frank430316
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 5, 2011
- Messages
- 223
We went to Orlando last month for the Gluten Intolerance Groups Educational Conference. Well actually we spent three days at the conference and eight days at WDW and US. We had a fantastic time, but I do not have the writing capability for a long trip report, so here are some of the gluten-free highlights!
Friday, June 24 Arrival
Our flight left at noon. Got to airport early, and sailed through security (maybe 20 minutes). Our flight was about 7 hours, with one stop but no time to get off and Southwest has no g-f food. We got two salads from Wendys for later and a couple of bunless burgers for lunch. To be on the safe side, I had gone to Market of Choice the previous day and loaded up on fruit and g-f snacks. We definitely had too much food in our carryon bags. The salads worked out great we had asked for a large cup of ice, which we put into zip lock bags to keep everything cold, so we could eat several hours after takeoff. Landed at 10:00 PM, grabbed our luggage and took ME to Pop. Pop had some problems with our reservation (even though I did online check-in, they were not expecting us.) It was now 11 and Pop had closed the grill, but since it was 9:00 for us, we went to MK which was having EMH & opened to 3. Park was empty, we walked on to everything. Closed the park with IaSW & the cms were really getting sleepy! Back to the room by 4, definitely will not be doing RD this morning!
Saturday, June 25 EPCOT
Made it down for breakfast about 10:30, Chef Huy fixed wonderful Mickey waffles, and we made it to EPCOT before noon. When it started to pour, we ducked into Ice Station Cool really nice to have a list of what was g-f. My dw however was a little suspicious when I had the camera ready, as I passed her a glass of Beverly! Had an early dinner at Sunshine Seasons, the manager came out & explained that almost everything was g-f, we had roast chicken & Mai Mai both very good. We then wandered through the different countries; got our picture taken with Donald in Mexico, and eventually had a snack in Germany, bratwurst & frankfurter with GF buns. After Illuminations we joined the crowds & headed back to Pop.
Sunday, June 26 Hollywood Studios
Last day at Pop, so we checked out before breakfast, after confirming that we could still use the facilities for the day they even said we could do EMH that evening! Chef Huy fixed scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes! Took the bus to DHS and had a great time. We had a 3:30 adr for the Fantasmic package, so off we went to Mama Melrose. The place was mobbed! We squirmed our way to the desk & they were running 45 minutes late, so we watched the Muppet 3D show & came back, 10 minutes later they set us at the table. The package included appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage. Chef Frank came out to discuss what was available (almost everything, except lasagna and similar dishes). We had bruchetta and mozzarella & tomatoes for app, then clams & tomatoes/tuna flatbread for entrees. Only two desserts were available GF, Gelato and chocolate brownie, so we decided on one of each. But instead Chef Frank surprised us with a special dessert he made just for us. Then our server brought out two glasses of champagne & took our picture as we toasted our anniversary. It was a wonderful experience! Afterwards it was time to leave the park & check in at our condo. First we had to get the car, so I called Alamo from the bus, to see if they could meet us at Pop. Did not realize they closed early on Sundays! It was 5:45 & they closed at 6:00. Panic time. The manager at Alamo said he could stay a little late, if we could find a way there. I called Pop & they arranged for a taxi to be waiting for us, so we made it to Alamo at 6:05 & everything was fine. Checked in to a great timeshare condo & drove back to DHS. It was late enough that they did not charge for parking, so we went to the AAA lot, parked & walked to the Fantasmic lot. At almost 8:30 we strolled in with no line thanks to the reserved seating, and got a seat in the third row. The people next to us said we might get a little wet from the mist (which would have felt nice by then), but it never happened. Dw saved the seat & I strolled out to get snacks, Cokes & Mickey Bars (which I had already checked were g-f). Relaxed until the show, which we thoroughly enjoyed! It was then 9:30, had been a long day, but MK was open until 3 and a car makes it easy to get there. So we again went to MK for the after midnight hours, when the park is practically deserted! Only made it until 2, but had a great time & managed to find the dole whips definitely addictive! The drive back to hotel was interesting, major fire at one of the resorts had closed down the highway, causing a massive traffic jam (at 3 in the morning!). Finally made it, but it took well over an hour, instead of 15 minutes.
