Hi Sandi!
Thanks for asking me this awesome question! As the mom to a little one with food allergies, one of the best parts of my job as a planDisney panelist is helping Guests who are also accommodating food allergies. We've had incredible dining experiences during Disney vacations on land and at sea and I'm excited for your grandson to experience some safe Disney culinary magic during your upcoming trip!
The Disneyland Resort Chefs and Cast Members are dedicated to ensuring that Guests with
food allergies can have safe and tasty dining experiences during their vacations. Since your grandson has severe food allergies, I recommend visiting
table-service restaurants because they will have larger kitchens and more options to accommodate his needs. When you're making your dining reservations, be sure to include his allergies in your reservation and also remind your server of them once you arrive at the restaurant. You can use allergy menus to help you order and you always have the option to ask to speak with a Chef or allergy-trained Cast Member to determine what your grandson can safely enjoy. If you'll be visiting a restaurant that offers buffet-style meals, you can request that your grandson's food be served directly from the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination.
You may still be able to safely visit carts, kiosks, and quick-service locations with a little bit of extra vigilance. While these locations may not offer allergy menus and have more limited accommodation options, you can ask to see product packaging to review the ingredient list or ask for a special diet consultation to determine what your grandson can safely enjoy. Keep in mind that this can take some extra time, so when we need to do this for my son, I will wait in line to determine what my son can safely enjoy while my husband explores the theme park with the kids. Then I can surprise him with a safe, tasty treat and we have less disappointment if the offerings aren't safe for him. I also recommend that you bring some safe candy or treats with you for your grandson so you always have a special, tasty option available just in case he ever feels disappointed about something that isn't safe.
Sandi, did you know that there's a
Special Diets Team dedicated to helping Guests with allergies and other special dietary needs enjoy their Disneyland Resort vacations? If your grandson has four or more allergens, then I recommend that you email Special.Diets@Disneyland.com to ask for a Special Dietary Request Form. You should submit this form when you are within 14 days of your trip and the Special Diets Team will help you prepare for a safe vacation with your grandson! And if you have questions about your grandson's specific allergens, I recommend that you contact the Special Diets Team for information about accommodating that specific allergen during your trip.
If you have any other questions about navigating Disneyland Resort with food allergies or general planning questions, please feel free to come back and ask another question! T-T-F-N, ta ta for now!
~Crystal