Welcome to the Disney World food allergy guide with Seconds to Go. We have all the details and experience you need to know, when dealing with food allergies at Disney.
You may think that dealing with food allergies at Disney World will be a hassle or take away from your precious time. Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Disney does a great job of making dining at its parks and resorts simple for allergy sufferers. From special menus to private discussions with the chefs, Disney does allergy dining right!
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What to Know Before You Go: Food Allergies Disney
Those of you that deal with common or complex allergies know that eating out anywhere can be complicated. Sometimes, the stress of not knowing what is in your food can be overwhelming, and for some, life threatening.
Well, here is the good news. You’ll find that most Disney World restaurants are ready to accommodate common food allergies such as:
- Eggs
- Wheat/ gluten
- Fish/ shellfish
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Tree Nuts
- Soy
- Corn
For more complex or unique allergies, kosher, and halal meals, your list of restaurants may be a little shorter, but many Disney eateries can still provide plenty of options for you.
Handling Food Allergies at Disney World Table Service Restaurants
Table-service dining at Walt Disney World is becoming more and more popular, but that hasn’t stopped them from keeping up with perfect service. I’ve found that Disney World table service restaurant chefs are ready and willing to help you find food that is safe for your particular food allergy, but it helps if you do your part.
First, make sure to note any allergies in your party when making your Advanced Dining Reservation.
In our experience, the server usually confirms the allergies in your party when they arrive to introduce themselves and take drink orders. If an allergy menu is available for your food allergy, your server will provide you with a copy. In it, each common allergy is broken out into its own section, allowing you to select the entrees that are safe for you to eat. Some menu offerings will be the same as the regular menu, while some are modified versions to accommodate the allergy.
If you do happen to get in without a reservation, just notify the hostess about allergies, and she will mark it on your ticket for your waiter and chef to see.
If you suffer from an uncommon allergy, are eating a buffet meal or simply have questions, the chef will come to your table for a consult.
One member in our party has a gluten allergy, while another has a mango allergy. Obviously, a gluten allergy is more common than mango, so for one of us, the allergy menu suffices. While for the other, chef consults are needed.
Now you may be thinking, what about buffets? Buffets can be a little trickier, but Disney World tries their best to accommodate allergies here too. A chef will lead you around the buffet and point out all options that are friendly to your individual allergies.
If you become overwhelmed by all the options and forget which ones are safe for you to eat, you can ask your waiter for another chef consult. In our experience, all chefs have been extremely friendly and willing to help, even during the busy times. Once again, Disney gets bonus points for customer service when it comes to food allergies at Disney!
Quick Service Dining with Food Allergies at Disney World
Quick Service, or counter service restaurants offer a great way to get a delicious meal while saving some pain in your pocketbook. Many people think of counter service as similar to fast food options, but in the past few years, Disney has really branched out in meal variety, as well as allergy-friendly options at their quick service restaurants.
Dining at quick service restaurants with food allergies at Disney World brings a different experience than sit down meals. Because there are no reservations, the restaurant will not know of your allergy needs ahead of time. As you approach to order, you must ask the cast member for an allergen menu.
One thing we have found helpful, (to us and cast members) especially during peak dining times, is to ask for an allergen menu while you are waiting in line. This way, you have time to decide and are ready to order when you approach the register.
If you have any questions, or for more complex allergies, a cast member will bring a chef out to discuss options. Often times, a meal can be modified slightly to fit into certain allergy restrictions.
Snack Time With Food Allergies at Disney World
While Disney has many, many options for allergy friendly meals, snacks can be a little restrictive. The most common snacks such as pretzels, cookies, ice cream, and cupcakes are not commonly allergy friendly. Someone who is gluten free or diary free will most likely have a hard time finding snacks in the basic places like food carts.
If you are willing to delve a little deeper in your search, however, you will soon find many options. For example, some ice cream carts feature Italian ice, and all bakeries carry rice crispy treats for those with gluten allergies. Disney candy can also be used as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan and is often allergy friendly.
