I had heard many wonderful things about how "allergy friendly" Disneyworld dining options could be... but nothing could compare to the first bites of some incredible gluten-free delights!
Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
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We had noted my gluten allergy when making dinner reservations at Ohana. The chef came out right after the waitress confirmed which guest had the food allergy and went over the "substitutes" that I would be receiving, as well as which sauces and things were safe for me to eat. The starters for our "family style" meal were great - warm gluten-free buns with melting butter and a citrus tossed salad that I gobbled up in just a few bites (learning to slow down and savor... but we were really hungry after a long day of traveling and walking around the Magic Kingdom!)
The entree only had a slight modification for my meal - everyone else got to dig into a large bowl of noodles but I got a giant scoop of white rice. My chicken wings were also prepared separately and had a hint of cinnamon to the sauce... they were finger-lickin' good!
The rest of the meats were served from large skewers that came hot off the grill, Brazilian steakhouse style. These were all safe for me - shrimp and steak were my favorites! I had a lot of sauteed veggies too... I was feeling really full until they brought out my dessert...
The rest of the meats were served from large skewers that came hot off the grill, Brazilian steakhouse style. These were all safe for me - shrimp and steak were my favorites! I had a lot of sauteed veggies too... I was feeling really full until they brought out my dessert...
Ooey gooey warmed Enjoy Life chocolate chocolate-chip cookies - my favorites! - topped with ice cream, fresh berries, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. I ate a few bites of ice cream and polished off the rest of the bowl's treats!
Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC at Downtown Disney
 | When is the last time you had a donut, gluten-free people? Like a real cake donut that is chewy and moist and cake-y? Heaven's angels prepare them right here in the heart of Orlando in a little pink-walled bakery amidst the hustle and bustle of Downtown Disney. I had one bite left before I remembered to snap a photo for you! |
| They don't just bake donuts either - there's cupcakes and brownies and cinnamon rolls... oh the list goes on and on! It was so hard to decide what all to try. I was in the shop toward the end of the day so you'd think the goodies would be closer to "day old" then "fresh from the oven". One bite of my brownie and that idea went right out the window! I put the donuts and cupcake in the fridge for morning's breakfast, per their instructions if I wasn't going to eat it all right away. The salted caramel donut (pictured above) was the best donut I've ever tasted in my life the next morning! And I don't mean in the last 6 years of being gluten-free... I am talking of all my 35 years on this earth! |   |
OK I was in a hurry to shove one of these in my mouth and it was nighttime and I didn't do a "fancy food" photograph... don't let that deter you from stopping in and tasting one of these lovelies for yourself!
It was humorous, in my research of gluten-free dining options at Disney, I had run across some posts that people walk into the bakery, see that everything is vegan and gluten-free (many items are dairy-free/egg-free/low-sugar/etc as well) and walk out because they don't think the baked goods are any good. This exact thing happened twice in the 10-15 minutes I and the rest of the food-allergy crowd stood drooling over the glass cases. Haha, they don't know what they're missing out on - more for me!
It was humorous, in my research of gluten-free dining options at Disney, I had run across some posts that people walk into the bakery, see that everything is vegan and gluten-free (many items are dairy-free/egg-free/low-sugar/etc as well) and walk out because they don't think the baked goods are any good. This exact thing happened twice in the 10-15 minutes I and the rest of the food-allergy crowd stood drooling over the glass cases. Haha, they don't know what they're missing out on - more for me!
Gasparilla's Grill at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort
Gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. With bacon. Prepared before my very eyes by a manager, wearing fresh gloves, at a separate waffle-maker in a different part of the kitchen from the rest of the cafeteria-style line. Words cannot express how light and fluffy these little faces were, smothered in syrup. Tears of joy may have hovered in my eyes as I bit into them!
