Gluten Free ?

[mmtska]

My aunt is headed down to the World with her family this summer. Her daughter has Celiac disease and can eat nothing with gluten. She's also a severe diabetic. I emailed my aunt and told her what I know about ADRs and such, but she already had them made (my mom somehow failed to mention that and told me just that my aunt was having trouble getting character meals-which oddly they have almost all character meals!)

Here's what she has (in her own words lol):
Crystal Palace for lunch right after K & O get makeovers at the bibbidy bobbidy boutique;(do they do boys there or something because O is most definitely a boy) Breakfast in Norway with the princesses; Lilo & Stitch plus Winnie the Pooh & pals someplace I can't remember(I'm assuming she means Ohana?); Hoop De Doo Review, character breakfasts at the Polynesian (Ohana again?!?!?)& Grand Floridian (1900 PF), and lunch at the Sci Fi Drive In diner in Planet Hollywood(I'm assuming she means DHS and they're not going to PH too....who knows)

Anyway, any experiences with gluten free either at those restaurants or at the World in general? I sent her the link for the Celiac disease article on allears, but I just wanted to see if anyone on here had any experience. I'm hoping to give them a little more advice on things so thanks!

 

[Timestop]

I'm going down Memorial Day on a short-notice trip and I've been searching for whatever I can find on this topic (Here's the topic I started on it: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2462165 )

Contact Special Diets and they should be able to help (I'm still waiting to hear back but I started trying Friday night and I think they're closed on weekends).
Email: specialdiets@disneyworld.com
Magic Kingdom 407-824-5967 wdwmkspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Epcot 407-560-6395 wdwecspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Hollywood Studios 407-560-3551 wdwstspecialdiets@email.disney.com
Animal Kingdom 407-938-3288 wdwakspecialdiets@email.disney.com

This is also helpful: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/

There's more info you can find in the Disabilities forum. Overall WDW appears very accomodating.

 

[candielips]

We travelled w/ someone who has celiacs a few yrs ago and they were great with her. Quite a few times the chef came out and told her exactly what she could eat. At some of the buffets the chef would take her through the buffet and again show her what she could and couldn't have.
At Boma the chef even brought her out a gluten free zebra dome.

 

[mmtska]

That is amazing! Thank you. My aunt is a little worried, but I've tried giving her as much info as I can. I sent her the link to this thread and the other one. Thank yoU!

 

[minniejack]

http://glutenfreedairyfreewdw.blogspot.com/
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.phpt=2380636
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2306960

try the above links--maybe they'll help

 

[wdhinn89]

What exactly is a "severe diabetic"?

 

[CrabbyPatty]

Disney really does a good job with special diets. I went last August and ate gluten-free, without too much trouble at all. For the TS meals, the chef came out and went through the menu with me or walked the buffet with me, explaining which dishes to avoid. In some cases, they will make regular items GF and I've gotten GF bread, GF Mickey Waffles, and a great GF BBQ Eggs Benedict at Whispering Creek.

Just want sure your aunt contacts Special Diets and provides them with their ADRs. At each location, when we checked in, the reservation noted gluten allergy so everything was clearly noted when the server and chef came to the table.

What exactly is a "severe diabetic"?

My guess would be someone who has to control their diabetes with insulin and/or monitor it several times a day, versus someone who controls their diabetes with diet.

 

[mmtska]

Thank you everyone! I emailed my aunt and gave her all the info-epecially about contacting Special Diets.

Oh, and the severe diabetic? She controls her insulin with a pump and does have to monitor it very closely. Her diabetes has gotten worse over the years and it's gone from easy shots, to having it controlled by the pump. Diet matters-even more since she's been diagnosed with Celiac disease.

 

[Sagginit]

they are great with celiacs, i went last fall and was fine. the only thing is after a while it may get repetetive, i got the same GF rolls and brownies constantly. at the same time i had GF chicken tenders and a hamburger on a GF bun which was a treat. the specialist should send you list of restaurants and QS options, you can always ask and they have a binder they bring out. at the restaurants the chef comes out and goes over the options. dont be disappointed though if you email all ADRs and you get there to find they are missing something, like a GF dessert, that happened to me a few times. overall i found it to be a welcome change to normal GF dining.

ps celiac and diabetes share a gene supposedly so they tend to go hand in hand.

