Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Please summarize – thanks! From: SillyYaks [mailto:SillyYaks ] On Behalf Of Isabel Silveira Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 2:42 PM To: SillyYaks Subject: Disneyland Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Please summarize – thanks! From: SillyYaks [mailto:SillyYaks ] On Behalf Of Isabel Silveira Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 2:42 PM To: SillyYaks Subject: Disneyland Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Please summarize – thanks! From: SillyYaks [mailto:SillyYaks ] On Behalf Of Isabel Silveira Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 2:42 PM To: SillyYaks Subject: Disneyland Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Disneyland does a great job of providing GF foods. We are annual passholders and go there often. The very best thing to do is call Chef at . The first time we went post diagnosis, I was also dealing with food allergies in my breastfed son. In addition to gluten, I could not have eggs, dairy, soy, fish, nuts, peanuts and several other things. Chef went through all the restaurants in Disneyland and told me what I could order and specific things like where they had dedicated fryers, etc. Each restaurant has an ingredients list right there for all their foods. You ask to speak for the supervisor and if they cannot answer your questions, they will call Chef Chris. He is fabulous... very knowledgeable The things I can remember off the top of my head right now are that Rocket Rodd's Pizza Port has rice noodles that you can sub for spaghetti. Hot dogs are safe (no bun of course) The fries at the McD carts are safe. The Blue Bayou (upscale for Disneyland) will cater to any requests you make within reason. There is nothing expressly " safe " on the menu, but I was able to eat there w/o reaction. My favorite place though is The Storyteller's Cafe. This is located in The Grand Californian hotel. The chefs there are quite knowledgeable! One of the staff apparently has celiac and has done a fantastic job of educating the workers. They even carry Kinnickkinnick bread products. You can get GF pancakes, pizza, muffins, rolls, etc. You will get a much nicer meal here than any place in the park and it is much less busy typically. You can call 714-781-DINE for preferred seating. HTH, Disneyland > Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? > > Thanks, > Isabel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Disneyland does a great job of providing GF foods. We are annual passholders and go there often. The very best thing to do is call Chef at . The first time we went post diagnosis, I was also dealing with food allergies in my breastfed son. In addition to gluten, I could not have eggs, dairy, soy, fish, nuts, peanuts and several other things. Chef went through all the restaurants in Disneyland and told me what I could order and specific things like where they had dedicated fryers, etc. Each restaurant has an ingredients list right there for all their foods. You ask to speak for the supervisor and if they cannot answer your questions, they will call Chef Chris. He is fabulous... very knowledgeable The things I can remember off the top of my head right now are that Rocket Rodd's Pizza Port has rice noodles that you can sub for spaghetti. Hot dogs are safe (no bun of course) The fries at the McD carts are safe. The Blue Bayou (upscale for Disneyland) will cater to any requests you make within reason. There is nothing expressly " safe " on the menu, but I was able to eat there w/o reaction. My favorite place though is The Storyteller's Cafe. This is located in The Grand Californian hotel. The chefs there are quite knowledgeable! One of the staff apparently has celiac and has done a fantastic job of educating the workers. They even carry Kinnickkinnick bread products. You can get GF pancakes, pizza, muffins, rolls, etc. You will get a much nicer meal here than any place in the park and it is much less busy typically. You can call 714-781-DINE for preferred seating. HTH, Disneyland > Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? > > Thanks, > Isabel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Disneyland does a great job of providing GF foods. We are annual passholders and go there often. The very best thing to do is call Chef at . The first time we went post diagnosis, I was also dealing with food allergies in my breastfed son. In addition to gluten, I could not have eggs, dairy, soy, fish, nuts, peanuts and several other things. Chef went through all the restaurants in Disneyland and told me what I could order and specific things like where they had dedicated fryers, etc. Each restaurant has an ingredients list right there for all their foods. You ask to speak for the supervisor and if they cannot answer your questions, they will call Chef Chris. He is fabulous... very knowledgeable The things I can remember off the top of my head right now are that Rocket Rodd's Pizza Port has rice noodles that you can sub for spaghetti. Hot dogs are safe (no bun of course) The fries at the McD carts are safe. The Blue Bayou (upscale for Disneyland) will cater to any requests you make within reason. There is nothing expressly " safe " on the menu, but I was able to eat there w/o reaction. My favorite place though is The Storyteller's Cafe. This is located in The Grand Californian hotel. The chefs there are quite knowledgeable! One of the staff apparently has celiac and has done a fantastic job of educating the workers. They even carry Kinnickkinnick bread products. You can get GF pancakes, pizza, muffins, rolls, etc. You will get a much nicer meal here than any place in the park and it is much less busy typically. You can call 714-781-DINE for preferred seating. HTH, Disneyland > Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? > > Thanks, > Isabel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 I've copied all the emails I collected last year prior to our trip last November. Although the celiacs in our group were three adults, my four year old great niece was with us (plus four non celiac adults), and we went to places for children (Chef Mickey's, and the restaurant in Animal Kingdom). Below you'll see a negative review of Port Orleans Riverside, but we had a wonderful experience there. They made a wonderfully flavored pancake, using gf pancake mix for the celiacs. The chef even came out and kneeled down at the table and talked with us. For kids, they make the pancakes in the shape of Mickey. We also had some very nice adult dinners that were very accommodating (we went on a AAA package and had 'wishes' to use for meals and entertainment). I'll give you the numbers I had from last October. If the numbers aren't any good then go on the Disney WEB site and go to guests with disabilities. If you know ahead of time which restaurant you will be eating in then they will give you that Chef's name and direct phone number. Usually you call and leave a message and they get back to you within a day. The restaurant in the Castle ( I think it's called Cinderella's Royal Table) is where they made my granddaughter hambergers and pizza and it was great. The Pizza crust came from Natures Hilights @PO Box 3526, Checa Ca 95927. It was a rice crust and brought us warm rolls. The chef brought out the package and gave me the address. Their rolls were to kill for too as they made my daughter and I a wonderful pasta dish. We ate lunch there and you need reservations. It's on a first come first serve basis and they all fill up quick. If you can it would be better to do on line since you have time. Usually they 're about 3-6 months in advance. They will give you a reservation number which you need to give to the Chef's when you call. If you can't do it on line now then when you go as soon as you go in Disney you need to go to the castle (you go through the castle and the desk is on you right side in the back of the castle to make a reservation. They only do so many on line and then you have to make the others in person.) We also ate in the Grand Floridian breakfast and dinner - the food is awesome and they did macaroni and cheese for us. We ate in the Contemporary Hotel at Chef Mickey's which is a kids dining expereince but there were many adults without kids and they did a wonderful chocolate flourless cake as well as the macaroni and cheese. The other restaurant is the Crystal Palace and that is my favorite one as I think the quality of food is better there. Once again reservations for there must be made in advance. If you don't do it on line then when you go in Disney you go to Guest relations (on the right as soon as you get through the main gate-) and make your reservation there. All the buffet dinner's are $19.95 but they are well worth it as there are at least 6 entree's including prime rib and shrimp cocktail When you get there you tell the waiter/waitress that you spoke to Chef ______ and someone will come out and walk the buffet with you. Main reservation line for all the restaurants is tell them about your