Ordering with food allergies right now at Disney is a little different. While all food carts are supposed to have an ipad or a green binder with the ingredients, often we discovered it was NOT available, and we had to look for another stand. 

Menus are more limited. Wile that's great, less desserts to drool over and wakl away from, it was harder for meal choices. 

Ordering at quick service varied. At the parks, there was always someone helpful, and the red trays were still used to signify an allergy order. At our resort, Pop Century, it was a mess. Instead of the wonderful chefs we had been given in the past, we had the rude one from Art of Animation. He barked at me, didn't really want to help answer questions, and shrugged me off, not wanting to answer questions. Thankfully, the next time I ordered, I had a friendlier chef, though he didn't inspire as much confidence in me as much as Joquan had last year. I pray he returns. 

The food court was chaotic, so if you place an allergy order, please be sure that it is flagged down, and you are watching to make sure that no one takes your order by mistake. 

We did not do table service this time. I have heard that some people are being charged to speak to a chef, but others are not. 

At Disney Springs, we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express, and as always, felt safe and confident in the meal choice and the staff in looking after our youngest. The meals were delicious there, and it was nice to have a good variety. 

If you are mourning the loss of the Halloween Party, we have a small DIY for you. No, it's not quite as fun as enjoying the real thing, but if you have kiddos or someone else who is heartbroken about not attending, this might be just the ticket! 

Right now, Target has these awesome small treat bags in their dollar spot. There's a cute pumpkin, an awesome teal allergy friendly bag and some others. I only bought these two. They are only $1 and will go fast, which is why I'm sharing this now! 

Buy a few bags, fill them with your favorite treats, and either keep for yourself, or boo your neighbors and coworkers! These are the perfect size to hold small toys or plush as well with sturdy little handles! 

I want to see what you've put in yours! 

You guys know how much we love making Disney recipes, or copycatting them! Our Tie Dye Cheesecake from Pop Century was a hit, and so were the Banana Split Cupcakes! We've had a few flops along the way, but I'm always up for a Disney recipe! Especially since often, it's the only way my youngest can have a safe Disney dessert with his food allergies. 

Like so many of you I'm sure, the last few months have been filled with baking. Father's Day weekend we decided to make Mr. Disney Magic a batch of cookies from his dream Disney Resort. We've never been there, that's a one day maybe kinda price for us, but we can still enjoy the cookies, right? 

These were the most unusual cookies I've ever made. They didn't call for granulated sugar. Weird, right? We whipped up a batch of these to see how they compare to our usual recipe. The house was divided...my youngest and I said eh, but Mr. Disney Magic and my oldest loved them. 

Want to try for yourself? I prefer a big, chewy cookie myself. 

​The dough mixed up easily, it was very airy. That's what made me nervous. It was a beautiful, soft dough. 

I scooped it onto trays with my usual tablespoon cookie scoop. I wasn't sure how much these would spread, so I didn't crowd the pan, and did 9, instead of my usual 12, because the Disney picture they looked thin and huge. 

They didn't take long to cook, but you can see...the cookies did not spread at all! I know I didn't have too much flour, because I very carefully measured. 

​

Next batch, I pressed the cookies down, flattening slightly. It made no difference. The taste was there, but these cookies were more airy, light in your mouth, instead of a dense, chewey cookie. 
​

Overall, these weren't bad. Would I gift them? Probably not. I do plan to try these again, substituting half of the powdered sugar for granulated, and see if that helps with the spread, and the chewiness. 

​

Want to try these for yourself? This link will take you over to Disney's Blog where you can get the exact recipe for yourself! 

If you make these, stop by on Facebook and tell me how they turned out for you! 

Having a park bag with the essentials not only saves money, but precious park time. While the contents vary, based on the ages in your party, some things are always going to be handy to have in there. These are our must have's, in no particular order! 

1. Cash 

It happens more than you'd expect. Disney' payment system goes down on occasion and you can't buy something with your magic band or credit card. While you can always come back by later, of course, if it's an important purchase, like a snack for your hangry child, or a drink on a hot day, cash is important. I always keep $20 in my bag, just in case. Every trip, I've had to use it, and often more than once.  
​

2. Advil/Tylenol

Whether it's your tired feet, aching back or the migraine that's forming, a little pain reliever is important! While you can go visit the free first aid stations, sometimes you just don't feel like getting out of line to do that.


3. Poncho

Summer afternoon showers are as predictable as the song getting stuck in your head after you exist It's a Small World. Be ready to protect your clothes and gear from getting soggy. 


4. Disney Pins

My boys and I loooove our Disney pins! These are always a must have for some on the go trading. If you aren't sure what these are, and wont to know how to get started with this inexpensive hobby, you can click here! 


5. Hand Sanitizer / wipes

Look around next time you go. Besides the hundreds of people each hour riding the same rides as you, ever seen all of the kids licking the handrails, and everyone coughing, sneezing, rubbing at their noses, and then touching stuff? the same stuff that those in your party are going to touch? Enough said! 


6. Extra camera battery

We had done two trips before I made the best investment of all. A second camera battery. No longer did it drain and leave me with no battery after I filmed Jedi Training, or a parade. It was so, so worth it to have a spare. 


7. Portable battery pack for phone

You might be snapping photos, pulling up Disney games, making fastpass changes or browsing menus on your phone and that eventually can wear down your battery. A portable charger might do the trick, and then can be recharged that night, ready for the next day. These are especially helpful if you were so tired the night before, you forgot to charge your phone.


8. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is so important. Not only does it protect your skin from a burn and possibly cancer later, it helps you from being overheated. How? When you get a sunburn, you feel so much hotter! Later up, and reapply every few hours, so you aren't walking around looking like a lobster and feeling the burn. Save that for the gym!


​9. Ziploc bag

Wet rides or rain, your phone risks getting soaked! A quick tip is a ziploc bag. We've a bunch of other great ideas to use one of those, click here to see why it's our favorite thing to pack. 


10. Snacks

We bring snacks along not just to save money, but to always have one at the ready for a hungry child. In line, on a bench, waiting a really long time to get our lunch, it doesn't matter. Having a snack on hand is always important. One of our children also has a food allergy, so it's even more important that he has a few safe options to choose from if we can't find him something fairly quickly. As a bonus, here are our suggestions for snacks to bring in, that they already sell (for a lot more money!)


What do you think of our list? What's a must have in your park bag? 

If you've ever looked down while walking around in the the Dumbo area of Magic Kingdom, chances are you've seen the above picture. Those aren't real peanuts (whew, for us food allergy folks! and a heads up so you don't get a shock your first visit) but a clever detail and a bit of Imagineering. You'll also find animal tracks, hidden mickeys and more hidden in the concrete at Disney World! All created with intent!