Sassagoula Floatworks at Disney's Port Orleans - French Quarter
Perfect little powdered sugar-covered, piping hot, fresh-from-the-dedicated-fryer clouds ... these beignets were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!! I took three buses and a boat to get these and come back to my resort. Totally worth the effort! I honestly had powered sugar from my head to my toes after sinking my teeth into these bad boys... so good!
Cookes of Dublin at Downtown Disney
This fish 'n chips was hands down my favorite meal of the trip - I had been craving it since I saw a post about it online in my pre-travel research. The portions were huge (that piece of fish is bigger than my hand!) and everything was served fresh and hot, right out of the dedicated fryer. I honestly forgot tartar sauce or ketchup when I walked away from the counter and found a seat outside (where you can enjoy the Irish singers and dancers) and the meal was so tasty that I didn't even miss the condiments!
Discovery Island Kiosk at Animal Kingdom
This little gem of a food allergy-friendly kiosk is an oasis in the Discovery Island wilderness! I had rushed to Animal Kingdom to enjoy the last few hours of the day in the park, but had not eaten lunch and needed to hurry to make my FastPass+ reservations. This place is full of gluten-free goodies including bagels, muffins, donuts, chips, fruit, even beer! It's right before you head over the bridge to Africa. I grabbed a muffin on my way to my adventures, just enough to tide me over until I found a little more time to relax.
Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom
 | We had special lunch reservations and selected our menu ahead of time so that we were served quickly at Be Our Guest for our first day. This braised pork was on the list of gluten-free options and was better than your mama's homemade pot roast! A little heavy for walking around in 80-degree weather, but full of flavor, with great mashed potatoes and veggies on the side. |
For dessert, I'd heard the Grey Stuff is delicious (just ask the dishes!) but alas, it's NOT gluten free... that's fine by me because this gluten-free lemon-filled cream puff was the perfect ending to the meal - light and fluffy, not overly citrus-y, with a dollop of cream and fresh raspberry on top, plus a tiny chocolate square almost too pretty to eat (but of course, I devoured it all!)
Teppan Edo in the World Showcase at Epcot
I've had mixed experiences with dining in hibachi style restaurants in the past (from a fabulous experience at Benihana's in Las Vegas to a terrible New Year's Eve run-out-the-door-crying-and-didn't-get-to-eat-anything situation with a local place where they barely speak English) so I was a tiny bit hesitant when my friend told me about our reservations at their favorite place, Teppan Edo. But take a deep breath - it's Disney so we're good!
Right away, the waitress had noted the reservation remarks and asked who had the gluten/wheat allergy and, from my end of the table, I raised my hand. She immediately marked a giant "A" on her chart indicating my seat and told me that a manager would be right out. Moments later, a lovely woman in a suit came and offered her greetings, noted that I would have rice and veggies prepared separately instead of the noodles, and that all my meal's items would be cooked on the grill and served first. They brought out Kikkoman's Gluten-Free Soy Sauce as well for me.
The chef was awesome and put on a great performance, as well as preparing a terrific and delicious meal. The only other sauce I could safely eat was the "yum yum" sauce... there's a very good reason for it's name - I went through 2 of the 3 "bowls" I was given with my meal!
I ate every last bite of the steak, shrimp, veggies, and rice, becoming quite a good chopsticks operator!
Right away, the waitress had noted the reservation remarks and asked who had the gluten/wheat allergy and, from my end of the table, I raised my hand. She immediately marked a giant "A" on her chart indicating my seat and told me that a manager would be right out. Moments later, a lovely woman in a suit came and offered her greetings, noted that I would have rice and veggies prepared separately instead of the noodles, and that all my meal's items would be cooked on the grill and served first. They brought out Kikkoman's Gluten-Free Soy Sauce as well for me.
The chef was awesome and put on a great performance, as well as preparing a terrific and delicious meal. The only other sauce I could safely eat was the "yum yum" sauce... there's a very good reason for it's name - I went through 2 of the 3 "bowls" I was given with my meal!
I ate every last bite of the steak, shrimp, veggies, and rice, becoming quite a good chopsticks operator!
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