Tips from our Readers!
Here are some fabulous tips for visting Disney with food allergies or other special needs. If you would like to share a tip, use this form.
Just ASK!
If you aren’t presented with dining options that you like, simply ask the chef if he or she can make you something that you like. The Disney chefs are culinary masters and have been thoroughly trained to handle food allergy requests. However, they may not pick up on your tastes or be thinking in the same allergen-free creative zone that you are. But if you give them some ideas about what you like, or ask them about some of your tried-and-true options, they can present additional options that may be more to your liking.
Their goal is to make everyone happy and they will often go out of their way to accomplish this. So, just ask!
It also helps if they know you’re coming. Therefore, make advanced dining reservations, if possible.
This tip was contributed by Alecia, from New England. Read her tip here.
Store snacks and your medication in a locker
If you need to keep snacks or your medicine cool while at the park, you can store a small cooler in a locker at each theme park, water park and even Downtown Disney. Find lockers at the following locations:
- Magic Kingdom Theme Park – adjacent to the wheelchair and ECV rental location.
- Epcot – near the west side of Spaceship Earth. Unattended lockers are available at International Gateway and oversized lockers are available at the Bus Information area.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios – near Oscar’s Classic Car Souvenirs at the Main Entrance of Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.
- Animal Kingdom – just inside and outside the Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park entrance.
- Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – adjacent to the main dressing room and Hammerhead Fred’s Dive Shop.
- Blizzard Beach Water Park – at Snowless Joe’s.
- Downtown Disney – Marketplace on the dock near Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant and the marina rental window.
Of course, this doesn’t work for your Epi Pens. On hot days at the parks, it’s probably best to keep them in a bag out of direct sunlight and away from your body. You might also consider planning you trip for a cooler season, if you must carry Epi Pens.
The locker tip was suggested to us by Julianne C. You can read her tip here.
Take some healthy snacks
Disney has some great healthy snacks throughout the park. However, you can always take a backpack with some of your own healthy snacks, guaranteed to be safe from food allergens and cross-contact. Disney has a policy about outside food and drinks. Simply mention your food allergy and they will allow them.
This tip was provided by Danielle. You can read her tip, as well as some of her healthy food suggestions, here.
Carry wipes and sanitizer
Even without a food allergy, this is a great tip. But with so many kids running around with ice cream and other snacks contain food allergens, it’s great to have wipes available to help sanitize a seat or handrail that will be used by your child.
This tip was provided by Ken. You can read his tip and great ways to carry wipes, here.
Make (or buy) food allergy cards
A great way to clearly communicate your food allergies to a chef, server or restaurant manager is with a food allergy card. These cards are available online, or you can make your own with business card or notecard template.
This tip was provided by Anne, whose tip and advice for using allergy cards can be found here.
