DVC_Princess
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2009
- Messages
- 282
Hi Everyone... i'm new to the Disboards and this review is a little old (from our trip in Oct), but I thought this might be useful for some people... happy reading 
As background, we have been big Disney fans since our first visit in 1992. Since then, we've been annually vacationing with the mouse. But when I was diagnosed with celiac disease last summer, I was suddenly dreading being away from my safe gluten-free kitchen during our planned October vacation. After reading everything I could find about vacationing gluten-free, I was happy to learn that Disney has an excellent reputation for allergy awareness.
Planning in advance- With that being said, I took the advice of others and made sure that all of our table seating reservations were marked with my special dietary requirement and gluten intolerance. I also emailed Disney and was sent a list of all the foods that they carried in the parks which would be safe, all the places that I could eat, and a list of all the gluten-free substitutions that they have in the restaurants (such as Ener-G tapioca rolls, Amy's pizza dough, gluten-free brownies, rice flour, etc.).
Next, I made an effort to contact all of the chefs at the restaurants where we had table seating reservations. Because of my work schedule, it was a bit hard to get in touch (I would recommend around 4PM), but I was able to speak with Chef Phillip from Citricos in advance. My phone conversation with him was wonderful. He put my mind completely at ease and told me all of the things I could eat (the list was endless). We had reservations for Citricos on my birthday so I asked if it might be possible to have a special dessert (preferably something chocolate!). He told me that would not be a problem at all, and came up with a flourless cake, while speaking with his sous-chef, Eddy.
Despite all the wonderful things I had heard and my great experience with the chefs and managers so far, I was still nervous and wanted to bring some snacks with us (just incase). I was also happy to find out that although Disney does not usually allow outside food, they do let guests with special dietary needs bring snacks into the parks. So I packed up some gluten-free granola, energy bars, and crackers, and was on my way!
Arrival - This was our first DVC trip and we stayed at Saratoga Springs. It happened to be excellent timing as it was great to have the fully equipped kitchen (fridge, microwave, stove, sink, dishwasher, etc.) and we stocked up on a few things to make dining easier. The convenience store at Saratoga carried Yoplait yogurt (labeled gluten free) in peach and berry flavor. I had that with my gluten-free granola (brought from home) for breakfast daily. They also had gluten free brownies and Lays Stax potato chips (made on dedicated equipment and marked naturally gluten free). However, my favorite thing was that the bar at Saratoga Springs (Turf Club Lounge) carried Redbridge gluten-free beer. This was excellent news and throughout my trip, I was able to relax near the pool and enjoy a delicious cold one!
Citricos (Grand Floridian) My birthday dinner was amazing! As soon as we arrived, I reminded the hostess of my gluten intolerance (which I recommend doing at all restaurants). She was very friendly and said that she would make sure our server knew and that the chef would come out to meet us. For drinks, I started out with a Citricos bellini (made with champagne, peaches, and raspberries); our server checked to make sure that it was not a packaged mix and that it would be naturally gluten-free. The head chef, Phillip, came out to our table and walked me through the menu. Since everything was made fresh, there was very little that I wouldn't be able to have. I opted for the naturally gluten-free Filet Giardiniere (Filet of Beef with House-cured Vegetables, Quattro Formaggi Crushed Potatoes and Veal Glacé de Viande). It was delicious and by far, the best meal I had eaten in quite some time. For dessert, sous-chef Eddy brought me out a chocolate flourless cake that he had specially made for my birthday. It was a molten chocolate cake with a lava center and was exceptional! I almost cried because it was so wonderful and they made me feel so special. The chefs really went out of their way to create such an enjoyable experience, but they do it in such a gracious manner and act like it's no trouble at all. Truly magical!
Turf Club Lunch (Saratoga Springs) Once again, the chef came out right away to discuss menu options with me. Since it was only lunch and I really wanted to try these Ener-G rolls, I opted for the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger - topped with cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon. I also had the french fries since the chef assured me that they were safe (dedicated fryer, new oil, and a guarantee that he would prepare them himself). Once again, my meal was very yummy. The bun wasn't bad at all and was basically masked by the excellent flavor of the cheeseburger. The fries were also crisped to perfection.
