non-allergic Dd5 eats ice cream and brownies!


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## livndisney

disney fan4 said:


> Hi, this is our first trip to WDW. We are goin the last week of March. My Ds8 has gluten, dairy and peanut allergies. I have wheat, corn and peanut allergies. I just got my dining reservations from my travel agent and am going to be e-mailing special diets. We have the dining plan. I have been told they will accomodate my son even if it is not typically on the kids menu for no extra charge because of his allergies. Is that correct?
> And can anyone with similar allergies recommend some quick service meals or good snacks covered by our dining plan? I am nervous hearing about all the changes and afraid he is going to end up with a bowl of fruit for dessert while my non-allergic Dd5 eats ice cream and brownies!



Most places should have dairy free ice cream.


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## ls15

BusyMom2Three - we are at French Quarter but I know that Riverside has Tinkyada pasta, which is the best gluten-free pasta option.

zumbergc - last year my mom got gf chicken fingers at Columbia Harbour House and I've read they still have those. Hers were baked because she can't have soy, and they would have been fried in the same oil as the fries (which have soy). I am sure you can ask for them baked. It did take much longer but obviously if that is what you need it's fine! 

disney fan - I will update my whole trip by then. We get back the 9th. From your allergies, though, you can safely assume you might be eating a lot of whole, fresh foods as opposed to anything that they bring in that is gluten-free. 

livndisney - If you are at a table service and there is dessert, 99% of the time they have sorbet. I never, ever will eat Tofutti, so I've been eating Rice Dream (which doesn't have hidden barley like their nondairy milk does), though I am not sure that your son could have that (peanut-wise). But we have never not been offered sorbet. You might not be as lucky at quick service, though, but perhaps you could save that sort of treat for a table service and both your sons could have something else so he won't be left out? HEre is the Rice Dream ingredient list: http://www.tastethedream.com/products/product/1483/204.php


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## 2gr8DisneyKids

zumbergc said:


> How much notice do you have to give babycakes to order a cake thru them?
> Or can you just pick up a birthday cake at the downtown disney location,  and have them ice happy birthday xxxx?
> 
> The allergy chicken nuggets.  Does anyone know if they are baked or fried?  I can't digest fat very well, so its the difference between eating them or getting sick.
> thanks



If you want a specific cake and frosting combo you need to call 48 hours or more ahead. Also, they can deliver to your hotel on Disney property or to a Disney restaurant as they are now a Disney baker!

They might also have some in the case, but not always. They do always have cupcakes and can write happy birthday on them as well. 

The last time DD had the allergy chicken strips was more than a year ago and I think they were fried, but did not try them myself. 

I will be there on March 4th and can let you know what they are like now.


----------



## livndisney

ls15 said:


> BusyMom2Three - we are at French Quarter but I know that Riverside has Tinkyada pasta, which is the best gluten-free pasta option.
> 
> zumbergc - last year my mom got gf chicken fingers at Columbia Harbour House and I've read they still have those. Hers were baked because she can't have soy, and they would have been fried in the same oil as the fries (which have soy). I am sure you can ask for them baked. It did take much longer but obviously if that is what you need it's fine!
> 
> disney fan - I will update my whole trip by then. We get back the 9th. From your allergies, though, you can safely assume you might be eating a lot of whole, fresh foods as opposed to anything that they bring in that is gluten-free.
> 
> livndisney - If you are at a table service and there is dessert, 99% of the time they have sorbet. I never, ever will eat Tofutti, so I've been eating Rice Dream (which doesn't have hidden barley like their nondairy milk does), though I am not sure that your son could have that (peanut-wise). But we have never not been offered sorbet. You might not be as lucky at quick service, though, but perhaps you could save that sort of treat for a table service and both your sons could have something else so he won't be left out? HEre is the Rice Dream ingredient list: http://www.tastethedream.com/products/product/1483/204.php



In our experience (living near the park), we have ALWAYS been offered diary free ice cream at table service places.  There are also several CS locations that offer dairy free ice cream. Not once have we  been offered sorbet. DD rather enjoys eating "ice cream" like everyone else-in fact I think one of the happiest moments of her life was eating "ice cream/tofutti" on Main Street (from the ice cream shop) for the first time.


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## BusyMom2Three

disney fan4 said:


> We have the dining plan. I have been told they will accomodate my son even if it is not typically on the kids menu for no extra charge because of his allergies. Is that correct?


Yes, that's correct. Even if they have to give him an adult option or something not on the menu, you won't be charged extra.


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## AEPaul

We started AllergyEats Disney World (allergyeats.com/disney) as a spin-off of the successful AllergyEats site for exactly this reason - so that our community can hear first-hand from other food-allergic diners what their experiences are / have been.  If you are going to WDW soon, as we are again (7 in the family, 3 with fa), check out AllergyEats Disney World before you go (recognize however that we've been live for just 2 months).  If you've just gone, PLEASE HELP OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY by rating your restaurant experiences there!  We also just published a great interview with Chef Joel Schaefer, guru behind Disney's food-allergy excellence, on the AllergyEats Blog (allergyeats.com/blog).  Hope you enjoy our site and find it useful in your travels!
P.S. Sorry I can't post the links.  I haven't posted 10 times yet.


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## disney fan4

busyMom2Three, livndisney, and ls15, thanks for the responses. My son never complains about not getting to eat the same food as his sister, but I try to make his food as comparable as possible. I want to be prepared and take his snack/dessert food with us if necessary so he has a magical trip also!


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## DisneyAngie45

My little cousin is allergic to eggs, milk and all nuts. She can have soy milk though. We want to take a girls trip to Disney in the future and stay on site, but we don't want her to feel left out because of the food. Is it an extra charge for accommodation? Can Disney help us?


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## ls15

DisneyAngie45 said:


> My little cousin is allergic to eggs, milk and all nuts. She can have soy milk though. We want to take a girls trip to Disney in the future and stay on site, but we don't want her to feel left out because of the food. Is it an extra charge for accommodation? Can Disney help us?



Disney can help everyone. There is no extra charge. Contact Special Diets and go from there. I'm halfway through my trip, haven't gotten sick once, and ate amazing food. Because I was so careful to contact chefs in advance, and spoke to each of them individually, I've eaten amazingly so far. And all of them have brought in special food to make it even more magical!


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## livndisney

DisneyAngie45 said:


> My little cousin is allergic to eggs, milk and all nuts. She can have soy milk though. We want to take a girls trip to Disney in the future and stay on site, but we don't want her to feel left out because of the food. Is it an extra charge for accommodation? Can Disney help us?



Per Special Diets (and personal experience) if you are not on the dining plan-there can be an additional charge. The cost is only supposed to be more when the allergen safe food costs more. For example, when dd could have soy- she would get a kids meal with soy milk-most places would try and charge more for the soy milk vs "regular" milk. 

We have also been charged more for allergen free chicken and gluten free pizza.

That being said-yes Disney should be able to help you.


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## mrichards28

Thank you ls15 for starting this thread! My boyfriend and I are going down in May for 10 days, and I have a gluten allergy. I'm definitely going to be following this until then. =)

I loved the French Meadow brownies! Luckily, stores around me sell them. But that's what I wanted to talk about! 

I bought a box of them in the store yesterday. But you know how at Disney the brownies were a pretty good size? In the box I just bought, they are half the size, but still $6 for a box of 9 small brownies. I was expecting them to be bigger. Maybe that's why they got too expensive for Disney to keep. 

I may be wrong though! It would be awesome if they brought them back!

I look forward to keep reading!


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## clanmcculloch

In my experience, there's not an extra line item on a receipt that states "allergy surcharge" or anything like that, but you will see that specialty items like the OMG It's Gluten Free cookies will shop up as an allergy cookie and that is priced differently than a non-allergy counterpart.  That's where the extra charge has been seen.  Premade low allergen products are priced in the computers at a higher price than their standard counterparts.  This is only a concern if you're paying OOP for your food.  If you're using a dining plan then you'll be charged the same credit regardless of what you order.

I've only been offered sorbet at a few table service restaurants.  Most carry Tofutti ice cream.  I don't trust Rice Dream ice cream just because they don't seem to understand gluten since they claim that their milk is gluten free yet contains barley.  They don't add barley to the ice cream but I just don't feel that I can trust them.

For those with egg allergies, the baked goods options are VERY limited I'm sorry to say.  DD14 ate a lot of Tofutti and Enjoy Life products.

I'm extremely frustrated with the Special Diets department right now.  Several chefs indicated that they weren't notified that we were coming.  The chef in charge of the club lounge at Poly (where we were staying) talked to the rest of the chefs at our resort to discuss options for us since I had emailed her a copy of the form I sent to Special Diets so she knew all of our ADRs and she was also able to order in some safe foods for us.  She never got any notification from Special Diets and neither did any of the other chefs she spoke with.  She's the only reason any of those chefs knew we were coming.  I'm so grateful to Chef Kim for everything she did for us and arranged for us.

I just had to share this.  I FINALLY MET CHEF TJ!!!!  He was so wonderful.


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## ls15

Just an update:
I've been here 8 days so far. All the chefs are amazing. The majority of them, including managers at the quick service, miss the Ener-G products. Many of the chefs special ordered items (including at our resort) because they knew we were coming.

I've eaten really well so far; I think I got a little sick once but it settled down after a bit so I'm not 100% sure. I've had a load of choices. I'll do a huge update when I get back.

We have no been charged any additional fees, and often, charged less than the original price for modifying items on the menu.


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## eeyore7360nc

Having been to WDW more times than I can count, I was a little apprehensive about my first trip since starting a gluten free diet. I just want to thank everyone on this thread for all the helpful suggestions.

Everywhere we ate was able to accomodate my needs, but a few things really stood out.

Being able to have real fried chicken at Fifties Prime Time almost brought a tear to this southern girl's eye. My friend tried the crust and could not believe it was gluten free.

The allergy free chicken tenders I got at Columbia Harbour House were delicious.

Having Chef TJ prepare a special dish for me at 1900 Park Fare when I would have been fine finding something on the buffet. I just wish I had not been too full to find out what he had in mind for my dessert.


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## Shadow02

We are gluten free and dairy free and prefer no eggs. We arrived yesterday and had a bad and good experience last night at dinner. W went to ESPN Zone and was told they could do gluten free but no dairy free as all the buns had dairy in them. I thought I read before they do not, even though they say that, but the chef was quite unenthused and I did not have the energy to argue after a long car ride. He also said the fries were fried with the chicken tenders and there was no oven there so they could not make any baked ones separately. We could have grapes he decided. LOL. So needless to say we left and took the boat over to Beaches and Cream. There we had burgers with gluten free buns (Udis so they do have eggs) and they had toffuti and wnrice dream ice cream. They also did fries- they get them from Hurricane Hannahs which has a designated fryer. It was good- we eat very organic/grassfed meats/etc at home so certainly it's a different quality than we are used to but we know coming down to Disney that is going to be the case.

After our terrible experience at ESPN I stopped in a Kouzzinas where we have a breakfast reservation just to make sure that we could eat there in the morning. The nicest chef Dee came out and assured me that they could do gluten,dairy, egg,and corn free Mickey waffles, chicken sausage, bacon, breads, etc. She was so nice and I just wanted to decide to eat every mea; there! Anyhow, we are headed there in a bit and I am hoping it goes as easy as she made it sound......


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## Shadow02

Hi again! Just an update that we ate at Kouzzinas this morning and it was excellent. Again, we are dairy and gluten free and one of my sons is also egg free. They each had 2 Mickey waffles which were dairy, gluten, egg, and corn free with real maple syrup. They also had chicken sausage which I paid extra for. I had 2 scrambled eggs, a sweet potato/potato hash and the sausage too. The chef, Brad, was excellent and very friendly. Although he also said the Udi's bread had milk in it, which I don't think it does.

We went to Cookes of Dublin at Downtown Disney for dinner and had excellent gluten free fries fish and chips. By far our "easiest" ordering of the trip so far. 

Went to Babycakes twice today and got some treats as well as donuts for breakfast in the morning.


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## livndisney

Shadow02 said:


> Hi again! Just an update that we ate at Kouzzinas this morning and it was excellent. Again, we are dairy and gluten free and one of my sons is also egg free. They each had 2 Mickey waffles which were dairy, gluten, egg, and corn free with real maple syrup. They also had chicken sausage which I paid extra for. I had 2 scrambled eggs, a sweet potato/potato hash and the sausage too. The chef, Brad, was excellent and very friendly. Although he also said the Udi's bread had milk in it, which I don't think it does.
> 
> We went to Cookes of Dublin at Downtown Disney for dinner and had excellent gluten free fries fish and chips. By far our "easiest" ordering of the trip so far.
> 
> Went to Babycakes twice today and got some treats as well as donuts for breakfast in the morning.



Babycakes is AWESOME!!!!!

According to the website- Udi's white bread has:

INGREDIENTS: FILTERED WATER, TAPIOCA STARCH, BROWN RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, SUNFLOWER OIL OR CANOLA OIL, EGG WHITES, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE OR SUGAR, TAPIOCA SYRUP OR BROWN RICE SYRUP, YEAST, XANTHAN GUM, SALT, BAKING POWDER (SODIUM BICARBONATE, CORNSTARCH, CALCIUM SULFATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), MOLD INHIBITOR (CULTURED CORN SYRUP, ASCORBIC ACID), ASCORBIC ACID (MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, CORN STARCH), ENZYMES.
CONTAINS EGGS 


Read more: http://udisglutenfree.com/view_product/1009//White_Sandwich_Bread#ixzz1oUFPL7do


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## 3prettyprincesses

Has anyone that's been recently to Disney received an updated allergy food list for gluten?  I've been hearing that the lists are still outdated.  Thanks!


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## livndisney

3prettyprincesses said:


> Has anyone that's been recently to Disney received an updated allergy food list for gluten?  I've been hearing that the lists are still outdated.  Thanks!



Nope-and I am asking almost weekly.


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## 3prettyprincesses

livndisney said:


> Nope-and I am asking almost weekly.



Really?  Did they give you any idea of when the new list will be available?


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## wendow

livndisney said:


> Nope-and I am asking almost weekly.



Can you tell me who to contact?  I'll join you in asking.  Maybe if enough people bug them, they'll get a list together.


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## livndisney

3prettyprincesses said:


> Really?  Did they give you any idea of when the new list will be available?



No, they are working on it. I think they started out with a few items to "try them out" so to speak. They got feedback on those items and are now looking for some replacements.

Some chefs I have spoken with were less than thrilled with some of the items they originally chose, so the offerings are still a work in progress.


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

livndisney said:


> No, they are working on it. I think they started out with a few items to "try them out" so to speak. They got feedback on those items and are now looking for some replacements.
> 
> Some chefs I have spoken with were less than thrilled with some of the items they originally chose, so the offerings are still a work in progress.



Oh good grief.  Does that mean the current list is meaningless now?  The list I have was last updated December 2010.


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## livndisney

3prettyprincesses said:


> Oh good grief.  Does that mean the current list is meaningless now?  The list I have was last updated December 2010.




That list is not current. There was another update after 12/10 but before the latest change.


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## disney fan4

clanmcculloch said:


> I'm extremely frustrated with the Special Diets department right now.  Several chefs indicated that they weren't notified that we were coming.


Now that I have emailed special diets our allergy form, is there a way to know if it did get sent to all the restaurants where we will be eating? Do the chefs call/email you in advance?


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## clanmcculloch

disney fan4 said:


> Now that I have emailed special diets our allergy form, is there a way to know if it did get sent to all the restaurants where we will be eating? Do the chefs call/email you in advance?



We had 1 chef email us and didn't hear from any others.  Luckily I've become friends with a chef to whom I emailed a copy of my form so she made sure that all the chefs at least at our resort (where she also works) had a copy and were ready for us for each of our meals.

In the past, if I've had specific questions about menus at restaurants then I've gotten calls from chefs at those restaurants but it's pretty rare these days that I've got any questions so I just don't hear from anybody any longer.  I always did only hear from the chefs at restaurants where I had questions.  What frustrates me is that chefs don't seem to be getting any notice at all besides the server going to tell them that they've got a guest at their table with allergies.  And we're talking about laundry lists of allergies that do fall under the category of those who are asked to fill out the form and send in details.

Overall, I'm still very happy with the chefs and all that they do as well as the managers at CS locations (the few we ate at).  It's the Special Diets department and the department that makes the decisions about products that have me extremely frustrated.

I'm hoping they have some of these things ironed out before our August trip because that trip will be mainly CS dining which is what worries me since there's so much less room for customization.  This past trip was mostly TS so it was easy though very time consuming.


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## aggordon2

My wife and I have been very upset over the recent changes to allergy free food that we have been reading on this board.  My wife wrote the following letter to specialdiets@disneyworld.com & WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com :

I am writing this letter is regards to a recent frustrating conversation I had while getting information about allergy free foods for my children.  Although the woman at Specialdiets was as accommodating as possible it did not ally my fears concerning my family's upcoming trip to Disney World in August of this year. My family has enjoyed our yearly visits to Mickey Mouse's house for the past five seasons.  This biggest reason why we keep coming back is because nowhere other than Disney World is feeding children with multiple allergies as well as being autistic a "NO PROBLEM SITUATION".  All year I travel with food for my children, because I cannot depend on other places to feed them safely.  But once a year Disney World has been able to relieve me of that burden and enables me to freely enjoy the experience and have fun... it has been a true vacation for ALL OF US.  

Unfortunately, this year seems to be starting off on a most frustrating beginning.  In the past I was able to fill in forms provided by specialdiets.com alerting the chefs of the restaurants we will make reservations as to the allergies my children suffer from.  It  also tells the chefs how old they are ahead of time so they can have the right foods waiting for them when we arrive.  As we all know children can be picky and its the parents who know what their children will and will not eat.  The last thing anyone wants are hungry cranky children walking from ride to ride or show to show.  My husband and I also depended on the allergy free food lists to help plan our daily tour of the particular parks.  There is a lot of walking involved and it gets very hot in August.  Being able to find particular acceptable food and drink throughout the day is crucial especially when it comes to young and/or special needs children.

My last conversation with the people at Specialdiets (although polite) did not ally my fears.  For the first time in five years in making our vacations plans I ended the conversation disappointed, angry and feeling foolish for all the years I have been telling other parents how wonderful Disney has been in making our vacation as worry free as possible, making special efforts in dealing with the hurtles of autism and food allergies.  A far different approach then other theme parks such as  Busch Gardens, Sea World and Universal Studios.  The philosophy that has set Disney apart from all the others seems to shifting.. for the worse.  

I do understand that because of the overwhelming demand for allergy free foods, vendors may have to change.  However, your customers should still be able to get the information they need to be able to enjoy their time at your parks.  Please don't wait for a complete list of everything to be settled in legal... send out partial lists.  For my situation: I have a an autistic child that is gluten and dairy free, while his brother is dairy and egg free.  So my concerns are all three.  Why offer bread that is only gluten free?  You would be surprised as to how many people have multiple allergies.  My husband and I need to know where to feed our children lunch, dinner or snack (before we have a meltdown) while in the parks.  As I said before there is a lot of walking involved and it gets quite hot in August.  I myself am not that concerned with the prepackaged foods... but I need to feed them good solid refreshing foods including Rice Dream Frozen Dessert (Tofutti cannot guarantee that they are gluten free only dairy free).  I need to carry the food lists with me throughout the day into the evening.

I know this letter is long.. it's because I really don't want to cancel my trip, but if food is going to be a problem My husband and I might have to rethink this year's vacation.  We haven't told the kids of our plans yet.. we are hoping that you take this and others letter like this to heart and start coming out with allergy lists even if it is only a partial list.



Thank you taking to time to read.


----------



## Cheshire Figment

I think that is a very well-written letter.


----------



## mistysue

I like your letter too.  I have written a couple times but never that well. The last time I essentially just asked if there was any chance they could give me any information at all and that somebody please just write me a message that is not a form letter so I know they read my email... and got back a form letter I had received before.

How does it make sense to go from breads and treats that cater to the overwhelming majority of allergies to ONLY gluten and dairy free ones with no options for other allergies? I hate to say I sort of hope whoever made that decision gets fired, but I do.


----------



## cinderella73

Aggordon -  Nicely written letter.

 Did you also by any chance send a copy to guest services ? 

Just from what I have seen here of all the letters sent in to special diets  , my own included , I am thinking we might all have better luck going through a regular guest services email maybe ? Think I will compose one tonight myself. I am getting really frustrated with them also. And they just got that award from FAN ! 

 Keep us posted if you get a response.


----------



## wendow

Aggordon, thanks for writing that letter


----------



## ls15

Good morning, everyone,

I was very worried when I started this thread. My trip was looming and I was sure that things were going to be terrible.

I'm mentioned a few times of what I did and, luckily, everything was really good.

I was very clear with special diets from the get-go that the chefs absolutely needed to call me. They mentioned that had I not heard from all of them within two weeks to call again. There were three I didn't hear from, and I called again. One of them was so helpful that he gave me his direct contact and said that if a few more days went by, to call him again and he would call them himself.

I'm returned from my trip now and I am going to do a full review soon. Let me assure you, things aren't as bad as they seem. I can only imagine it might be frustrating for someone who is really picky, but we had loads to choose from (and with multiple allergies/restrictions).

Both chefs and CS managers aren't fond of the Udi's switch because there aren't as many options for people. I heard that everywhere, even before addressing my own opinion. 

One of the head managers of customer relations at our resort used to be the head of Food and Beverage for years. I told her my concerns and she said they are trying to fix the issue. She also said that, unfortunately, they are tied to many suppliers, and if those suppliers change, they have to go with what their suppliers give them (IE Kikkoman versus Silk soy milk, et cetera).

Before I went on my trip, every single chef contacted me and remembered me when I got to their restaurant. The only chef that did not contact me? Well, we cancelled that one   (but also because we changed our mind in general).

We never had a problem at counter service. Since we stayed for 15 days, that is a lot of food we ate! 

If anyone has specific questions about certain restaurants or any details before I get my full review up, please let me know. I'm more than happy to address what I discovered and tips to help make your trip better.

Laurie


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

ls15 said:


> Good morning, everyone,
> 
> I was very worried when I started this thread. My trip was looming and I was sure that things were going to be terrible.
> 
> I'm mentioned a few times of what I did and, luckily, everything was really good.
> 
> I was very clear with special diets from the get-go that the chefs absolutely needed to call me. They mentioned that had I not heard from all of them within two weeks to call again. There were three I didn't hear from, and I called again. One of them was so helpful that he gave me his direct contact and said that if a few more days went by, to call him again and he would call them himself.
> 
> I'm returned from my trip now and I am going to do a full review soon. Let me assure you, things aren't as bad as they seem. I can only imagine it might be frustrating for someone who is really picky, but we had loads to choose from (and with multiple allergies/restrictions).
> 
> Both chefs and CS managers aren't fond of the Udi's switch because there aren't as many options for people. I heard that everywhere, even before addressing my own opinion.
> 
> One of the head managers of customer relations at our resort used to be the head of Food and Beverage for years. I told her my concerns and she said they are trying to fix the issue. She also said that, unfortunately, they are tied to many suppliers, and if those suppliers change, they have to go with what their suppliers give them (IE Kikkoman versus Silk soy milk, et cetera).
> 
> Before I went on my trip, every single chef contacted me and remembered me when I got to their restaurant. The only chef that did not contact me? Well, we cancelled that one   (but also because we changed our mind in general).
> 
> We never had a problem at counter service. Since we stayed for 15 days, that is a lot of food we ate!
> 
> If anyone has specific questions about certain restaurants or any details before I get my full review up, please let me know. I'm more than happy to address what I discovered and tips to help make your trip better.
> 
> Laurie



Thank you for posting this and I am looking forward to your dining reviews!  

I think people are nervous because of the lack of information being sent out.  If special diets would just update their list, then we'd have something to work with at least.  However, I think people are getting upset and worried and it sounds like it's not as dire as it truly seems.  I am holding out hope because I can't imagine that Disney would knowingly throw away so much business from the food allergy community.  Granted, the last time we went was Jan. 2011 but I was so impressed by how well they handled both mine and my DD12's multiple allergies.  

As far as the change in bread, I think Udi's tastes better but that's just me.  And if they were doing research and asking customers, then it means the majority of people asked preferred a certain product.  So they went by that.  Now if they get hoardes of complaints then I'd wager they'd switch back or try something else.  I really think they are trying to accomodate massive amounts of people with many varied allergies.  That's a huge task and one I appreciate as Disney is the only place I feel safe enough to eat at (apart from PF Chang's).  

The change in filling out the forms, well I can understand that too.  Imagine how many forms they must have received in just one day.  By streamlining it for simple allergies (not multiple obviously) then they can cut down on the extra paperwork and plan to have stocked allergy food.  

Anyway, as I said, I am really looking forward to hearing your reviews!  What allergies do you have again?


----------



## ls15

3prettyprincesses:

I have celiac disease and a dairy allergy. I am also a vegan so I don't eat eggs.

My mom can't have gluten, dairy, eggs, or soy. (She's not a vegan).


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

ls15 said:


> 3prettyprincesses:
> 
> I have celiac disease and a dairy allergy. I am also a vegan so I don't eat eggs.
> 
> My mom can't have gluten, dairy, eggs, or soy. (She's not a vegan).



Duh!  I remember now, I've clicked on your beautiful blog!  So you're dairy free too then?  Now I remember.  

I too have celiac disease, a severe avocado allergy, anaphylactic watermelon allergy and several other intolerances (mustard, paprika and vinegar).


----------



## aggordon2

wendow said:


> Aggordon, thanks for writing that letter





cinderella73 said:


> Aggordon -  Nicely written letter.
> 
> Did you also by any chance send a copy to guest services ?
> 
> Just from what I have seen here of all the letters sent in to special diets  , my own included , I am thinking we might all have better luck going through a regular guest services email maybe ? Think I will compose one tonight myself. I am getting really frustrated with them also. And they just got that award from FAN !
> 
> Keep us posted if you get a response.





Cheshire Figment said:


> I think that is a very well-written letter.





mistysue said:


> I like your letter too.  I have written a couple times but never that well. The last time I essentially just asked if there was any chance they could give me any information at all and that somebody please just write me a message that is not a form letter so I know they read my email... and got back a form letter I had received before.
> 
> How does it make sense to go from breads and treats that cater to the overwhelming majority of allergies to ONLY gluten and dairy free ones with no options for other allergies? I hate to say I sort of hope whoever made that decision gets fired, but I do.




My dw was very happy to see the positive reactions to her letter (to Disney) generated by this community.  She hopes her efforts prove effective and we will keep all of you posted on the outcome.

We did get the generic form letter from special diets, we are now waiting for the follow up email/conversation.


----------



## HsvScrapGirl

Following this thread much more closely now.  I was happy and disappointed when we had to cancel our September trip.  We are expecting our second baby in September, thus the cancellation.  A few days ago, my husband told me to plan a trip for next February.  So, that is what I am trying to do in between getting things ready for baby, home schooling our 6 year old, picking out curriculum for next year, etc.  Our DS is allergic to milk and peanuts.  Hate to hear of all the changes, but hopefully they will get all the problems ironed out in special diets soon.


----------



## Offsides

Does anybody know where we could get a good dairy free "milk"shake? Somebody on here posted about one that they got from 50s PT. I made a reservation there for my bf (severe dairy allergy), for his birthday (March 24). The problem is, we have very limited time at WDW and did not plan on going to HS at all, aside from having the lunch reservation. Something in Epcot or MK would be much better. My family has always been CS type people, so I don't know much at all about any TS restaurants OR eating at Disney with allergies. Thanks!


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

Offsides said:


> Does anybody know where we could get a good dairy free "milk"shake? Somebody on here posted about one that they got from 50s PT. I made a reservation there for my bf (severe dairy allergy), for his birthday (March 24). The problem is, we have very limited time at WDW and did not plan on going to HS at all, aside from having the lunch reservation. Something in Epcot or MK would be much better. My family has always been CS type people, so I don't know much at all about any TS restaurants OR eating at Disney with allergies. Thanks!



I've heard great things about DF milkshakes at Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club resort.


----------



## sherriepaul

I everyone, I will admit that I did not read this whole thread so please forgive me.  Luckily my daughter has the treenut allergy and when we went for the first time with kids sept. 2011 the chefs always came out and were very attentive to us.  Some walked us around the buffet and pointed out things, but for the most part it was the desserts that go her.  And it was hard being there for her birthday and he twin brother got one thing and she couldn't but some chefs did try to make things special instead.  Meals also took longer (but it gave us time to cool off)

At the beginning of the thread they mentioned a place called babycakes?  I don't remember a place called this, could anyone tell me about this place for our next trip?
Thanks!


----------



## livndisney

sherriepaul said:


> I everyone, I will admit that I did not read this whole thread so please forgive me.  Luckily my daughter has the treenut allergy and when we went for the first time with kids sept. 2011 the chefs always came out and were very attentive to us.  Some walked us around the buffet and pointed out things, but for the most part it was the desserts that go her.  And it was hard being there for her birthday and he twin brother got one thing and she couldn't but some chefs did try to make things special instead.  Meals also took longer (but it gave us time to cool off)
> 
> At the beginning of the thread they mentioned a place called babycakes?  I don't remember a place called this, could anyone tell me about this place for our next trip?
> Thanks!



Babycakes is awesome! I was there a few hours ago! It is located in a corner of Pollo Campenero (old Mcdonalds building at Downtown Disney).


----------



## clanmcculloch

Offsides said:


> Does anybody know where we could get a good dairy free "milk"shake? Somebody on here posted about one that they got from 50s PT. I made a reservation there for my bf (severe dairy allergy), for his birthday (March 24). The problem is, we have very limited time at WDW and did not plan on going to HS at all, aside from having the lunch reservation. Something in Epcot or MK would be much better. My family has always been CS type people, so I don't know much at all about any TS restaurants OR eating at Disney with allergies. Thanks!



Very few places actually have dedicated milk free milkshake mixers.  In all my asking around, the only place that does is 50s PTC.  So basically you're dependent upon the chef or manager at the location to be vigilant about how well they clean and really think about just how severe the allergy is.  Some people are fine with the machine being cleaned while others will be sick or even have an anaphylactic reaction from this even with the most thorough of cleaning.  Your bf needs to decide for himself if the cleaning is enough based on his severity.

At MK, we've gotten milkshakes twice at the Plaza restaurant.  Cousin Ken (the chef) has done a great job with the cleaning of the machine both times.  None of us has had any problems at all from the milkshakes and they were DELICIOUS!!

At Epcot and AK we haven't tried getting milkshakes.  I suppose you could ask at the ice cream parlour at Epcot but you'll be dealing with a manager rather than a chef and I'm not sure if a manager will be as thorough as a chef.  You can certainly ask questions when you're there and your bf can decide on his own comfort level based on the answers given.

What resort are you staying at?  We've gotten milk free milkshakes at both Pop Century and and POFQ.  The chefs take care of our milkshakes and take responsibility for the cleaning of the machines at resort CS locations.  We haven't asked at any other resort CS but I would think it would be the same at any value or moderate resort CS.  Deluxe resorts will sometimes have managers handle allergy requests if they're simple allergies (meaning only one or two allergies that are gluten or top 8) so they've been given instructions on what to do).  I'm not even sure that deluxe resort CS serve milkshakes since I've never looked.



3prettyprincesses said:


> I've heard great things about DF milkshakes at Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club resort.



I would strongly caution people AGAINST B&C for dairy free milkshakes.  If I wasn't vigilant, my daughter would have been throwing up our whole way home.  The CM taking our order clearly wasn't paying enough attention and only scooped my DD11's ice cream from the Tofutti and completely forgot that I was being very specific about which milk and which ice cream for the milkshake (we do Tofutti ice cream with rice milk because while DD11 isn't intollerant to soy, she does have an allergic reaction to every soy milk she's every tried and I knew she'd want a sip).  It's a good thing that the regular vanilla has little black specks or else I would have handed it to DD14.  Then when I saw the manager come to make a new one, I noticed that even though I was told by the same original person they have a dedicated allergy milk shake mixer (again, we had this long conversation so I don't know how she forgot) I saw the manager go over and start cleaning a machine and when I asked her about that she said that's how them make sure it's safe since they DON'T have a dedicated machine.

We'll never set foot in there ever again.


----------



## SDSorority

livndisney said:


> Nope-and I am asking almost weekly.



Same here...


----------



## SDSorority

I just emailed special diets again.  We'll see if I get an updated allergen list.  I asked for anything and everything they could possibly give me.


----------



## livndisney

I spoke with another chef this week. Even they are not able to get updated lists from Special Diets. He encouraged me to have EVERYONE continue to contact Special Diets on a regular basis. 

Despite knowing we would be at the tea for over 6 weeks, the ONLY gluten free he could offer was as he put it "dry UDI bread" or strawberries.

I also had to fuss with the server, we went over that dd needed rice milk because she is DF 3 times, she then stuck the tray full of chocolate and cream filled pastries in her face and told her she could pick two


----------



## SDSorority

Here's what I got from Special Diets just a few minutes ago.  I had asked for a complete list of allergen information, specifically gluten-free, but really whatever they could give me.  This is the response I got (it also had the normal "Guest Allergy Dietary Request Form" attached.  I have *bolded *areas of interest:

**************************
Dear Ann, 
Thank you for inquiring about how Walt Disney Parks and Resorts handles special dietary requests. 
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Food & Beverage team is committed to offering a wide range of options to accommodate Guests with food allergies or intolerances. I'm sorry if you had challenges locating gluten free and soy free items on your previous visit. When booking your dining reservations, please be sure to advise the Cast Member of your special dietary restrictions. If you book online, please make sure you include your dietary restrictions on each reservation. If you have already booked your reservations and you are not sure you included the restrictions, please contact our Disney Reservation Center at 407-WDW-Dine or 407-939-3463. Guests are also welcome to speak to a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location. 
*We continue to take great pride in the selection of offerings we have available for Guests with special dietary needs.*  As you know, the marketplace continues to change with new products continuously being introduced and our chefs regularly evaluate the available products with quality and flavor being paramount. Our special dietary needs offerings continue to evolve and product availability may vary throughout our Parks and Resorts.  Our goal is to continue to provide our Guests with items that meet our high quality standards while accommodating as many requests as possible.  
*Due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers also occasionally substitute products.  Therefore menu items and preparation are often updated and we do not currently have product lists to send in advance of your visit.* *However, we are currently providing bakery items from the Enjoy Life, Go Raw and OMG Manufacturers to name a few along with Rocky Mountain Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans throughout our Parks and Resorts. We also have carry Udis brand hot dog buns, hamburger buns and white and whole grain bread. The oil in our Parks is 100% high oleic canola oil.* Our french fries are typically fried separately. However, there may be a chance for cross-contamination. As always, for your safety, we encourage you to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location.  He or she will be happy to assist with your selection and advise you if baked fried are available at that location. They can also provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. You may also provide this information on the attached form. 

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts to prevent the introduction of the allergen of concern into the food through close attention during our sourcing, preparation and handling processes. However, it is ultimately up to the Guest to use his or her individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to order any particular items. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the food chain process or, even inadvertently, during preparation. We do not have separate kitchens to prepare allergen-free items or separate dining areas for Guests with allergies or intolerances. 
Table-service restaurants that accept reservations at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts can accommodate most food allergies or intolerances. 
Common Food Allergies include: 
- gluten or wheat 
- shellfish 
- soy 
- lactose or dairy 
- peanuts and tree nuts 
- fish 
- eggs 
- corn 
If a member of your party has any of the common food allergies listed above, please speak with a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. 
The locations listed below have Quick-Service menu items or products that, upon request, may accommodate common food allergy or intolerance requirements. 
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park: 
- Restaurantosaurus 
- Flame Tree Barbecue 
Disney's Hollywood Studios: 
- Backlot Express 
- Studios Catering Co. 
- ABC Commissary 
- Toy Story Pizza Planet 
Epcot: 
- Liberty Inn 
- Sunshine Season 
Magic Kingdom Park: 
- Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café 
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café 
- Main Street Bakery 
- Columbia Harbor House 
- The Pinocchio Village House 
Most Quick-Service locations in the Walt Disney Resorts are able to accommodate special dietary needs and provide menu items and ingredients upon request. 
For prepackaged items, we recommend that Guests read the ingredient list on the label before purchasing any product. 
All our Chefs in our Theme Parks and Resorts are trained to handle allergies and take every precaution against any cross contact. As mentioned previously, due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product. Therefore, menu items and preparation are often updated. We stress that you ask to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. 
Because of the restrictive nature of the Feingold Diet, we encourage you to fill out the Special Dietary Request Form and return it by email to specialdiets@disneyworld.com or fax to 407-560-2992. Be sure to list the restaurant names, reservation number(s) and dates where you plan to dine. This way we can alert all the various restaurant Chefs and Managers of your upcoming visit and there would be no need for you to contact the individual restaurants directly. 
The restaurants will do their best to accommodate Guest dietary requirements, but cannot guarantee they will be able to meet all requests. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our website http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining 
Sincerely, 
Wendi Anderson 
Special Diets Team 
Guest Services 
Walt Disney World Resort 

*************************************

.....sooooo, pretty generic still.  I didn't know they were carrying Go Raw products now- has anyone seen these?  Most of the time they're nut bars I think- they sell them at Starbucks.


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

SDSorority said:


> Here's what I got from Special Diets just a few minutes ago.  I had asked for a complete list of allergen information, specifically gluten-free, but really whatever they could give me.  This is the response I got (it also had the normal "Guest Allergy Dietary Request Form" attached.  I have *bolded *areas of interest:
> 
> **************************
> Dear Ann,
> Thank you for inquiring about how Walt Disney Parks and Resorts handles special dietary requests.
> Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Food & Beverage team is committed to offering a wide range of options to accommodate Guests with food allergies or intolerances. I'm sorry if you had challenges locating gluten free and soy free items on your previous visit. When booking your dining reservations, please be sure to advise the Cast Member of your special dietary restrictions. If you book online, please make sure you include your dietary restrictions on each reservation. If you have already booked your reservations and you are not sure you included the restrictions, please contact our Disney Reservation Center at 407-WDW-Dine or 407-939-3463. Guests are also welcome to speak to a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location.
> *We continue to take great pride in the selection of offerings we have available for Guests with special dietary needs.*  As you know, the marketplace continues to change with new products continuously being introduced and our chefs regularly evaluate the available products with quality and flavor being paramount. Our special dietary needs offerings continue to evolve and product availability may vary throughout our Parks and Resorts.  Our goal is to continue to provide our Guests with items that meet our high quality standards while accommodating as many requests as possible.
> *Due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers also occasionally substitute products.  Therefore menu items and preparation are often updated and we do not currently have product lists to send in advance of your visit.* *However, we are currently providing bakery items from the Enjoy Life, Go Raw and OMG Manufacturers to name a few along with Rocky Mountain Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans throughout our Parks and Resorts. We also have carry Udis brand hot dog buns, hamburger buns and white and whole grain bread. The oil in our Parks is 100% high oleic canola oil.* Our french fries are typically fried separately. However, there may be a chance for cross-contamination. As always, for your safety, we encourage you to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location.  He or she will be happy to assist with your selection and advise you if baked fried are available at that location. They can also provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. You may also provide this information on the attached form.
> 
> Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts to prevent the introduction of the allergen of concern into the food through close attention during our sourcing, preparation and handling processes. However, it is ultimately up to the Guest to use his or her individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to order any particular items. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the food chain process or, even inadvertently, during preparation. We do not have separate kitchens to prepare allergen-free items or separate dining areas for Guests with allergies or intolerances.
> Table-service restaurants that accept reservations at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts can accommodate most food allergies or intolerances.
> Common Food Allergies include:
> - gluten or wheat
> - shellfish
> - soy
> - lactose or dairy
> - peanuts and tree nuts
> - fish
> - eggs
> - corn
> If a member of your party has any of the common food allergies listed above, please speak with a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items.
> The locations listed below have Quick-Service menu items or products that, upon request, may accommodate common food allergy or intolerance requirements.
> Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park:
> - Restaurantosaurus
> - Flame Tree Barbecue
> Disney's Hollywood Studios:
> - Backlot Express
> - Studios Catering Co.
> - ABC Commissary
> - Toy Story Pizza Planet
> Epcot:
> - Liberty Inn
> - Sunshine Season
> Magic Kingdom Park:
> - Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café
> - Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café
> - Main Street Bakery
> - Columbia Harbor House
> - The Pinocchio Village House
> Most Quick-Service locations in the Walt Disney Resorts are able to accommodate special dietary needs and provide menu items and ingredients upon request.
> For prepackaged items, we recommend that Guests read the ingredient list on the label before purchasing any product.
> All our Chefs in our Theme Parks and Resorts are trained to handle allergies and take every precaution against any cross contact. As mentioned previously, due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product. Therefore, menu items and preparation are often updated. We stress that you ask to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items.
> Because of the restrictive nature of the Feingold Diet, we encourage you to fill out the Special Dietary Request Form and return it by email to specialdiets@disneyworld.com or fax to 407-560-2992. Be sure to list the restaurant names, reservation number(s) and dates where you plan to dine. This way we can alert all the various restaurant Chefs and Managers of your upcoming visit and there would be no need for you to contact the individual restaurants directly.
> The restaurants will do their best to accommodate Guest dietary requirements, but cannot guarantee they will be able to meet all requests. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our website http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining
> Sincerely,
> Wendi Anderson
> Special Diets Team
> Guest Services
> Walt Disney World Resort
> 
> *************************************
> 
> .....sooooo, pretty generic still.  I didn't know they were carrying Go Raw products now- has anyone seen these?  Most of the time they're nut bars I think- they sell them at Starbucks.



Thanks for posting this.  Sounds as if they're still working out the kinks.  I'm glad they still carry the Enjoy Life stuff, we really like it and it covers both mine and my DD's various allergies.

Ugh, I hate the Go Raw products.  They taste nasty, like rancid bird food!  I wish they'd carry the Kind bars, those are good.  I've never tried the OMG stuff yet but I've heard decent reports.

The only thing that put me off is their statement about how vendors change their supplies, etc. so they do not have current lists.  I hope that doesn't mean they aren't planning to send those lists anymore when you contact Special Diets.


