Value Resort Allergy Menus (Lack thereof)

[dbutlerjr]

We just recently completed a Disney Trip (WDW) and were dismayed to find out that the food in the food court of All Star Movies could not be guaranteed to be safe for our daughter, who has severe Peanut/Tree Nut allergies- where even cross-contamination could cause difficulties. I can't speak to other types of allergies, but they need to figure out some way to better accommodate people with allergy sensitivities. So, because of that, we weren't able to get any meals in the Food Court the entire time we were there. I don't believe we had this problem when we stayed at Port Orleans in 2015. Anybody else run into this issue?

 

[mrsap]

That’s very disappointing to hear. Disney is usually amazing when it comes to allergies! The only location we had an issue with my DS’s severe peanut/tree nut allergies in Disney was Trattoria al Forno. Usually resorts are great, in our past experiences.

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Disney generally does an amazing job at offering allergy friendly menus.
Its unfortunate that you ran into the situation where there was not an accommodation available.
However its really not their job to have a menu that meets all allergy needs.
Its your job to ensure you have alternatives on hand in case. People have become too dependent on assuming companies can customize and cater to all needs.

 

[dbutlerjr]

Disney generally does an amazing job at offering allergy friendly menus.
Its unfortunate that you ran into the situation where there was not an accommodation available.
However its really not their job to have a menu that meets all allergy needs.
Its your job to ensure you have alternatives on hand in case. People have become too dependent on assuming companies can customize and cater to all needs.

Respectfully, we don't shell out the kind of money we do at Disney to have to worry about finding alternatives (which we did but had to pay more for of course) because of their lack of accommodations.

 

[bsmcneil]

Respectfully, we don't shell out the kind of money we do at Disney to have to worry about finding alternatives (which we did but had to pay more for of course) because of their lack of accommodations.

And it's not like this is a minor or unique issue. Peanut/Tree nut allergies are second most prevalent behind shellfish.

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Respectfully, we don't shell out the kind of money we do at Disney to have to worry about finding alternatives (which we did but had to pay more for of course) because of their lack of accommodations.

I'm sure you don't mean to come across this way but that statement sounded very entitled.

 

[dbutlerjr]

I'm sure you don't mean to come across this way but that statement sounded very entitled.

Expecting Disney to ensure the health and safety of all of its guests shouldn't be too much to ask (I think?). Disney ditched their dining plan, so we're already shelling out more money for meals than what we even wanted to do. I want to also point out that we went to the gift shop at the resort and couldn't find allergy-free bread to even make a sandwich, so had to basically settle for using allergy-safe Ritz crackers as "bread". Not quite the magical experience or convenience that we were expecting from Disney. And if you think that my concerns make me sound "entitled", well, I guess you're entitled to your opinion.

 

[dbutlerjr]

Expecting Disney to ensure the health and safety of all of its guests shouldn't be too much to ask (I think?). Disney ditched their dining plan, so we're already shelling out more money for meals than what we even wanted to do. I want to also point out that we went to the gift shop at the resort and couldn't find allergy-free bread to even make a sandwich, so had to basically settle for using allergy-safe Ritz crackers as "bread". Not quite the magical experience or convenience that we were expecting from Disney. And if you think that my concerns make me sound "entitled", well, I guess you're entitled to your opinion but it's not a great one.

 

[bababear_50]

I have a Anaphylactic Shell Fish Allergy.
To be honest it takes careful planning when traveling anywhere by the traveler.

My home resort is OKW and many of the items on the menu in the main restaurant and quick service are cross contaminated with Shellfish.
They will when asked cook things in a dedicated fryer or in a safe spot in the kitchen. (Some snack products are packaged off site).

I usually do a Walmart quick shop via cab and have a few things on hand if needed.
I find Disney Springs has a few place I can pick up stuff.

I just expect the restaurants to be honest with me, ,,if you can't guarantee the food you are serving is safe for me then I just move along
and find an alternative.

I know you can call ahead and speak to special services for allergy based diets.
see here:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/
I do have ID on me that identifies my allergy as the first thing to go when I am having a reaction is my throat closing up.

Regards
Mel

Future references

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2018...dventures-with-peanut-and-tree-nut-allergies/

https://www.spokin.com/food-allergy...ree-dairy-free-gluten-free-disney-world-guide
http://www.allergyfreemouse.com/top-8-allergies/peanut-allergy/
https://www.allergyeats.com/disney/

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Expecting Disney to ensure the health and safety of all of its guests shouldn't be too much to ask (I think?). Disney ditched their dining plan, so we're already shelling out more money for meals than what we even wanted to do. I want to also point out that we went to the gift shop at the resort and couldn't find allergy-free bread to even make a sandwich, so had to basically settle for using allergy-safe Ritz crackers as "bread". Not quite the magical experience or convenience that we were expecting from Disney. And if you think that my concerns make me sound "entitled", well, I guess you're entitled to your opinion but it's not a great one.

My point was your statement sounded as though we don't all pay the price to go.
I have a disability and I don't expect Disney to cater to my needs. Its certainly nice when they can but I never assume they can.
Instead I have to find alternatives to help make my trip the best it can be. Its on me.
You could do as someone else suggested and go to the store.
Like I said its unfortunate you had the experience but on you to be caught off guard when you did not plan for alternatives accordingly.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Since the food court at ASM is the ONLY food option at that hotel, they should have allergy-friendly options.

 

[bookgirl]

I've stayed at the All Stars and they have always had excellent Allergy service.

