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View Full Version : Accommodating a nut allergy at Disneyland Resort restaurants



AVP
09-29-2014, 05:47 PM
This e-mail came in from a reader, and I'm using it as our Question of the Week for the Disneyland Update. I'd love any feedback you may have about this issue, which is a serious matter for some children.


I have a friend who is would like to go to Disneyland with her kids. Her daughter is HIGHLY allergic to nuts (all kinds), to the point where she will have a reaction if she comes in contact with them. Is there any sort of guidebook that would help her out with knowing where she can go and what is safe to order?

AVP
09-29-2014, 05:58 PM
I've written before about how my extended family dealt with potentially fatal food allergies at Walt Disney World and on the Disney Cruise Line, but I don't personally have experience with this degree of allergy at Disneyland. I know there was once a phone number to call before a visit, and a specific chef to speak with to plan your meals, but it's been a very long time since I've even heard of that service. In trying to get updated information for this reader, I went to City Hall at both theme parks today to ask about the current process.

The first CM I spoke with said the Resort has discontinued the guides previously available for guests with various allergies. That was news to me, but I admit it's been a while since I picked up an updated gluten-free guide. He also said there was no advance planning that could be done, and said that guests simply need to speak with the chef at each restaurant upon arrival.

Thinking there might be a little more available than "just talk to us when you get here," I went to the other park. The second CM I spoke with confirmed that the guides have been discontinued, but said that guests with severe allergy concerns can use the Contact Us e-mail form (https://disneyland.disney.go.com/help/email/) on Disneyland.com to send a request for help in advance of the trip. Guest relations will then put the guest in touch with the appropriate person at the Resort to discuss their concerns.

I'd still love to hear from someone who deals with this specific allergy, and can give some advice to this reader.

currence
09-29-2014, 06:25 PM
It seems like the biggest issue for food allergies is the risk of cross-contamination. Based on how severe the allergies sound, I'm not sure I would want to risk dining at a restaurant that served nuts. I'm not sure if any have nut-free menus, it's just not on my personal radar. Off the top of my head I would think that Pizza Port in Tomorrowland has minimal nuts and the risk of cross-contamination would be low.

Also, does Disney still have the Kosher meals that are served sealed? If so, those also should have minimal risk of cross-contamination assuming they are nut free. I researched those briefly when contemplating a trip with a friend, but have never personally ordered a Kosher meal so I don't know much more than "they exist." So I don't know how appealing the offerings would be to a kid, or whether the meals themselves are nut free.

candles71
09-29-2014, 07:21 PM
Not nuts, but a spice. They do ask now, when you make reservations, about allergies. When we checked in at Plaza, they had noted that we needed/could speak with the chef. I didn't take advantage however, as I wasn't concerned with my specific spice nor shell fish (Child) at breakfast.

With my allergy, I was concerned with cross contamination at Bengal BBQ specifically. I was able to look at the ingredients binder as well as the CM's were very helpful with how they prepare the items there. (In my case, they don't sauce the items until after the are cooked so there is no lingering sauce on the grill to worry about.)

I also have to avoid eatting inside enclosed restaurants that use this ingredient, as just being airborne causes a reaction in me.

For your reader, you are allowed to bring in food, if you are in doubt. We frequently pack our lunch as a money saver.

ETA: I have read blogs and I think trip reports here, where the chef has called the concerned person with specifics of the sit-down restaurant they are involved with.

SteveMartin
09-29-2014, 07:31 PM
I have a food allergy to garlic and onion, but it is not life-threatening so this may not address your issue. The staff at Carthay Circle Theater are very accommodating of my allergies and the chefs seem to take my special requests as a challenge and I always get a tasty meal that keeps me out of trouble. :)

Club 33 also did a great job on my one and only visit.

My oldest daughter has the same allergies and has found chefs at other DLR restaurants to be very accommodating.

tea4two
09-30-2014, 12:31 AM
My allergies are not life threatening, but they can cause symptoms that can last several days/ruin a DLR visit. At TS restaurants, I have spoken with servers and chefs and had no problems. At Steakhouse 55, our server was so careful that he vetted the ingredients for me to make sure I could safely order what I wanted off the menu. When my dessert order didn't work out, he investigated the remaining choices and walked me through the ingredients. At CS places, I research in advance, check the ingredients binder if necessary, and ask for as many things on the side as possible. If all else fails, as candles advised, I bring my own food (e.g. protein bars, fruit, a sandwich, etc.) to be safe. Mr. Tea does not have these allergies, so taking all these precautions allows us to enjoy meals together at the parks.

AnotherJenny
09-30-2014, 10:48 AM
It seems like the biggest issue for food allergies is the risk of cross-contamination. Based on how severe the allergies sound, I'm not sure I would want to risk dining at a restaurant that served nuts. I'm not sure if any have nut-free menus, it's just not on my personal radar. Off the top of my head I would think that Pizza Port in Tomorrowland has minimal nuts and the risk of cross-contamination would be low.

