Cost of Gluten Free in Disney World

[royalhokie]

I will be going to Disney World in a little over a month and have recently been diagnosed with Celiac-- therefore I am new to the gluten free world!

I have heard WONDERFUL things about eating GF in Disney. However, we will not be on the meal plan while there and will be paying for all food out of pocket. From what I have read the "better" GF options are at the sit down restaurants.

Has anyone gone and paid out of pocket for gluten-free meals? Is it typically around the same cost as the "non-modified" meals on the menus? Just looking to be sure I have budgeted enough to cover my food!!! It is one of my favorite parts about going to Disney!

Also, if anyone has suggestions on the favorite spots in Disney World to get gluten free food, please share!!

 

[partypa]

We have several family members that have Special Diet Needs, Disney has always been great in providing yummy meals for them. Best to give notice, even at Counter service, if you can in advance. Here is a bit of info you may find helpful http://allears.net/din/guestceliac.htm

 

[royalhokie]

Thanks so much! This will be a good place to start!

 

[livndisney]

We have several family members that have Special Diet Needs, Disney has always been great in providing yummy meals for them. Best to give notice, even at Counter service, if you can in advance. Here is a bit of info you may find helpful http://allears.net/din/guestceliac.htm

I think that info is outdated. You will find more current info on these threads.

You can contact special diets by email but I don't think that is going to help the OP as they don't keep price lists. Also there is not a way to "give notice" at counter service.

To answer the OP, yes you can be charged more for gluten/allergy food when not on the dining plan.

For example- Regular Chicken strip and fries meal in Epcot costs 7.99. Gluten free chicken without fries I was charged 9.99.

Pizza Planet in HS, Regular cheese pizza 7.99. Gluten free cheese pizza 9.99

 

[royalhokie]

Good to know, I was wondering if some of the info would be out of date-- it seems a lot of the 'reviews' I have found have been from a couple years ago or longer!

Thanks for the prices-- I'm glad to see that it's not too significant of a difference, I assumed there would be a bit of a price difference between regualr and gluten-free at most places. I have goten used to the price increases in places around my hometown!

 

[dzorn]

FYI Jiko has a gluten free menu now in addition to the regular. For table service they send the chef out and he can reccomend items that can be made gluten free.

Denise in MI

 

[clanmcculloch]

We've only been charged a price difference at CS meals. At TS we're always charged for a comparable non-allergy meal.

 

[tinkslite]

My son has multiple food allergies which require a very specialized diet including GF (allergic to wheat). We have always (5 trips now) stayed on property, usually at Value resorts, eaten on property, mostly out of pocket (only did plan once, during free dining).
We have NEVER been upcharged, that I can remember. Counter service places often have "meal deals" similar to fast food places, and when we ordered those but substituted GF I was NEVER charged more. Examples have been pasta (GF spaghetti), pizza, hot dog (GF bun) and hanburgers (gf bun).
Table service is ALWAYS amazing and helpful
Always (counter service too) let the person taking the order know that you are ordering for someone with special dietary needs. They will make sure that you will be taken care of by the head chef in charge of that venue. Most often the head chef brought food right to our chosen table/seats and we waited a little xtra time for our order. (15 minutes at counter service was the worst wait we had).
Good Luck

 

[livndisney]

My son has multiple food allergies which require a very specialized diet including GF (allergic to wheat). We have always (5 trips now) stayed on property, usually at Value resorts, eaten on property, mostly out of pocket (only did plan once, during free dining).
We have NEVER been upcharged, that I can remember. Counter service places often have "meal deals" similar to fast food places, and when we ordered those but substituted GF I was NEVER charged more. Examples have been pasta (GF spaghetti), pizza, hot dog (GF bun) and hanburgers (gf bun).
Table service is ALWAYS amazing and helpful
Always (counter service too) let the person taking the order know that you are ordering for someone with special dietary needs. They will make sure that you will be taken care of by the head chef in charge of that venue. Most often the head chef brought food right to our chosen table/seats and we waited a little xtra time for our order. (15 minutes at counter service was the worst wait we had).
Good Luck

I am happy you have NEVER been charged more, however your experience is no longer the "norm".

WDW policy (verified by email from Special Diets) is to charge more for allergen free items when not on the dining plan.

From email :"Due to the higher cost of dietary products, there may be an increased price. If you purchase the meal plan, it is considered a regular meal and you will not be charged for the difference. "


Also WDW policy is to have your order taken by a specially allergy trained person(usually a manager) when ordering counter service. Due to prep time it can take up to 45 minutes for your order to be ready. We have waited almost 40 minutes. The problem comes when more that one allergy order is placed at a time so it can take awhile.

