Hi Kelly!
My oldest son has multiple food allergies and we have enjoyed wonderful Walt Disney World Resort vacations both with and without Disney dining plans. In my experience, the type of restaurant we are enjoying makes the biggest difference in how easy it is to accommodate my son's
Special Dietary Requests and for us, it is much easier to eat table service restaurants since the kitchens at these restaurants are larger and there are more safe options that the Chefs can provide him for his meal. When you are dining at a table service restaurant, you can ask to speak to the Chef to assist you in ordering for your little ones with food allergies. The Chef will then work with you to find options for your kids that are both safe for them to eat and tasty for them to enjoy. We have had many Chefs ask my son what he would like for his meal and they have prepared anything he could think of! We like to enjoy at least one table service restaurant per day with my son so we can be sure he gets a good meal in every day and so I think it is more economical for my family to be on the
Disney Dining Plan, which includes one table service entitlement, one quick service entitlement and one snack entitlement per person per day. Since we like to enjoy Character dining experiences, I definitely think we get our money's worth out of the plan.
Be sure to check out the
allergy-friendly menus available at restaurants throughout Walt Disney World Resort. These are particularly helpful in ordering at quick service restaurants! T-T-F-N, ta ta for now!
~Crystal B.