----------



## EEyorelover22

Shadow02 said:


> We are gluten free and dairy free and prefer no eggs. We arrived yesterday and had a bad and good experience last night at dinner. W went to ESPN Zone and was told they could do gluten free but no dairy free as all the buns had dairy in them. I thought I read before they do not, even though they say that, but the chef was quite unenthused and I did not have the energy to argue after a long car ride. He also said the fries were fried with the chicken tenders and there was no oven there so they could not make any baked ones separately. We could have grapes he decided. LOL. So needless to say we left and took the boat over to Beaches and Cream. There we had burgers with gluten free buns (Udis so they do have eggs) and they had toffuti and wnrice dream ice cream. They also did fries- they get them from Hurricane Hannahs which has a designated fryer. It was good- we eat very organic/grassfed meats/etc at home so certainly it's a different quality than we are used to but we know coming down to Disney that is going to be the case.
> 
> After our terrible experience at ESPN I stopped in a Kouzzinas where we have a breakfast reservation just to make sure that we could eat there in the morning. The nicest chef Dee came out and assured me that they could do gluten,dairy, egg,and corn free Mickey waffles, chicken sausage, bacon, breads, etc. She was so nice and I just wanted to decide to eat every mea; there! Anyhow, we are headed there in a bit and I am hoping it goes as easy as she made it sound......



Are the waffles and pancakes corn free for sure?  Maybe there is hope I can eat breakfast in a few places.


----------



## EEyorelover22

ls15 said:


> Good morning, everyone,
> 
> I was very worried when I started this thread. My trip was looming and I was sure that things were going to be terrible.
> 
> I'm mentioned a few times of what I did and, luckily, everything was really good.
> 
> I was very clear with special diets from the get-go that the chefs absolutely needed to call me. They mentioned that had I not heard from all of them within two weeks to call again. There were three I didn't hear from, and I called again. One of them was so helpful that he gave me his direct contact and said that if a few more days went by, to call him again and he would call them himself.
> 
> I'm returned from my trip now and I am going to do a full review soon. Let me assure you, things aren't as bad as they seem. I can only imagine it might be frustrating for someone who is really picky, but we had loads to choose from (and with multiple allergies/restrictions).
> 
> Both chefs and CS managers aren't fond of the Udi's switch because there aren't as many options for people. I heard that everywhere, even before addressing my own opinion.
> 
> One of the head managers of customer relations at our resort used to be the head of Food and Beverage for years. I told her my concerns and she said they are trying to fix the issue. She also said that, unfortunately, they are tied to many suppliers, and if those suppliers change, they have to go with what their suppliers give them (IE Kikkoman versus Silk soy milk, et cetera).
> 
> Before I went on my trip, every single chef contacted me and remembered me when I got to their restaurant. The only chef that did not contact me? Well, we cancelled that one   (but also because we changed our mind in general).
> 
> We never had a problem at counter service. Since we stayed for 15 days, that is a lot of food we ate!
> 
> If anyone has specific questions about certain restaurants or any details before I get my full review up, please let me know. I'm more than happy to address what I discovered and tips to help make your trip better.
> 
> Laurie



Waiting for your review...so I can dream of perhaps eating somewhere in the World.  One night on Christmas would be nice.    I am not hopeful though with all of my allergies.


----------



## nfceagles

3prettyprincesses said:


> The only thing that put me off is their statement about how vendors change their supplies, etc. so they do not have current lists.  I hope that doesn't mean they aren't planning to send those lists anymore when you contact Special Diets.



That is what I am beginning to suspect.  Hope not.


----------



## Shadow02

EEyorelover22 said:


> Are the waffles and pancakes corn free for sure?  Maybe there is hope I can eat breakfast in a few places.




The chef at Kouzzina's said theirs were- but I did not question it because we are just dairy, gluten, and egg free......


----------



## EEyorelover22

Shadow02 said:


> The chef at Kouzzina's said theirs were- but I did not question it because we are just dairy, gluten, and egg free......



Thank you.  I am glad I found this thread, but I am pretty sure I won't be able to eat at WDW.  I did send an email and asked about these pancakes in particular.  

I am also worried about being charged a fee to sit with my family when they are eating and I am not.  That would be a bummer especially since we are going over Christmas.


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> Thank you.  I am glad I found this thread, but I am pretty sure I won't be able to eat at WDW.  I did send an email and asked about these pancakes in particular.
> 
> I am also worried about being charged a fee to sit with my family when they are eating and I am not.  That would be a bummer especially since we are going over Christmas.



In my experience at a buffet, you WILL be charged just for being there. The only exception was when I had a Chef at H & V clearly did not understand allergies. He felt that just taking an allergen off cooked food "worked".  Even when the server saw I had not eaten a thing, it was a major hassle for the manager to "make an exception this time".

If you plan to go to a buffet and not eat, you should expect to pay per Disney policy.

Non-buffet places have not been a problem.


----------



## EEyorelover22

Thanks...that is good to know.  I knew about the buffets and I understand because of abuse of that I'm sure.  It will be interesting to see what I hear back from the email that I sent.


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

Well, I just received a response from Special Diets.  It's very much like the one SDSorority posted above.  The only exception is that in my email, they did NOT list any GF food at all.  I thought that was strange since I specifically asked about gluten free and tree nuts.  Whatever.  I'm pretty annoyed because it sounds like a stupid form letter and basically said they can't guarantee ANY meal prepared will be allergen free for you.  I hope this is all because they're in transition with their suppliers because it certainly doesn't give me warm fuzzies about eating there.  Forgot to mention that this current letter is different from the ones I received in 2010 and 2011.  Here's the email below:

Dear XXX, 

Thank you for inquiring about how Walt Disney Parks and Resorts handles special dietary requests. 

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Food & Beverage team is committed to offering a wide range of options to accommodate Guests with food allergies or intolerances. When booking your dining reservations, please be sure to advise the Cast Member of your special dietary restrictions. If you book online, please make sure you include your dietary restrictions on each reservation. If you have already booked your reservations and you are not sure you included the restrictions, please contact our Disney Reservation Center at 407-WDW-Dine or 407-939-3463. Guests are also welcome to speak to a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location. 

Whether dining at a table-service or quick-service restaurant, Guest food allergy or intolerance requirements will be addressed when brought to our attention. Due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product. Therefore, menu items and preparation is often updated. 

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts to prevent the introduction of the allergen of concern into the food through close attention during our sourcing, preparation and handling processes. However, it is ultimately up to the Guest to use his or her individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to order any particular items. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the food chain process or, even inadvertently, during preparation. We do not have separate kitchens to prepare allergen-free items or separate dining areas for Guests with allergies or intolerances. 

Most restaurants offer no sugar added, low fat, low sodium, vegetarian or vegan options. Advance arrangements are not necessary for guests with lifestyle dietary requests. Guests can discuss this with their server upon arrival at the restaurant. 

Most Walt Disney Parks and Resorts table service restaurants that accept reservations can accommodate Kosher meals if requested at least three days in advance by calling 407-939-3463. 

Table-service restaurants that accept reservations at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts can accommodate most food allergies or intolerances. 

Common Food Allergies include: 

- gluten or wheat 
- shellfish 
- soy 
- lactose or dairy 
- peanuts and tree nuts 
- fish 
- eggs 
- corn 

If a member of your party has any of the common food allergies listed above, please speak with a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. 

The locations listed below have Quick-Service menu items or products that, upon request, may accommodate common food allergy or intolerance requirements. 

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park: 

- Restaurantosaurus 
- Flame Tree Barbecue 

Disney's Hollywood Studios: 

- Backlot Express 
- Studios Catering Co. 
- ABC Commissary 
- Toy Story Pizza Planet 

Epcot: 

- Liberty Inn 
- Sunshine Season 

Magic Kingdom Park: 

- Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café 
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café 
- Main Street Bakery 
- Columbia Harbor House 
- The Pinocchio Village House 


Most Quick-Service locations in the Walt Disney Resorts are able to accommodate special dietary needs and provide menu items and ingredients upon request. 

For prepackaged items, we recommend that Guests read the ingredient list on the label before purchasing any product. 

All our Chefs in our Theme Parks and Resorts are trained to handle allergies and take every precaution against any cross contact. As mentioned previously, due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product. Therefore, menu items and preparation are often updated. We stress that you ask to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location. They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items. 

The oil used in our parks is 100% high oleic canola oil. Peanut oil is not used in our parks. However, some entrées may contain peanuts or peanut sauce. 

Please be aware that at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, our Animal Programs keepers roam the Park throughout the day and at any given time could have nuts in their pocket to use for demonstration and educational purposes while handling birds. Birds are located in just about every area of the Park. Be mindful that these keepers would have nut oil on their hands and remnants in their clothing. 

The restaurants will do their best to accommodate Guest dietary requirements, but cannot guarantee they will be able to meet all requests. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our website 

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining/ 

I hope your visit is enjoyable. 

Sincerely, 

Rachel Novak 
Special Diets Team 
Guest Services 
Walt Disney World Resort


----------



## EEyorelover22

It will be interesting to see what response I get to my email.  I basically said "don't sugar coat it."  If I cannot eat at WDW, I will plan for that, but I'd like to know ahead of time and my adult children can eat and DH and I will make other arrangements or I will avoid buffets too so I am not charged for a meal I don't eat and I'll just sit with the family.  I do that here all the time.  It's just not worth it.

The buffets never seem to be able to help me out even when I was able to eat more.

I found my insulated Disney backpack and I'll bring it with me with lunch and dinner.


----------



## GAGirlInVA

I'm so upset about these changes.  I can't get ANY answers about what Xander can eat (or might be able to eat as long as there are no menu changes.)  He is dairy, egg, soy and blueberry free.  

Does Disney not understand that showing up, with a family of 7, with a THREE year old that cannot eat anything and everything, but without any idea what he could possibly eat, is stressful? 

I want to scrap our whole vacation.  

If only he didn't want to see Handy Manny so badly. 

I fully admit it may be pregnancy hormones, but I am near tears in frustration.


----------



## livndisney

GAGirlInVA said:


> I'm so upset about these changes.  I can't get ANY answers about what Xander can eat (or might be able to eat as long as there are no menu changes.)  He is dairy, egg, soy and blueberry free.
> 
> Does Disney not understand that showing up, with a family of 7, with a THREE year old that cannot eat anything and everything, but without any idea what he could possibly eat, is stressful?
> 
> I want to scrap our whole vacation.
> 
> If only he didn't want to see Handy Manny so badly.
> 
> I fully admit it may be pregnancy hormones, but I am near tears in frustration.



I really understand your frustration, but please try not to stress too much. I can tell you dd is dairy, soy and apple free-she has never starved

Keep in mind-there is always cut fruit. MK has a baked potato cart. Hamburgers can be made without buns. Carrots are everywhere. Several places have the allergen free chicken.


----------



## EEyorelover22

I received the same email that everyone else received for the most part.  They did mention paying for a buffet meal if I don't eat which I already knew and they did NOT answer my question about the pancakes and if they were corn free. 

I am glad it's me and not my young child.  My kids are college aged and have no food issues.

There are two places that I know I wouldn't go to due to my experiences before:  CRT and H&V.  

I think if you have the "traditional" allergies, you would be fine.
Except corn...corn is a biggie and for me with all the others I have, throw in corn and I'm out of luck.


----------



## EEyorelover22

I received another email back from Special Diets about the pancakes.  They refused to answer if they were corn free and that I had to talk with the chef when I arrive and mentioned the switching of vendors, etc.  I'm not sure how that works with the new $10 no show fees for some places if a person arrives and finds out they cannot eat anything.


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

EEyorelover22 said:


> I received another email back from Special Diets about the pancakes.  They refused to answer if they were corn free and that I had to talk with the chef when I arrive and mentioned the switching of vendors, etc.  I'm not sure how that works with the new $10 no show fees for some places if a person arrives and finds out they cannot eat anything.



If they use the Namaste pancake mixes (they have in the past), then those ARE corn free.  They are actually wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and casein free.  Whew, that was a mouthful!

I can't imagine that if you arrived for your ADR and the chef told you that he was unable to accomodate you, they'd charge you the $10 no show fee.  Technically you did show up.


----------



## EEyorelover22

3prettyprincesses said:


> If they use the Namaste pancake mixes (they have in the past), then those ARE corn free.  They are actually wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and casein free.  Whew, that was a mouthful!
> 
> I can't imagine that if you arrived for your ADR and the chef told you that he was unable to accomodate you, they'd charge you the $10 no show fee.  Technically you did show up.



thank you and I wrote that down so I can ask.  I will avoid the $10 cancel fee places...but you are right...I did show up.


----------



## GAGirlInVA

Here is my email I got from today.  I specifically asked if Disney has any bread that is dairy, egg and soy free.  Got a lovely form letter.  Then my DH called and she just read the email to him again.  *sigh* 

Dear Ms. XXXX,

Thank you for your email to the Walt Disney World Resort.

I am very sorry for the disappointment you experienced during the
product changes for special dietary offerings.  I wanted to personally
assure you that your feedback has been taken seriously and let you know
how much we appreciate your comments. Our Guests? feedback allows for
our continual growth and the preservation of the magic Walt Disney
dreamed about.

We continue to take great pride in the selection of offerings we have
available for Guests with special dietary needs.  As you know, the
marketplace continues to change with new products continuously being
introduced and our chefs regularly evaluate the available products with
quality and flavor being paramount.

Our special dietary needs offerings continue to evolve and product
availability may vary throughout our Parks and Resorts.  Our goal is to
continue to provide our Guests with items that meet our high quality
standards while accommodating as many requests as possible.

Due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers also
occasionally substitute products.  Therefore menu items and preparation
are often updated.  However, we are currently providing bakery items
from the Enjoy Life and OMG Manufacturers along with Rocky Mountain
Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans throughout our Parks and Resorts.
As always, for your safety, we encourage you to speak to a Chef or
Manager when you arrive at each location.  He or she will be happy to
assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients
for menu items.

Our Guests' feedback, as well as their continued enthusiasm for our
products and services, is very important to us. As always, our Special
Diets Team is committed to providing you with personalized service. If
you have any additional questions, please contact us at 407-824-5967
during our business hours of Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m. or on Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.

We look forward to future opportunities to entertain you.

Sincerely,

Rachel Novak
Special Diets
Guest Services
Walt Disney World Resort

--------------------------------

She couldn't even tell us the ingredients on the OMG! products she wrote us about. 

Guess who isn't going back to Disney unless something changes?  DH is ticked.


----------



## EEyorelover22

The Enjoy Life brand...anyone who has corn allergies should beware.  I cannot eat this brand.  I had a severe reaction last fall.

I am sure that's why they are not more specific.  Each individual person may react to something while another will not or may not be as severe.

I do hope those of you with young children can find some places that work for them.  This would be very upsetting.


----------



## dzorn

3prettyprincesses said:


> If they use the Namaste pancake mixes (they have in the past), then those ARE corn free.  They are actually wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and casein free.  Whew, that was a mouthful!
> 
> I can't imagine that if you arrived for your ADR and the chef told you that he was unable to accomodate you, they'd charge you the $10 no show fee.  Technically you did show up.



When we went at the end of November it was Red Bob Mills gluten free pancake/waffle mix. They used the mix with their own ingredients not the package directions.

Denise in MI


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## EEyorelover22

I will have to go read the package for Bob's in the store here so I know when I am there.

Thanks for the info.  Trying to decide what they would use for the egg in the other...as they were gluten, dairy and egg free.


----------



## clanmcculloch

For egg they typically use either apple sauce or Ener-G egg replacer, depending on the chef's preference.  We've been given waffles done both ways (DD14 is also gluten, milk and egg among other things free).


----------



## dzorn

clanmcculloch said:


> For egg they typically use either apple sauce or Ener-G egg replacer, depending on the chef's preference.  We've been given waffles done both ways (DD14 is also gluten, milk and egg among other things free).



The recipe they gave for GF waffles:

  Here you go: 1 bag of Bobs Red Mill pancake mix, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup canola oil and enough water to make batter consistency. 

Denise in MI


----------



## cynzilla

I don't know if anyone covered this or knows ( I haven't had the chance to read all the pages of posts) but recently I attended the Wishes Dessert Party at the MK, if you let them know in advance, they provided me with a tray of treats! There were berries, a Raspberry Sorbet, Vegan Carrot Cake, Vegan Chocolate Cake and Vegan Spice Cake, and Chocolate Chip Cookies....all vegan all dairy free. My kids tried it and like the cookies ( I am sure they were Enjoy Life)  better than the ones being served at the dessert buffet! It made for a great night because I was expecting just to have fruit during it!


----------



## mistysue

cynzilla said:


> I don't know if anyone covered this or knows ( I haven't had the chance to read all the pages of posts) but recently I attended the Wishes Dessert Party at the MK, if you let them know in advance, they provided me with a tray of treats! There were berries, a Raspberry Sorbet, Vegan Carrot Cake, Vegan Chocolate Cake and Vegan Spice Cake, and Chocolate Chip Cookies....all vegan all dairy free. My kids tried it and like the cookies ( I am sure they were Enjoy Life)  better than the ones being served at the dessert buffet! It made for a great night because I was expecting just to have fruit during it!



That's great news!  August will be our first trip without the dining plan, so we were considering going to this again.  I've been afraid DS wouldn't have anything... it's more for us, but would feel like a terrible waste if he couldn't eat at all!


----------



## Minnie

dzorn said:


> When we went at the end of November it was Red Bob Mills gluten free pancake/waffle mix. They used the mix with their own ingredients not the package directions.
> 
> Denise in MI



The chef at Cat Cora's restaurant was amazing - he said that the batter they had made was Bob Mills which has corn but they also had the Namaste brand and would make a batch with that if I preferred  This was last fall before the many product changes though so I don't know what is available now - each restaurant seems different.


----------



## cinderella73

So frustrated here. I do not care for this new person that took over for Brenda. I was very polite but confused and basically told I didnt know what I was talking about. I think its the way she said things that annoyed me. Maybe you all can help clarify for me?

I was told before that both Pop Century and Cornado Springs used peanut oil in a certain area of the kitchen. Pop Century in the ethnic cusine area and Coronado just in general in some part of the kitchen for certain foods. It is even listed in the Disney guidebook for disablities I picked up at Barnes and Noble. 

I asked special diets the other day if the new Art of Animation food court might also be using this oil in their ethnic food area ( Mongolian bbq , etc.) . I was told that it was highly unlikely as Disney would never use peanut oil anywhere on site as they are very food allergy aware. 

When I asked her what about Pop Century and Cornado I was told that I was wrong they never used any peanut oil and not to trust any site that was not Disney official. But I remember Brenda told me the same thing before. She was very admant and just a tad argumentive about it.

I asked if I could speak with a chef when the resort opened , before my arrival and was told no. They wont do that for quick service. 

Can someone help clarify? I am annoyed and frustrated. She just made me feel like I was crazy and I got off the phone feeling not so comfortable with our resort choice. Especially since we will be staying over 2 weeks. Thanks

Aha.. Found it! Its in the Passporters Open Mouse guidebook for people with special challenges page 37. Pepper Market , Sunshine Seasons , and Pop Century are mentioned as some places to be careful of due to use of PN oil in or with some of the foods.


----------



## DCDisney

Disney is very aware of peanut oil and except for pepper market which isn't Disney owned so not as certain there should not be peanut oil at pop or sunshine seasons.  They do their Asian dishes with the regular canola blend or soybean oil.  Avoiding peanuts if that is the o ly allergy at WDW is easy.  There won't be many baked goods available but other than that I find it pretty easy to avoid peanuts.  I don't eat at O'hana because they serve a peanut sauce but others have no problems there.  Except for places with open cases of baked goods if a quick service place offers peanuts it's a prepackaged sandwich or per wrapped dessert item so cross contamination Isn't an issue.


----------



## DCDisney

Disney is very aware of peanut oil and except for pepper market which isn't Disney owned so not as certain there should not be peanut oil at pop or sunshine seasons.  They do their Asian dishes with the regular canola blend or soybean oil.  Avoiding peanuts if that is the o ly allergy at WDW is easy.  There won't be many baked goods available but other than that I find it pretty easy to avoid peanuts.  I don't eat at O'hana because they serve a peanut sauce but others have no problems there.  Except for places with open cases of baked goods if a quick service place offers peanuts it's a prepackaged sandwich or per wrapped dessert item so cross contamination Isn't an issue.


----------



## clanmcculloch

I don't know if they use peanut oil at Pop at the regular line or not.  I do know that the allergy food is prepared in a separate are of the kitchen which does NOT ever have peanut oil.

We'll be staying at AoA in August.  I'll definitely report back after our trip.  I'm hoping for reviews from others before then but I'm honestly not concerned.  A chef at 'Ohana told me that he's got several chefs who he's personally trained who have been pegged to go to AoA so I have full confidence in the chefs.

I've spoken with a chef from Pop century before each trip where we stayed there.  I'll be contacting Special Diets around 1.5 months before my trip to fill out my form (not sure why I'm bothering with the way things are but I will anyway) and I'll ask specifically at that time to have a chef from AoA contact me to go over just what options will be available at the resort since we will likely be eating dinner at the resort most evenings as well as some light breakfasts some days.  I plan to ask again and again until somebody from the resort actually contacts me.  The resort will have already been open for over a month before I contact Special Diets with this request so they'll definitely be fully staffed and operational meaning there should be no reasonable reason for them to not put me in contact with a chef if asked at that point.  I'll be a definite thorn in their side until I speak with a chef.  In my case, it's not to ask questions about safety but rather to confirm what products will be on hand.  With notice, chefs at resorts have been able to order in special products for us which is important since there are so few things on the regular list of products that DD14 can eat and it's important to me that they at least have the ones that she can eat in stock (the few products she can eat aren't stocked everywhere) and if we're lucky, they'll order in a few other things as well though I certainly won't hold it against anybody if they can't do the latter.

I've become less and less impressed with the Special Diets department with each trip we've taken since Brenda's departure.  I don't think that any of the people who worked there at the same time as Brenda or even the people who took over after Brenda left are still there.  The department IMO has not only become a complete waste of time since they won't share any info with guests and frankly half the chefs I spoke with had NOT received our form listing our intollerances (we've got long enough lists that we're asked to fill out the form still), at this point they've IMO become dangerous since they give out COMPLETELY FALSE information.  I'm very grateful for the amazing people on this board who freely share experiences and up-to-date information so that I have accurate information when I arrive.


----------



## 3prettyprincesses

clanmcculloch said:


> I've spoken with a chef from Pop century before each trip where we stayed there.  I'll be contacting Special Diets around 1.5 months before my trip to fill out my form (not sure why I'm bothering with the way things are but I will anyway)



I completely understand.  It seems pointless to fill out those forms now.



> I've become less and less impressed with the Special Diets department with each trip we've taken since Brenda's departure.  I don't think that any of the people who worked there at the same time as Brenda or even the people who took over after Brenda left are still there.  The department IMO has not only become a complete waste of time since they won't share any info with guests and frankly half the chefs I spoke with had NOT received our form listing our intollerances (we've got long enough lists that we're asked to fill out the form still), at this point they've IMO become dangerous since they give out COMPLETELY FALSE information.  I'm very grateful for the amazing people on this board who freely share experiences and up-to-date information so that I have accurate information when I arrive.



Sadly this seems only too true.  I received yet another follow up email from Special Diets.  In this one I bluntly asked if I would receive the sheets of information listing what snacks were safe.  They told me no.  I responded that it would be impossible then for me to know beforehand what snacks my DD12 and I could safely have.  Their response was to read the label.  Well ya, in a perfect world everyone would label for gluten but that is not the case as companies are not required to do so (only the top 8 allergens are required by law and gluten is not one of them). 

We had to cancel our upcoming trip anyway due to health problems but this change in Special Diets makes me a tad apprehensive.  I hope they get it worked out.


----------



## cinderella73

Does anyone want to put together a petition or some type of group form letter ? Maybe we can all write in our particular concerns ( food lists , products available , etc) and what we would like to see change. 

I would imagine we would all have to include some form of contact at the bottom of the letter or form so they will take it seriously. Email , phone or even at least a name. 

I am not talking about raising up pitchforks , but rather just a group of us expressing concern in numbers ( politely) , rather than individually. It might have more impact.

I will work on what I want to submit this evening. I am sending it to guest services , not special diets. If anyone wants to add anything please pm me  with what you want included.


----------



## dclfun

I think the biggest hassle has come with the change in vendors. Disney can order products to make sure that all Guests have options, but it's up to those vendors to actually deliver the appropriate amounts and to be sure the nutritional and allergy information is accurate. I'd be distrustful too if I were told I couldn't have the lists of safe foods in advance. Who wants to arrive on their vacation and find out they have limited, if any, food options they enjoy or even tolerate? I know on the Disney ships they can never, ever promise to have a particular product or brand onboard. If a vendor doesn't make the delivery on time or forgets something on the "list" then that voyage won't have what someone might need. As a parent or person with a food allergy, I *want* that promise, even if I understand why I can't have it. It's just too risky without, especially for those that are at sea and can't run to Whole Foods!


----------



## mistysue

I just wish they went back to having some choices that are top 8 free. As I see it, there is no more trouble getting a top-8 free bread and dessert products than ones that cater to ONLY gluten and dairy. It would be in their own best interests to have "allergy foods" that can collectively at least cater to all the most common allergens rather than different foods for each allergy.
 They are causing confusion for their staff while creating a problem where people with multiple allergies can't have _any_ of the allergy options.


----------



## kck182

Spoke with Special Diets today which was encouraging.  I asked about the forms, which in previous conversations was told that they were never coming back, and today was told it was POSSIBLE that they may come back.  

She was very helpful and is confirming that they carry a few products before we commit to our upcoming trip.  

If you haven't emailed explaining why we need this info ahead of time, please do.


----------



## mistysue

Emailed special services again this morning - asking if there may even be a partial list of brands they are working with so I can do some research about whether my son can eat them.  Mentioned that we will be eating at many CS locations, so I need to be as prepared as I can be or I may be rushing around the park with a starving child if they have nothing available he can eat. 

Now I can count the days to see how soon I get back the exact same template response as the last three times.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

mistysue said:


> Emailed special services again this morning - asking if there may even be a partial list of brands they are working with so I can do some research about whether my son can eat them.  Mentioned that we will be eating at many CS locations, so I need to be as prepared as I can be or I may be rushing around the park with a starving child if they have nothing available he can eat.
> 
> Now I can count the days to see how soon I get back the exact same template response as the last three times.



I've been back and forth with them three times, and I get the same response...read the label at the location and/or talk with the chef.  Again, if it was as simple as reading the label for gluten, that answer would work.  Since it's not legally required to label for it though, I have no idea beforehand what is safe now.  They are being so ridiculously vague and I keep wondering why.  

As others have already said, at least send out a partial list so we have something to work with.  I have other food allergies as well so just because it says gluten free, doesn't mean it's still safe for me.


----------



## Random Ninja

I'm wondering why I even bothered emailing special diets. I've never bothered before as my allergies have been mild and easily avoidable; dairy, mustard, and artificial sweeteners, but they've recently flared up to total avoid. Plus I am now allergic to tapioca. Why do I get the odd ones? On my last trip to MK, the only things I could eat at counter-service was chili, fries, a hamburger, and plain salad. Most of my favorites at Epcot are off-limits due to the allergies getting worse and I hesitate to eat at table service because last trip they kept trying to give me diet coke. We're doing the QSP for our Mother's Day trip plus an ADR at Kona's. All special diets emailed back was the generic form message. Guess I'm eating hamburgers and fries all weekend.


----------



## CarrieR

Ugh, I am so terribly sorry for those of you who are struggling.  We found Disney so amazingly wonderful for our trips just last year... I have to wonder what happened?  We've gotten a rhythm now, so we know where and what is safe, as well as a much better grasp on allergies, but I can't imagine trying a trip without the assistance we got just last year.

Disney is supposed to be an industry model... what has fallen apart here?!


----------



## dclfun

CarrieR said:


> Ugh, I am so terribly sorry for those of you who are struggling.  We found Disney so amazingly wonderful for our trips just last year... I have to wonder what happened?  We've gotten a rhythm now, so we know where and what is safe, as well as a much better grasp on allergies, but I can't imagine trying a trip without the assistance we got just last year.
> 
> Disney is supposed to be an industry model... what has fallen apart here?!



Seems to me like there have been increasing amounts of guests requesting allergy meals with varying allergies and combinations of allergies. Costs for products to accommodate those requests has gone up and Disney went to different vendors to lower their costs ( just speculating- I have no idea what happened, but it's usually something to do with profits). Unfortunately there isn't a "one size fits all" with these products and guests who once had more choices are now limited or even unable to find something that's safe.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

dclfun said:


> Seems to me like there have been increasing amounts of guests requesting allergy meals with varying allergies and combinations of allergies. Costs for products to accommodate those requests has gone up and Disney went to different vendors to lower their costs ( just speculating- I have no idea what happened, but it's usually something to do with profits). Unfortunately there isn't a "one size fits all" with these products and guests who once had more choices are now limited or even unable to find something that's safe.



I'm sure those costs do add up, eating gluten free at home can get quite expensive!  

But if Disney were smart, they'd be very careful in alienating people with food allergies.  If they are truly making cut backs due to cost, then my guess is that they'll lose business from the allergy community.  

All I'm asking is for them to give me something to work with.  Being gluten free means reading labels, calling manufactures and checking websites.  If we had some sort of list, then we could figure out what we'll be able to eat.  I don't want to show up at Disney, eat at Chef Mickey's for over $50 a plate and find out that all I can have is plain grilled chicken and rice.


----------



## EEyorelover22

They have lost 50% of our business for our winter trip and for the next trip where it's just DH and I, they have lost 100% of our business.

I already bought a George Foreman grill to bring along.  I'm set.
I booked the 1br value at AKV so we'll have a kitchen for the other items I'll need.


----------



## BearcatsFan

Has anyone had any luck at all getting lists of GF safe foods?  I emailed Special Diets and got the same form letter I've seen in this thread many times.

DH is in the process of being tested (got bloodwork done yesterday), but our doctor feels sure that's what is going on.  I was trying to get prepared for our upcoming trip, but now I'm worried because I have nothing to go on.  DH is concerned because this will be all new for him.

I have ressies already at LTT, Biergarten, Rainforest Cafe, and The Plaza.  The rest of our meals will be QS (WPE, Sassagoulas/Riverside Mill, Sunshine Seasons, EoS).  Anyone have recent experience with these places?

The meal I'm most concerned about is our lunch at CHH with our KTTK tour.  We have to fill out the meal forms in the morning with the tour guide - how am I going to know what is available there that is GF so we can request it on the form?  Should I stop in there the day before and talk to the manager and maybe get our meal requests filled out ahead of time (I'm diabetic so I need to figure out what I can eat here too!)?

ARGHHHH!


----------



## EEyorelover22

I read recently that CHH had some good gluten free options.  

I know I just did a search and starting reading a random thread.  I wish I could remember which one though and I don't.  As I recall it was part of their menu all the time.

Love that tour!


----------



## mistysue

CHH is the one everybody keeps saying has the allergy chicken tenders. 

In my last message I very clearly explained that  I need to have some ideas of who they at least expect to try to stock so I can look into whether those brands are safe. 

This is the helpful part of the response:
" However, we are currently providing bakery items from the Enjoy Life, Udi's, and OMG Manufacturers along with Rocky Mountain Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans throughout our Parks and Resorts."

All of those brands are completely gluten free- so those of you watching gluten are in luck. From reviews I would say it's clear they have full meals and desserts for you EVERYWHERE, as Gluten-free seems to be what they are trying to cater to. 

Now for my DS  
Udi's=nothing safe (well, granola, but they don't have that one)
OMG=nothing safe
Enjoy life= anything
Rocky Mountain= some contain dairy, no ingredient lists online
Surf sweets= all ok (Random Ninja-these are based on tapioca!)

I feel bad for my son, At this point I'm counting on getting there and him not being able to get a dessert anywhere. When in a pinch his snack option will likely be jelly beans. There seem to be random enjoy life sightings, but they haven't been showing up in the TS reports so much anymore. 
I wanted to get a trip without having the schedule 3 ADR's per day, but I'm worried if I don't he won't eat unless I pack for him. 

At least there is Babycakes now!


----------



## BearcatsFan

This was the form letter I got ... bolding is mine:



> Good afternoon!
> 
> Thank you for inquiring about how Walt Disney Parks and Resorts handles special dietary requests.
> 
> Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Food & Beverage team is committed to offering a wide range of options to accommodate Guests with food allergies or intolerances. When booking your dining reservations, please be sure to advise the Cast Member of your special dietary restrictions. If you book online, please make sure you include your dietary restrictions on each reservation.  If you have already booked your reservations and you are not sure you included the restrictions, please contact our Disney Reservation Center at 407-WDW-Dine or 407-939-3463.  Guests are also welcome to speak to a chef or a manager on duty when arriving at the dining location.
> 
> Whether dining at a table-service or quick-service restaurant, Guest food allergy or intolerance requirements will be addressed when brought to our attention. Due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product.  Therefore, menu items and preparation is often updated.
> 
> *Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts to prevent the introduction of the allergen of concern into the food through close attention during our sourcing, preparation and handling processes. However, it is ultimately up to the Guest to use his or her individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to order any particular items.  Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the food chain process or, even inadvertently, during preparation.* We do not have separate kitchens to prepare allergen-free items or separate dining areas for Guests with allergies or intolerances.
> 
> Most restaurants offer no sugar added, low fat, low sodium, vegetarian or vegan options. Advance arrangements are not necessary for guests with
> lifestyle dietary requests. Guests can discuss this with their server upon arrival at the restaurant.
> 
> Most Walt Disney Parks and Resorts table service restaurants that accept reservations can accommodate Kosher meals if requested at least three
> days in advance by calling 407-939-3463.
> 
> Table-service restaurants that accept reservations at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts can accommodate most food allergies or intolerances.
> 
> Most Table-Service locations and Quick-Service locations in the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts offer no-gluten added products for the main menu items with or without prior notice.  For instance, if a location has waffles as the main menu item, they will generally offer gluten-free waffles as well.
> 
> Most Quick-Service locations in the Walt Disney Resorts are able to accommodate special dietary needs and provide menu items and ingredients
> upon request.
> 
> For prepackaged items, we recommend that Guests read the ingredient list on the label before purchasing any product.
> 
> All our Chefs in our Theme Parks and Resorts are trained to handle allergies and take every precaution against any cross contact. As mentioned previously, due to the large volume of meals we serve, vendors and suppliers occasionally swap out product.  Therefore, menu items and preparation are often updated.  We stress that you ask to speak to a Chef or Manager when you arrive at each location.  They will be happy to assist with your selection and provide product labels and ingredients for menu items.
> 
> The restaurants will do their best to accommodate Guest dietary requirements, but cannot guarantee they will be able to meet all requests. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our website http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/dining/
> 
> I hope your visit is enjoyable.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Rachel Novak
> Special Diets Team
> Guest Experience Services
> Walt Disney World Resort



This was what I received when I asked for a list of GF items that were available from CS restaurants, specifically CHH for the tour.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

BearcatsFan said:


> This was the form letter I got ... bolding is mine:
> 
> This was what I received when I asked for a list of GF items that were available from CS restaurants, specifically CHH for the tour.



This is the same letter I received in my email when I specifically asked gluten free and tree nut questions.  Not very helpful was it.


----------



## BearcatsFan

Elinor Dashwood said:


> This is the same letter I received in my email when I specifically asked gluten free and tree nut questions.  Not very helpful was it.



No.  In fact, it made me angry more than anything else.  I'm not sure if calling will do me much more good, but I may try that closer to our trip.  I'll be following this thread as well.


----------



## AEPaul

We just finished another week-long trip with 3 food-allergic children (no gluten-intolerance, but I think it's safe to assume they're the same for the sake of this conversation).  We had another great experience.  All but one of our meals worked out great (Norway was the weak one) - that includes sit down, quick serve, and kiosks.  Further as AllergyEats Disney World has grown in usage, I'm not seeing any kind of dramatic fall-off in how they accommodate our community.  Please check the restaurants you're planning to dine at on our site (allergyeats.com/disney) and maybe consider others that are highly-rated.

Good luck!  Enjoy your trip!  (And if you don't mind rating your experiences on AllergyEats Disney World afterwards, our growing community would be very grateful!)


----------



## BearcatsFan

AEPaul said:


> We just finished another week-long trip with 3 food-allergic children (no gluten-intolerance, but I think it's safe to assume they're the same for the sake of this conversation).  We had another great experience.  All but one of our meals worked out great (Norway was the weak one) - that includes sit down, quick serve, and kiosks.  Further as AllergyEats Disney World has grown in usage, I'm not seeing any kind of dramatic fall-off in how they accommodate our community.  Please check the restaurants you're planning to dine at on our site (allergyeats.com/disney) and maybe consider others that are highly-rated.
> 
> Good luck!  Enjoy your trip!  (And if you don't mind rating your experiences on AllergyEats Disney World afterwards, our growing community would be very grateful!)



Perhaps you could provide the experiences you had HERE as opposed to promoting your own website and attempting to drive people THERE.


----------



## MedicGoofy

I find this thread rather frustrating, on many levels.

I feel for Disney.  I truely do.  In a world where almost everyone has an 'allergy', they have tried for how long to accomodate people.  And they don't have to.  They really don't.  How many other places do?  I know my SIL, can NOT go into a restaurant and eat a meal.  When she tells restaurants of her allergies, she is actually refused to be served, for legal reasons.  I think Disney has gone above what others have ever done.  And now that they have made changes that some are not happy with, it is no longer the 'happiest place on earth'.  I wish my sister in law could eat as well as most there.  She still can't.

This thread is so heavy on just a couple of allergies you don't even begin to touch on anything else.  People are so worried about just the gluten, dairy and egg.  Because Disney has changed the gluten free/dairy free to just gluten free....it's the end of the world.  Because a new product might not be as good as the prior product, people are up in arms.

I wish that my SIL ended up having the options that the rest of you had.  While she is not gluten free or dairy free....she has many other allergies.  Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important).  And many many others that aren't.  The ones that aren't, are the ones that make it near impossible for her to eat out.

Im not sure how we are going to make out on our trip.  But it certainly won't stop us from going.  We will make the best of it.  It's her first time going to Disney.  And she is beyond excited.  A little nervous of the food.  Actually, a lot nervous.  BUT, we're going to see what they can do for her.  She doesn't have high expectations.  Because of how we live at home.  If Disney can come through for her, than fantastic.  If not, it will be no different than everyday life.  We will be ready though to go out and get food.  It will NOT spoil a vacation, and we wouldn't think of cancelling it.

I would love any suggestions on how she can eat.  She has a severe anaphylatic reaction to the following:  peanuts and any other kind of nut.  ALL fruit with the exception of pineapple, banana, oranges and watermelon.  Yes, ALL others.  No carrots.  No sweet potatoes.  No coconut or coconut oil.  No radishs.  No sunflower seeds/oil.  No pesto.  And some seasoning; cajun, nutmeg and all spice.

Seeing this, those that get the fun of treats that are special, she gets none of.  There are no treats at Disney she can have.  Mickey Waffles?  Probably not.  No ice cream treats.  So while some complain that all they might get to eat is a bowl of fresh fruit, I wouldn't complain so much of that....at least you get that.  She can't have it.  And she would love it.

While I understand that change sucks immensely, sometimes, when you still have some options, it's better than absolutely nothing.


----------



## mistysue

Getting the brands took me a number of emails-  I opened with "A TEMPLATE RESPONSE DOES NOT ADDRESS MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU."


MedicGoofy-  I get that you SIL's situation sucks. That doesn't mean everybody has to completely throw their arms up a give up altogether.  The reason Disney's situation is different from a typical restaurant is they are advertising this great deal- you fly in, they cover all transportation and you basically live there for a week or two.  It's not like I'm at the mall and I can drive 2 miles back home to pick up food. I am not out of town with no car- so I try to plan for meals- and they say "oh, just do it after you are here" Well, I've heard they are also going to try to charge me more for the food, so I deserve to at least be able to find out what they are going to try to feed us. 

The top 8 account for 90% of allergic reactions.  If nearly 4% of adults have a food allergy- that means a little over 3% of the adults in Disney can't eat something in that top 8.  Therefore- in what world would it NOT make sense to at the very least just have an option that is top 8 free? One roll- and you've now covered 90% of the people who come in with an allergy, as opposed to one that maybe covers half of those people? Part of me is just annoyed that they are working so hard to make it more complicated for themselves as well as others.  

My main complaint is that Disney has been providing items that are safe, then the took them away. Now I get to take a 3 year old to a park surrounded by kids eating cookies, ice cream, brownies, cupcakes and trying to convince him to eat a stick of plain celery??? IF I can even find the cart that sells it? My kids remember the character meals, I want to be able to take them rather than cart around my own food in 90 degree weather. (which I don't have space to store staying at a value) 

Sometimes people with multiple allergies do not have an option any more, let alone a first choice. That is why the complaining.


----------



## mistysue

PS-  They didn't change the gluten/dairy free to gluten free-  they changed the gluten/soy/dairy/egg free to just gluten free.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

MedicGoofy said:


> I find this thread rather frustrating, on many levels.
> 
> I feel for Disney.  I truely do.  In a world where almost everyone has an 'allergy', they have tried for how long to accomodate people.  And they don't have to.  They really don't.  How many other places do?  I know my SIL, can NOT go into a restaurant and eat a meal.  When she tells restaurants of her allergies, she is actually refused to be served, for legal reasons.  I think Disney has gone above what others have ever done.  And now that they have made changes that some are not happy with, it is no longer the 'happiest place on earth'.  I wish my sister in law could eat as well as most there.  She still can't.



You feel for Disney?  Well, they don't have to accommodate us "allergy" people.  We in return do not have to go.  It would be beyond ridiculous for Disney to approach it that way as they would lose a ton of business.  As you stated, "in a world where almost everyone has an allergy, they have tried for how long to accommodate people."  That's a lot of people, a lot who will not return to Disney if they or their children can't eat safely.  So you can be upset for your SIL who can't eat out safely, but we allergy people cannot be upset over Disney and their new unhelpful attitude toward food allergies??



> This thread is so heavy on just a couple of allergies you don't even begin to touch on anything else.  People are so worried about just the gluten, dairy and egg.  Because Disney has changed the gluten free/dairy free to just gluten free....it's the end of the world.  Because a new product might not be as good as the prior product, people are up in arms.



