Dining at Disney World with Food Allergies
Food allergies are no fun, but Disney World is one of the best places when it comes to offering allergy-friendly options and taking the proper precautions. If you have allergies, here are some ways to dine safely during your vacation.
Notify the Restaurant about Your Food Allergies
You can notify a restaurant about your allergies as soon as you book your advanced dining reservation 60 days out from your check-in date. As you book the reservation online or in the My Disney Experience app, you’ll see an option to check off your allergies. This way, when you arrive at the restaurant, the cast members will already know to offer you an allergy-friendly menu.
Check Allergy-Friendly Menus
Table service restaurants at Disney World offer allergy-friendly menus that mark which items are safe for common allergies like tree nut, peanut, dairy, gluten/wheat, egg, soy, milk, fish, and shellfish. You’ll also find allergy-friendly menus when you mobile order. If you don’t see your food allergy listed, you can always order in person, so a cast member can assist you. Even buffet restaurants that do not typically offer menus have pamphlets that show which items on the buffet are free of those allergens.
Ask to Review Allergy Guides or Binders
For quick service locations and the smaller snack kiosks, you can always ask to review the allergy guides or binders. These provide a full list of the ingredients for the food sold there. They even specify which vendors Disney uses for those ingredients. Allergy guides and binders help guests make informed decisions on which foods can work best for them.
Talk to a Chef
Besides offering allergy friendly menus, table service restaurants will commonly offer guests an opportunity to speak to a chef if they have any allergy concerns. Disney really takes the extra step to ensure that guests are comfortable with their dining options. For buffets, chefs sometimes offer to walk a guest through the buffet to discuss which dishes are safe for their allergies.
Cook in Your Villa
If you feel more comfortable preparing your own food, another option is to cook in your room. When you stay in a DVC Deluxe Studio, you have a kitchenette with a microwave, toaster, and mini-fridge. If you stay in a One Bedroom Villa or larger, you have a full kitchen plus all the pots, pans, and utensils you need to cook.
Treat Yourself to Allergy Friendly Snacks
When you need a quick pick-me-up, Disney World has a line of allergy-friendly packaged snacks, called Snacks With Character. You can find them in many of the shops. The line includes gluten-free, nut-free snacks like white cheddar corn puffs, barbeque popped potato chips, and cinnamon swirl mini rice crisps.
Get Allergy Friendly Treats at Parties
During parties like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you’ll also find allergy-friendly snacks. At the Hallowen party, guests can get tokens to redeem for allergy-friendly goodies while guests can get alternatives to the holiday cookies during the Christmas party. At the fireworks dessert parties, a cast member can walk you through the dessert buffet to help identify safe treats to enjoy.
All in all, Disney World takes food allergies seriously and can be one of the most accommodating vacation destinations for those with food allergies or other dietary restrictions. Their attention to safety takes away the worrying, so you can focus on enjoying your vacation!