Flying Fish (Boardwalk) After such a delicious and filling lunch, we were looking for something light for dinner. The chef came out to speak with me and recommended the Potato-Wrapped Red Snapper, served over a Creamy Leek Fondue, with a Veal Glace, Red Wine, and Cassis Butter Sauce. I decided to try it and wasn't disappointed. At first, I found the snapper to be a bit dry, but realized that it was really meant to be paired with the leek fondue. Eating the two in unison greatly enhanced the experience and dinner was once again, very good. We were too stuffed to even attempt dessert at this point.
Flame Tree BBQ(Animal Kingdom) This was a previous favorite of mine and one that I was looking forward to trying gluten-free. However, I must say that the experience was not as fabulous as I had hoped. We arrived for lunch a bit early (around 11AM I had heard that it's usually best to go before or after peak hours in order to speak with the manager). It wasn't too crowded yet and the manager came out and showed us a book with all of the ingredients for their menu choices. The St. Louis Ribs were safe, but the BBQ sauce and baked beans were questionable (due to modified food starch). Also, they are no longer serving corn on the cob and now just have a corn muffin, which I couldn't have. I ordered the ribs (listed as ribs only allergy), but without the sauce, beans, and muffin, it was a bit plain and not so appetizing. I did however see someone with a mixed greens salad (with chicken) that looked quite good. I think I would opt for that choice next time.
Turf Club Dinner(Saratoga Springs) Amazing! I didn't expect to enjoy this restaurant because of its fairly standard American fare, but the food was truly outstanding and the staff was exceptional! Our chef, Ron, came out to meet us right away and reviewed all of the menu choices. There wasn't a thing that I couldn't have! He offered to make rice pasta, gluten-free flat bread, crab cakes or fried calamari (with rice four), and said he could alter any menu choice accordingly. I decided to go with the Free-Range Chicken Breast - stuffed with sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese with roasted garlic risotto and balsamic glaze. Because the stuffing would have breadcrumbs, Ron made me two grilled chicken breasts topped with the pesto and goat cheese served alongside the risotto. I also had a mixed greens salad with a lemon-poppy vinaigrette dressing for an appetizer. And finally, Ron made me a special gluten-free brownie sundae (topped with Edy's ice cream) for dessert. I really enjoyed this meal and can't rave enough about the excellent service that I received!!
Artist Palate Lunch (Saratoga Springs) At first, I was a little nervous about eating here because the counter service did not seem to really cater to special dietary requirements. But boy was I wrong! We once again asked to speak with a manager, but the server said that she would instead send out the chef to discuss my needs. And what do u know, Ron came out to meet us! He was just as gracious as the night before and said that he could make any sandwich, salad or PIZZA that I wanted. Since swimming was on the list for today and I had such a big meal for dinner, I chose the House Salad with grilled chicken (served with the citrus vinaigrette, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, diced apples and chopped walnuts). Ron also waited in line with us to make sure that the cashier properly submitted the allergy requirement. Our food was served very quickly and was once again delicious!
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club) Our waiter here was a long time Disney employee and was very knowledgeable regarding my gluten-free requirement. He brought out some Ener-G tapioca rolls right away and had the chef come out to meet me. The chef went through the menu and showed me what food I should avoid (this list here was a bit longer than other Disney restaurants and the chef did not seem to know how to alter anything that was normally made with flour, but this was OK because it was a steakhouse and the best meals were gluten free anyway I was just happy that he knew about cross contamination and made sure that everything would be prepared safely). I started out with the Chilled Seafood Salad (Lobster, Shrimp and Jumbo Crab with Lemon Créme Fraiche and Avocado Cream naturally gluten free). I had never had anything similar and it was excellent. For my entrée, I chose to eat the Yachtsman Filet Mignon, an 8-ounce Filet with Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Sauce. This was very good (although my similar meal at Citricos was admittedly better). I also had the crème brulee for dessert, which was outstanding. During dinner, the chef came out again to make sure that I was enjoying everything and that all the food was prepared to my satisfaction. I greatly appreciated this customer service and attention to detail it really is the Disney Difference.
Snacks I had a variety of different snacks throughout my stay. Some of my favorites were the pineapple and vanilla swirl Dole Whip at Aloha Isle in Adventureland (Magic Kingdom) and the chocolate/caramel popcorn that I had in EPCOT (this was a prepackaged bag that could be found in most convenience stores).
Overall, I was able to eat well and safely throughout my entire trip. I'm very happy to say that this experience exceeded all of my expectations and I can't wait to travel back to Disney World again soon! (Less than one month...