The most diverse snack options can be found throughout Animal Kingdom and the World’s Showcase in EPCOT. At these places, you will find ethnic and unique snack options, many of which are allergen friendly. If you aren’t sure if a snack is okay for your allergy needs, just ask a cast member!
Mobile Ordering with Food Allergies
Disney World’s Mobile Ordering for counter service meals is a piece of cake for everyone, including those with food allergies. The process is so simple, all you have to do is scroll and click.
To use mobile ordering, you’ll need the My Disney Experience App. In the App, click “Mobile Food Orders,” then select your restaurant. Once the restaurant is picked, scroll to the bottom of the menu, and you will see sections for food allergies.
The sections are labelled by allergy, such as: gluten/wheat allergy friendly, egg allergy friendly, fish/shellfish allergy friendly, milk allergy friendly, peanut/tree nut allergy friendly, and soy allergy friendly.
Just click on your allergy section, and pick a menu item from there to add to your order. From here, just wait for the notification your order is ready, find the designated numbered pickup spot, and get your allergy friendly food!
Where to Find Disney World Allergy Menus Before You Leave Home or in the Parks
If you are a planner, as many people with food allergies have to be, you may want to access the allergen menus at home, before you plan out where to eat at Disney.
Finding Allergy Menus on Disney World’s Website
Where do you find the menus for allergies at Disney? It is pretty simple. On the Disney World website, simply find the restaurant you’d like to visit, click on the menu, and scroll all the way to the bottom below the drink offerings.
Here, you will find a section labelled “Allergy Friendly.”
In this section, the entrees, appetizers and desserts will be outlined with the allergens they are available for. For example, after the dish, it may say “(For Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Sesame, and Soy Allergies.)” This means that dish is safe for those with gluten/ wheat allergies, egg allergies, peanut/tree nut allergies, sesame allergies, and soy allergies.
It is worth noting that some items may need to be cooked separately from other dishes to ensure they are allergy free. Always be sure to alert your server you need the allergy friendly version of the dish.
How to Find Allergen Menus on the My Disney Experience App
if you prefer the app over the website, the allergen menus are also available there. The quickest way to find allergen menus is to use the search bar to find the restaurant you are looking for.
If you want to browse restaurants:
- click on the map
- click on the drop down menu at the top where it says “wait times”
- click “dining”
- view available dining by park
Once you find a restaurant, scroll across the options at the top, directly under the restaurants name, until you see “view menu.” Once you have opened the menu, scroll down to the very bottom underneath the drink options. Here you will find the allergy friendly options.
Best Options for Gluten Free Dining at Disney World
I have been gluten free for over 15 years. I have also gone to Disney World many times with a gluten allergy. Having a gluten allergy at Disney World is no big deal! Unlike other places, Disney World is fully equipped to handle this allergy.
All quick service and table service restaurants have gluten free options, including things like gluten free buns, and even gluten free chicken nuggets.
Unfortunately, it can be a bit of a challenge to find gluten free snacks, as Mickey pretzels, churros, Mickey ice cream Sandwiches and those Cheeseburger Spring rolls are all out. Instead opt for popcorn, candy, dole whips, caramel apples, rice crispies, and the regular Mickey Ice Cream bars.
When it comes to great places to dine for those with a gluten allergy at Disney, I have a few favorite places.
My Favorite Quick Service Restaurants (For those with a gluten allergy)
- Satu’li Canteen– I always get the grilled chicken bowl, with the Metkayina Mousse for dessert.
- Pinocchio Village Haus– Here you’ll find gluten free pizzas and gluten free chicken strips.
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse- This BBQ joint has so many gluten free options, including dry rubbed ribs, smoked half chicken, burgers, brisket, and many side options.
- ABC Commissary- Here you can find many gluten free burgers and sandwhiches. I usually get the chicken club.