disability and they will give you each phone number if there are other places you want to eat. They can also direct you to the Fast food restaurants within the park. On most days we ate a big breakfast and then maybe a turkey leg or salad for lunch and a big dinner. The day we had lunch in the Castle we just had cereal for breakfast(that was when Kellogs Sugar Corn Pops wee GF) we took the little boxes and got milk. The Grand Floridian Chef 's number is Chef Mickey's Buffet @ the Contemporary Chef's number is . EPCOT-Alfredo's in Italy, LeCellier in Canada, Sci-Fi diner @MGM, Fulton's Crab House Stay away from Planet Hollywood. Their group is also doing a luncheon at Maggiano's Little Italy-the same restaurant I told our group about a year ago in Phila. this restaurant chain had done a luncheon for GIG during their meeting in colorado and chicago. also Bonefish grill which is a sister restaurant of OUTACK also has a GF menu. you can view the menu at www.bonefishgrill.com. I believe there is one in Phila. Also there are great cheese rolls that are GF that are called AHDRI Cheese Buns. They have the crust of french bread and a cheese center and are the best I have ever eaten. In fact I bought 10 bags in the 3 weeks I've been here. They are in her local supermarket (Publix) Maybe they would send samples for the Sept. meeting. the info is Ahdri Disttributor, PO Box 226226, Miam Fla 33122-6226 . www.ahdri.com.\ I received a ton of responses about dinning at Disney World. Thank you all for your help! I sounds like it is Gluten Free Heaven. Many people asked me to summarize so I copied a few of the many Reponses I received including responses from people in the food & beverage area of WDW and Epcot...how nice was that. This is a long summary but it is all really good information. In response to your post on the Celiac List, you will have a great time at Disney. It is the easiest place to eat gluten free. My whole family is on a gluten-free diet (including a 2 year old and a 4 year old). I contacted Disney and made priority seating reservations at the restaurants we were interested in. I advised them that we needed gf meals, and they gave me a direct line to the chef at each restaurant. Then I called a week ahead to discuss meals with the chef. At each restaurant, we were personally greeted by the chef. They are very familiar with Celiac, and knew about hidden ingredients, etc. The chef told us what we could eat and made every attempt to make us special foods so that we could have what we wanted. Some of the places I would recommend were: Chef Mickey's (character dinner at the Contemporary--the chef even offered us flourless cake for dessert) 's Restaurantosaurus (sp?) Character breakfast at Animal Kingdom. The chef made us special GF chocolate chip pancakes. O'Hana at the Polynesian--they had delicious wonton appetizers made with rice wrappers, and the chef made us everything else they would normall serve using gf soy sauce Hollywood & Vine buffet at MGM--the chef made me a special salmon meal, because the one on the buffet had gluten. The kids only wanted fries, so the server made a special trip over to Mc's to get them for the kids. Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot We had a bad experience at the Brewery (forget the name) restaurant at the Boardwalk where the waitress was a little bit of a know it all and served us Rice Pilaf that I'm sure had gluten in it, because the next day I paid for it, so I would definitely stay with the Disney restaurants in the hotels and parks. As far as eating self-service type restaurants in the parks, I have heard that you can go to guest services when you arrive at the parks and request fast service meals that are GF-- I didn't know about this until after we came back. One nice thing for the kids was that there are Mc's fries only stands at all the parks for a snack. We also ate the turkey legs that they have at most parks. The other thing I did that worked out nice was I shipped all our favorite GF snacks, cookies, and chips along with some Thai Kitchen noodle soups to the hotel ahead of time so the kids would have things to munch on. If you have food allergies/intolerances, they have no problem allowing you to bring your own snacks into the park. We felt so spoiled while there with the restaurants--it was so nice not to worry about eating out. Aside from the Brewery experience, we didn't have any adverse reactions to any of our meals. Have a great time. Feel free to write back with any questions K. Orange, CT We recently came back and also stayed at the Contemporary. We had a great experience. Let them know you are coming and they will get gf waffles, bread, pizza, pasta , brownies, and cookies. Both chef Mickey and California grill can accommodate you. Also the snack bar off the arcade will get special food for you in advance but you have to call first. Have fun I have never had a problem at WDW. You can call , which is the dietary phone numder for the park. But I found it was not even necessary! I walked into everywhere(!) and said I needed GF food and got it. The chef usually comes out and speaks about the food to see what he can do. I think the only time it is necessary to call is when attending a restaurant where only one meal is served, such as The Hoop De-Do Revue or the Laui at The Polynesian. At these events my daughter was given enough food to last a week. And at the Hoop De-Do the chef called me 3 times to make sure she would get foods and brands she enjoyed eating.=20 Leigh Disney is a paradise of gf food. chef mickey's and the steak house at the contemporary offer plenty to eat. the character breakfast has gf waffles (if you tell them ahead of time.) they also have gf bread, rolls, and will make anything you want. Ask to speak to a chef when you arrive but be sure to call ahead and the service will be outstanding. Anywhere you eat in any of the parks will accomodate you. the vendors are mostly safe as well. there are Mc french fries stands and roasted turkey legs that are safe as are all fruit pops and some of the ice cream pops. Speak to the managers in the lunch places and they'll tell you what's safe. Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. Epcot is trickier since each restaurant is representing a different country. I ran into language issues a couple of times but had a great meal at the chinese pavilion. I'm sure the japanese pavilion will be fine. you might want to bring your own soy sauce to open up more menu choices. Calling ahead to where you want to eat will allow you the greatest variety but even unannounced you will eat better than you ever imagined! I go every year and I take pictures of all my meals for my scrap book. It's the only time anyone cooks for me! hi wendy.... we went to disney last september with my family. here are some of my notes on what you can eat in the park, and contact names/numbers to make arrangements for certain meals. we ate just fine at the princess breakfast in the castle, alfredos in epcot (although prior we ate at the japanese rest.) and the Prime Time Cafe at MGM. The chefs and the staff, and especially Sharon (listed below) are just great! Good luck and have fun! Magic Kingdom Sleepy Hollow / caramel corn Aloha Isle / pineapple dairy swirl Cosmic CafE / rotisseri chix Main Street Ice Cream Shop (ask manager for gf ice cream in back) Hamburgers, hot dogs without buns Turkey legs Frozen lemonade Ketchup Snow cones Strawberry juice bars Itsakadoozie Baked potato popcorn MGM Contact: LaDuke All areas except ABC Commisary have gluten free french fries EPCOT=20 Contact: Sharon Schifano Liberty Inn hot dogs / hamburgers / french fries, gluten free bread / grilled chix sandwich, turkey club, gluten free pizza in the freezer (ingredient book at cash register), haagen daas ice cream Turkey legs / popcorn / strawberry juice bars / Itzakadoozie bars Pure & Simple (Wonders of life pavilion) fruit smoothies MGM Prime Time Cafe Restaurant # re Gluten Free # =20 Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. ===================================== We did have one other chef which was somewhat problematic. At breakfast at Boatwright's Dining Hall at Port Orleans Riverside, the chef came out to talk to us. He seemed put out to have to make gluten free pancakes. He said he was really busy and it would take awhile. We said we would wait. He came out about ten minutes later and asked if we really needed him to use a separate pan or if he could use the grill where he was making all the other pancakes. He said it would really save him a lot of time to use the same grill. We told him that we absolutely needed a separate pan. He used (I'm sorry I didn't realize the end got caught off of my earlier post..) I was saying that the chef asked if he could use the same grill. We told him absolutely not and he did use a clean pan. We had no problem with the food there. In the end, we definitely want to applaud Disney World for all they do to accomodate all kinds of special diets. As in any situation when dining away from home, I have to remember to keep my guard up. I also just wanted everyone to be aware that they switched to using the DeLand rolls the end of Oct/beg of Nov of this year so you can make an informed choice on whether or not you or your child wants to eat them. If I would have known, I would not have taken the chance. Thanks. Thank you to all of you who wrote me with such great information! I am feeling much better about the trip now that I have heard from you. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that Disney is the easiest place to eat Gluten Free for our kiddos! Many told me to contact the executive chefs for each hotel/park at least a week ahead of time and speak with them about our diet restrictions. Most seemed to feel the chefs were very kowledgeable about a gluten free diet and would be very helpful in finding things for us to eat at each restaurant. =20 I got many replies that felt the Turkey legs, French fries, popcorn, and hotdogs/hamburgers with no buns would be gluten free at the fast food locations in the park. Some mentioned talking to the manager to make sure first but Mcs has several locations where their fries are cooked separately. Some of the ice cream pavilions have GF ice cream in the back, so just ask for it. Tony's was mentioned in the Magic Kingdom as having GF pizza, and I heard Liberty Tree Tavern many times as a good place to eat there as well with GF rolls and brownies. Some felt Epcot was the easiest place to eat because of the variations of food in each country; others thought there was a language barrier that worried them about trusting who they were talking to in the restaurants. I was also told that each fast food place has a book at their counter which contains the list of ingredients in everything they serve. Finally, many said the chefs were happy to fix food items for them from the back of the kitchen when eating at a buffet style restaurant to lessen the risk of contamination. Many mentioned the character breakfasts are a must and are very easy to eat GF at if you contact the chef ahead of time so they can have GF pancakes and waffles on hand. Boma at Animal Kingdom was also a favorite. I was also given advice to look in the archives regarding this subject and to look at delphiforums archives as well. I was given the phone # 407-WDW-DINE many times to call and set up reservations at locations and to let them know about our need to eat gluten free. =20 I will make sure to write back our experiences when we return home. Again, thank you for all of your help and recommendations. Carla Logan Since so many of us seem to go to Disney, I thought I'd add my experiences. This was my first trip there since being diagnosed with CD. The dining experience was about as good as I think I can expect short of going to an all-GF place. Let me say that it does help to warn them ahead, but but it's not absolutely necessary. Everywhere I went I found people who knew what they were doing. When you call 407-WDW-DINE and mention gluten they will direct you to the phones for chefs or park food directors for more info. We ate all breakfasts except one in our room and a fair number of lunches or dinners. We rented a refrigerator for $10 a day. The first experience at Disney started a little shakily. I had heard (a fact that was confirmed by the Epcot food director) that you could walk up at Liberty Tree in the USA section of Epcot and get a hamburger or chicken sandwich on a GF bun. Normally this is true but we were there at a very busy time. When I arrived they had just used their last GF bun. Not to worry said the manager, we can get more in 5 minutes and have your meal in 20-25 minutes. I knew I'd have to wait extra so this was fine. 35 minutes later my wife went up to make sure I hadn't been forgotten. My order was just coming out as she walked up. We had needed the rest anyway, but the manager came up, apologized profusely for the delay, and insisted that our whole $27 lunch was free (yes folks, this is what a fast-food lunch for three in Disney costs). The GF bun wasn't worth the effort, IMO. The chicken, however, was delicious, and the fries are in a dedicated cooker. For the second meal we ate dinner at Restaurant Akershus in the Norway section of Epcot. The chef came out and explained everything in great detail, including the fact that I couldn't have one sauce because they couldn't get a guarantee that one of the six mustards used was GF. Part of the meal here is a cold buffet and as we went through it he told me I was welcome to order anything from the back so as to avoid contamination. They even had three desserts I could eat, although he warned me that the flourless chocolate cake was baked in the oven the same time as a pie with gluten (personally, this would not concern me). This meal was delicious and the restaurant is normally not terribly crowded, probably because many of us Americans are loathe to try different foods. The chef also had GF rolls on hand, which weren't bad heated with butter. We also ate at Hollywood and Vine in Disney-MGM. This is another buffet, but once again they'll bring it to you from the back if you want. Despite being extremely busy, the chef came out and walked me through the line describing ingredients in excruciating detail. Most things were GF but a few weren't. Most that weren't he offered to make GF. I declined because there was so much good food (steak, shrimp, salads, roasted veggies, garlic mashed potatoes and more) that was already GF. He then came back out to tell me that he had one GF brownie left. I accepted. Not as good as a Gluten Free Pantry brownie, but more than acceptable with GF soft serve ice cream on top. The next one was the Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge. We had the buffet (actually, family style portions brought to your table so there's no line with those pesky contamination possibilities). The chef came out and explained everything. Only the cole slaw was suspect and only minimally so but he warned me. Whispering Canyon waiters also do fun things like insult you for being late, accuse you of trying to skip out on he bill if you leave for a cell phone call, and abuse you for asking for ketchup. They also made all the men get up and do "I'm a Little Teapot." Last was a character breakfast at Restaurantasuarus in Animal Kingdom. Here, the head chef AND an assistant came out and explained everything. They also insisted on making everything fresh in the back because "this place has a lot of kids and things can get contaminated." Actually, everything is on very separate platters far apart (not crowded next to each other like in a normal buffet) and in general the gluten is far from the non-gluten, but I was happy to have them make it in the back. At all places the chefs reminded and reminded me that I should call for them if I had any further questions or problems. I had to do this only once. The only thing I would mention is that all the chefs talked about a gluten allergy, although they were also aware I couldn't have barley or rye. This didn't bother me personally because it was also obvious they completely understood cross contamination. They get many people with VERY severe allergies. I felt very comfortable eating at Disney. richard First, thank you to everyone who sent replies to my request for dining at Disney. We just returned and had a wonderful experience. I was afraid that I would have to sneak all sorts of gf food into the park, but there was no need. =20 For those of you who asked for a summary of my responses -- The majority of the people said that planning is very important. Decide which park you wish to eat in each day and make reservations. 1-407-WDW-DINE. When you call to make the reservations, mention that you have a dietary concern (no gluten). They then will give you a number to call one week in advance to talk to the head chef at the park at which the reservation has been made. WHen you call, you are basically alerting them that you are coming so that they are prepared. = Both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT chefs sent me via email a listing of fast food places throughout the park that gf items can be found (where dedicated fryers were used for the fries), where you can get GF ice cream, where fresh fruit is sold, what you can eat from the various carts around the park like popcorn and turkey legs etc. It seems that almost everyone had a positive experience with wherever they ate but the following had the most votes for sit down meals: In Magic Kingdom -- Tony's Town Square Restaurant & Liberty Inn Tavern & Crystal Palace.