"Allergic?"
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| "Yes, and there is only one cure: a vacation on Pleasure Island!" |
I never really considered food allergies or intolerances at Disney World before, but then I never had my Starbaby before. Since before birth he has plagued me with food worries and pains - In pregnancy I couldn't tolerate whole eggs or gluten without shocking gut pains that would last for days. When he was a few weeks old we realised that the near-constant screaming from him was because he had reflux, and that it was exacerbated by what I ate - wheat, dairy, soy caffeine and eggs were all struck off my diet, lest they affect him through my milk.
Then weaning age came around and the reflux lessened - I was able to eat freely again! But when I eventually introduced wheat to him as a finger food he reacted with pain, despite enjoying eating with much vigor! And then despite Starbaby no longer eating these foods, he developed an appalling case of eczema on his face, so I was back to food eliminations in my diet again.
Safe to say, what we eat has become something I think about far more now than I ever used to. When we first went to Disney World my only concern regarding food was whether we would be sick of fat and junk after two weeks (as it turned out, not really) and would we be able to find better alternatives on the Quick Service Dining Plan (Yes, more on that later). But now I have the possibility of a toddler being miserable and uncomfortable if he eats the wrong things, so I've been doing some research.
I think that most people, including me, might make an assumption that WDW would be an awful place for people with intolerances and/or allergies. All that ice cream at every turn? America is known for it's fast food, and fast food isn't known for making people-friendly changes, because it takes too long! Add in the sheer number of people using Disney World restaurants every day and you couldn't blame the staff there for not wanting to accommodate really.
Ahh, but there's the word! ^ 'Accommodate'. If there's one thing Disney aims to do, it's to make you feel happy and at home on their grounds. So the first place I checked for information was the WDW website.
Hmm.
"Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts"
"However, it is ultimately up to the Guest"
"...cannot guarantee that allergens may not have been introduced"
It doesn't look that good at first glance. All a bit negative and disappointing really. The page does then go on to list restaurants that "may accommodate" guests' common food allergy or intolerance requirements. This is useful, but I thought I'd dig further - am glad I did!
Next stop: Allergy Free Mouse "Your allergy-free guide to Disney World"
Oh MUCH better!
Here are people that love WDW, love food, know about food issues, but do not have the litigation worries that obviously cause Disney to be cautious on their web information. If you need it, this is the place to go for people with experience that are willing to share.
I am now armed with so much more information, and weighed down with so many less worries. It seems that going to Disney with a food intolerance doesn't need to be the nightmare I had thought it might be, but - as with all things WDW - scrupulous planning beforehand is key. Sure, avoiding certain foods will limit your options somewhat, but then that would be the case anywhere. From what I have found, Walt Disney World will do all they can to accommodate, to a level I find quite generous, considering how busy their restaurants can get.
So I have the official word. I have the word of experience - do you know what I need? I need PICTURES of course. And here is is; allergy friendly food at Disney World in pictures. So many yummy foods to get your belly growling! And they look so delicious you'd never even guess they were on the 'free from' list. I particularly like the ice cream sandwiches on page 10 - YUM, and check out those cute sprinkles!
Bear in mind that the first few pages of this post are older, so menus may have changed since. It's always worth checking out and I do find that either the Disboards or Disney themselves are the best people to ask if you're unsure.
As any mum of a baby with food issues will know, it's an ongoing test with daily checks and concerns. Will this food be ok for my baby? Why has he flared up now? What did he have that's different? Is his diet varied enough? Is he missing out? And of course I'm hoping that in time my Starbaby's food sensitivities will become something we don't really need to think about. He's come on leaps and bounds and now doesn't even seem to react to things in my milk. This is big news for me - who knows, but with lots of mama milk and leaving him free to pick and chose his own foods so he dictates what's safe (check out baby led weaning, people), he might even be ok to eat treats on holiday when we get there. Maybe not junk food all day, every day, but now I know that even with sensitivities he'll be able to join in the foody fun without me needing to bring along a load of free-from foods from the supermarket!
Next stop: Allergy Free Mouse "Your allergy-free guide to Disney World"
Oh MUCH better!
Here are people that love WDW, love food, know about food issues, but do not have the litigation worries that obviously cause Disney to be cautious on their web information. If you need it, this is the place to go for people with experience that are willing to share.
I am now armed with so much more information, and weighed down with so many less worries. It seems that going to Disney with a food intolerance doesn't need to be the nightmare I had thought it might be, but - as with all things WDW - scrupulous planning beforehand is key. Sure, avoiding certain foods will limit your options somewhat, but then that would be the case anywhere. From what I have found, Walt Disney World will do all they can to accommodate, to a level I find quite generous, considering how busy their restaurants can get.
So I have the official word. I have the word of experience - do you know what I need? I need PICTURES of course. And here is is; allergy friendly food at Disney World in pictures. So many yummy foods to get your belly growling! And they look so delicious you'd never even guess they were on the 'free from' list. I particularly like the ice cream sandwiches on page 10 - YUM, and check out those cute sprinkles!
Bear in mind that the first few pages of this post are older, so menus may have changed since. It's always worth checking out and I do find that either the Disboards or Disney themselves are the best people to ask if you're unsure.
As any mum of a baby with food issues will know, it's an ongoing test with daily checks and concerns. Will this food be ok for my baby? Why has he flared up now? What did he have that's different? Is his diet varied enough? Is he missing out? And of course I'm hoping that in time my Starbaby's food sensitivities will become something we don't really need to think about. He's come on leaps and bounds and now doesn't even seem to react to things in my milk. This is big news for me - who knows, but with lots of mama milk and leaving him free to pick and chose his own foods so he dictates what's safe (check out baby led weaning, people), he might even be ok to eat treats on holiday when we get there. Maybe not junk food all day, every day, but now I know that even with sensitivities he'll be able to join in the foody fun without me needing to bring along a load of free-from foods from the supermarket!
