Everyone raves about dining at Walt Disney World and I’m no different.I love the variety and quality of food available at the Disney parks and resorts. However, having a serious shellfish allergy, I’ve always played it safe and avoided some of the more obvious restaurants that feature seafood. It’s hard on my husband and my littlest, who love seafood.
Currently, I’m still not brave enough to try the major seafood establishments like Flying Fish Café or Fulton’s Crab House. I am tempted to try The Coral Reef Restaurant, just for the underwater view of The Living Seas aquarium. But I’m scared because all of the appetizers at Coral Reef (except salad), feature seafood (the entrees do include chicken, beef, and a vegetarian dish).
Allergies to shellfish and fish are considered among the eight most common food allergies identified by the Food & Drug Administration, and the good news is that the Cast Members at Disney take their responsibility for Guest safety seriously.They are well equipped to deal with all of the common food allergies, such as eating Gluten Free, as well as many of the more uncommon allergies. If you may have a serious allergic reaction you can bring an epi-pen in to the Disney parks, just tell the Cast Member at the gate that you are carrying it for medical reasons.
If you go to the Disney World Special Diets site you’ll see that shellfish allergies and intolerance are carefully managed by all Disney table service restaurants. Some of the quick-service locations may also be able to accommodate special diets.Naturally, as Disney locations prepare food for thousands of Guests each day, they can’t have a kitchen dedicated to preparing allergen-free meals. However, as long as the Cast Members are aware of the presence of an allergy they will try to avoid cross contamination.
I knew from the Diva Planner’s great experiences with gluten free meals that I could expand my dining options a bit this trip. I typically avoid Asian cuisines as they often include fish sauce in the preparation. The ingredients in fish sauces vary not only by country but by region so it’s hard to tell exactly what you may be getting at a restaurant. While some fish sauces are made from a single fish others contain a variety including shellfish. Some Southeast Asian cuisines that may include shellfish in their fish sauces, soups and casseroles include Japanese, Hawaiian and Chinese foods.
This time around I decided to be brave and venture into the fringes of seafood land. We’ve made reservations at the Kona Cafe for appetizers & dessert.
I made my original reservations on line thru Disney Dining then I sent an email directly to SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com to let them know about my allergy. I included the reservation numbers for all of our meals, not just those that I as concerned might carry the risk of triggering an allergic response. I received a response within two hours! Unfortunately, all it contained was a re-cap of the information included on the web site. There was no indication that the Cast Member responding had actually read my email.
So I called 407-WDW-DINE and asked the Cast Member on the phone to note the allergies on our reservation. They were already noted! The Cast Member on the phone shared her personal experiences at Teppan Edo in the Japan Pavilion. She said that a Guest at her table had a shellfish allergy so that while she was able to enjoy the hibachi cooking at the table, her meal was prepared separately in the kitchen to avoid contamination.
Wow! Now I need to make more reservations…
So if you are dealing with a shelfish allergy, never fear! You CAN enjoy a Disney Vacation. Just be sure to plan ahead.
We also had a great experience with my daughters shellfish allergy. At the character buffets the chefs were very kind to her and showed her, as she is 10, and capable of making her own food choices, as well as me all the items to avoid.
Author: Aspiring Diva
We also had a great experience with my daughters shellfish allergy. At the character buffets the chefs were very kind to her and showed her, as she is 10, and capable of making her own food choices, as well as me all the items to avoid.