=20 In EPCOT -- Canada or The Garden Grill. (American Adventure for counter service was the favorite of everyone with GF bread for burgers and even GF pizza!) At Animal Kingdom -- Restaurantsaurus & Rainforest Cafe If you stay at one of Disney resorts, let them know that and they will also give you the phone number of the chef at that resort. You can talk to them directly and they will make sure that they have food for you and let you know where you can safely eat. They made my son GF waffles, GF pasta one evening and a GF pizza another. You can also request a refrig for your room. For the fast food places in the park, just ask for the manager and let them know what you need. They will take note of your order and make sure that the help changes their gloves in preparing your burger or whatever. It was nice to see on several receipts -- gf burger! Their service made my son feel special and not different. =20 Michele in MD Isabel Silveira wrote: Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel -- Bill Lucas, Burlington, NJ U.S.A. lucaswe@... Member of CSA/USA South Jersey Chapter # 9; http://home.earthlink.net/~celiac9/ Genealogy: Researching CAIN (PA), DOCK (PA), FLORA (PA), GARNER (PA), LUCAS (NJ/PA), SPEESE (PA), FREYER ?, RANK ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 I've copied all the emails I collected last year prior to our trip last November. Although the celiacs in our group were three adults, my four year old great niece was with us (plus four non celiac adults), and we went to places for children (Chef Mickey's, and the restaurant in Animal Kingdom). Below you'll see a negative review of Port Orleans Riverside, but we had a wonderful experience there. They made a wonderfully flavored pancake, using gf pancake mix for the celiacs. The chef even came out and kneeled down at the table and talked with us. For kids, they make the pancakes in the shape of Mickey. We also had some very nice adult dinners that were very accommodating (we went on a AAA package and had 'wishes' to use for meals and entertainment). I'll give you the numbers I had from last October. If the numbers aren't any good then go on the Disney WEB site and go to guests with disabilities. If you know ahead of time which restaurant you will be eating in then they will give you that Chef's name and direct phone number. Usually you call and leave a message and they get back to you within a day. The restaurant in the Castle ( I think it's called Cinderella's Royal Table) is where they made my granddaughter hambergers and pizza and it was great. The Pizza crust came from Natures Hilights @PO Box 3526, Checa Ca 95927. It was a rice crust and brought us warm rolls. The chef brought out the package and gave me the address. Their rolls were to kill for too as they made my daughter and I a wonderful pasta dish. We ate lunch there and you need reservations. It's on a first come first serve basis and they all fill up quick. If you can it would be better to do on line since you have time. Usually they 're about 3-6 months in advance. They will give you a reservation number which you need to give to the Chef's when you call. If you can't do it on line now then when you go as soon as you go in Disney you need to go to the castle (you go through the castle and the desk is on you right side in the back of the castle to make a reservation. They only do so many on line and then you have to make the others in person.) We also ate in the Grand Floridian breakfast and dinner - the food is awesome and they did macaroni and cheese for us. We ate in the Contemporary Hotel at Chef Mickey's which is a kids dining expereince but there were many adults without kids and they did a wonderful chocolate flourless cake as well as the macaroni and cheese. The other restaurant is the Crystal Palace and that is my favorite one as I think the quality of food is better there. Once again reservations for there must be made in advance. If you don't do it on line then when you go in Disney you go to Guest relations (on the right as soon as you get through the main gate-) and make your reservation there. All the buffet dinner's are $19.95 but they are well worth it as there are at least 6 entree's including prime rib and shrimp cocktail When you get there you tell the waiter/waitress that you spoke to Chef ______ and someone will come out and walk the buffet with you. Main reservation line for all the restaurants is tell them about your disability and they will give you each phone number if there are other places you want to eat. They can also direct you to the Fast food restaurants within the park. On most days we ate a big breakfast and then maybe a turkey leg or salad for lunch and a big dinner. The day we had lunch in the Castle we just had cereal for breakfast(that was when Kellogs Sugar Corn Pops wee GF) we took the little boxes and got milk. The Grand Floridian Chef 's number is Chef Mickey's Buffet @ the Contemporary Chef's number is . EPCOT-Alfredo's in Italy, LeCellier in Canada, Sci-Fi diner @MGM, Fulton's Crab House Stay away from Planet Hollywood. Their group is also doing a luncheon at Maggiano's Little Italy-the same restaurant I told our group about a year ago in Phila. this restaurant chain had done a luncheon for GIG during their meeting in colorado and chicago. also Bonefish grill which is a sister restaurant of OUTACK also has a GF menu. you can view the menu at www.bonefishgrill.com. I believe there is one in Phila. Also there are great cheese rolls that are GF that are called AHDRI Cheese Buns. They have the crust of french bread and a cheese center and are the best I have ever eaten. In fact I bought 10 bags in the 3 weeks I've been here. They are in her local supermarket (Publix) Maybe they would send samples for the Sept. meeting. the info is Ahdri Disttributor, PO Box 226226, Miam Fla 33122-6226 . www.ahdri.com.\ I received a ton of responses about dinning at Disney World. Thank you all for your help! I sounds like it is Gluten Free Heaven. Many people asked me to summarize so I copied a few of the many Reponses I received including responses from people in the food & beverage area of WDW and Epcot...how nice was that. This is a long summary but it is all really good information. In response to your post on the Celiac List, you will have a great time at Disney. It is the easiest place to eat gluten free. My whole family is on a gluten-free diet (including a 2 year old and a 4 year old). I contacted Disney and made priority seating reservations at the restaurants we were interested in. I advised them that we needed gf meals, and they gave me a direct line to the chef at each restaurant. Then I called a week ahead to discuss meals with the chef. At each restaurant, we were personally greeted by the chef. They are very familiar with Celiac, and knew about hidden ingredients, etc. The chef told us what we could eat and made every attempt to make us special foods so that we could have what we wanted. Some of the places I would recommend were: Chef Mickey's (character dinner at the Contemporary--the chef even offered us flourless cake for dessert) 's Restaurantosaurus (sp?) Character breakfast at Animal Kingdom. The chef made us special GF chocolate chip pancakes. O'Hana at the Polynesian--they had delicious wonton appetizers made with rice wrappers, and the chef made us everything else they would normall serve using gf soy sauce Hollywood & Vine buffet at MGM--the chef made me a special salmon meal, because the one on the buffet had gluten. The kids only wanted fries, so the server made a special trip over to Mc's to get them for the kids. Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot We had a bad experience at the Brewery (forget the name) restaurant at the Boardwalk where the waitress was a little bit of a know it all and served us Rice Pilaf that I'm sure had gluten in it, because the next day I paid for it, so I would definitely stay with the Disney restaurants in the hotels and parks. As far as eating self-service type restaurants in the parks, I have heard that you can go to guest services when you arrive at the parks and request fast service meals that are GF-- I didn't know about this until after we came back. One nice thing for the kids was that there are Mc's fries only stands at all the parks for a snack. We also ate the turkey legs that they have at most parks. The other thing I did that worked out nice was I shipped all our favorite GF snacks, cookies, and chips along with some Thai Kitchen noodle soups to the hotel ahead of time so the kids would have things to munch on. If you have food allergies/intolerances, they have no problem allowing you to bring your own snacks into the park. We felt so spoiled while there with the restaurants--it was so nice not to worry about eating out. Aside from the Brewery experience, we didn't have any adverse reactions to any of our meals. Have a great time. Feel free to write back with any questions K. Orange, CT We recently came back and also stayed at the Contemporary. We had a great experience. Let them know you are coming and they will get gf waffles, bread, pizza, pasta , brownies, and cookies. Both chef Mickey and California grill can accommodate you. Also the snack bar off the arcade will get special food for you in advance but you have to call first. Have fun I have never had a problem at WDW. You can call , which is the dietary phone numder for the park. But I found it was not even necessary! I walked into everywhere(!) and said I needed GF food and got it. The chef usually comes out and speaks about the food to see what he can do. I think the only time it is necessary to call is when attending a restaurant where only one meal is served, such as The Hoop De-Do Revue or the Laui at The Polynesian. At these events my daughter was given enough food to last a week. And at the Hoop De-Do the chef called me 3 times to make sure she would get foods and brands she enjoyed eating.