Gluten Free Newbie

[Kandiwilde]

I'm currently being tested for Coeliac Disease and have been told I need to cut out gluten ASAP. We are going to Disney in August and have already booked our ADR's. We are celebrating my 30th birthday and I'm terrified I'm going to have a miserable time because i won't be able to eat anything. We have ADR's at:
Cape May (b)
Grand Floridian Cafe (L)
Rainforest Cafe (D)
Chefs de France (D)
'Ohana (B)
Mama Melrose's (D)
The Plaza (L)
Raglan Road (D)
Beaches & Cream (D)
Be Our Guest (L)
Biergarten (D)
Captains Grille (B)
Rose and Crown (D)
Trails End (D)
Tutto Italia (L)

Will I be able to get something to eat at all of these restaurants?

 

[Simba07]

Disney is one of the best places in the world for gluten free living. My husband has multiple food allergies, including gluten, and Disney is just about the only vacation that we don't stress too much about restaurants.

You should call Disney Dining and get them to add you special need to each of your ADRs. That will alert the staff that they will need to talk to you.

I will start on your restaurants with Ragland Road. It is my husband's favorite restaurant for GF. He recently spent $50 or $60 each way for a cab to eat there when he was in Orlando. The have GF fish and chips and GF onion rings, all of which are rare. BoG even has a GF option on their pre-order site. He really enjoyed lunch there last time.

I think most of your restaurants will have options, but I am a bit worried about your Epcot ones. Some Epcot restaurants are run by outside vendors and don't handle allergies as well as Disney proper. I know we have avoided Tuto Italia due to some stories we read about it, but hopefully someone else will chime in with recent experience.

Good luck with the transition. Have fun in the World.

 

[Denine]

I'm currently being tested for Coeliac Disease and have been told I need to cut out gluten ASAP. We are going to Disney in August and have already booked our ADR's. We are celebrating my 30th birthday and I'm terrified I'm going to have a miserable time because i won't be able to eat anything. We have ADR's at:
Cape May (b) We have not been
Grand Floridian Cafe (L) We have not been but I have heard good things
Rainforest Cafe (D) We have not been, but I believe they have a GF menu
Chefs de France (D) Has not goten good reviews for GF in the past which is why we haven't gone, but I did read a good review recently, so maybe things are looking up here
'Ohana (B) Haven't been, but I have read good things
Mama Melrose's (D) We have been. THey have GF pizza and pasta and can modify other dishes
The Plaza (L) Haven't been. I have read mixed reviews.
Raglan Road (D) This is a must do! The GF fish and chips and onion rings are the best!
Beaches & Cream (D) Haven't been, but I have read good reviews
Be Our Guest (L) We have only been for dinner, but they do have a GF menu
Biergarten (D) We have always had a wide selection of food available and usually go each trip.
Captains Grille (B) Haven't been.
Rose and Crown (D) Haven't been
Trails End (D) We have had good luck here as well. A wide selection of food available
Tutto Italia (L) Haven't been

Will I be able to get something to eat at all of these restaurants?

 

[philharmagic fan]

Disney is one of the best places in the world for gluten free living. My husband has multiple food allergies, including gluten, and Disney is just about the only vacation that we don't stress too much about restaurants.

You should call Disney Dining and get them to add you special need to each of your ADRs. That will alert the staff that they will need to talk to you.

I will start on your restaurants with Ragland Road. It is my husband's favorite restaurant for GF. He recently spent $50 or $60 each way for a cab to eat there when he was in Orlando. The have GF fish and chips and GF onion rings, all of which are rare. BoG even has a GF option on their pre-order site. He really enjoyed lunch there last time.

I think most of your restaurants will have options, but I am a bit worried about your Epcot ones. Some Epcot restaurants are run by outside vendors and don't handle allergies as well as Disney proper. I know we have avoided Tuto Italia due to some stories we read about it, but hopefully someone else will chime in with recent experience.

Good luck with the transition. Have fun in the World.

DH has celiac disease. He had GF spaghetti at Via Napoli in January and was just fine, so if you want Italian at EPCOT you might consider switching, although they had no GF dessert options (I think they gave him a packaged brownie). Definitely get the flourless chocolate cake at Mama Melrose's - in our opinion it's better than the gluten-containing desserts (unfortunately they make it in limited quantities and you can't get it unless you need GF food). Rose and Crown and Plaza have always had really helpful and friendly chefs; we've also had good experiences at Ohana, Be Our Guest, and Trail's End. Beaches and Cream is so tiny they had to send over to Hurricane Hanna's for his food and it took 25 minutes after ordering to get it. Haven't eaten at the others on your list since he was diagnosed. Good luck and don't stress - they'll treat you very well.

