Laura Schmitt's October 2009 Blog
A Gluten Free Vacation, Valerie Lobo March 2009
Laura Schmitt, September 2008
Sandy Morris , February 2007
Laura Schmitt, January 2007
Roger, August 2006
Lynda Hodgins 2006

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A Gluten Free Family Vacation
Valerie Lobo

March 2009

Below is a report of our recent trip to WDW accommodating 4 celiac diners (my husband, me and our 2 daughters).

The folks at Disney World impressed us before we ever even got on the flight to head to Disney. We received an email containing restaurants that could accommodate us, the GF products carried in Disney World, and a generic food allergy form to be filled out. We were very skeptical about the generic form but we included all of our table service reservation numbers and also sent in the quick service locations we planned on visiting. From there our journey began. We were contacted directly by the chefs and sous chefs of the restaurants we planned on visiting. Yep, you read that correctly. The chefs called or emailed us to discuss menu options, etc. One of the quick serve locations we mentioned wanting to visit in Hollywood Studios would not be able to accommodate GF. They called to let us know what quick serve locations we could go to instead. It was nice to have a warm and fuzzy feeling before our trip even began.

Magic Kingdom

Our first dining experience in the Magic Kingdom was at the Crystal Palace for a character dining with Winnie the Pooh and friends. When we checked in they had our reservation stating we had a food allergy. Once we were seated a chef came out to our table. Since this was a buffet, the chef walked the line with us. He informed us of what was safe and then took our order. He went to the back and got us fresh items so there was no chance of contamination. We were served Ener-g tapioca dinner rolls with our meal. I took one and broke it in half. The texture threw me since it appeared to be like tearing apart a foam cushion. However, we didn’t let that deter us. One bite was all it took to get us hooked. These were absolutely fabulous! We ordered seconds of the rolls. Definitely one of the best GF rolls we’ve ever had. For dessert we ordered the GF brownie. I have no idea who the vendor is for this item. I would say to avoid this like the plague, though. I’ve never tried a worse brownie. It was a very mealy texture and tasted horrible. Let me put it this way, after that first brownie experience, we were to chicken to try brownies anywhere else in case they were the same! Overall, the dining at Crystal Palace was a wonderful experience. It was nice to know that we had our own chef to look after us.

We had our second table service at Tony’s Town Square. This is a cute Lady and the Tramp themed restaurant. Everyone remembers that cute spaghetti dinner at Tony’s where they kiss. The have a variety of options at this location, even boasting GF meatballs. The items we choose were chicken parmesan, shrimp scampi, and macaroni and cheese. They do carry those fabulous dinner rolls at this location. Have I mentioned you need to try them, yet? Every table service we attended had the fabulous rolls. We always ordered seconds. Overall, the food here was ho-hum. The sauces didn’t have much flavor and the veggies in the shrimp scampi were odd. Instead of the traditional garlic flavor it was overpowered by sun dried tomatoes and asparagus. It reminded me of a pasta primavera and not shrimp scampi.

Our quick service meal at Cosmic Ray’s was good. We had great customer service. As soon as we walked in and told the attendant we were GF, she handled our order from start to finish. So, even though it’s a quick service location you are treated as thought it is table service with them bringing your meal out to you. They do carry GF rolls here and can do everything but chicken nuggets. The children’s menu at this location was limited to hamburger or hotdog, though. We ordered a rib meal, bbq pulled pork sandwich, and a hotdog. I don’t know if they heat the rolls differently here or what. It wasn’t good, though. They fall apart and you’re better off eating the meal minus the rolls. I did notice that the rolls at the table service locations were wonderful but at the quick service locations throughout Disney World it was better to eat just the meat.