Monday, June 27, AK
Slept in again, never actually manage to get to RD the entire trip (enjoyed the late EMH too much). Had a kitchen & could fix our own breakfasts, but really missed Chef Huy! Jacuzzi tub is wonderful however! Talked to front desk and they gave us directions that would by-pass the traffic snarl (yes it was still going on). Finally parked & got in AK by 12:30. Grabbed fps for KS and wondered around. Had lunch at Pizzafari. The manager, Julessa, came out and explained what was g-f. I had heard about a sandwich they could make & asked, but she looked puzzled (and I figured they had changed the menu & could no longer do it). But suddenly she smiled & said she could work something out. So dw had a caesar salad & I had a hot Italian style sandwich. They had taken two Amys pizza crusts and made a sandwich out of it. We both really enjoyed the meal & are developing a taste for French Meadows brownies! Loved the park, watched Lion King, had frozen snacks (fruit bar & banana) and finally left when it closed at 9. Even made it back to the condo without incident!
Tuesday, June 28, US & IoA (Margaritaville)
Got to Universal Studios just about opening, but the line for Harry Potter was still 45 minutes. But the castle and the ride were totally worth it. The attention to detail was simply amazing. We then wandered through the village (wall to wall people), enjoyed a pumpkin juice and fruit cups avoided the butter beer (even though only the topping is contaminated that is still too much if you have Celiac). The rest of the park was almost empty by comparison. We spent the rest of the afternoon at US and had plenty of time to see almost everything. We stayed until nearly closing and then walked over to Margaritaville for dinner. Wonderful gluten-free food! Dw was not too hungry, so she order the nachos, which turned out to be more than the two of us could possibly eat. I had the grilled Mahi Mahi which was excellent.
Wednesday, June 29, US & Outlet Store, MK (Dessert Buffet)
Again we arrived close to opening of Universals Island of Adventure and the park is still crowded (I guess it pays to stay on-site and get in early!). But the lines werent too bad. We headed for HP again - you just cannot take it all in during a single trip. Then we wonder around IofA and managed to see everything we had missed the day before. While we were in the area, we stopped at the Disney Outlet store and did some serious shopping, before heading over to the Magic Kingdom. One of the really nice things about Disney, is when you are hungry there are always plenty of g-f snacks. We tried the turkey legs, ice cream bars, and our favorite Dole whips! But the best part of the evening and one of the highlights of the trip was the Wishes Dessert Party. There was a minor confusion at the beginning (Im convinced that they lost the part about us being g-f), but the manager, Andrey, was terrific and soon had it all under control. He brought out two large plates each with three types of cake, two scoops of ice cream, fresh berries, and brownies and then said to let him know if we needed any more! We had a table up in the front, right next to the railing, so it was a beautiful view of the Magic, the Memories and You and then topped off with the Wishes fireworks. It was a truly magical evening!
Thursday, June 30, GiG, DTD (Earl of Sandwich)
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were the GiG convention. I wont go into detail here, except to say that the food was outstanding, the speakers tremendous, and the vendors had more samples then we could possibly eat, but the best part was spending the time with hundreds of other people, all of whom were gluten-free! Next year it will be in Colorado, so if you can possibly make it DO SO! You can get more info at www.gluten.net. Afterwards we went to the other Disney outlet store (very similar to the first actually) and DTD. We managed to get turned around in the rain and finally just ran into Earl of Sandwich, hoping to get something for dinner and dry off. Bad mistake. They had very little that was g-f. They did put together a couple of salads, but it felt like an imposition. It was also so noisy that we could not talk. Finally took the salads outside which at least was covered to keep the rain off. Found out later that there are many better choices to eat in DTD, but Earl of Sandwich is definitely on our Stay Away list.
Friday, July 1, GiG, Mini Golf, DTD (Babycakes)
After the conference, we played mini gold at Fantasia and then drove to DTD. We had had a large lunch and were not too hungry, but that changed when we found Babycakes! They have some wonderful desserts. We split a large piece of blondie cake and a red velvet cupcake. Talked to the gal working there for quite a while and ended up buying one of the cookbooks, since Erin McKenna, the author & owner, was going to be at the conference the next day (and we did managed to get her to sign the book).