Um, ya this is a problem for many.  I don't get your point.  Are you saying that we shouldn't complain or be upset by the changes because your SIL has a litany of food allergies and can't eat out?



> I wish that my SIL ended up having the options that the rest of you had.  While she is not gluten free or dairy free....she has many other allergies.  Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important).  And many many others that aren't.  The ones that aren't, are the ones that make it near impossible for her to eat out.



It certainly sounds like your SIL is rather the exception and not the rule when it comes to dining at Disney.  I do feel bad for her, that is a huge list to deal with and I can imagine being frustrated.  But you're coming across like we have nothing to complain about because we don't have her huge list.

The top 8 are very important, as the previous poster already said above.  Most food allergies fall into those 8.  Also, it is legally required to label all of the top 8 allergens.  See why it's important now?



> Im not sure how we are going to make out on our trip.  But it certainly won't stop us from going.  We will make the best of it.  It's her first time going to Disney.  And she is beyond excited.  A little nervous of the food.  Actually, a lot nervous.  BUT, we're going to see what they can do for her.  She doesn't have high expectations.  Because of how we live at home.  If Disney can come through for her, than fantastic.  If not, it will be no different than everyday life.  We will be ready though to go out and get food.  It will NOT spoil a vacation, and we wouldn't think of cancelling it.



So you're going to go to Disney with SIL and if Disney can't accommodate her, you'll just buy all of your own food?  Are you staying offsite with a kitchen?  How are you planning to cook this food?



> I would love any suggestions on how she can eat.  She has a severe anaphylatic reaction to the following:  peanuts and any other kind of nut.  ALL fruit with the exception of pineapple, banana, oranges and watermelon.  Yes, ALL others.  No carrots.  No sweet potatoes.  No coconut or coconut oil.  No radishs.  No sunflower seeds/oil.  No pesto.  And some seasoning; cajun, nutmeg and all spice.



This is ironic.  You are asking us for suggestions when you basically insinuate that we shouldn't be complaining over the changes?  What can you do for your SIL?  Go ahead and email Special Diets and see.  Then you'll understand why alot of us are frustrated.  I'm serious.



> Seeing this, those that get the fun of treats that are special, she gets none of.  There are no treats at Disney she can have.  Mickey Waffles?  Probably not.  No ice cream treats.  So while some complain that all they might get to eat is a bowl of fresh fruit, I wouldn't complain so much of that....at least you get that.  She can't have it.  And she would love it.



Again, you're trying to make us feel bad for expressing our frustration on this thread because your SIL can't have special, fun treats?



> While I understand that change sucks immensely, sometimes, when you still have some options, it's better than absolutely nothing.



Then how will your SIL eat at Disney, if there aren't any options as you say above.  I'm planning a trip to Disney where we'll be spending a lot of money both to stay and eat there.  I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know what I can eat beforehand, especially considering the prices Disney charges for food.


----------



## dzorn

BearcatsFan said:


> Has anyone had any luck at all getting lists of GF safe foods?  I emailed Special Diets and got the same form letter I've seen in this thread many times.
> 
> DH is in the process of being tested (got bloodwork done yesterday), but our doctor feels sure that's what is going on.  I was trying to get prepared for our upcoming trip, but now I'm worried because I have nothing to go on.  DH is concerned because this will be all new for him.
> 
> I have ressies already at LTT, Biergarten, Rainforest Cafe, and The Plaza.  The rest of our meals will be QS (WPE, Sassagoulas/Riverside Mill, Sunshine Seasons, EoS).  Anyone have recent experience with these places?
> 
> The meal I'm most concerned about is our lunch at CHH with our KTTK tour.  We have to fill out the meal forms in the morning with the tour guide - how am I going to know what is available there that is GF so we can request it on the form?  Should I stop in there the day before and talk to the manager and maybe get our meal requests filled out ahead of time (I'm diabetic so I need to figure out what I can eat here too!)?
> 
> ARGHHHH!



The turkey at LLT is GF. DD had that with carrot sticks(she also has textrue issues so we did not even find out the other options)

Denise in MI


----------



## BearcatsFan

dzorn said:


> The turkey at LLT is GF. DD had that with carrot sticks(she also has textrue issues so we did not even find out the other options)
> 
> Denise in MI


----------



## Blueyed Girl

mistysue said:


> PS-  They didn't change the gluten/dairy free to gluten free-  they changed the gluten/soy/dairy/egg free to just gluten free.



And in some of this "Gluten Free" foods they've switched to, they have subtracted the wheat flour and replaced it with pea flour or pea protien which my son is highly allergic to. I am still angry with all this attention to gluten free.  If my son eats this, he will not be sick because he ate it...he could DIE.   To me there is a HUGE difference.  Mine is not an "over time" issue. It is a "right now" issue.  It is not throwing off his system. It could literally kill him and others with serious food allergies.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

Blueyed Girl said:


> And in some of this "Gluten Free" foods they've switched to, they have subtracted the wheat flour and replaced it with pea flour or pea protien which my son is highly allergic to. I am still angry with all this attention to gluten free.  If my son eats this, he will not be sick because he ate it...he could DIE.   To me there is a HUGE difference.  Mine is not an "over time" issue. It is a "right now" issue.  It is not throwing off his system. It could literally kill him and others with serious food allergies.



I understand what you're saying.  My daughter has 2 of the top 8 allergens with her reactions being anaphylactic too.  I carry multiple epi pens everywhere we go! 

Last time we were there, some of the restaurants were using the "Namaste" mixes which are free of all top 8 allergens AND I don't recall there being any pea or pea protein added.  Bob's Red Mill doesn't contain it either.  I do know that the Kinnickinnik baked goods have it though and Disney offered their muffins and donuts.  Of course that was over a year ago I visited and obviously things are changing.


----------



## Blueyed Girl

Elinor Dashwood said:


> I understand what you're saying.  My daughter has 2 of the top 8 allergens with her reactions being anaphylactic too.  I carry multiple epi pens everywhere we go!
> 
> Last time we were there, some of the restaurants were using the "Namaste" mixes which are free of all top 8 allergens AND I don't recall there being any pea or pea protein added.  Bob's Red Mill doesn't contain it either.  I do know that the Kinnickinnik baked goods have it though and Disney offered their muffins and donuts.  Of course that was over a year ago I visited and obviously things are changing.



I will have to look up all the brand's you listed just to research and TRY to be prepared.  I know there are some bread products by UDI's that he can't have.  He can't eat at Babycakes either. I learned that on our trip last summer....luckily their staff was very knowledgable and we found this out BEFORE he ate anything.


----------



## mistysue

Blueyed Girl said:


> And in some of this "Gluten Free" foods they've switched to, they have subtracted the wheat flour and replaced it with pea flour or pea protien which my son is highly allergic to. I am still angry with all this attention to gluten free.  If my son eats this, he will not be sick because he ate it...he could DIE.   To me there is a HUGE difference.  Mine is not an "over time" issue. It is a "right now" issue.  It is not throwing off his system. It could literally kill him and others with serious food allergies.



I completely understand your anger. I didn't notice all the pea protein we were eating until my son developed an allergy to that too.  Luckily his reactions are mild, but it's still a huge annoyance to me that it's like in the lot of people's minds right now "gluten-free = safe for all"  which of course makes no sense. We are still trying to figure out which items DS is actually allergic to vs. intolerant but have to treat them all like allergies because if we assumed intolerance and gave him some, that could be the time he had a bad reaction and dies.  (everything that's an issue shows up in igE tests, but allergist agrees some reactions seem like intolerance)


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

Blueyed Girl said:


> I will have to look up all the brand's you listed just to research and TRY to be prepared.  I know there are some bread products by UDI's that he can't have.  He can't eat at Babycakes either. I learned that on our trip last summer....luckily their staff was very knowledgable and we found this out BEFORE he ate anything.



Bummer about Babycakes!  I didn't read that they use pea flour/protein though.  Does your son have other food allergies?

Researching is the whole point of being prepared for Disney, right?  That's why it's frustrating to be told that they can't give out brand information.  Oh well.


----------



## Cheshire Figment

I just calculated out that at the Disney Resorts there are 26 table service (menu or buffet) restaurants and in the four theme parks there are an additional 26 (unless I missed any).  This does not include the Swolphin, DTD or any of the Hotel Plaza Blvd Resorts.

And it does not include any quick service or snack locations or food courts.

Menus change constantly depending on what is available.  To try and have one office keep up with all of the daily changes and be able to provide accurate information is really not possible, especially as the day after they release any list it is probably changed and no longer accurate.


----------



## livndisney

Cheshire Figment said:


> I just calculated out that at the Disney Resorts there are 26 table service (menu or buffet) restaurants and in the four theme parks there are an additional 26 (unless I missed any).  This does not include the Swolphin, DTD or any of the Hotel Plaza Blvd Resorts.
> 
> And it does not include any quick service or snack locations or food courts.
> 
> Menus change constantly depending on what is available.  To try and have one office keep up with all of the daily changes and be able to provide accurate information is really not possible, especially as the day after they release any list it is probably changed and no longer accurate.



If "one office" can't keep up, it is very odd, that one person was able to do such an amazing job.

To provide a little info- food contracts do not change "daily". Chefs know what they can order and who they have to order from. It should not be that hard to provide that information as they have in the past. No one expects it to be 100% (items run out etc). But being able to plan is much better than walking in and being told "Nope, nothing you can eat here". WDW expects people to plan meals 180 days ahead of time. It would only seem natural they be able to provide the information. They have menus.


----------



## EEyorelover22

Cheshire Figment said:


> I just calculated out that at the Disney Resorts there are 26 table service (menu or buffet) restaurants and in the four theme parks there are an additional 26 (unless I missed any).  This does not include the Swolphin, DTD or any of the Hotel Plaza Blvd Resorts.
> 
> And it does not include any quick service or snack locations or food courts.
> 
> Menus change constantly depending on what is available.  To try and have one office keep up with all of the daily changes and be able to provide accurate information is really not possible, especially as the day after they release any list it is probably changed and no longer accurate.



Then, they really should come out and say that they cannot provide a meal.  I asked in my email to them if I was out of luck with my extensive list of allergies and I received the same generic email back.  

I asked them to be honest and they were not.


----------



## Random Ninja

mistysue said:


> CHH is the one everybody keeps saying has the allergy chicken tenders.
> 
> In my last message I very clearly explained that  I need to have some ideas of who they at least expect to try to stock so I can look into whether those brands are safe.
> 
> This is the helpful part of the response:
> " However, we are currently providing bakery items from the Enjoy Life, Udi's, and OMG Manufacturers along with Rocky Mountain Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans throughout our Parks and Resorts."
> 
> All of those brands are completely gluten free- so those of you watching gluten are in luck. From reviews I would say it's clear they have full meals and desserts for you EVERYWHERE, as Gluten-free seems to be what they are trying to cater to.
> 
> Now for my DS
> Udi's=nothing safe (well, granola, but they don't have that one)
> OMG=nothing safe
> Enjoy life= anything
> Rocky Mountain= some contain dairy, no ingredient lists online
> Surf sweets= all ok (Random Ninja-these are based on tapioca!)
> 
> I feel bad for my son, At this point I'm counting on getting there and him not being able to get a dessert anywhere. When in a pinch his snack option will likely be jelly beans. There seem to be random enjoy life sightings, but they haven't been showing up in the TS reports so much anymore.
> I wanted to get a trip without having the schedule 3 ADR's per day, but I'm worried if I don't he won't eat unless I pack for him.
> 
> At least there is Babycakes now!



Thanks for the warning about surf sweets. I looked up all the allergy free brands and the only one I can eat is Enjoy Life. The Winn-Dixie nearby has started carrying the cookies and it's amazing to be able to eat a chocolate chip cookie for the first time in years. I do remember seeing them at Sunshine Seasons in March but avoided them at the time because the label says it is allergen friendly.

My first reaction to seeing something with "Gluten Free!" or "Contains none of the 8 common allergens" on the package is 'Oh great, something else I can't eat.' For some reason, companies like to switch gluten for tapioca. What's wrong with using arrowroot every once in a while? My favorite are the labels that list tapioca and/or arrowroot. So can I eat it or not? 

However, Sunshine Seasons is not on my "good list" at the moment after a CM told me to ask for a chef at the counter to see what they could do for my allergies. I waited at the asian counter for about 5 minutes but by then I was starting to feel sick only for the chef to tell me that I couldn't eat anything there because hot mustard was in every dish but the sweet & sour chicken and to try at another counter. I spent the next 20 minutes on a bench by Soarin waiting for the Benedryl to kick in. I learned my lesson; ALWAYS ask for the allergy book.

I'm fortunate to not be allergic to nuts so Cracker Jacks from Casey's is a good desert for me. (They use molasses instead of caramel.) Babycakes is also a hazard zone due to all the tapioca they use. I get there late at night when they are starting to put toppings on the doughnuts and ask for fresh cinnamon sugar doughnuts. They are usually pretty good since they are familiar with cross-contamination issues and the doughnuts are great for breakfast the next morning; something about how the batter settles makes them taste best after sitting overnight.

I think I'm one of the few people who like the whole grain bun as it's dairy-free and I can't have the Udi's bun. I had manager at Cosmic Rays try to tell me that I couldn't have a hamburger because I was allergic to the allergy bun and he just didn't get that I could have the regular bun even with allergies. Another manger was able to get me a regular bun from a new pack and I was just fine.


----------



## nfceagles

BearcatsFan said:


> Perhaps you could provide the experiences you had HERE as opposed to promoting your own website and attempting to drive people THERE.



In defense of Paul, he does a lot for the special diets community.  Working with legislatures to improve laws, educating restaurants on how to better serve our community, and convincing them that it's financially worth serving us.  I'm pretty sure he's not getting rich off AllergyEats.com.  Plus, having reviews in one centralized database instead of randomly scattered across various discussion boards is a better answer in the long run, especially if Special Diets continues to be unhelpful and unwilling to provide information.


----------



## livndisney

nfceagles said:


> In defense of Paul, he does a lot for the special diets community.  Working with legislatures to improve laws, educating restaurants on how to better serve our community, and convincing them that it's financially worth serving us.  I'm pretty sure he's not getting rich off AllergyEats.com.  Plus, having reviews in one centralized database instead of randomly scattered across various discussion boards is a better answer in the long run, especially if Special Diets continues to be unhelpful and unwilling to provide information.



I thought the Dis had a policy about advertising? If we wants to promote his site, he could become a paid advertising on the DIS.

This person does not contribute to the DIS other than to direct traffic to his site.


----------



## AEPaul

BearcatsFan said:


> Perhaps you could provide the experiences you had HERE as opposed to promoting your own website and attempting to drive people THERE.



Fair enough comment, though with 6 days of dining experiences, I can't say much more in a short space beyond what I said earlier - we had great experiences everywhere except for the "Norway" restaurant in EPCOT - where they confused our order AND "missed" one of allergies.  How ironic that it took them bringing out the wrong order for the waitress to catch the chefs mistake with respect to a missed allergy.

That said, we did well at the Japan and France pavilions, on the Boardwalk, and at many of the smaller quick-serve restaurants and even kiosks throughout the parks.  The last time we went a year ago I blogged in detail about each day's experience, and I plan to do the same this year, on the AllergyEats Blog.

Also, while I understand and respect your views about not making people go to "my" site, please understand that AllergyEats and AllergyEats Disney World are community sites where anyone with food allergies can share their experiences, so I can't speak for all of them except to let others know that - in general - the comments about WDW dining remain positive and to consult AllergyEats Disney World for more detail.  It is simply another resource that is complimentary to this great site - not a replacement.  This site allows for detailed discussions that are not a feature of AEDW.

Good luck to all!  I am confident that WDW continues to have as strong a commitment to the food allergy and intolerance community as ever!


----------



## BearcatsFan

livndisney said:


> I thought the Dis had a policy about advertising? If we wants to promote his site, he could become a paid advertising on the DIS.
> 
> This person does not contribute to the DIS other than to direct traffic to his site.



This exactly.



AEPaul said:


> Fair enough comment, though with 6 days of dining experiences, I can't say much more in a short space beyond what I said earlier - we had great experiences everywhere except for the "Norway" restaurant in EPCOT - where they confused our order AND "missed" one of allergies.  How ironic that it took them bringing out the wrong order for the waitress to catch the chefs mistake with respect to a missed allergy.
> 
> That said, we did well at the Japan and France pavilions, on the Boardwalk, and at many of the smaller quick-serve restaurants and even kiosks throughout the parks.  The last time we went a year ago I blogged in detail about each day's experience, and I plan to do the same this year, on the AllergyEats Blog.
> 
> Also, while I understand and respect your views about not making people go to "my" site, please understand that AllergyEats and AllergyEats Disney World are community sites where anyone with food allergies can share their experiences, so I can't speak for all of them except to let others know that - in general - the comments about WDW dining remain positive and to consult AllergyEats Disney World for more detail.  It is simply another resource that is complimentary to this great site - not a replacement.  This site allows for detailed discussions that are not a feature of AEDW.
> 
> Good luck to all!  I am confident that WDW continues to have as strong a commitment to the food allergy and intolerance community as ever!



Respectfully, though, you could do more in detail ... say a detailed dining review, which many others have done ... right here on the DIS.    For those of us who primarily frequent this site, that would be extremely helpful.    Thank you for the information you did choose to share.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

Cheshire Figment said:


> I just calculated out that at the Disney Resorts there are 26 table service (menu or buffet) restaurants and in the four theme parks there are an additional 26 (unless I missed any).  This does not include the Swolphin, DTD or any of the Hotel Plaza Blvd Resorts.
> 
> And it does not include any quick service or snack locations or food courts.
> 
> Menus change constantly depending on what is available.  To try and have one office keep up with all of the daily changes and be able to provide accurate information is really not possible, especially as the day after they release any list it is probably changed and no longer accurate.



They used to.  The sheets of information they used to send out were amazingly helpful.  So obviously they were capable of handling it.  

Now, maybe they're not able to if they've made cutbacks in either employees or the allergy food budget.  Who knows.


----------



## queenofpainting

Hi all! I'm vegan and don't have any allergies that I know of, but I do tend to rely on products focusing on people with allergies because they obviously overlap with what I avoid. Even though I'm not GF, I will gladly eat GF products in WDW if they also are free of dairy and eggs. It just makes sense to include more people.

I made it through about half this thread before giving up, because I have to study for finals week. Here are my questions:

1. Are Divvies products still available in some locations? I was looking forward to trying these. 
2. Is Silk indeed being replaced at most locations by this Kikkoman brand?
3. Does anyone know about vegan friendly buns at CS locations? I'm not sure if the dairy-free bun is even the same as the GF ones people are talking about. I most likely won't be eating veggie burgers during my stay, but just in case, it would be very helpful.
4. Can nondairy ice cream brands like Tofutti and Rice Dream be found in most parks CS locations? I know about MK, but what about the others? Not that I need to eat THAT much ice cream during my trip... it'll just make me feel more special. 

I may either make several trips to BabycakesNYC during my stay, assuming I will like what I find there (I didn't like their NYC location, but I know they use some different ingredients) or just bring a lot of snacks from home like Luna bars and ingredients for making sandwiches. Garden Grocer may be an option, too, because I can get stuff like Almond Breeze, Tofutti, and Tofurky there.


----------



## ls15

hey everyone,

I was the one that started the thread and I wanted to tell you I finally did half of my trip report (it takes awhile!). Plenty of tips and counter service reviews, and I should be finishing the table service ones, soon!

If you want to read it, I did it on my blog (http://lauriesadowski.wordpress.com...y-vegan-2012-disney-world-trip-report-part-i/)

Please don't hesitate to comment or email me if you have questions!

Laurie


----------



## Selket

queenofpainting said:


> 1. Are Divvies products still available in some locations? I was looking forward to trying these.



I can't answer the other questions but we didn't find any Divvies products there at our last visit in December 2011.  I asked one of the chefs at the resort and he said they were discontinued in favor of something else - which he showed me and I promptly forgot what it was - some cookie or brownie that would work for a nut allergy.    We were there for the MVMCP and I know my son got two types of cookies - one was the Enjoy Life brand and the other was a large wrapped cookie but I can't remember what it was.  I know he didn't like the Enjoy Life one - rather a bland packaged cookie compared to the Divvies.  He liked the other one though.  He also is only allergic to nuts so isn't used to eating gluten free, soy free, dairy free, etc.


----------



## nfceagles

queenofpainting said:


> Hi all! I'm vegan and don't have any allergies that I know of, but I do tend to rely on products focusing on people with allergies because they obviously overlap with what I avoid. Even though I'm not GF, I will gladly eat GF products in WDW if they also are free of dairy and eggs. It just makes sense to include more people.
> 
> I made it through about half this thread before giving up, because I have to study for finals week. Here are my questions:
> 
> 1. Are Divvies products still available in some locations? I was looking forward to trying these.
> 2. Is Silk indeed being replaced at most locations by this Kikkoman brand?
> 3. Does anyone know about vegan friendly buns at CS locations? I'm not sure if the dairy-free bun is even the same as the GF ones people are talking about. I most likely won't be eating veggie burgers during my stay, but just in case, it would be very helpful.
> 4. Can nondairy ice cream brands like Tofutti and Rice Dream be found in most parks CS locations? I know about MK, but what about the others? Not that I need to eat THAT much ice cream during my trip... it'll just make me feel more special.
> 
> I may either make several trips to BabycakesNYC during my stay, assuming I will like what I find there (I didn't like their NYC location, but I know they use some different ingredients) or just bring a lot of snacks from home like Luna bars and ingredients for making sandwiches. Garden Grocer may be an option, too, because I can get stuff like Almond Breeze, Tofutti, and Tofurky there.




1.  Divvies chocolate chip cookies are gone due to the changes.  They've been replaced with some OMG gluten free products that contain egg.  I did see some Divvies caramel corn when I was there in January, but I don't know if they are just running out the last of their stock.  Part of me doesn't understand why they would carry the popcorn, but not the cookies.  FYI-  The popcorn sold at vending carts around the park is also dairy and egg free.

2.  Yes.  Kikkoman Pearl.  No idea why they would switch from a nationally well-known brand to one that isn't even gluten free (or so I've heard, we aren't GF).  I've been buying nondairy milk for 6 years and thought I'd heard of them all, but until Disney I'd never heard of Kikkoman Pearl.

3.  I don't think you'll have a bun option.  My dairy and egg allergic DS doesn't anymore.  The regular ones contain dairy.  The new GF ones contain egg.

4.  Non-dairy ice cream is not available at every CS location, but is almost always available at TS restaurants.  In the parks it is available at the Ice Cream Parlor on Main St in MK and the Fountain Shop in Epcot.  There may be places in AK and HS, but I'm not aware of them.  I'm not aware of any CS places where you could get it alongside a meal.


----------



## kck182

MedicGoofy said:


> I find this thread rather frustrating, on many levels.
> 
> I feel for Disney.  I truely do.  In a world where almost everyone has an 'allergy', they have tried for how long to accomodate people.  And they don't have to.  They really don't.  How many other places do?  I know my SIL, can NOT go into a restaurant and eat a meal.  When she tells restaurants of her allergies, she is actually refused to be served, for legal reasons.  I think Disney has gone above what others have ever done.  And now that they have made changes that some are not happy with, it is no longer the 'happiest place on earth'.  I wish my sister in law could eat as well as most there.  She still can't.
> 
> This thread is so heavy on just a couple of allergies you don't even begin to touch on anything else.  People are so worried about just the gluten, dairy and egg.  Because Disney has changed the gluten free/dairy free to just gluten free....it's the end of the world.  Because a new product might not be as good as the prior product, people are up in arms.
> 
> I wish that my SIL ended up having the options that the rest of you had.  While she is not gluten free or dairy free....she has many other allergies.  Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important).  And many many others that aren't.  The ones that aren't, are the ones that make it near impossible for her to eat out.
> 
> Im not sure how we are going to make out on our trip.  But it certainly won't stop us from going.  We will make the best of it.  It's her first time going to Disney.  And she is beyond excited.  A little nervous of the food.  Actually, a lot nervous.  BUT, we're going to see what they can do for her.  She doesn't have high expectations.  Because of how we live at home.  If Disney can come through for her, than fantastic.  If not, it will be no different than everyday life.  We will be ready though to go out and get food.  It will NOT spoil a vacation, and we wouldn't think of cancelling it.
> 
> I would love any suggestions on how she can eat.  She has a severe anaphylatic reaction to the following:  peanuts and any other kind of nut.  ALL fruit with the exception of pineapple, banana, oranges and watermelon.  Yes, ALL others.  No carrots.  No sweet potatoes.  No coconut or coconut oil.  No radishs.  No sunflower seeds/oil.  No pesto.  And some seasoning; cajun, nutmeg and all spice.
> 
> Seeing this, those that get the fun of treats that are special, she gets none of.  There are no treats at Disney she can have.  Mickey Waffles?  Probably not.  No ice cream treats.  So while some complain that all they might get to eat is a bowl of fresh fruit, I wouldn't complain so much of that....at least you get that.  She can't have it.  And she would love it.
> 
> While I understand that change sucks immensely, sometimes, when you still have some options, it's better than absolutely nothing.



Wow.

So we have been going to Disney with a lengthy list of "non top 8 allergies" for years.  We have had great experiences and scrimp and save to borrow and steal to go on our Disney trips since my son CAN eat here.  

So when you go on this trip and it's awesome and your sister in law is thrilled that she was able to eat out and then they change vendors again and she can no longer have something that she could the 1st trip.  

Then come back to this thread.  

Otherwise, use the information that has been provided for vendors to research which manufactors use what in their natural flavorings.  These are the things, like nutmeg, that people are not legally required to list.  The top 8 that you don't know anything about are the ones that they are required to list.  

Again, you can't really make those calls when you get to the counter to order so it's essential to have this information ahead of time. 

As far as what your sister can eat, I anticipate that she will be able to eat well despite her list.


----------



## mistysue

queenofpainting said:


> 1. Are Divvies products still available in some locations? I was looking forward to trying these.
> 2. Is Silk indeed being replaced at most locations by this Kikkoman brand?
> 3. Does anyone know about vegan friendly buns at CS locations? I'm not sure if the dairy-free bun is even the same as the GF ones people are talking about. I most likely won't be eating veggie burgers during my stay, but just in case, it would be very helpful.
> 4. Can nondairy ice cream brands like Tofutti and Rice Dream be found in most parks CS locations? I know about MK, but what about the others? Not that I need to eat THAT much ice cream during my trip... it'll just make me feel more special.



I posted the response I just got from Special diets in the last couple pages-
Basically the only special bread they plan to have is Udi's. Like the PP said- it has egg so you might not have bread for your whole trip. 
They also aren't listing Divvies as a vendor. They now plan to have OMG... it's gluten free (non-vegan)  and Enjoy life. The enjoy life would be vegan. I don't know if they come in the larger size, but we are big fans of their snickerdoodles. 
 The brand of popcorn they are going to is "Rocky Mountain." Their butter flavoring is dairy free, but they do not list ingredients online so I can't tell if they are vegan or not. Some of their cheese flavors are marked as dairy. 

Special diets refused to comment on where I may find rice dream ice cream. Basically said "find out when you are here."


----------



## EEyorelover22

If you have a corn allergy beware of Enjoy Life.  I had one of their chocolate bars (it was actually very good) and it made me really sick.


----------



## Chelley00

I've emailed special diets 3 times with no response and the lady who did my dining reservations didn't add any of my allergies to our reservations.  I'm startin to get a little concerned about what my trip is going to be like.  I'm lucky I'm not anaphylactic, but I don't want to be puking for 2 weeks.


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> If you have a corn allergy beware of Enjoy Life.  I had one of their chocolate bars (it was actually very good) and it made me really sick.



Do you know what kind of bar it was? I just looked at the three listed on their site and did not see corn listed. I did not even see corn listed as an ingredient in any of their items.


----------



## lilsk8nmac

MedicGoofy said:


> I find this thread rather frustrating, on many levels.
> 
> I feel for Disney.  I truely do.  In a world where almost everyone has an 'allergy', they have tried for how long to accomodate people.  And they don't have to.  They really don't.  How many other places do?  I know my SIL, can NOT go into a restaurant and eat a meal.  When she tells restaurants of her allergies, she is actually refused to be served, for legal reasons.  I think Disney has gone above what others have ever done.  And now that they have made changes that some are not happy with, it is no longer the 'happiest place on earth'.  I wish my sister in law could eat as well as most there.  She still can't.
> 
> This thread is so heavy on just a couple of allergies you don't even begin to touch on anything else.  People are so worried about just the gluten, dairy and egg.  Because Disney has changed the gluten free/dairy free to just gluten free....it's the end of the world.  Because a new product might not be as good as the prior product, people are up in arms.
> 
> I wish that my SIL ended up having the options that the rest of you had.  While she is not gluten free or dairy free....she has many other allergies.  Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important).  And many many others that aren't.  The ones that aren't, are the ones that make it near impossible for her to eat out.
> 
> Im not sure how we are going to make out on our trip.  But it certainly won't stop us from going.  We will make the best of it.  It's her first time going to Disney.  And she is beyond excited.  A little nervous of the food.  Actually, a lot nervous.  BUT, we're going to see what they can do for her.  She doesn't have high expectations.  Because of how we live at home.  If Disney can come through for her, than fantastic.  If not, it will be no different than everyday life.  We will be ready though to go out and get food.  It will NOT spoil a vacation, and we wouldn't think of cancelling it.
> 
> I would love any suggestions on how she can eat.  She has a severe anaphylatic reaction to the following:  peanuts and any other kind of nut.  ALL fruit with the exception of pineapple, banana, oranges and watermelon.  Yes, ALL others.  No carrots.  No sweet potatoes.  No coconut or coconut oil.  No radishs.  No sunflower seeds/oil.  No pesto.  And some seasoning; cajun, nutmeg and all spice.
> 
> Seeing this, those that get the fun of treats that are special, she gets none of.  There are no treats at Disney she can have.  Mickey Waffles?  Probably not.  No ice cream treats.  So while some complain that all they might get to eat is a bowl of fresh fruit, I wouldn't complain so much of that....at least you get that.  She can't have it.  And she would love it.
> 
> While I understand that change sucks immensely, sometimes, when you still have some options, it's better than absolutely nothing.



If you would like, you can PM me and we can talk further. She and I have ALOT Of the same allergies, I have been able to survive at DISNEY.


----------



## EEyorelover22

livndisney said:


> Do you know what kind of bar it was? I just looked at the three listed on their site and did not see corn listed. I did not even see corn listed as an ingredient in any of their items.



Corn does not have to be listed unfortunately

I was diagnosed with my corn allergy along with most of the other foods on the planet the last two years and I found a corn allergy site...I think maybe Live Corn Free and last September when I was trying to find some foods to eat the lady at the store recommend the Enjoy Life bars...it was the chocolate one that I believe had rice in it...anyway...I became extremely ill and when I was feeling better I was reading more on the website and it noted that people have reacted to Enjoy Life bars.

Corn is hidden in so many things and it's used to process many things too...vinegar, table salt, Silk milk products, Vit E can be corn based, coffee filters if biodegradable, toothpaste...the list is endless.  I have a lot of trouble with bottled water too.  The list of corn products is enormous.

Nasmaste mix I cannot eat either...I'm not sure if it's the arrowroot or the tapioca, but it didn't like me either.  I'm glad I tried it before our trip this winter.

I was really hopeful I could eat while as Disney, but I've moved on.  I don't blame them, but I am still very annoyed with their emails that they sent me.

my allergies: corn, dairy (& casein), eggs, wheat, oats, (gluten intolerant as well), beef, carrots, peas, several beans, cucumbers, all nuts and peanuts, fish, seafood, and strawberries.


----------



## mistysue

I am thankful every day we haven't seen a problem with corn.  Aren't they making bottles, coffee cups, straws and carry out containers out of it now? I think if he turned up a corn allergy my DS would try to starve to death. (just about leaves steamed broccoli on the current list of what he will eat)


----------



## Minnie

mistysue said:


> .
> Special diets refused to comment on where I may find rice dream ice cream. Basically said "find out when you are here."



I was just in WDW and Rice Dream was still available in the locations I've come to expect it - MK - Main Street Ice cream Parlor and Beaches N Creme (Beach Club). I've also found it before at several of the Disney owned resort hotels and restaurants (you need to ask for it).

Of course this all can change but since it was still available a couple weeks ago I have hope!


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> Corn does not have to be listed unfortunately
> 
> I was diagnosed with my corn allergy along with most of the other foods on the planet the last two years and I found a corn allergy site...I think maybe Live Corn Free and last September when I was trying to find some foods to eat the lady at the store recommend the Enjoy Life bars...it was the chocolate one that I believe had rice in it...anyway...I became extremely ill and when I was feeling better I was reading more on the website and it noted that people have reacted to Enjoy Life bars.
> 
> Corn is hidden in so many things and it's used to process many things too...vinegar, table salt, Silk milk products, Vit E can be corn based, coffee filters if biodegradable, toothpaste...the list is endless.  I have a lot of trouble with bottled water too.  The list of corn products is enormous.
> 
> Nasmaste mix I cannot eat either...I'm not sure if it's the arrowroot or the tapioca, but it didn't like me either.  I'm glad I tried it before our trip this winter.
> 
> I was really hopeful I could eat while as Disney, but I've moved on.  I don't blame them, but I am still very annoyed with their emails that they sent me.
> 
> my allergies: corn, dairy (& casein), eggs, wheat, oats, (gluten intolerant as well), beef, carrots, peas, several beans, cucumbers, all nuts and peanuts, fish, seafood, and strawberries.



I must be confused. You are saying corn is an ingredient in an "allergy safe" food, but it is not listed as an ingredient?


----------



## clanmcculloch

Unfortunately, Enjoy Life is NOT corn free.  I think if it's only the protein that you react to then you may be ok but each person with a corn allergy needs to understand their allergy and know what they react to and make an informed decision based on that knowledge.

From the Enjoy Life site:  

http://enjoylifefoods.com/talk_to_us/faqs.php
Q: Are your products corn free?
A: Enjoy Life products do not claim to be corn-free. Having said that, we want Enjoy Life customers to have as much information as possible regarding our ingredients. *The powdered evaporated cane juice in 2 of our Boom Choco Boom bars (Dairy-Free Rice Milk Bar and Dairy-Free Rice Milk with Crispy Rice Bar) contain less than 1% corn starch as a processing aid. This product is labeled may contain traces of corn.*

Natural flavors are often derived from corn alcohol. Three of our natural flavors: vanilla, caramel and berry are derived from corn alcohol. Our supplier guarantees all corn protein is removed in the distillation process and considers them to be corn-free. Also, although the citric acid in our Very Berry Crunch Granola is derived from corn, the fermentation process removes the corn protein. We always encourage people to make a choice based on their own comfort level with these ingredients.​
http://enjoylifefoods.com/talk_to_us/ingredient_glossary.php#top
Citric Acid
We use citric acid to give our lemon cookies a bright, sour taste. It is found in high concentrations in citrus fruits  lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges, etc. Like xanthan gum, it is produced when a specific bacteria is allowed to ferment on a corn sugar medium. Although it does not contain corn, it is derived from corn.

Vanilla 
We buy our vanilla from Nielsen-Massey, one of the finest producers of vanilla extract in the United States. This extract comes from 100% vanilla beans grown in Madagascar, off the African coast. It is considered to be the highest quality vanilla available and adds a smooth and mellow sweetness to our cookies. It is not processed with any gluten-containing ingredients, making it totally safe for people with Celiac Disease to consume. While the vanilla is distilled with corn alcohol, all corn protein is removed in the distillation process. Thus, our vanilla contains no corn protein and is tolerated by most corn-free people. However, we certainly recognize the seriousness of food allergies and encourage you to make your own decision (or consult your doctor) regarding whether or not you feel comfortable eating this ingredient.

Xanthan gum
Gums help to prevent our goodies from crumbling, a job normally performed by gluten in mainstream foods. It is a necessity in gluten-free baking. Xanthan comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. Though it sounds chemical, it is actually an all-natural ingredient. Xanthan gum is derived from the fermentation of corn sugars; however, all corn sugars are removed in the processing of xanthan gum. Xanthan gum contains no corn protein and is tolerated by most corn-free people. However, we certainly recognize the seriousness of food allergies and encourage you to make your own decision (or consult your doctor) regarding whether or not you feel comfortable eating this ingredient.​


----------



## livndisney

clanmcculloch said:


> Unfortunately, Enjoy Life is NOT corn free.  I think if it's only the protein that you react to then you may be ok but each person with a corn allergy needs to understand their allergy and know what they react to and make an informed decision based on that knowledge.
> 
> From the Enjoy Life site:
> 
> http://enjoylifefoods.com/talk_to_us/faqs.php
> Q: Are your products corn free?
> A: Enjoy Life products do not claim to be corn-free. Having said that, we want Enjoy Life customers to have as much information as possible regarding our ingredients. *The powdered evaporated cane juice in 2 of our Boom Choco Boom bars (Dairy-Free Rice Milk Bar and Dairy-Free Rice Milk with Crispy Rice Bar) contain less than 1% corn starch as a processing aid. This product is labeled may contain traces of corn.*
> 
> Natural flavors are often derived from corn alcohol. Three of our natural flavors: vanilla, caramel and berry are derived from corn alcohol. Our supplier guarantees all corn protein is removed in the distillation process and considers them to be corn-free. Also, although the citric acid in our Very Berry Crunch Granola is derived from corn, the fermentation process removes the corn protein. We always encourage people to make a choice based on their own comfort level with these ingredients.​
> http://enjoylifefoods.com/talk_to_us/ingredient_glossary.php#top
> Citric Acid
> We use citric acid to give our lemon cookies a bright, sour taste. It is found in high concentrations in citrus fruits  lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges, etc. Like xanthan gum, it is produced when a specific bacteria is allowed to ferment on a corn sugar medium. Although it does not contain corn, it is derived from corn.
> 
> Vanilla
> We buy our vanilla from Nielsen-Massey, one of the finest producers of vanilla extract in the United States. This extract comes from 100% vanilla beans grown in Madagascar, off the African coast. It is considered to be the highest quality vanilla available and adds a smooth and mellow sweetness to our cookies. It is not processed with any gluten-containing ingredients, making it totally safe for people with Celiac Disease to consume. While the vanilla is distilled with corn alcohol, all corn protein is removed in the distillation process. Thus, our vanilla contains no corn protein and is tolerated by most corn-free people. However, we certainly recognize the seriousness of food allergies and encourage you to make your own decision (or consult your doctor) regarding whether or not you feel comfortable eating this ingredient.
> 
> Xanthan gum
> Gums help to prevent our goodies from crumbling, a job normally performed by gluten in mainstream foods. It is a necessity in gluten-free baking. Xanthan comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. Though it sounds chemical, it is actually an all-natural ingredient. Xanthan gum is derived from the fermentation of corn sugars; however, all corn sugars are removed in the processing of xanthan gum. Xanthan gum contains no corn protein and is tolerated by most corn-free people. However, we certainly recognize the seriousness of food allergies and encourage you to make your own decision (or consult your doctor) regarding whether or not you feel comfortable eating this ingredient.​



We don't have a problem with corn, and a lot of the "Enjoy Life" stuff is off limits due to apple and other things they use. My question was more about an allergy free food not providing info on all the ingredients used.


----------



## clanmcculloch

Oh, I knew what you meant.  I was sharing this for others who may have assumed that Enjoy Life products were corn free because they're top 8 free.

I don't recall checking on the bars themselves (we're not corn free so it wouldn't stand out in my memory) but it says in the FAQ that the chocolate bars state on the package that they may contain traces of corn.  I think that sometimes people don't do their due dilligance 100% of the time when we're talking about "allergy safe products" (I know I'm guilty of this myself sometimes with items that are top 8 free which is a huge mistake for my family) so I wonder if that's what happened with PP.


----------



## MedicGoofy

kck182 said:


> Wow.
> 
> So we have been going to Disney with a lengthy list of "non top 8 allergies" for years.  We have had great experiences and scrimp and save to borrow and steal to go on our Disney trips since my son CAN eat here.
> 
> So when you go on this trip and it's awesome and your sister in law is thrilled that she was able to eat out and then they change vendors again and she can no longer have something that she could the 1st trip.
> 
> Then come back to this thread.
> 
> Otherwise, use the information that has been provided for vendors to research which manufactors use what in their natural flavorings.  These are the things, like nutmeg, that people are not legally required to list.  The top 8 that you don't know anything about are the ones that they are required to list.
> 
> Again, you can't really make those calls when you get to the counter to order so it's essential to have this information ahead of time.
> 
> As far as what your sister can eat, I anticipate that she will be able to eat well despite her list.





OK.  Half the stuff that you just spewed out.  I have no idea what you are talking about.

Where did I ever say that I know nothing about the 'top 8' allergies.  My sister in law, in fact, DOES have some of the top 8 allergies.  Which I know LOTS about.  Thank you.  Reread the post.  Just because I, MYSELF, am not affected, does not mean I know nothing about it.  I work in the emergency medical field.  I have treated DOZENS of people with anaphylatic allergies and have studied extensively about allergies.  For educational reason, for personal reasons.  I have treated people with more allergies outside that 'top 8' -minus the peanut allergies, than people inside it.  I have yet to see a person needing treatment for gluten reaction as compared to more and more fruit allergies.

I know extensively of the gluten/dairy/egg...whatever free products Disney uses as they sell them in my local health food store.  The problem with these foods for MY sister in law, most times, they use applesauces in them.  So for her, they are out. They have natural flavorings.  Can't eat them.  I get the products they have.  Enjoy life.  Udis.  OMG.  Read the lists.  It's not just nutmeg.  Or spices.  It's a multitude of things that contribute.  Sunflower oil.  Coconut oil.  These are used extensively in the products.

I don't doubt eating at a table service restaurant won't happen.  She can have the basics.  But I am talking about the fun foods.  One previous poster stated their child just ended up having jelly beans.  My sister in law woulnd't even get those.  Fruit juice in them.  Natural flavoring.  Can't have them.  Get a bowl of fruit.  Can't have it.  Unless it was JUST pineapple.  Can't have anything else.  Waffle mix.  Mixes applesauce with it.  Can't have it.  Chicken tenders...have spices.  What spices.  Don't list exact ones.  Can't have it.  I don't doubt we won't find food.  Disney's potato chips.  Oil fried in, can't have it.  Done the homework.  We know there aren't many treats she can have.  Which is the fun part of Disney.  Mickey ears are out too.  But that will not stop us from having a great time.  We will bring food from home so that she doesn't have an issue.  Food she knows is safe.