=20 Leigh Disney is a paradise of gf food. chef mickey's and the steak house at the contemporary offer plenty to eat. the character breakfast has gf waffles (if you tell them ahead of time.) they also have gf bread, rolls, and will make anything you want. Ask to speak to a chef when you arrive but be sure to call ahead and the service will be outstanding. Anywhere you eat in any of the parks will accomodate you. the vendors are mostly safe as well. there are Mc french fries stands and roasted turkey legs that are safe as are all fruit pops and some of the ice cream pops. Speak to the managers in the lunch places and they'll tell you what's safe. Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. Epcot is trickier since each restaurant is representing a different country. I ran into language issues a couple of times but had a great meal at the chinese pavilion. I'm sure the japanese pavilion will be fine. you might want to bring your own soy sauce to open up more menu choices. Calling ahead to where you want to eat will allow you the greatest variety but even unannounced you will eat better than you ever imagined! I go every year and I take pictures of all my meals for my scrap book. It's the only time anyone cooks for me! hi wendy.... we went to disney last september with my family. here are some of my notes on what you can eat in the park, and contact names/numbers to make arrangements for certain meals. we ate just fine at the princess breakfast in the castle, alfredos in epcot (although prior we ate at the japanese rest.) and the Prime Time Cafe at MGM. The chefs and the staff, and especially Sharon (listed below) are just great! Good luck and have fun! Magic Kingdom Sleepy Hollow / caramel corn Aloha Isle / pineapple dairy swirl Cosmic CafE / rotisseri chix Main Street Ice Cream Shop (ask manager for gf ice cream in back) Hamburgers, hot dogs without buns Turkey legs Frozen lemonade Ketchup Snow cones Strawberry juice bars Itsakadoozie Baked potato popcorn MGM Contact: LaDuke All areas except ABC Commisary have gluten free french fries EPCOT=20 Contact: Sharon Schifano Liberty Inn hot dogs / hamburgers / french fries, gluten free bread / grilled chix sandwich, turkey club, gluten free pizza in the freezer (ingredient book at cash register), haagen daas ice cream Turkey legs / popcorn / strawberry juice bars / Itzakadoozie bars Pure & Simple (Wonders of life pavilion) fruit smoothies MGM Prime Time Cafe Restaurant # re Gluten Free # =20 Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. ===================================== We did have one other chef which was somewhat problematic. At breakfast at Boatwright's Dining Hall at Port Orleans Riverside, the chef came out to talk to us. He seemed put out to have to make gluten free pancakes. He said he was really busy and it would take awhile. We said we would wait. He came out about ten minutes later and asked if we really needed him to use a separate pan or if he could use the grill where he was making all the other pancakes. He said it would really save him a lot of time to use the same grill. We told him that we absolutely needed a separate pan. He used (I'm sorry I didn't realize the end got caught off of my earlier post..) I was saying that the chef asked if he could use the same grill. We told him absolutely not and he did use a clean pan. We had no problem with the food there. In the end, we definitely want to applaud Disney World for all they do to accomodate all kinds of special diets. As in any situation when dining away from home, I have to remember to keep my guard up. I also just wanted everyone to be aware that they switched to using the DeLand rolls the end of Oct/beg of Nov of this year so you can make an informed choice on whether or not you or your child wants to eat them. If I would have known, I would not have taken the chance. Thanks. Thank you to all of you who wrote me with such great information! I am feeling much better about the trip now that I have heard from you. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that Disney is the easiest place to eat Gluten Free for our kiddos! Many told me to contact the executive chefs for each hotel/park at least a week ahead of time and speak with them about our diet restrictions. Most seemed to feel the chefs were very kowledgeable about a gluten free diet and would be very helpful in finding things for us to eat at each restaurant. =20 I got many replies that felt the Turkey legs, French fries, popcorn, and hotdogs/hamburgers with no buns would be gluten free at the fast food locations in the park. Some mentioned talking to the manager to make sure first but Mcs has several locations where their fries are cooked separately. Some of the ice cream pavilions have GF ice cream in the back, so just ask for it. Tony's was mentioned in the Magic Kingdom as having GF pizza, and I heard Liberty Tree Tavern many times as a good place to eat there as well with GF rolls and brownies. Some felt Epcot was the easiest place to eat because of the variations of food in each country; others thought there was a language barrier that worried them about trusting who they were talking to in the restaurants. I was also told that each fast food place has a book at their counter which contains the list of ingredients in everything they serve. Finally, many said the chefs were happy to fix food items for them from the back of the kitchen when eating at a buffet style restaurant to lessen the risk of contamination. Many mentioned the character breakfasts are a must and are very easy to eat GF at if you contact the chef ahead of time so they can have GF pancakes and waffles on hand. Boma at Animal Kingdom was also a favorite. I was also given advice to look in the archives regarding this subject and to look at delphiforums archives as well. I was given the phone # 407-WDW-DINE many times to call and set up reservations at locations and to let them know about our need to eat gluten free. =20 I will make sure to write back our experiences when we return home. Again, thank you for all of your help and recommendations. Carla Logan Since so many of us seem to go to Disney, I thought I'd add my experiences. This was my first trip there since being diagnosed with CD. The dining experience was about as good as I think I can expect short of going to an all-GF place. Let me say that it does help to warn them ahead, but but it's not absolutely necessary. Everywhere I went I found people who knew what they were doing. When you call 407-WDW-DINE and mention gluten they will direct you to the phones for chefs or park food directors for more info. We ate all breakfasts except one in our room and a fair number of lunches or dinners. We rented a refrigerator for $10 a day. The first experience at Disney started a little shakily. I had heard (a fact that was confirmed by the Epcot food director) that you could walk up at Liberty Tree in the USA section of Epcot and get a hamburger or chicken sandwich on a GF bun. Normally this is true but we were there at a very busy time. When I arrived they had just used their last GF bun. Not to worry said the manager, we can get more in 5 minutes and have your meal in 20-25 minutes. I knew I'd have to wait extra so this was fine. 35 minutes later my wife went up to make sure I hadn't been forgotten. My order was just coming out as she walked up. We had needed the rest anyway, but the manager came up, apologized profusely for the delay, and insisted that our whole $27 lunch was free (yes folks, this is what a fast-food lunch for three in Disney costs). The GF bun wasn't worth the effort, IMO. The chicken, however, was delicious, and the fries are in a dedicated cooker. For the second meal we ate dinner at Restaurant Akershus in the Norway section of Epcot. The chef came out and explained everything in great detail, including the fact that I couldn't have one sauce because they couldn't get a guarantee that one of the six mustards used was GF. Part of the meal here is a cold buffet and as we went through it he told me I was welcome to order anything from the back so as to avoid contamination. They even had three desserts I could eat, although he warned me that the flourless chocolate cake was baked in the oven the same time as a pie with gluten (personally, this would not concern me). This meal was delicious and the restaurant is normally not terribly crowded, probably because many of us Americans are loathe to try different foods. The chef also had GF rolls on hand, which weren't bad heated with butter. We also ate at Hollywood and Vine in Disney-MGM. This is another buffet, but once again they'll bring it to you from the back if you want. Despite being extremely busy, the chef came out and walked me through