Our second quick service meal was at the Columbia Harbor House. This was definitely our best quick service experience of our whole trip. Honestly, the GF selection was limited. What the menu lacked in variety the staff made up for in customer service. We had the pleasure of meeting Edward from Warren Robbins, WA. He was by far the most attentive manager we’d come across. He pulled out the books to go over safe options with us. We ordered chicken tenders, and the Garden Harvest salad substituting the chicken tenders on it, as well. He came out while our food was cooking to double check one of the items on the salad to be sure it was safe. I questioned whether they had fries at this location since he hadn’t mentioned it earlier. He stated that they did. When our order came out I was surprised to see fries there since we technically hadn’t ordered them. Edward brought them out since I had asked about them, though. The chicken tenders were great. Definitely one of the best GF varieties I’ve ever tried. The dessert options here were limited to applesauce or grapes. The kid’s meal came with carrots and grapes. Edward checked on us several times during our meal. Once we done eating he came over and chatted with for quite awhile. He mentioned the training they go through to be aware of food sensitivities, etc. He spoke of his long and happy career with the Disney family. He also told us about the chefs that get assigned to each allergy family as they come into an establishment. At the end of the meal he brought out some of the trading pins to get our girls started on their own collection. If you have the good fortune of meeting Edward during your visit, consider yourself lucky!

Animal Kingdom

We chose to eat at the Yak and Yeti. Numerous items could be made GF here. The flavoring would primarily be tamarind based. I was disappointed that none of the interesting tamarind or maple flavors could be used. I guess they just stock blends instead of having separate containers of the maple or tamarind. This was probably the most disappointing table service of our entire stay. The food was so bland. You can usually taste ginger and garlic in the sauces. All of the dishes had the same boring flavor. The chef essentially just made tamari gravy that he poured over the entrees. The flavor could have been so much better if some ginger or garlic were added. We ordered beef and broccoli, Mahi Mahi, and a kid’s vegetable lo mein. Can you see the vegetable’s in the lo mein? Neither could we. Thankfully we ordered broccoli and carrots as the sides with her meal. The fish was cooked well but the sauce didn’t add anything to it. The beef and broccoli was bland. I will give them credit for having tasty sorbets for dessert. Mango, Raspberry, and lemon sorbet’s to choose from. Yummy!

For dinner we ate at the Flame Tree BBQ. It was simple but yummy. We ordered ribs and chicken there. The food was well cooked, the ribs had a good smoke on them, and the chicken was nice and tender. This is an excellent GF option. If you enjoy BBQ be sure to stop by this quick service restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

Hollywood Studio’s

Our first table service dinner was at Mama Melrose’s. They carry GF pasta at this location and have numerous GF options for entrees and dessert. They can even do fried calamari, chicken parmesan, or eggplant. The chef uses a rice flour blend on them. For dessert you can have a chocolate flourless cake that’s not even on the menu, creme limone with whipped cream and berries, and various gelatos. We ordered the wood grilled shrimp pasta, Fra Diavolo, and spaghetti w/ tomato sauce. This was a great meal and the calamari so very yummy.

Our second table service was at the Sci Fi Diner. The food here was fair at best. If you choose to go to this restaurant just remember that you are going for the atmosphere and not the food. We ordered a pasta primavera, steak, and a hot dog.

Our first quick service experience was at Pizza Planet. We had difficulties with the young cast member taking our order. We were already used to dealing with the managers as soon as we walked in and that is what we expected. When we stated that we are GF, the girl stated it was fine that she could take our order. So, we attempted to order. Then the girl told us that GF could NOT be accommodated on a kid’s meal. I told her that our entire party is GF, though. She said, “sorry but we can’t do it”. I requested to speak to the manager. The girl got an attitude and stated, “The answer is going to be the same but fine I’ll go and get her”. Pizza Planet is a pizza place and a large arcade restaurant. Do you really think that we chose this restaurant? Heck no, our kid wanted this one. When the manager came out I explained that our entire party if GF. I then told her that the cast member stated GF was not possible on a kid’s meal. The manager apologized and gave our daughter the GF pizza kid’s meal. The manager even threw in some yummy all fruit bars for dessert that aren’t even on the menu. I was thankful that the manager dealt with the situation accordingly.

Our second quick service experience was at the Back Lot Express. Not only do they have a dedicated fryer for GF, they also have a nice southwest salad with corn chip strips and a chimichurri dressing. Dessert here is limited to pudding or grapes. The only child’s menu option is chicken nuggets with fries, carrots, or grapes. They do have hot dogs and burgers on the menu here but, that is not an option for the kid’s meal.

Hollywood Studios is the one park that needs to be more accommodating to kid’s GF requests. Pizza Planet didn’t want to accommodate a GF kid’s meal. At two other quick service locations (Back Lot Express and Studio Catering Company) there was only one kid’s meal option. What are you supposed to do if your child doesn’t want chicken?

