Top Tips for Managing Food Allergies at Disney World

If you manage your own or your child(ren)’s food allergies, you probably plan dining out with more forethought and caution than the average restaurant-goer. When travelling, families navigating food allergies often plan with a level of intensity typically reserved for missions to Mars. I know I do. Of course, we all bring our EpiPens (or 12 EpiPens depending on number of family members with food allergies, length of trip and level of anxiety). However, No. One. Wants. To. Use. An. Epipen. On. Vacation. We don’t ever want to use them, but somewhere we don’t live, where we don’t know the hospital, maybe have a flight home the next day, or are traveling as one adult with multiple children, etc.? No, thank you.

So, we do our due diligence before dining out. Many times, all we have to guide us is a Google search and Facebook groups devoted to travelling with food allergies. However, Walt Disney World dining with food allergies actually can be one of the easier experiences to navigate. I will preface that with, there are so many delicious options at WDW, and with table-service dining reservations open 60 days in advance (as of this writing), anyone dining at WDW needs to plan ahead. However, there are factors in WDW dining that make managing allergies easier than at your local restaurant.

The most important starting point for me is to choose restaurants in advance based on their online menus showing which items are friendly for which of the Top 9 allergens. Disney-owned restaurants that are not buffets typically show their allergy-friendly offerings at the bottom of the menu listing. This is true for quick-service as well as table-service restaurants. You can also ask to see the allergy listings at restaurants. Personally, I am more comfortable selecting items that are friendly for our allergies as they are prepared normally than asking for items to be prepared specially to be safe, whenever possible. Our kiddo with a sesame allergy kind of makes my left eye twitch when it comes to asking for items to be prepared without sesame cross contamination, particularly because it is rife in any sort of bread, breadcrumb, breading, etc. And those little seeds go everywhere! However, I know being able to choose meals because they are friendly for one or more Top 9 allergens is a luxury not all families with food allergies have.

If your allergies extend beyond the Top 9 or your group is managing more than 4 allergies, contact Special Dietary Requests in advance. This can be done after your park reservations and/or tickets are reserved, no more than 14 days prior to travel. A concierge-level travel advisor, such as myself and my colleagues, may do that for you. You will need to know which restaurants you intend to visit prior to calling. The Special Diets team is very helpful in providing your information to restaurants in advance of your visits and helping to streamline your experience.

When reservations are made, you or your travel advisor should note any allergies or intolerances. When you are seated at a table-service restaurant where you have a reservation, that information should be included on the reservation. Regardless, WDW waitstaff generally ask if there are any allergies when they first introduce themselves. That is an ideal time to ask to speak to the chef if you would like to do so. Speaking to the chef can add an extra layer of comfort and protection for your meal.

When a meal comes out that has been specifically prepared for a guest with allergies, it will have a little flag stuck in it. Make sure to look for that and inquire if it’s missing. We have never had it happen, but it’s good to know to keep an eye out for it.

If you are ordering from a quick-service location, I suggest ordering in person and speaking to staff trained in allergies if necessary.  Mobile ordering is so convenient, but it doesn’t allow specifying multiple allergies or the need to avoid cross-contamination. In person ordering can provide an extra layer of caution.

WDW is one of the few places where we feel comfortable dining at a buffet. When you arrive, you will receive a guide to the items on the buffet line that are safe for various allergens. We also have had chefs come out and walk us through buffets. Again, I fully acknowledge that our allergies are tree nuts, sesame, and shellfish, which are easier to avoid than many others. However, if you think a buffet is out of reach, you may want to consider it at WDW. We also have been to WDW buffets that mirror the offerings on both sides for two lines, except one side will not include any items containing nuts, to avoid cross-contamination.

I encourage you to do your research in advance. Utilize a travel advisor familiar with allergies, as I am. And, of course, be realistic. For example, in general we won’t go to an Asian restaurant and ask for sesame allergies to be accommodated. For us, there simply is too much risk for unavoidable cross-contamination based on how commonly sesame oil and sesame seeds are used in certain cuisines.

As always, you need to make your dining decisions based on your own information, allergies, and comfort levels. If you are planning a vacation, whether to Walt Disney World or another destination, I am an (extremely) allergy-aware travel advisor and I would be happy to assist you!

*The above information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.