 

[wdhinn89]

Thank you everyone! I emailed my aunt and gave her all the info-epecially about contacting Special Diets.

Oh, and the severe diabetic? She controls her insulin with a pump and does have to monitor it very closely. Her diabetes has gotten worse over the years and it's gone from easy shots, to having it controlled by the pump. Diet matters-even more since she's been diagnosed with Celiac disease.

An insulin pump is used for convenience as well as good control. If you think shots are easy for a child or anyone else, you are greatly misinformed She is not a severe diabetic. She has Type 1 Diabetes. You should google diabetes and learn about it and all the different kinds there are before you put a label on someone with a word that doesn't exist in the diabetes world Especially when you don't know what your talking about.

As a parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes, I am greatly offended by your wording and I hope your aunt never read this thread because she would be as well.

Your heart is in the right place though, I will admit that.

 

[SwirlyGirly]

I'm GF and a world traveler (I do a vacation every 45 days) and the trip we took to WDW was for me, amazing. I had a note in all my ADRs that I was GF and at every meal a chef met with me to discuss my intolerances and allergies and we together came up with options for me. Not only am I GF but I also have a long list of allergies. Usually, I either order a plain chicken breast or steak at restaurants, but at WDW, I felt like I had more choice than I'd had since I found out that I was restricted. I'm a major foodie and I've eaten at many of the world's finest restaurants, but never with the comfort that I had at WDW. Trust me when I say that it will be the best vacation your GF niece ever had. I had food there that I hadn't touched for years, custom made pizzas, waffles, BROWNIES...YUM!
Edited to add that I ate in only TS restaurants and never in CS as I was too afraid to try them with all of my restrictions and bc I'm a food snob ))

 

[crisi]

I've taken three trips to Disney gluten free. They've been inconsistant. I've never had a chef talk to me. Some waitstaff have been WONDERFUL, some have looked at me like they don't know what I am saying and its obvious I'm fending for myself. Granted, they are better than most other places - but I haven't had the dream experiences that others have had - and buffets have been particularly bad in my experience (others have had the chef come out and discussing ingrediants in each dish on the buffet - I've never been offered that).

Note that counter service can be a longish wait - her meal will need to be prepared seperately. I've waited twenty minutes for that gluten free hamburger bun. Sometimes its just easier to get the salad.

She should make sure all reservations have both diabetic and celiac on the reserveration. And if I were truly ill, I'd work with Special Diets. I get gastroentestial distress, so for me a little gluten isn't a huge deal (but bread or pizza or cake are right out).

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going to the disABILITIES Forum and look at Post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs. There is a large section in that post dealing with special dietary needs, as well as many related links. You can get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs by following the link in my signature.

This is a very common topic of discussion in the disABILITIES Forum.

 

[mmtska]

I would suggest going to the disABILITIES Forum and look at Post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs. There is a large section in that post dealing with special dietary needs, as well as many related links. You can get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs by following the link in my signature.

This is a very common topic of discussion in the disABILITIES Forum.

Thank you Cheshire Figment I didn't even think about that. I found more information for my aunt I think I've already overwhelmed her anyway. But she'll definitely be more prepared!

 

[t_kelley]

I’ve always wanted to take my mother along, but was facing the same problem. This discussion has been a boon. Now I know she can enjoy herself too as food wouldn’t be a constraint. Thanks guys for the information.

 

[iggbees]

my cousin has celiac and when we visited disney with her a few years ago the chef at boma's walked her around the buffet to explain to her what was gluten free. he even brought her a sorbet from jiko's as a dessert. i'd have to say that they're pretty good about dietary restrictions in disney. just make sure that you note on your reservations and don't forget to remind them that you have someone with an allergy when you check in at the restaurant.