Saturday, July 2, GiG, EPCOT
After the conference, we drove over to EPCOT and spent time enjoying what we had missed before (and repeating Souring and a few others). Had dinner at the Mexican counter service and found out that we could order almost anything. It is really great to be able to eat so easily. Finally wandered over to an open space between Canada and Showcase Plaza, and watched Illuminations from there.
Sunday, July 3, Check-out, DHS, MK
Another busy day. We checked out of the condo, checked into Pop again & they even had out room ready, so we dropped of our luggage, then got ready to drop off the car. We managed to get lost in looking for the Car Care Center, turns out there are two Alamo locations. After deciding we were in the wrong place, we followed the GPS and it took us straight to the EPCOT parking lot. We pulled up to the attendant and explained the situation, he gets a good laugh but recognizes us from the previous day! How many thousands of cars go through there each day, but he remembered our anniversary pins. Following his directions, we finally get to the CCC and turn the car in. Alamo then takes us to DHS. Before actually entering the park however, I realize I had left my cell phone in the car! A few calls later we get through to the Alamo lot, and describe the phone. They had found it & drove it out to us at DHS! Definitely service above and beyond! We finally make it into the park and enjoy the rest of the day. We left just before closing to beat the crowds, and drove over to MK (yes they had EMH again!) While the park was definitely not deserted, we still had a great time. And the Fourth of July fireworks are truly outstanding! Since we had a morning flight, we did not stay until closing but left a little after midnight. At least Disney got to do all the driving from that point! Apparently the monorail was having problems and they brought in special buses to get to the parking lots. So the bus area looked really crowded, but actually we got on to the first bus going to Pop everyone was waiting for the buses to the parking lot. And in the morning, we checked in our luggage clear through to our home airport so we could enjoy a breakfast at Pop prepared just for us by Chef Huy! Finally rode ME to the airport and somewhat sadly said goodbye to WDW. It is harder to find g-f food at the Orlando airport, but after much discussion and web searching, we were able to get two salads at Au Bon Pain. But it was not easy and we found out later that they had put croutons on one of the salads (we were more tired than hungry by then anyway).
Friday, June 24 Arrival
Our flight left at noon. Got to airport early, and sailed through security (maybe 20 minutes). Our flight was about 7 hours, with one stop but no time to get off and Southwest has no g-f food. We got two salads from Wendys for later and a couple of bunless burgers for lunch. To be on the safe side, I had gone to Market of Choice the previous day and loaded up on fruit and g-f snacks. We definitely had too much food in our carryon bags. The salads worked out great we had asked for a large cup of ice, which we put into zip lock bags to keep everything cold, so we could eat several hours after takeoff. Landed at 10:00 PM, grabbed our luggage and took ME to Pop. Pop had some problems with our reservation (even though I did online check-in, they were not expecting us.) It was now 11 and Pop had closed the grill, but since it was 9:00 for us, we went to MK which was having EMH & opened to 3. Park was empty, we walked on to everything. Closed the park with IaSW & the cms were really getting sleepy! Back to the room by 4, definitely will not be doing RD this morning!
Saturday, June 25 EPCOT
Made it down for breakfast about 10:30, Chef Huy fixed wonderful Mickey waffles, and we made it to EPCOT before noon. When it started to pour, we ducked into Ice Station Cool really nice to have a list of what was g-f. My dw however was a little suspicious when I had the camera ready, as I passed her a glass of Beverly! Had an early dinner at Sunshine Seasons, the manager came out & explained that almost everything was g-f, we had roast chicken & Mai Mai both very good. We then wandered through the different countries; got our picture taken with Donald in Mexico, and eventually had a snack in Germany, bratwurst & frankfurter with GF buns. After Illuminations we joined the crowds & headed back to Pop.
