Where can i find information on doing disney with severe peanut allergy

cottontail

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 16, 2001
Hi We are looking for any information for bringing a child to disney with a peanut allergy, stratgies, peanut free restaurants etc.

Deb.
 
When you make your ADRs put in that one member has peanut allergies. There are no peanut free restaurants - people can bring food into WDW so there will be the chance of peanuts everywhere. There are some restaurants that are heavy on peanut stuff - 'Ohana is one. Disney has the menus posted on their website.
 
Bring all your own food and definitely an Epi-Pen!

Disney can serve some element of nut-free food at your restaurant table, but they can do nothing about cross-contamination nor can they do anything about other guests. A guest could be wiping peanut buttery hands on something and the CM's aren't going to penalize them. A guest could scatter nuts at a buffet and again, nothing really would be done, because they can't guarantee anything. Look over there, it's a guest eating PB out of a jar with a spoon! Can't stop that...
 
One of my sons is anaphylactic to peanuts and other nuts (and shellfish) and we've dined at Disney for 13 years now without a reaction. Disney takes allergies seriously and I think they do a very good job mostly in taking into consideration cross-contamination (may contains and made in a facility and so on). For QS you will need to tell the person taking the order of the allergies and they'll give you an allergy menu and/or bring over someone to talk to you. Most QS places can accommodate a peanut allergy. Table Service can sometimes be even more accommodating. If the allergies are exceptionally severe they chef can make the food separate (as opposed to eating off a buffet for example). We've never had any issue with the Disney restaurants and allergies and I've never seen anyone scatter nuts at the buffet. (Usually the bigger issue for us is the shellfish and cross contamination with other items nearby so the chef usually just brings him those items from the kitchen if he wants them). Not all restaurants are operated by Disney (like some in Disney Springs).

The bigger issue we have in most places (QS or TS) is dessert items. Some places seem to have more than others. We've had the most luck lately at Chef Mickey's where almost everything has been ok - but my son can also eat "made in a facility" items.

It is true that you can't control if the table or handrail has peanut residue on it or people who eat PB out of a jar in random places (yuck - lol!) but then we can't control that really anywhere we go either.
 
Depending on the severity of your child's allergy, you may want to request an allergy cleaning for your Resort room; Guests can, and do bring nuts and peanut butter into guest rooms at the Resorts.

While Mousekeeping does an excellent job of cleaning the rooms, if he is extremely allergic, you may want to consider this if you are staying at a Disney Resort. You will need to request this in advance, so that room can be blocked out to allow extra time for the cleaning.
 
When we went two years ago we brought our grandson. He too is anaphylactic to peanuts. I requested the rooms be cleaned for his allergy and they cleaned both rooms as requested. I let reservations know kids bounce just like Tigger. He may be in grand's or parents room at any time and would need to be safe. TS chef's would come to our table and speak with us and grandson letting us know what was safe for him. CS would hand us the little booklets to check ingredients. As far as "sticky little fingers" on everything we had a nice supply of sanitizing wipes and small bottles of hand sanitizers. Don't forget your pens!
 
if it is just one allergy the chef may not come out to talk to you but Disney dose do a very good job of taking care of people with allergies, a few years a go it was not the case, but at my last allergist my DR told me that he had one of his paitent die at Disney due to anaphylactic and then not having an Epipen with then, so bring it and bring a back up. And another note there was a recall on then so see if yours are in that recall
 


Hi We are looking for any information for bringing a child to disney with a peanut allergy, stratgies, peanut free restaurants etc.

Deb.
have one grandson with a peanut allergy and only place in Disney he reacted was while in line over 2 hours after last meal. as others have said you can find peanut or peanut butter anywhere as people are allowed to bring food in plus buy from carts and eat anywhere. we never saw what he touched but had an ER trip that day
 
Our PA child has had many trips and eaten at many of the restaurants. He is considered anaphylactic and very severe. He has never had a reaction at WDW. They are very allergy aware and educated. We have always had a chef come to the table but until recently he also had two other allergies too. He outgrew these but he won't peanuts. I would request a chief if they do not offer one. We have always had good experiences. Most really want to make the child happy and will be sure they have a safe dessert they can enjoy; something that rarely happens for us most places. Everyone has different comfort levels but we love WDW dining and feel safe letting him eat there. Our bigger problem is kids eating peanut butter in the parks and especially in lines. It gets everywhere!!! We are not contact anaphylactic but it has made me a bit anxiety at times. We will sometimes need to allow people to go ahead of us to create a barrier and we wash hand constantly!!! Carry extra epi pens, read the allergy menus, carry safe treats in case somewhere does not have something, ask for what you need and it will be the easiest vacation you have taken.
 
1) If the allergy is for digested peanut oils, most eateries can accommodate.
2) If the reaction is for airborne oils, you are probably out of luck.
. . . there is no way to stop people at a nearby table from having peanuts
. . . there is no way to stop people walking by from eating peanuts
. . . there is no way to stop people who ate peanuts form touching handrails
 
As someone who has a severe allergy to peanuts, including a trace and airborne allergy and has travelled to DL (anaheim) and WDW many times, I can tell you that they are excellent at dealing with allergies. I have travelled all around the world and DL (anaheim) and WDW would be probably the best I have ever experienced with my allergy. They take it very seriously, they make the whole thing easy, you speak to a chef (at TS restaurants), if at a buffet, the chef will walk you thorough telling which is safe and which isn't. Sometimes you need to make judgements for yourself (like Goofy's Kitchen at DL for example, there is peanut pizza, I wouldn't eat any of the pizzas incase some has dripped on another pizza or shared utensils), but you would do that anywhere. I eat mainly at TS restaurants, I find that easier with the allergy and I like talking to the chef (but also because dining at Disney is just as big a part of our trips as a ride is, part of the experience).
Avoid Disneyland Paris, that on the flip side was one of the most difficult places I have ever eaten in my life, anywhere in the world with a peanut allergy. They were nice about it, but peanut oil and nuts are such a widely used thing, they give you these special pre-packaged meals (same park and resort wide), so if there for a week you get very very sick of the same meal over and over again and they are not good meals (once the meal was still partly frozen! They are just thawed in the microwave).