And you can't make what calls when you get to the counter?  If they give you a book with listed ingredients?  Know where there products are from...what is the issue?


----------



## mistysue

An adult getting there, making a call at the counter and having to wait 20 minutes for them to cook something than taking a 3 year old.
So yes when I mention my son just having jelly beans- it is a problem because he is a little kid and it's totally different than a full grown adult not being able to have a cookie. If I can't have something, I understand that I can eat lettuce while other people have cake- it doesn't work that way for little kids.

As a result, it would be nice to be able to plan. When zero information is given, nobody can plan. Again, I'm sorry for your SIL's situation, that doesn't mean that Disney should go out of their way to just screw everybody over because she can't eat much.  

You did make quite clear that you didn't understand the top 8 in your previous post. I still feel that if being top 8 free covers 90% of allergens, they should offer a top 8 free rather than some random foods that cover one or two allergies each.  Your exact words were "_Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important)_." It really doesn't take much time learning about allergies to know why the top 8 are significant. Nobody said it covers all allergies, but it's still important.


----------



## kck182

MedicGoofy said:


> OK.  Half the stuff that you just spewed out.  I have no idea what you are talking about.
> 
> Where did I ever say that I know nothing about the 'top 8' allergies.  My sister in law, in fact, DOES have some of the top 8 allergies.  Which I know LOTS about.  Thank you.  Reread the post.  Just because I, MYSELF, am not affected, does not mean I know nothing about it.  I work in the emergency medical field.  I have treated DOZENS of people with anaphylatic allergies and have studied extensively about allergies.  For educational reason, for personal reasons.  I have treated people with more allergies outside that 'top 8' -minus the peanut allergies, than people inside it.  I have yet to see a person needing treatment for gluten reaction as compared to more and more fruit allergies.
> 
> I know extensively of the gluten/dairy/egg...whatever free products Disney uses as they sell them in my local health food store.  The problem with these foods for MY sister in law, most times, they use applesauces in them.  So for her, they are out. They have natural flavorings.  Can't eat them.  I get the products they have.  Enjoy life.  Udis.  OMG.  Read the lists.  It's not just nutmeg.  Or spices.  It's a multitude of things that contribute.  Sunflower oil.  Coconut oil.  These are used extensively in the products.
> 
> I don't doubt eating at a table service restaurant won't happen.  She can have the basics.  But I am talking about the fun foods.  One previous poster stated their child just ended up having jelly beans.  My sister in law woulnd't even get those.  Fruit juice in them.  Natural flavoring.  Can't have them.  Get a bowl of fruit.  Can't have it.  Unless it was JUST pineapple.  Can't have anything else.  Waffle mix.  Mixes applesauce with it.  Can't have it.  Chicken tenders...have spices.  What spices.  Don't list exact ones.  Can't have it.  I don't doubt we won't find food.  Disney's potato chips.  Oil fried in, can't have it.  Done the homework.  We know there aren't many treats she can have.  Which is the fun part of Disney.  Mickey ears are out too.  But that will not stop us from having a great time.  We will bring food from home so that she doesn't have an issue.  Food she knows is safe.
> 
> And you can't make what calls when you get to the counter?  If they give you a book with listed ingredients?  Know where there products are from...what is the issue?




So I was thinking about this post and want to apoligize for being snarky, it really wasn't intended.  But just like we must of hit a nerve with you with this post.  You hit a nerve with me.  

We, as in people who have previously gone to Disney with the dietary reference sheets, are frustrated right now because of exactely what you just described.  The never ending search for things that match your allergy set. 

So when you find something and then it changes.  It is very frustrating.  And as much as I would like to say, "Yay for the people that this benefits, I'm so happy for you, I know how hard it is."  Right now I just need to know that my son isn't excluded and I don't want him to feel left out.  What I spend everyday trying not to do.  

Then I can be happy for everyone else.  

When you are a grown up this is a bummer, you have been living this lifestyle for awhile you realize that this happens.  When you are a child and having a tapioca roll with olive oil at dinner is one of your number one things about going on this trip it is devastating for a little kid.  So if I know that the switch has been made, I can bring my own rolls and life goes on.  No biggy.

If I don't know what they have until I get there, how do I know what to bring?  The main reason I go here is to go out to eat.  I think it's reasonable to be prepared before I leave home.  

The calls that I am referring to is when you contact the manufactor to sweet talk them into disclosing what items are in their natural flavorings, spices etc.  The things that they are not required to list.  

I would be frustrated if all week I told my son he couldn't have something.  Come to find out with a simple phone call I could of found out if that product was in my comfort zone to let him eat it.  Again, it's difficult to do while on vacation.  Sure, not impossible but extremely difficult.  

Waffle mix, can be made without applesauce...I don't have the ingrediants in front of me for the mix you would have to check that.  However, we have had mickey waffles made without the mix lots.  Just flour, whatever milk is okay or water, egg replacer or the baking powder and oil mixture.  The chicken tenders, are made from a manufactor that is sensitive to allergies.  They may tell you the spices that are in their recipe.  If I needed to know I would call to give it a shot.  Sometimes they don't tell you, sometimes they do.  

Wouldn't be nice to know who to call?

See if you know the tricks and the products and manufactors there are probably more treats that she can have than you realize.  

We just want to know the tricks before we get there.


----------



## EEyorelover22

livndisney said:


> I must be confused. You are saying corn is an ingredient in an "allergy safe" food, but it is not listed as an ingredient?



see post 266
I am EXTREMELY sensitive to corn.
no baking powder, salt...anything processed with corn.  Silk Milk is out too.

Corn is not one of the top allergens so it does not have to be listed.

Rice Chex has corn in it...the Vit E...it's not listed on the label.  I called the company and it is made with corn....processed somehow with it.

I had the Enjoy Life Bars at the beginning of September before I knew about my corn allergy too.  Even simply lemonaide which says "natural flavorings" must be made with corn.  I went back and looked at several items I ate last summer before the dx of the corn allergy and I finally figured out why I was getting sick from them...most of them it was baking soda, salt, or vanilla.


----------



## livndisney

mistysue said:


> An adult getting there, making a call at the counter and having to wait 20 minutes for them to cook something than taking a 3 year old.
> So yes when I mention my son just having jelly beans- it is a problem because he is a little kid and it's totally different than a full grown adult not being able to have a cookie. If I can't have something, I understand that I can eat lettuce while other people have cake- it doesn't work that way for little kids.
> 
> As a result, it would be nice to be able to plan. When zero information is given, nobody can plan. Again, I'm sorry for your SIL's situation, that doesn't mean that Disney should go out of their way to just screw everybody over because she can't eat much.
> 
> You did make quite clear that you didn't understand the top 8 in your previous post. I still feel that if being top 8 free covers 90% of allergens, they should offer a top 8 free rather than some random foods that cover one or two allergies each.  Your exact words were "_Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important)_." It really doesn't take much time learning about allergies to know why the top 8 are significant. Nobody said it covers all allergies, but it's still important.



Oh I don't know, I am an adult(according to my Drivers License LOL) and I might throw a fit if I have to eat lettuce when everyone else gets cake


----------



## EEyorelover22

mistysue said:


> An adult getting there, making a call at the counter and having to wait 20 minutes for them to cook something than taking a 3 year old.
> So yes when I mention my son just having jelly beans- it is a problem because he is a little kid and it's totally different than a full grown adult not being able to have a cookie. If I can't have something, I understand that I can eat lettuce while other people have cake- it doesn't work that way for little kids.
> 
> As a result, it would be nice to be able to plan. When zero information is given, nobody can plan. Again, I'm sorry for your SIL's situation, that doesn't mean that Disney should go out of their way to just screw everybody over because she can't eat much.
> 
> You did make quite clear that you didn't understand the top 8 in your previous post. I still feel that if being top 8 free covers 90% of allergens, they should offer a top 8 free rather than some random foods that cover one or two allergies each.  Your exact words were "_Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important)_." It really doesn't take much time learning about allergies to know why the top 8 are significant. Nobody said it covers all allergies, but it's still important.



I agree with you that dealing with this in a child would be a nightmare.
I would especially be annoyed if I wanted them to enjoy a character meal and had to pay full price and couldn't eat anything because of the entertainment factor coming into play.  I guess at least if they were younger it wouldn't be as much.

I really feel for all the parents on this thread.

Bringing food along sounds really easy too, but it requires a lot of planning.  I've had to do it this entire year with visiting my kids at college and staying in hotels, etc.  I am concerned about this at WDW because of the distances from the parks to the resort, but we'll see how it goes.

I do know that the chefs do a wonderful job and did in 2010 when we were in WDW and 2011 in DL.  However, sometimes it's not possible and that's where I am.  We'll see what happens when I get there.  It will be over the holidays and they will be very busy too so that could be an issue as well.  

I found that filling out the form with special diets didn't really help.  I had my allergies listed on a sheet of bright colored index card cut small that I handed the server so the chef could see it.  This really seemed to help.  I made several and kept them in my wallet.

I have gained a lot of information from this thread.  I thought BabyCakes would be somewhere I could find something, but I know now that's not going to be the case and like I said the pancake mix as well is out.


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> see post 266
> I am EXTREMELY sensitive to corn.
> no baking powder, salt...anything processed with corn.  Silk Milk is out too.
> 
> Corn is not one of the top allergens so it does not have to be listed.
> 
> Rice Chex has corn in it...the Vit E...it's not listed on the label.  I called the company and it is made with corn....processed somehow with it.
> 
> I had the Enjoy Life Bars at the beginning of September before I knew about my corn allergy too.  Even simply lemonaide which says "natural flavorings" must be made with corn.  I went back and looked at several items I ate last summer before the dx of the corn allergy and I finally figured out why I was getting sick from them...most of them is was baking soda, salt, or vanilla.



You may have missed where I replied in 267.


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> I agree with you that dealing with this in a child would be a nightmare.
> I would especially be annoyed if I wanted them to enjoy a character meal and had to pay full price and couldn't eat anything because of the entertainment factor coming into play.  I guess at least if they were younger it wouldn't be as much.
> 
> I really feel for all the parents on this thread.
> 
> Bringing food along sounds really easy too, but it requires a lot of planning.  I've had to do it this entire year with visiting my kids at college and staying in hotels, etc.  I am concerned about this at WDW because of the distances from the parks to the resort, but we'll see how it goes.
> 
> I do know that the chefs do a wonderful job and did in 2010 when we were in WDW and 2011 in DL.  However, sometimes it's not possible and that's where I am.  We'll see what happens when I get there.  It will be over the holidays and they will be very busy too so that could be an issue as well.
> 
> I have gained a lot of information from this thread.  I thought BabyCakes would be somewhere I could find something, but I know now that's not going to be the case and like I said the pancake mix as well is out.



Don't know if this helps, but we bring our food in all the time. Both on day trips and when we stay on the resort. In some ways it is much easier than ordering at the CS places at WDW. Like dd pointed out the other day as her friend had to wait in line, we had our food, knew it was safe and could enjoy it while her friend waited and waited.

I bought myself a soft sided Vera Bradley cooler, and some frozen gel containers and take in almost anything I want.


----------



## EEyorelover22

livndisney said:


> You may have missed where I replied in 267.



I did


----------



## EEyorelover22

livndisney said:


> Don't know if this helps, but we bring our food in all the time. Both on day trips and when we stay on the resort. In some ways it is much easier than ordering at the CS places at WDW. Like dd pointed out the other day as her friend had to wait in line, we had our food, knew it was safe and could enjoy it while her friend waited and waited.
> 
> I bought myself a soft sided Vera Bradley cooler, and some frozen gel containers and take in almost anything I want.



That is what I am planning.  I actually have an insulated Disney backpack of smaller size.

Do they say anything when you come into the parks or do they just check it like the other bags?

Also...if anyone knows where the lockers are...I've never noticed...but I plan on storing it in there...maybe.  I haven't decided yet for sure.

I am most concerned about water believe it or not and whether I'll have enough for the day.  I cannot drink bottled water and cannot have it out of the fountain machines (corn syrup from the pop).  I drink my water double filtered here at home.  I plan on bringing a Brita pitcher.


----------



## livndisney

EEyorelover22 said:


> That is what I am planning.  I actually have an insulated Disney backpack of smaller size.
> 
> Do they say anything when you come into the parks or do they just check it like the other bags?
> 
> Also...if anyone knows where the lockers are...I've never noticed...but I plan on storing it in there...maybe.  I haven't decided yet for sure.
> 
> I am most concerned about water believe it or not and whether I'll have enough for the day.  I cannot drink bottled water and cannot have it out of the fountain machines (corn syrup from the pop).  I drink my water double filtered here at home.  I plan on bringing a Brita pitcher.



Yep they have lockers!

At MGM there are some right at the bus stop.
Epcot right of the golf ball just after the shop.
Mk under the train station at the entrance.
Ak left of the entrance just past GS.

No problem going through bag check. They will look. They may ask what time lunch is LOL. If they question (which I doubt) you can simply say "allergy safe food". (You can't bring in glass).

We love our brita pitcher! Do you have the individual bottle with the filter? Then you can refil as needed.


----------



## mistysue

Yes-  if you don't have the bottle with a filter- you should see if that would work for you!  We love those. 

I'm sorry if I've been coming across as a jerk in some of these- we never get to go anywhere anymore and I'm having a really hard time not being able to figure out what I need to do. I don't want to pack food. I want to just go out to eat... it seems like I should be able to plan to do that, but when I try it seems like there are all these barriers just barely in my way. 
At this point it would almost be easier if they just came out and said "we will not serve your son food" - but that would totally suck too. I spend too much of my daily life preparing food as it is, I just want a vacation away from it.


----------



## livndisney

mistysue said:


> Yes-  if you don't have the bottle with a filter- you should see if that would work for you!  We love those.
> 
> I'm sorry if I've been coming across as a jerk in some of these- we never get to go anywhere before and I'm having a really hard time not being able to figure out what I need to do. I don't want to pack food. I want to just go out to eat... it seems like I should be able to plan to do that, but when I try it seems like there are all these barriers just barely in my way.
> At this point it would almost be easier if they just came out and said "we will not serve your son food" - but that would totally suck too. I spend too much of my daily life preparing food as it is, I just want a vacation away from it.



I don't know they have you been coming across as a "jerk". I understand where you are coming from. I feel like WDW was "safe" and that got taken away. I don't like it. I am working to change it. I have spoken with several chefs who hate the changes and want it to go back to the way it was. I am hoping once WDW figures out how to best handle all the non-medical "requests", we will start to see more positive changes.

So for now, I bring in our food so as not to have to deal with CS. And for TS I stick with chefs I know and trust. I have given up on "Special diets" as they have no idea what is going on and have taken it to a higher level.


----------



## kck182

mistysue said:


> Yes-  if you don't have the bottle with a filter- you should see if that would work for you!  We love those.
> 
> I'm sorry if I've been coming across as a jerk in some of these- we never get to go anywhere anymore and I'm having a really hard time not being able to figure out what I need to do. I don't want to pack food. I want to just go out to eat... it seems like I should be able to plan to do that, but when I try it seems like there are all these barriers just barely in my way.
> At this point it would almost be easier if they just came out and said "we will not serve your son food" - but that would totally suck too. I spend too much of my daily life preparing food as it is, I just want a vacation away from it.



This. 

Disney is our only respite.  Outside of a few fast food places, this really is the only time we go out to eat.  Which makes it a REALLY expensive meal.  

But it is worth it from the break that I get to have from doing the regular day to day stuff that comes with managing allergies.  

Sometimes I'm just tired of cooking and baking.


----------



## EEyorelover22

livndisney said:


> Yep they have lockers!
> 
> At MGM there are some right at the bus stop.
> Epcot right of the golf ball just after the shop.
> Mk under the train station at the entrance.
> Ak left of the entrance just past GS.
> 
> No problem going through bag check. They will look. They may ask what time lunch is LOL. If they question (which I doubt) you can simply say "allergy safe food". (You can't bring in glass).
> 
> We love our brita pitcher! Do you have the individual bottle with the filter? Then you can refil as needed.



Thanks...I only knew for sure where they were at MK.
I have two brita bottles and also a camelbak.  I have dumped the brita bottles all over me...I can't always get the top on correctly.  I love the camelbak for that reason but it was very expensive.


----------



## EEyorelover22

mistysue said:


> Yes-  if you don't have the bottle with a filter- you should see if that would work for you!  We love those.
> 
> I'm sorry if I've been coming across as a jerk in some of these- we never get to go anywhere anymore and I'm having a really hard time not being able to figure out what I need to do. I don't want to pack food. I want to just go out to eat... it seems like I should be able to plan to do that, but when I try it seems like there are all these barriers just barely in my way.
> At this point it would almost be easier if they just came out and said "we will not serve your son food" - but that would totally suck too. I spend too much of my daily life preparing food as it is, I just want a vacation away from it.



I don't think you've been a jerk.  I haven't eaten out since last July...I was really hoping I'd be able to on this vaction so I understand. 

Like I said, I'd be in a different place if this was a child of mine I was having to deal with.

I really did find the chefs to be great and my list kept in my wallet helped a great deal.  One of them actually said that I was the greatest challenge they had and she would find something for me to eat.  Two places that didn't work well for me at all were the Castle lunch and H&V.  Otherwise in 2010, I did very well.  DL was amazing, but again not all places were the same.  I'm sure you'll have good and bad experiences. We changed a couple reservations to eat at the same place 3 times rather than risk going somewhere else.  My family loved it so it didn't matter.  Even that at WDW would be nearly impossible given how booked their adrs are.

We are trying some new places this trip...order off the menu.

Should add:  TRex was very good too, BUT it took forever for the chef to come out.  After the first night...I just ordered something very specific.  I could never do that now with the corn allergy.


----------



## MedicGoofy

mistysue said:


> An adult getting there, making a call at the counter and having to wait 20 minutes for them to cook something than taking a 3 year old.
> So yes when I mention my son just having jelly beans- it is a problem because he is a little kid and it's totally different than a full grown adult not being able to have a cookie. If I can't have something, I understand that I can eat lettuce while other people have cake- it doesn't work that way for little kids.
> 
> As a result, it would be nice to be able to plan. When zero information is given, nobody can plan. Again, I'm sorry for your SIL's situation, that doesn't mean that Disney should go out of their way to just screw everybody over because she can't eat much.
> 
> You did make quite clear that you didn't understand the top 8 in your previous post. I still feel that if being top 8 free covers 90% of allergens, they should offer a top 8 free rather than some random foods that cover one or two allergies each.  Your exact words were "_Some in this so called top 8 (don't know why that is so important)_." It really doesn't take much time learning about allergies to know why the top 8 are significant. Nobody said it covers all allergies, but it's still important.




So, because I said "some in this so called top 8".....I make it quite clear that I know nothing about allergies or understand.  More and more in today's world, that top 8, is not accurate.  In MY world, what I do, and who I see, that top 8 is so far off it's funny.  The only accurate one is the peanut allergy.  And the peanut allergy, while severe and life threatening, is becoming something that is less seen in an 'emergency' situation because of how banned peanuts are.  In MY world.  I know LOTS about allergies.  I have a sister in law who lives in a bubble outside her home because of them.  I treat people with allergies almost daily.  I know allergies.  I understand the 'top 8'.  You completely got my context wrong.

Where did I say that everyone should be screwed because she can't eat?  We will eat.  And we will eat great!!  If she can't eat what they have to offer, then we will go off grounds.  there is a McDonalds and Subway.  Both she can have. We are bringing food from home, to be PREPARED.  That's what it's about right?  Being prepared.

And I am prepared.  I have gone over all the products that I know Disney does use.  She can't have them.  The chicken tenders....whatever.  We will find out when we get there.  Not that big of a deal.  We can eat them at home.  Would be nice if she could have snacks.  Adults like and enjoy just as much as a child does.  And I would freaking sulk as much as your 3 yr old if I couldn't have a Mickey Bar.  But appearantly, these aren't peanut free anymore, so we won't have them (and yes, I will sulk!!).

But food aside, we're going to have a great trip.  Food won't get in our way of having a great time at Disney


----------



## EEyorelover22

If your SIL can eat at Mickey D's and Subway...she is not even close to level of some of the children on this thread.

Those two places would kill me.


----------



## MedicGoofy

kck182 said:


> So I was thinking about this post and want to apoligize for being snarky, it really wasn't intended.  But just like we must of hit a nerve with you with this post.  You hit a nerve with me.
> 
> We, as in people who have previously gone to Disney with the dietary reference sheets, are frustrated right now because of exactely what you just described.  The never ending search for things that match your allergy set.
> 
> So when you find something and then it changes.  It is very frustrating.  And as much as I would like to say, "Yay for the people that this benefits, I'm so happy for you, I know how hard it is."  Right now I just need to know that my son isn't excluded and I don't want him to feel left out.  What I spend everyday trying not to do.
> 
> Then I can be happy for everyone else.
> 
> When you are a grown up this is a bummer, you have been living this lifestyle for awhile you realize that this happens.  When you are a child and having a tapioca roll with olive oil at dinner is one of your number one things about going on this trip it is devastating for a little kid.  So if I know that the switch has been made, I can bring my own rolls and life goes on.  No biggy.
> 
> If I don't know what they have until I get there, how do I know what to bring?  The main reason I go here is to go out to eat.  I think it's reasonable to be prepared before I leave home.
> 
> The calls that I am referring to is when you contact the manufactor to sweet talk them into disclosing what items are in their natural flavorings, spices etc.  The things that they are not required to list.
> 
> I would be frustrated if all week I told my son he couldn't have something.  Come to find out with a simple phone call I could of found out if that product was in my comfort zone to let him eat it.  Again, it's difficult to do while on vacation.  Sure, not impossible but extremely difficult.
> 
> Waffle mix, can be made without applesauce...I don't have the ingrediants in front of me for the mix you would have to check that.  However, we have had mickey waffles made without the mix lots.  Just flour, whatever milk is okay or water, egg replacer or the baking powder and oil mixture.  The chicken tenders, are made from a manufactor that is sensitive to allergies.  They may tell you the spices that are in their recipe.  If I needed to know I would call to give it a shot.  Sometimes they don't tell you, sometimes they do.
> 
> Wouldn't be nice to know who to call?
> 
> See if you know the tricks and the products and manufactors there are probably more treats that she can have than you realize.
> 
> We just want to know the tricks before we get there.




Thank you for the apology...graciously accepted.  And I apologize if anything I have said was offensive.  I truely have not wanted to be.

I have found this thread to be frustrating just for the fact that it is heavy with just the top 8 allergies, and does not focus on the fact that other people may deal with other allergies, hence my 'don't know why this is important'.  I do not dismiss the allergies that people face at all.  I know they are impeding to their lives and their families.   It is such a difficult thing to live with.

Thank you for confirming what you meant by 'calls'.  I understand now.  I may have to make some calls to manufacturers.  Chicken tenders may be one of our only obstucles when it comes to counter service, it is something we can skip.    I do appreciate though, the work that you, as a parent, have to do to make sure that your family, child, can eat.  

The one thing I have to say though, I do most of my shopping in the states.  So am familiar with their labels ( as opposed to any differences in Canada, don't know if there are differences, really?).  But, when reading ingredients, they are pretty thorough in what they list.  right down to spices and such.  Cane juice.  Cinnamin.  Evaporated...whatever.  Ingredient listings are pretty good for everything I have ever looked at.  So, I don't know where they are not listing things? (please forgive my ignorance on not understanding this).

 Again, I will apologive if I have offended.  Definitely not the intent.  But, for how my sister in law has lived for her life, and not her whole life, she is used to now having to go without.  The trip will be great without what Disney has.  It will be a shame BUT, we won't let it stop us from having a good time.  And we wouldn't let it stop us from coming.   We would just alter how we do Disney


----------



## MedicGoofy

EEyorelover22 said:


> If your SIL can eat at Mickey D's and Subway...she is not even close to level of some of the children on this thread.
> 
> Those two places would kill me.




First, McDonald's is enough to kill anyone.  Allegies or not.

But really?  You wanna compare?  Let's sit down and watch you eat a bowl of fruit and her eat a bowl of fruit.  Let's see who goes to the ER first.


----------



## EEyorelover22

MedicGoofy said:


> First, McDonald's is enough to kill anyone.  Allegies or not.
> 
> But really?  You wanna compare?  Let's sit down and watch you eat a bowl of fruit and her eat a bowl of fruit.  Let's see who goes to the ER first.



Depending on the fruit, it would also put me in the ER.  Grapes would kill me and nearly did last August. I am home today posting because of a reaction to apples.

My current diet consists of 5 things basically.


----------



## kck182

MedicGoofy said:


> Thank you for the apology...graciously accepted.  And I apologize if anything I have said was offensive.  I truely have not wanted to be.
> 
> I have found this thread to be frustrating just for the fact that it is heavy with just the top 8 allergies, and does not focus on the fact that other people may deal with other allergies, hence my 'don't know why this is important'.  I do not dismiss the allergies that people face at all.  I know they are impeding to their lives and their families.   It is such a difficult thing to live with.
> 
> Thank you for confirming what you meant by 'calls'.  I understand now.  I may have to make some calls to manufacturers.  Chicken tenders may be one of our only obstucles when it comes to counter service, it is something we can skip.    I do appreciate though, the work that you, as a parent, have to do to make sure that your family, child, can eat.
> 
> The one thing I have to say though, I do most of my shopping in the states.  So am familiar with their labels ( as opposed to any differences in Canada, don't know if there are differences, really?).  But, when reading ingredients, they are pretty thorough in what they list.  right down to spices and such.  Cane juice.  Cinnamin.  Evaporated...whatever.  Ingredient listings are pretty good for everything I have ever looked at.  So, I don't know where they are not listing things? (please forgive my ignorance on not understanding this).
> 
> Again, I will apologive if I have offended.  Definitely not the intent.  But, for how my sister in law has lived for her life, and not her whole life, she is used to now having to go without.  The trip will be great without what Disney has.  It will be a shame BUT, we won't let it stop us from having a good time.  And we wouldn't let it stop us from coming.   We would just alter how we do Disney



I think you hit the nail on the head of not understanding.  Label laws are different in each country and in the US there are tons that they do not list and often won't disclose for proprietary reasons.  Organic food tends to better with listing stuff.    

When managing allergies that are not in the top 8, it's like finding a needle in a haystack in terms of finding foods that match your allergy set.  By law they don't have to tell us what is in their flavorings.  And many will not.  

Disney has made it a priority to carry products that cover the majority of allergies while committing to accommodating everyone.  So the previous bread products allowed LOTS of people to enjoy them.  By making the switch they have excluded LOTS of people to better accommodate some.  Okay fine.
It's disappointing but I know chefs will continue to do their best.  

The problem is they have taken away our ability to make those ever so important phone calls or maybe just have some peace of mind about what our meals are going to be like.  Some of us prefer not to "wing it" out of fear of making a mistake.  My son's life is too important for me to just find something when we are there.  

This thread wasn't a food allergy support thread.  It was a thread to discuss the changes that have been made.  Those changes are related to the fact that the products before the switch....Top 8 Free.  Covers lots of people. Not everyone, but lots.  

Products after the switch.  Not Top 8 Free.  Does not cover nearly as many people.  And little to no information about the process and if in fact they will continue to only carry these products, if they are able to work something out for the rest of us or in fact maybe just send me an updated reference sheet so I know what I am walking into.  

And to each his own.  We go there to eat.  If they no longer carried the the bread we can have AND Allergy Free Chicken Tenders we would have seriously considered cancelling.  
Once I am preparing that many meals I may as well go on a much cheaper vacation somewhere else.  It's that big of a deal to us since our expectations have already been set.  

I can appreciate the advocacy on behalf of your sister in law but the whole let's see whose allergies are worst stuff stinks.  There are lots of us managing a several allergies and lots of us only managing some.  

Neither group is more or less important than the other and we all deserve the ability to get information before we leave for our trip.  

I hope you and your family have a magical trip and your sister in law gets to find out why my son loves Disney so much.


----------



## EEyorelover22

A friend of mine mentioned that The Plaza was a great place and they were very helpful there and the chef offered to open all new containers of things she could eat.


----------



## Forevryoung

EEyorelover22 said:


> A friend of mine mentioned that The Plaza was a great place and they were very helpful there and the chef offered to open all new containers of things she could eat.



The chef at the Plaza was amazing for us too- very "basic" allergies (peanut/tree nut/fish/sesame) but he went out of his way for a 7 year old.

Mickey bars are no longer nut free?


----------



## clanmcculloch

Cousin Ken at the Plaza is wonderful.  That being said, it's no longer such a great place for people with egg allergies.  Most items on the menu are sandwich based and the allergy bread is no longer egg free with the change to Udi's.  Cousin Ken really does bend over backwards (and even sent his manager over to Casey's for my 11yo who really wanted a hot dog and to get a milk free bun she could eat (she couldn't eat even the Ener-G breads due to a different allergy).  Cousin Ken's the BEST.  Even with how limitted our options are there, we still continue to go back.  I suspect my kids will likely just order fries and a dish of mushrooms (DD14 could live on mushrooms) so that they can have room for a banana split, something they've never had in their lives (usually we're too full for dessert after the milkshakes/floats and meals).  He custom made a batch of tuna salad for us one time because one of the ingredients in the regular stuff was questionable.  We really do adore Cousin Ken.

Just to be clear, the labelling laws in the US really don't cover trace amounts of a food or cross contamination issues and for those of us with gluten issues, despite how common gluten intollerance is, it's not top 8 just like corn isn't top 8.  There's also no legal guidelines for defining gluten free.  Sometimes I wonder why they bothered with the labelling laws since they're useless.  Here's an example of the kind of thing that makes the laws kind of dangerous to rely on.  If I was to look at a package of bubble gum, there are likely no ingredients that show it to contain wheat.  The thing is, many companies dust their lines with regular flour to keep it from sticking.  That doesn't have to be listed.  It's top 8 but not needed on the label.  Dangerous!!

Forevryoung, sesame isn't considered basic.  While world-wide it's the 9th most common allergen, there's no easy way to identify it on labels which drives me NUTS (pun not intended considering the subject of this thread LOL).

Re: Mickey bars.  I don't think anything has actually changed, has it?  It's always been somewhat questionable how well they handle their cross contamination.  I think a few years ago Nestle made some changes to try to address this and it's been a long time since I've read a report of somebody finding a piece of peanut on their Mickey bar but hopefully somebody who pays closer attention to Mickey bars and allergens can respond (we can't do milk so I don't worry about other allergens on Mickey bars).


----------



## dclfun

kck182 said:


> I think you hit the nail on the head of not understanding.  Label laws are different in each country and in the US there are tons that they do not list and often won't disclose for proprietary reasons.  Organic food tends to better with listing stuff.
> 
> When managing allergies that are not in the top 8, it's like finding a needle in a haystack in terms of finding foods that match your allergy set.  By law they don't have to tell us what is in their flavorings.  And many will not.
> 
> Disney has made it a priority to carry products that cover the majority of allergies while committing to accommodating everyone.  So the previous bread products allowed LOTS of people to enjoy them.  By making the switch they have excluded LOTS of people to better accommodate some.  Okay fine.
> It's disappointing but I know chefs will continue to do their best.
> 
> The problem is they have taken away our ability to make those ever so important phone calls or maybe just have some peace of mind about what our meals are going to be like.  Some of us prefer not to "wing it" out of fear of making a mistake.  My son's life is too important for me to just find something when we are there.
> 
> This thread wasn't a food allergy support thread.  It was a thread to discuss the changes that have been made.  Those changes are related to the fact that the products before the switch....Top 8 Free.  Covers lots of people. Not everyone, but lots.
> 
> Products after the switch.  Not Top 8 Free.  Does not cover nearly as many people.  And little to no information about the process and if in fact they will continue to only carry these products, if they are able to work something out for the rest of us or in fact maybe just send me an updated reference sheet so I know what I am walking into.
> 
> And to each his own.  We go there to eat.  If they no longer carried the the bread we can have AND Allergy Free Chicken Tenders we would have seriously considered cancelling.
> Once I am preparing that many meals I may as well go on a much cheaper vacation somewhere else.  It's that big of a deal to us since our expectations have already been set.
> 
> I can appreciate the advocacy on behalf of your sister in law but the whole let's see whose allergies are worst stuff stinks.  There are lots of us managing a several allergies and lots of us only managing some.
> 
> Neither group is more or less important than the other and we all deserve the ability to get information before we leave for our trip.
> 
> I hope you and your family have a magical trip and your sister in law gets to find out why my son loves Disney so much.



Well said!  I also don't appreciate at ALL the mention of "my allergies are worse than yours. You can eat more than I can".  On this board we've always contended that we don't play that game. It isn't helpful to anyone, and anyone/everyone's concern is just as important as that of the next person. We are supposed to be helping each other, not comparing. We all deserve and should expect that courtesy.


----------



## HETRICKL

I am in the camp that in the past I haven't always trusted Nestlé labeling although it does seem like they are trying to do better.

The Mickey bar was always listed on the nut free sheet back in the day when we saw that.  However when I questioned Brenda on this for more information she emailed her contact at Nestlé who actually called me and said they were manufactured on a line with almonds. 

I got the standard 'we go thru strict cleaning of the machines...". At that time it wasn't a peanut line, just tree nut. 

My DD is tree nut allergic so we have always avoided them. 

I just remembered I think I emailed Nestlé with the question and that's when someone called me with the information.


----------



## rani8600

Hey all,

I have been reading this thread and finding all of the information very helpful.  But i feel that parts of this is turning into a my allergies/dietary restrictions are better than yours contest.  I think we all need to remember what the OP ment for this to be, a place where we can all share information to make our disney vactions as magic as we can.

Thank you to all of the ppl who have been posting about the changes that they have found.


----------



## EvangelineG

kck182 said:


> I think you hit the nail on the head of not understanding.  Label laws are different in each country and in the US there are tons that they do not list and often won't disclose for proprietary reasons.  Organic food tends to better with listing stuff.
> 
> When managing allergies that are not in the top 8, it's like finding a needle in a haystack in terms of finding foods that match your allergy set.  By law they don't have to tell us what is in their flavorings.  And many will not.
> 
> Disney has made it a priority to carry products that cover the majority of allergies while committing to accommodating everyone.  So the previous bread products allowed LOTS of people to enjoy them.  By making the switch they have excluded LOTS of people to better accommodate some.  Okay fine.
> It's disappointing but I know chefs will continue to do their best.
> 
> The problem is they have taken away our ability to make those ever so important phone calls or maybe just have some peace of mind about what our meals are going to be like.  Some of us prefer not to "wing it" out of fear of making a mistake.  My son's life is too important for me to just find something when we are there.
> 
> This thread wasn't a food allergy support thread.  It was a thread to discuss the changes that have been made.  Those changes are related to the fact that the products before the switch....Top 8 Free.  Covers lots of people. Not everyone, but lots.
> 
> Products after the switch.  Not Top 8 Free.  Does not cover nearly as many people.  And little to no information about the process and if in fact they will continue to only carry these products, if they are able to work something out for the rest of us or in fact maybe just send me an updated reference sheet so I know what I am walking into.
> 
> And to each his own.  We go there to eat.  If they no longer carried the the bread we can have AND Allergy Free Chicken Tenders we would have seriously considered cancelling.
> Once I am preparing that many meals I may as well go on a much cheaper vacation somewhere else.  It's that big of a deal to us since our expectations have already been set.
> 
> I can appreciate the advocacy on behalf of your sister in law but the whole let's see whose allergies are worst stuff stinks.  There are lots of us managing a several allergies and lots of us only managing some.
> 
> Neither group is more or less important than the other and we all deserve the ability to get information before we leave for our trip.
> 
> I hope you and your family have a magical trip and your sister in law gets to find out why my son loves Disney so much.



Well said. Being able to eat in restaurants at WDW was the highlight of our recent trip for my food allergic sons, and the #1 reason why we are already planning a return visit. Any major changes to how FA are handled at WDW will change whether or not we choose WDW to vacation at. I can go anywhere on vacation and cook for my family the whole time, and carry around food for my sons. WDW was (and hopefully is) magical because we can actually eat there as a family. And this is why I have been closely following and very appreciative of this thread about the changes.

*@clanmcculloh* So as of right now there are no bread/bun options for those with egg allergies at the Plaza? (just egg, not egg and dairy/egg and gluten together) We were hoping to have supper there on our next trip.


----------



## clanmcculloch

EvangelineG, I haven't checked to see if there is an egg free bread available at WDW; we need egg and gluten and milk free (among other things) for DD14.  If there's a regular bread that's egg free as a standard bread elsewhere then I would think it's available at the Plaza.  I thought I had read that none of the breads were egg free but maybe it's that none of the breads are vegan (meaning may be egg free but contain milk).  Hopefully somebody else knows for sure if there are egg free or vegan breads around.


----------



## EvangelineG

clanmcculloch said:


> EvangelineG, I haven't checked to see if there is an egg free bread available at WDW; we need egg and gluten and milk free (among other things) for DD14.  If there's a regular bread that's egg free as a standard bread elsewhere then I would think it's available at the Plaza.  I thought I had read that none of the breads were egg free but maybe it's that none of the breads are vegan (meaning may be egg free but contain milk).  Hopefully somebody else knows for sure if there are egg free or vegan breads around.



Thanks for the clarification. On our last trip there were some "regular" buns that my sons were able to eat. The allergy ones were not safe for us even then. (my sons have peanut, tree nut, egg, mushrooms and most legumes -including chick peas, green peas and lentils between the two of them) I guess I'll contact special diets when the time comes and hope I can actually wring some info out of them about options.


----------



## kck182

clanmcculloch said:


> EvangelineG, I haven't checked to see if there is an egg free bread available at WDW; we need egg and gluten and milk free (among other things) for DD14.  If there's a regular bread that's egg free as a standard bread elsewhere then I would think it's available at the Plaza.  I thought I had read that none of the breads were egg free but maybe it's that none of the breads are vegan (meaning may be egg free but contain milk).  Hopefully somebody else knows for sure if there are egg free or vegan breads around.



Vegan bread would also not contain dairy.  

We have had several occasions where the regular bread was French or Italian and did not contain Milk or Eggs.  And also other occasions where the bread was a no go because of an egg wash or a butter topping.   

We have scheduled a meal at Boma since it is supposed to be very vegan friendly and our hope is that would mean maybe some more choices for my son.


----------



## clanmcculloch

kck182 said:


> Vegan bread would also not contain dairy.
> 
> We have had several occasions where the regular bread was French or Italian and did not contain Milk or Eggs.  And also other occasions where the bread was a no go because of an egg wash or a butter topping.
> 
> We have scheduled a meal at Boma since it is supposed to be very vegan friendly and our hope is that would mean maybe some more choices for my son.



I think you misunderstood what I was saying.  I was trying to say that what I may have remembered reading was that the breads were not vegan because of milk but are egg free or maybe they're not vegan because of having eggs but not milk.  I just can't remember.

Do you know if any of the regular breads currently being served around WDW are vegan?  Knowing this is great for people with egg and/or milk allergies.


----------



## AEPaul

Related to MedicGoofy's comments about the Big 8 being far off, and if it matters to anyone, I looked a little over a year ago at the allergies of all AllergyEats member (much smaller sample size than if I did it today, but still quite large) and in fact the Big 8 should have been called the Big 7 + #10.

I found peanut, tree nut, dairy, wheat, and eggs to be by far the 5 most prevalent.  (Gluten intolerance would've been in that list too if I wasn't speaking strictly of allergies.)  Shellfish and soy were next.  But after those - no surprise - was corn and sesame, followed by fish.  There were also THIRTEEN more food products that 2% or more of the AllergyEats member base was allergic to, and well over 200 different items that at least one person listed.

So why are corn and sesame recognized in the U.S. as they are elsewhere?  Beats me.  Corn lobby?  That's a pretty powerful force in U.S. politics.  But sesame?

Anyway, I thought some of you discussing the "Big 8 and beyond," as I'll call it, would find this info interesting.


----------



## mistysue

AEPaul said:


> So why are corn and sesame recognized in the U.S. as they are elsewhere?  Beats me.  Corn lobby?  That's a pretty powerful force in U.S. politics.  But sesame?
> 
> Anyway, I thought some of you discussing the "Big 8 and beyond," as I'll call it, would find this info interesting.



Thanks Paul, that is interesting... I think sesame isn't recognized in the US because people think it isn't in anything. You forget things like "sesame seed buns" when you first hear it. You are probably 100% right about corn, it's up there with soy as those crops that we subsidize and make people grow just for the heck of it...  paying them to have the money to lobby for more benefits. Interesting circle.

Sesame was actually the one allergy on my son's list that I was like "awesome, that doesn't change things!"  Then I remembered DH's family is Lebanese.


----------



## kck182

clanmcculloch said:


> I think you misunderstood what I was saying.  I was trying to say that what I may have remembered reading was that the breads were not vegan because of milk but are egg free or maybe they're not vegan because of having eggs but not milk.  I just can't remember.
> 
> Do you know if any of the regular breads currently being served around WDW are vegan?  Knowing this is great for people with egg and/or milk allergies.




Okay I get it now.  

I'm not sure about vegan availability but I'm hoping that there is.


----------



## nfceagles

EvangelineG said:


> Thanks for the clarification. On our last trip there were some "regular" buns that my sons were able to eat. The allergy ones were not safe for us even then. (my sons have peanut, tree nut, egg, mushrooms and most legumes -including chick peas, green peas and lentils between the two of them) I guess I'll contact special diets when the time comes and hope I can actually wring some info out of them about options.



I think you'll have options.  The regular hamburger and hot dog buns contain dairy, but not eggs.  I've never been to the Plaza so I'm speculating, but if they use specialty breads those may be off limits as most of the breads that come from the Disney bakery are considered off limits due to nut cross-contamination.  I would think that they would likely have the regular buns around and could improvise though.  Or worst case, they could run somewhere and get a regular bun.


----------



## EEyorelover22

Does anyone know what oil they use to fry items?
The Plaza and French fries made me wonder if they would be okay
I'm sure the chef could answer if they had a separate fryer once I'm there.