)
As background, we have been big Disney fans since our first visit in 1992. Since then, we've been annually vacationing with the mouse. But when I was diagnosed with celiac disease last summer, I was suddenly dreading being away from my safe gluten-free kitchen during our planned October vacation. After reading everything I could find about vacationing gluten-free, I was happy to learn that Disney has an excellent reputation for allergy awareness.
Planning in advance- With that being said, I took the advice of others and made sure that all of our table seating reservations were marked with my special dietary requirement and gluten intolerance. I also emailed Disney and was sent a list of all the foods that they carried in the parks which would be safe, all the places that I could eat, and a list of all the gluten-free substitutions that they have in the restaurants (such as Ener-G tapioca rolls, Amy's pizza dough, gluten-free brownies, rice flour, etc.).
Next, I made an effort to contact all of the chefs at the restaurants where we had table seating reservations. Because of my work schedule, it was a bit hard to get in touch (I would recommend around 4PM), but I was able to speak with Chef Phillip from Citricos in advance. My phone conversation with him was wonderful. He put my mind completely at ease and told me all of the things I could eat (the list was endless). We had reservations for Citricos on my birthday so I asked if it might be possible to have a special dessert (preferably something chocolate!). He told me that would not be a problem at all, and came up with a flourless cake, while speaking with his sous-chef, Eddy.
Despite all the wonderful things I had heard and my great experience with the chefs and managers so far, I was still nervous and wanted to bring some snacks with us (just incase). I was also happy to find out that although Disney does not usually allow outside food, they do let guests with special dietary needs bring snacks into the parks. So I packed up some gluten-free granola, energy bars, and crackers, and was on my way!
Arrival - This was our first DVC trip and we stayed at Saratoga Springs. It happened to be excellent timing as it was great to have the fully equipped kitchen (fridge, microwave, stove, sink, dishwasher, etc.) and we stocked up on a few things to make dining easier. The convenience store at Saratoga carried Yoplait yogurt (labeled gluten free) in peach and berry flavor. I had that with my gluten-free granola (brought from home) for breakfast daily. They also had gluten free brownies and Lays Stax potato chips (made on dedicated equipment and marked naturally gluten free). However, my favorite thing was that the bar at Saratoga Springs (Turf Club Lounge) carried Redbridge gluten-free beer. This was excellent news and throughout my trip, I was able to relax near the pool and enjoy a delicious cold one!
Citricos (Grand Floridian) My birthday dinner was amazing! As soon as we arrived, I reminded the hostess of my gluten intolerance (which I recommend doing at all restaurants). She was very friendly and said that she would make sure our server knew and that the chef would come out to meet us. For drinks, I started out with a Citricos bellini (made with champagne, peaches, and raspberries); our server checked to make sure that it was not a packaged mix and that it would be naturally gluten-free. The head chef, Phillip, came out to our table and walked me through the menu. Since everything was made fresh, there was very little that I wouldn't be able to have. I opted for the naturally gluten-free Filet Giardiniere (Filet of Beef with House-cured Vegetables, Quattro Formaggi Crushed Potatoes and Veal Glacé de Viande). It was delicious and by far, the best meal I had eaten in quite some time. For dessert, sous-chef Eddy brought me out a chocolate flourless cake that he had specially made for my birthday. It was a molten chocolate cake with a lava center and was exceptional! I almost cried because it was so wonderful and they made me feel so special. The chefs really went out of their way to create such an enjoyable experience, but they do it in such a gracious manner and act like it's no trouble at all. Truly magical!
Turf Club Lunch (Saratoga Springs) Once again, the chef came out right away to discuss menu options with me. Since it was only lunch and I really wanted to try these Ener-G rolls, I opted for the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger - topped with cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon. I also had the french fries since the chef assured me that they were safe (dedicated fryer, new oil, and a guarantee that he would prepare them himself). Once again, my meal was very yummy. The bun wasn't bad at all and was basically masked by the excellent flavor of the cheeseburger. The fries were also crisped to perfection.
Flying Fish (Boardwalk) After such a delicious and filling lunch, we were looking for something light for dinner. The chef came out to speak with me and recommended the Potato-Wrapped Red Snapper, served over a Creamy Leek Fondue, with a Veal Glace, Red Wine, and Cassis Butter Sauce. I decided to try it and wasn't disappointed. At first, I found the snapper to be a bit dry, but realized that it was really meant to be paired with the leek fondue. Eating the two in unison greatly enhanced the experience and dinner was once again, very good. We were too stuffed to even attempt dessert at this point.
