Has anyone had the gluten free options at Disney?

[Southrnbelle]

I have recently found I am gluten intolorent, and am wondering about eating out on our next WDW trip. We are going in December. I know eating out here at home is sometimes nearly impossible. Has anyone on the boards done this? I am wanting to know what to expect and if I need to stock a lot of my own food. Thanks for the help in advance!

I also posted this on the resturants board, but thought more people would be able to help here.

 

[safetymom]

Leah and I both did a segment on gluten free in the parks. If you look through the Podcast archives you may find it. Each restaurant that we went to was very helpful with gluten free choices. They have a book at the counter services restaurant where we could look at the options they had.

 

[Southrnbelle]

Thanks, I will check that out. This is my first trip since the diagnosis, and I am a bit overwhelmed. It definately changes the planning for my trip.

 

[LeahZ]

If you go to the podcast archives, our segment was on October 21, 2009. Disney is one of the best places to eat gluten free! They are so accommodating and are really familiar with how to cook safely for you. Our segment was on counter service meals at Hollywood Studios and at Magic Kingdom in particular, but you can eat safely anywhere on property. Each restaurant has a book that the manager can show you that tells you what is safe and what isn't. At table service restaurants, the chef will come out and discuss your meals with you. Just make sure to note your allergy on all your reservations. Here's a link with how to contact Disney with questions: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/

Also - a board that will be of better help to you is the disABILITIES board. There is lots of information there about eating gluten free. You can do a search at the top of the board that will bring up all those posts.

As a side note - my SIL(who is gluten intolerant) said the new Mexican restaurant in Epcot was great with her diet(she was there this weekend)! Everything was made with corn instead of flour. She loved the empanadas.

Feel free to PM me with any questions!

 

[HappycamperGRF]

Thank you for this! Recently found out this is an issue, what a lifesaver

 

[EDuke98080]

There are tons of options for gluten free dining at WDW! There are also dining reviews on the DISabilities board. We have three gluten free people in our family and WDW is our safest place to eat amazing food and our favorite place to vacation because if this amoung other reason lol! You will eat well and be fine! Some of our favorites are Kona Kafe at the Poly (We love chef Noah!), CA Grille at the Contemporary, Turf Club at Saratoga Springs as well as counter service at Saratoga Springs - (Chef Ron Rocks!) Check out these links:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2543433, http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2306960

There is also a Whole Foods not too far away at 8003 Turkey Lake Road Orlando, FL 32819 where they have a decent assortment of gf options. The other thing we do for some snack and breakfast foods is ship a box down of our favorites and have it waiting for us at check in.

Happy Gluten Free Eating!

~Erika

PS Feel free to PM me if you want any suggestions on things to eat at home or our favorites.

 

[Tonya2426]

Disney World is the easiest place anywhere to eat gluten free. I stopped eating gluten fairly recently and had a great experience this past July. In fact, I am looking forward to my trip in the next week or so because it is soooo much easier than eating out in other restaurants.

I would however just stay out of the Main St. Bakery - it was depressing to be around all those yummy things and not be able to eat them. They do have a few pre-packaged options available - which are good - so I wasn't left out of having a treat but it wasn't the same as a yummy cinnamon roll like I used to love having each trip. (Baked goods have been the hardest thing for me to give up. The gluten free options just aren't very good usually but I am a baked goods snob so take that with a grain of salt. )

 

[Dian-er]

I have a good friend who is a DVC owner & comes down alot. She has the gluten allergy & she has had great luck with most of the Disney restaurants. The chef will come out & talk over the menu with her & many will make up food specially for her. One place she really likes is the liitle food court at Saratoga Springs-they are very good to her & the food she gets is pretty good. Dian-er

 

[jeanigor]

After eating my dessert at Kona this past Monday, the waitress asked me how I liked it. It was yummy. She said that it had been gluten free since the spring, but not advertised on the menu because of the general population's negative stereotypes of gluten free foods.

 

[Southrnbelle]

Thanks everyone for all the help. I was concerned about this trip, but now I'm looking forward to it again. The information and advice is so helpful. As for the advice about the Main St Bakery. I have to agree, giving up good baked goods have been the hardest part of this. You'll are the best for good, quick info - thanks again!!

 

[steve76]

I would echo what everybody else has said. On our last trip, one of our party was GF. The table-service restaurants were all excellent - extremely helpful, accommodating and knowledgeable. The best bet is to tell them when you make a reservation, and again upon arrival. Other than that, it wasn't a big deal like it is at most other places. Usually the chef came out to discuss what she could have. Usually, she could have most of the items (for starters and entrees) with adjustments or special GF versions. Deserts less so, but there were always a couple of options. All in all, it was the best dining experience she had ever had since being diagnosed. WDW really is one of the best places to dine for GF.

 

[Mymatisse]

I ate GF on one of our trips and had a really great experience. We listed my restrictions ahead of time and each chef was extremely helpful. A few places I had dishes specially made for me and the food was for the most part pretty tasty.

I think WDW is the best place to go if there are any concerns about food allergies.