Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida & Food Allergies

My family and I went to Disney and Universal Studios over Christmas break, and we had a great time. This is our second time visiting Disney and a first for Universal. Knowing this was probably our last time visiting, I really wanted my food allergic son and myself to experience the food allergy magic in Disney. The first time we went, they were great with his food allergies at all of the quick service restaurants. However, I wanted him to experience a complete sit-down meal and other treats this time around. I want to share how we made this happen along with some tips. Please only use this blog post as a reference tool and do your own research. We all have different food allergies, comfort levels, and ways that our families manage day to day. 

First, I researched food allergy blog posts from other food allergy bloggers and jotted down all the suggestions. I then mapped out all of the quick service restaurants at the two Disney parks we were visiting and viewed their menus to see what my kids would eat. Once I had our quick service spots picked out, I reached out to friends in the food allergy community to get advice. One of those resources was Pixie Lizzie Magical Food Allergy Travel. Lizzie was so helpful and gave me some great advice. I would definitely recommend her for your next Disney vacation. She pointed me to dinner at Cape May Cafe, where a well-known food allergy chef is. I will share more details regarding this soon. 

During my research I learned the churros, funnel cakes (Throughout Disney) and cinnamon rolls from Gaston's Tavern are safe for someone with a peanut and tree-nut allergies. A friend of mine also pointed me to Main Street Plaza Ice Cream Parlor located inside Magic Kingdom and they were wonderful with my son's food allergy. Prior to ordering, let the Disney employee know you have a food allergy and they will have you and your family wait to the side for the head chef or manager to assist you. This is the same procedure at all quick service restaurants within Disney. Once a chef comes out, they tell you what is safe and take your order. The order will be prepared separately and away from any of your allergens. My family and I safely enjoyed churros, funnel cakes and ice cream. Unfortunately, we didn't get around to enjoying the cinnamon rolls from Gaston's Tavern or the Dole Whip that I have heard so much about. The Dole Whip has the following flavors free of the Top 8 allergens: Pineapple, Mango, Raspberry, Lime and Lemon. Here's a blog link with some additional dessert options. I also found this blog link helpful as well.   

The most magical and safe dining experience we had was at Cape May Cafe. You need reservations here and you also want to make a note in the reservations regarding what your allergens are. I simply made our reservations via the Disney Online App. They do require a credit card to hold the reservation. Cape May is a buffet and usually my son cannot safely eat at a buffet, so this was a great treat for us. Chef TJ came to our table and discussed my son's allergies and made sure he was ok with everything on the buffet. At the end of our dinner, Chef TJ made a very special dessert for my son. It was truly magical and something we will never forget. I also had my other two children with me (no food allergies) and they were completely surprised by the special cupcakes Chef TJ brought out for them as well. We didn't expect that at all because my other two could eat anything off of the dessert table. So, this was by far the best food allergy experience we have had. A special thank you to Pixie Lizzie Magical Food Allergy Travel and Chef TJ. 
Here's a video of my son receiving his special treat:
 youtube.com/shorts/d9d7rlCcXi0?feature=share

Chef TJ from Cape May Cafe

Lastly, we went to Universal Studios for two days and it was so much fun for my kids. They are not as great with the food allergies, but they still do a good job. Just like Disney, I researched the quick service restaurants and looked over the menus. I also recommend notifying the cashier attendant of your food allergy prior to ordering and someone will come out to speak with you. If you are looking for a sit-down dining experience, I have heard great things about Mythos Restaurant in Universal Studios. The chef should come to your table here and go over what you can have and how they safely prepare it. You will need a reservation here and it can be made online via the website or the Universal App. We didn't have any desserts or treats while at Universal Studios, but If you have, please share and let us know what you have learned.