Staying at a Universal Orlando Resort Hotel with Food Allergies
How do you pick a resort that fits your wants, needs, and more importantly, your food allergies? It may be surprising to some, but some of my favorite Universal Orlando Resorts are the Value and Prime Value resorts! Besides having great prices, they have huge kitchens for cooking, and some even have an area where they cook only allergy-friendly food. Cabana Bay Beach Resort has amazed me every time I have stayed there with my meals. I do also enjoy the Wok Station at Aventura for a healthy meal. Here you can choose your protein, base, and veggies and then get a fresh pan and even a chef to make sure you’re getting a safe meal!
If you’re looking for a resort with a water taxi, a slower pace, and want to enjoy a sit-down meal, the Premier and Preferred resorts will be for you! The Premier resorts are Hard Rock Hotel, Portofino Bay Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort. The Preferred hotel is Sapphire Falls Resort. The chefs at the Preferred and Premier resorts are accommodating at the sit-down restaurants. I’ve had some really great meals at The Kitchen in Hard Rock Hotel, Amatista Cookhouse in Sapphire Falls, and Jake’s in Royal Pacific. If you’re looking for quick service, the Premier and Preferred resorts don’t have a huge variety of meals for allergy-friendly food because they generally don’t have a full kitchen in them. Sal’s Market Deli at Portofino Bay Hotel is one that I did have great luck at. Premier resorts do have a club level available and they are very accommodating. I was able to contact them prior to my trip and they had something I could eat every time!
If you are planning to stay at a Universal Orlando Resort, make sure to email chefs ahead of time at the resort you’re staying. I have successfully emailed the chefs at Endless Summer Surfside and Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Both times I was super impressed with the response time of the chefs and how I was treated when I arrived at the resorts. For Cabana Bay, I was even given names of other chefs that I should speak to if Chef Paul wasn’t there. It really eased my worry about ordering at the quick-serve locations of these resorts knowing the chefs had a heads up and would leave some proteins out of the marinade for me so they would be garlic free!
Kelly Van Eerden-Jenison, MI
Lead Travel Advisor
In 2012, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and multiple food allergies. Despite the challenges that traveling with food allergies can bring, our vacations have not stopped. I still continue to travel and look for destinations that are allergy-friendly. My favorite allergy-friendly destination is Walt Disney World because they do such a great job going above and beyond to serve their guests with allergies, but the options are endless!
I feel that travel is an important way to connect as a family and recharge for everyday life. I have planned numerous vacations and love that I can share my passion for exploring new places with my clients as I help them make memories that will last a lifetime. I look forward to using my personal experiences to help make your dream vacation a reality.
