Heading to a theme park with food allergies can understandably cause a lot of worry. Let us take that stress off your plate! There are a lot of allergy-friendly options at Disneyland Resort, both on and off the menus. Follow these Disneyland allergy-friendly tips to keep your family healthy and well-fed at Disneyland Resort theme parks and hotels.
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Overview of Disneyland Allergy-Friendly Tips
For guests with food allergies, deciding what and where to eat at Disneyland might seem daunting. And while we agree there's a lot to think about, allow us frogs to provide you with reassurance. Here are some steps to take to make sure you find the best allergy-friendly food options at Disneyland. There are a lot of great options, and you may be surprised by all the substitutions you can make and iconic Disneyland foods that might work for you. If you have a gluten or wheat allergy, definitely hop over to our post on eating gluten-free at Disneyland. People who have dairy and fish or shellfish allergies can benefit from our post on the best vegan and vegetarian foods at Disneyland.
Whether you are considering where to dine in theme parks, resort hotels or Downtown Disney, know that most restaurants can accommodate the following common allergies: wheat, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts and/or eggs.
Table-Service Restaurants and Allergies
For table-service locations in the theme parks, hotels and Downtown Disney, some have a separate printed allergy menu. If not, your server can tell you your options and modifications. For example, Palm Breeze Bar at the Disneyland Hotel doesn't list them on the menu, but you can order gluten-free buns and gluten-free pizza crust. The fries, on the other hand, have gluten at this location. The chips may have cross-contamination. (You'll want to confirm these things with your server.) You can also get burgers wrapped in lettuce at most table-service locations.
Note Allergies When Reserving Dining
When you make your dining reservations, up to 60 days in advance, note your allergies when you reserve. Also, note them at check-in, and then remind your host/hostess and server. You can always talk to the chef as well. Some locations provide a special allergy menu. For more info, here's our guide to Disneyland dining reservations.
Keep in mind that in addition to items on the allergy menu, you may also be able to modify additional dishes to make them work for you. So don't be afraid to ask. For example, the Spaghetti Bolognese at Wine Country Trattoria is not listed as dairy-free, but we were able to ask for it to be made dairy-free.
Email Disney to Order in Advance
You can actually order a few items in advance. If you'd like a gluten-free Monte Cristo Sandwich (or a kosher meal) at Cafe Orleans, you must first get a reservation and order at least 24 hours in advance by emailing your request and dining reservation number to [email protected]. This email address is also a resource if you need to speak to someone about your upcoming trip and your specific dietary needs.
Character Dining Buffets
Whenever you arrive at a character dining location and note your allergies, you can talk to the chef. The chef can point out safe and unsafe buffet or menu items. At the character dining buffets, the chef may even make up a safe plate of food for you directly from the kitchen (including gluten-free, dairy-free Mickey waffles!).
Downtown Disney Locations
You can also ask for allergy menus or talk to the servers in Downtown Disney. Paseo, Céntrico and the quick-service Tiendita call out allergy-safe menu items. The menu notes items without gluten or dairy. Plus, it notes items that could be made vegan. Din Tai Fung marks plant-based items and has an allergen guide.
Quick-Service Restaurants: How to Find Disneyland Allergy-Friendly Foods
There are so many great quick-service Disneyland and Disney California Adventure restaurants. It's actually easiest to research quick-service locations in advance, especially for those with mobile order. You can scout out safe menu items and the best restaurants for your allergy well before your trip. You can view Disneyland menus in advance both online and in the Disneyland app. For quick-service restaurants with mobile order, you can pretend to mobile order at any of them even before your trip begins to see the options. Tap the Allergy-Friendly icon or scroll down to the bottom to find safe foods for each allergy.
The most common allergens listed in the Disneyland menus include:
- Gluten/Wheat
- Egg
- Fish/Shellfish
- Milk
- Peanut/Tree Nut
- Soy
If you do not see your allergy listed, or you have more than one allergy, talk to the cast members at the location when you order. Also, when mobile ordering, watch out for "enhance your meal" pop-ups. These suggestions do not take your allergies into consideration. You might order a gluten-free dish and then the app tries to sell you a croissant to go with it. Croak!
Keep in mind that not all safe items are listed in the allergy section. For example, a plant-based item is guaranteed to be free from animal meat, dairy, eggs or honey as served. If a plant-based item has eggs or cheese listed as ingredients, know that those ingredients are plant-based versions. Yet those menu items may not always be listed as safe under the milk allergy tab. But if that item is labeled plant-based, it is free from dairy, fish/meat and egg even if it does not fall under those allergy tabs.
Best Quick-Service Disneyland Allergy-Friendly Restaurants
Believe it or not, each theme park has restaurants known as the go-to location for any dietary needs from allergies to Kosher meals. Red Rose Taverne at Disneyland has the best systems in place to deal with any dietary issues, including Kosher meals. We spent time with a cast member who gave us all our options and walked us to the register to order properly.