But you could not eat anywhere better in the world than Disney with an allergy. As long as you tell them, they will do all they can to accommodate you to the best of their ability. You can't help those around you, but using common sense like you would outside Disney, move tables if you have a table of people beside eating a satay meal, or if one at the table beside is, move the person with the allergy to another place on your table, furtherest from the peanut meal.

Enjoy your trip
 
My best friend is extremely allergic to nuts and when we went to WDW about four years ago she was so impressed by the care and considerations the CM's had. I made sure on all our ADR's to note that there was a severe allergy, and she reminded the host/hostesses when we got there. At every single restaurant the chef came out and asked her what she would like and made sure to prepare it special for her (we had another friend who is allergic to gluten and the chefs did the same thing, and would substitute gluten products with something else to her liking). My friend did the same at bakeries and any of the quick service restaurants and everyone was always accommodating and understanding. We had her epi pen with us the whole time, but never had to use it. She felt extremely safe and secure at WDW to eat as freely as she wanted. Hope this helps and good luck!
 
but at my last allergist my DR told me that he had one of his paitent die at Disney due to anaphylactic and then not having an Epipen with then, so bring it and bring a back up.
All due respect to your allergist, I didn't recall this type of death on-site and can't find a record of it.
 
All due respect to your allergist, I didn't recall this type of death on-site and can't find a record of it.
I have also never heard anything like that happening at WDW.

We've been to WDW on multiple trips with people with disabilities. Peanut allergy is one of the most frequent allergies they deal with, so they have a lot already prepared, including allergy friendly menus at most of the counter Service restaurants.

Our most interesting visit was with family friends whose little boy had multiple allergies, several of them were anaphylactic. I think I'm remembering all - peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat and shellfish. Because of his multiple allergies, a chef came out to talk to his parents at all the sit down restaurants and a manager talked to them at the counter service ones. Guests with less severe or less number of allergies might just be able to order from the allergy menu.
 
All due respect to your allergist, I didn't recall this type of death on-site and can't find a record of it.
People die at Disney all the time and no one hears of it. My trip in April an older lady die in a bathroom very late at night the only resion I know was I was using the bathroom at the time and was talking to a manager I have know for about 3 years. So yes deaths do happen and people do not find out. Any one with server allergies that have an Epipen should have one with them at all times
 
People die at Disney all the time and no one hears of it. My trip in April an older lady die in a bathroom very late at night the only resion I know was I was using the bathroom at the time and was talking to a manager I have know for about 3 years. So yes deaths do happen and people do not find out. Any one with server allergies that have an Epipen should have one with them at all times
EMS calls are public record.
 
EMS calls are public record.

Doesn't Disney have to report all incidents to a state agency, even if the incident was not directly related to WDW's actions/facilities/etc. I assume that database is available to the public because it's frequently posted or cited in the Orlando Sentinel; I believe there is an official quarterly report made public.
 
Doesn't Disney have to report all incidents to a state agency, even if the incident was not directly related to WDW's actions/facilities/etc. I assume that database is available to the public because it's frequently posted or cited in the Orlando Sentinel; I believe there is an official quarterly report made public.
The person at my dr office died 10-15 years ago this was before they had epipen at first aid in the parks the person in April I am sure you could find if it had to be reported when/ if it becomes available. Not something I really care about. I was just giving g the op my option that Any one with anaphylactic should always carry there own epipen and not rely on one being available New by when needed ( too may things could make one not available or not work ). And for the Op I would let the CM when Getting any food know about the allergy even if you think it is not in the food you are eating
 
We traveled with a child to Disney that has several allergies - tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, dairy, seafood... I was amazed at how Disney handled him.
  • We added the allergies to the ADRs
  • We emailed Disney and they arranged for the parents to speak to someone ahead of our trip to discuss the food needs
  • When we arrived for our ADRs we advised the host of our allergies. 100% of the time they already knew, asked which child, and spoke with the parents to see if they wanted the chef to come out and speak with them.
  • For buffets, the chef walked them through each item, if there was something he wanted that they were concerned about cross contamination, the chef made it special for him (I believe some restaurants have a special kitchen to prepare food for allergy customers)
  • At CS we advised of the allergies and either they were able to accommodate or someone came out to discuss
The only tricky places were food/snack stands, which was understandable, since most of the time they don't make the food there.

We had a small issue with contact to dairy on a table that hadn't been cleaned well - the poor kid broke out in hives where he touched the table. Parents knew how to address it and we made sure tables were wiped down really well after that.

The most memorable moment... when he was able to eat fried chicken for the very first time at Ft Wilderness campground's Trail's End Buffet - they don't use milk to dredge their chicken (olive oil, I think). This kid was so happy!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top