Epcot

We had a character dining at the Akershurs restaurant in Norway. The best thing about this dining experience is that the princesses are present and stop by every table. Before you are led to your table you have your picture taken with a princess. Surprisingly, you are given the picture for free. Yep, you read that correctly. You get the princess picture for free. This is a buffet setting. The chef came out and discussed our menu options with us. Since the buffet didn’t look like there was much chance of cross contamination, I followed the chef’s assessment and just ate from the buffet instead of getting fresh items from the back. I would love to be able to say that is was a safe dining experience. However, I cannot. I believe I was contaminated at this meal. I do appreciate the fact that they really do try hard to keep you safe, though. Unfortunately, following this meal, I got to be very familiar with the restroom. The meal was tasty and would been great aside from the probable contamination issue. The only dessert options were chocolate flourless cake and rice cream with berries.

Our second table service was at the Coral Reef. Once again the chef came out to discuss menu options and to take our order. Out of all of the menu’s that we had encountered over the trip, this menu appears to have the most GF options. We ordered the pan seared catch of the day (Grouper), seared Ahi Tuna, and Mahi Mahi. The food was all cooked wonderfully. Once again we received a nice big basket of tapioca rolls. The dessert options were crcme brulee, chocolate flourless cake, and sorbet. This was our best meal of the entire trip.

Port Orlean’s Riverside Resort – Riverside Mill Food Court

We had a couple of meals at our resort. It was not on the list of restaurants accommodating GF options however, Boatwright’s was on the list. So, maybe they grabbed the chef from Boatwright’s? As soon as the staff at the food court knows that you are GF, they get the chef for you. The chef goes over the various options with you. At breakfast we were able to order pancakes and waffles. They come with sausage, bacon, and fresh fruit. The bacon here is paper thin. Other items available at breakfast include eggs, omelets, and potato wedges.

For lunch the chef came out to go over our options again. He had me follow him over to the salad station so he could make my grilled chicken salad. The chef waved me to the front so I could tell him what I wanted on my salad.

In closing, I would just like to say, Disney World does care and goes out of their way to ensure a safe GF vacation. Be sure to make reservations at the dining locations and let them know when you’ll be there. If you’ve been considering a Disney vacation, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

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Sandy Morris’ “GF Dining in Disney” Adventure
February 2007

Cinderella’s Castle for Dinner - It was unfortunate that we were REALLY hungry arriving at the castle for dinner, as it took quite a while to get to the actual food. If our tummies hadn’t been so rumbly, we would have been able to enjoy the ambience of the castle, with its suits of armor and stained glass windows depicting scenes from Cinderella. We would have been more patient while we waited for Cinderella to return from her “tea break” so we could have our picture taken. I’d have rather skipped the picture and gone straight to the food, but when we attempted to storm the castle, we were promptly returned back to the queue to wait for Her Majesty.

Since I have to have a gluten-free diet, they sent a chef around to my table…eventually. To be fair, he showed up long before our actual server. Again, we were cranky from hunger and unable to properly enjoy the experience. But at last the food arrived, and all the problems magically disappeared.

The chef went over the menu with me and showed me which entrees and sides were ok for me, and allowed me to mix and match to create a safe and enjoyable meal. This is a fixed price meal with an appetizer/salad, entrée, and dessert.

I began with the BLT Salad, which sounds heavy, but was actually very light and refreshing. It was a small salad of lettuce and spinach, topped with bacon, tomato, and egg with a roasted shallot vinaigrette. This was my only safe choice among the appetizers, but it was what I would have ordered anyway, and it was delicious.

For my entrée, I had the pork tenderloin, which is normally served with orzo, but I substituted smoked corn polenta, resulting in the best meal I had inside the Magic Kingdom park. It was fabulous, and with yummy food in my tummy, my mood was definitely on an upswing.

I think the disappointment on my face must have been pretty obvious when the chef said the only dessert he had for me was raspberry sorbet, so he immediately offered to bring me strawberries with whipped cream instead. I agreed and it was delicious, though I have to admit, I later saw a server bringing a raspberry sorbet to another customer, and it actually looked really good.

