Today’s families have to contend with issues that I don’t remember from my school days. Growing up, I didn’t know anyone with peanut allergies, and despite oodles of my mom’s homecooked options, one of my brothers lived on a steady diet of peanut butter sandwiches. He would’ve starved if he couldn’t have taken pb&j to school.
Today, food allergies are almost the norm. But they are also quite lethal. Last year, both my daughters’ schools had children with severe allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, kiwi, shrimp, and other foods. Photos of children are pasted to the wall with extra epipens attached, and parents are sent notices not to bring any of the restricted items to school. One of my daughter’s had a classmate who was severely allergic to milk – not lactose intolerant, but allergic. (Once, his soy milk was refilled in his sister’s milk cup, and her milk refilled in his soy milk cup – just touching his lips to the cup caused them to swell.) This is scary stuff.
My sister-in-law who teaches in Toronto was just telling me about Sabrina’s law http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/healthyschools/anaphylaxis.html and the rules that teachers and schools have concerning food at school.
Obviously, no one wants to put a child at risk.
Parents who live with these allergies have to be vigilant about monitoring the risks to their children. I’m fortunate to not have to live with the day-in and day-out worries with my own kids, but I’ve worked with many clients that have this as their reality. So, finding a vacation spot that can help them deal with these issues is sometimes tough.
But – Disney does it up right!
I often make advance dining reservations for my clients at WDW restuarants. Before I do, I always ask about allergies. Disney dining has the systems set up to deal with all allergies. Dining reservation systems (whether on the phone, or online) are structured to handle info about allergies. Each allergy and/or concern is noted on each reservation.
At destination in a Disney restaurant, the chef will also come out to speak to the parents, and instruct them as to which items can be eaten from a buffet, or which cannot. Also, special items can be prepared.
In addition, I can get parents the phone number to the restaurant, and we can speak to the executive chef or Food and Beverage manager to address all concerns.
I’ve dealt with oodles of client food allergies, and Disney really knows how to respect the concerns, and address the allergy issue with the parents.
Everyone wants to relax when they’re on vacation. If your family has to contend with food allergies, rest assured that a Disney vacation will work for you.