Flame Tree BBQ(Animal Kingdom) This was a previous favorite of mine and one that I was looking forward to trying gluten-free. However, I must say that the experience was not as fabulous as I had hoped. We arrived for lunch a bit early (around 11AM I had heard that it's usually best to go before or after peak hours in order to speak with the manager). It wasn't too crowded yet and the manager came out and showed us a book with all of the ingredients for their menu choices. The St. Louis Ribs were safe, but the BBQ sauce and baked beans were questionable (due to modified food starch). Also, they are no longer serving corn on the cob and now just have a corn muffin, which I couldn't have. I ordered the ribs (listed as ribs only allergy), but without the sauce, beans, and muffin, it was a bit plain and not so appetizing. I did however see someone with a mixed greens salad (with chicken) that looked quite good. I think I would opt for that choice next time.
Turf Club Dinner(Saratoga Springs) Amazing! I didn't expect to enjoy this restaurant because of its fairly standard American fare, but the food was truly outstanding and the staff was exceptional! Our chef, Ron, came out to meet us right away and reviewed all of the menu choices. There wasn't a thing that I couldn't have! He offered to make rice pasta, gluten-free flat bread, crab cakes or fried calamari (with rice four), and said he could alter any menu choice accordingly. I decided to go with the Free-Range Chicken Breast - stuffed with sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese with roasted garlic risotto and balsamic glaze. Because the stuffing would have breadcrumbs, Ron made me two grilled chicken breasts topped with the pesto and goat cheese served alongside the risotto. I also had a mixed greens salad with a lemon-poppy vinaigrette dressing for an appetizer. And finally, Ron made me a special gluten-free brownie sundae (topped with Edy's ice cream) for dessert. I really enjoyed this meal and can't rave enough about the excellent service that I received!!
Artist Palate Lunch (Saratoga Springs) At first, I was a little nervous about eating here because the counter service did not seem to really cater to special dietary requirements. But boy was I wrong! We once again asked to speak with a manager, but the server said that she would instead send out the chef to discuss my needs. And what do u know, Ron came out to meet us! He was just as gracious as the night before and said that he could make any sandwich, salad or PIZZA that I wanted. Since swimming was on the list for today and I had such a big meal for dinner, I chose the House Salad with grilled chicken (served with the citrus vinaigrette, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, diced apples and chopped walnuts). Ron also waited in line with us to make sure that the cashier properly submitted the allergy requirement. Our food was served very quickly and was once again delicious!
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club) Our waiter here was a long time Disney employee and was very knowledgeable regarding my gluten-free requirement. He brought out some Ener-G tapioca rolls right away and had the chef come out to meet me. The chef went through the menu and showed me what food I should avoid (this list here was a bit longer than other Disney restaurants and the chef did not seem to know how to alter anything that was normally made with flour, but this was OK because it was a steakhouse and the best meals were gluten free anyway I was just happy that he knew about cross contamination and made sure that everything would be prepared safely). I started out with the Chilled Seafood Salad (Lobster, Shrimp and Jumbo Crab with Lemon Créme Fraiche and Avocado Cream naturally gluten free). I had never had anything similar and it was excellent. For my entrée, I chose to eat the Yachtsman Filet Mignon, an 8-ounce Filet with Mashed Potatoes and a Red Wine Sauce. This was very good (although my similar meal at Citricos was admittedly better). I also had the crème brulee for dessert, which was outstanding. During dinner, the chef came out again to make sure that I was enjoying everything and that all the food was prepared to my satisfaction. I greatly appreciated this customer service and attention to detail it really is the Disney Difference.
Snacks I had a variety of different snacks throughout my stay. Some of my favorites were the pineapple and vanilla swirl Dole Whip at Aloha Isle in Adventureland (Magic Kingdom) and the chocolate/caramel popcorn that I had in EPCOT (this was a prepackaged bag that could be found in most convenience stores).
Overall, I was able to eat well and safely throughout my entire trip. I'm very happy to say that this experience exceeded all of my expectations and I can't wait to travel back to Disney World again soon! (Less than one month...
)