The food in the castle is great, but the high price tag is really for the show. The Fairy Godmother and the two girl mice from the Cinderella movie do a floor show that is very uplifting and funny. Afterwards, everyone had the opportunity to take pictures of the characters, so it was great scrapbooking material as well.

I would highly recommend this meal for all GF adults.

Crystal Palace - Everywhere we went, my GF needs were already in the computer and the servers did not need to be made aware of it. Instead of having the server try to figure out what might be safe, they let me know as soon as I sat down that a chef would be out to talk to me. I greatly appreciate this, even though it meant I often had to wait; at home I am always encountering “helpful” servers who are certain they know what I can eat and are reluctant to let me talk to someone in the kitchen.

At the Crystal Palace , the chef walked me through the buffet line, showing me which foods were safe for me. He offered to make me a waffle or pancake, which I declined, but I accepted his offer of tapioca dinner rolls. I ate bacon, potatoes, eggs, and lots of fruit, but I was especially happy with the rolls, which I ate four of.

The Crystal Palace is a character breakfast with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. In addition to the picture taking at each table, the characters also lead the children on a parade throughout the restaurant, which makes a great energetic start to the day.

I recommend Crystal Palace for its fun atmosphere and quantity of food. The food quality is good, but not memorable; however, if you are not eating breakfast at Cinderella’s or Chef Mickey’s, this is a good choice.

Boma -- Boma is a hotel restaurant located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was really excited about Boma, but I’m afraid it didn’t live up to my expectations. For starters, it’s hard to get to. Animal Kingdom Lodge is located out in the middle of nowhere and to get there from the Polynesian, we had to first take a boat to the MK (believe it or not, the monorail was broken), then take a bus from the MK to Animal Kingdom, stopping at Blizzard Beach along the way.

So on to Boma! I had read that instead of a buffet line, Boma was set up in stations called “pods” throughout the restaurant, with chefs nearby to tell you about the dishes. Well, guess what… buffet line. No pods, no chefs, just a standard buffet line, with placards to tell you what you are eating. Don’t know what Kofta is? Salaai? Too bad. You are going to have to go track down your server and ask him.

Of course, I had a chef to take me through and tell me what was safe, thank goodness. I would have been lost trying to make guesses on my own. However, I didn’t really get a lot of information on the actual food, just if it was safe or not. The meats (salmon and beef) were not GF, but the chef offered to make me a piece of either without seasoning. I decided instead to go vegetarian for this meal and broaden my culinary horizons, which is why I was in an African restaurant to begin with.

I had Avocado, Papaya, and Grapefruit Salad, some Saffron Rice, Potatoes With “ Afritude,” and FuFu, which is a combination of white potatoes and yams, mashed together. (Really delicious!) I Googled FuFu when I got home. Apparently the term refers to a wide variety of dishes, many of which contain wheat, so I would not assume this is safe to eat without double checking, even at Boma.

I had some stir-fry vegetables, which were surprisingly spicy, like there was a hot pepper of some kind in it. There was an impressive array of desserts that I, of course, had to pass over. I was able to have rice pudding (the sticky kind with raisins) and some small flourless brownies that tasted like they were made on sugar, butter, and cocoa powder and nothing else. It was very flat, so I don’t think there were any leavening ingredients in them. Very yummy.

Our server was a fabulous gentleman who was also celiac. When pressed, he admitted that he does not generally find much he can eat at Boma, as he is also diabetic and lactose intolerant. I gave him my deepest sympathies and wished him healthy eating.

Flame Tree BBQ - Flame Tree BBQ is a counter service restaurant in Animal Kingdom, which I had previously passed over as it appeared to have no seating. It actually has ample outdoor seating behind the restaurant, including tables next to a beautiful fountain (with ducks!) or by the lagoon, with a perfect view of Mt Everest. It was a lovely peaceful oasis away from the crowds.

I knew the St Louis Ribs were GF, but I wasn’t sure if the baked beans were, so I skipped them. The ribs were great. My daughter and I shared a plate and devoured them quickly. She got my corn on the cob, so I can’t report on that. My son’s kid meal came with carrots and grapes, so I shared those with him and let her have the corn. I have eaten at Tusker House on previous trips, and I am so glad to have found a replacement. I recommend Flame Tree instead.