 

[Mum23]

If you are currently being tested, you need to be EATING gluten till the testing is completed (blood testing and biopsy). Have you done that yet? My DS has Celiac and a list of food allergies and was able to eat well at Disney. We only ran into one problem at BOG but I don't think it was gluten related. I hear Raglan Road has an amazing GF fish and chips!

 

[Kandiwilde]

My doctor told me to stop eating gluten even though I asked him several times if I had to continue eating it. He said the gastroenterologist will tell me to start eating it again when he needs to do a biopsy as it can take ages to get an appointment so now I'm really confused

 

[kadrachb]

I don't have a gluten allergy, but we just ate at 'Ohana for breakfast, and the chef came out and was talking to a family near us. I know they can make GF mickey waffles. I know Tusker House (which isn't on your ADR list) has a small section of pastries that are GF, and the chef took people around with allergies and showed them everything they could eat, and who to talk to about getting a mickey waffle made for you to be GF at the buffet.

 

[philharmagic fan]

My doctor told me to stop eating gluten even though I asked him several times if I had to continue eating it. He said the gastroenterologist will tell me to start eating it again when he needs to do a biopsy as it can take ages to get an appointment so now I'm really confused

Listen to your doctor! Before DH was diagnosed he had lost ~10% of his body weight, was seriously anemic, and had some truly unpleasant intestinal issues. If you cut out gluten and you actually have celiac disease, your symptoms should begin to clear up within a couple of weeks but come roaring back if you start eating gluten again, and this scenario can help confirm your diagnosis. I'd think that the doctors would know how far ahead of the biopsy you would need to resume gluten intake for them to get a definitive result. In the meantime, don't make yourself sicker; if your doctor says to stop gluten, I'd definitely do it.

 

[Mum23]

I am not trying to be contrary and I know this isn't a medical board but for proper testing you need to be ON gluten for 8-12 weeks before you can get the proper levels if it is Celiac disease. Some people feel better and won't do a challenge and then are left trying to figure out "Is it really Celiac or not?" and that can be an issue especially if you have children or other blood relatives who should be screened.
This is what one of the top 2 Celiac centers in the US says on continuing eating gluten till ALL testing is done. http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/ar...osis-when-i-feel-better-on-a-gluten-free-diet

 

[Kandiwilde]

Now i'm confused agin that's why I asked several times if I needed to continue eating gluten and got a definite stop eating it

 

[lanejudy]

@Kandiwilde I suggest calling the gastroenterologist's office and asking. I'm assuming it was a primary care doctor who gave you the instructions to stop. Find out from the specialist.

Good luck with the testing and appointments -- and enjoy your vacation!

 

[Kandiwilde]

Unfortunately I don't know which gastroenterologist I will go to. The joys of the NHS lol. I'll phone my gp again tomorrow and see if there is someone else I can talk to

 

[Denine]

You need to be eating gluten for several weeks prior to blood test and especially the biopsy. Most likely, if you stop eating it now, you will not want to go back to eating it for the testing. It sounds like you are in Canada, so I don't know how long it will take for you to get an appt with a GI. You don't get to choose which GI you will see? Good luck with everything!!!!!

 

[Kandiwilde]

I'm from the UK. We don't get a choice which specialist we see. We just get sent an appointment and have to go to it. The letter probably won't even say their name

 

[Denine]

That stinks that you don't get a choice. Good luck!

 

[Chelley00]

I'm going to go ahead and answer even though I'm another who was told to keep eating gluten while I went through testing.



Cape May (b) They made my meal and brought it to me so I didn't have to chance the buffet. It was a ton of food.
Grand Floridian Cafe (L)
Rainforest Cafe (D) I have GREAT luck at Rainforest Cafe and I have more than just a gluten allergy. It was one of my favorite meals.
Chefs de France (D) I've heard some not good things. French Food is very heavy on flour and cream.
'Ohana (B) Just ate her in October. You'll get gluten free Mickey and Stitch waffles and bacon, potatoes etc
Mama Melrose's (D) Yay for gluten free pizza and pasta.
The Plaza (L)
Raglan Road (D) Gluten free fish and chips are Fantastic!
Beaches & Cream (D)
Be Our Guest (L) We had dinner, but their gluten free menu is pretty good and they have a gluten free dessert that is pretty different than you get anwyhere else.
Biergarten (D)
Captains Grille (B)
Rose and Crown (D)
Trails End (D) Hope that Chef TJ is there. He's a magician with food
Tutto Italia (L)

 

[mckennarose]

I just got back from our second trip as a gluten free person.

