By When dining at Disney’s MANY restaurants, you should feel comfort in knowing that they are VERY serious about how they serve guests with food allergies and sensitivities.
We have first-hand experience with this extra Cast Member attention, as David is allergic or sensitive to… well, everything except mold. That makes eating at home a challenge in its own right, so when it comes to eating out, we have to be EXTRA careful.
In particular, David is highly allergic to onions. You may think it’s easy to avoid them, but we can tell you that it absolutely is NOT.
At home, we’re able to control how food is prepared. At Disney theme parks, the chef and cooking staff prepare dishes with the same ingredients. So, we have discovered that when we sit down to eat, David often must have something prepared separately and off the menu.
Did you know that Disney’s French Fries often include onion powder as part of their preparation? Neither did we until a Cast Member informed us that David wouldn’t be able to eat them. And David LOVES French Fries.
We’ll detail our experiences of dealing with allergies and food sensitivities below. Knowing David is at the extreme end of the spectrum when it comes to these challenges, you’ll understand what could happen depending on the severity and specifics of your party member’s allergy.
Special Dietary Requests
If you or a family member has a common allergy, it’s going to be fairly easy to eat at Walt Disney World. Many of the restaurants can prepare meals that exclude these common allergens or sensitive items:
- Eggs
- Fish
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Sesame
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Tree Nuts
- Wheat
For less common requests (like, say, onions), restaurants will do their best to exclude the allergen or intolerance. You won’t see onions on the list below, but we can tell you from our experience that the chefs will be very conscientious and do their best to accommodate your needs.
Here are some of the less common allergens and sensitivities that can potentially be excluded from meals:
- Citrus
- Corn
- Gluten
- Lactose
- MSG
- Nightshades
Disney does ask that you contact them advance if any of the following are true:
- You or someone in your party adheres to a medically restrictive diet, such as very low protein
- You or someone in your party has four or more allergy/sensitivity requests
- You or someone in your party requires a pureed meal
No more than 14 days before your trip, send an email to Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com and ask for a Special Diets Request form. A team will assist you in planning your restaurants and menus ahead of your visit.
Four Important Steps
Disney also recommends these four steps when you are requesting a meal made without a specific ingredient.
- Tell a Cast Member about your request. Let the person helping you know that you need some special attention and explain your allergy or sensitivity. At Disney World’s Table Service restaurants, this Cast Member will be your server. They will work with the kitchen to ensure your meal is created to the necessary specifications.
- Request menus. All of the Table Service and some Quick Service restaurants provide menus with information about ingredients and potential allergens. You can also get a guide for the different buffets. If you want to review menus ahead of time, look at the online version and check this information there.
- Look for the visual marker. When your meal is delivered, look for a pick, a flag, or a sticker. By using these markers, the kitchen staff is confirming that extra care was taken to ensure your meal is safe and free from allergens.
- Confirm and verify. Even when you see the visual marker on your meal, please confirm with the Cast Member that it was made according to your request. For example, in David’s case, we would ask, “Can you confirm that this was made with no onion?”
When you take all precautions, you’ll feel confident that you won’t experience any potential allergic reactions. Even so, if you do have an EpiPen or similar rescue prescription, you’ll want to make sure you carry it with you into the parks for emergencies.
Mobile Order
Another tip for Quick Service meals is to use Mobile Ordering ALWAYS. You can request your meals made-to-order, and you also can use the allergy-friendly menu. If you’re not able to find what you need, you can ask to speak with a Special Diets-trained Cast Member at the restaurant.
Over time, we’ve become pretty familiar with the places David can most safely dine, and if you start planning return visits to Disney World, you’ll find the locations that meet your family’s needs, too.
Kosher and Halal Meal Requests
Both kosher and halal meals are offered at almost all Table Service restaurants and some Quick Service eateries. You should make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance, preferably by phone. Even if you have made an online reservation, you can call to update the food service team that you need the special meal.
Note that kosher meals are sourced from certified kosher vendors and come in sealed packaging. They are prepared and served without breaking the seal, and kosher utensils are also provided.
Likewise, halal meals may include protein sourced from a certified halal vendor. You may also be able to eat some seafood and plant-based meals. We’ll talk about plant-based meals in the next section, as Disney World has some amazing options for people who enjoy more plants in their diet.
Plant-Based Meals
For vegans, vegetarians, and those who observe Halal, Disney World offers a wide variety of plant-based meals at both Quick Service and Table Service locations throughout the parks and hotels.
Kim was formerly a vegetarian (she had to stop for medical reasons), so she found a number of amazing options! You’ll want to look for the “plant-based” note beside the various menu items. Virtually every Disney World restaurant offers at least one high-quality plant-based dish.
Some of Kim’s favorite restaurants for plant-based foods are Satu’li Canteen, Contempo Cafe, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Backlot Express (really!), and Sunshine Seasons. Interestingly enough, some of the Quick Service restaurants excel at making fabulous plant-based dishes.