Other great Disneyland locations that have plenty of options and even great substitutions include:
- Alien Pizza Planet (dairy-free and gluten-free pizza)
- Cafe Daisy (gluten-free, egg-allergy flop overs and a tasty plant-based wrap)
- Galactic Grill
- Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (gluten-free buns and packaged goods)
- Plaza Inn (ask for an allergy menu and talk to the chef)
- Refreshment Corner
- Tiana's Palace
Best Quick-Service Disney California Adventure Locations for Food Allergies
Smokejumpers Grill is the best location for allergies at Disney California Adventure. They called out our name and allergy all throughout the kitchen, and a cast member oversaw the food and brought it right to us.
Other great Disney California Adventure locations:
- Aunt Cass Cafe (good for most allergies except wheat/gluten)
- Cocina Cucamonga (popular tacos that are gluten-free, with corn tortillas and rice)
- Flo's V8 Cafe
- Lucky Fortune Cookery (avoid for sesame allergies)
- Pym Test Kitchen has a lot of items for several allergies. (Some stand-out items include the gluten-free kids menu items and a really tasty gluten/wheat allergy-friendly Reactor Mel with tots. You can get a milk-allergy friendly Quantum Pretzel, Impossible Spoonful and Disney Check meal as well. There are a few dishes free from eggs and peanuts/nuts, and a lot more without sesame.)
- Clarabelle's plant-based ice cream and banana split
- Ghirardelli plant-based ice cream, sundae and shake
Disneyland Food Allergies — Snacks
Outside of the restaurants, you have all those favorite Disneyland snacks. A few dining locations do offer packaged gluten-free baked goods such as a chocolate chip cookie or a blueberry muffin. There's also the gluten-friendly Incredicookie at Jack-Jack Cookies Num Nums (which you can get with almond or soy milk as well as regular dairy milk).
You can get dairy-free ice cream at Clarabelle's (banana split), Gibson Girl, Ghirardelli (sundae and shakes) and Salt & Straw in Downtown Disney. The chocolate-covered banana is dairy-free, gluten-free and kosher, but it does have nuts. Plus, the frozen fruit bars and sorbets are also a great choice for many people.
Iconic treats that may work for your allergy:
- Dole Whip — You may be hoppy to learn that Dole Whip is free from the most common allergens and is dairy-free and gluten-free.
- Mickey Pretzel is free from tree nuts, dairy and peanuts.
- Popcorn is safe for dairy, wheat and egg allergies.
- Turkey Legs
- Fruit and veggies
- Pickles
- Fruit
- Churros are dairy-free.
Tips for Dining with Food Allergies at Disneyland
Here are a few tips for visiting Disneyland with food allergies.
Talk to the Chef
Whenever you arrive at a character dining location or any table-service location and note your allergies, you can talk to the chef. The chef can point out safe and unsafe buffet or menu items. At the character dining buffets, the chef may even make up a safe plate of food for you directly from the kitchen (including gluten-free, dairy-free Mickey waffles!).
Order in Person
If you have more than one allergy, order in person. You may notice when you scroll through the allergies that a burger can be gluten-free or dairy-free. But if you need it to be both, order in person.
Order in Advance
Order a gluten-free Monte Cristo Sandwich at Cafe Orleans at least 24 hours in advance by emailing your request and dining reservation number to [email protected].
Bring Snacks and Meds from Home
Come equipped with safe and familiar snacks from home. Not only can you save money and time, but you'll be prepared with something safe to eat when hunger strikes. All guests can bring food or nonalcoholic beverages into the parks. No glass containers or loose ice. Keep in mind you must have a smaller cooler bag size. There are no places to reheat food.
If you need to carry an Epi-Pen or Benadryl (diphenhydramine), don't froget to add them to your packing list.
There is no place to store medication or food besides lockers. If you need to keep something cold, you can bring cold backs and small insulated bags. You can also collect ice at the restaurants if you need it.
Consider Cross Contamination
If you have a very serious allergy, even some foods without the allergens can have cross-contamination. Stick with the packaged baked goods (such as the cookie and muffin). Other items are naturally gluten-free (such as macarons), but they may be on the shelf with other products. Always ask if the fries are gluten-free if you have an allergy. Some are tossed in flour or share a fryer with products with gluten. Some are gluten-free.
Be Patient
It takes a little extra time for the chefs to prepare allergy-friendly food. The chef may have to defrost special items. Chefs may have to switch gloves/equipment and oversee the food's assembly to ensure it is safe for you to eat. So mobile order or hop in line early, and understand that the extra time is for a good reason.
Always Be Assertive and Ask Questions
Just because a food you ate last time was safe, doesn't mean it is this time. Menus and ingredients change all the time. Always ask again to make sure your food is safe for you to eat.
Do you have any further questions about Disneyland allergy options? Feel free to ask in the comments section below. If you are looking for discount Disneyland theme park tickets or hotel stays, you've come to the right place.
Related: Our Toadally Tasty Guide to Dining Gluten-Free at Disneyland Resort
Related: The Very Best Plant-Based & Vegetarian Food at Disneyland Resort
Hoppy planning!