Raglan Road has fantastic gf fish and onion rings! (you can get the fish and chips too) And they will email you the recipe if you ask! It had been so long since I had anything battered and fried and my family, who are not gluten free, could not stop eating my onion rings. They were seriously that good!

I'll add my 2 cents on the restaurants I've tried, BUT as previous posters have noted, I thought a person should be eating gluten before testing. At least that's been my experience. ???

I'm currently being tested for Coeliac Disease and have been told I need to cut out gluten ASAP. We are going to Disney in August and have already booked our ADR's. We are celebrating my 30th birthday and I'm terrified I'm going to have a miserable time because i won't be able to eat anything. We have ADR's at:
Cape May (b)
Grand Floridian Cafe (L)
Rainforest Cafe (D)
Chefs de France (D) I was very disappointed in this restaurant. I was told twice to pick what I thought I might like, and the waitress would check with the chef. I chose the short ribs or the duck breast confit. The waitress came back and said it wouldn't be worth it to order either of those because they could not include the sauces, which is what "made" the dishes. I settled on the bouillabaisse, which I did not like.
'Ohana (B) Fantastic breakfast! They give you your own platter of food, which includes mickey waffles, sausage, potatoes, bacon and eggs. My gf waffles at home don't come out that good!
Mama Melrose's (D)
The Plaza (L)
Raglan Road (D) As I mentioned above....LOVED it! Waiter was knowledgeable about gluten free and he suggested the onion rings rather than the chips.
Beaches & Cream (D)
Be Our Guest (L)
Biergarten (D) We've eaten here twice for lunch; once in October and once two weeks ago. There's a lot on the buffet that is gf and really good! The chef will take you around personally and show you what is gf.
Captains Grille (B)
Rose and Crown (D)
Trails End (D)
Tutto Italia (L) I was not thrilled with the gf pasta dish. We ate here last October and I *think* I got a pomodoro.
We skipped it this time.

Will I be able to get something to eat at all of these restaurants?

We also ate at Spice Road Table in Epcot (watched Illuminations from our table!), Bongos in DTD, Sunshine Seasons in
Epcot, Cosmic Rays, Gaston's tavern and Pecos Bill in MK, ABC Commissary and another (can't remember the name, by ToT) in HS, Flametree BBQ last Oct in AK.

I was very disappointed in Erin McKenna's in DTD. Very expensive for things I can make better at home. You would do better with the OMG it's Gluten Free brownies. I found them at Sunshine Seasons and Cosmic Rays.

As was mentioned....Disney is great for gluten free dining! Good luck with the testing.

 

[Kandiwilde]

Thanks I've cut out gluten for almost a week and the dreaded bloating has gone away as well as the migraines. I feel slightly normal even though I'm existing on baked potatoes. No word from the gastroenterologist as of yet so going to continue with cutting out the evil stuff. I never thought it was possible to not bloat after a meal

 

[philharmagic fan]

I am not trying to be contrary and I know this isn't a medical board but for proper testing you need to be ON gluten for 8-12 weeks before you can get the proper levels if it is Celiac disease. Some people feel better and won't do a challenge and then are left trying to figure out "Is it really Celiac or not?" and that can be an issue especially if you have children or other blood relatives who should be screened.
This is what one of the top 2 Celiac centers in the US says on continuing eating gluten till ALL testing is done. http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/ar...osis-when-i-feel-better-on-a-gluten-free-diet

I'm not an expert on this; I can only speak from DH's personal experience. Please re-read my last post - the exact quote was "if your doctor says to stop gluten, I'd definitely do it". My point was that Kandiwilde should be following recommendations from her doctor, not this board. BTW Kandiwilde, I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better.

 

[Mum23]

It takes on average of 10 years for most Celiac to be dx. MANY Dr's do not understand the diagnosis process. It is much more difficult to go back on gluten to be tested. The recommendations of ALL the top Celiac Dr's are to stay on it till all testing/biopsies are done. Many many many Dr's erroneously tell people to go off gluten before they should. That's all I am saying!