And for corn:  I live in Iowa...it's everywhere.  I think this state wouldn't exist without it.  There are a lot of soybeans around too!


----------



## EEyorelover22

kck182 said:


> We have scheduled a meal at Boma since it is supposed to be very vegan friendly and our hope is that would mean maybe some more choices for my son.



The chef at Boma was very helpful and I would agree that there are a lot of vegan options there.


----------



## DCDisney

Do be sure to mention sesame to all the chefs because it seems like it's hidden in a number of items you wouldn't expect at WDW like the Mickey shaped cheese ravioli.


----------



## mistysue

DCDisney said:


> Do be sure to mention sesame to all the chefs because it seems like it's hidden in a number of items you wouldn't expect at WDW like the Mickey shaped cheese ravioli.



I just had to laugh at myself. Mental knee-jerk reaction was  "crap! it's in the ravioli?!?"  It's funny because the only person in my family with a sesame issue can't have wheat or cheese... so I hope I would stop long before ordering him cheese ravioli.


----------



## livndisney

Not that this solves a bunch of issues, but hey it made me happy today!

Dominos pizza is going to start serving a gluten free pizza! (Of course it will cost more. But hey, if Disney doesn't want to cooperate, we can always order Dominos 

I am considering booking a room JUST to have pizza delivery. (I miss pizza delivery at the resorts) LOL


----------



## Minnie

EEyorelover22 said:


> Does anyone know what oil they use to fry items?
> The Plaza and French fries made me wonder if they would be okay
> I'm sure the chef could answer if they had a separate fryer once I'm there.
> 
> And for corn:  I live in Iowa...it's everywhere.  I think this state wouldn't exist without it.  There are a lot of soybeans around too!



Is soy an issue for you? Because the fries they use now contain it


----------



## mistysue

Minnie said:


> Is soy an issue for you? Because the fries they use now contain it



Do you happen to have a link or ingredient list for the current fries?  Or do we just know from somebody seeing the ingredients while there?


----------



## livndisney

mistysue said:


> Do you happen to have a link or ingredient list for the current fries?  Or do we just know from somebody seeing the ingredients while there?



I don't know if this helps, but the fries have had soy for awhile.

But not ALL CS places have the same fries. 

Mara at AKL baked sliced potates fries. And one of the Allstars (Movies I think) did soy free fries for us.


----------



## clanmcculloch

EEyorelover22 said:


> Does anyone know what oil they use to fry items?
> The Plaza and French fries made me wonder if they would be okay
> I'm sure the chef could answer if they had a separate fryer once I'm there.



At The Plaza, Cousin Ken both times we ate there heated up a pot of oil on the stove to cook fries for us.  So, while they don't have a dedicated frier, they can cook fries for those with allergies, assuming you're not allergic to any of the ingredients in the fries or the oil.  I don't actually know what kind of oil they use other than it's not peanut or sesame oil.


----------



## Selket

livndisney said:


> Dominos pizza is going to start serving a gluten free pizza! (Of course it will cost more. But hey, if Disney doesn't want to cooperate, we can always order Dominos



If you 100% avoid gluten (such as with celiac), the Dominos pizza may not be safe due to cross-contamination issues - they don't guarantee it unfortunately:  https://order.dominos.com/en/pages/content/customer-service/glutenfreecrust.jsp


----------



## DCDisney

The normal oil is a blend that contains soy but they all carry canola.  If they have a dedicated fryer it's usually canola or they can pan fry in any oil.  Or bake with no oil....takes a long time but I love the crispy baked fries.


----------



## AEPaul

livndisney said:


> Not that this solves a bunch of issues, but hey it made me happy today!
> 
> Dominos pizza is going to start serving a gluten free pizza! (Of course it will cost more. But hey, if Disney doesn't want to cooperate, we can always order Dominos
> 
> I am considering booking a room JUST to have pizza delivery. (I miss pizza delivery at the resorts) LOL




Unfortunately, I think Domino's just came out (after media exposure) and admitted that those with Celiac Disease who HAVE TO AVOID ALL GLUTEN are NOT safe ordering this pizza.

So who exactly is it for?  The fad dieters who want to say they're gluten-free whether they are or aren't?  This is infuriating.


----------



## daraweb

AEPaul said:


> Unfortunately, I think Domino's just came out (after media exposure) and admitted that those with Celiac Disease who HAVE TO AVOID ALL GLUTEN are NOT safe ordering this pizza.
> 
> So who exactly is it for?  The fad dieters who want to say they're gluten-free whether they are or aren't?  This is infuriating.



Yup...here is an article saying that "there is a catch...it's actually not gluten free"












http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...96408.html?ref=food&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008


----------



## Minnie

Pizza - Happy Joes has an actual gluten free crust available - it comes frozen and they have gluten free ingredients however cross contamination could definitely be an issue and the box includes a notice of this - also at the counter.

What I've done is just order the frozen crust and take it home and bake it with my ingredients to know it is safe. They have IMO one of the better gluten free crusts available.


----------



## EEyorelover22

Minnie said:


> Is soy an issue for you? Because the fries they use now contain it



So far...no issues with soy.
This might be an option for me.

Thanks for all the info after this as well.


----------



## ls15

hey everyone! I was the one that started this thread very concerned about the changes. I finally did my trip report and, to say the least, the food was nothing short of amazing. I did a lot of preparation beforehand but it was worth it!

Here is my review. Please let me know if you have questions!

http://lauriesadowski.wordpress.com...-vegan-2012-disney-world-trip-report-part-ii/


----------



## kck182

First thank you for taking the time to share this with everyone.  What a great resource.  

What do you suggest that we do to help make dessert a success for my little guy?  Looks like you had lots of great options.  We generally only get rice dream ice cream or sorbet.  He is avoiding Milk and Eggs.  That banana split looked awesome.


----------



## kck182

Just got off of the phone with special diets.  THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX THIS!!!!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!  

This is the first conversation that I had where they said they are aware of the problem and looking for new vendors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Disney.  

I hope it is in place before our trip in 23 Days but even if it's not I feel so much better.


----------



## stackyallred

kck182 said:


> Just got off of the phone with special diets.  THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX THIS!!!!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> This is the first conversation that I had where they said they are aware of the problem and looking for new vendors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you Disney.
> 
> I hope it is in place before our trip in 23 Days but even if it's not I feel so much better.



That is great news!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## livndisney

kck182 said:


> Just got off of the phone with special diets.  THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX THIS!!!!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> This is the first conversation that I had where they said they are aware of the problem and looking for new vendors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you Disney.
> 
> I hope it is in place before our trip in 23 Days but even if it's not I feel so much better.



They have been "fixing" it since December. According to what I have heard, vendor contracts were signed for a year-so it may be quite awhile before we see "improvement".


----------



## ls15

kck182 said:


> First thank you for taking the time to share this with everyone.  What a great resource.
> 
> What do you suggest that we do to help make dessert a success for my little guy?  Looks like you had lots of great options.  We generally only get rice dream ice cream or sorbet.  He is avoiding Milk and Eggs.  That banana split looked awesome.



We didn't get many desserts because we weren't on the dining plan, but I would call in advance and see if they can do what they did for us. It also depends on where you are eating! Some are more accomodating than others.

If he can eat rice dream, ask the chef if they have any of the safe cookies or products he can have and make him a sundae or sandwich - at least something a little different. Most chefs are more than happy to!


----------



## nfceagles

kck182 said:


> First thank you for taking the time to share this with everyone.  What a great resource.
> 
> What do you suggest that we do to help make dessert a success for my little guy?  Looks like you had lots of great options.  We generally only get rice dream ice cream or sorbet.  He is avoiding Milk and Eggs.  That banana split looked awesome.



My 6yo DS is milk, egg, and nut allergic so we probably see a lot of the same desserts.  Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream....

Are you getting anything with the ice cream?  My DS usually gets chocolate sauce (Hershey's) and sprinkle with his.  We have a 4yo with no FAs so I was worried on our last trip about her getting fancier desserts than DS.  Well, the regular kids menu doesn't have very many choices for the "regular" kids either.  Standard is a make your own sundae that consists of a dish of vanilla ice cream and small cups of sauce, sprinkles, and M&Ms.   The only thing lacking from DS's dessert is the M&Ms. 

One thing I do as "insurance" is carry a small Betty Crocker sprinkle bottle in my bag filled with some kind of ice cream topping.  Chocolate chips, sprinkles, safe candies of any sort.  Just in case all they can offer is plain ice cream.  I've also used a small snack bag of mini Oreos as a back up topping.  I have rarely had to use them, but they take up little space and give me peace of mind.

As long as your expectations about what they have on hand are realistic, don't be afraid to make suggestions.

Another dessert we ask for to mix things up is a root beer float.  Every restaurant has root beer on tap and they almost all have tofutti or rice dream ice cream available.  Nobody has ever offered it up without us asking, but they've never turned me down when I've asked if it was possible.  DS LOVES them.

We also eat at Chef Mickey's every trip and they stock top 8 free cupcakes so that's at least 1 non ice cream dessert in the mix.


----------



## kck182

nfceagles said:


> My 6yo DS is milk, egg, and nut allergic so we probably see a lot of the same desserts.  Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream....
> 
> Are you getting anything with the ice cream?  My DS usually gets chocolate sauce (Hershey's) and sprinkle with his.  We have a 4yo with no FAs so I was worried on our last trip about her getting fancier desserts than DS.  Well, the regular kids menu doesn't have very many choices for the "regular" kids either.  Standard is a make your own sundae that consists of a dish of vanilla ice cream and small cups of sauce, sprinkles, and M&Ms.   The only thing lacking from DS's dessert is the M&Ms.
> 
> One thing I do as "insurance" is carry a small Betty Crocker sprinkle bottle in my bag filled with some kind of ice cream topping.  Chocolate chips, sprinkles, safe candies of any sort.  Just in case all they can offer is plain ice cream.  I've also used a small snack bag of mini Oreos as a back up topping.  I have rarely had to use them, but they take up little space and give me peace of mind.
> 
> As long as your expectations about what they have on hand are realistic, don't be afraid to make suggestions.
> 
> Another dessert we ask for to mix things up is a root beer float.  Every restaurant has root beer on tap and they almost all have tofutti or rice dream ice cream available.  Nobody has ever offered it up without us asking, but they've never turned me down when I've asked if it was possible.  DS LOVES them.
> 
> We also eat at Chef Mickey's every trip and they stock top 8 free cupcakes so that's at least 1 non ice cream dessert in the mix.



Thanks for the suggestions.  I really hadn't thought about bringing sprinkles.  You are right it's mostly ice cream, ice cream, sorbet, ice cream 

He loves the root beer floats and we always get one at the Parlor.  I hadn't thought about it for dessert.  We have gotten a milk shake at 50's prime time and a candy apple once at the drive in at HS.  

I wish I had known about Chef Mickey's, 6 months ago they brought out a cupcake for my daughter's birthday and nothing for my son.  He got a little sad and then we asked for rice dream for him even through it was breakfast.  

Although it literally was the first time we did the whole it's your sister's birthday thing.  It was her first.  

The next meal went much better.


----------



## poober25

This may not be the right place to ask this question, but I'm hoping someone might be able to help.  My DD is allergic to cashews, pistachioes, and mangoes.  She did not react to any other tree nut on her allergy tests, but we avoid them anyway, including almond extract.  

She will be celebrating her birthday w/ some good friends later this year at WDW and wants to have tea at Grand Floridian.  Does anyone know if the scones contain nuts?  I know she will have to avoid the pastries, but if she can't at least have the scones, I will need to find another alternative for her.  There's no point in going to have tea if you can't have scones.  I'm not worried about cross-contamination, but just wonder if the scones themselves contain nuts...anyone have any idea?


----------



## DCDisney

Once you mention nut allergies it's almost impossible to get good info from the Chefs because of cross contam issues.  When we went to GF I was told absolutely nothing baked was OK and normally in real life I can eat produced in the same factory with nuts things.  At WDW I found they wouldn't often give things to me even when I knew they were ok for me.  Like the prepackaged rice Krispy treats ate plenty of them that I bought but chefs at buffets wouldn't let me have them.  The scones they had the day we were there had raisins but not nuts but I was told no baked goods AND they were out of all prepackaged allergy options.


----------



## poober25

I was afraid of that.  This is our first time really travelling to Disney since her allergy was diagnosed.  I was hoping that I could find out the ingredients and not even mention the allergy if the scones don't contain nuts.  Does anyone have any idea if the recipes on the Allears site are accurate.  The scones recipe is there and there is no mention of any kind of nut.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

poober25 said:


> I was afraid of that.  This is our first time really travelling to Disney since her allergy was diagnosed.  I was hoping that I could find out the ingredients and not even mention the allergy if the scones don't contain nuts.  Does anyone have any idea if the recipes on the Allears site are accurate.  The scones recipe is there and there is no mention of any kind of nut.



One of my children has a treenut allergy, we have to carry multiple epipens.  At Disney, every chef told her that she couldn't have any of the baked goods due to possible cross contamination.  Not even the bread they put on the table.  If the scones are that important to her, I'd skip the GF tea room.  Or at the very least, bring in something else for her to eat that is safe.  It's a real bummer, I know, my child was disappointed that so many options were off limits.  For our next trip, I'm planning to hit up Babycakes at Downtown Disney, they're nut free apparently (except for the coconut they use).  Good luck!


----------



## DCDisney

If her allergy is not a serious one that's up to you but GF for me has been the most problematic about storing things together which is never an issue for me at other WDW locations.  Maybe they have limited storage space?  The tea will probably not be fun for her unless she just wants tea and berries and whipped cream.  Even the sandwiches weren't considered allergy safe.  It's possible they would also have allergy safe brownies and/or cookies they just haven't on our visits.


----------



## ekatiel

UGH!!  Just now finding this thread since we booked for Thanksgiving week.  It will be our third trip to Disney.  The other two went really well, as far as food allergies are concerned.  Unfortunately, DS has allergies to eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.  It sounds like the new Udi's products all contain eggs .  Maybe they'll have this supplier problem fixed by late November .  I now have two major food concerns:
1) Safe bread/bun options-- Are there any?? In the past, they've given us the Ener-G rolls b/c their normal bread products are cross contaminated with nuts.  Well, if the GF bread now has eggs in it, where does that leave us??
2) Safe desserts.  Sometimes the regular ice cream is safe for us (the places that carry Edy's brand), sometimes we were given strawberry or itskadoozie pops, sometimes we were given Enjoy Life cookies.  Which of these options are still available?

ls15-- It looks like a few places got you Babycakes desserts.  How did you make that happen?  Did you bring them yourself??

It will sadden me if I need to bring safe food with us to Disney (like we have to do everywhere else) .  It was the one place where we could vacation without having to bring a grocery store with us.  I will be contacting special diets soon. --Katie


----------



## DCDisney

It seems like some places still have enjoy life but the main option now is omg gluten free cookies which I believe most of the varieties do have eggs.  I hope they get the sorted out soon!  Though on my last trip I kept finding they were out of some of the allergy safe foods they normally carried which maybe s why the change n suppliers?


----------



## AEPaul

Elinor Dashwood said:


> One of my children has a treenut allergy, we have to carry multiple epipens.  At Disney, every chef told her that she couldn't have any of the baked goods due to possible cross contamination.  Not even the bread they put on the table.  If the scones are that important to her, I'd skip the GF tea room.  Or at the very least, bring in something else for her to eat that is safe.  It's a real bummer, I know, my child was disappointed that so many options were off limits.  For our next trip, I'm planning to hit up Babycakes at Downtown Disney, they're nut free apparently (except for the coconut they use).  Good luck!




Just an FYI that coconut isn't considered a nut by doctors.  No one can figure out why the FDA considers it as such for labeling requirements.  And while there have been reports of people with nut allergies reacting to coconut, the Dr. community seems to have come to the conclusion that those situations were such that the individual was allergic to nuts AND coconuts, but that there wasn't a causal effect.

I would love for someone to double-check me as I don't want to give medical advice, but I believe Babycakes is thus nut-free and shouldn't be a cross-contamination risk either.


----------



## kkandaj

AEPaul said:


> Just an FYI that coconut isn't considered a nut by doctors.  No one can figure out why the FDA considers it as such for labeling requirements.  And while there have been reports of people with nut allergies reacting to coconut, the Dr. community seems to have come to the conclusion that those situations were such that the individual was allergic to nuts AND coconuts, but that there wasn't a causal effect.
> 
> I would love for someone to double-check me as I don't want to give medical advice, but I believe Babycakes is thus nut-free and shouldn't be a cross-contamination risk either.



The above is true and the same way coconuts are explained to us by DS's allergist.  The medical/allergy community does not see coconut as a tree nut.  We just went to Babycakes last week (May 17) and they did make sure I knew about the coconut products when I asked about tree nuts.  I just said that DS was okay with coconut.  Below is DS with his chocolate iced donut from Babycakes.  DS has life threatening food allergies to eggs, dairy, soy, pn and tree nuts.







Ds got a button for his shirt that said "I ate my first dessert at Babycakes."  DD (who has grown out of her milk/egg allergies, and was never allergic to nuts) also wore one.  When DD and I walked into Goofy's candy store at Downtown Disney and she was wearing it, the man handing out samples of fudge stopped and said "I see her button.  This has nuts in it."  I reassured him that she had no issues with nuts, but was so appreciative that he recognized the button.


----------



## DonnaBoo

kkandaj said:


> Ds got a button for his shirt that said "I ate my first dessert at Babycakes."  DD (who has grown out of her milk/egg allergies, and was never allergic to nuts) also wore one.  When DD and I walked into Goofy's candy store at Downtown Disney and she was wearing it, the man handing out samples of fudge stopped and said "I see her button.  This has nuts in it."  I reassured him that she had no issues with nuts, but was so appreciative that he recognized the button.



It's late at night for me and I'm a bit confused.  Did the button say "I ate my first dessert at babycakes"? Do they hand these buttons out at random?
Your son looks so happy with his donut. He's adorable.


----------



## Random Ninja

DCDisney said:


> It seems like some places still have enjoy life but the main option now is omg gluten free cookies which I believe most of the varieties do have eggs.  I hope they get the sorted out soon!  Though on my last trip I kept finding they were out of some of the allergy safe foods they normally carried which maybe s why the change n suppliers?



I found Enjoy Life cookies at Sunshine Seasons a couple weeks ago. There were a couple of omg gluten free products now that I think about it. I hope they aren't switching brands again. I can't eat anything that omg gluten free makes due to dairy and tapioca allergies. At the rate things keep changing, I'm going to be stuck with just plain meat and salad soon.


----------



## livndisney

DonnaBoo said:


> It's late at night for me and I'm a bit confused.  Did the button say "I ate my first dessert at babycakes"? Do they hand these buttons out at random?
> Your son looks so happy with his donut. He's adorable.



They give the pins out at Babycakes. There are two that I have seen. One says I ate my first dessert at Babycakes-and we have one that says "I ate my first cupcake at Babycakes".


----------



## kkandaj

DonnaBoo said:


> It's late at night for me and I'm a bit confused.  Did the button say "I ate my first dessert at babycakes"? Do they hand these buttons out at random?
> Your son looks so happy with his donut. He's adorable.



Thanks for the compliments about DS.  Yes, Babycakes just gave us the buttons.  I was talking to them about how DS eats nothing out and that we were so excited he was getting to pick out a treat, that I had been waiting months for this.  (It was a surprise trip to WDW and Babycakes for DS.)  I told them I had been stalking them from Kansas City.

Also, I ordered extra treats to take back to the resort with us.  It was about 90 degrees that day, so Babycakes kept them in their fridge with my name on them so we could finish shopping at Downtown Disney.  Otherwise, the icing would've melted.  I was very thankful they suggested that, as I probably wouldn't have thought of it.

If you plan on driving to Downtown Disney, drive in Entrance Two and park in the lot.  Babycakes is inside the restaurant across from T-rex.


----------



## SDSorority

Random Ninja said:


> I found Enjoy Life cookies at Sunshine Seasons a couple weeks ago. There were a couple of omg gluten free products now that I think about it. I hope they aren't switching brands again. I can't eat anything that omg gluten free makes due to dairy and tapioca allergies. *At the rate things keep changing, I'm going to be stuck with just plain meat and salad soon*.



That's ok... I hear paleo is the healthiest way to eat anyway


----------



## nfceagles

ekatiel said:


> UGH!!  Just now finding this thread since we booked for Thanksgiving week.  It will be our third trip to Disney.  The other two went really well, as far as food allergies are concerned.  Unfortunately, DS has allergies to eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.  It sounds like the new Udi's products all contain eggs .  Maybe they'll have this supplier problem fixed by late November .  I now have two major food concerns:
> 1) Safe bread/bun options-- Are there any?? In the past, they've given us the Ener-G rolls b/c their normal bread products are cross contaminated with nuts.  Well, if the GF bread now has eggs in it, where does that leave us??
> 2) Safe desserts.  Sometimes the regular ice cream is safe for us (the places that carry Edy's brand), sometimes we were given strawberry or itskadoozie pops, sometimes we were given Enjoy Life cookies.  Which of these options are still available?



Hi Katie!  

Aren't the regular hamburgers and hot dog buns safe for you?  Were you still gluten free last trip?  I've always thought the only thing stopping us from eating them was dairy, but maybe I'm forgetting something.  I think they're purchased from a supplier rather than made in the Disney bakery.  I would think a lot of TS places would have access to them.

Itsakadoozie bars are gone, but there is a similar triple blast popsicle.  It's not as "cool" looking as the Itsakadoozie, but it is popsicle.  I saw Enjoy Life at Sunshine Seasons and Flame Tree BBQ, but never at TS.  We never really asked though, we just seemed to get offered Tofutti everywhere we went and DS likes that.


----------



## girls

kkandaj said:


> Thanks for the compliments about DS.  Yes, Babycakes just gave us the buttons.  I was talking to them about how DS eats nothing out and that we were so excited he was getting to pick out a treat, that I had been waiting months for this.  (It was a surprise trip to WDW and Babycakes for DS.)  I told them I had been stalking them from Kansas City.
> 
> Also, I ordered extra treats to take back to the resort with us.  It was about 90 degrees that day, so Babycakes kept them in their fridge with my name on them so we could finish shopping at Downtown Disney.  Otherwise, the icing would've melted.  I was very thankful they suggested that, as I probably wouldn't have thought of it.
> 
> If you plan on driving to Downtown Disney, drive in Entrance Two and park in the lot.  Babycakes is inside the restaurant across from T-rex.



What a handsome guy, and I hope we get offered some buttons on our next trip!  My milk, egg, peanut & mustard allergic daughter was so excited about babycakes last year.

I really wish they'd start carrying the SO Delicious coconut milk ice cream products.  Those things are so good that even non-allergy ppl like them.  We don't really trust tofutti and rice dream is just not so tasty.


----------



## angelarney

How do I find out about QS menu's and their ingredients?  My son has egg and oat allergies and we are trying to figure out where to eat


----------



## Random Ninja

SDSorority said:


> That's ok... I hear paleo is the healthiest way to eat anyway



I had to look up paleo diets, very interesting. If i have to eat like a caveman, does that mean i get to talk like one too? Me eat food from ground. 



girls said:


> What a handsome guy, and I hope we get offered some buttons on our next trip!  My milk, egg, peanut & mustard allergic daughter was so excited about babycakes last year.
> 
> I really wish they'd start carrying the SO Delicious coconut milk ice cream products.  Those things are so good that even non-allergy ppl like them.  We don't really trust tofutti and rice dream is just not so tasty.



Your DD is the first person I've heard of who also has a mustard allergy. People always give me weird looks when I mention that one. My dad thinks it weird; especially since we're of German descent. Then again, he spent years thinking my dairy allergy was "all in my head." Just a heads up, the hot dogs at Disney have mustard seed in them. 

I was really excited about babycakes too until I noticed almost everything has tapioca in it. I can have the doughnuts and brownies but I get a bit ill just being around the bakery for more then 5 minutes. The coconut ice cream is so good. It's much better then tofutti and i'm allergic to rice dream anyway. I was glad when I found out our local Whole Foods carried it. It's probably just me, but tofutti always seems to taste like dirt. I like the sour cream though.


----------



## DonnaBoo

Random Ninja said:


> It's much better then tofutti and i'm allergic to rice dream anyway. I was glad when I found out our local Whole Foods carried it. It's probably just me, but tofutti always seems to taste like dirt. I like the sour cream though.



Cocunt ice cream ? I've never heard of it. Who makes it? Where can I find this at Disney? It sounds so yummy. I just have to try it. 
I don't care much for tofutti either. I also really don't like soy milk.


----------



## livndisney

DonnaBoo said:


> Cocunt ice cream ? I've never heard of it. Who makes it? Where can I find this at Disney? It sounds so yummy. I just have to try it.
> I don't care much for tofutti either. I also really don't like soy milk.



*SO Delicious *coconut milk ice cream 

http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/


----------



## DonnaBoo

livndisney said:


> *SO Delicious *coconut milk ice cream
> 
> http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/



thanks. Can I get this at disney? Anywhere at Disney?  How about a super walmart?  I'm from  Canada and not familiar with this product.


----------



## livndisney

DonnaBoo said:


> thanks. Can I get this at disney? Anywhere at Disney?  How about a super walmart?  I'm from  Canada and not familiar with this product.



I have not seen it at Disney, the pp said they would like it if you could get it at WDW.

The link I provided has a store locator. In the Central Florida area the only locations that show up are Publix and Whole Foods. (I think another health food store showed up as well). There is a Whole Foods just past the Super Walmart on Turkey Lake Rd.


----------



## Talking Hands

Purely Decadent is another Coconut Milk ice cream.  Incredibly good tasting.  We buy it at Publix.


----------



## DonnaBoo

livndisney said:


> I have not seen it at Disney, the pp said they would like it if you could get it at WDW.
> 
> The link I provided has a store locator. In the Central Florida area the only locations that show up are Publix and Whole Foods. (I think another health food store showed up as well). There is a Whole Foods just past the Super Walmart on Turkey Lake Rd.



thank you. Wishful thinking on my part for it to be at Disney. I am going to have to try it. It sounds so delicious.


----------



## DonnaBoo

Talking Hands said:


> Purely Decadent is another Coconut Milk ice cream.  Incredibly good tasting.  We buy it at Publix.



thanks. Another brand I'll have to try.


----------



## mrsdrake625

2gr8DisneyKids said:


> Special Diets seems to respond much better to specific food item questions compared to broad "where can my child eat" questions. If your DS has certain foods that he really likes call and ask for the ingredient list and call the restaurants where you have ADR's and call the resort where you are staying. Like the OP said calling seemed to work the best.



This!

Thank you! very helpful. I was also disappointed that I got a form response, but hadn't thought to ask a more specific question. I'm sure those are much easier for them to answer!

Thanks for all of the helpful information, everyone.


----------



## Minnie

girls said:


> I really wish they'd start carrying the SO Delicious coconut milk ice cream products.  Those things are so good that even non-allergy ppl like them.  We don't really trust tofutti and rice dream is just not so tasty.



The SO Delicious "yogurt" is amazing - the closest to a a true yogurt I've had since being GF/DF 

I haven't been able to have anything at Babycakes - I love them but they don't love me  I haven't been able to isolate the ingredient but uhhh!


----------



## disney fan4

Minnie said:


> The SO Delicious "yogurt" is amazing - the closest to a a true yogurt I've had since being GF/DF


 I have never seen this, will definitely look next trip to publix and whole foods. My son loves the ice cream. Even our local wal mart carries it and they never carry any specialty foods.


----------



## jlr9882

livndisney said:


> Pop Century-Divies popcorn and jellybeans, OMG brownies, rice milk and rice dream ice cream. No chicken tenders. Unclear on bread products since the Chef did not really seem to understand "gluten free" and served burger on regular bun.
> 
> .



Must not have been the same chef we had last Aug when we stayed at POP. He was awesome! He called me several times before my trip. He walked around the snack shop and pointed out all the allergy friendly stuff that my son could choose from to use his DDP credits. I wish I remembered his name. 

This thread has me worried, and I still have over a yr before our next trip. We have started going about every other year with my son. My cousin is a CM, so we can't always get the dining plan unless they are offering it to them at the time for  a cheaper price. Last Aug, we were able to get the dining plan and I loved it. They treated my son (at the time 4 yrs) with over 20 allergies like a Prince everywhere we went. If CS didn't have anything for him, they went to the TS places in the park and found him something. They brought more than he could have possibly eaten and charged him only the cs credit (one place didn't charge him at all due to the wait). I was surprised by all the options on snacks/desserts he could have there. Just some of his allergies: peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, milk, soy, turkey, pork, chicken, and beef. So you can see that it is hard to find stuff this child can eat when we are out. Hopefully this will all be settled before out next trip.


----------



## jlr9882

Random Ninja said:


> Your DD is the first person I've heard of who also has a mustard allergy. People always give me weird looks when I mention that one. My dad thinks it weird; especially since we're of German descent. Then again, he spent years thinking my dairy allergy was "all in my head." Just a heads up, the hot dogs at Disney have mustard seed in them.



My 5-yr-old has a mustard allergy along with many others.


----------



## DonnaBoo

jlr9882 said:


> Must not have been the same chef we had last Aug when we stayed at POP. He was awesome! He called me several times before my trip. He walked around the snack shop and pointed out all the allergy friendly stuff that my son could choose from to use his DDP credits. I wish I remembered his name.



We also stayed at POP last September and I agree the chefs were awesome. The food was so good and the chefs were very helpful. We are going back to POP this August because of the chefs and the incredible food.


----------



## CarrieR

I took a photo of the special diets "bookshelf" (if you will) at Pop when I was there last week.  Our allergies are so random that we haven't needed to select much from there, but I have definitely noticed significant changes in the selection since the fall.









If those photos are too big I can change to thumbnails, let me know.  The originals are higher res so if there's a specific item I might be able to pull the brand off of, I'd be happy to do so.

Hope that helps someone.


----------



## mom2girls1974

Where is this special snack cart within WDW? it is very neat - and has a number of items my girls and I could eat - from what  I can see, without ingredient lists......just wondering if there are a few of them, or just one .Thanks


----------



## livndisney

DonnaBoo said:


> We also stayed at POP last September and I agree the chefs were awesome. The food was so good and the chefs were very helpful. We are going back to POP this August because of the chefs and the incredible food.



Between the experiences I had at Pop and the ones my friend is having right now, I doubt I will ever stay at Pop again. The staff was terrible during our last stay. The manager was so bad, Guest services contacted me to apologize. My friend is there now, moldy room, housekeeping got bleach on clothes and major ticket screwups. No thanks!

Hope others have better luck.


----------



## livndisney

mom2girls1974 said:


> Where is this special snack cart within WDW? it is very neat - and has a number of items my girls and I could eat - from what  I can see, without ingredient lists......just wondering if there are a few of them, or just one .Thanks



Not sure what cart you are talking about. But if you mean the picture CarrieR posted, those shelves are located at Pop Century. Most resort food courts have similar shelves in the self serve area.


----------



## DonnaBoo

livndisney said:


> Between the experiences I had at Pop and the ones my friend is having right now, I doubt I will ever stay at Pop again. The staff was terrible during our last stay. The manager was so bad, Guest services contacted me to apologize. My friend is there now, moldy room, housekeeping got bleach on clothes and major ticket screwups. No thanks!
> 
> Hope others have better luck.



I am so sorry to hear this.


----------



## cinderella73

Not geared toward the OP but Disney themselves. - Why the heck would they put a peanut butter bar near the special diet options? Thats as bad as our grocery store that stocks granola wth nuts in the bin above nut free allergy foods!


----------



## clanmcculloch

livndisney said:


> Between the experiences I had at Pop and the ones my friend is having right now, I doubt I will ever stay at Pop again. The staff was terrible during our last stay. The manager was so bad, Guest services contacted me to apologize. My friend is there now, moldy room, housekeeping got bleach on clothes and major ticket screwups. No thanks!
> 
> Hope others have better luck.



I'm so sad to hear this.  We've always had such great experiences at Pop.  I will say we have a couple times had to get them to actually do the special cleaning we need (sorry but when I tell them we need a deep cleaning due to severe allergies, I expect that the air filter won't show a full inch of dust on it; yes it was unscrewed and sticking out so I could actually see this) but they were very responsive and did take care of us once we pointed out any issue.  Then again, they weren't responsive to the time a toddler threw up in the pool after hours; they re-opened the pool 20 minutes later even though you could still see the product of the little girl being sick sitting on the bottom of the pool.  Hmmm.... maybe I'm too much of a Disney appologist?  These things really aren't ok but I still tell people that Pop's been great.  I think the chefs being so great just make me accept anything.  How were things in the food court?


----------



## MSFCH10

Leaving in two days and I am starting to panic that I haven't done enough research for my trip.  My daughter was just diagnosed with peanut/tree nut/shellfish/fish allergies and thankfully we believe them to be very mild.  We are still doing our best to avoid anything that falls into these categories.  How hard is this going to be if we are mainly eating QS and not on the dining plan?   I just don't want to spend my whole trip saying no while everybody else has whatever they want.  I have read through a lot of this thread and am really just typing this out to let it out so I can get back to packing.  Back to your regularly scheduled programming now!


----------



## EEyorelover22

If I were you, I would type out her allergies on a piece of paper, make several copies and keep them in your wallet.  Hand it to the CS person and go from there.  It's much easier for them if they can see it I think. 

Please understand in this next statement that I am not minimizing the allergies in any way.  Those seem to be pretty common and easy to work around.

I think you'll be okay, but I'd type out the list if I were you so you don't forget.

Have a wonderful vacation!!


----------



## AEPaul

Which parks are you going to within WDW?  I may be able to help give you more info on the allergy-friendliness of your dining options, quick serve or otherwise.


----------



## MSFCH10

We are doing 3 days at MK (one of which we have a lunch scheduled at WCC), two at Epcot, two at AK and one for Sea World.  Some of these days might turn into half days as we try to squeeze DHS too.  On our departure day we are eating breakfast at CRT.  Everything else will be QS and snacks.  We have only known about the allergies  for a few weeks and I am still a little surprised by it all.  I just want her to enjoy herself as much as possible in a place where sweet treats abound. We had planned to do the kitchen sink this trip too but scrapped it once I read the ingriedient list.


----------



## Talking Hands

cinderella73 said:


> Not geared toward the OP but Disney themselves. - Why the heck would they put a peanut butter bar near the special diet options? Thats as bad as our grocery store that stocks granola wth nuts in the bin above nut free allergy foods!


Because the peanut butter bar may also be a special diet option item.  I don't see the problem as long as it is wrapped and sealed and in a separate bin.  People have to take it and pay prior to opening the bar and eating it.  Now the store that has a granola bin above the nut free allergy items I can see a problem because of possible cross contamination of the nut free items.  I am assuming the bins are the self serve type.  If they are prepacked then again I do not see the issue.


----------



## Forevryoung

MSFCH10 said:


> Leaving in two days and I am starting to panic that I haven't done enough research for my trip.  My daughter was just diagnosed with peanut/tree nut/shellfish/fish allergies and thankfully we believe them to be very mild.  We are still doing our best to avoid anything that falls into these categories.  How hard is this going to be if we are mainly eating QS and not on the dining plan?   I just don't want to spend my whole trip saying no while everybody else has whatever they want.  I have read through a lot of this thread and am really just typing this out to let it out so I can get back to packing.  Back to your regularly scheduled programming now!



My cousin has similar allergies (just add sesame). It was really easy- and I don't do it every day because she's not my kid 

The standard "no" was the baked goods (no cookies/pastries/specialty breads except their allergy ones). The rolls for hamburgers were safe. Sunshine Seasons was the toughest for her to pick something safe if I remember correctly.

We learned early on that it was easier for my cousin to pick what she wanted to eat and then for us to ask if it was safe because a surprising number of foods (WS counter service options for example) were safe without modifications. Lots of ice cream for dessert- next trip I will be bringing cookies for her (the only safe ones are gluten free).


----------



## shelby101301

So, do they still have the allergy books to check at quick service? That hasn't changed, correct?

I have never filled out the forms before. With diagnosis of allergies, we bought DVC so free dining is never an option. I am used to cooking/packing most of our food. We drive down from PA so bring stuff from home and of course shop at public/whole foods/Walmart.

But this time, we did opt to eat at 4 ts restaurants. Should I still fill out forms or is thread basically saying they are now obsolete.

Sorry for all the changes. DS has thankfully grown out of egg allergy , we use Udi's all the time, but having been there done that, I sympathize.  Now we just deal with  cashews/pistachios and gluten. DH and I are also gluten free( no we are not being trendy.... DH has true intolerance and my hair falls out when I eat gluten - thyroid related)

Thx for all the info you have been sharing.

PS- has anyone been charged for leaving a credit card required ADR because they felt a family member couldn't eat? We are eating at Ohana, Crystal Palace, Biergarten and San Angel.


----------



## disney fan4

shelby101301 said:


> So, do they still have the allergy books to check at quick service? That hasn't changed, correct?
> 
> I have never filled out the forms before. With diagnosis of allergies, we bought DVC so free dining is never an option. I am used to cooking/packing most of our food. We drive down from PA so bring stuff from home and of course shop at public/whole foods/Walmart.
> 
> But this time, we did opt to eat at 4 ts restaurants. Should I still fill out forms or is thread basically saying they are now obsolete.
> 
> Sorry for all the changes. DS has thankfully grown out of egg allergy , we use Udi's all the time, but having been there done that, I sympathize.  Now we just deal with  cashews/pistachios and gluten. DH and I are also gluten free( no we are not being trendy.... DH has true intolerance and my hair falls out when I eat gluten - thyroid related)
> 
> Thx for all the info you have been sharing.
> 
> PS- has anyone been charged for leaving a credit card required ADR because they felt a family member couldn't eat? We are eating at Ohana, Crystal Palace, Biergarten and San Angel.



My son and I both have gluten allergy, along with several others and we had a great experience at O'hana. The chef was great, he made a safe version of every dish for us.  
We were there in March and when we contacted special diets they did still send form. Don't know if that has changed but hope not. It was nice that the first thing every cm did was confirm that we had someone in our party with food allergies. And they did still have the allergy books at qs.


----------



## shelby101301

Thanks! That's so great to hear!  We ate at Ohana pre-allergies and I was having trouble imagining eating there gluten free.  (I miss eating out Chinese so bad!)


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

shelby101301 said:


> Thanks! That's so great to hear!  We ate at Ohana pre-allergies and I was having trouble imagining eating there gluten free.  (I miss eating out Chinese so bad!)



If you love Chinese food and need to eat gluten free, try PF Chang's.  They are amazing with food allergies!


----------



## clanmcculloch

I just wanted to share my current status since we've all been very frustrated by the lack of communication for a while now from Special Diets.

This morning at 10:23 I emailed Special Diets with a detailed list of questions for our upcoming trip.  Knowing that it's Sunday and that in the past it's taken a couple days to get the generic form letter type response I figured I wouldn't hear back for at least a few days and that it would be the generic response again and that I would have to resend my questions several times before I actually got across the point that I have specific questions.

A few minutes ago (3:35pm) I got a call from Special Diets.  Yes, they phoned me rather than sending a generic email after my first email.  I was shocked!  The CM from Special Diets did say that they no longer send out the lists of products and/or where they're found and was apologetic for that (I already knew that but I was hoping for a few specifics since I asked some specific questions) but she did say that she was going to make sure that each of the chefs I had questions for or ADRs for would contact me.  We'll see if that happens but I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that it clearly wasn't just a generic call.  I hadn't actually included my phone number in the email so I wonder if it's that they flagged the fact that I've been as often as I have or that I was so frustrated last trip and they marked that in my file but obviously they looked up my file in order to get my phone number.  She did ask if it was ok to send me the latest version of the dietary request form to fill out which of course I think is ok.  She said to be sure in my email to say that I had spoken with her and that she said to ensure that it is sent to the chefs.  She felt confident that the chefs at the various locations would be able to answer all of the questions I have including questions about products that they carry at their individual locations (though I suspect I'm out of luck on questions about specific park CS locations).

I don't know if everybody is getting this level of attention or not but right now I'm feeling good.  Hopefully the follow-through is just as good.  Maybe they're getting the message that people are getting frustrated?  Maybe this is a sign that they're listening?  We can only hope.


----------



## clanmcculloch

I just spoke with one of my favourite chefs, Chef Dan, who has helped us several times at Pop Century.  I was so excited when I heard him say his name because he's always been so wonderful to us.  Anyway, here's the summary of our conversation regarding AoA.

The tandoori station is all off limits to us because they use yogurt in the marinade plus the oven they use is a dedicated tandoori oven where the risk of cross contamination is high.

His waffles are a mixture of the Namaste and Bob's Red Mill mixes with some oil, rice milk (Pacific brand) and sugar added.

He's going to look at the salad dressings that he's got and maybe even make up something just for me since I do like the salad station and will likely order it a couple times if there's a good dressing.  I think he said it's the same station where they have the build your own yogurt bar in the morning.  He was thinking out loud about cross contamination with the fruit (my kids can't have citrus) so I suspect that the fruit toppings in the morning are in the same place that the veggies are kept at lunch and dinner.  I'm trusting them to do a thorough cleaning while swapping them.

They do have rice pasta available for the make your own pasta station.  The marinara sauce is free of all of our allergens (including gluten, milk, eggs, nuts) plus he's going to see what he can do for maybe some kind of alfredo or cheesy sauce using rice milk and mozzerella soy cheese.

The only gluten free pizzas he has are Amy's and frankly he isn't happy about that but it's what he's got.

The soy milk is the Kikomann Pearl but he said he'd try to get something else in for us because when we're at WDW, DD14 typically drinks soy milk with most meals but the Kikomann contains gluten.

He did say that the Babycakes stuff sells really fast.  I'll have to keep an eye on that.  Hopefully when we go down for dinner (which will be most days we're there) there'll still be some left.

He said he'll be giving me another call in a few weeks when he's had a chance to do look at what he can get in and what he's got available and we'll go over our options in more depth.  I'm so excited!!!


----------



## crwinter

We're heading down to Disney this week and I've finally been able to get a few of the brands confirmed and just wanted to pass them along.  Obviously, these are the brands used for people with food allergies - not from the general menu. 