Victoria and Albert’s - Victoria & Albert’s is Disney’s premier restaurant, in their Grand Floridian hotel. This is one of those Special Occasion, Once In A Lifetime kind of restaurants. Unless you think nothing of dropping $500 for dinner for two, in which case, can you please take me with you?

Let’s start with the price, or else you won’t read any farther. How do we get to 500 bucks? This is a fixed price menu at $115 per guest… in other words, $230 for two. Add in wine… although you can order by the glass, the full experience requires the wine pairing. This gives you a new glass of wine with each of your seven courses, each specially selected to complement that food. Wine pairing adds $60 per guest, bringing our total to 350 smackers.

But wait! There’s more! Not all the items on the menu are included in the price. Some items have a surcharge. If you want to have Iranian Oestra Caviar as your appetizer, that will add $112 to your total price. We skipped the caviar, but chose to “swallow” a couple of surcharges. I added on $15 for Foie Gras, on the chef’s recommendation that it was the best thing on the menu, and another $30 for Australian Kobe Beef Tenderloin, the famously pricey steak. My husband chose to add a $20 surcharge for Seared Wild Turbot, a fish that neither of us had ever heard of, let alone tasted. The chef described it as tasting more like butter than like fish, and he was right. So, now we’ve added $65 to our bill bringing us to $415, and now we have to tip for the best service of our life. 20% of $415 comes in just under $500.

Now, is it worth it? As a once-in-a-lifetime-special-occasion? YES! It was absolutely incredible and we ate until we were in physical pain. It was the most extravagant, sensual, incredible experience of our lives. Every serving was a work of art, visually and gastronomically.

The menu at V&A changes nightly. The server presented us each with our own personalized menu. They were the same except that mine had fewer dessert choices. Our server explained that the chef would prepare anything on my menu and ensure it was GF. I don’t think I have enough adjectives to go through everything we ate, but I’ll touch on the highlights. Seared Colorado Buffalo Tenderloin, Braised Fennel, Radishes, and Satsuma Tangerine Vinaigrette – incredible!

Foie Gras with Fuji Apple Tart and Mostarda di Cremona – we paid the surcharge of $15 for this one and I think it was worth it. The Foie Gras was too rich for me to take more than a couple bites, but I really enjoyed the apples which were soaked in the meat drippings. My husband finished the Foie Gras for me and was even more wild for it than I was.

The Kobe Beef Tenderloin was excellent, but I’m not sure it was worth the $30 surcharge. The fame surrounding this beef has to do with the cattle which receive regular massages and are fed beer along with their feed. I think I’d rather be a Kobe cow than eat one. The Cauliflower Puree that came with it, though, was divine.

Mark had a cheese plate that included Pierre Robert cheese, which he fell in love with. It was served with an amazing 1963 vintage Sandeman Port, which has forever changed how we view port. Mark actually got on the web to see if we could buy it, but it is rare and when available, goes for upward of $200 a bottle. I had coconut gelato with micro garden mint, which was fabulous, and it was served with a Moscato D’Asti champagne.

Mark’s desert was off the menu for me, but bears mentioning simply because of its incredible presentation. A pyramid of Tanzanie Dark Chocolate Mousse was topped with a small edible gold flag. (Yes, real 24k gold.) Along the sides of the pyramid was chopped strawberries and chocolate sauce. The backdrop to this confection was a looming wafer-cookie, with a picture of Cinderella’s Castle and the words “Dreams Come True.” Back in the world of the celiac, I had vanilla crème brulee, which was very good, but I couldn’t eat very much at that point as I was so incredibly full.

It is incredible to me that I got to eat a meal like this and never once worry about it making me sick. It’s even more incredible that I could eat off such an extensive menu without once asking “can you check to see if this is thickened with flour?” This is proof that food does not have to be tasteless to be GF. Worth every penny, even if you leave penniless.

Ohana Breakfast - Ohana was a favorite of mine BC (Before Celiac) and I was disappointed that it was off limits now (soy sauce city), but I was able to book us for a character breakfast there. The characters are Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch. Adding to the fun, the kids get maracas to follow the characters around the restaurant in a musical parade. This was a pretty ordinary breakfast, the one exception being the Ohana Juice, a mixture of orange, guava, and passion fruit, which is pretty darn tasty.

