It was our first day at Magic Kingdom and we were having lunch at the Columbia Harbor House, I was very nervous. With our daughter Claire’s dairy and egg allergy, my wife Laura and I wondered how the meal service would go for her. We were told when booking our trip to tell the server of our need and we would be accommodated. So we did and we were asked to wait. A chef from the back came out to speak to us, offering us select foods that would be guaranteed safe. We ordered and in no time the whole family was sitting down for the first meal of our trip. Claire loved her order of French fries, chicken nuggets and fruit.
After this first experience our worries were put at ease and we began to relax at mealtimes. Wherever we dined we always informed the server of our need, and the Disney Cast Members accommodated us with a smile. At Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios, the chef personally toured my wife around the buffet showing her what was safe for Claire to eat.
In Chef Mickey at the Contemporary Hotel, dairy and egg free Mickey Mouse waffles were made especially for Claire. She didn’t miss out on the world famous breakfast meal because of her food need. It was also during this dining reservation that I experienced how great Disney customer service is. After realizing we left our trailer at Fort Wilderness without Claire’s EpiPen’s, I ran down to the valet service to call a cab to go back to the trailer. I wanted to be as quick as I could because our dinner reservation was coming close to expire. After 10 minutes and no cab, the Cast Members at the valet service arranged for me to be driven back to our trailer by another Cast Member. The fifteen-minute journey was relaxing as Bud, my driver, told me about his experiences working at Disney. I offered him a $20 when we returned, but he turned me down and told me to spend it on my family. A moment of crisis in my mind and it was turned into a unique experience interacting with a Cast Member. When I was walking towards the entrance to go up to Chef Mickey, the valet service Cast Member informed me there were no medical emergencies and that I could relax. I was, because the people I paid a lot of money too for our trip cared about us.
Food allergies with young children can be a nightmare. I feel like I am always on the watch, maybe a little paranoid. At Disney World, I felt like the Cast Members cared too, and that was a relief. When our trip ended after nine days I was already mentally planning our next trip.
Here are some tips on how to enjoy your allergy free vacation at Walt Disney World.
Tip #1 Be Prepared
We ordered an extra EpiPen before the trip because we wanted to have three with us at all times. Laura and I wanted to know that if Claire had an attack we would be able to care for her until we had medical help.
Tip #2 Be Vocal
Even though Disney is great at listening to your needs, when the food comes out you should always check and see if the food is what you ordered. Despite the courteousness of the servers, we always asked what the food was and reminded the server of our allergy need. We were always reassured by the knowledge of the server, never once did they say, “what food allergy?”
Tip #3 Be Cautious
You can avoid allergy problems in the kitchen but for Claire she also had to avoid any spilled food items in the parks and food particles left on the characters at meet and greets. We were always conscious of where Claire was and what she was doing. We kept our eyes wide open after she met Mickey and the gang for any reactions and we didn’t have a problem. Every time we sat down for a meal, we always wiped down Claire’s area with a sanitized wipe. Not a single problem or incident. Our only time of concern was after our meal at Hollywood and Vine. We were packing our stroller by Echo Lake and Claire was collecting leaves. Upon exiting we noticed her rubbing her face, and hives started appearing near her eye and cheek. She must have touched something while playing by Echo Lake. Taking her to the washroom and thoroughly washing her face and hands resolved the issue. By the time we were back at Fort Wilderness there wasn’t a hive on her face.
A vacation can be stressful, and when a food allergy exists it can make things worse for a worrier like me. Laura and I planned well, and we had the best time ever. Claire often talks about the trip and wants to go back to Disney World. We can’t wait to take her in 2016.