My daughter had a pineapple allergic which is uncommon and not one of the ones on the allergy menu. I emailed special diets and they weren’t helpful- only gave me general advice and not what we need to avoid. It doesn’t seem like there’s a way to customize an order on the APL (apart from dressing and stuff) like there is on many other mobile food apps. Am I missing something or is there a way to safely order with an allergy? I really don’t want to order at the counter. Typhoon Lagoon seems the worst - everything has pineapple. Anyone with a pineapple allergy here?
I think talking to a human (ordering at the counter) is the best course with a less common allergy. Not as convenient as mobile order, but if you want to ensure pineapple-free food, it’s the safest bet.
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Not pineapple, but I have a banana allergy, which is also uncommon.
I think you primarily need to determine if there is anything at a food location that contains that ingredient…and if so, assume cross contamination is possible/likely. At a Table Service, obviously you can speak to the server and communicate with the cook. But at quick service…particularly when mobile order is involved…you would need to find out what ingredients they use. You can probably ask, if you aren’t sure, and they should have a folder with ingredient lists…but this obviously means bypassing mobile order.
With allergies I don’t think it’s ever safe to do mobile order.
It can sometimes be a pain to do the order at the counter, but it’s the only way to ensure safety so it’s worth it.
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This is what I thought. I thought special diets would be more helpful about specific locations. You’d think with today’s technology they could upload all ingredients into an app.
The problem is the providers can change suddenly and with little notice. It’s much easier for them to update the notebooks in the restaurants than to trust that the technology will update an app in the correct timeframe.
I have an ‘uncommon’ allergy and always visit the window…and if they try and pull a ‘well I don’t think it has it in there’…but it is unconvincing…then you can absolutely ask for them to check the allergy binder (especially at the Epcot food booths).
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Thanks. I realized we’re only do a couple QS meals in the parks so hopefully it won’t be too bad of a line.
I’m piggy-backing off the OP since this is the most recent food allergy post. That way I don’t have to start a new thread:
My son has a peanut allergy, so it’s required to be listed as a Top 8 allergen. Should we still order in person at QS? What if it’s a QS that doesn’t have any nuts on the menu? Mobile order was so easy without the kids in the fall. (DH and I have no food allergies.) Of course, I’ll gladly trade convenience for the safety of my child. It’s wonderful eating in a place that knows how to handle FA guests!
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Our kids are peanut/tree nut, we’ve found the first time at a location we talk to the chef or at the very least look at the allergy binders is the safest tactic.
CMs at registers and CM waiters can be iffy on their allergy knowledge, but chefs will go out of their way to help - and often come up with hidden/secret items that are safe or additional cross contamination info that might not be obvious on menu.
We had a chef at CBR food court give us “secret” cupcakes at one lunch (no charge) - then as we left came back out with 4 more all packed up for us to take to our room for later!
We had another chef at CSR give me a rundown of safe items at the resort QS, then a little while later seek us out across the whole place when he decided to double check some rolls and found they did have a slight possibility of cross contamination and wanted to make sure we knew. Chefs rock.
After a first visit and chef talk we’d feel better about mobile order for that trip.
But I also wouldn’t assume it was all the same if I returned there weeks or months later, they change things over time and I’m not certain they keep the online menus in lock step, as good as Disney is vs most other places.
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At Table Service they are all over it …I generally don’t mention my food intolerances because I can usually figure out what may have them and just avoid. (I just end up with digestive issues if I have mango, kiwi or avocado)
So, generally I just don’t say anything as the descriptions are enough for me to go by. My friend mentioned my mango allergy at Boma, and they did not want to bring me POG 
I’m like I have had it before, it’s fine 
I also just avoided anything with fruit while there.
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That is awesome! My son misses out on a lot of desserts due to cross contamination risk, so he would be thrilled if something like that happened to us! He is used to missing out and has a good attitude about it generally, but it’s not fun for him.
Great advice overall @JJT, thank you so much!
I was looking through the Mobile Order options, and I was happy to see you can order off the Allergy menu in there so that staff are aware of allergies. If we’re unsure about something, we’ll go order in person. We have at least one TS/day so I’m not as worried about those meals, but I didn’t want to spend the time to do TS for every meal.
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In my experience it is relatively random if a QS has an allergy menu or not via Mobile Order. Most seem to, especially in the parks, but I’ve run into a few resort QS that annoyingly don’t, or at least didn’t when I needed them - hopefully they’re better now.
Presuming they do have an allergy menu via Mobile Order, I’d feel very safe using that. If they don’t and you know for sure the place has no peanuts, then I would feel relatively safe then. If you’re unsure it would likely depend on the allergy severity on if I would risk it. I do think the odds of getting a peanut in a hamburger are very low regardless, in a milk shake, it is certainly riskier…
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This makes sense. For Typhoon Lagoon where so much has pineapple I’m just going to have her get a hot dog. I feel like I can mobile order that.
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Very true. We have known about his allergy since he was a toddler and now he is 14, so we have learned what types of restaurants are more risky and will generally avoid those types of places.
And on the milkshake front, how hard is it to have a separate mixer and containers for the peanut butter flavors? Is that asking too much??
I would 100% NOT trust that to be safe even if they said the could use a different mixer (which I’d be surprised if they did.)
Way too many cross contamination possibilities with a sticky substance like peanut butter.
Absolutely, you’re correct. I’m mostly lamenting the lack of separate areas for things like milkshakes, which would be so easy to do, but restaurants don’t do. Just like the donut shops who just have to make one donut with peanuts on it, so my son can’t eat any of their donuts because they make all the donuts with the same trays and counters. I’ll stop complaining now. Nut allergies are generally much easier than, say, soy or dairy.
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I hear you.
It definitely can be annoying, wish we could just walk into any ice cream shop, for example.
First time we ever had anything like ice cream made outside of the house were the Dole Whips at MK on our first trip. (Since then we’ve found a nut free ice cream shop in Manhattan, so we visit that every time we’re nearby there.)
But I also wake up once in awhile and say to myself, “Thank goodness their allergy isn’t milk.”
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