Because the meal is served family style, with the biscuits and waffles all piled up on top of one big skillet, the chef brought me my own plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes. The sausage was also GF, but I’m not a big sausage fan. It was hot and fresh and tasty. Still, if you are not traveling with a child under the age of 10, there is no point in stopping here. The main attraction here is the characters.

Chef Mickey’s - This is probably the most fun restaurant in all of Disney, with upbeat music, a dessert buffet and make-your-own Sundae station, and most importantly, plenty of face time with the Mouse Himself.

There were plenty of things I could eat on the buffet (prime rib, mashed potatoes, veggies), although I worried about cross-contamination. The chef here did not offer to bring me food from the back, but he probably would have if I had asked. He did bring me a gluten-free “brownie” for dessert. It was a thick slice of dense, fudge-y chocolate that was more like a decadence cake than an actual brownie.

If you have children of any age, a group, or are looking for an upbeat party-atmosphere, Chef Mickey’s is a must-do. Romantic couples, on the other hand, would probably do better to look elsewhere.

Chip and Dale’s Harvest Feast at the Garden Grill - This character lunch/dinner is located in The Land pavilion in Epcot. The restaurant rotates (very very slowly) above the Living With The Land attraction, providing a glimpse of the ride below. Chip, Dale, Mickey, and Pluto were on hand that day, coming to each table for pictures and autographs. This meal is normally served family-style and includes flank steak, turkey, and fried catfish. However, since I needed a GF meal, they brought out our food on separate plates. There were several things on my husband’s plate that I couldn’t have (buttermilk biscuits, catfish, bread pudding), but my own food was delicious. The mushroom sauce normally served on the beef is not GF, so my serving was plain, but it was still great, like beef brisket without the BBQ sauce. The turkey with cranberry sauce was moist and tasty and the mashed potatoes were a great compliment to the meal. The waitress also brought me GF rolls (the same tapioca rolls I had at Crystal Palace ) and offered to make me a dessert, but I was stuffed.

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Laura Schmitt, January 2007

This is for the Celiac page (there are three reviews there, and I hoped to add to that with this blog link that shows pictures of what we ate in Disneyworld as well as brief descriptions)

We ate Gluten free and Dairy free, so this would be useful info for those with Celiac, Autism and other dairy/wheat allergies.

http://sleepingbean.blogspot.com/

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Roger, August 2006

We were incredibly surprised by the overwhelming support of my wife's celiac's disease. Most experiences were excellent, some were horrible.

In general, when booking a reservation, tell them you have a food allergy, and list Celiac's disease. We were told once there that buffet places are much better, because they have a very well equipped kitchen, and even if they have limited selections at the buffet, with so many ingredients in the kitchen, they can prepare lots of variety to bring out to you.

We ate at Cape May (Beach Club) - just ok overall, but they were very very accomodating, and made my wife her own salmon plate, salads, and mussels.

Hoop de Doo Review - none of the served food was Gluten Free, so they call ahead a day before and asked what you'd like. My wife asked for grilled veggies, ribs, chicken - and got mountains of it all. Her food was miles better than the rest of ours (looking back, I might be tempted to say we were all need that custom meal, cause it was awesome).

Boma - wow. The food was awesome for our tastes. It was tough to have to skip the couscous, and many breads, etc - but still crazy amounts of tasty foods that were gluten free. They also brought out a gluten free cake that was phenomenal.

Chef Mickeys / Crystal Palace - both Character dining buffets. Pretty good food, and decent gluten free selection.

Dining with Cinderella in the Castle - my wife sent her food back, and didn't eat (we got our money back for her meal). We got the impression that all food is premade, and assembled before service. She ordered the same as me, and got the meat only on the potatoes, with no garnish or sauce. It was really really pathetic. For such an expensive meal, what a disappointment.

For Counter Services - you can walk up and ask for a list of ingredients because you have a food allergy. You can have look at the menu and figure out what you can eat, and get it. That's hard-ish - because it takes some time to get that, scrub it, and then if you find that you can't eat there, you have to do it again. The wood fired oven-cooked gluten free pizza at Pizza Planet (MGM) WAS awesome. So were the ribs at Flame Tree (Animal Kingdom). The chef at the Port Orleans French Quarter was very very nice and cooked my wife a very good chicken and salad lunch, and gave her a WICKED good gluten free cheesecake. He was super, and will make stuff to order with any advance noticed (he offered gluten free pancakes for breakfast, but it was our last day).