For anyone new to heading to Disney with food allergies - this is just a list of brands you might see when a restaurant is offering that product.  It doesn't mean they have all of these options at every restaurant.

Chicken Tenders - AllergyFreeFoods
Pasta - Tinkyada
Pancake & Waffle Mix - Bob's Red Mill and/or Namaste
Dairy Free Cheese - Daiya
Pizza Crust - Udi's
Soy Milk - Kikkoman Pearl
Rice Milk - Pacific Natural
Almond Milk - Silk
Margarine - Earth Balance
Hamburger & Hot Dog Buns - Udi's
Donuts - Limited, but Kinnikinnick
Muffins - Udi's
Ice Cream Substitutes - Tofutti and Rice Dream
Popcorn - Rocky Mountain
Prepackaged Treats (i.e. - cookies) - Enjoy Life & OMG

Hot Dogs used throughout the park are still John Morell.

Hope this helps give people a chance to research brands for their specific needs!


----------



## HsvScrapGirl

cinderella73 said:


> Not geared toward the OP but Disney themselves. - Why the heck would they put a peanut butter bar near the special diet options? Thats as bad as our grocery store that stocks granola wth nuts in the bin above nut free allergy foods!



It is for all Special Diet needs which includes more than just people with food allergies.  People with diabetes also fall into this category and many of them are advised to eat peanut butter because it is a good, easy, and quick protein.  Unfortunately I have been learning a lot about this because I have gestational diabetes right now and have been encouraged to eat more nuts.  My son is allergic to milk and peanuts.  We have found that he can tolerate almonds and pecans, so I keep almonds in the house for my snacks right now. Not a fun balancing act, but we are making it work.


----------



## Elinor Dashwood

Trying not to freak out here but I just spoke with Babycakes at DTD and the guy told me they use coconut milk in most of their products.  My daughter is allergic to coconut but can tolerate coconut oil.  I was under the impression (according to the website) that they only used coconut oil?  Can anyone verify this?  I feel awful because I have been telling my daughter that she can walk into this bakery at Disney and get anything she wants, a rarity for her.


----------



## figaromeetsmarie

crwinter said:


> We're heading down to Disney this week and I've finally been able to get a few of the brands confirmed and just wanted to pass them along.  Obviously, these are the brands used for people with food allergies - not from the general menu.
> 
> For anyone new to heading to Disney with food allergies - this is just a list of brands you might see when a restaurant is offering that product.  It doesn't mean they have all of these options at every restaurant.
> 
> Chicken Tenders - AllergyFreeFoods
> Pasta - Tinkyada
> Pancake & Waffle Mix - Bob's Red Mill and/or Namaste
> Dairy Free Cheese - Daiya
> Pizza Crust - Udi's
> Soy Milk - Kikkoman Pearl
> Rice Milk - Pacific Natural
> Almond Milk - Silk
> Margarine - Earth Balance
> Hamburger & Hot Dog Buns - Udi's
> Donuts - Limited, but Kinnikinnick
> Muffins - Udi's
> Ice Cream Substitutes - Tofutti and Rice Dream
> Popcorn - Rocky Mountain
> Prepackaged Treats (i.e. - cookies) - Enjoy Life & OMG
> 
> Hot Dogs used throughout the park are still John Morell.
> 
> Hope this helps give people a chance to research brands for their specific needs!




Where can you find the udi's muffins and kinnikinnick donuts????


----------



## DCDisney

Babycakes has ingredients for everything but yes many of their products have coconut flour and or coconut milk.  Anything with icing or glaze is coconut milk based. They also use large amounts of coconut oil in just about everything that is cold pressed which may or may not be ok.  I am allergic to soy but do fine with the regular old highly processed soy oil but cold pressed I react to immediately even in small amounts.  I think the heating part of the oil making process gets rid of more of the proteins that cause a reaction?  The OMG gluten free allergy cookies lots of WDW places are carrying have coconut too.


----------



## Mjkre

"Trying not to freak out here but I just spoke with Babycakes at DTD and the guy told me they use coconut milk in most of their products. My daughter is allergic to coconut but can tolerate coconut oil. I was under the impression (according to the website) that they only used coconut oil? Can anyone verify this? I feel awful because I have been telling my daughter that she can walk into this bakery at Disney and get anything she wants, a rarity for her."

I just had to reply to you.  I told my dd the same and was so pysched for her since she can rarely have baked goods.  She was very diappointed bc it is really more of a counter, not an entire bakery.  Also, she really wasn't so thrilled with the taste-- and she is never picky!  Just thought I would give you the heads up!


----------



## Alexsandra

Does anyone know if there is nut free ice cream anywhere in WDW. I think I can serve my son the soft serve stuff but can he get ice cream at the sit down restaurants?


----------



## hildarumpole

My peanut/tree nut allergic kids have had plain vanilla ice cream at Ohana's and Tony's Town Square.  The Sci-Fi chef made them sundaes with chocolate syrup and Mickey sprinkles.  They were able to have the Hidden Treasures dessert at Brown Derby.  That was a real treat!


----------



## Alexsandra

hildarumpole said:
			
		

> My peanut/tree nut allergic kids have had plain vanilla ice cream at Ohana's and Tony's Town Square.  The Sci-Fi chef made them sundaes with chocolate syrup and Mickey sprinkles.  They were able to have the Hidden Treasures dessert at Brown Derby.  That was a real treat!



Thanks so much, my son will be so happy! I have ADR for Ohana's and Brown Derby. It is hard to tell a five year old he can't have ice cream on vacation.


----------



## snorris49

figaromeetsmarie said:


> Where can you find the udi's muffins and kinnikinnick donuts????



I haven't seen the Udi's muffins yet, but I have been getting the Kinnikinnick donuts (only the cinnamon sugar ones) at Boma for several years now. They also have the blueberry and chocolate chip muffins from Kinnikinnick there too. That's the only place that I know of 100% that has them. Hope that helps!


----------



## stackyallred

Hey, everyone!  I got a call today from Chef Dan at AoA (he used to be at POP) regarding our upcoming trip.  He was awesome and the most friendly chef I have spoken with.  I asked him if there was a chance at me getting some Ener-G hamburger buns in a week and a half and he said that they have had them again for a few months but that he just got an email yesterday that they are once again getting rid of Ener-G brand and going with a new brand called "Gluten Not Included" or "GNI."  He told me he thought they were egg free so they'd probably safe but he actually had not laid eyes on them yet.  As soon as we hung up I got online and they do have egg whites in them .  I can't have ANY egg so I was bummed.  Depending on the product, the ingredient list also states soy and milk products are used.  I can't have gluten, dairy, egg, soy, flax, peanut and lots more but I CAN have almost all of Ener-G brand's stuff.  I just don't know why they wouldn't cater to the most people if possible.  BUT, I am sure this new brand tastes better and might be an option for those with less common allergies (like tapioca) so I will just remember Disney World without a hamburger bun is still Disney World... sigh, I was just hoping for a non bunless trip! 

Just wanted to pass the info along for anyone who is interested!  Here is the link to GNI:
http://www.gnibakery.com/gluten-free-baking-ingredients-a/138.htm


----------



## JosieMouse

Anyone here allegic to bell peppers? I can't be around them at all. I'm hoping there a some resturants that don't serve anything with bell pepers in it. I also have a squid (calamari) and tilapia allergy. The belle peper  one is the worst of all of them and no one cares to understand because its not peanuts.


----------



## cathicool

Really struggling with our ADR's and my son's 15 food allergies.  Our last visit to WDW in 2009 went great--no real issues.  This time around, we are getting really close to our arrival date and very few chefs have contacted us (yes, filled out all the forms and had a conversation with special diets).   3 restaurants out of 10 have contacted us, including one restaurant which told us to bring my childs food.  Then they called me back and told us that they were serving something my child has an airborne allergy to, so we should "think about" another ADR.

Really bummed and worried about our upcoming trip......


----------



## book_junkie

JosieMouse said:


> Anyone here allegic to bell peppers? I can't be around them at all. I'm hoping there a some resturants that don't serve anything with bell pepers in it. I also have a squid (calamari) and tilapia allergy. The belle peper  one is the worst of all of them and no one cares to understand because its not peanuts.



Unless you're doing quick service, no.  Every table service has them.  I'm allergic to all Caspian peppers (includes the bell and paprika), and haven't had too much of an issue at Disney.  I list allergies on all ressies, email Special Diets as it's not a common one, and they usually send a form.  I send it back, never hear from anyone again  then talk to the host when I check in, making sure it's noted.  Then I ask the servers about things, who usually will get a chef to come out.  Only twice can I remember any screw ups, once during our Dining w an Imagineer and once at the Wolfgang Puck quick service.  They're really good about cross contamination and taking care of things at the table services.


----------



## EvangelineG

cathicool said:


> Really struggling with our ADR's and my son's 15 food allergies.  Our last visit to WDW in 2009 went great--no real issues.  This time around, we are getting really close to our arrival date and very few chefs have contacted us (yes, filled out all the forms and had a conversation with special diets).   3 restaurants out of 10 have contacted us, including one restaurant which told us to bring my childs food.  Then they called me back and told us that they were serving something my child has an airborne allergy to, so we should "think about" another ADR.
> 
> Really bummed and worried about our upcoming trip......



I am really sorry to hear this.  If you don't mind sharing, what is the allergy and which restaurant can't accommodate it?


----------



## Random Ninja

cathicool said:
			
		

> Really struggling with our ADR's and my son's 15 food allergies.  Our last visit to WDW in 2009 went great--no real issues.  This time around, we are getting really close to our arrival date and very few chefs have contacted us (yes, filled out all the forms and had a conversation with special diets).   3 restaurants out of 10 have contacted us, including one restaurant which told us to bring my childs food.  Then they called me back and told us that they were serving something my child has an airborne allergy to, so we should "think about" another ADR.
> 
> Really bummed and worried about our upcoming trip......



I understand what you mean. I have airborne allergies to mustard and tapioca and have been told to avoid Biergarden. If they tell you that you may want to change ADRs it's because they use a lot of whatever your allergen is and they are worried about your child's safety. I would be a bit bummed too but definately glad that they are warning ahead of time. I'd hate to get to a restaurant and find out that's it's dangerous to even be in the building.

Disney really does go out of their way to help with food allergies. I've had CM warn me about people nearby who've ordered hamburgers with mustard, help me find a seat at CS away from the toppings areas, and pack my food up so I could eat elsewhere in places that have an overpowering odor of french fries.


----------



## JosieMouse

book_junkie said:


> Unless you're doing quick service, no.  Every table service has them.  I'm allergic to all Caspian peppers (includes the bell and paprika), and haven't had too much of an issue at Disney.  I list allergies on all ressies, email Special Diets as it's not a common one, and they usually send a form.  I send it back, never hear from anyone again  then talk to the host when I check in, making sure it's noted.  Then I ask the servers about things, who usually will get a chef to come out.  Only twice can I remember any screw ups, once during our Dining w an Imagineer and once at the Wolfgang Puck quick service.  They're really good about cross contamination and taking care of things at the table services.



Thank you so much for responding. I feel so along when it comes to the bell pepper allery. As all of you can understand, I just get nervous when it comes to eating at some place i've never been to. I have heard on this board and other websites about how good Disney is about food allergies.


----------



## cathicool

cathicool said:


> Really struggling with our ADR's and my son's 15 food allergies.
> 
> ....including one restaurant which told us to bring my childs food.  Then they called me back and told us that they were serving something my child has an airborne allergy to, so we should "think about" another ADR.




To update: the restaurant in question helped us get another ADR at a different restaurant!  I have to say that I am very happy that they did that.  Now to contact the chef of that restaurant...... 

And we still have not heard from 6 restaurants. We leave in a week and a half!

Kudos to Il Mulino and bluezoo...both chefs there have been amazing to deal with!


----------



## book_junkie

JosieMouse said:


> Thank you so much for responding. I feel so along when it comes to the bell pepper allery. As all of you can understand, I just get nervous when it comes to eating at some place i've never been to. I have heard on this board and other websites about how good Disney is about food allergies.



Feel free to PM me if you have questions...  Mine is so bad, and there was diagnosis until I landed in a hospital.  Weird food allergies don't have a test unless it's the food tolerance one- no thanks, did that, never againf!


----------



## Random Ninja

stackyallred said:


> Hey, everyone!  I got a call today from Chef Dan at AoA (he used to be at POP) regarding our upcoming trip.  He was awesome and the most friendly chef I have spoken with.  I asked him if there was a chance at me getting some Ener-G hamburger buns in a week and a half and he said that they have had them again for a few months but that he just got an email yesterday that they are once again getting rid of Ener-G brand and going with a new brand called "Gluten Not Included" or "GNI."  He told me he thought they were egg free so they'd probably safe but he actually had not laid eyes on them yet.  As soon as we hung up I got online and they do have egg whites in them .  I can't have ANY egg so I was bummed.  Depending on the product, the ingredient list also states soy and milk products are used.  I can't have gluten, dairy, egg, soy, flax, peanut and lots more but I CAN have almost all of Ener-G brand's stuff.  I just don't know why they wouldn't cater to the most people if possible.  BUT, I am sure this new brand tastes better and might be an option for those with less common allergies (like tapioca) so I will just remember Disney World without a hamburger bun is still Disney World... sigh, I was just hoping for a non bunless trip!
> 
> Just wanted to pass the info along for anyone who is interested!  Here is the link to GNI:
> http://www.gnibakery.com/gluten-free-baking-ingredients-a/138.htm



Not sure why you would mention tapioca allergies, every GNI product contains tapioca flour.  I've been trying for weeks to find a gluten-free bread that doesn't contain tapioca.


----------



## cathicool

cathicool said:


> Really struggling with our ADR's and my son's 15 food allergies.  Our last visit to WDW in 2009 went great--no real issues.  This time around, we are getting really close to our arrival date and very few chefs have contacted us (yes, filled out all the forms and had a conversation with special diets).   3 restaurants out of 10 have contacted us, including one restaurant which told us to bring my childs food.  Then they called me back and told us that they were serving something my child has an airborne allergy to, so we should "think about" another ADR.
> 
> Really bummed and worried about our upcoming trip......






So I have come to accept this is our last trip to disney.  We leave in 2 days, I still don't have all of my son's food worked out and most locations can't (won't?) accomodate him.  So I am bringing food to a bunch of restaurants, but they won't heat any of it up and in 90 degree weather, I can't take the risk of not having a cooler full of ice to carry his food in, so his food will be cold when it is time to eat it.  If this had been conveyed to me sooner, I would not have planned the trip. But to be into it now for airfare, park tickets, accomodations, etc....plus the disappointment of my other 2 kids would be a travesty.  

I'm totally stressed out.....and I'm sure I will be, the whole "vacation".  So sad......


----------



## clanmcculloch

Cathicool, what are his allergies and at which restaurants are your ADRs?  Which restaurant told you to change our ADR?  Maybe between the group of us we can offer you some reassurances or recommendations.  You might actually want to start a new thread though as your post is buries in this long one and is more likely to be missed this way.


----------



## cathicool

clanmcculloch said:


> Cathicool, what are his allergies and at which restaurants are your ADRs?  Which restaurant told you to change our ADR?  Maybe between the group of us we can offer you some reassurances or recommendations.  You might actually want to start a new thread though as your post is buries in this long one and is more likely to be missed this way.



Thanks, I did post this as a "new topic".  

DS only eats organic food to minimize cross-contamination.  
He is allergic to:

_airborne_ and ingestion allergy to Corn

ingestion "only" to
Dairy
Gluten
Soy
Lamb
Lettuce
Quinoa
Pear
Peach
Apple
Citrus
All Artificial Colors
All Artificial Preservatives
Egg white and yolk....can tolerate small amounts if necessary- but definitely can't eat eggs for breakfast, for example.


I know what it is like to feed him.  I do it everyday.  Maybe it is asking too much....it's just that it wasn't in the past.  Sorry, just frazzled!


----------



## EEyorelover22

cathicool said:


> Thanks, I did post this as a "new topic".
> 
> DS only eats organic food to minimize cross-contamination.
> He is allergic to:
> 
> _airborne_ and ingestion allergy to Corn
> 
> ingestion "only" to
> Dairy
> Gluten
> Soy
> Lamb
> Lettuce
> Quinoa
> Pear
> Peach
> Apple
> Citrus
> All Artificial Colors
> All Artificial Preservatives
> Egg white and yolk....can tolerate small amounts if necessary- but definitely can't eat eggs for breakfast, for example.
> 
> 
> I know what it is like to feed him.  I do it everyday.  Maybe it is asking too much....it's just that it wasn't in the past.  Sorry, just frazzled!



Although Disney lists corn as one of the allergies now on the dining reservation, I believe that most do not really understand a corn allergy nor is it listed on labels.  

I am not going to risk eating much at Disney due to my corn allergy plus most of the ones you have listed above with some more thrown in.  I didn't book any places with characters.  My "children" are in college and want to do those so they are going alone.  I am making sure I have food with me to eat.

I can understand why you are so frazzled.

It's going to be an interesting trip for us that's for sure.  I am still taking my pre printed list to hand the chef in hopes that they can make me something...even if it's only some warm rice.

It will be interesting if I hear anything from special diets after I email my long form with our adrs on it.


----------



## ekatiel

stackyallred said:


> Hey, everyone!  I got a call today from Chef Dan at AoA (he used to be at POP) regarding our upcoming trip.  He was awesome and the most friendly chef I have spoken with.  I asked him if there was a chance at me getting some Ener-G hamburger buns in a week and a half and he said that they have had them again for a few months but that he just got an email yesterday that they are once again getting rid of Ener-G brand and going with a new brand called "Gluten Not Included" or "GNI."  He told me he thought they were egg free so they'd probably safe but he actually had not laid eyes on them yet.  As soon as we hung up I got online and they do have egg whites in them .  I can't have ANY egg so I was bummed.  Depending on the product, the ingredient list also states soy and milk products are used.  I can't have gluten, dairy, egg, soy, flax, peanut and lots more but I CAN have almost all of Ener-G brand's stuff.  I just don't know why they wouldn't cater to the most people if possible.  BUT, I am sure this new brand tastes better and might be an option for those with less common allergies (like tapioca) so I will just remember Disney World without a hamburger bun is still Disney World... sigh, I was just hoping for a non bunless trip!
> 
> Just wanted to pass the info along for anyone who is interested!  Here is the link to GNI:
> http://www.gnibakery.com/gluten-free-baking-ingredients-a/138.htm



BOO!!!!!  DS is allergic to eggs and nuts, because of the nut cross contamination in the regular bread products, they usually give him the Ener-G bread products.  I think I'm emailing special diets and finding out what is up with all these brand changes! --Katie


----------



## snorris49

ekatiel said:


> BOO!!!!!  DS is allergic to eggs and nuts, because of the nut cross contamination in the regular bread products, they usually give him the Ener-G bread products.  I think I'm emailing special diets and finding out what is up with all these brand changes! --Katie



Yeah what the heck is up with all of the vendor changes! 
Someone just posted on my facebook page that the chefs at Poly were telling them about the GNI products but couldn't show them any packaging. I would have expected a change from Udi's to another product that was more inclusive of allergies, not some of the same issues. Personally, I don't understand. I mean, I like Udi's but I do think they should have a few options (like Ener-G rolls) to cover various allergies. Anyone know if they are dumping Udi's completely? I was just at Boma two weeks ago and they had Udis, so I'm very confused on the changes. 

I think I need to make a field trip to Disney before my Halloween party visit at the end of Sept. Not that I need an excuse...


----------



## Talking Hands

Honestly of they can't show me the package on something I will and refuse to show me and ingredient list I am not going to eat that.  Mama Mia's tried that with me with cheesecake once (pre diagnosis with dairy allergy) and I sent it back.  I knew I could not have the sweetener in it.  It was sugarfree but sweetened with a sugar alcohol and aspartame when the tried to serve it to me at Crystal Palace and I wasn't will to take the risk.


----------



## Talking Hands

cathicool said:


> So I have come to accept this is our last trip to disney.  We leave in 2 days, I still don't have all of my son's food worked out and most locations can't (won't?) accomodate him.  So I am bringing food to a bunch of restaurants, but they won't heat any of it up and in 90 degree weather, I can't take the risk of not having a cooler full of ice to carry his food in, so his food will be cold when it is time to eat it.  If this had been conveyed to me sooner, I would not have planned the trip. But to be into it now for airfare, park tickets, accomodations, etc....plus the disappointment of my other 2 kids would be a travesty.
> 
> I'm totally stressed out.....and I'm sure I will be, the whole "vacation".  So sad......



I honestly wouldn't abandon Disney because of this. It will just require different strategies.  I bring a cooler every trip with stuff I can eat.  Sure that means I eat cold food instead of hot much of the time but I do have food I can eat and not be sick and still control my blood sugar levels.


----------



## SDSorority

Talking Hands said:


> I honestly wouldn't abandon Disney because of this. It will just require different strategies.  I bring a cooler every trip with stuff I can eat.  Sure that means I eat cold food instead of hot much of the time but I do have food I can eat and not be sick and still control my blood sugar levels.




I second this.


----------



## danaw11

Does anyone have the phone number to special diets?  I seem to have lost it and, of course, can't find it on their website.   Thanks!


----------



## SDSorority

danaw11 said:


> Does anyone have the phone number to special diets?  I seem to have lost it and, of course, can't find it on their website.   Thanks!



(407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) will be able to direct you.


----------



## danaw11

SDSorority said:
			
		

> (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463) will be able to direct you.



Thanks! That must be what I did before and forgot. I also emailed so we will see.


----------



## dawnball

This may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, and I didn't catch it. 

I just got an email from WDW special diets, and they currently consider none of their fryers to be dedicated or low-allergen. They're concerned about cross contamination during the filtration process, and all fryer oil is assumed to be contaminated with gluten, eggs and dairy.


----------



## clanmcculloch

Interesting.  I've spoken with different chefs and managers about this specific thing.  Each location has their own way of handling this.  Anywhere that combines the oil for cleaning doesn't list their fryers as allergen free and will bake their items that would normally be fried, such as fries and chicken tenders but there are a few places that do say they have dedicated fryers and don't combine oil for cleaning.

At CHH for instance the manager seemed to really understand the concern as she explained to me that while they do combine the oil at night for cleaning, they put fresh oil in the allergy fryer in the morning.  She did also say that the tools that they use for cleaning the fryer are used in all fryers so it really is up to the individual to decide if this is safe or poses a cross contamination risk.

Talk to the folks working at each location.  They'll know what they do and will bake the items if there isn't a safe fryer.


----------



## mistysue

While we were there a couple weeks ago, the manager at Backlot express told us they had dedicated fryers. 
To be fair though, they tried to serve DS the regular chicken tenders insisting they were the right ones, took over 45 minutes to get us ANY food while there were only about 4 people in the place, and I watched a girl put fries on some plates, get tired of waiting for the burgers to be ready and then toss them all back into the main basket of fries, only to put them on other plates a few minutes later. They were obviously training new kitchen staff and the people out front were panicking because they were going so slow and messing up every order. A girl ordered a burger with only bacon and it took them 4 tries to make it right. (at about 5 minutes per try)
 So who knows what the "dedicated fryers" reply was worth. I didn't have much faith in them that day.


----------



## ekatiel

Bumping for any updates on Udi-gate.  Yes, I've named the problem .  Anyone seen egg and nut free bread options lately??!  --Katie


----------



## snorris49

ekatiel said:


> Bumping for any updates on Udi-gate.  Yes, I've named the problem .  Anyone seen egg and nut free bread options lately??!  --Katie



lol Udi-Gate...that's a great name for it. Gonna have to remember that 

From the chefs I've talked to recently, Udi's is on permanent contract (whatever that means in terms of permanent) but that they are incorporating some other brands. I haven't seen Ener-G yet, but I thought I read about some others getting them. I do know that the rolls at some locations are now GNI Brand and they also have egg in them. 

Sorry I can't help anymore!


----------



## nfceagles

Katie-  It's not a lot, but I think the regular hamburger and hot dog buns are egg and nut free.  I thought they were shipped in rather than made at the Disney bakery like the other rolls and buns that aren't nut safe.  We haven't had them in the past because they contain milk, but we do baked milk now so I'm hoping we can get burgers and dogs on them.


----------



## valree

Does anyone have feedback on eating at the F&W festival (specifically gluten free)?  I've only seen one thread so far.  Has anybody else eaten there yet?  I'm going for the final weekend, and I'd love to hear if Disney's "unofficial even though we posted it on our blog" gluten fee map was accurate.


----------



## alisaaaaaaa

valree said:
			
		

> Does anyone have feedback on eating at the F&W festival (specifically gluten free)?  I've only seen one thread so far.  Has anybody else eaten there yet?  I'm going for the final weekend, and I'd love to hear if Disney's "unofficial even though we posted it on our blog" gluten fee map was accurate.



I've had the corn arepas from the Florida stand and the lettuce wrap from South Korea without any problems. Can't judge on the rest of the list though.


----------



## snorris49

valree said:


> Does anyone have feedback on eating at the F&W festival (specifically gluten free)?  I've only seen one thread so far.  Has anybody else eaten there yet?  I'm going for the final weekend, and I'd love to hear if Disney's "unofficial even though we posted it on our blog" gluten fee map was accurate.



I've been to the Florida booth with success, but not any others. I have heard some first hand reports from friends who used the list at other booths and they have been ok so far.


----------



## Chelley00

Just got back on Sunday.  I'm gluten/egg/dairy/tomato/peanut free.  Mine are ingestion allergies and not Celiac so I'm not sensitive to cross contamination, but can get sick or feel icky if I eat something. 

I had the lettuce wrap at South Korea, the shrimp on the barbie from Australia and the kielbasa only from Poland.  Honestly, the only time I got sick the whole trip was after lunch at Catina La De San Angel (they apparently use tomato in their pulled chicken)


----------



## ekatiel

Just griped out Special Diets about their lack of egg-free options these days.  I lost it when the CM told me my kid could have apple slices instead of a cookie at MVMCP .  She said that the Enjoy Life cookies were not listed as an official "option" for cookies that night (they list OMG brand for gluten free, and some sugar-free cookie that also has eggs in it).  She did say that the usual quick service places *might* have Enjoy Life cookies on hand.  But when I asked her if I should just bring my own cookies to make sure that DS gets a cookie, she said yes.  Yea, I know, it's only a cookie, but WDW is (was) the only place in the entire world where we could visit and not have to bring food with us.  It was the only place where DS could order some kind of treat, and they would have one that was safe.  It just makes me so sad that we've lost that.  I guess I'll be packing a box of Chips Ahoy this year . --Katie


----------



## valree

Thanks for the F&W responses!  I'll make sure to hit the Florida and South Korea booths.

Sorry to hear about your egg issues, *ekatiel*.  It sucks to have to bring food to the parks, but I guess that's the only way to do it.  I'm going to bring French Meadow brownies with me for my dessert.  I want to be sure that I have a treat in case I don't like the OMG brand (never had any of their products before).  I already know that I don't like Enjoy Life products.  I already have to bring my own BBQ sauce to eat with QS burgers and chicken tenders because Disney uses the Heinz version, which is not GF.  Such is the life of a pack mule.


----------



## livndisney

ekatiel said:


> Just griped out Special Diets about their lack of egg-free options these days.  I lost it when the CM told me my kid could have apple slices instead of a cookie at MVMCP .  She said that the Enjoy Life cookies were not listed as an official "option" for cookies that night (they list OMG brand for gluten free, and some sugar-free cookie that also has eggs in it).  She did say that the usual quick service places *might* have Enjoy Life cookies on hand.  But when I asked her if I should just bring my own cookies to make sure that DS gets a cookie, she said yes.  Yea, I know, it's only a cookie, but WDW is (was) the only place in the entire world where we could visit and not have to bring food with us.  It was the only place where DS could order some kind of treat, and they would have one that was safe.  It just makes me so sad that we've lost that.  I guess I'll be packing a box of Chips Ahoy this year . --Katie



I understand! DD is allergic to dairy, soy and apple. Her options? water!


----------



## clanmcculloch

valree said:


> Thanks for the F&W responses!  I'll make sure to hit the Florida and South Korea booths.
> 
> Sorry to hear about your egg issues, *ekatiel*.  It sucks to have to bring food to the parks, but I guess that's the only way to do it.  I'm going to bring French Meadow brownies with me for my dessert.  I want to be sure that I have a treat in case I don't like the OMG brand (never had any of their products before).  I already know that I don't like Enjoy Life products.  I already have to bring my own BBQ sauce to eat with QS burgers and chicken tenders because Disney uses the Heinz version, which is not GF.  Such is the life of a pack mule.



We only tried the OMG cookies as the OMG brownies have milk making them off limits, but I will say that we quite enjoyed the OMG cookies.  My 12yo does eat gluten but she can't have a bunch of other stuff so she's served allergy products but typically doesn't like gluten free stuff.  She liked the OMG cookies better than the Divvies which she always enjoyed.  She really likes them a lot and we used up some snack credits to bring some home.

Where did you see that Heinz BBQ sauce isn't gluten free?  They list it as gluten free.  We use a different brand due to preference and haven't checked on our other allergens to even see if it's safe or not so I don't know if we react to it or not but I always understood several of their flavours to be gluten free.  http://www.heinz.com/glutenfree/products.html


----------



## dawnball

My recollection from our last trip is that the Heinz BBQ sauce they have in individual servings is this one... 




The dehydrated soy sauce in it contains wheat. 

The other "Ugh, REALLY?" from our last trip was that while they had Ken's ranch dressing around (which is gluten free), the ranch in the carrots/celery snack packs contained "Hydrolyzed Corn and Yeast Protein (with Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten)". Carrots and dip is a nice snack, but not nice enough for me to carry a pocket full of salad dressing around with me.


----------



## DCDisney

Dined at trails end tonight and they had nothing I could eat for dessert at all.  The chef was apologetic about the crummy selection of allergy pkg stuff.  If you can't do the ice creams which all have soy or legumes it's a pretty bad deal.  Luckily the corn bread there is really good so I just had that with coffee for my dessert.


----------



## valree

dawnball said:


> My recollection from our last trip is that the Heinz BBQ sauce they have in individual servings is this one...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The dehydrated soy sauce in it contains wheat.
> 
> The other "Ugh, REALLY?" from our last trip was that while they had Ken's ranch dressing around (which is gluten free), the ranch in the carrots/celery snack packs contained "Hydrolyzed Corn and Yeast Protein (with Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten)". Carrots and dip is a nice snack, but not nice enough for me to carry a pocket full of salad dressing around with me.



Yes, that's exactly the BBQ sauce that I was talking about!  

Carrying around pockets full of salad dressing - the thought makes me LOL. My family was shocked to see me whip out cookies and packets of BBQ sauce out of the bottomless bag that I carried last year. I always have to be prepared - especially when people around me are pigging out on yummy things like funnel cake.


----------



## book_junkie

Heya-
Came back 10/20, and then had a spur of the moment trip since I was in Orlando for other reasons, and wanted to let everyone know that if you use the My Disney Experience app to book any table service reservation, right now *NO ALLERGY* requests come through.  

I used the app to change out reservations when my hubbie wasn't feeling well due to his Crohn's, and made sure to mark our allergies, and none of our allergens were on the reservations.  We mentioned them to the servers, who then responded appropriately, and I've emailed Disney about the situation, but thought I'd post here. 

We had good experiences with the chefs and servers throughout both trips, but the app is not user friendly.


----------



## Sparkly

I posted this question in it's own thread before I saw this one, but:

In Sleepy Hollow in MK, do they have dairy free cookies and/or ice cream? I was looking forward to my ice cream sandwich 

I can eat a bit more then I could a few weeks ago (I swear this is because of stress or something) but it's still random what sets me off. I was thinking of trying to eat as little dairy as possible so I could at least have a Mickey bar on one day as a special snack without the stomach cramps and running to the bathroom!


----------



## DCDisney

Any location that sells ice cream can order tofutti or ice dream to be brought to the cart or QS location but it can take 30 minutes.  I don't think sleepy hollow usually stocks the allergy safe cookies but if you are just trying to decrease dairy I'd go for the real cookies because the allergy safe ones aren't very good and are tiny.


----------



## dj2

does anyone know the brand of gluten free waffles at chef mickey's?  i had some 2 years ago and the chef brought the bag to my table so i could doublecheck the ingredients and i was amazed because i could really eat them.  i've never found a mix in the stores near me that was ok for me to eat (i have more than just gluten issues).  i'd been meaning to call them and ask but keep forgetting. and as i'm remembering them again now while i'm surfing the web at 1 a.m. that phone call will have to wait awhile.


----------



## snorris49

dj2 said:


> does anyone know the brand of gluten free waffles at chef mickey's?  i had some 2 years ago and the chef brought the bag to my table so i could doublecheck the ingredients and i was amazed because i could really eat them.  i've never found a mix in the stores near me that was ok for me to eat (i have more than just gluten issues).  i'd been meaning to call them and ask but keep forgetting. and as i'm remembering them again now while i'm surfing the web at 1 a.m. that phone call will have to wait awhile.



They use a couple of different mixes at the restaurants. The first is Bob's Red Mill Pancake/Waffle mix and the other is Namaste mix. Some locations just use Bob's Red Mill and other's Namaste. Art of Animation's Landscape of Flavors uses a mix of both brands for their allergy friendly waffles. 

I'm pretty sure that Chef Mickey's uses the Bob's Red Mill (at least that's what they were using the last time I went about a year ago).


----------



## dj2

snorris49,  i'm so grateful to you for posting. i checked ingredients online and the namaste looks like it might be the one.  i'm just not sure how he made it without the egg that it says needs to be added. but it's worth a shot. i don't do any alllergen-free baking, but i might be able to go online and figure out some other ingredient which can function as the egg.  thanks again!!!  dj


----------



## livndisney

We are finding more places with "no" options. Garden Grill had no gluten free or dairy free dessert options. We were given hard as a rock melon. (Which went well with the hard as a rock Udi's rolls). 50's we found out after the meal, we had a new chef . Which explained why we had so much trouble. The chef came out, we agree to a menu-none of that happened. He mixed up allergies..... not good. Pizza planet tried, but had very little options. Only one place had rice dream ice cream (chef served it to me by mistake). No dairy free/soy free cheese (even after we were told it was available).


----------



## Evi

Its been 9 months since my last trip to disney.  But I feel like for the most part they do a great job with food allergies.  I have had a bad incident at 1 restaurant and though it really is unacceptable I just won't go there again.  I have anaphylactic food allergies and oral allergy syndrome. I always carry my epipen with me and chewable children's benadryl.  My list of no no foods is long and contains everything from tree nuts, legumes, soy, birch and most fruits and non leafy green vegetables.  Considering what I can't eat, I look forward to going to disney and being able to sit down in a restaurant and have a meal.  I don't expect them to cater to my allergies at any of the counter service restaurants and do hit the local market to pick up snacks that I can eat and carry them into the parks with me.  In truth I have a limited selection of local restaurants I can eat at so going to disney and being able to eat out is a treat.  I'm sorry so many people seem so disappointed with things like bread etc but for me there are no safe breads except for Udi's flat bagels thats it unless I make it myself.  So eating a burger wrapped in lettuce isn't going to make or break a disney trip for me.  
There still needs to be a lot of education about the difference between life threatening allergies and oral allergy syndrome.  I get that you don't want to eat something that can cause discomfort but thats different from your life being put in peril if you do eat it.  I feel like people wanting to eat paleo or having birch cross sensitivity can avoid what they don't like and even ask for a substitution they don't' need to go through the whole food allergy system. Because you can push those things off your plate they aren't going to kill you.  Until the system is truly used for medical reasons its always going to be flawed.


----------



## EEyorelover22

dj2 said:


> snorris49,  i'm so grateful to you for posting. i checked ingredients online and the namaste looks like it might be the one.  i'm just not sure how he made it without the egg that it says needs to be added. but it's worth a shot. i don't do any alllergen-free baking, but i might be able to go online and figure out some other ingredient which can function as the egg.  thanks again!!!  dj



They use an egg replacer, but I cannot remember what kind and it probably varies by location.


----------



## ls15

EEyorelover22 said:


> They use an egg replacer, but I cannot remember what kind and it probably varies by location.



I have found that the majority of chefs use applesauce.


----------



## clanmcculloch

When talking to chefs, some have used Ener-G egg replacers while others use apple sauce as the egg alternative for waffles.  They do definitely make egg free allergy waffles as my DD14 is egg free.


----------



## party-of-five

Hi all,   I've been reading thru this thread looking for my answer, but couldn't find what I was looking for.   

Does anyone know the ingredients for disney's french fries?   

DS will be 14 months on our trip in less than two weeks.   He is allergic to soy, dairy, corn, oatmeal, barly, avacado.  I've decided it will just be easier to pack his food.   (Hoping I won't have any trouble with tsa when I try to get a weeks worth of frozen homemade baby food thru security.  His doctor has written a letter.).  He loves French fries and does fine with BK's fries.   (They use soybean oil, but that seems to be ok because it doesn't contain the protein).  I know he will be flipping out for fries when he sees his siblings eating them!   Just want to be prepared.

Thanks


----------



## disfan07

party-of-five said:


> Hi all,   I've been reading thru this thread looking for my answer, but couldn't find what I was looking for.
> 
> Does anyone know the ingredients for disney's french fries?
> 
> DS will be 14 months on our trip in less than two weeks.   He is allergic to soy, dairy, corn, oatmeal, barly, avacado.  I've decided it will just be easier to pack his food.   (Hoping I won't have any trouble with tsa when I try to get a weeks worth of frozen homemade baby food thru security.  His doctor has written a letter.).  He loves French fries and does fine with BK's fries.   (They use soybean oil, but that seems to be ok because it doesn't contain the protein).  I know he will be flipping out for fries when he sees his siblings eating them!   Just want to be prepared.
> 
> Thanks



As far as I know, disneys fries do contain soy. Im not sure if it's soy oil or what it is b/c I'm not allergic to soy but someone else probably knows exactly what the soy ingredient is in the fries.


----------



## disfan07

Evi said:


> Its been 9 months since my last trip to disney.  But I feel like for the most part they do a great job with food allergies.  I have had a bad incident at 1 restaurant and though it really is unacceptable I just won't go there again.  I have anaphylactic food allergies and oral allergy syndrome. I always carry my epipen with me and chewable children's benadryl.  My list of no no foods is long and contains everything from tree nuts, legumes, soy, birch and most fruits and non leafy green vegetables.  Considering what I can't eat, I look forward to going to disney and being able to sit down in a restaurant and have a meal.  I don't expect them to cater to my allergies at any of the counter service restaurants and do hit the local market to pick up snacks that I can eat and carry them into the parks with me.  In truth I have a limited selection of local restaurants I can eat at so going to disney and being able to eat out is a treat.  I'm sorry so many people seem so disappointed with things like bread etc but for me there are no safe breads except for Udi's flat bagels thats it unless I make it myself.  So eating a burger wrapped in lettuce isn't going to make or break a disney trip for me.
> There still needs to be a lot of education about the difference between life threatening allergies and oral allergy syndrome.  I get that you don't want to eat something that can cause discomfort but thats different from your life being put in peril if you do eat it.  I feel like people wanting to eat paleo or having birch cross sensitivity can avoid what they don't like and even ask for a substitution they don't' need to go through the whole food allergy system. Because you can push those things off your plate they aren't going to kill you.  Until the system is truly used for medical reasons its always going to be flawed.



I hope I'm misunderstanding this but are you saying that people with OAS should not be using the allergy system? If so, that doesn't make any sense. oral allergy syndrome can be life threatening for some people. It is rare but it can cause anaphylaxis depending on the individual's severity. So personally, I do think that people with OAS and cross reactions with pollens should not feel bad about utilizing the allergy system at Disney (or anywhere else) for something like OAS.
My entire mouth swelled up after eating banana a few weeks ago. We had no idea that it was one of my OAS foods because I hadn't eaten it in so long but after the first bite, I started to swell up. My allergist warned me that any of my OAS foods (raw nectarines, peaches, plums, apples, bananas, melons, cherries, carrots, cucumber, potatoes, celery, tomatoes, etc) could cause anaphylaxis. But I am a high risk allergy patient with an IgE of 2200 and severe asthma so this might not be applicable to everyone but it's possible. But my allergist tells me to treat it just like all my other allergies. That brings me to a list of around 25 foods that are off limits.

My one pet peeve about the allergy system is people who are using it for life style choices. And you see it mentioned on the vegetarian/vegan thread. You should NOT be be using the allergy system for a lifestyle choice like vegetarian or vegan. Not okay in my book. It harms people like me who can't go anywhere to eat without a system like this in place.

Now if I completely misunderstood about the OAS, ignore the part of my post that talks about OAS.


----------



## snorris49

EEyorelover22 said:


> They use an egg replacer, but I cannot remember what kind and it probably varies by location.



At Kona, they use Bob's Red Mill mix with only rice milk and canola oil, but like PPs said some use variations and also use egg replacer and applesauce. Typically, most of the ones I get are also egg free because they use dedicated equipment for the allergies and they try to cover all the allergens they can.


----------



## disfan07

snorris49 said:


> At Kona, they use Bob's Red Mill mix with only rice milk and canola oil, but like PPs said some use variations and also use egg replacer and applesauce. Typically, most of the ones I get are also egg free because they use dedicated equipment for the allergies and they try to cover all the allergens they can.



My assumption would be that if they use egg replacer it is the ener-g brand because bobs red mill egg replacer is not gluten free.


