Gluten Free at Walt Disney World
When you have a food allergy dining out can go from something fun to something very overwhelming! Especially if you don't know what to expect. Thankfully, dining at Walt Disney World with a food allergy is something that most people describe as a magical experience.
We have been visiting Walt Disney World and dining with Food Allergies for years so let me help you and tell you all of the things that I wish I knew before our first trip! In this post I am going to break down EVERYTHING you need to know about eating Gluten Free at Walt Disney World. I will include all of the details about allergy friendly dining at Walt Disney World including how to order, what not to miss, and what to avoid. Though this post is specifically focusing on dining with a gluten allergy, most of the principals here apply to all allergies!
How to Order an Allergy Meal at Walt Disney World
First of all let's go over how to order an allergy meal at Walt Disney World.
When dining at a table service restaurant the process begins when you make the reservation. As you are reviewing the information there is a button on the bottom of the page that says "Add a Food Allergy or Request" this is where you will check off any Special Dietary Requests that are needed in your party.
When you arrive at the restaurant and check in, the Cast Member will confirm the allergy request and they will usually stamp your seating ticket with a red "ALLERGY" stamp. This alerts your server that there is a there is an allergy in the party. At this point, most Walt Disney World restaurants have a pretty extensive allergy menu at each location. The server will bring an allergy menu and ask if you feel comfortable ordering with her or if you would like to speak to the chef.
For us personally, we don't feel the need to speak to a chef every time as we have never had a bad experience ordering off the allergy menu. However, if you have any questions at all about what is on the menu or the practices in the kitchen feel free to ask to speak to the chef!
The allergy meal will typically come out of the kitchen on it's own and not with the rest of the food for your party. It should always have a wooden stick in the meal that reads "Allergy" that way you know it's been handled properly!
Next let's talk about eating Gluten Free when dining at a Quick Service location. The process here is similar with a few exceptions. Since you don't make reservations to dine at quick service locations they don't know you are coming. At most quick service locations you wait in a line, place the order and pay and then proceed to a window where you pick up your order. When you walk into the quick service location the menu is either handed to you or on a board above the ordering area (usually both). This will help you get an idea of what is available, although you won't know for sure until you see the allergy menu. If there is a cast member handing out menus when you walk into the location, feel free to ask them for an allergy menu. If not, no worries! When you get to the cast member taking orders simply notify them of your allergy, and request an allergy menu. Just like table service locations they will likely ask if you are comfortable ordering with them or if you would like to speak to a manager. At quick service locations the manager is in charge of your order. Since most of the food at quick service locations is ready to go and just needs to be put on a tray, your order will take longer than the rest of your party. Just be patient as the manager is making sure your order is prepared safely. Some locations will offer you a pager to return once your food is ready, and others will ask you to stand to the side while the food is being prepared. At quick service locations all allergy food is brought out on a green tray by the manager.
Lastly in this section I want to talk about Gluten Free when using Mobile Ordering. Mobile ordering can be super convenient when you are at the parks or resorts. You can order, and pay all within the My Disney Experience app. The only issue is, not every single location has an Allergy Menu in the app. Below you can find screen shots of what it looks like when the allergy friendly options are listed in the app. If you don't see the "Allergy-Friendly" icon, if you have multiple allergies, or you don't see your allergy listed you will still need to order in person at the restaurant.
Gluten Free at Disney FAQ's
What Disney Parks classics are naturally Gluten Free? Popcorn from the carts, Mickey Bars, Dole Whip and Turkey Legs are all naturally gluten free items!
How do I know my meal is Gluten Free? Cast Members are well trained when it comes to allergies but if you are uncomfortable you should always ask to speak to a chef or manager. Cast Members will also be able to show you the allergy binder where every single item offered at that location is listed along with all of the ingredients. Meals with an allergy request will typically come out separate from the rest of the meal, with a wooden "allergy" stick and if it's a quick service, on a green tray.
Will my Gluten Free meal cost more? Unlike most restaurants, Disney does not typically add any additional fees when you order an Allergy Meal including substitutions like a Gluten Free bun.
Will my Gluten Free meal take longer to prepare? Sometimes! As I mentioned when I talked about quick service the order will need to be prepared according to the locations allergy protocols. This means you will typically be waiting longer for your meal to arrive safely.
Can I really eat Gluten Free anywhere at Walt Disney World? For the most part, yes! All restaurant locations (quick service and table service) will have something to offer you. Snack carts are more limited, and while they will be able to help you decide if you can safely eat something, they may not have anything that works for your allergy and you will have to skip that location!
I need something quick! Where can I go? If it's a snack-emergency and you can't think of any place to go head into any gift shop. Disney has a selection of pre-packaged snacks under the name "Snacks with Character" that are allergy friendly.
