Disneyworld restaurants

We just returned from a one week trip to WDW.  We had good experiences at :

• The Wave (Contemporary hotel)
• Electric Umbrella (Epcot future world)
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe (Magic Kingdom)
• Landscape of Flavors (Art of Animation resort)
• Cape May Cafe (Beach Club resort)
• Ohanas (Polynesian resort)

Tips for minimizing delays when travelling with multiple allergies:

• BEFORE YOU GO:
• Fill in the special diets form in advance, according to instructions.
• Travel with a number of epipens and allergy cards (business card with the list of allergies, ideally with a photo and emergency contact information).
• At quick service restaurants, ask a cashier for an allergy menu and to speak with a chef or coordinator. At table service restaurants, ask to speak with a chef.  Hand the chef/coordinator an allergy card, and review available options.  It helps to identify what you normally have.
• Order your own meal(s) and pay (if quick service).  Send the rest of your party to grab and clean a table.
• Wait for allergy meal to be ready, the other meals will follow.  
• Enjoy and tip appropriately.

First cruise experience with Disney Cruise Line

Just returned from a 7-day disney cruise (DCL ship Fantasy).  Dealing with multiple allergies wasn't quite as smooth as we are used to with Royal Caribbean (we've already cruised with them four times and the learning curve for this different ship AND company was quite high).

Overall experience was good, but tiring.  Pre-ordering special meals for two fussy kids was a long process, and they were well beyond their patience limits.
LOTS of ice cream on the pool deck. Sometimes kids would wade into the pools or try the waterslide still wearing some...

more to come after kids are in bed and another opportunity arises...!

St-Hubert BBQ: info in-store only

Bottom line: you have to visit the restaurant and consult their binder to find out if there is a safe option.

Andrew, the manager at the St-Laurent Blvd location, was helpful over the phone and oversaw the preparation of a special meal for lucas (1/4 chicken, steamed veg, roast potato, half baguette). a huge meal for a 3yo, and they charged us full fare. At least they didn't charge the apple juice...

Anyway, they do NOT identify potential allergens on their website, and when asked, they said the information is only available in-store. Be sure to discuss with the manager, he was aware of a recent supplier change that had not been promulgated to the binders yet. Excerpt of online feedback and response copied below (names withheld).

Dear (customer),

Pursuant to your request regarding the nutritional information for items found on our menu, please note that the said information are available in rotisseries only.

For your convenience, we have compiled this information inside a binder which you may consult, on demand, during your next visit to your nearest St-Hubert Rotisserie.

We thank you for taking the time to write to us, and hope the above meets with your expectations.

Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

(name)
Service à la Clientèle Réseau
Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert Ltée
serviceclient1@st-hubert.qc.ca


-----Message d'origine-----
Envoyé : 28 novembre 2008 15:47
À : Centre de service au client

Message : My son has multiple food allergies (peanuts, nuts, eggs, milk, soy, gelatin, legumes, lamb and shellfish). I applaud you for making your restaurants completely nut-free! Most of his other allergies are also in the government list of priority allergens. We therefore need to plan our visits to restaurants carefully, and would like to see your ingredients lists (or at least allergen information) before ordering. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that on your website. Where am I supposed to find allergy information for your products?

Mexicali Rosa's - update

Exchanged a few emails with the executive VP at MR Franchise Company. At one point he seemed interested in making changes to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, but he must have consulted a laywer since then; his last email basically said "consider everything a risk and to feel free to bring your own food."
I'm not giving up so easily.

Mexicali Rosa's

Went to MR's tonight for the 2nd time.
The Kanata restarant closed for relocation, so we went to the Hunt Club location (at Merrivale) instead. I telephoned ahead and the staff was extremely attentive, with a list of suggested meals and a few lists of ingredients at the ready. Unfortunately, the tortilla chips (which kid much enjoyed during last visit) are fried in the same fryer as all other stuff, including dairy, and the raw chips really aren't to write home about. One of us deeked out to buy a bag of tortilla chips we knew to be safe.
I give them an A+ for effort, but a B- for infrastructure (they need a better-equipped kitchen).
I emailed the Kanata store manager with the suggestion for when they reopen in the new facility.

Harveys inquiry

we gave lucas a few fries from harveys yesterday. not only did I find them stale, they caused an allergic reaction (must have been a small dose because it only triggered eczema, cramps (which appeared to be quite painful), and uhm, "loose" stools.

I later gave Harveys.ca the following feedback:

Thank you for making your Allergy Guide readily available online and in-store. As the parent of an active 2-year old with multiple food allergies, allow me to request an improvement: PLEASE give the "may contain" warnings AS MUCH VISIBILITY as the regular warnings - the tiny asterisk directing us to the minuscule statement that states "All fried foods may contain one or all of the following: milk, soy, wheat and fish" just isn't clear enough when you are trying to order and pay while looking after the kid in a crowded food court.
Thankfully we noticed the warning after he'd had only three or four fries. His only reaction was an eczema flare-up within minutes, followed by painful cramping and diarrhea a few hours later. He's had a runny nose all day today and tonight he is still wheezing a bit from the congestion.

I understand your need for efficiency in the kitchens, but your cross-contamination carelessness forces me to take my family elsewhere.

With regrets,
A former patron.