Toddler with multiple food allergies
Hi everyone! We are first time Disney Cruise Line cruisers and I’m feeling a little nervous about traveling with my 2 year old who has multiple food allergies.
He is allergic to eggs, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, and legumes. His allergies are not life threatening/anaphylactic, but he can get hives and swelling from exposure, so we still take them very seriously. We will absolutely be bringing his EpiPen and medications with us.
I’ve heard Disney Cruise Line is wonderful with allergies, but I would really love advice from parents or anyone with experience cruising with food allergies.
How did you handle meals and snacks onboard?
Any tips for the dining rooms, buffet, room service, or communicating with staff?
Are there certain foods or safe “go-to” meals your kids liked?
Anything you wish you had known before your first cruise?
One thing that makes me emotional is that I would love for him to experience fun vacation treats like cookies, ice cream, cakes, etc. Usually we have to make those from scratch ourselves at home because of his allergies, so I’m not sure if Disney can accommodate things like that. Can you request ingredient lists for foods? Are they able to make allergy-friendly desserts or special treats?
We also normally travel with a whole bag of safe snacks for him (dried fruit, pouches, rice crackers, oat cereals, chips, etc.). Are we allowed to bring those onboard the cruise without issues?
The allergy we are most cautious about is actually the legume one because it can hide in unexpected ingredients used as wheat substitutes, like chickpea flour or pea protein. At the same time, he actually tolerates some beans fine, so it’s a very tricky allergy to navigate and makes us extra anxious about ingredient lists and cross-contact.
I think my biggest fear is just keeping him safe while also letting him enjoy the experience normally. Any reassurance, recommendations, or practical tips would mean so much. Thank you!