Gluten free / dining plan

[princesskimberella]

Kinda freaking out a little - after a trip to the dr and years of battling issues I need to be on a gluten-free diet.

We are heading to WDW in December and have free dining. I am really nervous about eating
Especially from the places that are buffet style.

Any suggestions on how to handle this ??

We are an eat at home family 90% of the time so I am just learning how to handle these situations

 

[babyrich]

Kinda freaking out a little - after a trip to the dr and years of battling issues I need to be on a gluten-free diet.

We are heading to WDW in December and have free dining. I am really nervous about eating
Especially from the places that are buffet style.

Any suggestions on how to handle this ??

We are an eat at home family 90% of the time so I am just learning how to handle these situations

Let the host/hostess and/or your server know about your allergy and they will accomodate you. They will fill you in on what is safe on the buffet or I bet the cook will prepare something for you.

Disney seems to be very good about food allergies.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Honey, take a deep breath and know that Disney is the BEST place to dine gluten free. You will be fine and get to eat well! I'm assuming you've made all of your dining reservations for December. For the future, when you make them online you can check off various food allergies, like gluten, on the website. But if you've already made them, just be sure to tell the person at the podium that you have an allergy to gluten. Then tell your server and he/she will send the chef to your table. It's sooooo easy! The first time I went to Disney gluten free, I literally cried after my first meal. It was at Ohana and the chef was so wonderful and accommodating. The food was safe and delish. You'll be fine! Good luck.

ETA: For the buffet places, the chef will tell you what is safe and then ask him/her to bring your food from the back to eliminate cross contamination.

 

[gladdiola]

I was worried pre-trip for my son w/ multiple food allergies, but a week long trip to WDW turned out to be the best eating out experience for the whole family. Keep the staff informed and you should be well taken care of.

 

[scarlet_ibis]

I haven't done WDW while GF, but we were at DL last December and it was fine. At the buffet, the chef came out and told us which entrees were GF. They are very accommodating everywhere. I mean, if I can go to Hoss's and ask them to bring me fresh salad dressing from the back to avoid cross-contamination, Disney surely will do that, too.

It does feel a little lonely sometimes, especially at counter service restaurants, because your meal needs to be specially prepared and takes longer (usually). I found myself standing and waiting a lot while my family ate. And it stinks when you can't have the sauce on the fish or a certain salad because some supplier can't guarantee that a spice used is GF, but that's going to happen everywhere. I'm still working on accepting that my food is just as delicious, even if it isn't exactly what I wanted to order.

 

[primrosea]

We are also a gluten free family who has (and has had) the dining plan and we LOVE IT!!!!!!

We feel that the quality of food that we have had there cannot be topped. We make sure to notate the allergy when we reserve the meal. When you get to the restaurant the server should double chek with you and then get the chef who will give you some safe options.

The last time we went we had chicken pot pie, cheesecake, stirfry, fried rice, pasta and meatballs, hamburgers and tons of desserts all gluten free. We left feeling incredibly full and never having experienced being glutened while we were there.

Oh, and don't forget, the Dole Whip FLoat is natually gluten free

 

[constanze]

I totally understand your concerns. This upcoming trip will be the first time I go to Disney gluten-free as well. I get violently ill when I've been glutened, so I was so worried that I wouldn't really be able to eat on our trip. But after reading all the threads on the disboards, not only have I learned that it will be perfectly safe, but now I'm excited to try all the delicious, gluten free options DW provides. Best of luck to you, and post when you get back from your trip and let us know how it goes!

 

[snorris49]

I definitely understand your concerns! I went GF and dairy free 3 1/2 years ago and around that time went to WDW for the first time with food allergies. It was totally freaked out, but so very amazed at WDW when I got there. They are beyond beyond amazing! You will definitely be taken care of. When I'm there, I get to eat so much more than I normally would out and I have never been sick there from being glutenized (and that happens on occasion eating out at home--there are some restaurants I avoid like the plague!). You'll see lots of wonderful reviews here and tips. And the dining plan with a special diet is a cinch! I would just make sure the special diets notes on are on your ADRs and also double-check when you get there. The chefs will come out to your table and go over options and if there's a buffet, they will show you what is safe at the buffet and make food in the back for you.

Have a great time!