Disney honored for food allergy awareness
Feb 26, 2011

Disney fans who suffer from food allergies know that one of the safest places to vacation is the Disney theme parks. Disney has long been known for its dedication to providing a multitude of safe dining options for its guests with food allergies, without making them feel like they're missing out on the full Disney dining experience.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts was recently honored for this dedication by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). The FAAN Corporate Leadership Award was given to the company for "its commitment to food allergy awareness, education and management."

With advance notice, Disney full-service restaurants are able to provide meals to guests with allergies to shellfish, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, lactose, fish, eggs and gluten. Diabetic and kosher diets can also be accommodated. In most cases, the restaurants' chefs are available to speak with guests before ordering, and let them know what food is safe for them to eat; in some cases, special dishes are prepared with allergen-free ingredients.

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts accepted the award saying, "Our parks in the U.S. alone accommodated well over 400,000 special dietary requests from guests last year. And while some places might see this as a challenge, at Disney, we see it as another opportunity to make a visit unforgettable."