My Favorite Table Service Restaurants (For those with a gluten allergy)
- Roundup Rodeo BBQ- All you care to eat platters with endless GF options, including a basket of gluten free bread.
- Biergarten- This buffet may not have an allergen menu available online, but, the gluten free options are plentiful when you arrive. There are even gluten free desserts available.
- Be Our Guest- Amazing GF rolls, tender filet mignon, and a GF dark chocolate truffle, need I say more?
- Tusker House- Diverse gluten free options on the buffet for breakfast lunch and dinner! (be aware this buffet does not have a gluten free menu online, but the chef will walk you through all the available options upon your arrival.)
Safety First When It Comes to Food Allergies at Disney World
When it comes to eating with allergies at Disney world (and anywhere,) you can never be too careful, and Disney understands this. That’s why they have separate prep areas to handle food being made for allergy sufferers. You don’t have to worry about your gluten or tree-nut free meal being prepared on a service where food with these allergens have been prepared. Disney understands the potential life-threatening consequences of cross-contamination and takes every precaution to prevent it.
They are also very willing to disclose when items come from outside vendors and will usually discourage you from partaking of these items. At Tusker House, for example, the chef pointed out a few gluten-free bakery items and then also made a point of telling me that certain items had come from an outside bakery. While they did not have any gluten-related ingredients on the packaging, she couldn’t guarantee that they were gluten free and warned us away from them.
Last, I know it’s hard to pass up Disney’s yummy desserts, but if you’re enjoying a buffet and don’t see anything you can eat to top off your meal, simply ask your server. It’s been my experience that they usually have a gluten free dessert tucked away in the back, and I’m sure it’s the case for other food allergies as well.
Tips for Safely Enjoying Allergy Free Dining at Disney World
While Disney World has multiple protocols in place to ensure food safety for allergy sufferers, you must do your part. Take the following precautions when dining at Disney World or any restaurant.
- Emphasize the severity of your allergy to your server. While a slip of something gluten may make me sick, preparing food on a surface contaminated with tree nuts could kill my sister who has a nut allergy. We always differentiate to our server that my sister could go into anaphylaxis, so they understand the critical nature of her allergy compared to mine.
- Look for the allergy stick in your food. Anything prepared for your particular allergy should arrive with a wooden stick bearing the word “allergy.” On my mom’s recent trip, a dessert was placed on the table without the allergy stick. They didn’t think much of it since the server insisted the food item did not contain bananas. Unfortunately, it did and one of the members of her party had a reaction. This was a rare case where the server took matters into his own hands. He was so certain that the particular dish did not contain bananas, that he failed to order the allergy friendly version from the kitchen or to even check with the chef. If your food arrives with the allergy stick, you know the chef has overseen the preparation of your meal to ensure it is allergy free.
- At table service restaurants, always consult with the chef when an allergy menu is not available. Similar to the the point above, this is an extra safety measure. While your server may think they understand the ingredients in every dish, only the chef knows for certain.
- Keep appropriate medications with you at all times. If you need an epi-pen, be sure to have it on you when dining. It sounds like a common sense warning, but we’ved dined with people who were not prepared to deal with an emergency.
- Don’t forget beverages when assessing your allergy options. Many juices or cocktails, to name a few, contain common allergy ingredients, including peanuts, mango, banana and others.
Disney does a phenomenal job at addressing food allergies and keeping you safe, but taking your own precautions can only add to your safety. If you have any other tips for dealing with food allergies, please drop them in the comments below. We’ll add them to our list and even give you credit!
Food Allergy Awards
Did you know Disney is so good at handling food allergies that they have not one, but two separate awards for it, including a FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) Award for being “an industry leader in providing safe, quality dining experiences to guests with allergies and special diets.
Now that the anxiety of dining with allergies at Disney is gone, read all about Dining at Disney World, to learn the basics!
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