Sunday, June 26 Hollywood Studios
Last day at Pop, so we checked out before breakfast, after confirming that we could still use the facilities for the day they even said we could do EMH that evening! Chef Huy fixed scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes! Took the bus to DHS and had a great time. We had a 3:30 adr for the Fantasmic package, so off we went to Mama Melrose. The place was mobbed! We squirmed our way to the desk & they were running 45 minutes late, so we watched the Muppet 3D show & came back, 10 minutes later they set us at the table. The package included appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage. Chef Frank came out to discuss what was available (almost everything, except lasagna and similar dishes). We had bruchetta and mozzarella & tomatoes for app, then clams & tomatoes/tuna flatbread for entrees. Only two desserts were available GF, Gelato and chocolate brownie, so we decided on one of each. But instead Chef Frank surprised us with a special dessert he made just for us. Then our server brought out two glasses of champagne & took our picture as we toasted our anniversary. It was a wonderful experience! Afterwards it was time to leave the park & check in at our condo. First we had to get the car, so I called Alamo from the bus, to see if they could meet us at Pop. Did not realize they closed early on Sundays! It was 5:45 & they closed at 6:00. Panic time. The manager at Alamo said he could stay a little late, if we could find a way there. I called Pop & they arranged for a taxi to be waiting for us, so we made it to Alamo at 6:05 & everything was fine. Checked in to a great timeshare condo & drove back to DHS. It was late enough that they did not charge for parking, so we went to the AAA lot, parked & walked to the Fantasmic lot. At almost 8:30 we strolled in with no line thanks to the reserved seating, and got a seat in the third row. The people next to us said we might get a little wet from the mist (which would have felt nice by then), but it never happened. Dw saved the seat & I strolled out to get snacks, Cokes & Mickey Bars (which I had already checked were g-f). Relaxed until the show, which we thoroughly enjoyed! It was then 9:30, had been a long day, but MK was open until 3 and a car makes it easy to get there. So we again went to MK for the after midnight hours, when the park is practically deserted! Only made it until 2, but had a great time & managed to find the dole whips definitely addictive! The drive back to hotel was interesting, major fire at one of the resorts had closed down the highway, causing a massive traffic jam (at 3 in the morning!). Finally made it, but it took well over an hour, instead of 15 minutes.
Monday, June 27, AK
Slept in again, never actually manage to get to RD the entire trip (enjoyed the late EMH too much). Had a kitchen & could fix our own breakfasts, but really missed Chef Huy! Jacuzzi tub is wonderful however! Talked to front desk and they gave us directions that would by-pass the traffic snarl (yes it was still going on). Finally parked & got in AK by 12:30. Grabbed fps for KS and wondered around. Had lunch at Pizzafari. The manager, Julessa, came out and explained what was g-f. I had heard about a sandwich they could make & asked, but she looked puzzled (and I figured they had changed the menu & could no longer do it). But suddenly she smiled & said she could work something out. So dw had a caesar salad & I had a hot Italian style sandwich. They had taken two Amys pizza crusts and made a sandwich out of it. We both really enjoyed the meal & are developing a taste for French Meadows brownies! Loved the park, watched Lion King, had frozen snacks (fruit bar & banana) and finally left when it closed at 9. Even made it back to the condo without incident!
Tuesday, June 28, US & IoA (Margaritaville)
Got to Universal Studios just about opening, but the line for Harry Potter was still 45 minutes. But the castle and the ride were totally worth it. The attention to detail was simply amazing. We then wandered through the village (wall to wall people), enjoyed a pumpkin juice and fruit cups avoided the butter beer (even though only the topping is contaminated that is still too much if you have Celiac). The rest of the park was almost empty by comparison. We spent the rest of the afternoon at US and had plenty of time to see almost everything. We stayed until nearly closing and then walked over to Margaritaville for dinner. Wonderful gluten-free food! Dw was not too hungry, so she order the nachos, which turned out to be more than the two of us could possibly eat. I had the grilled Mahi Mahi which was excellent.
