Allergen-free foods at regional parks?

Once again I would like to take advantage of the knowledge amassed by CoasterBuzzers by asking if you've seen this at other seasonal parks (I realize the year-round destination parks are already doing it)?

I'm looking for a "trend."

Thanks for your help, Paula

Cedar Point added gluten free all beef burgers this year. I have no idea what gluten is though.
*** Edited 5/12/2008 4:49:19 PM UTC by Jason Hammond***

Paula,

This is great to hear!

I really appreciate it when parks go out of their way to serve their guests! I don't know about allergy info, but I know DIsney parks in Florida have some Kosher options, and I was told at Canada's Wonderland that they would also have Kosher options this year.

While Kosher food and food free from allergens are different, some concepts seem to be similar, such as cross contamination. Since I doubt there is a big enough Jewish community that is religious in your key markets to support Kosher options, given the cost, I am glad to see your park taking steps to cater people with special needs when it comes to food!

Keep up the great work! I look forward to seeing you at some point this season!

-Sam

You are already doing it Paula. Why does it matter if we have seen it before or not?

Paula - you guys have amazed me once again!! I just about passed out on the floor crying because of this press release (the announcement of Voyage had the same effect, too!). I've been gluten-free for 2 years know and eating at restaurants is a major challenge--amusement parks are even tougher. Yes, I've been served an amazing gluten-free dinner at a sit-down restaurant at Disney and received gluten-free beer at bars at Busch Gardens Europe, but never before have I found a park that has gluten-free food selections readily available at multiple locations and designated food prep areas for those items. Simply Amazing!!!

Is this a trend? I hope it is now! Although as much as I'd like to see other parks execute this kind of change with great attention to detail (separate food prep areas is a HUGE thing), I don't foresee anyone jumping on the bandwagon right away. I was just visiting a park in northern Ohio and when I was getting a basket of fries I requested an ingredient listing of the Parmesan Garlic sauce they offer. The worker did not have any information to offer what-so-ever.

Thanks once again for taking another step in the right direction. I'll be sharing this press release with all my friends and family since they understand what it's like to go to out to eat with me....(and that's not a comment about my manners!)

NEIL

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Neuski said:
You are already doing it Paula. Why does it matter if we have seen it before or not?

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Because...in order to pitch this story to national media, it needs to be a "trend." When we went no-smoking, no one cared on a national basis. A few years later more parks did it and it was proclaimed a "trend" ... and USA Today did an article.

It's just the way it works. :)

Paula

That's great, Paula!

Now if only the "free drinks" idea would go national. ;)

-Tina

As far as I know, Paula, Holiday World is the first "regional" park, but I think you can still pitch it as on the "front end of a trend". Heck, if Busch decides to offer a gluten-free beer (ironically, Red Bridge is probably the tastiest beer Busch offers!), you KNOW awareness is growing...

--Greg, gluten-free for over 4 years and counting

Waldameer in Erie, PA only serves char-grilled burgers and dogs...which burns away the nasty greases, and my body is thankful since I also have a soy-allergy (USA Vegetable Oil since the 1990s...yuk!)

WOW! Paula, Holiday World continues to impress/amaze me. My girlfriend must eat gluten-free since late last summer, and she's been wondering what kind of food she'd be able to eat when we attend HoliWood Nights. She was sooo excited when we found the press release! It's very hard to express the feelings of gratitude since, as RollCoast pointed out, it's quite a difficult adjustment to make, especially since wheat is used in the vast majority of foods available.

Yea Holiday World!