Any experience w/ Gluten-Free foods @ WDW?

[Infamousmare]

Since our last trip (last year), my dd has been dx'd with Celiac disease. We are now all GF in our house and, as I'm making ADRs, I am noting this on each one. However, I notice that many of the children's menus only offer gluten-containing foods like chicken nuggets, pizza and pastas. I understand that I can get a burger sans bun, but she can't eat that for each meal (kudos to The Wave for offering grilled chicken fingers!). Should I call ahead and ask for a special meal before our arrival, or will the restaurants cater to special requests on the spot? (Nothing nutty - just a chicken breast, etc.)

Also, do any of the restaurants offer gluten-free products like pasta or pizza that aren't mentioned on the menu?

 

[brown1442]

There's a lot of great info under the DISabilities section of this board... but I also highly encourage you to email specialdiets@disneyworld.com. They will provide you with lists of gluten free products and where to find them in the parks but also help coordinate your ADRs with each restaurant... they just make everything run more smoothly.

My little one (now 6) has multiple food allergies including gluten and he has always eaten like a king in Disney!!! They have gluten free pastas, rolls, pizza doughs, buns, meats, chicken tenders, fries, cookies, brownies... you name it... they have it!!

 

[Wild4Walt]

I haven't had much experience with the Gluten Free dining, but I do know that babycakes in DTD has gluten free cupcakes.

I'd check out some of the menus to see if anything looks like it would fall into her needs. You can find them at www.allears.net - Under Dining, Click on What's on the Menu.

I also recommend when you do make dining restaurants to have it noted.

 

[jcano]

WDW is the only place that we have gone to since our dds were dx'd with Celiac that I haven't had to worry about what they were going to eat....the beach is really no fun with shellfish and fish allergies and Celiac...but I digress.
Make sure you indicate Celiac or gluten allergy on your reservations. Every place we went had rolls or bread for sandwiches, gf chicken tenders, gf pizza, etc. Tony's had multiple types of gf pastas available. Dining takes longer because the chef would have to come out and go over the menu with us, but we were very pleased.

 

[mom of princess]

When we took the in-laws and niece in 2007, she was recently diagnosed with celiac's. So when DH chose restaurants and made ADRs he made sure to note that she needed special diet. They made sure to offer her a special menu, often times the chef came to the table and asked her what she wanted to eat. One time she said that she couldn't have what she wanted, they asked what it was and she told them, they said, "sure we can make that for you. Just give us a few minutes so we can get it out of the freezer and prepare it for you." Needless to say, she was very happy with her meal choices.

Even when going to buffets, the chef came to the table and asked her what she wanted. They took the food she wanted from the uncontaminated foods in the kitchen and made sure to keep coming out to ask if she wanted anything else.

WDW makes sure to accommodate all diets. She was so happy with her choices of foods that weren't on the menus that she wants to go back again, even now 4yrs later.

 

[jcano]

One thing that we didn't even think about working until the last day was the food court at the resort. We were staying at POP, and we just didn't figure the fast food type food court would have anything. We were wrong. They had most of the items on their menu in gf versions.

Now I will say that some of the gf items that they use are definitely not our favorites to use at home. There are other brands that we feel taste better than the ones WDW uses, BUT my dds were very happy with the options that were available. I don't remember a meal that they didn't devour.

 

[mom2_3girls]

My daughter has been gluten free on our last 3 trips and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Disney and how they handle food allergies. At every meal (TS) the chef has come out to our table walked us around the buffet and told us what was safe and what to avoid. They have all made her special things from GF waffles to chicken nuggets to special desserts! She is also dairy free and is in heaven when we go to Disney. We have not ate at any QS places with her, so I'm not sure how they work, but from the sounds if it there should be no problem.

 

[Infamousmare]

THANKS for all your responses! I did note the GF issue on all our reservations (as well as my own shellfish allergy) but I just wasn't sure if I also needed to follow up in any way. I do remember the chefs being so super nice about my shellfish allergy when we were there last year; however, I had no idea they kept GF items on hand at the restaurants.

Perhaps I WILL try for a reservation at Tony's Town Square after all! :-D

 

[koolaidmoms]

We were at WDW in June with our newly GF and food coloring free DS (8).

They were fantastic! We ate at Cape May Cafe' (there were only like 5 dishes he could not eat), Crystal Palace (breakfast and dinner), La Hacienda, Flame Tree BBQ, Mama Melrose, Cosmic Rays, Liberty Tree Inn...

They were all wonderful. The chefs at MM and Crystal Palace really were the best coming out a couple of times to see if there was anything else my son would like to eat.

I have some pictures and our thoughts on the food for each restaurant above in my blog (link below) and how they handled the GF too at each place. Restaurant reviews are on the right of the blog.

Hope this helps some!

 

[dzorn]

We were at WDW in June with our newly GF and food coloring free DS (8).

