5 Tips If You Need Allergy-Friendly Food on Disney World Property
The world is definitely changing and now more than ever you can find allergy-friendly food options at most restaurants and grocery stores. Disney World is definitely keeping up with the times by providing many different options for allergy-friendly food requests.
Even if you don’t need allergy-friendly food, it’s likely you know someone that does and the LAST thing you want on your Disney World vacation is to rush to the hospital and miss out on some Disney magic.
Before we dive into the 5 tips, let’s first see what Disney classifies as allergy-friendly requests.
Allergy-Friendly Requests
Review the image below to see how Disney classifies allergy-friendly requests.
Note: This article will cover the common allergy-friendly requests but Disney also offers Kosher and Halal meals upon request. For information on how to find Kosher and Halal meals, refer to: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/
Now, let’s dive into 5 tips if you need allergy-friendly food on Disney World property.
#1 Check the Online Menu
Before your Disney World trip or even while you’re there, check the restaurants online menu to find allergy-friendly menu options based on common food allergens.
Most table-service and select quick-service restaurants will list the options on their online menu. Search for the restaurant and review the menu to find the allergy-friendly options. Here’s an example of the Cinderella’s Royal Table online menu.
Here, you can explore the options that are allergy-friendly so you can decide if this restaurant is a great option for you!
If you’re not able to find an online menu, refers to tips #2 and #3 when you’re in the parks to make sure you are getting allergy-friendly food!
#2 Notify the Restaurant on Your Dining Reservations
In addition to exploring the menu, you can also notify the restaurant of your allergy when booking your dining reservation. When booking your reservation online or via the app, look for the prompt to add your special dietary request. This will notify the restaurant before you arrive.
If you are making the reservation over the phone, let the cast member know of your allergy and they will enter it in the system for you.
When you get to the restaurant, the cast member will likely verify your allergy before you order food so they can help steer you in the right direction. If not, simply let them know of the allergy-friendly request before you order.
Many restaurants will have a separate allergy-friendly menu to help you make an educated decision. This menu is helpful if the restaurant has a buffet option.
Note: Disney takes these requests VERY seriously. My husband put milk as a request since he’s lactose-intolerant but when he ordered something with a small amount of cheese, the chef came to our table to confirm he could eat it before making the food. The chef let us know he had to get confirmation from my husband before creating the food for him since it was entered in the system.
#3 Ask the Chef
While on Disney property, you can request to speak to a chef or a special diets-trained Cast Member at most table-service and select quick-service restaurants.
The chef will come to your table and help you decide on options regarding your allergy. While restaurants do their best to accommodate reasonable requests, they cannot guarantee that they will be able to meet all requests but at least you asked!
Note: While at our Disney resort, a member of our party wasn’t finding a great option that was gluten, dairy and soy free. She spoke to the chef and he was able to create her a special dish that was not on the original food-court menu. That’s Disney magic!
#4 Contact the Special Diets Team
If you or anyone in your party has either 4 or more allergy-friendly requests, requires pureed meals, or adheres to a medically-restrictive diet (such as very low protein), you can contact Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com after you’ve booked your dining reservation.
You can contact the team no sooner than 14 days prior to your arrival. The team will assist you in navigating the dining process, which may include providing the restaurants you intend to visit with your information before your visit.
They are a great resource for guests that have multiple allergy-friendly requests which make it hard to find food on property.
#5 Bring Your Own Food
Guests are allowed to bring their own food to Walt Disney World theme parks. While this option is the least glamorous, it’s probably the safest option and we recommend you bring snacks just in case!
Cast Members are prohibited from storing, preparing, cooking or reheating food brought by Guests so be sure to keep your options easy such as room-temperature snacks.
Bonus Tip: Find Food Blogs
As a bonus tip, search for popular allergy-friendly food blogs about Disney World food! Some even have guides you can purchase to help you navigate food in the parks easier!
We hope you’ve loved this article! If you have any questions or would like to book your next Disney trip, please contact us and schedule a free consultation today.
Best Wishes! ✨
Information for this article was obtained as of Friday, April 14th, 2023.