Also, does Disney still have the Kosher meals that are served sealed? If so, those also should have minimal risk of cross-contamination assuming they are nut free. I researched those briefly when contemplating a trip with a friend, but have never personally ordered a Kosher meal so I don't know much more than "they exist." So I don't know how appealing the offerings would be to a kid, or whether the meals themselves are nut free.

Pizza Port has walnuts and almonds in their salads. Nothing I've seen there makes me think that they're preparing those salads away from other prep areas or keeping anything separate. I think the safest bet is to eat things that are sealed. But I'd be more worried about things like Pacific Wharf where the last person to sit at a table may have eaten something from Lucky Fortune that contains nuts or touching the lap bar on a ride after someone are their PBJ sandwich in line.

meballard
09-30-2014, 08:14 PM
The Disney owned restaurants in the Disneyland Resort are usually extremely good at handling allergies, and I saw this as someone with a nut allergy (plus seen them handle it for others as well).

At the sit down restaurants, the default policy is that a chef will come out and talk to you, and advise you on what is safe and what is not safe. If you let them know how severe it is, they will take appropriate pre-cautions. You shouldn't have anything to worry about with the sit down restaurants.

For the quick service, it varies based on location. You will have the least trouble at the larger locations that have a chef on duty, as they will talk to you and make sure things are prepared appropriate.

At the small quick service locations, they will happily show you ingredient lists, but they don't usually have a chef on duty. Most items don't have nuts, and it's usually pretty clear when they do.

The biggest place you'll run into issues is desserts. The bulk of desserts carry the "made in a facility that processes nuts" warning as they are made in the central bakery on property, so if you pay attention to those labels, the dessert selection will be very limited. Most of the sit down restaurants will usually have some alternative such as ice cream and/or some kind of fruit plate. Some restaurants will have some in house made desserts in which case those will potentially be fine, but the bulk of them are out.

The key thing is just to ask, and especially at the quick service places be patient, but Disney is generally excellent at accommodating issues as long as you let them know.

Even at Pizza Port, on request they will made a salad off of freshly cleaned bowls/utensils/etc with ingredients that haven't had a chance to cross contaminate yet, accommodating the allergy as appropriate, it will just take a bit longer.

bumblebeeonarose
10-01-2014, 07:56 AM
Pizza Port has walnuts and almonds in their salads. Nothing I've seen there makes me think that they're preparing those salads away from other prep areas or keeping anything separate. I think the safest bet is to eat things that are sealed. But I'd be more worried about things like Pacific Wharf where the last person to sit at a table may have eaten something from Lucky Fortune that contains nuts or touching the lap bar on a ride after someone are their PBJ sandwich in line.

This is what I was thinking. I was wondering how severe the allergy is. We often bring nut-rich trail mix, and I've seen others eating peanut butter sandwiches. The OP said her daughter would have a reaction if she just came into contact. I mean I suppose this applies to the whole world, and you can't lock a child up, but I would say there is like a lot of nuts present at the park.

That being said, I liked the suggestion of eating outside, as that is likely to reduce the air contamination. I would also suggest bringing gloves and/or sanitizing wipes to use around the park. I would think that burgers should be a safe bet for food, but I was wondering about the type of oil they fry things in. I would hope it's nut free. Assuming it is, I would opt for places with minimal menus that serve foods that traditionally do not have nuts like hamburgers, pizza, and Mexican food. Other than salads, I can't think of much that has nuts at Counter Services locations besides probably the Chinese food.

meballard
10-01-2014, 08:30 AM
but I was wondering about the type of oil they fry things in. I would hope it's nut free.I have had the nut discussion all over the parks, and the oil has never been an issue.

As a side note - most people with nut allergies can still have nut based oils, the process of making most oil (except some of the fancier cold pressed ones) kills the components that people are generally allergic to.

candles71
10-01-2014, 01:13 PM
Most nut allergies don't include peanuts (I know some alergic to both, but generally speaking) as peanuts aren't actually a nut. Peanut oil is a problem for most with a peanut allergy, but I could see how other nut oils wouldn't be an issue. Other nut oils are also way too expensive to be used in fryers.

meballard
10-01-2014, 03:35 PM
Most nut allergies don't include peanuts (I know some alergic to both, but generally speaking) as peanuts aren't actually a nut. Peanut oil is a problem for most with a peanut allergy, but I could see how other nut oils wouldn't be an issue. Other nut oils are also way too expensive to be used in fryers.From what I've read (and from my experience in general), peanut oil is generally not an issue for those with a peanut allergy. It does depend on the process used to make the oil, but in general it is not.

candles71
10-01-2014, 03:52 PM
My brother can't use peanut oil, but everyone is different. :)