the line describing ingredients in excruciating detail. Most things were GF but a few weren't. Most that weren't he offered to make GF. I declined because there was so much good food (steak, shrimp, salads, roasted veggies, garlic mashed potatoes and more) that was already GF. He then came back out to tell me that he had one GF brownie left. I accepted. Not as good as a Gluten Free Pantry brownie, but more than acceptable with GF soft serve ice cream on top. The next one was the Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge. We had the buffet (actually, family style portions brought to your table so there's no line with those pesky contamination possibilities). The chef came out and explained everything. Only the cole slaw was suspect and only minimally so but he warned me. Whispering Canyon waiters also do fun things like insult you for being late, accuse you of trying to skip out on he bill if you leave for a cell phone call, and abuse you for asking for ketchup. They also made all the men get up and do "I'm a Little Teapot." Last was a character breakfast at Restaurantasuarus in Animal Kingdom. Here, the head chef AND an assistant came out and explained everything. They also insisted on making everything fresh in the back because "this place has a lot of kids and things can get contaminated." Actually, everything is on very separate platters far apart (not crowded next to each other like in a normal buffet) and in general the gluten is far from the non-gluten, but I was happy to have them make it in the back. At all places the chefs reminded and reminded me that I should call for them if I had any further questions or problems. I had to do this only once. The only thing I would mention is that all the chefs talked about a gluten allergy, although they were also aware I couldn't have barley or rye. This didn't bother me personally because it was also obvious they completely understood cross contamination. They get many people with VERY severe allergies. I felt very comfortable eating at Disney. richard First, thank you to everyone who sent replies to my request for dining at Disney. We just returned and had a wonderful experience. I was afraid that I would have to sneak all sorts of gf food into the park, but there was no need. =20 For those of you who asked for a summary of my responses -- The majority of the people said that planning is very important. Decide which park you wish to eat in each day and make reservations. 1-407-WDW-DINE. When you call to make the reservations, mention that you have a dietary concern (no gluten). They then will give you a number to call one week in advance to talk to the head chef at the park at which the reservation has been made. WHen you call, you are basically alerting them that you are coming so that they are prepared. = Both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT chefs sent me via email a listing of fast food places throughout the park that gf items can be found (where dedicated fryers were used for the fries), where you can get GF ice cream, where fresh fruit is sold, what you can eat from the various carts around the park like popcorn and turkey legs etc. It seems that almost everyone had a positive experience with wherever they ate but the following had the most votes for sit down meals: In Magic Kingdom -- Tony's Town Square Restaurant & Liberty Inn Tavern & Crystal Palace.=20 In EPCOT -- Canada or The Garden Grill. (American Adventure for counter service was the favorite of everyone with GF bread for burgers and even GF pizza!) At Animal Kingdom -- Restaurantsaurus & Rainforest Cafe If you stay at one of Disney resorts, let them know that and they will also give you the phone number of the chef at that resort. You can talk to them directly and they will make sure that they have food for you and let you know where you can safely eat. They made my son GF waffles, GF pasta one evening and a GF pizza another. You can also request a refrig for your room. For the fast food places in the park, just ask for the manager and let them know what you need. They will take note of your order and make sure that the help changes their gloves in preparing your burger or whatever. It was nice to see on several receipts -- gf burger! Their service made my son feel special and not different. =20 Michele in MD Isabel Silveira wrote: Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel -- Bill Lucas, Burlington, NJ U.S.A. lucaswe@... Member of CSA/USA South Jersey Chapter # 9; http://home.earthlink.net/~celiac9/ Genealogy: Researching CAIN (PA), DOCK (PA), FLORA (PA), GARNER (PA), LUCAS (NJ/PA), SPEESE (PA), FREYER ?, RANK ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 I've copied all the emails I collected last year prior to our trip last November. Although the celiacs in our group were three adults, my four year old great niece was with us (plus four non celiac adults), and we went to places for children (Chef Mickey's, and the restaurant in Animal Kingdom). Below you'll see a negative review of Port Orleans Riverside, but we had a wonderful experience there. They made a wonderfully flavored pancake, using gf pancake mix for the celiacs. The chef even came out and kneeled down at the table and talked with us. For kids, they make the pancakes in the shape of Mickey. We also had some very nice adult dinners that were very accommodating (we went on a AAA package and had 'wishes' to use for meals and entertainment). I'll give you the numbers I had from last October. If the numbers aren't any good then go on the Disney WEB site and go to guests with disabilities. If you know ahead of time which restaurant you will be eating in then they will give you that Chef's name and direct phone number. Usually you call and leave a message and they get back to you within a day. The restaurant in the Castle ( I think it's called Cinderella's Royal Table) is where they made my granddaughter hambergers and pizza and it was great. The Pizza crust came from Natures Hilights @PO Box 3526, Checa Ca 95927. It was a rice crust and brought us warm rolls. The chef brought out the package and gave me the address. Their rolls were to kill for too as they made my daughter and I a wonderful pasta dish. We ate lunch there and you need reservations. It's on a first come first serve basis and they all fill up quick. If you can it would be better to do on line since you have time. Usually they 're about 3-6 months in advance. They will give you a reservation number which you need to give to the Chef's when you call. If you can't do it on line now then when you go as soon as you go in Disney you need to go to the castle (you go through the castle and the desk is on you right side in the back of the castle to make a reservation. They only do so many on line and then you have to make the others in person.) We also ate in the Grand Floridian breakfast and dinner - the food is awesome and they did macaroni and cheese for us. We ate in the Contemporary Hotel at Chef Mickey's which is a kids dining expereince but there were many adults without kids and they did a wonderful chocolate flourless cake as well as the macaroni and cheese. The other restaurant is the Crystal Palace and that is my favorite one as I think the quality of food is better there. Once again reservations for there must be made in advance. If you don't do it on line then when you go in Disney you go to Guest relations (on the right as soon as you get through the main gate-) and make your reservation there. All the buffet dinner's are $19.95 but they are well worth it as there are at least 6 entree's including prime rib and shrimp cocktail When you get there you tell the waiter/waitress that you spoke to Chef ______ and someone will come out and walk the buffet with you. Main reservation line for all the restaurants is tell them about your disability and they will give you each phone number if there are other places you want to eat. They can also direct you to the Fast food restaurants within the park. On most days we ate a big breakfast and then maybe a turkey leg or salad for lunch and a big dinner. The day we had lunch in the Castle we just had cereal for breakfast(that was when Kellogs Sugar Corn Pops wee GF) we took the little boxes and got milk. The Grand Floridian Chef 's number is Chef Mickey's Buffet @ the Contemporary Chef's number is . EPCOT-Alfredo's in Italy, LeCellier in Canada, Sci-Fi diner @MGM, Fulton's Crab House Stay away from Planet Hollywood. Their group is also doing a luncheon at Maggiano's Little Italy-the same restaurant I told our group about a year ago in Phila. this restaurant chain had done a luncheon for GIG during their meeting in colorado and chicago. also Bonefish grill which is a sister restaurant of OUTACK also has a GF menu. you can view the menu at www.bonefishgrill.com. I believe there is one in Phila. Also there are great cheese rolls that are GF that are called AHDRI Cheese Buns. They have the crust of french bread and a cheese center and are the best I have ever eaten. In fact I bought 10 bags in the 3 weeks I've been here. They are in her local supermarket (Publix) Maybe they would send samples for the Sept. meeting. the info is Ahdri Disttributor, PO Box 226226, Miam Fla 33122-6226 . www.ahdri.com.