Eating out with my son always requires a bit of forethought. If we’re visiting a restaurant, I’ll preview the menu online or make a phone call to ensure that my son has a few suitable food options. Events and venues with set menus pose more of a challenge, as I often have to make arrangements ahead of time to ensure my son will have something to eat.
As you can see from this dairy, egg, and soy-free dessert, my son did not lack for anything!
I knew that we would not have a car during our stay at the Walt Disney World Resort and that I would have to rely on whatever was available in the hotel and at the parks. Surprisingly, it was easier than I expected to find suitable dairy, egg, and soy-free foods throughout the duration of our visit. With a little research, a little planning, and a little help from the Disney chefs, my son was able to enjoy everything from pancakes to dessert without experiencing a single reaction.
So how did we do it? Here are my best tips for navigating food allergies while enjoying your stay at the Walt Disney World Resort:
1. Do your homework
Spend some time researching quick-serve and sit-down restaurants at the resort. Many menus are available online. Be sure to visit the resort’s Special Dietary Requests page which includes information about making special dietary requests for table service locations and a list of quick service/counter service locations that meet many special dietary requests. I also recommend calling the specific venue you wish to dine at directly to inquire about menu options. Lastly, be sure to utilize the Walt Disney World Moms Panel for personalized answers to your questions.
2. Talk to the chefs and hotel staff.
At the hotel and parks, I alerted the staff that my son has food allergies. A chef came out each time to speak to us so that we could identify safe foods for my son. Resort chefs can suggest alternates for children and adults with food allergies.
3. Be prepared
If your child requires an Epi-pen, Benadryl, or other remedy, be sure to have it on-hand in the event of a reaction. If you are able to travel with a few allergen-free snacks, that may help appease your child if a suitable option is not readily available.
4. Have a backup plan
I recommend having an alternate dining option in mind, in the event that your first choice cannot accommodate your request.
5. Don’t raise expectations before you know what’s possible
I have learned not to give my son false hope about what he can eat until I’m certain of the options. If my son asks for dessert, I tell him we’ll have to wait until we’re at the restaurant to determine if a suitable option exists.
6. Ask to look at the ingredients
When in doubt, ask to look at a list of ingredients. We did this in the parks at the quick service locations when we were in doubt about whether or not my son could eat a particular food.
7. Ask, even if it’s not on the menu
During our resort stay, I assumed that my son could not eat pancakes or many of the breakfast items on the menu. The chef at Gasparilla Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa asked my son what he wanted to eat (anything he said) and my son told him he wanted a Mickey Mouse pancake. The chef was able to make it free from dairy, eggs, and soy making my son the happiest little boy. Initially, I had difficulty locating rice milk. But after asking, I was told that rice milk is available at Sunshine Season Food Fair in Epcot, the Main Street Bakery at the Magic Kingdom, and many of the restaurants with table service. It might be of interest to note that the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom serves rice ice cream.
8. Plan ahead
Some restaurants take reservations in advance. It’s always a good idea to call to speak with a restaurant’s Chef or Manager in charge of Special Diets ahead of time, in case extra time is required to prepare an allergen-free meal. You can call (407) WDW-DINE or email [email protected].
Do you have experience with special dietary needs at the Walt Disney World Resort? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
No compensation was received for this post.
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RICE ICE CREAM?!? I did not know that was a thing.