Can't reach Brenda Bennett!!!

[momsavealot]

Help! I just emailed Brenda Bennett to get peanut allergy /restaurant info and got an automatic "out of office" reply. She is out all this week and I am leaving 8/13. In the auto reply, she mentions two other emails to contact. Well, I tried and both get rejected. She also gave me two phone numbers (not toll free) that I will try tomorrow but I'm starting to panic a little. Everybody raves about how informative she is and now I feel I'm missing out. Does anyone have any saved emails from her or lists she may have sent you about peanut allergy? If you do, I will PM you my email address so you can send it to me. I would really appreciate it!!

 

[Tosie]

I have all the info they sent to me for our trip in May. I would be happy to send it to you!

 

[Selket]

If you have gotten the phone # to "call the chef" for any of the MK restaurants (it is the same number for all of them) - use that # to call and request this info.

I think it is "ok" to go with a list from May but it is always possible something has changed since then (different supplier, etc) and there in an inaccuracy.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Have you checked out the large number of links in the disABILITIES FAQs Post #3 in the Diets section? There is lots of information there in addtiion to Brenda.

 

[momsavealot]

I have all the info they sent to me for our trip in May. I would be happy to send it to you!

Thanks a million! I just pm'd you my email address so you can forward the info to me! If you have any other advice about dealing with a peanut allergy in the parks, that would be great too. I know my kids would like to have the Mickey shaped waffles and ice cream bars!

 

[Lilogirl]

Thanks a million! I just pm'd you my email address so you can forward the info to me! If you have any other advice about dealing with a peanut allergy in the parks, that would be great too. I know my kids would like to have the Mickey shaped waffles and ice cream bars!

Even with the list from May, I would still ask at each place just to be safe. WDW has recently made some changes to different foods they serve. I know food we ate in May is no longer "safe".

 

[momsavealot]

Have you checked out the large number of links in the disABILITIES FAQs Post #3 in the Diets section? There is lots of information there in addtiion to Brenda.

Sorry, but I was looking for more specific info about what foods are unsafe for peanut allergy people at the different restaurants or snack carts. I really don't want to read through long threads with all kinds of non-Disney experiences. I have been dealing with this allergy for 8 years and know all the websites out there. I just want to know if, for example, the chicken nuggets at the different restaurants are safe? how about the Mickey waffles? how about the Mickey ice cream bar? that kind of thing. It's too bad there isn't a list that can be updated periodically and stuck to the top of the Disabilities page like the snack list for the DDP. I will definitely call the restaurants we plan to attend, but I just thought there might be a list out there since it's a common allergy and so many people go to Disney with it. I'm hoping Brenda Bennett has it and forwarded it to somebody and they can then forward it to me. Thanks anyway!!!

 

[momsavealot]

Even with the list from May, I would still ask at each place just to be safe. WDW has recently made some changes to different foods they serve. I know food we ate in May is no longer "safe".

May I ask what foods? Thanks! I will definitely call the restaurants.

 

[Schmeck]

.I just want to know if, for example, the chicken nuggets at the different restaurants are safe? how about the Mickey waffles? how about the Mickey ice cream bar?

A few years ago I found a piece of peanut in my Mickey ice cream bar - it looked like a bump in the chocolate coating, but when I picked at it, I found a small chopped up peanut bit, like the nut topping size on the sundae cones. That was quite a few years ago though, over 4 years, anyways...

 

[momsavealot]

A few years ago I found a piece of peanut in my Mickey ice cream bar - it looked like a bump in the chocolate coating, but when I picked at it, I found a small chopped up peanut bit, like the nut topping size on the sundae cones. That was quite a few years ago though, over 4 years, anyways...

Yikes!!!! Thanks for the warning!

 

[Selket]

The Mickey bars did not used to be safe but that changed in the last couple of years. When we were there in March they were safe.

In March there were not many tricky foods. All baked goods were off limits (as may contains - or they simply were unsure as they are baked off site). The safe breads were hamburger and hot dog buns generally (maybe we had a few others at sit down spots but I cannot remember). The chicken nuggets or strips were safe at the time - hamburgers and hot dogs. The fries were safe in the parks. We consider the Dole Whips safe - if you avoid coconut then not safe.

I think you should just call tomorrow - try to get that current list so you can be sure! Let us know what happens!

 

[momsavealot]

Thanks Selket!! I'll let you know what happens when I call tomorrow. I wrote down all the CS and TS restaurants and the items on the menu the kids would be eating and see if they're safe.

 

[Selket]

The Mickey waffles were safe in March '08 also.

The kids menu items were safe from what I recall. They used to serve these Mickey head shaped cheese crackers (like Goldfish crackers but mickey heads) - and those were may contains. I don't recall seeing them recently however. Some places do have the PBJ uncrustables but you know those are unsafe already...obviously.

It seems to me that the popcorn was somehow unsafe (somehow a may contain or manufactured in a plant warning). Perhaps the big soft pretzel type items were unsafe too - my son has never wanted either but the popcorn sticks in my head as the other son eats it a lot at home. The ice cream in the carts should be labeled. We felt the jello and pudding were safe. We sometimes asked for a person to change their gloves if handling something if there were nut items nearby. Fresh fruit in cups we though was o.k. My son is touch allergic to peanut so we try to be careful - we do not avoid coconut.