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## mistysue

I agree with disfan 100% on this one.  To add, who determines which allergy is severe enough? Your last reaction being minor doesn't mean the next won't be severe, and it works the other way too.  "more allergic that you" wars never go well and the allergy sucks just as bad no matter what your last reaction was like. People with celiac's don't stop breathing as a rule, but that doesn't mean we tell them to suck it up and scrape the bread off their chicken, because that bread can still do them real physical harm even when scraped off.
 It also bothers me a bit to know people use the allergy system for preferences. (preferences caused by a medical condition, like a sensory disorder, are different) Food being harmful is not the same as food being preferred, and does not require the same customization. 



disfan07 said:


> I hope I'm misunderstanding this but are you saying that people with OAS should not be using the allergy system? If so, that doesn't make any sense. oral allergy syndrome can be life threatening for some people. It is rare but it can cause anaphylaxis depending on the individual's severity. So personally, I do think that people with OAS and cross reactions with pollens should not feel bad about utilizing the allergy system at Disney (or anywhere else) for something like OAS.
> My entire mouth swelled up after eating banana a few weeks ago. We had no idea that it was one of my OAS foods because I hadn't eaten it in so long but after the first bite, I started to swell up. My allergist warned me that any of my OAS foods (raw nectarines, peaches, plums, apples, bananas, melons, cherries, carrots, cucumber, potatoes, celery, tomatoes, etc) could cause anaphylaxis. But I am a high risk allergy patient with an IgE of 2200 and severe asthma so this might not be applicable to everyone but it's possible. But my allergist tells me to treat it just like all my other allergies. That brings me to a list of around 25 foods that are off limits.
> 
> My one pet peeve about the allergy system is people who are using it for life style choices. And you see it mentioned on the vegetarian/vegan thread. You should NOT be be using the allergy system for a lifestyle choice like vegetarian or vegan. Not okay in my book. It harms people like me who can't go anywhere to eat without a system like this in place.
> 
> Now if I completely misunderstood about the OAS, ignore the part of my post that talks about OAS.


----------



## disfan07

mistysue said:


> I agree with disfan 100% on this one.  To add, who determines which allergy is severe enough? Your last reaction being minor doesn't mean the next won't be severe, and it works the other way too.  "more allergic that you" wars never go well and the allergy sucks just as bad no matter what your last reaction was like. People with celiac's don't stop breathing as a rule, but that doesn't mean we tell them to suck it up and scrape the bread off their chicken, because that bread can still do them real physical harm even when scraped off.
> It also bothers me a bit to know people use the allergy system for preferences. (preferences caused by a medical condition, like a sensory disorder, are different) Food being harmful is not the same as food being preferred, and does not require the same customization.



I completely agree with you on the severity issue. A lot of people, including those WITH allergies don't necessarily understand that just because the first reaction (or first dozen or so in my case...lol) is just hives, or just itching, etc does not mean that it can't become more serious. My first reaction to shellfish....anaphylaxis. First reaction to almonds....hives, second reaction, anaphylaxis. You just never know. That is why my allergist prescribes epi pens to anyone who has a food allergy no matter how mild it is. And yes, severity differs between individuals....but I think it's safe to say that an allergy can become life threatening at anytime. It's not something to take lightly IMO.


And I agree with you the other way too. I don't think that just because I have crosscontaminatiom reactions and anaphylactic reactions make my alliergies any more important than someone else's in regards to food service. I believe that everyone with allergies (no matter how severe) deserves the same treatment.

And what I also hate is when people think its so cool that people with food allergies get "special treatment". I would trade with anyone in a split second if it meant that I didn't have to worry about the fact that anything I put in my mouth could cause a reaction. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I'd give up the "special treatment" in the blink of an eye.


----------



## Evi

I'm not saying to disregard oas but there are people who have oas and have had them tested and know they are not and will not become anaphylactic.  Not all oas leads to anaphylactic reactions in all individuals, even with multiple exposures.  It all depends on how your iges work, some do and I've had oas turn anaphylactic.  Again everyones allergies are different.  But I think there is a difference between someone who knows to avoid something because of minor discomfort and someone who cannot consume something due to extreme discomfort or potential life threatening reaction. But thats a whole separate conversation.

The problem is you have people with minor oas list an allergy then order something with said allergen in it and say oh its not so bad.  I've seen this and been told by chefs about this.  Until disney takes allergies seriously enough to say to x person I can't serve you that because your on this system and if you want x item then you need to get off this system.  Then your going to have chefs that don't take allergies seriously.  I've also experienced this at Jikos when a chef served me pea tendrils when I clearly stated I have anaphylactic allergy to peas and she said well you can take them off.  Her response was if you don't like it remove it.  I explained that I was allergic to it was not an issue of liking it.  Actually I loved peas until they started causing me breathing issues.

I think until you get people off the system that don't need it again I'm not saying all oas but yeah some don't need it if they are willing to pick and choose their poison.  Because they are making it unsafe for the rest of us and making it a bigger battle to fight. 
I also don't think every restaurant need to cater to allergies but again having at least one counter service and sit down per park would be nice.


----------



## disfan07

Evi said:


> I'm not saying to disregard oas but there are people who have oas and have had them tested and know they are not and will not become anaphylactic.  Not all oas leads to anaphylactic reactions in all individuals, even with multiple exposures.  It all depends on how your iges work, some do and I've had oas turn anaphylactic.  Again everyones allergies are different.  But I think there is a difference between someone who knows to avoid something because of minor discomfort and someone who cannot consume something due to extreme discomfort or potential life threatening reaction. But thats a whole separate conversation.
> 
> The problem is you have people with minor oas list an allergy then order something with said allergen in it and say oh its not so bad.  I've seen this and been told by chefs about this.  Until disney takes allergies seriously enough to say to x person I can't serve you that because your on this system and if you want x item then you need to get off this system.  Then your going to have chefs that don't take allergies seriously.  I've also experienced this at Jikos when a chef served me pea tendrils when I clearly stated I have anaphylactic allergy to peas and she said well you can take them off.  Her response was if you don't like it remove it.  I explained that I was allergic to it was not an issue of liking it.  Actually I loved peas until they started causing me breathing issues.
> 
> I think until you get people off the system that don't need it again I'm not saying all oas but yeah some don't need it if they are willing to pick and choose their poison.  Because they are making it unsafe for the rest of us and making it a bigger battle to fight.
> I also don't think every restaurant need to cater to allergies but again having at least one counter service and sit down per park would be nice.



I personally think that anyone with food allergies has the right to use the system if they want it. I don't think an individuals use should be determined by how severe someone's allergies are. My oat allergy and wheat allergy are not anaphylaxis right now.My allergist has me treat them like they are severe allergies. It's not like peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish which are not ever brought into our house, but she is concerned that they will get worse and the next reaction could be anaphylaxis.

And even mil ore mild OAS reactions cause some mild breathing difficulty so there is nothing mild or "just discomfort" about it.

And you can't tests for whether or not an allergy will become anaphylaxis. It's not possible. You can determine who is at higher risk for anaphylaxis based on previous reaction, IgE and asthma, eczema, etc. but that is not definitive. ANYONE can develop anaphylaxis reactions.


----------



## snorris49

disfan07 said:


> My assumption would be that if they use egg replacer it is the ener-g brand because bobs red mill egg replacer is not gluten free.



That's my assumption too. I've only heard the chefs talk about Ener-G brand not the Bob's Red Mill (but really weird that Bob's Red Mill is so big in the GF industry but they don't have GF egg replace? What's up with that?!)


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## EEyorelover22

That is the one the Plaza said that they used.

Of all the places I have had contact with, The Plaza has been the best which others have said on here seems to be the case.


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## Evi

disfan07 said:


> I personally think that anyone with food allergies has the right to use the system if they want it. I don't think an individuals use should be determined by how severe someone's allergies are. My oat allergy and wheat allergy are not anaphylaxis right now.My allergist has me treat them like they are severe allergies. It's not like peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish which are not ever brought into our house, but she is concerned that they will get worse and the next reaction could be anaphylaxis.
> 
> And even mil ore mild OAS reactions cause some mild breathing difficulty so there is nothing mild or "just discomfort" about it.
> 
> And you can't tests for whether or not an allergy will become anaphylaxis. It's not possible. You can determine who is at higher risk for anaphylaxis based on previous reaction, IgE and asthma, eczema, etc. but that is not definitive. ANYONE can develop anaphylaxis reactions.




You seemed to miss my point.  If people are going to use the system they need to use it.  Not treat it as optional when they get to the restaurants or more sever allergies won't be taken seriously.  No testing is 100% but rast testing can help gauge how severe ones allergies are.  I'm not here to question how severe someone elses allergies are.  I'm saying plain and simple don't use the system if your going to turn around and say oh my allergy to that isn't so serious I can eat it after the fact that you filled out the forms.  Because this causes misconceptions in those who are not as well versed in allergies and can lead to a dangerous incident for someone else.


----------



## mistysue

That is a valid concern. I think most of the people doing what you mention are people in situations like my son. He has situations like a soy allergy, but can tolerate soy oil. Of course we list soy on his form, but then if something just has the oil he can have it. Giving him the van's waffle for no wheat is a disaster though. This happens with a lot of people and either oils or baked ingredients. (eggs are a big one for that) I know what you mean about how it gives the chefs the wrong impression. Half of our last trip was spent trying to get my son's body to calm down from our meal at Hollywood and vine. (who kept saying "that is ok, it's just a little bit of soy and dairy is really low in the ingredients." - which part of that is "ok" for somebody dairy and soy allergic?)

I totally get your point if people are directly ordering the allergen. Like if a peanut allergic person said "oh yea, PBJ just this one time is ok" because that is really more how you should treat an intolerance, but it's really hard to judge why people are making the choices they are. But if you are simultaneously telling people you are allergic and that a little is ok,  you are creating a dangerous situation for others.
FYI- my son's worst allergy is one that his rast test gives a 0.6 result for... if only telling him the test result could stop the reaction.



Evi said:


> You seemed to miss my point.  If people are going to use the system they need to use it.  Not treat it as optional when they get to the restaurants or more sever allergies won't be taken seriously.  No testing is 100% but rast testing can help gauge how severe ones allergies are.  I'm not here to question how severe someone elses allergies are.  I'm saying plain and simple don't use the system if your going to turn around and say oh my allergy to that isn't so serious I can eat it after the fact that you filled out the forms.  Because this causes misconceptions in those who are not as well versed in allergies and can lead to a dangerous incident for someone else.


----------



## DCDisney

It's hard because everyone is different and different Drs have different procedures.  I'm allergic to nuts but am allowed to eat produced in the same factory with.  I have multiple allergies and some chefs refuse me items I routinely eat that are produced in the same factory with an allergen.  It really limits what I can eat and usually means no dessert.  Other unusual things I'm MUCH more allergic too like legumes they can be totally cavalier about.  It's all very complicated and I prefer when they have checklists and write things down.  It seems like 30% of my meals they say something is OK and then double check and run out to tell me what I've haf eaten may not be safe . It's usually soy oil which I am allowed to have....  I do feel for people on special diets though too.  I have friends who are vegan and they will get a serious ruining of a day of their trip sick to their stomach if they get a lot f dairy now especially.  A trace OK unlike allergies but no need for people to eat things that make them feel bad even if it's not an allergy as long as they are forthright and respectful.


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## Disney_Princess83

Sadly my list of allergy's is getting longer and longer and WDW is always amazing! I've only had trouble at Nine Dragons and 50's Prime Time (who were so amazingly rude to us!) I'm allergic to all tree nuts, peanuts, soy products, coconut, rosemary, basil, sesame, malt, skim milk, wheat, yeasr, oats, barley, corn, rice and the list goes on..........


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## AEPaul

Disney_Princess83, I'm sorry to hear that your list of allergens is expanding, but happy to hear that WDW can continue to accommodate you as they do so many.  That said, it seems everyone has one or two experiences that aren't as "magical" as the others (most seem to be in the EPCOT "countries" which WDW doesn't run directly) and because of that AllergyEats has extended its peer-rated guide to allergy-friendly restaurants by adding a 2nd guide devoted to WDW, its hotels, and the surrounding Orlando area called AllergyEats Disney World.

We'd love to have your experiences added to our large and growing database to help future WDW travelers.  Rating a restaurant takes just a minute - you only have to answer 3 multiple choice questions with an optional comment - but again it helps our entire food allergy and intolerance community.  I hope you'll consider helping everyone in this way.  The site can be found at www.allergyeats.com/disney.  Thank you for your consideration.


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## dj2

snorris49 said:


> They use a couple of different mixes at the restaurants. The first is Bob's Red Mill Pancake/Waffle mix and the other is Namaste mix. Some locations just use Bob's Red Mill and other's Namaste. Art of Animation's Landscape of Flavors uses a mix of both brands for their allergy friendly waffles.
> 
> I'm pretty sure that Chef Mickey's uses the Bob's Red Mill (at least that's what they were using the last time I went about a year ago).



thank you.  i tried the namaste mix this morning and it was good. i did find some substitution options for the egg, but i decided first to see if it would work ok with just omitting them. 

i cut the quantities in fourth just to try (it's expensive stuff to have to throw out...).  i used 1/2 cup mix, 1/4 cup water (which is a little more than they say because of no egg) and 1/2 Tablespoon oil and it pretty perfectly fit in one batch in a two-waffle rival waffle iron.

quite a treat this morning!  

thanks again snorris49 for the info!!!

dj


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## disfan07

snorris49 said:


> That's my assumption too. I've only heard the chefs talk about Ener-G brand not the Bob's Red Mill (but really weird that Bob's Red Mill is so big in the GF industry but they don't have GF egg replace? What's up with that?!)



For the same reason why they claim to be "allergy friendly" yet make their gluten free flours on the same line as their nut flours. They don't seem to quite "get it" yet IMO. The worst part is, they have basically like taken over many of the GF sections in many stores near me and all of their stuff is off limits.

It makes things very very difficult and not going to lie....just occasionally pisses me off.

And I just want to say that today was our first day at Disney and I went to the food court at 6:30 and got a POP waffle made from JUST Namaste mix. They carry both and usually do a blend but if you are unable to eat bobs red mill, they will make one with just Namaste mix!

Also got allergy chicken tenders tonight...OMG so good!!!!

I will be reporting when I get back but a few quick things...

POP century carrys:
Rocky Mountain popcorn( gluten and nut free)
OMG cookies and brownies (gluten free)
Surf sweets (gluten free, nut free, vegan)
Rice chips (gluten free)

At Crystal palace today I ate sooooo well. The chef brought me three plates from the kitchen with 10 different safe foods that are on the buffet! The chef who was there this afternoon also bakes his own allergy safe brownies. They were gluten free, egg free, dairy free and nut free. Don't remember if they were soy free or not. But sooooo amazing!

At the plaza my meal was good too. They carry GNI buns (gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, corn free), and enjoy life cookies. I got a cheesesteak (no bun....didn't want to try the GNI bun....have never had it before) with grapes. I was told the fries are not made separately and are fried in the same fryer as the chicken nuggets (huge concern of egg cross contamination for me)

Just thought I'd give you a quick update. So far so good. 4 more days!! I'll be doing a full review with pictures later on.


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## Erin1700

We just spent 9 days in Disney and were happy with everywhere except Crystal Palace. They had been good in the past, but not this time.

Especially happy with Sci Fi!


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## disfan07

Erin1700 said:


> We just spent 9 days in Disney and were happy with everywhere except Crystal Palace. They had been good in the past, but not this time.
> 
> Especially happy with Sci Fi!



That's so weird because we are here now and crystal palace was wonderful yesterday. We are going back in 3 days again.


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## Erin1700

disfan07 said:


> That's so weird because we are here now and crystal palace was wonderful yesterday. We are going back in 3 days again.



Let me know if you get a different Chef and it still is wonderful.


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## disfan07

Erin1700 said:


> Let me know if you get a different Chef and it still is wonderful.



Did you go for lunch or dinner? We went for lunch and are going back for lunch again. I don't remember who our chef was but we are taking a chance. We've had good luck there  everytime we have gone over the past 5 years since I was diagnosed.


----------



## mistysue

disfan07 said:


> At Crystal palace today I ate sooooo well. The chef brought me three plates from the kitchen with 10 different safe foods that are on the buffet! The chef who was there this afternoon also bakes his own allergy safe brownies. They were gluten free, egg free, dairy free and nut free. Don't remember if they were soy free or not. But sooooo amazing!



Those are the only brownies my son has ever had,  and yes they at least can be soy free. 
Erin- that's sad that your Crystal Palace experience was bad,  it was a really great meal for my son this trip. (basically top 8, sesame and buckwheat free)


----------



## Erin1700

disfan07 said:


> Did you go for lunch or dinner? We went for lunch and are going back for lunch again. I don't remember who our chef was but we are taking a chance. We've had good luck there  everytime we have gone over the past 5 years since I was diagnosed.



We went for lunch this year (dinner last year was fine). I think the guy was Alfonso??? I could be wrong. We will certainly go back, I think maybe he was just having a bad day. He made me feel like we were bothering him. It was the first lunch seating, so it wasn't like it was the end and he was tired of going through the whole thing.  "There are nuts in a salad on that side of the buffet, don't go over there."  
My son could eat the ice cream, I don't believe they offered him anything else. 

Like I said, we have been there before and will certainly go back so it didn't ruin it for us.


----------



## Erin1700

mistysue said:


> Those are the only brownies my son has ever had,  and yes they at least can be soy free.
> Erin- that's sad that your Crystal Palace experience was bad,  it was a really great meal for my son this trip. (basically top 8, sesame and buckwheat free)



Thank you so much for caring. I am glad you liked it! We will go back, 1 bad meal out of 9 is not too bad.
Where else do you like to take your son?


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## dzneelvr

We'll be travelling with a gluten-intolerant individual next trip and I have plenty of time to plan, so is there a particular site that lists all the CS and TS where gluten free is available? or do I just ask at time of ADRs? Our choices will include:  Ohana's, Plaza, Terrace Dessert Party, Tony's, the Brown Derby,  St. Angel Inn, Rose & Crown, Yak & Yeti, FlameTree BBQ, Whispering 
Canyon, and ASMo food court. Thanks for all the help; we've never had to do something like this before and I want her to enjoy the spectacular dining as much as we do


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## Disney_Princess83

Thanks  Just saw this so I'll check it out and add what I can 



AEPaul said:


> Disney_Princess83, I'm sorry to hear that your list of allergens is expanding, but happy to hear that WDW can continue to accommodate you as they do so many.  That said, it seems everyone has one or two experiences that aren't as "magical" as the others (most seem to be in the EPCOT "countries" which WDW doesn't run directly) and because of that AllergyEats has extended its peer-rated guide to allergy-friendly restaurants by adding a 2nd guide devoted to WDW, its hotels, and the surrounding Orlando area called AllergyEats Disney World.
> 
> We'd love to have your experiences added to our large and growing database to help future WDW travelers.  Rating a restaurant takes just a minute - you only have to answer 3 multiple choice questions with an optional comment - but again it helps our entire food allergy and intolerance community.  I hope you'll consider helping everyone in this way.  The site can be found at www.allergyeats.com/disney.  Thank you for your consideration.


----------



## mistysue

Erin1700 said:


> Thank you so much for caring. I am glad you liked it! We will go back, 1 bad meal out of 9 is not too bad.
> Where else do you like to take your son?



His first two trips were only peanut free, and that was an easy one. This last trip we tried to get as many in as we could. 
We got to Tony's, Liberty Tree tavern, Crystal Palace, the plaza, Hollywood and Vine, Mama Melrose, Rose and Crown, Biergarten, Kouzzina, Wolfgang Puck's, T-rex, Tusker House and Boma... we also ate a ton of Babycakes, loved POP's food court and weren't too thrilled with CS besides Columbia harbor house.
Kouzzina, wolfgang puck and Tusker house were good enough we repeated them at the end of the trip.
Hollywood and vine was the only nightmare and it was for breakfast.
A good number of those TS locations were walk-ins and they still completely accomodated a child with no wheat, soy, egg, dairy, peanuts, treenuts, shellfish, sesame and buckwheat.  
The buckwheat we had to watch for because the large enjoy life cookies that come in little 2-packs use buckwheat flour. Nobody notices that. We just thought it was cute how the chefs were trying so hard because they were so proud of themselves finding those cookies. They were still wrapped so we just moved them to the side and continued on.

I pre-printed little business cards with suggested favorites which helped a lot.


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## lillykat

I plan to call in a month or so but for now we are trying to budget and decide if we want the dining plan or not, and figuring where we want to eat.  So a couple general questions if anyone knows off hand the answers.  DD#1 is allergic to dairy (but can eat limited things it has been baked into per her allergist), chocolate, strawberries, oranges and shellfish.  

Has anyone gone to WDW with a chocolate allergy?

The gelato is the mango flavor dairy free?  

The uncrustables are they grape or strawberry or some places grape other strawberry?  

It looks like most of the dairy free options are like chocolate chip cookies.  Will there be non chocolate options?  While DD can have one vanilla cupcake or waffle that has dairy in it if she eats too much she will get rashy or hives so I would prefer to not give her things with it baked in and save the one or two items when nothing elwe is available.  I don't want her eating fruit only all week.  I want her to relax and enjoy.

The toffutti ice cream.  Is it only chocolate flavored?  Do they have vanilla?

The shellfish is her worst (we don't know her reaction but had a high number when tested but she has never eaten it - we held off bc her father has a shellfish allergy).  We do know that she has to eat the items to have problems so we don't worry too much about cross contamination.  Can they make her say pepperoni pizzas without cheese or are all the pizzas at say pinocchios haus premade?  She enjoys pizza with just crust, sauce, and toppings no cheese.


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## Kellykins1218

lillykat said:


> The uncrustables are they grape or strawberry or some places grape other strawberry?




I've only ever seen the grape ones


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## lillykat

Kellykins1218 said:


> I've only ever seen the grape ones




Great!  Those are the ones she can eat!


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## Kellykins1218

lillykat said:


> Great!  Those are the ones she can eat!





Those are the only ones mine WILL eat


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## Random Ninja

lillykat said:
			
		

> I plan to call in a month or so but for now we are trying to budget and decide if we want the dining plan or not, and figuring where we want to eat.  So a couple general questions if anyone knows off hand the answers.  DD#1 is allergic to dairy (but can eat limited things it has been baked into per her allergist), chocolate, strawberries, oranges and shellfish.
> 
> Has anyone gone to WDW with a chocolate allergy?
> 
> The gelato is the mango flavor dairy free?



Gelato is not dairy free but some of the TS restaurants have dairy free sorbets. It's a toss up as to the flavors since they're all seasonal.



> The uncrustables are they grape or strawberry or some places grape other strawberry?



The only uncrustables I've seen are grape. They do have dairy in them, not sure if that's an issue or not since your DD can have a little bake in dairy.



> It looks like most of the dairy free options are like chocolate chip cookies.  Will there be non chocolate options?  While DD can have one vanilla cupcake or waffle that has dairy in it if she eats too much she will get rashy or hives so I would prefer to not give her things with it baked in and save the one or two items when nothing elwe is available.  I don't want her eating fruit only all week.  I want her to relax and enjoy.



I spent a good portion of my last trip hoping for Enjoy Life chocolate chip cookies and was never offered them as an option at any TS I went to. Honey Crisp and Sugar cookies were everywhere.

You may want to stop at Babycakes at DTD for some dairy free cupcakes and doughnuts. They've lots of options that don't include chocolate. 



> The toffutti ice cream.  Is it only chocolate flavored?  Do they have vanilla?



Again, I found vanilla to be a more common option the vanilla. By the end of my trip, I was craving chocolate. Some places have Rice Dream ice cream but vanilla is avavilable too. I should point out that my only desert option at CRT was fruit, not sure if that's normal but something to be aware of.



> The shellfish is her worst (we don't know her reaction but had a high number when tested but she has never eaten it - we held off bc her father has a shellfish allergy).  We do know that she has to eat the items to have problems so we don't worry too much about cross contamination.  Can they make her say pepperoni pizzas without cheese or are all the pizzas at say pinocchios haus premade?  She enjoys pizza with just crust, sauce, and toppings no cheese.



I'm not much help with pizza as I'm allergic to the allergy options too. Pizza planet and a few of the resort food courts have Amy's brand pizza. Disney should have lots of options for your DD. Enjoy your trip.


----------



## mistysue

lillykat said:


> DD#1 is allergic to dairy (but can eat limited things it has been baked into per her allergist), chocolate, strawberries, oranges and shellfish.
> 
> Has anyone gone to WDW with a chocolate allergy?
> 
> The gelato is the mango flavor dairy free?
> 
> The uncrustables are they grape or strawberry or some places grape other strawberry?
> 
> It looks like most of the dairy free options are like chocolate chip cookies.  Will there be non chocolate options?  While DD can have one vanilla cupcake or waffle that has dairy in it if she eats too much she will get rashy or hives so I would prefer to not give her things with it baked in and save the one or two items when nothing elwe is available.  I don't want her eating fruit only all week.  I want her to relax and enjoy.
> 
> The toffutti ice cream.  Is it only chocolate flavored?  Do they have vanilla?
> 
> The shellfish is her worst (we don't know her reaction but had a high number when tested but she has never eaten it - we held off bc her father has a shellfish allergy).  We do know that she has to eat the items to have problems so we don't worry too much about cross contamination.  Can they make her say pepperoni pizzas without cheese or are all the pizzas at say pinocchios haus premade?  She enjoys pizza with just crust, sauce, and toppings no cheese.



I don't think you are going to have any problems, AT ALL.  DS has vanilla ice cream at least once a day on our trip in august and he is dairy and soy free, so they will have something most places.   The only thing I would do is make sure you plan where you go for quick service in the parks - stick to the recommended allergy locations and you will be all set. (columbia harbor house, backlot express, sunshine seasons and I forget where in AK) Just say she is allergic to all dairy to spare confusion and they will take care of her completely dairy free. When you start saying she is allergic but can have some, you are going to run into that funny middle ground of what you think of as too much vs. what others think is too much and it's not worth the risk. (for your DD or other allergy guests that follow you)

I think all gelato is dairy based, so not sure why any flavors would be dairy free.


----------



## lillykat

mistysue said:


> I don't think you are going to have any problems, AT ALL.  DS has vanilla ice cream at least once a day on our trip in august and he is dairy and soy free, so they will have something most places.   The only thing I would do is make sure you plan where you go for quick service in the parks - stick to the recommended allergy locations and you will be all set. (columbia harbor house, backlot express, sunshine seasons and I forget where in AK) Just say she is allergic to all dairy to spare confusion and they will take care of her completely dairy free. When you start saying she is allergic but can have some, you are going to run into that funny middle ground of what you think of as too much vs. what others think is too much and it's not worth the risk. (for your DD or other allergy guests that follow you)
> 
> I think all gelato is dairy based, so not sure why any flavors would be dairy free.




Well generally yes gelato does have dairy but like on our cruise their lemon "gelato" actually sorbet and not gelato.  The reason I asked is I thought someone on here posted the mango "gelato" was actually sorbet and not gelato.  Which is why I was hoping someone could confirm.


----------



## disfan07

Erin- It must have been a completely different chef that you had because when we went both thimes there were no nut son teh main buffet at all. But the chef brought me eveyrthing straight from the kitchen so it wouldnt have mattered anyway.

So we are headed home later today but I just wanted to give a quick update.

We basically had a perfect record for meals this time. Everything I ate was free of:
peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, oats, coconut (including coconut oil), sesame, broccoli, all raw vegetables and all raw fruit (except for grapes). Everything was also soy free except for soybean oil and soy lechitin (mild soy allergy but these two things dont bother me.)

POP Century: They have both Bobs Red Mill and Namaste mix. in general, they do a combination of the two mixes but will do just Namaste if you cant have BRM because of tree nut allergies. They also have the allergy chicken tenders and a dedicated fryer. For allergy safe snacks, they have rocky mountain popcorn (gluten free, nut free, egg free....some contain dairy and some contain soy lechitin), surf sweet fruity bears (gluten free, nut free, vegan), and I think its OMG brownies and cookies (gluten free but NOT egg free)

Crystal Palace: We had the same chef both days for lunch (I think his name was Mike?) and he was wonderful. He walked the buffet and brought me whatever I wanted straight from the kitchen. I had steak, salmon, ratatoullie, sweet potatoes, beet salad and grapes. In addition, he makes a gluten free and egg free brownie that is AMAZING (not sure if it is dairy free or not). So that with some  soft serve ice cream was an amazing treat

Plaza: so we went here twice. I got the same thing both times. There were different chefs and the second time it was much better food in general. They will serve any sandwich without the bread. However, they do have GNI bread which is gluten free, corn free, egg free, dairy free and soy free. I did not try it. They also have enjoy life cookies, OMG brownies, toffuti, and rice dream. Overall, I was satsfied with both meals

50s PT: The chef here was great as well. I was actually able to eat something right off the menu (the salmon) but he made me asparagus as well. He would have gladly had made me something else if I had not wanted salmon. I dont know the dessert options as I was too full from dinner!

Sci Fi: again, awesome chef. Since the artichoke and spinach dip was not safe, he made nachos instead with cheese, sauteed onions and roasted tomatoes. AMAZING!. For my meal, I just had a burger with fries with no bun. I was craving a burger. It was very good. Again...I dont know dessert options as I did not have any.

1900 Park Fare: Okay....soo...kind of disappointed with this one. Mainly because Chef TJ was NOT there when we went! But the food was still good and I was able to have dessert. And the characters were great. The chef made me whatever I wanted (steak, salmon, potatoes, corn, cooked carrots, grapes). And for dessert I got enjoy life crunchy cookies and osft chewy cookies with soft serve ice cream with sprinkles. So all in all, I was satisfied. They also have the GNI dinner rolls but agian...I didnt try them.

Unfortunately I could not eat Babycakes this trip because they use Bobs Red Mill and coconut so completely off limits to me 

So all in all, it was a very successful trip food wise. I just wish there were more snacks to choose from for people like me but thats life and its not a big deal in the realm of things.

Overall, things like this is why we come to Disney. The service at every restaurant was above adn beyond our expectations and I ate my self sick this trip! It was wonderful!!

I am going to be adding pictures to the allergy picture thread but if you have any questions feel free to ask!


----------



## mistysue

lillykat said:


> Well generally yes gelato does have dairy but like on our cruise their lemon "gelato" actually sorbet and not gelato.  The reason I asked is I thought someone on here posted the mango "gelato" was actually sorbet and not gelato.  Which is why I was hoping someone could confirm.


I've come to rely a lot of googling the name of a food, which always tells me that gelato is essentially the italian word for ice cream.  It's helpful to know that the internet is wrong again (that seems to happen a lot!), now I will actually check out gelato places to see if DS can have anything. Thank you.



disfan07 said:


> So we are headed home later today but I just wanted to give a quick update.
> 
> We basically had a perfect record for meals this time. Everything I ate was free of:
> peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, oats, coconut (including coconut oil), sesame, broccoli, all raw vegetables and all raw fruit (except for grapes). Everything was also soy free except for soybean oil and soy lechitin (mild soy allergy but these two things dont bother me.)



I'm glad things turned out so well. That is sad about babycakes and the coconut/Bob's for you.


----------



## lillykat

mistysue said:


> I've come to rely a lot of googling the name of a food, which always tells me that gelato is essentially the italian word for ice cream.  It's helpful to know that the internet is wrong again (that seems to happen a lot!), now I will actually check out gelato places to see if DS can have anything. Thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm glad things turned out so well. That is sad about babycakes and the coconut/Bob's for you.



You know you just never know.  The cruise we were on something said sorbet but were sherbert too.  I have learned to ask what is dairy free. We thought DD#1 was lactose intolerant so imagine their surprise when she tested positive for milk allergy.  I asked over and over to test her but ped and allergist said not an allergy.  She was get loose stool, say it made her cough and her tummy hurt.  Now if she eats a lot of baked stuff a rashy cheek or around her mouth.  But luckily not severe.  It is the orange, strawberry, chocolate and shellfish that are more of a pain.  Since orange is sometimes hidden in bbq etc.  I was allergic to mustard which is a pain bc it is so many dishes.  Used to live in Nashville and they always put it on my burger even when asked to leave it off.  At least with the major allergies they list them as warnings.  So many things say natural fkavorings. We only found DD#1's allergies when she was 3.5 and woke cover head to foot (even on her eyelids) hives after a playdate the day before where she had chocolate donut, tropical orang juice box, clemintine, chocolate milk.  Much harder on a child who went from eating almost everything to none of the fun stuff.  But makes sense she never liked pizza, ice cream, or yogurt.  Probably bc it made  her feel sick.


----------



## clanmcculloch

disfan07 said:


> For the same reason why they claim to be "allergy friendly" yet make their gluten free flours on the same line as their nut flours. They don't seem to quite "get it" yet IMO. The worst part is, they have basically like taken over many of the GF sections in many stores near me and all of their stuff is off limits.
> 
> It makes things very very difficult and not going to lie....just occasionally pisses me off.



I totally get it.  I can only imagine how frustrating it is for you.  {{{HUGS}}}



disfan07 said:


> At the plaza my meal was good too. They carry GNI buns (gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, corn free), and enjoy life cookies. I got a cheesesteak (no bun....didn't want to try the GNI bun....have never had it before) with grapes. I was told the fries are not made separately and are fried in the same fryer as the chicken nuggets (huge concern of egg cross contamination for me)



Are you sure the GNI buns are egg free?  I googled them and it looks like all their stuff has eggs.



disfan07 said:


> At Crystal palace today I ate sooooo well. The chef brought me three plates from the kitchen with 10 different safe foods that are on the buffet! The chef who was there this afternoon also bakes his own allergy safe brownies. They were gluten free, egg free, dairy free and nut free. Don't remember if they were soy free or not. But sooooo amazing!





Erin1700 said:


> We just spent 9 days in Disney and were happy with everywhere except Crystal Palace. They had been good in the past, but not this time.
> 
> Especially happy with Sci Fi!



Crystal Palace is somewhere the at it seems people either have an amazing experience or else a really bad one which can even be a scary one.  Most have that great experience but it looks like there's one chef who just doesn't care which is unbelievably dangerous.  I've had a bad experience which makes me hesitant to try it again but with all of the great reviews I keep reading including those allergy brownies I can't help but want to give it another try.



lillykat said:


> It looks like most of the dairy free options are like chocolate chip cookies.  Will there be non chocolate options?  While DD can have one vanilla cupcake or waffle that has dairy in it if she eats too much she will get rashy or hives so I would prefer to not give her things with it baked in and save the one or two items when nothing elwe is available.  I don't want her eating fruit only all week.  I want her to relax and enjoy.
> 
> The toffutti ice cream.  Is it only chocolate flavored?  Do they have vanilla?
> 
> Can they make her say pepperoni pizzas without cheese or are all the pizzas at say pinocchios haus premade?  She enjoys pizza with just crust, sauce, and toppings no cheese.



A few restaurants carried vanilla cupcakes but I do think that most things were were offered had chocolate, other than ice cream and fruit.  But, we're also off of a heck of a lot more things than you are so hopefully you'll have additional options.  If nothing else, there's the Tofutti ice cream that chefs will doctor up.  Chefs will usually add sprinkles and cherries and at the Polynesian they'll even add cotton candy at Kona and sometimes 'Ohana.  At the Plaza they have some other sauces as well.

We could get vanilla Tofutti at every TS restaurant where we asked.  Several TS places also carry sorbets.

We only asked about allergy pizzas at our resort CS location.  These were made at the time of the order using premade gluten free crusts and topped with soy cheese.  It would be very easy to make without the cheese.  Oh yeah, she got this at Mama Melrose as well.  I don't know about the CS locations in the parks but I do recall a dining report where somebody got a dairy free and I think soy free pizza that was just served cheeseless at Pizza Planet.



lillykat said:


> Well generally yes gelato does have dairy but like on our cruise their lemon "gelato" actually sorbet and not gelato.  The reason I asked is I thought someone on here posted the mango "gelato" was actually sorbet and not gelato.  Which is why I was hoping someone could confirm.



I showed a frozen mango dessert in my most recent dining report, but it was most definitely a sorbet and not a gelato.  The only gelatos we encountered (AoA food court and Italian pavillion in Epcot) were dairy based and therefore off limits to us.

Like somebody else said, the sorbets can change even from day to day.  The chefs decide in the morning which fruit they will use for that day's sorbet in the restaurants that carry sorbets.


----------



## mistysue

lillykat said:


> You know you just never know.  The cruise we were on something said sorbet but were sherbert too.  I have learned to ask what is dairy free. We thought DD#1 was lactose intolerant so imagine their surprise when she tested positive for milk allergy.  I asked over and over to test her but ped and allergist said not an allergy.  She was get loose stool, say it made her cough and her tummy hurt.  Now if she eats a lot of baked stuff a rashy cheek or around her mouth.  But luckily not severe. ...We only found DD#1's allergies when she was 3.5 and woke cover head to foot (even on her eyelids) hives after a playdate the day before where she had chocolate donut, tropical orang juice box, clemintine, chocolate milk.  Much harder on a child who went from eating almost everything to none of the fun stuff.  But makes sense she never liked pizza, ice cream, or yogurt.  Probably bc it made  her feel sick.



My son started out eating everything too.  Around 1 1/2 it was really bothering me that he seemed to always have the runs and kept having eczema, so after repeatedly asking the doctor (mine also was certain it was not an allergy) he ran an allergy blood test. All of his numbers are less than 2,  a few of them are almost negative but we removed all of the foods from his diet and he cleared up within a couple days. Just to add frustration, one of the nurses told me all the results were negative the first time I asked because she thought they were low enough to ignore... I had to ask again to find out he had low level allergy scores.
I'm glad I insisted something was wrong because a couple months later was the time he tried to eat baked in eggs and I thought he was going to die. 
He had a lot of foods he just didn't want too, it's nice now that we've taken so many things out he isn't a picky eater anymore.


----------



## disfan07

clanmcculloch said:


> I totally get it.  I can only imagine how frustrating it is for you.  {{{HUGS}}}
> 
> 
> 
> Are you sure the GNI buns are egg free?  I googled them and it looks like all their stuff has eggs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crystal Palace is somewhere the at it seems people either have an amazing experience or else a really bad one which can even be a scary one.  Most have that great experience but it looks like there's one chef who just doesn't care which is unbelievably dangerous.  I've had a bad experience which makes me hesitant to try it again but with all of the great reviews I keep reading including those allergy brownies I can't help but want to give it another try.
> 
> 
> 
> A few restaurants carried vanilla cupcakes but I do think that most things were were offered had chocolate, other than ice cream and fruit.  But, we're also off of a heck of a lot more things than you are so hopefully you'll have additional options.  If nothing else, there's the Tofutti ice cream that chefs will doctor up.  Chefs will usually add sprinkles and cherries and at the Polynesian they'll even add cotton candy at Kona and sometimes 'Ohana.  At the Plaza they have some other sauces as well.
> 
> We could get vanilla Tofutti at every TS restaurant where we asked.  Several TS places also carry sorbets.
> 
> We only asked about allergy pizzas at our resort CS location.  These were made at the time of the order using premade gluten free crusts and topped with soy cheese.  It would be very easy to make without the cheese.  Oh yeah, she got this at Mama Melrose as well.  I don't know about the CS locations in the parks but I do recall a dining report where somebody got a dairy free and I think soy free pizza that was just served cheeseless at Pizza Planet.
> 
> 
> 
> I showed a frozen mango dessert in my most recent dining report, but it was most definitely a sorbet and not a gelato.  The only gelatos we encountered (AoA food court and Italian pavillion in Epcot) were dairy based and therefore off limits to us.
> 
> Like somebody else said, the sorbets can change even from day to day.  The chefs decide in the morning which fruit they will use for that day's sorbet in the restaurants that carry sorbets.



I was kind of wondering the same things about the GNI buns. The ingredient list they have says egg free but everything that is listed on their website has egg whites in it. But the dinner rolls weren't listed at all. So I really don't know. I asked a couple of times and they insisted but I just decided to decline...I wasn't comfortable trying it because for me, eating egg even baked in something will cause anaphylaxis.


----------



## clanmcculloch

DD14 won't be trying the GNI buns either most likely as I assume they have yeast, but it does seem strange.  Maybe because the dinner rolls are smaller they don't need as much of a binder which is what the eggs do?  For DD14 eggs cooked into foods "only" cause GI discomfort/distress so it's not like it's life threatening for her to eat them but it does seem strange that this would be their only product without eggs so I'd be leery while on vacation even if they didn't have another ingredient that she can't eat (yeast is a much worst reaction and I suspect is the cause of her head to toe hives during our last trip meaning somebody using maybe some kind of yeast in something she ate; either that or star anise which she had never tried until not long before the hives showed up; I'll likely be very cautious about star anise until I decide to do a challenge with it).


----------



## disneyfan'08

We just returned from a 10 night trip at Bay Lake Tower.  I have Celiac Disease.  My mom also has Celiac Disease and she has a soy allergy.  We were on deluxe dining so we mostly ate table service meals. 

We ate at:

MK Resort Area
1900 Park Fare- breakfast and dinner
California Grill
Chef Mickey's- breakfast and dinner
Contempo Cafe- breakfast and lunch
'Ohana (breakfast and dinner)

MK
Be Our Guest- dinner twice
Crystal Palace- breakfast and lunch
Plaza- lunch
Tony's- lunch

Epcot
Biergarten- dinner
Garden Grill- dinner
LeCellier- lunch
Princess Breakfast in Norway
Rose and Crown- lunch

AK area
Boma-dinner
Tusker House- breakfast

Hollywood Studios
50s Prime Time- dinner
Mama Melrose- lunch

I tried to take food pictures, but at some places I forgot.  Once I get all my pictures uploaded and sorted, I'll post my pictures in the food allergy pictures thread.  If anyone has any specific questions about any of our meals, please ask!


----------



## Shellhutch

We are going to Prime Time in a few weeks and are wondering what will be the options for our son with Celiac.


----------



## es45

disneyfan'08 said:


> We just returned from a 10 night trip at Bay Lake Tower.  I have Celiac Disease.  My mom also has Celiac Disease and she has a soy allergy.  We were on deluxe dining so we mostly ate table service meals.
> 
> We ate at:
> 
> MK
> Be Our Guest- dinner twice
> Crystal Palace- breakfast and lunch
> Plaza- lunch
> Tony's- lunch
> 
> 
> I tried to take food pictures, but at some places I forgot.  Once I get all my pictures uploaded and sorted, I'll post my pictures in the food allergy pictures thread.  If anyone has any specific questions about any of our meals, please ask!



How was your Plaza experience? Which MK restaurant accommodated you and your mother the best?


----------



## disneyfan'08

es45 said:


> How was your Plaza experience? Which MK restaurant accommodated you and your mother the best?



We didn't really enjoy our Plaza experience.  At first the chef didn't come to our table and instead they sent an "allergy expert."  This so called "expert" knew nothing about allergies and we had to be the ones to say what modifications we needed.  They also give you a binder so it's like a cross between a counter service and a table service. 

