Hiya Misty,
Thank you so much for stopping by planDisney with your question about
dietary restrictions! I completely understand where you're coming from. As a mom, food is one of the first things I think about when we're planning a Disney vacation because my family has a few allergies and sensitivities to navigate. My oldest daughter is lactose intolerant and can't have soy, and I have both a pineapple allergy and a gluten sensitivity. Thankfully, Disney has made dining so much less stressful for our family, and that peace of mind is priceless.
Now, let's dig into your question! The first thing I highly recommend before a trip is to browse restaurant menus in the
My Disney Experience app or on the Walt Disney World website. This always helps me decide where we'll eat and where we would like to make reservations. Every table-service restaurant and many quick-service restaurants have an allergy-friendly menu.
Typically, if you scroll to the bottom of any menu, you will find this, so you can see what options are available ahead of time. For example, if your nephew is planning to grab a bite at
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café, he'll find a
Gluten/Wheat Allergy-Friendly Patty Melt listed right on the menu.
Before sitting down and before ordering, I always let the Cast Member know about our allergies, even if I've already looked over the menu. In my experience, they'll often ask if we'd like to speak with the chef, and I always take them up on it. The chefs are always incredible, and they'll walk us through the menu, answer questions, and sometimes even suggest something that may not be on the menu.
If you're dining at a
family-style meal or an all-you-care-to-enjoy restaurant, don't be surprised if your nephew gets his own allergy-friendly plate. This helps prevent cross-contamination and lets the rest of our family enjoy the meal without worrying. My daughter always thinks it’s the funniest thing when she has the large plate all to herself!
Something else to keep in mind is that Disney does a wonderful job identifying allergy-friendly meals. At table-service restaurants, you'll typically see a purple allergy pick with the meal. At many quick-service locations, the allergy-friendly order is served on a purple tray. These small details really help set the food apart from one another.
One last tip: even though Disney does an amazing job, I still take a second to confirm the meal when it arrives at the table. This reassures us, and it gives me complete confidence before my daughter takes that first bite.
Misty, I hope this helps answer your question and gives you a little extra peace of mind as you plan. If you have any additional questions, feel free to visit us again.
See ya real soon,
Christina