The baked good are the hardest - all of the cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. we do not trust unless they were prepackaged and labeled as safe (like Divvies). The Main Street Bakery used to (may still?) have Krispy Kreme donuts which are usually safe BUT when they arrive in the morning they sort them all into cases or whatever along with the nut containing donuts or bakery items. So people handling them also handle nuts. I would be afraid to get a cross contamination. I know some here on the boards used to feel they were safe but after talking to the Bakery there, I definitely did not. I have not asked though in a couple of years.

Disney is great about food allergies and they're very used to peanut/nut allergies. Much of what you might generally find safe at restaurants is safe there but you always have to ask of course.

We're going to be there next month - hard to believe!

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry, but I was looking for more specific info about what foods are unsafe for peanut allergy people at the different restaurants or snack carts. I really don't want to read through long threads with all kinds of non-Disney experiences. I have been dealing with this allergy for 8 years and know all the websites out there.

This is the information from the disABILITIES FAQs thread that Cheshire Figment was referring to:

Contact Information for WDW
General for WDW: Brenda.Bennett@disney.com (Very helpful and can provide lists of 'safe' foods. It's a good idea to contact her each visit. Food supplies change frequently and food that is 'safe' on one trip may not be 'safe' on the next trip.)
Animal Kingdom 407-938-3288 wdwakspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Hollywood Studios 407-560-3551 wdwstspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Epcot 407-560-6395 wdwecspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Magic Kingdom 407-824-5967 wdwmkspecialdiets@email.disney.com

The threads that are listed in the FAQs after the contact information are all Disney experiences, not other places. Some of it older, but skimming some of those threads may be helpful to know which WDW restaurants people have found helpful or not helpful when dealing with allergies in the past.

All the links in the FAQs thread are specific to WDW, unless they are labeled as being general, non-Disney information.

I just want to know if, for example, the chicken nuggets at the different restaurants are safe? how about the Mickey waffles? how about the Mickey ice cream bar? that kind of thing. It's too bad there isn't a list that can be updated periodically and stuck to the top of the Disabilities page like the snack list for the DDP. I will definitely call the restaurants we plan to attend, but I just thought there might be a list out there since it's a common allergy and so many people go to Disney with it. I'm hoping Brenda Bennett has it and forwarded it to somebody and they can then forward it to me. Thanks anyway!!!

The reason we don't have any list is that it would be too difficult to make sure it is always up to date. Even people who have gotten lists from Brenda Bennett have said that she indicated they should re-contact her for a new list on each visit.
Because we don't know when Disney changes suppliers, we would not know when anything changed on the list. Even if we got and posted a new list once a month, I could not guarantee it was all current. That might not make a lot of difference for someone with an intolerance or mild allergy, but could be deadly for someone else.

 

[momsavealot]

This is the information from the disABILITIES FAQs thread that Cheshire Figment was referring to:

Contact Information for WDW
General for WDW: Brenda.Bennett@disney.com (Very helpful and can provide lists of 'safe' foods. It's a good idea to contact her each visit. Food supplies change frequently and food that is 'safe' on one trip may not be 'safe' on the next trip.)
Animal Kingdom 407-938-3288 wdwakspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Hollywood Studios 407-560-3551 wdwstspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Epcot 407-560-6395 wdwecspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Magic Kingdom 407-824-5967 wdwmkspecialdiets@email.disney.com

I know. Brenda is away this week and the other emails are the ones that aren't working for me and are being rejected (except for AK which I didn't even try). That's why I'm just going to start calling phone numbers tomorrow. And thanks for the clarification about the list. I was afraid it might be too hard to update all the time! Oh well!

 

[squirrel]

At all of the CS, they have a binder with ingredients for all the food served at that location.

It is really hard to get information as things are always changing.

I have a list of some CS places that accomodate allergies.

AK-Flame Tree, Restaurantosaurus
DHS-Toy Story Pizza Planet, ABC Com., Backlot Express
EPCOT-Liberty Inn, Sunshine Seasons(Land)
MK-Cosmic Ray's, Pecos Bills, and Village Haus

I thought the popcorn was okay (I have it down as dairy free), but double check everywhere.

 

[Selket]

All of the CS places, food stands and carts will attempt to accommodate your allergies - some are just better at it than others perhaps.

I thought the popcorn was okay (I have it down as dairy free), but double check everywhere.

I looked through my old email and couldn't find the March 2008 info but found some from Brenda from another year and it said this about the popcorn oil:

Popcorn Oil Coconut, corn, and canola blend (processed in a plant that produces peanut oil)

So double check when you get the new list. Although it is probably a CYA, we consider that a risk so we don't eat it but I know some people will eat items that are may contains or manufactured in a plant that....

 

[momsavealot]

Hi
I started a new thread and my recent phone conversation with Food and Dining. You can check it out at
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=26715858#post26715858
Thanks!