\ I received a ton of responses about dinning at Disney World. Thank you all for your help! I sounds like it is Gluten Free Heaven. Many people asked me to summarize so I copied a few of the many Reponses I received including responses from people in the food & beverage area of WDW and Epcot...how nice was that. This is a long summary but it is all really good information. In response to your post on the Celiac List, you will have a great time at Disney. It is the easiest place to eat gluten free. My whole family is on a gluten-free diet (including a 2 year old and a 4 year old). I contacted Disney and made priority seating reservations at the restaurants we were interested in. I advised them that we needed gf meals, and they gave me a direct line to the chef at each restaurant. Then I called a week ahead to discuss meals with the chef. At each restaurant, we were personally greeted by the chef. They are very familiar with Celiac, and knew about hidden ingredients, etc. The chef told us what we could eat and made every attempt to make us special foods so that we could have what we wanted. Some of the places I would recommend were: Chef Mickey's (character dinner at the Contemporary--the chef even offered us flourless cake for dessert) 's Restaurantosaurus (sp?) Character breakfast at Animal Kingdom. The chef made us special GF chocolate chip pancakes. O'Hana at the Polynesian--they had delicious wonton appetizers made with rice wrappers, and the chef made us everything else they would normall serve using gf soy sauce Hollywood & Vine buffet at MGM--the chef made me a special salmon meal, because the one on the buffet had gluten. The kids only wanted fries, so the server made a special trip over to Mc's to get them for the kids. Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot We had a bad experience at the Brewery (forget the name) restaurant at the Boardwalk where the waitress was a little bit of a know it all and served us Rice Pilaf that I'm sure had gluten in it, because the next day I paid for it, so I would definitely stay with the Disney restaurants in the hotels and parks. As far as eating self-service type restaurants in the parks, I have heard that you can go to guest services when you arrive at the parks and request fast service meals that are GF-- I didn't know about this until after we came back. One nice thing for the kids was that there are Mc's fries only stands at all the parks for a snack. We also ate the turkey legs that they have at most parks. The other thing I did that worked out nice was I shipped all our favorite GF snacks, cookies, and chips along with some Thai Kitchen noodle soups to the hotel ahead of time so the kids would have things to munch on. If you have food allergies/intolerances, they have no problem allowing you to bring your own snacks into the park. We felt so spoiled while there with the restaurants--it was so nice not to worry about eating out. Aside from the Brewery experience, we didn't have any adverse reactions to any of our meals. Have a great time. Feel free to write back with any questions K. Orange, CT We recently came back and also stayed at the Contemporary. We had a great experience. Let them know you are coming and they will get gf waffles, bread, pizza, pasta , brownies, and cookies. Both chef Mickey and California grill can accommodate you. Also the snack bar off the arcade will get special food for you in advance but you have to call first. Have fun I have never had a problem at WDW. You can call , which is the dietary phone numder for the park. But I found it was not even necessary! I walked into everywhere(!) and said I needed GF food and got it. The chef usually comes out and speaks about the food to see what he can do. I think the only time it is necessary to call is when attending a restaurant where only one meal is served, such as The Hoop De-Do Revue or the Laui at The Polynesian. At these events my daughter was given enough food to last a week. And at the Hoop De-Do the chef called me 3 times to make sure she would get foods and brands she enjoyed eating.=20 Leigh Disney is a paradise of gf food. chef mickey's and the steak house at the contemporary offer plenty to eat. the character breakfast has gf waffles (if you tell them ahead of time.) they also have gf bread, rolls, and will make anything you want. Ask to speak to a chef when you arrive but be sure to call ahead and the service will be outstanding. Anywhere you eat in any of the parks will accomodate you. the vendors are mostly safe as well. there are Mc french fries stands and roasted turkey legs that are safe as are all fruit pops and some of the ice cream pops. Speak to the managers in the lunch places and they'll tell you what's safe. Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. Epcot is trickier since each restaurant is representing a different country. I ran into language issues a couple of times but had a great meal at the chinese pavilion. I'm sure the japanese pavilion will be fine. you might want to bring your own soy sauce to open up more menu choices. Calling ahead to where you want to eat will allow you the greatest variety but even unannounced you will eat better than you ever imagined! I go every year and I take pictures of all my meals for my scrap book. It's the only time anyone cooks for me! hi wendy.... we went to disney last september with my family. here are some of my notes on what you can eat in the park, and contact names/numbers to make arrangements for certain meals. we ate just fine at the princess breakfast in the castle, alfredos in epcot (although prior we ate at the japanese rest.) and the Prime Time Cafe at MGM. The chefs and the staff, and especially Sharon (listed below) are just great! Good luck and have fun! Magic Kingdom Sleepy Hollow / caramel corn Aloha Isle / pineapple dairy swirl Cosmic CafE / rotisseri chix Main Street Ice Cream Shop (ask manager for gf ice cream in back) Hamburgers, hot dogs without buns Turkey legs Frozen lemonade Ketchup Snow cones Strawberry juice bars Itsakadoozie Baked potato popcorn MGM Contact: LaDuke All areas except ABC Commisary have gluten free french fries EPCOT=20 Contact: Sharon Schifano Liberty Inn hot dogs / hamburgers / french fries, gluten free bread / grilled chix sandwich, turkey club, gluten free pizza in the freezer (ingredient book at cash register), haagen daas ice cream Turkey legs / popcorn / strawberry juice bars / Itzakadoozie bars Pure & Simple (Wonders of life pavilion) fruit smoothies MGM Prime Time Cafe Restaurant # re Gluten Free # =20 Try a gf pizza at tony's town square or stop by the Liberty tree tavern for fresh ham and turkey dinners. ===================================== We did have one other chef which was somewhat problematic. At breakfast at Boatwright's Dining Hall at Port Orleans Riverside, the chef came out to talk to us. He seemed put out to have to make gluten free pancakes. He said he was really busy and it would take awhile. We said we would wait. He came out about ten minutes later and asked if we really needed him to use a separate pan or if he could use the grill where he was making all the other pancakes. He said it would really save him a lot of time to use the same grill. We told him that we absolutely needed a separate pan. He used (I'm sorry I didn't realize the end got caught off of my earlier post..) I was saying that the chef asked if he could use the same grill. We told him absolutely not and he did use a clean pan. We had no problem with the food there. In the end, we definitely want to applaud Disney World for all they do to accomodate all kinds of special diets. As in any situation when dining away from home, I have to remember to keep my guard up. I also just wanted everyone to be aware that they switched to using the DeLand rolls the end of Oct/beg of Nov of this year so you can make an informed choice on whether or not you or your child wants to eat them. If I would have known, I would not have taken the chance. Thanks. Thank you to all of you who wrote me with such great information! I am feeling much better about the trip now that I have heard from you. The overwhelming consensus seems to be that Disney is the easiest place to eat Gluten Free for our kiddos! Many told me to contact the executive chefs for each hotel/park at least a week ahead of time and speak with them about our diet restrictions. Most seemed to feel the chefs were very kowledgeable about a gluten free diet and would be very helpful in finding things for us to eat at each restaurant. =20 I got many replies that felt the Turkey legs, French fries, popcorn, and hotdogs/hamburgers with no buns would be gluten free at the fast food locations in the park. Some mentioned talking to the manager to make sure first but Mcs has several locations where their fries are cooked separately. Some of the ice cream pavilions have GF ice cream in the back, so just ask