They were fantastic! We ate at Cape May Cafe' (there were only like 5 dishes he could not eat), Crystal Palace (breakfast and dinner), La Hacienda, Flame Tree BBQ, Mama Melrose, Cosmic Rays, Liberty Tree Inn...

They were all wonderful. The chefs at MM and Crystal Palace really were the best coming out a couple of times to see if there was anything else my son would like to eat.

I have some pictures and our thoughts on the food for each restaurant above in my blog (link below) and how they handled the GF too at each place. Restaurant reviews are on the right of the blog.

Hope this helps some!

I don't like CP for breakfast for DD. To pay the full adult price for her and to be offered frozen Van Waffles (not cooked very well) was a disappointment. They did not have much else to offer her for breakfast as she has texture issues also. We love Cape May for BK she can have Mickey Waffles that are Gluten free. (Ohana also )

Other than that most places will go out of the way to be helpful. Contact Dietary special needs look in the DisAbilities sticky and they will send you a list of GF food, but of course always double check at the restaurant. When eating QS let them know first thing you have a food allergy issue then a Manager (usually) will be out with the book and to help you with your order. It will take a little longer.

Disney is the only place I have been able to vacation and not cook unless I want to.

Denise in MI

 

[The 6 J's]

Diagnosed with Celiac 6 yrs ago and my 9 yo daughter 3 years ago. I know how you feel. WDW is and will be our only destination vacation spot for years to come because of how well they handle gluten free food and its preparation. Talk to every chef and don't be afraid to challenge them. We've found that 90% love to try something for you and they are always successful. You'll find great stuff everywhere once you get used to looking for it. Use the resources people have mentioned. My favorite meal from last trip was Ohana breakfast at the Polynesian. Best Mickey Waffles ever. Yes, I'm a grown man, I don't care. The last two trips we have loaded up on groceries for the room with snacks and stuff but we'll be scaling that back on our next trip because there is just so much there. I will admit that for kids menus there is not a lot of variety but we've found two things about that. One, for the most part our kids don't mind. Two, that's the "official" kids menu. Talk to each chef. Most are very flexible and in general once we've worked out a meal with the chef it really has very little to do with how we're charged for it (note this is on the DDP).

 

[koolaidmoms]

Talk to every chef and don't be afraid to challenge them.

We found this to be especially true at La Hacienda. DS was brought a dessert which he could not have. Luckily we noticed what it was before he ate it. Be sure to question if something doesn't look or sound right.

 

[Infamousmare]

I am so relieved to hear that we can get GF Mickey waffles! That was one of the highlights of my kids' breakfasts last time. ) I also like the advice about the kids' meals not necessarily being set in stone...and that I don't need to dedicate an entire suitcase to GF snacks.

BTW, because it will be my MIL's birthday while we're in the park, I contacted the cake hotline re: getting a GF birthday cake. They were so helpful and immediately said they do this all the time. Basically, most any cake you want can be done GF. I'll have to report back on the taste.

 

[nadira36]

we're 68 days from our 3rd trip since our family was dx with celiacs disease. As other's have said - question and question if you're concerned - Dh was given a gluten bun at one meal - we were sure it wasn't gluten-free but he ate it after asking 3 times boy was he sick - but luckily it wasn't one of the girls that ae it since they get so much more sick.

We also had an issue with soya sauce on the table at one place - DD (then3) grabbed it and took a swig! lol she was very sick from one mouthful. sigh. our error.

The places we enjoy he most for dinning are Ohana (yummy everything for BF), Akershus, Raglan road (fish & chips anyone?), kouzzina (Dolmades are so good), coral reef, yak & yeti (small selection, but so yummy), tony's (great pasta - we ate there twice last trip it was so good), Flame Tree BBQ (counter service).

Honestly the best food was at Pops Diner in pop century - the chef was awesome and made everything from scratch for us (though we had a different chef on the last night and she wasn't as creative). Ultimately it comes down to the chef - some are awesome, some are not. It also comes to time - we dined at Tusker house for a late lunch 2 trips ago and it was phenomenal - last trip the same chef, for a lunch hour meal was good, but didn't pull out all the stops - in other words you get better service at slightly off times - either early dinning or later dinning.

We've found counter service is actually pretty easy to eat at - and even in a rush time we've been escorted to the front of the line (since we have a longer wait for food), we have desserts everywhere we go - but some places are just frozen foods - it's a good idea to find out in advance esp for BF - I really won't pay premium prices for a frozen waffle.

ETA - there are tons of snacks that are gluten-free - you have no risk of going hungry there that's for sure. We've never dome cake, but we've had birthday cupcakes in the past - and they were good (though it's kind of funny that they're Canadian made here at home, frozen, shipped, decorated, then we buy and eat them there lol) But I'm not sure of the actual cakes - if it's the same company that makes those, then I know they're good cake.

Good luck have fun, and don't forget the dole whips!

 

[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.