Unfortunately what may be happening is that there is not staff to man multiple stations or monitor cleanup of stations that are needed for allergy safety protocols at this time.

Lucky that I don't have life threatening needs but honestly I've been tons of places including places more expensive than Disney that had zero allergy alternatives.

Sorry it put a damper on your vacation and it's does suck that they could not meet your needs, I'm sure you were very frustrated and that is not a great way to spend your time.

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

Wow that is very disappointing. I’ve never heard of any restaurant at disney not being able to accommodate a peanut /tree allergy . My son is allergic to both and we haven’t had any issues . I do know that most resorts don’t have a mobile order allergy option . We spoke with a manager at Yacht and Beach clubs quick service and they told us what is safe . Did you speak with a manager? In regards to the poster saying you can’t expect accommodations, that is ridiculous. Disney is known for this . Every resort a guest is staying at has safe options for a guest with basic food allergies. Your experience is not the norm and is not acceptable. And no I’m not expecting anything other than safety. I’m so sorry this happened to you . I would write a letter or call guest services. They dropped the ball .

 

[RoseGold]

Disney has never "guaranteed" for cross-contamination, for celiac or a million other allergies. That's not a common nut allergy.

It's why it says allergy friendly, not guaranteed to never have been cross-contaminated. To really protect yourself, you would need to plan ahead. You could go to a place like Terralina that doesn't have nuts at all, or request accommodation ahead of time, or gotten a DVC room with a kitchen. For such a severe allergy, you would think you would be more prepared.

And the cafeteria does have things like packaged cereal and chips, so it isn't like you had zero choices.

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

After rereading the OP post I agree that you are not going on an average nut allergy. There is pizza in that food court that is standard nut allergy friendly pizza . I’m not sure what you were looking for but there look like many options .

 

[lanejudy]

The value resorts DO offer an allergy menu. However, they do not "guarantee" any item is completely free of the allergen. Here is the statement from World Premier food court (the same statement is on the allergy menus at Music, Sports, POP and AoA):

About our allergy-friendly menu items: Guests may consult with a chef or special diets trained Cast Member before placing an order. We use reasonable efforts in our sourcing, preparation and handling procedures to avoid the introduction of the named allergens into allergy-friendly menu choices. While we take steps to prevent cross-contact, we do not have separate allergy-friendly kitchens and are unable to guarantee that a menu item is completely free of allergens. Allergy-friendly offerings are reliant on supplier ingredient labels. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the contents of each food item. Allergen advisory statements (e.g., "may contain") are not regulated and therefore not taken into consideration when developing allergy-friendly meals. It is ultimately our Guests' discretion to make an informed choice based upon their individual dietary needs.​

I spot-checked the menus at several resorts, both quick service and table service. The above statement seems standard across the board, regardless of resort category or restaurant type. My family has traveled for two decades with dietary needs, and I don't recall any "guarantees" on the allergy offerings. It's possible in 2015 the question was posed differently and/or the server answered differently, but I don't think the kitchen/prep situation has changed.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

My question is did the OP speak to the Food Service Manager. The post did not say whether or not they spoke to someone. In the past when we had someone with us that had allergy issues we would mention it to the server and the either the Managing Chef or the Food Service Manager would come to the table and discuss the possible options. I oversee Nutrition and Food service in a hospital and serving staff is not required to understand the complexities of all allergies and the possible options we have to accomodate the patient. So to all out their make sure you speak to someone who is high enough up on the food chain to actually have had an education on allergies and how that establishment handles those situations. In closing we have always had great experiences when dealing with this problem. The Chef at WL Wispering Canyon actually gave us the recipe for their gluten free waffles becaus one of our party just adored them.

 

[dbutlerjr]

My question is did the OP speak to the Food Service Manager. The post did not say whether or not they spoke to someone. In the past when we had someone with us that had allergy issues we would mention it to the server and the either the Managing Chef or the Food Service Manager would come to the table and discuss the possible options. I oversee Nutrition and Food service in a hospital and serving staff is not required to understand the complexities of all allergies and the possible options we have to accomodate the patient. So to all out their make sure you speak to someone who is high enough up on the food chain to actually have had an education on allergies and how that establishment handles those situations. In closing we have always had great experiences when dealing with this problem. The Chef at WL Wispering Canyon actually gave us the recipe for their gluten free waffles becaus one of our party just adored them.

My wife did speak to somebody at the food court. It basically boiled down to them being unable to guarantee lack of cross-contamination.

 

[lanejudy]

Quick service locations are not usually dealing with a lot of plain raw ingredients. Much is at least partially prepared -- for example chicken fingers are already breaded, not plain chicken they dredge through bread crumbling the kitchen. Since they don't prep it, they only know so much; so it's understandable they can't guarantee no cross-contamination. Table service locations are recommended for more severe or unusual allergies because they have more flexibility to work with raw ingredients. I'm sorry you weren't aware of that when planning your meals.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Expecting Disney to ensure the health and safety of all of its guests shouldn't be too much to ask (I think?). Disney ditched their dining plan, so we're already shelling out more money for meals than what we even wanted to do. I want to also point out that we went to the gift shop at the resort and couldn't find allergy-free bread to even make a sandwich, so had to basically settle for using allergy-safe Ritz crackers as "bread". Not quite the magical experience or convenience that we were expecting from Disney. And if you think that my concerns make me sound "entitled", well, I guess you're entitled to your opinion.

not saying this is the reason but I know at small park I work at we can not get everything we usually get. and yes this is still true. if this is the case what do you expect Disney to do if they can not get it from supplier.