for it. Tony's was mentioned in the Magic Kingdom as having GF pizza, and I heard Liberty Tree Tavern many times as a good place to eat there as well with GF rolls and brownies. Some felt Epcot was the easiest place to eat because of the variations of food in each country; others thought there was a language barrier that worried them about trusting who they were talking to in the restaurants. I was also told that each fast food place has a book at their counter which contains the list of ingredients in everything they serve. Finally, many said the chefs were happy to fix food items for them from the back of the kitchen when eating at a buffet style restaurant to lessen the risk of contamination. Many mentioned the character breakfasts are a must and are very easy to eat GF at if you contact the chef ahead of time so they can have GF pancakes and waffles on hand. Boma at Animal Kingdom was also a favorite. I was also given advice to look in the archives regarding this subject and to look at delphiforums archives as well. I was given the phone # 407-WDW-DINE many times to call and set up reservations at locations and to let them know about our need to eat gluten free. =20 I will make sure to write back our experiences when we return home. Again, thank you for all of your help and recommendations. Carla Logan Since so many of us seem to go to Disney, I thought I'd add my experiences. This was my first trip there since being diagnosed with CD. The dining experience was about as good as I think I can expect short of going to an all-GF place. Let me say that it does help to warn them ahead, but but it's not absolutely necessary. Everywhere I went I found people who knew what they were doing. When you call 407-WDW-DINE and mention gluten they will direct you to the phones for chefs or park food directors for more info. We ate all breakfasts except one in our room and a fair number of lunches or dinners. We rented a refrigerator for $10 a day. The first experience at Disney started a little shakily. I had heard (a fact that was confirmed by the Epcot food director) that you could walk up at Liberty Tree in the USA section of Epcot and get a hamburger or chicken sandwich on a GF bun. Normally this is true but we were there at a very busy time. When I arrived they had just used their last GF bun. Not to worry said the manager, we can get more in 5 minutes and have your meal in 20-25 minutes. I knew I'd have to wait extra so this was fine. 35 minutes later my wife went up to make sure I hadn't been forgotten. My order was just coming out as she walked up. We had needed the rest anyway, but the manager came up, apologized profusely for the delay, and insisted that our whole $27 lunch was free (yes folks, this is what a fast-food lunch for three in Disney costs). The GF bun wasn't worth the effort, IMO. The chicken, however, was delicious, and the fries are in a dedicated cooker. For the second meal we ate dinner at Restaurant Akershus in the Norway section of Epcot. The chef came out and explained everything in great detail, including the fact that I couldn't have one sauce because they couldn't get a guarantee that one of the six mustards used was GF. Part of the meal here is a cold buffet and as we went through it he told me I was welcome to order anything from the back so as to avoid contamination. They even had three desserts I could eat, although he warned me that the flourless chocolate cake was baked in the oven the same time as a pie with gluten (personally, this would not concern me). This meal was delicious and the restaurant is normally not terribly crowded, probably because many of us Americans are loathe to try different foods. The chef also had GF rolls on hand, which weren't bad heated with butter. We also ate at Hollywood and Vine in Disney-MGM. This is another buffet, but once again they'll bring it to you from the back if you want. Despite being extremely busy, the chef came out and walked me through the line describing ingredients in excruciating detail. Most things were GF but a few weren't. Most that weren't he offered to make GF. I declined because there was so much good food (steak, shrimp, salads, roasted veggies, garlic mashed potatoes and more) that was already GF. He then came back out to tell me that he had one GF brownie left. I accepted. Not as good as a Gluten Free Pantry brownie, but more than acceptable with GF soft serve ice cream on top. The next one was the Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge. We had the buffet (actually, family style portions brought to your table so there's no line with those pesky contamination possibilities). The chef came out and explained everything. Only the cole slaw was suspect and only minimally so but he warned me. Whispering Canyon waiters also do fun things like insult you for being late, accuse you of trying to skip out on he bill if you leave for a cell phone call, and abuse you for asking for ketchup. They also made all the men get up and do "I'm a Little Teapot." Last was a character breakfast at Restaurantasuarus in Animal Kingdom. Here, the head chef AND an assistant came out and explained everything. They also insisted on making everything fresh in the back because "this place has a lot of kids and things can get contaminated." Actually, everything is on very separate platters far apart (not crowded next to each other like in a normal buffet) and in general the gluten is far from the non-gluten, but I was happy to have them make it in the back. At all places the chefs reminded and reminded me that I should call for them if I had any further questions or problems. I had to do this only once. The only thing I would mention is that all the chefs talked about a gluten allergy, although they were also aware I couldn't have barley or rye. This didn't bother me personally because it was also obvious they completely understood cross contamination. They get many people with VERY severe allergies. I felt very comfortable eating at Disney. richard First, thank you to everyone who sent replies to my request for dining at Disney. We just returned and had a wonderful experience. I was afraid that I would have to sneak all sorts of gf food into the park, but there was no need. =20 For those of you who asked for a summary of my responses -- The majority of the people said that planning is very important. Decide which park you wish to eat in each day and make reservations. 1-407-WDW-DINE. When you call to make the reservations, mention that you have a dietary concern (no gluten). They then will give you a number to call one week in advance to talk to the head chef at the park at which the reservation has been made. WHen you call, you are basically alerting them that you are coming so that they are prepared. = Both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT chefs sent me via email a listing of fast food places throughout the park that gf items can be found (where dedicated fryers were used for the fries), where you can get GF ice cream, where fresh fruit is sold, what you can eat from the various carts around the park like popcorn and turkey legs etc. It seems that almost everyone had a positive experience with wherever they ate but the following had the most votes for sit down meals: In Magic Kingdom -- Tony's Town Square Restaurant & Liberty Inn Tavern & Crystal Palace.=20 In EPCOT -- Canada or The Garden Grill. (American Adventure for counter service was the favorite of everyone with GF bread for burgers and even GF pizza!) At Animal Kingdom -- Restaurantsaurus & Rainforest Cafe If you stay at one of Disney resorts, let them know that and they will also give you the phone number of the chef at that resort. You can talk to them directly and they will make sure that they have food for you and let you know where you can safely eat. They made my son GF waffles, GF pasta one evening and a GF pizza another. You can also request a refrig for your room. For the fast food places in the park, just ask for the manager and let them know what you need. They will take note of your order and make sure that the help changes their gloves in preparing your burger or whatever. It was nice to see on several receipts -- gf burger! Their service made my son feel special and not different. =20 Michele in MD Isabel Silveira wrote: Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? Thanks, Isabel -- Bill Lucas, Burlington, NJ U.S.A. lucaswe@... Member of CSA/USA South Jersey Chapter # 9; http://home.earthlink.net/~celiac9/ Genealogy: Researching CAIN (PA), DOCK (PA), FLORA (PA), GARNER (PA), LUCAS (NJ/PA), SPEESE (PA), FREYER ?, RANK ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 There is a whole section about Disney in our FILES section, under the TRAVEL folder... I think I have put at least 5 or 6 things about going to Disney... while GF. Enjoy! > Could anyone who has visited Disneyland with celiac children please advise me of what hotels/restaurants offer gluten free meals? > > Thanks, > Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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