At that point we were really frustrated as we've been to the Plaza before and this was not how it usually is.  We asked for a manager and the manager got the chef for us.  The chef was okay, but didn't really go out of his way to make anything special or make us feel special.  In the past we've had awesome chefs that have made gluten free croutons, etc. There was none of that this time.

Our favorite restaurant was Be Our Guest for dinner!  The chef was really flexible and accommodating.  Many things were naturally gluten free like the potato leek soup.  For dessert, we weren't thrilled with the sugar free option as we avoid artificial sweeteners.  We were able to get a bowl of chocolate mousse with some raspberries for dessert which was absolutely delicious! 

We also really enjoyed Tony's as they had gluten free meatballs, but their dessert options weren't very thrilling.   



Shellhutch said:


> We are going to Prime Time in a few weeks and are wondering what will be the options for our son with Celiac.



My mom and I both had gluten-free fried chicken which was delicious as always. I'm thinking that your son will be ordering off the kid's menu?  If that's the case they can probably also do gluten free chicken nuggets.  Just a warning it takes about 40-45 minutes to get your gluten free fried chicken so just be prepared to wait.  

I know in the past they've also been able to do the pot pie gluten-free as they just put gluten free rolls on top instead of the flaky crust.  I had a brownie sundae for dessert and I think my mom just had ice cream.  Also their milkshakes are gluten free.  We've always had a pretty good experience here so no complaints from us!


----------



## disfan07

es45 said:


> How was your Plaza experience? Which MK restaurant accommodated you and your mother the best?



I'm not the PP you quoted but we also just returned from WDW as well and ate at the plaza twice.

I have more than a dozen allergies including 6 of the top 8 allergens (I'm not allergic to fish or dairy)

At the plaza, when you check in, they give you a binder with all of the ingredients which I liked. After that, teh chef comes to talk to you. The chef the first night was OK. The chef the second time we went was much better.

Now, dont get me wrong, neither was a bad experience, I just thought the food was better the second night.

We ate at Crystal palace, the Plaza, 50s Prime Time, Sci Fi, 1900 Park Fare, Sunshine Seasons, and POP Century...did not have a single bad experience. 

The only issue we had (and this was MY fault...not the Chefs) was that at CP I ate something with soy in it (long story...my most recent test came back slightly positive (1 on the RAST test) but no clinical symptoms so my allergist said not to worry about soy) and i had a very mild reaction. After that night, i added soy to my list of allergies and never had another issue (i'm okay with soybean oil adn soy lechitin).

I want to go back to WDW just for the food!!


----------



## es45

Thanks, disfan and disneyfan,

This is our first time at WDW with knowledge that my DD9 must eat GF and your reviews are a great help in our planning. It sounds like even if one dining experience is better than the other, she will still have a safe experience.


----------



## OttawaDisGirl

Can anyone tell me if there are gf hotdogs at Casey's?


----------



## Ed5781

OttawaDisGirl said:


> Can anyone tell me if there are gf hotdogs at Casey's?



My wife has CD...The hot dogs themselves are GF, though we never asked if they had GF buns.


----------



## antree

Yes they have hot dogs and buns that are GF.


----------



## monorailsilver

I am loving this thread.

My 9yo ds is dairy, peanut, treenut & egg white allergic.  He has gone to Disney twice so far & this summer will be the 3rd time.  

My question is about the current 'butter' they use.  The last time we went in 2008 (eek that was so long ago...) & they used the untasty Fleishmans unsalted butter.  So I brought a tub of Earth Balance for him.

Does anyone know what they use now?

Also when should I contact special diets for the list or whatever they give out.  We are going the first week of August & I know foods change by the day.

The only places we have planned to eat at are Chef Mickey's & WCC & we have eaten there before with him.

Also has anyone eaten the Casey's dairy free bun?  Or should I just bring my own?  I could have my sister bring one since she lives in FL & is driving my other sister up for our trip but FL doesn't have New England style buns---trust me my kids were a little annoyed 2 weeks ago when we were at my sisters & they had to eat a side cut bun vs a top cut bun with their hot dog.  The bun isn't a huge deal since he mainly eats hot dogs with out it but is slowly starting to eat a hot dog with a bun.  We have eaten there before with him & it is quick which is what I like when I am in a park.

The same with the dairy free hamburger buns, are they gross?  My kid is so pickey he cringes at the thought of a bun with out sesame seeds (he isn't allergic to them).

Another question, we are staying at the Poly & I never thought to do this before but can I ask at Capt. Cooks for dairy free ice cream for him?  He can't eat the dole whips (or is there really a dairy free version??), he can't eat any of the frozen Mickey bars & can only eat the fruit bar.  If my other 2 get ice cream he would love some as well.  I would assume since Ohana's & Kona are there they they do have dairy free ice cream.  He does not eat cookies other then Oreos, hates cupcakes/cakes & any kind of bread, aka banana, blueberry, etc...  I make them dairy free & the rest of us eat them but he hates them so ice cream is his favorite choice for junk food.

My last thing..2 weeks ago we were on our way back from my sisters in Ft. Myers.  We drove (flying to Disney, I am not that crazy to be that tired for a Disney trip vs a beach trip) so we left a 1/2 day earlier then we planned.  We had time for a downtown Disney pit stop for dinner.  So of course we went.

WE tried to eat at Bodies all American since that is where we walked in & the kids were hungry at this point but they couldn't give me a dairy free bun for him.  We could of eaten at Earl of Sandwich but...my kids were tired of sandwiches at the beach all week & my allergy child really dislikes sandwiches (see picky) & I made him eat a sandwich all week at the beach.

Thankfully Wolfgang pucks could accommodate us.  He had a pizza with out cheese & with pepperoni.  He used to eat his pizza cheeseless until I found Daiya cheese for him.  He said it was good but would of been better with  cheese.  I thought the crust was delicious.  So we also plan to eat there one day as well.


----------



## Disney_Princess83

For Dairy Free "Butter" Disney is currently using Earth Balance so you're in luck there. 

Contact Special Diets 2-3 weeks before you arrive, that's what has always been recommended to us. (I have almost 20 different allergies and almost all the ones your son has, minus the dairy) 





monorailsilver said:


> I am loving this thread.
> 
> My 9yo ds is dairy, peanut, treenut & egg white allergic.  He has gone to Disney twice so far & this summer will be the 3rd time.
> 
> My question is about the current 'butter' they use.  The last time we went in 2008 (eek that was so long ago...) & they used the untasty Fleishmans unsalted butter.  So I brought a tub of Earth Balance for him.
> 
> Does anyone know what they use now?
> 
> Also when should I contact special diets for the list or whatever they give out.  We are going the first week of August & I know foods change by the day.
> 
> The only places we have planned to eat at are Chef Mickey's & WCC & we have eaten there before with him.
> 
> Also has anyone eaten the Casey's dairy free bun?  Or should I just bring my own?  I could have my sister bring one since she lives in FL & is driving my other sister up for our trip but FL doesn't have New England style buns---trust me my kids were a little annoyed 2 weeks ago when we were at my sisters & they had to eat a side cut bun vs a top cut bun with their hot dog.  The bun isn't a huge deal since he mainly eats hot dogs with out it but is slowly starting to eat a hot dog with a bun.  We have eaten there before with him & it is quick which is what I like when I am in a park.
> 
> The same with the dairy free hamburger buns, are they gross?  My kid is so pickey he cringes at the thought of a bun with out sesame seeds (he isn't allergic to them).
> 
> Another question, we are staying at the Poly & I never thought to do this before but can I ask at Capt. Cooks for dairy free ice cream for him?  He can't eat the dole whips (or is there really a dairy free version??), he can't eat any of the frozen Mickey bars & can only eat the fruit bar.  If my other 2 get ice cream he would love some as well.  I would assume since Ohana's & Kona are there they they do have dairy free ice cream.  He does not eat cookies other then Oreos, hates cupcakes/cakes & any kind of bread, aka banana, blueberry, etc...  I make them dairy free & the rest of us eat them but he hates them so ice cream is his favorite choice for junk food.
> 
> My last thing..2 weeks ago we were on our way back from my sisters in Ft. Myers.  We drove (flying to Disney, I am not that crazy to be that tired for a Disney trip vs a beach trip) so we left a 1/2 day earlier then we planned.  We had time for a downtown Disney pit stop for dinner.  So of course we went.
> 
> WE tried to eat at Bodies all American since that is where we walked in & the kids were hungry at this point but they couldn't give me a dairy free bun for him.  We could of eaten at Earl of Sandwich but...my kids were tired of sandwiches at the beach all week & my allergy child really dislikes sandwiches (see picky) & I made him eat a sandwich all week at the beach.
> 
> Thankfully Wolfgang pucks could accommodate us.  He had a pizza with out cheese & with pepperoni.  He used to eat his pizza cheeseless until I found Daiya cheese for him.  He said it was good but would of been better with  cheese.  I thought the crust was delicious.  So we also plan to eat there one day as well.


----------



## monorailsilver

Disney_Princess83 said:


> For Dairy Free "Butter" Disney is currently using Earth Balance so you're in luck there.
> 
> Contact Special Diets 2-3 weeks before you arrive, that's what has always been recommended to us. (I have almost 20 different allergies and almost all the ones your son has, minus the dairy)




Thanks!  That is what I thought I read about the butter.  It tastes so much better then the blah..fleishmans!!


----------



## Disney_Princess83

monorailsilver said:


> Thanks!  That is what I thought I read about the butter.  It tastes so much better then the blah..fleishmans!!



 Good luck with the answers to your other dairy questions. Dairy is one of the new allergies I don't have   (nuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, coconut and the list goes on...)


----------



## clanmcculloch

monorailsilver said:


> My question is about the current 'butter' they use.  The last time we went in 2008 (eek that was so long ago...) & they used the untasty Fleishmans unsalted butter.  So I brought a tub of Earth Balance for him.
> 
> Does anyone know what they use now?



It's one of the Earth Balance varieties that does contain soy.  I'm pointing out the soy for others who may be concerned; I get that it's not something you worry about.



monorailsilver said:


> Also when should I contact special diets for the list or whatever they give out.  We are going the first week of August & I know foods change by the day.



For our most recent trip we were told to email back within I think it was 30 days of our trip.  I'd probably go with around 3 weeks out.



monorailsilver said:


> The same with the dairy free hamburger buns, are they gross?  My kid is so pickey he cringes at the thought of a bun with out sesame seeds (he isn't allergic to them).



No sesame seeds (that's another common allergen so I can't imagine that they'd ever choose an allergy bun with sesame seeds).

The Udi's buns are pretty good but the GNI are tiny and only ok to eat if they're grilled or treated in some way.  Well, I didn't actually try a non-heated one so that's really an assumption but based on the texture of the ones that were treated, I'm guessing that they're not so great without being treated in some way.



monorailsilver said:


> Another question, we are staying at the Poly & I never thought to do this before but can I ask at Capt. Cooks for dairy free ice cream for him?  He can't eat the dole whips (or is there really a dairy free version??), he can't eat any of the frozen Mickey bars & can only eat the fruit bar.  If my other 2 get ice cream he would love some as well.  I would assume since Ohana's & Kona are there they they do have dairy free ice cream.  He does not eat cookies other then Oreos, hates cupcakes/cakes & any kind of bread, aka banana, blueberry, etc...  I make them dairy free & the rest of us eat them but he hates them so ice cream is his favorite choice for junk food.



Captain Cook's can get him Tofutti ice cream.

Regarding the Dole Whips; it depends on his level of sensitivity as to whether you trust them or not.  The vanilla has casein but the pineapple and orange are vegan.  The problem with the pineapple and orange at WDW is with potential for cross contamination.  In Captain Cook's the pineapple is dispensed from the same machine as the vanilla.  Even though they have different spouts, the spouts are very close together and it's self serve.  I've seen pictures online of some pretty tall monster self-serve Dole Whips and I can't imagine that the pineapple spout is never touched by vanilla.  At Aloha Isle there is a separate machine for pineapple and orange (there's also pineapple in the machine that serves vanilla so if you choose to try it at Aloha Isle then make sure to ask for it from the machine with the orange).  The problem here is that it's been reported that CMs have said that every flavour is mixed in the same bucket that gets cleaned out.  I'm not sure if I trust that it's been properly cleaned.  If you do find that to be sufficient then make sure to ask for the CM to change his gloves before serving you and to then grab a new sleeve of cups for serving your DS so that there's less risk of cross contamination.


----------



## emilik

I have a few questions (our trip isn't until Feb so I know things could change, but I'm hoping to get a baseline idea and check on specifics closer to the trip ).  

One of our daughters is gluten-free, dairy-free, dye-free, and the baby and I are both egg-free.  I also have Oral Allergy Syndrome but I'm not planning to list it on our ressies as my reaction is comparatively mild and I can just eat around items I can't have rather than confusing everyone with my huge list!

Anyone know if CRT uses BRM mix or Namaste for their allergen waffles?  The BRM mix gives us all a stomach ache every time we've used it at home so we'll avoid it if possible.

Any recent experiences at Garden Grill?

What are the best options for QS in Animal Kingdom with allergies?

Long shot I know, but does anyone know if the poolside QS places, namely the one at the Meadows Pool at Fort Wilderness, have allergen-free options on hand?

And this isn't specifically allergen related, but we don't eat pork for religious reasons (as well as shellfish etc) and I'm wondering if we'd have the option of turkey or chicken bacon/sausage at Crystal Palace and CRT breakfast?  Or other non-pork breakfast meats?  I'm kind of worried about having no protein options at breakfast since two of us can't have eggs...

Thanks for all the info here!  I'm really looking forward to vacationing without constantly fretting about our food!


----------



## clanmcculloch

CRT has used Van's frozen waffles for their allergy waffles for at least several years.  I wouldn't count on that changing any time soon.

In AK we like Flame Tree BBQ for allergies.  I believe that the chicken should be safe without sauce but you'll obviously need to check the book when you get there (obviously ribs and pulled pork are out with I'm assuming semi-kosher rules).  The coleslaw will be off limits since it has egg based mayo (I could eat it but my egg free DD couldn't).

FW is unbelievably lacking in QS allergy options.  We were able to go to Trail's End and order a few things to go but that was the only thing we tried.  From what I had learned from a chef at the resort before we went, the options were very limited.  TS restaurants were great but we didn't even bother trying much with QS.  We ordered groceries for our cabin so I planned for a few meals prepared by me for when we were hanging around our resort).  I've got Fort Wilderness dining reviews in my August 2012 dining report if you're interested.

I know they have turkey bacon and chicken sausage at the Polynesian and a couple years ago I got chicken sausage at 1900PF but I really don't know where else they're available.  Good question for special diets.

We really don't do many breakfasts because of our particular list of allergies.  Three of us are gluten and milk free, one is also egg free and I'm pork free plus we've got a bunch of other things on our lists but those are the ones that make breakfast most difficult.  I can definitely sympathize.  We prefer first lunch seatings for the most part for this very reason.  We're in a bit of a better position than you though because I can eat eggs and DD15 can eat pork so at least we can each get _some_ kind of protein.


----------



## emilik

That's really helpful, thank you!!  Van's frozen waffles are actually good news, we like those!  I'll definitely call SD about breakfast meats.  Worst case scenario I can always snack on some nuts on the way there to avoid that blood sugar spike of the pure starch breakfast   Bummer about the QS at FW.   We're actually planning to do most of our meals in the cabin anyway, but I was hoping for a few days by the pool with no cooking... guess that's when I break out the gluten-free frozen chicken nuggets and call it close enough haha!


----------



## clanmcculloch

I can't remember for sure but I think the chef at Trail's End might have said that he has the allergy chicken tenders there.  We eat them in the parks several times so we get a little burned out on them.  Ask Special Diets which gluten free items are available at FW.  You may be able to get a few things so you won't have to cook all of the meals at the resort. And, as I said we had great meals at Trails End.


----------



## AEPaul

If you want to find the restaurants that the food allergy has considered the most allergy-friendly on their trips to WDW, go to crowd-sourcing site AllergyEats Disney World (www.allergyeats.com/disney).  Just about all dining facilities in the major parks have been reviewed plus many in the water parks, hotels, and surrounding Orlando area.

Good luck and happy eating!


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## jillianml

Just thought I would mention that I have heard that Baby cakes gluten free bakery items are now available in the landscapes of flavor dinning hall located at the art of animation resort! Can anyone confirm this that has been there recently?


----------



## mrsdrake625

jillianml said:
			
		

> Just thought I would mention that I have heard that Baby cakes gluten free bakery items are now available in the landscapes of flavor dinning hall located at the art of animation resort! Can anyone confirm this that has been there recently?



It's true! We visited at the end of may. Theyre also available at beach club marketplace and Boardwalk Bakery and I even think they were a snack credit. I bought them, they were four mini muffins, chocolate, with four different flavors frosting. They were good. Typing this right now is making me crave them again


----------



## jillianml

mrsdrake625 said:


> It's true! We visited at the end of may. Theyre also available at beach club marketplace and Boardwalk Bakery and I even think they were a snack credit. I bought them, they were four mini muffins, chocolate, with four different flavors frosting. They were good. Typing this right now is making me crave them again



Thank you !!!!This confirms my decision to stay there at Christmas time!!!


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## livndisney

jillianml said:


> Just thought I would mention that I have heard that Baby cakes gluten free bakery items are now available in the landscapes of flavor dinning hall located at the art of animation resort! Can anyone confirm this that has been there recently?



The four pack of mini cupcakes from Babycakes has been available since A of A opened. I have not seen other items from Babycakes.


----------



## clanmcculloch

We got Babycakes chocolate chip cookies at AoA last summer.  They didn't have them on the shelves.  A chef offered them to me when I asked for several packs of Enjoy Life cookies (using up snack credits at the end of our trip and there weren't any on the shelf) but he didn't have enough so he asked if we wanted those.  I hadn't realized that they even had them in the freezer so it's worth asking a chef if they have any other BC products in the kitchen if you're talking to a chef about allergies anyway.


----------



## MamaOfTwoPrincesses

Can we still get Divvies (nut safe) cookies anywhere? We used to get them at the Main Street Bakery, but I assume that's out now that Sbux had taken over...


----------



## minnie1012

MamaOfTwoPrincesses said:


> Can we still get Divvies (nut safe) cookies anywhere? We used to get them at the Main Street Bakery, but I assume that's out now that Sbux had taken over...



I think Disney as a whole dropped Divvies all together but I'm not positive.  They have this other brand that is gluten free ( I think it was called OMG its gluten free? something like that) and I believe its nut free but it had eggs so my daughter couldn't have it.  I liked the Divvies because they were egg free.


----------



## DCDisney

On our last 2 trips all the divvies products were gone.  They had the OMG gluten free cookies and a few places had enjoy life but mostly table service.  The OMG products aren't really very good for other allergies I know I had conflicts with both flavors can't remember if it was soy or a seed which my Dr lumps in w nuts as a don't have.


----------



## LVSWL

Last year before F&W the disney food blog posted a map with info on what foods were gluten free. I am hoping that they will post something similar this year. I cannot eat dairy, so I am hoping to have some options at the booths at F&W.


----------



## disfan07

We are actually just leaving WDW today...my allergies include: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, dairy, soy, oats, coconut, sesame, sunflower seeds, bananas, cherries, broccoli....this is what I know as far as the current allergy information for where we ate....

Saratoga Springs:
Turf Club: ener-g tapioca rolls
Artists palette: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies (but you have to ask for them), ener-g tapioca buns; Udis pizza crust and hamburger buns

Magic kingdom:
Liberty tree tavern: GNI hamburger buns
Crystal Palace: GNI rolls
Columbia harbor house: allergy free chicken tenders
Cosmic rays: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies

EPCOT:
Sunshine seasons: rocky mountain popcorn; OMG brownies; 2 packs of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; boxes of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies and soft brownie cookies; surf sweets
Garden grill: enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; enjoy life soft brownie cookies; Udis rolls (disclaimer: I do NOT recommend this place....our chef was terrible and so was the food...a waste of money IMO)
American adventure: allergy free chicken tenders

Grand Floridian:
1900 park fare: namaste waffle mix; enjoy life cookies; GNI buns; rice dream ice cream
Citricos: GNI buns; the apple sorbet is free of all top 8 allergens (plus more)

Contemporary:
Contempo Cafe: Udis rolls/buns, namaste waffle mix, 2 packs of enjoy life chcolate chip cookies, OMG brownies, allergy free chicken tenders
The Wave: Udis rolls


All of our meals were wonderful....except garden grill...it was so bad that we submitted a complaint that night with guest relations. The chef was horrendous and my food was inedible. Other than that, we had 6 1/2 days of fabulous allergy safe meals and all of the other chefs and managers were wonderful!

My highest rated ones are :
Citricos
Contempo Cafe
The Wave
Crystal Palace (we prefer lunch over dinner....but dinner was really good as well,)


----------



## geek+nerd

disfan07 said:


> We are actually just leaving WDW today...my allergies include: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, dairy, soy, oats, coconut, sesame, sunflower seeds, bananas, cherries, broccoli....this is what I know as far as the current allergy information for where we ate....
> 
> Saratoga Springs:
> Turf Club: ener-g tapioca rolls
> Artists palette: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies (but you have to ask for them), ener-g tapioca buns; Udis pizza crust and hamburger buns
> 
> Magic kingdom:
> Liberty tree tavern: GNI hamburger buns
> Crystal Palace: GNI rolls
> Columbia harbor house: allergy free chicken tenders
> Cosmic rays: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies
> 
> EPCOT:
> Sunshine seasons: rocky mountain popcorn; OMG brownies; 2 packs of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; boxes of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies and soft brownie cookies; surf sweets
> Garden grill: enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; enjoy life soft brownie cookies; Udis rolls (disclaimer: I do NOT recommend this place....
> 
> All of our meals were wonderful....except garden grill...it was so bad that we submitted a complaint that night with guest relations. The chef was horrendous and my food was inedible. Other than that, we had 6 1/2 days of fabulous allergy safe meals and all of the other chefs and managers were wonderful!



I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience at Garden Grill, but I am glad you posted about it. DH and I made reservations there for Christmas time, and if the allergy food was inedible, then I think we will cancel. 

We are in WDW now. I had an amazing meal prepared by Chef Jake at Sanaa last night. He made me a special version of the lamb tandoori. It was so tender and flavorful. 

I had an experience today at 50's PTC, however, that left me in tears. The chef seemed annoyed that he had to talk to me. In fact, we waited over 20 minutes after being seated for him to come talk to us.  Then, when discussing my options, he said it would be "easiest" if he just grilled something for me. He really made me feel like I was a burden to him. He made me the grilled pork chop with absolutely no seasoning. I'm talking not even salt and pepper. I am wheat, soy and dairy free and can't have onions or garlic or either in powder form. I can have every other spice imaginable.  We won't be going back there.


----------



## CarrieR

Just to throw some confusion into the ring, we had a fabulous experience at GG. I went with two friends - one with no allergies, one latex (special prep for the dishes/silverware,) banana, kiwi, avocado, certain tree nuts & unknown tropical fruit (probably mango.) I am vegetarian, allergic to mangoes & mushrooms. The chef was awesome, came out and joked with us, pulled up a seat at our table (I invited him to sit in the unused chair initially, then he just helped himself lol) and was extremely attentive. Character interaction was great, and it was all them as we don't really "do" characters. Food was excellent, we left stuffed. We had avoided it for a lot of trips due to it being family-style and our issues being incompatible, but they really made it happen.

Just to note that they are not always terrible with allergies 

Edit: eek! So sorry to hear about the 50s PT chef. We are going there in Aug, and I definitely need a chef, as their veg dish is mushroom based. Fingers crossed it is a better experience!


----------



## disfan07

geek+nerd said:


> I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience at Garden Grill, but I am glad you posted about it. DH and I made reservations there for Christmas time, and if the allergy food was inedible, then I think we will cancel.
> 
> We are in WDW now. I had an amazing meal prepared by Chef Jake at Sanaa last night. He made me a special version of the lamb tandoori. It was so tender and flavorful.
> 
> I had an experience today at 50's PTC, however, that left me in tears. The chef seemed annoyed that he had to talk to me. In fact, we waited over 20 minutes after being seated for him to come talk to us.  Then, when discussing my options, he said it would be "easiest" if he just grilled something for me. He really made me feel like I was a burden to him. He made me the grilled pork chop with absolutely no seasoning. I'm talking not even salt and pepper. I am wheat, soy and dairy free and can't have onions or garlic or either in powder form. I can have every other spice imaginable.  We won't be going back there.



That's similar to our experience at garden grill. Baked fish and plain beef strips. Both completely unseasoned and over cooked. Inedible.

We went to 50s in December and had a wonderful chef. A great salmon with asparagus and mashed potatoes. We decided not to try it this time because my new dairy allergy seems to have really limited things (I was not allergic to dairy in December).


----------



## mistysue

disfan07 said:


> EPCOT:
> Sunshine seasons: rocky mountain popcorn; OMG brownies; 2 packs of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; boxes of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies and *soft brownie cookies*; surf sweets
> Garden grill: enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; *enjoy life soft brownie cookies*; Udis rolls (disclaimer: I do NOT recommend this place....our chef was terrible and so was the food...a waste of money IMO)
> American adventure: allergy free chicken tenders



Thank you so much for noticing if they were soft or crunchy!!!  It's good to have a clue where I can hope for them.


----------



## disfan07

mistysue said:


> Thank you so much for noticing if they were soft or crunchy!!!  It's good to have a clue where I can hope for them.



If they don't have them out front, ask for them. They usuall have boxes in the back....I asked out of curiosity because they were not out front and they did have them....but I didn't need any....I brought some with us...

1900 park fare also had the soft chocolate brownie cookies.


----------



## LoKay

We too had a bad experience with the chef at 50's Primetime. It must have been the same chef. Waited a long time for him to come out and then when he did he pushed the pot pie. I said I wanted the fried chicken and he told me it would be over 45 minutes. My husband was starving so I ordered the pork chop. It took 40 minutes and was horrible! It was too salty and tough. I should have stuck to my guns and gotten the fried chicken since it would have only been an extra 5 minutes. I wish I had gotten the chef's name but he either didn't say it or I was beyond hunger and wasn't listening.


----------



## geek+nerd

LoKay said:


> We too had a bad experience with the chef at 50's Primetime. It must have been the same chef. Waited a long time for him to come out and then when he did he pushed the pot pie. I said I wanted the fried chicken and he told me it would be over 45 minutes. My husband was starving so I ordered the pork chop. It took 40 minutes and was horrible! It was too salty and tough. I should have stuck to my guns and gotten the fried chicken since it would have only been an extra 5 minutes. I wish I had gotten the chef's name but he either didn't say it or I was beyond hunger and wasn't listening.



I know his name. I just didn't want to post it. I have no problem posting a name with a positive review, but it doesn't feel right to post it with a negative review. However, I have no problem giving it out to someone in a private message. So, if anyone wants to know the name of the chef, just PM me.


----------



## mistysue

geek+nerd said:


> I know his name. I just didn't want to post it. I have no problem posting a name with a positive review, but it doesn't feel right to post it with a negative review. However, I have no problem giving it out to someone in a private message. So, if anyone wants to know the name of the chef, just PM me.



Did you tell Disney the chef's name in a complaint letter?
If not, I suggest you do. Then they have the opportunity to try to educate him a bit before he is inflicted upon other innocent people. 
I wrote a review of our experiences at various locations after our last trip (good and bad) and they appreciated the feedback.


----------



## Disney_Princess83

LoKay said:


> We too had a bad experience with the chef at 50's Primetime. It must have been the same chef. Waited a long time for him to come out and then when he did he pushed the pot pie. I said I wanted the fried chicken and he told me it would be over 45 minutes. My husband was starving so I ordered the pork chop. It took 40 minutes and was horrible! It was too salty and tough. I should have stuck to my guns and gotten the fried chicken since it would have only been an extra 5 minutes. I wish I had gotten the chef's name but he either didn't say it or I was beyond hunger and wasn't listening.



I think we had the same chef! I had a similar experience, was told absolutely everything I wanted couldn't be "safe"  (which I had no problem with, I rather be safe) And then was pushed towards dishes I didn't want and was told there would be a long wait. We decided against ordering a meal and instead, just got a dessert. Both the waitress and chef was so rude to us and we waited so long, despite the restaurant not being that busy.


----------



## goofy4wdw2

disfan07 said:
			
		

> We are actually just leaving WDW today...my allergies include: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, dairy, soy, oats, coconut, sesame, sunflower seeds, bananas, cherries, broccoli....this is what I know as far as the current allergy information for where we ate....
> 
> Saratoga Springs:
> Turf Club: ener-g tapioca rolls
> Artists palette: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies (but you have to ask for them), ener-g tapioca buns; Udis pizza crust and hamburger buns
> 
> Magic kingdom:
> Liberty tree tavern: GNI hamburger buns
> Crystal Palace: GNI rolls
> Columbia harbor house: allergy free chicken tenders
> Cosmic rays: allergy free chicken tenders; enjoy life cookies
> 
> EPCOT:
> Sunshine seasons: rocky mountain popcorn; OMG brownies; 2 packs of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; boxes of enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies and soft brownie cookies; surf sweets
> Garden grill: enjoy life crunchy chocolate chip cookies; enjoy life soft brownie cookies; Udis rolls (disclaimer: I do NOT recommend this place....our chef was terrible and so was the food...a waste of money IMO)
> American adventure: allergy free chicken tenders
> 
> Grand Floridian:
> 1900 park fare: namaste waffle mix; enjoy life cookies; GNI buns; rice dream ice cream
> Citricos: GNI buns; the apple sorbet is free of all top 8 allergens (plus more)
> 
> Contemporary:
> Contempo Cafe: Udis rolls/buns, namaste waffle mix, 2 packs of enjoy life chcolate chip cookies, OMG brownies, allergy free chicken tenders
> The Wave: Udis rolls
> 
> All of our meals were wonderful....except garden grill...it was so bad that we submitted a complaint that night with guest relations. The chef was horrendous and my food was inedible. Other than that, we had 6 1/2 days of fabulous allergy safe meals and all of the other chefs and managers were wonderful!
> 
> My highest rated ones are :
> Citricos
> Contempo Cafe
> The Wave
> Crystal Palace (we prefer lunch over dinner....but dinner was really good as well,)



Thank you so much! We don't leave until October but this is super helpful to know which locations have what options (although I know it's subject to change). The Saratoga info is especially helpful because it's not talked about often and this will be our first stay there.  Thanks again!!


----------



## disfan07

goofy4wdw2 said:


> Thank you so much! We don't leave until October but this is super helpful to know which locations have what options (although I know it's subject to change). The Saratoga info is especially helpful because it's not talked about often and this will be our first stay there.  Thanks again!!



About Saratoga springs....

I don't know what allergies there are in your family but if there are only a few allergies you should have better luck than I did.

I have 16 allergies including 7 of the top 8 allergens. I found turf club to be wonderful the one time we ate there....artists palette....not so much..

I only ever ate the allergy free chicken tenders and fries there. They were not very helpful when it came to anything else and it just seemed to take forever to get my food.

We actually switched to the contemporary half way through our trip and found Contempo Cafe to be 10x better than artists palette. The managers at the contemporary seemed to be much more on top of things than what I encountered at artists palette.

But that was just our experience there...and my experiences are often a lot different than others because of the extent of my allergies.

Hopefully you guys have a good experience there!


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## AEPaul

Share both good and bad experiences on AllergyEats Disney World (www.allergyeats.com/disney) so future food-allergic diners can learn from these.  As a community, we thank you!


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## shelby101301

Experiences are directly related to the number of allergies you have.  Please keep in mind, the more you have, the more limited options.  Some places may be great for some, terrible for others. Our recent experiences:

Sorry for the PP's bad experience at *Garden Grill*, but we've had two good experiences two years in a row now.  Our allergies are only gluten and tree nuts though.  We couldnt' have the demiglace for the beef, but there was something either on the beef or mashed potatoes that together was fantastic.  The turkey had a lemon caper sauce.  There was only a little and the turkey (this time, not last summer) was a little un-seasoned, so I just asked for more of the sauce which they brought out pretty promptly.  The fish was completely seasoned and was very tasty.  Don't know what rolls they were, looked like Schar which normally I don't like, but warmed up, they aren't  bad.  My advice, if there is something wrong, not seasoned or something, just ask for something else to help.  Dessert still totally stinks - packaged cookies.  Yuck.

*Prime Time* - They too tried to push the pot pie (which by the way was out of this world and I don't even like pot pie - my son had) but I explained we only came there because we heard they could make GF fried chicken. After that, it was fine. T*hey let us know that if we make reservations again, stop by in the morning to let them know you want fried chicken, and they will get everything ready ahead so we don't have to wait 45 min*.  If you forget, let them know as soon as you check in, so they can get the oil heating.  Btw, I found the fried chicken just so so, under seasoned.  WE make it way better at home.  But ironically, I would go again for the pot pie!!!  and the brownie and cheesecake.  COULD NOT tell it was gluten free.  I was mad I was too full to finish it!  ha ha.  Nuts thing was bad though...they were afraid to affer the sprinkles or no name brand mm's for my little son's sundae because of possible cross contamination.

We also ate at *Kona Cafe *and had a good experience there.  Chef knew exactly what he was doing, and was able to offer some timari type dishes.  DH had thai spice watermelon soup which was really delicious, and the polynesian plate lunch - chicken with mango and it too was good. I had the grilled steak salad without the lime cashew vinaigrette.  I am not allergic to cashew, but my son is extremely, and I don't dare even have it  near us or on me.  But they served with a sesame oil dressing with lime on the side and I cleaned my plate.

Breakfast one morning was at *Boma*.  OUTSTANDING. Of course there was the usual eggs, bacon and sausage.  But they had real oatmeal (gf certified in the back, just ask for it) and GF mickey waffles, and they fixed an entire platter of donuts and muffins as well.  They appeared to be Udis and I can't remember the donuts, but they are the ones I sometimes buy at home and love.  They were going to bring us a second platter of each but I declined.  They did wrap the muffins and donuts to take with even though it was a buffet.  plus there are several african selections you can try, but not all.

WE stayed at Saratoga so of course tried *Artist's Pallette*.  Breakfast was fantastic (we love the Mickey waffles) and they offered sides of eggs, and the usual sausage and bacon.  Lunches, they basically said they could take any sandwich on the menu and put it on gluten free bread.  You end up mostly with two sandwiches.  once, we placed it to go, and when I got back to room, the roast beef with au jus was a soggy mess.  I took it back, and they promptly replaced it with the turkey and brie (excellent).  Lobster salad sandwich was just OK.  But chefs and staff were easy to work with, and the wait time wasn't as bad to work with.

I have to say, Lucy at *Cosmic Rays* KNOWS HER STUFF.  I was going to order something I thought was safe and she stopped me.  Don't remember what it was, but it surprised me and I've been doing this awhile.

We also ate at Pecos Bills, Caseys, Flame Tree barbecue, ABC commissary and the Land.  The Land has even less options now they they did before and got rid of the chocolate mousse my son so loved.  But the mousse in France is still GF. But unless you like roast chicken or pork chop, stay away from the  Land.  Every station I stopped at either had no offerings or didn't seem to understand what I was asking.  So if you have any questions about those, let me know.

GNI rolls seemed to be popping up all  over and we really liked the texture of those, as long as they were warmed and fresh.

The positive spin I have seen, is that we used to have to pay extra for GF and the boys would also have to get adult meals.  This trip, they seemed to just order off the adult menu, but just charge us for kids meals.  Pleasant surprise and deeply appreciated.

Hope this is helpful to some of you.  Again, our allergies are Gluten for four of us (hereditary) and tree nuts for little son.  Lucky daughter was adopted so she escaped the allergies with her independent gene pool  LOL!


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## stackyallred

disfan07 said:


> About Saratoga springs....
> 
> I don't know what allergies there are in your family but if there are only a few allergies you should have better luck than I did.
> 
> I have 16 allergies including 7 of the top 8 allergens. I found turf club to be wonderful the one time we ate there....artists palette....not so much..
> 
> I only ever ate the allergy free chicken tenders and fries there. They were not very helpful when it came to anything else and it just seemed to take forever to get my food.
> 
> We actually switched to the contemporary half way through our trip and found Contempo Cafe to be 10x better than artists palette. The managers at the contemporary seemed to be much more on top of things than what I encountered at artists palette.
> 
> But that was just our experience there...and my experiences are often a lot different than others because of the extent of my allergies.
> 
> Hopefully you guys have a good experience there!



Just a few questions for you, if you don't mind:
1. Were the fries safe for you even though you have a soy allergy?  I was told last year they were made in a soy oil.  I don't eat fried food often, but it would be nice to have that option! 

2. Are GNI buns egg free?  Their website lists eggs in its ingredients but I noticed you seemed to be able to have them despite your egg allergy.  

Thanks for sharing your experiences!


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## disfan07

stackyallred said:


> Just a few questions for you, if you don't mind:
> 1. Were the fries safe for you even though you have a soy allergy?  I was told last year they were made in a soy oil.  I don't eat fried food often, but it would be nice to have that option!
> 
> 2. Are GNI buns egg free?  Their website lists eggs in its ingredients but I noticed you seemed to be able to have them despite your egg allergy.
> 
> Thanks for sharing your experiences!



My soy allergy is mild. I can have soybean oil and soy lechitin. I do have some GI problems if I have too much but I only seem to have full blown reactions to products with the protein (soy milk, tofu, etc).

I did not eat the GNI buns. I saw the ingredients and they do not have egg listed and the chef at Citricos told me that this is a email dinner roll that GNI makes specifically for Disney. However, I prefer not to try anything new on vacation so I declined them.


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## stackyallred

disfan07 said:


> My soy allergy is mild. I can have soybean oil and soy lechitin. I do have some GI problems if I have too much but I only seem to have full blown reactions to products with the protein (soy milk, tofu, etc).
> 
> I did not eat the GNI buns. I saw the ingredients and they do not have egg listed and the chef at Citricos told me that this is a email dinner roll that GNI makes specifically for Disney. However, I prefer not to try anything new on vacation so I declined them.



Thanks so much, that info helps me in thinking about what to order on our upcoming trip!


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## DCDisney

They can bake fries if you are allergic to soy oil.  It takes awhile longer but they are really good baked.


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## stackyallred

DCDisney said:
			
		

> They can bake fries if you are allergic to soy oil.  It takes awhile longer but they are really good baked.



Wow, I haven't heard this before! Is this mostly at TS places, or CS, too? I have 40+ foods I must avoid but potatoes are safe and having a variety of ways to have them prepared would be great!


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## sunkissed4

Hey everyone! Sorry if this has been discussed before, we're WDW vets but new to allergies! My DS1 has a milk and soy allergy, but is doing fantastic on almond milk. We take day trips often so we bring it from home, but we're staying at BCV and club level in Sept for 10 days and was wondering if there was almond milk available anywhere on site. I don't mind having to go to Publix if I have to it'd just be nice to be able to grab it in the park for him. Thanks!


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## mistysue

sunkissed4 said:


> Hey everyone! Sorry if this has been discussed before, we're WDW vets but new to allergies! My DS1 has a milk and soy allergy, but is doing fantastic on almond milk. We take day trips often so we bring it from home, but we're staying at BCV and club level in Sept for 10 days and was wondering if there was almond milk available anywhere on site. I don't mind having to go to Publix if I have to it'd just be nice to be able to grab it in the park for him. Thanks!



I haven't heard of almond milk being around,  I've heard of soy and rice milk... but I just wanted to say that if you contact to club lounge they may get some before your visit for you.  At least that is what the YC IPO has told me for our August trip.


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## CarrieR

They sell individual boxes of shelf-stable almond milk (dark chocolate, mmm) so maybe you could toss one into your bag to carry into the park?


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## sunkissed4

Thanks for the tips, I think the shelf stable will be a good option, if he likes the taste. Just emailed BC IPO and got a super quick response! They asked how much milk I would need and said they'd have it available.


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## danaw11

HAs any one with peanut/tree nut allergies attended Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party?  I am wondering if the cookies and hot chocolate are safe and if not how easy it is to get alternatives. Thanks!


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## Foodallergymom

We have tickets for MVMCP as well, and I have been wondering the same thing.  We also will need egg-free, in addition to PN/TN-free.  Following.


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## DCDisney

The regular cookies are not nut safe but the cocoa and a apple slices are fine.  Last year the only allergy safe cookie they used at the party was called OMG gluten free and it did have egg ( many complained so I'd expect/ hope for a change) and coconut plus a few seeds that I'm not supposed to have w my nut allergy.  They were apologetic but there wasn't anything else.


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## Foodallergymom

:-(  Thanks for the info.  I wonder if calling special diets would help?  Even the Enjoy Life cookies that are pretty common at WDW these days (at least in our usual restaurants) would be better than nothing for my son.


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## DCDisney

I did write to special diets and called town hall like I do for the Halloween party to get safe candy.  No matter what bring some safe snacks-- there aren't many food places open and they had reduced menus so it was very difficult to get anything.  They just gave each location a special allergy bin with ingredient info and a few food items but no access to the regular allergy items in the restaurants.


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## danaw11

DCDisney said:


> I did write to special diets and called town hall like I do for the Halloween party to get safe candy.  No matter what bring some safe snacks-- there aren't many food places open and they had reduced menus so it was very difficult to get anything.  They just gave each location a special allergy bin with ingredient info and a few food items but no access to the regular allergy items in the restaurants.



Thanks for the heads up!  I will email special diets  department as well.


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## minnie1012

DCDisney said:


> The regular cookies are not nut safe but the cocoa and a apple slices are fine.  Last year the only allergy safe cookie they used at the party was called OMG gluten free and it did have egg ( many complained so I'd expect/ hope for a change) and coconut plus a few seeds that I'm not supposed to have w my nut allergy.  They were apologetic but there wasn't anything else.



Does anyone know where to write about adding Divies back on property or another brand with no eggs?  I figure its worth a shot??


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## geek+nerd

minnie1012 said:


> Does anyone know where to write about adding Divies back on property or another brand with no eggs?  I figure its worth a shot??



The current cookies offered are Enjoy Life, which are free of the top 8 allergens.


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## minnie1012

geek+nerd said:


> The current cookies offered are Enjoy Life, which are free of the top 8 allergens.



Thanks!  They didn't have those when we last went!  They only that the OMG ones.


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