The happiest place on Earth, Disney World, is now a little bit safer for children who have food allergies. Disney recently won an award for it’s commitment to making things easier for families of children who have food allergies or an intolerance to certain foods. They have a process for guests to follow to request food that will fit around one’s allergies.
As someone who has had severe allergies since I was a young child, I understand first hand how quickly an allergic person can go from feeling fine to being incredibly sick. Allergies tend to run in families. In general, this means that a family that has one child who has food allergies often has another child who also has food allergies. It likely means that at least one of the parents have allergies as well.
It can be extremely difficult, or even dangerous, for someone with food allergies or intolerances to be in a situation where they cannot know, for certain, what is in the food that will be available to them. I have had a severe allergic reaction to a food that had always been safe for me in the past. I read the ingredients on all foods while I am at the grocery store, so that I can avoid the ones that have something in them that I am allergic to. Even so, I recently had a bad reaction to a sloppy joe mix that appeared to be safe. My best guess is that the “natural ingredients” included something that I am allergic to. Since I was at home, I was able to quickly locate and take some allergy medication, before I ended up breaking out in hives, or desperately needing my inhaler.
For an allergic person, or the parent of an allergic child, it can be frightening to try and locate food that is safe at an amusement park. There are no lists of ingredients to check. Being outside means exposure to all kinds of environmental allergies. A bad food choice could be fatal. One either goes to the amusement park and fasts until arriving safely at home, or one stays home in the first place. Children with food allergies are still going to want to go to Disney World, and it would be impossible to avoid eating or drinking anything for the days that a family explores this huge amusement park.
Fortunately, Disney has done something special to help accommodate the needs of children with food allergies and intolerances. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network awarded Walt Disney Parks & Resorts with it’s Corporate Leadership Award. This is because Disney takes the time to properly train cast members in food safety, focusing specifically on allergies. The restaurants in Disney World work with guests who are allergic to peanuts, shellfish, dairy, gluten, and other foods. They offer special menus, and allow guests to talk directly to the chef that will be preparing the meal. Guests will often still need to make arrangements ahead of time, though.
Image by Luis Argerich on Flickr