All in all - getting the dining plan and eating at disney was wonderful.

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Lynda Hodgins
2006

After having been to Disney World several times with my family, we faced a new challenge in 2005, when my 8yr old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Being an avid planner, I took on the challenge of ensuring that our annual trip to Disney World would be just as wonderful, as it was each and every other time. Plus, I didn't want my daughter to feel deprived in any way, as a result of having her dining options limited. I researched our options feverishly for months, and I can honestly say, that it was well worth it in the end.

Here are some helpful tips and some information, for anyone who is traveling to Disney World with a child, (or adult), with Celiac Disease.

First and foremost, I must commend Disney's table-service restaurants, for being extraordinarily knowledgeable and accommodating to our family. They literally came and sat at our table with my daughter, and asked her what she would like, and made some suggestions. Every meal she ate was outstanding. Luckily, my daughter is not a picky eater, so that, I will admit, was very helpful. She's more inclined to eat mashed potatoes and vegetables, than French fries and chicken nuggets anyways, so that made things easier!

The one thing I do have to say is that you must indicate, if you are making Advance Reservations, that you have a member of your party who has a food allergy, (and yes, be sure to specify Celiac Disease),. When you arrive, you must again remind them of the allergy and ask to speak with the chef. The Chef usually will come to your table when you are seated, and sometimes, they will contact you in advance by phone, as you'll read below.

We dined at Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast, and she had a wonderful breakfast provided to her. The chef came out to greet us and asked all sorts of questions as to what she liked and disliked and seemed fairly knowledgeable about Celiac. She was a little blue, however, that she couldn't have the croissants, rolls and muffins that were set out for the rest of us on the table, so we asked to have them removed, which they did, and we all abstained.

Breakfast at the Crystal Palace was great and the Chef, again, came to speak with us when we were seated. He took my daughter and I up to the buffet and pointed out what she could and couldn't have. He offered to make her some GF waffles, which we accepted, and she had a wonderful omelet made for her. You do need to let them know about any allergy, so that they can make it separately, if needed.

We also dined for breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, which was also great. The chef called us at our hotel the day before our reservation, and asked for info on what my daughter liked. When we arrived at the restaurant, we alerted our greeter that we'd need to see the chef, and she came out to walk us through the buffet, and then went to the kitchen to get her special GF waffle. Great service, once again.

We dined at Chef Mickey's for supper at the Contemporary resort on our first evening of our trip, and it was great. The chef had actually called us at home to go over her preferences, and greeted us when we were seated so that he could walk us through the buffet. Again, he offered to make her GF versions of many of the items in the buffet. Luckily, the adult buffet, with roast prime rib and mashed potatoes is right up my daughter's alley, so no special requests were necessary.

The 50's Prime Time Café was good for lunch. The chef prepared her GF chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes, and prepared all her favorite veggies as well.

And finally, on our last evening there, we went to the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. The chef called us at our hotel a few days in advance to see what she would like to eat. They made her grilled chicken and peppers, corn on the cob, and rice. For dessert, she had a huge bowl of fresh fruit. We were amazed at the amount and quality of her Gluten free meal. The only down side, was that she had no option for dessert, other than fruit. She was blue again to see all the strawberry shortcake being handed out, so again, two of us abstained, however my 4yr old, HAD to eat it!!

So, the table-service restaurants scored an A+ with regards to their service, attentiveness, and knowledge of my daughter's allergy. One minor exception being that she couldn't have strawberry shortcake with her meal at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. That could be an easy-fix, however, as it is easy to make up GF white cake, and freeze slices of it in the freezer. Then, all that would need to be added would be the strawberries and whipped cream, (provided they are prepared separately from the rest of the strawberry shortcakes, i.e. not using the same utensils to spoon the strawberries or whipped cream on. Also, I am certain that somewhere, some company makes GF frozen strawberry shortcake, or a version of it.),. It must be stressed however, that even if you indicate, when you make your advance reservations, that you have an allergy, you still need to mention to the cast member at the podium when you check in for your reservation, that you will need to see the chef, as well as the cast member who seats you, and your waitress/waiter.