Wednesday, June 29, US & Outlet Store, MK (Dessert Buffet)
Again we arrived close to opening of Universals Island of Adventure and the park is still crowded (I guess it pays to stay on-site and get in early!). But the lines werent too bad. We headed for HP again - you just cannot take it all in during a single trip. Then we wonder around IofA and managed to see everything we had missed the day before. While we were in the area, we stopped at the Disney Outlet store and did some serious shopping, before heading over to the Magic Kingdom. One of the really nice things about Disney, is when you are hungry there are always plenty of g-f snacks. We tried the turkey legs, ice cream bars, and our favorite Dole whips! But the best part of the evening and one of the highlights of the trip was the Wishes Dessert Party. There was a minor confusion at the beginning (Im convinced that they lost the part about us being g-f), but the manager, Andrey, was terrific and soon had it all under control. He brought out two large plates each with three types of cake, two scoops of ice cream, fresh berries, and brownies and then said to let him know if we needed any more! We had a table up in the front, right next to the railing, so it was a beautiful view of the Magic, the Memories and You and then topped off with the Wishes fireworks. It was a truly magical evening!
Thursday, June 30, GiG, DTD (Earl of Sandwich)
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were the GiG convention. I wont go into detail here, except to say that the food was outstanding, the speakers tremendous, and the vendors had more samples then we could possibly eat, but the best part was spending the time with hundreds of other people, all of whom were gluten-free! Next year it will be in Colorado, so if you can possibly make it DO SO! You can get more info at www.gluten.net. Afterwards we went to the other Disney outlet store (very similar to the first actually) and DTD. We managed to get turned around in the rain and finally just ran into Earl of Sandwich, hoping to get something for dinner and dry off. Bad mistake. They had very little that was g-f. They did put together a couple of salads, but it felt like an imposition. It was also so noisy that we could not talk. Finally took the salads outside which at least was covered to keep the rain off. Found out later that there are many better choices to eat in DTD, but Earl of Sandwich is definitely on our Stay Away list.
Friday, July 1, GiG, Mini Golf, DTD (Babycakes)
After the conference, we played mini gold at Fantasia and then drove to DTD. We had had a large lunch and were not too hungry, but that changed when we found Babycakes! They have some wonderful desserts. We split a large piece of blondie cake and a red velvet cupcake. Talked to the gal working there for quite a while and ended up buying one of the cookbooks, since Erin McKenna, the author & owner, was going to be at the conference the next day (and we did managed to get her to sign the book).
Saturday, July 2, GiG, EPCOT
After the conference, we drove over to EPCOT and spent time enjoying what we had missed before (and repeating Souring and a few others). Had dinner at the Mexican counter service and found out that we could order almost anything. It is really great to be able to eat so easily. Finally wandered over to an open space between Canada and Showcase Plaza, and watched Illuminations from there.
Sunday, July 3, Check-out, DHS, MK
Another busy day. We checked out of the condo, checked into Pop again & they even had out room ready, so we dropped of our luggage, then got ready to drop off the car. We managed to get lost in looking for the Car Care Center, turns out there are two Alamo locations. After deciding we were in the wrong place, we followed the GPS and it took us straight to the EPCOT parking lot. We pulled up to the attendant and explained the situation, he gets a good laugh but recognizes us from the previous day! How many thousands of cars go through there each day, but he remembered our anniversary pins. Following his directions, we finally get to the CCC and turn the car in. Alamo then takes us to DHS. Before actually entering the park however, I realize I had left my cell phone in the car! A few calls later we get through to the Alamo lot, and describe the phone. They had found it & drove it out to us at DHS! Definitely service above and beyond! We finally make it into the park and enjoy the rest of the day. We left just before closing to beat the crowds, and drove over to MK (yes they had EMH again!) While the park was definitely not deserted, we still had a great time. And the Fourth of July fireworks are truly outstanding! Since we had a morning flight, we did not stay until closing but left a little after midnight. At least Disney got to do all the driving from that point! Apparently the monorail was having problems and they brought in special buses to get to the parking lots. So the bus area looked really crowded, but actually we got on to the first bus going to Pop everyone was waiting for the buses to the parking lot. And in the morning, we checked in our luggage clear through to our home airport so we could enjoy a breakfast at Pop prepared just for us by Chef Huy! Finally rode ME to the airport and somewhat sadly said goodbye to WDW. It is harder to find g-f food at the Orlando airport, but after much discussion and web searching, we were able to get two salads at Au Bon Pain. But it was not easy and we found out later that they had put croutons on one of the salads (we were more tired than hungry by then anyway).
There is also a discount if you are a member (membership is only $35 a year - a bargain) and a discount if you register a month early.
