4 More Disney Food Allergy Myths, Busted

A lot of allergen friendly meals you see posted online tend to be chicken tenders, fries, burgers, and things like that. Especially if it is your first time traveling to Disney, it is easy to get the impression that your diet is going to consist of plain, fried food all week long.

If you don't know already, you'll quickly find out that Disney's food allergy program is incredibly detailed and surprisingly flexible. Disney chefs are constantly finding new ways to modify menu items and make more dishes available to the food allergy community.

With that said, there is a whole world of options beyond your typical quick service burger and fries.

From artisan pasta dishes at Cítricos, to hand-breaded onion rings at Steakhouse 71, and even a Jumbo Lump Crab Cake at Ale & Compass (pictured above), you'll find plenty of chef-driven meals that prove allergy-friendly dining at Disney can be every bit as exciting as everyone else's.

A lot of people assume that Disney only accommodates the top 9 allergens because those are the allergens most commonly listed on food allergy menus and it may be harder to find information for less common or more complex allergens. If your allergy falls outside of those categories, it can be easy to think that Disney won't be able to help.

The reality is that Disney works with far more than just the top 9 allergens. Over the years, we have read stories from our group about Disney accommodating everything from corn and mustard allergies to less common ingredient sensitivities that most restaurants have never even heard of.

As always, communication is the key. Speaking directly with a chef will give you the opportunity to explain everything about your allergies in full detail to a trained professional who will be able to determine what options may be available to you and what you might need to avoid.

While every allergy and every restaurant is different, don't assume you are out of luck just because your allergy isn't listed on the menu. A quick conversation with a chef can often open up far more options than you might expect.

For many first time families, one of the most intimidating parts of dining at Disney with food allergies is speaking directly with a chef for the first time. It is easy to feel like you are being a burden by asking questions, or to think that bringing out a chef from the kitchen it too much to ask for. This is your friendly reminder to never feel this way.

The reality is that Disney chefs have these conversations every single day. Helping guests navigate food allergies is a normal part of their job and they are specifically trained to answer questions, review ingredients, and help find safe options for your family.

In fact, the more questions you ask, the better. Like we said before, speaking with a chef gives you the opportunity to discuss cross contamination concerns, preparation methods, ingredient substitutions, and anything else that will help you feel comfortable with your meal.

At the end of the day, nobody knows your allergies better than you do. Never be afraid to ask for a chef, advocate for yourself, or speak up if something doesn't seem right. Disney Chefs leave no stone unturned and are happy to spend a few extra minutes answering your questions.

One of the biggest misconceptions we see from first-time visitors is the assumption that every restaurant on Disney property follows the exact same food allergy procedures. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

One of the most important things to understand before your trip is the difference between Disney-owned restaurants and third-party restaurants. Disney-owned restaurants follow Disney's strict food allergy protocols and training programs, while third-party restaurants operate independently and may have completely different procedures in place.

That does not mean that third-party restaurants are unsafe. In fact, there are several third-party locations that receive excellent reviews from the food allergy community. It is important to note that most of the negative reviews we see come from 3rd party owned and operated establishments.

The important thing is understanding which type of restaurant you are dining at before you arrive so you know how to handle things.

This is one of the reasons we often recommend sticking with Disney-owned restaurants whenever possible. Disney's food allergy program is the gold standard for a reason. When you sit down at a Disney-owned restaurant, you know exactly what process is going to take place and what level of care you can expect. With third-party restaurants, experiences can vary significantly from one location to the next.

Food allergy families know all too well the practice of packing our own snacks before we head out for the day. That is always a good idea as availability of certain items can change, but you will find no shortage of allergy friendly snack options around both the resorts and the parks!

Here is a collection of 8 different food allergy friendly snacks we encountered on a recent trip to Disney! And this is only just scratching the surface, not only are there way more snacks than just these 8, Disney is always bringing in new products to accommodate the food allergy community.

If you would like to see a full ingredient list for all of these snacks, click the link below to head over to our Instagram and check it out!

Click here for all of the full ingredient lists!

Here are some of the most talked about topics from our Facebook Group this week. Join our Facebook Group below to check out all of these posts and more!

Until next time,

The Disney Food Allergy Group