With regards to counter service restaurants, I must say, our favorites were Toy Story Pizza Planet at MGM, and Flame Tree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom. Toy Story Pizza Planet makes GF pizzas that are outstanding, but they take longer to make, as they have to be cooked at Mama Melrose's, next door. It only takes about 5-7 minutes to wait, and it's worth it. She was thrilled and it tasted great. We ate there twice during our trip. Flame Tree Barbecue was also great and she had ribs and corn on the cob, along with a delicious cup of frozen lemonade that was so refreshing on a hot October afternoon. It was a great surprise to be eating lunch and have Mickey and Goofy and a few others, float by in a boat. A cast member had alerted us that they'd be coming by, so we were prepared, and it was a great treat. Flame Tree Barbecue and Toy Story were our best counter-service experiences, though I'll admit, at Flame Tree, they had NO idea what I was talking about, when I mentioned that we had a gluten allergy. I just asked for info on their barbecue sauce for their ribs and left it at that. I would suggest that anyone else do the same, as their ingredients could change.

We went to Liberty Inn at EPCOT, and again, no one knew what we were talking about. Luckily, I carried GF crackers and cookies, etc with us, wherever we went. They did have a designated fryer for people with allergies so French fries were an option. Apparently, they have GF buns for hotdogs, though I wasn't sure if the wieners were GF, so opted against taking the chance.

We stopped for ice cream at the Plaza Ice Cream shop and, though the older gentleman who worked at the cash had no idea what Celiac or gluten was, he had a book with all the ice creams they had, and it had a listing for what was nut-free, gluten-free, suitable for diabetics, etc. So that was helpful.

And finally, as most Celiacs know, McDonald's fries are not gluten-free, so the little stands around Disney are now out for those with Celiac.

The popcorn at Magic Kingdom is Orville Redenbacher's and is GF. So is the Itzakadoozie popsicle, which is available around Disney in the ice cream carts.

The only place where we really noticed a lack of accommodations for gluten allergies was at our hotel, Pop Century. The food court was not accommodating at all, and we really had few, if any options for my daughter. We rarely ate there as a result, though we occasionally picked up fresh fruit and potato chips, and purchased milk to put on her GF cereal that we brought. We had one Caesar salad made to order, and it was quite an ordeal, as they kept trying to put croutons in it. I reiterated how important it was that the salad be made in a clean, fresh bowl with clean, fresh salad tongs. She was ill shortly thereafter, so I'm not too convinced that my request was accommodated well. I had alerted Pop Century that we would be coming in with someone with gluten allergies, and asked if there would be anything that they could provide at the food court such as GF pizza or spaghetti, but no one ever got back to me.

Here are some Disney numbers for contacts regarding dining with allergies, and attending the parks with someone who has allergies:

From Disney.ca:

If you have specific inquiries or would like recommendations regarding the food served at the park restaurants, you are welcome to call the executive chefs or Food and Beverage managers for our theme parks, at the telephone numbers listed below. If no one is immediately available when you call, please be sure to leave a message and a telephone number where you may be reached.

Magic Kingdom Park: 407-824-5967
Epcot: 407-560-7292
Disney-MGM Studios: 407-560-1347
Disney's Animal Kingdom: 407-939-7536 (Please note Walt Disney World Company operates no full-service restaurants in this park.)

We would also like to mention that as an exception to our standard policy, guests who have specific food allergies are welcome to bring their own small snack items with them into the theme parks.
However, picnic baskets, ice chests, and coolers are not permitted.

Another thing to note, for those on the Disney Dining Plan: We were concerned that our daughter wouldn't be able to have any of the counter service meals, given the fact that the plan stipulates that children must have a child's meal. My husband and I had visions of the two us eating cheese pizzas or chicken nuggets for our entire trip, while our daughter ate our adult meals. As you may have noticed, nearly all children's meals are overloaded with gluten, (PB & J sandwiches, breaded chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and pizzas),. I asked our travel agent, to find out for us if there was any lenience on the policy, and this is what she had to say: "After calling Disney Dining 407WDWDINE they assured me that you will be able to go to any fast food restaurant and talk to the manager if needed. You should be able to get anything suitable for gluten free meals on the menu for your daughter even if it is an adult item. "