 

[clanmcculloch]

With CS meals, the only times I've been charged differently for allergy items is the chicken tenders. The only pizzas we've gotten have been at our resorts (chefs have to custom make crusts for us since even the allergy ones aren't safe for my kids) and these have always been rung up as single pizzas. I expect to be charged as allergy pizza but it hasn't happened that way. In the parks I believe it's always done as an allergy pizza. Chicken tenders have always been rung up in parks as allergy tenders. At my resort, it depends on what's ordered. At Pop when DD13 ordered mac & cheese with chicken tenders, they rang it up as chicken alfredo since that was the closest they could find on the menu (chicken with pasta). Basically, a customized CS meal (which can only be done at a resort CS) get rung up as the closest non-allergy meal they can find. No extra is charged or gluten free pasta. If ordering a premade gluten free mac & cheese though I would expect an upcharge since that is a premade allergy meal. Chicken tenders with fries as I said seem to consistently for the past couple of years get rung up as allergy tenders. Brownies and cookes get rung up as allergy brownies and cookies though I believe they're the same price (though they're smaller) than their non-allergy counterparts. Basically, premade allergy meals have an upcharge while items that are custom prepared or just modifications of regular items (including an allergy bun I believe) do not typically have an upcharge.

Of course all of this is just my own deductions based on my own experiences and things I've read from others.

 

[livndisney]

With CS meals, the only times I've been charged differently for allergy items is the chicken tenders. The only pizzas we've gotten have been at our resorts (chefs have to custom make crusts for us since even the allergy ones aren't safe for my kids) and these have always been rung up as single pizzas. I expect to be charged as allergy pizza but it hasn't happened that way. In the parks I believe it's always done as an allergy pizza. Chicken tenders have always been rung up in parks as allergy tenders. At my resort, it depends on what's ordered. At Pop when DD13 ordered mac & cheese with chicken tenders, they rang it up as chicken alfredo since that was the closest they could find on the menu (chicken with pasta). Basically, a customized CS meal (which can only be done at a resort CS) get rung up as the closest non-allergy meal they can find. No extra is charged or gluten free pasta. If ordering a premade gluten free mac & cheese though I would expect an upcharge since that is a premade allergy meal. Chicken tenders with fries as I said seem to consistently for the past couple of years get rung up as allergy tenders. Brownies and cookes get rung up as allergy brownies and cookies though I believe they're the same price (though they're smaller) than their non-allergy counterparts. Basically, premade allergy meals have an upcharge while items that are custom prepared or just modifications of regular items (including an allergy bun I believe) do not typically have an upcharge.

Of course all of this is just my own deductions based on my own experiences and things I've read from others.

How was the gluten free mac and cheese? I have not tried that yet.

BTW I need to send you that pizza crust recipe I told you about

 

[royalhokie]

I am so glad I found this forum-- thank you all so much for the tips!

Does anyone have any 'favorite' meals in disney that are gluten free?

Are there any places where the 'standard' options taste better-- things like the chicken, mac and cheese, pizza, etc. Or is it pretty much prepared the same way no matter where you get it?

 

[livndisney]

It is not a "meal" but BABYCAKES!!!!

 

[clanmcculloch]

We can't do the premade gluten free mac & cheese so I can't comment on that. Chefs at Pop and POFQ food courts have made it for my girls by cooking up some rice noodles and making a sauce using Tofutti slices and margarine and rice milk. They seem to enjoy it. At Pop they've also made me a nacho cheese sauce in a similar way. Loaded nachos; can't beat it. Unfortunately, these do have soy which I think you said you're now having to avoid if I remember correctly.

I'm looking forward to the recipe!

Oh, and I agree with livndisney; Babycakes is definitely a top choice. YUMMY!!!!! Of course I'm not sure why she says it's not a meal. One could definitely make a meal or two or three out of their goodies.

 

[royalhokie]

It is not a "meal" but BABYCAKES!!!!

I am VERY EXCITED to try this! I have already decided it's the first place I want to go when I get there! I've heard they have everything from cupcakes to donuts!

Is there anything you recommend from them?? Or is everything good!?

 

[livndisney]

I am VERY EXCITED to try this! I have already decided it's the first place I want to go when I get there! I've heard they have everything from cupcakes to donuts!

Is there anything you recommend from them?? Or is everything good!?

ummmm, I can't think of anything we did not like from Babycakes. I will say the donuts are , the cupcakes, did I mention the donuts?

I will say I was not "thrilled" with the brownie bite things, they were a little dry I thought.


Clan, I know a little girl who would LOVE for me to consider BABYCAKES a meal .

 

[SDSorority]

ummmm, I can't think of anything we did not like from Babycakes. I will say the donuts are , the cupcakes, did I mention the donuts?

I will say I was not "thrilled" with the brownie bite things, they were a little dry I thought.


Clan, I know a little girl who would LOVE for me to consider BABYCAKES a meal .

We'll be doing the browines next trip- we can't have chickpeas and their goods are made from chickpea flour. The brownies, however, don't use chickpea flour, and Emily is going to make us cupcake size brownies to have!!! That reminds me... I need to call them to remind them of that sometime this week.