From Dream Maker – Kip Dennis:  Anyone who has visited the Walt Disney World® Resort in the past can tell you about their excellent dining options. From the ethnic restaurants in the World Showcase at EPCOT®, to the class act dinner theater like Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and the one-of-a kind restaurants like 50’s Prime Time Café, there is something for everyone. But when you have a dietary restriction, you may think that you choices are limited. With the MAGIC of Disney it is actually quite the opposite.

While recently traveling with someone with a food allergy, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of service provided. When placing my advance dining reservations (ADRs), I notified the cast member of the allergy. All of my reservations were noted to alert the staff of the extra care needed. Just let your personal Dream Maker know of your special needs and they will communicate those to Disney. They can also provide you with additional information relating to your restrictions including suggested restaurants that will be able to best meet your needs.

At our table service meals, our waiter/waitress told us that their chef would be out to talk about our particular dietary need. Each chef went to great lengths to ensure a meal was made without any allergen contamination. If it was a buffet meal, the chef escorted him around to identify “safe” foods.

For counter service, we just notified the cast member at the order podium of our restriction. They once again notified a manager to come and consult us on what our available options were.

The Special Dietary program at Disney is just another example of how Disney continues to provide great service to their guests.

Planning a trip to Disney World with health conditions can be complex and time consuming. To simplify the process, two companies that specialize in supporting travelers with special needs have come together. Stephen Ashley, author of Walt Disney World with Disabilities and head writer of the Walt Disney World with Health Conditions® website (Diz-Abled.com) had been looking for a travel agency that would cater to his readers for nearly a year. “I was so excited to learn about Off to Neverland Travel®. After chatting with the owner, Chet McDoniel, I realized that they have the knowledge to help plan a smooth vacation, but perhaps more importantly, they have the heart to bend over backwards for their clients who have extra needs.”

Chet McDoniel was excited to find Walt Disney World with Health Conditions®.  ”We felt that the resources on Diz-Abled.com and the Walt Disney World with Disabilities guide book are a perfect complement to our services. We plan to make the book available to our clients and to send them to Diz-Abled.com, which is full of very helpful free resources and articles,” said McDoniel. 

Chet McDoniel is uniquely experienced in dealing with health issues while visiting World. McDoniel has no arms and he must ride an electric wheelchair when long distances are involved, such as in the Disney parks.  Stephen Ashley said “I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Chet, and I’ve been so impressed. Despite his physical challenges, he is a person who has a busy, normal life.  He doesn’t seem to let his physical challenges get in the way of living life to the fullest.  His friendly, upbeat personality makes you feel comfortable right away.”  Concerning his agency’s services, Ashley said “It seems they’ll go far beyond what most other travel agencies will do to help their special needs clients plan a dream trip. 

 Some of the services Off to Neverland Travel® offers include:  

• Advice and planning assistance with details regarding air transportation
• Advice and planning assistance with choosing the right resort for your special needs
• Park touring details and advice when visiting with special needs
• Dining reservations and advice for guests with special dietary needs
• Overall vacation planning assistance with special needs being the focus

Ashley’s book, Walt Disney World® with Disabilities has extensive information on the services Disney offers it’s guests with health needs, how to get your needs met in the parks, resorts & restaurants, details on handling medication & medical equipment, dietary needs, transportation, wheelchair use and suggestions for dealing with specific conditions in the parks & resorts, and much more. It also has in-depth descriptions of the physical and emotional feel and experience of Disney rides and attractions.  The book is written to support guests with “minor” to major health and emotional issues, and is available on the web through the official website: www.Diz-Abled.com. It can also be purchased on Amazon.com.  For bulk purchase and group discounts contact the publisher at (954) 432-1274. 

www.Diz-Abled.com includes free content to complement the book such as Disney World restaurant menus, the special dietary needs policies of each restaurant and a variety of articles designed to help travelers with health and emotional issues plan for Disney.