Day 857: Steps Forward

I'm no stranger to food allergies. Growing up, I was fairly conscious of them, as my dad is allergic to shellfish and my mom has an egg allergy. Now, I personally have a myriad of food allergies, including most fruits and salmon, plus I'm lactose intolerant. As you can imagine, this doesn't really make my life very easy, especially when it comes to dining out. However, eating at Disney has always been easier, and that's something that hasn't changed since learning about my variety of odd allergies.

Thankfully, things are about to get even easier. Previously, if you have a food allergy, you'd notate it on your reservation or mention it to a server at the restaurant and often times you'd have the chance to speak with the head chef, which is always one of the most exciting parts. The staff at Walt Disney World are absolutely brilliant, and while I have less experience with Disneyland, I'm absolutely certain that the kindness runs true there as well. This past January had several great experiences working with the chefs to make sure I was as happy and healthy as can be, and that's all you can ask for when you're dealing with food allergies.

But now, Disney is working on taking things one step further by notating various common food allergies on the menu so you, as a consumer, can quickly identify what you can and cannot eat. Of course, you're always more than welcome to chat with the chef, and you can read all about the new system on the official Disney Parks Blog!

Personally, I'm all for this new system, as it's Disney being super conscious of their guests with allergies. I've had a lot of great experiences with Disney Restaurants, although I feel like my favorite was at Boma this past January. I, per usual, got to chat with the chef before dinner and he walked me through the buffet before letting me know that I could deifnitely have a special dessert made for me. When I mentioned my love of Zebra domes, he even sent one out special with my other dessert, since I explained that I could have one and be totally fine. Of course, he also sent out raspberry sorbet and an array of other dairy free treats for me to enjoy and let me tell you...it was DELICIOUS!

The point here? Disney takes care of their guests, and I'm thrilled at the advancements they're making in their dining program to better accomidate those of us with food allergies. Many places will substitute...if you ask, but Disney is being proactive in every way possible and making sure you know what would need to be substituted before any questions arise.

What do you think of the new dining adjustments for guests with allergies? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 14 due to finals).