Are there any Gluten Free things to avoid? With all of the amazing Gluten Free treats offered at Walt Disney World, there are some things that in my opinion are things to avoid. The rolls Disney brings you before a table service meal are almost always as hard as a hockey puck. There are a few places that seem to know how to properly heat the rolls, like Kona cafe, but in my opinion they are a total skip!
Gluten Free at Disney by Location
When I first began sharing about our Gluten Free experience at Walt Disney World years ago there was little to no information being put out by Disney in regards to the menus and offerings. That meant a large focus of what I was sharing on my blog included all of the options you would be able to get with a gluten allergy and photos of the menu items. More recently Disney made the decision to put together actual allergy menus for each location. This made a lot of the information I was sharing before unnecessary, since you can find all of these menus very easily in the My Disney Experience app. The availability of this information is what prompted me to create one big blog post with all of the information that you might need to know about the process of ensuring that you have a magical allergy friendly experience. With that being said, there are still some of our personal favorites and hidden gems that are not to be missed! I am going to share those by location now.
Gluten Free at Disney Springs
Blaze Pizza - This create your own pizza place offers a few different Gluten Free crust options and they will happily change their gloves and get you toppings from the back or under the counter to make sure your pizza stays Gluten Free. They also fire your pizza on a special mat so it does not touch the oven where the other pizzas are fired and they have an allergy cutting station as well.
DLuxe Burger - So much more than just your basic burger and fries place! The fries are the stand out here and so are all of the homemade sauces you can dip them in, all of which are Gluten Free!
Erin McKenna's Bakery - 100% Gluten Free and Vegan bakery that offers everything from donuts to cupcakes to an amazing item called the kitchen sink that's a little bit of everything.
Frontera Cocina - A large portion of the menu is naturally Gluten Free, and everything is clearly labeled if it contains gluten right on the menu. Personally this is my favorite Disney Springs restaurant. My menu suggestion is to order the Shrimp Mojo de Ajo.
Raglan Road/Cookes of Dublin - the only place to get Gluten Free Fish and Chips on Disney property. If you are looking for a table service dinner and show experience make sure you make a reservation for dinner at Raglan Road. If you are just interested in the best Gluten Free Fish and Chips you will ever eat in your life, visit their quick service location that is on the side of the main restaurant, Cookes of Dublin for the same meal for a whole lot cheaper.
Gluten Free at Magic Kingdom
Aloha Isle - Dole Whip's home at Magic Kingdom. You can find this treat in several variations including floats and swirls at Aloha Isle. Since there is no risk of cross contamination here I would suggest mobile ordering as the line can be super long!
Columbia Harbor House - This will always be our go to spot in the Magic Kingdom for chicken tenders and fries because you can eat upstairs and if you sit by a window you get a really nice view of the park that's great for people watching!
Gastons Tavern - While you're not going to find any sweet bake treats that compare to the gluten filled cinnamon roll that's roughly the size of a barge at Gaston's Tavern it is home to the Gluten Free LeFou's Brew a frozen apple and marshmallow drink that is topped with passionfruit foam.
Ice Cream Carts - These are the same ice cream carts that you will see across Disney property. The classic Mickey Bars are Gluten Free!
Popcorn Carts - All of the popcorn carts across Disney property offer Gluten Free popcorn.
Skipper Canteen - This is one of the few places on property that you can order a true Gluten Free fried chicken. They also have a yummy Thai noodle dish that I love.
The Crystal Palace - This is one of our favorite all you care to enjoy restaurants at Disney. It's in such an iconic location, and the allergy friendly options are great!
Gluten Free at Epcot
Garden Grill - To us the perfect Epcot day begins with a pre-park opening breakfast at Garden Grill. There you will find all you care to enjoy Mickey Waffles and all of your classic breakfast favorites.
La Cantina de San Angel (Mexico Pavilion) - This is one of the quickest spots to eat because all of their Gluten Free menu items are already prepared in a dedicated spot in the kitchen. That means instead of waiting for a manager to prepare your meal, it's ready to go!
L'Artisan des Glaces (France Pavilion) - Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich. These amazing treats are always available in chocolate and at least one other seasonal flavor. This is my all time favorite Disney snack, and if I am at Epcot you better believe I am getting one of these. If you are very sensitive to cross contamination you might want to ask for one from the back, just let them know that you are ordering with a Gluten Allergy and they will take care of you.
Festival Time - If it's festival time that adds a whole bunch of new options into the mix! Thankfully Disney clearly marks which festival items are Gluten Free both in the passport and on the signs in front of each kiosk.
Gluten Free at Hollywood Studios
Baseline Tap House - The Instagram famous California Cheese and Charcuterie Plate is available Gluten Free and it's an amazing price for a snack in the parks. You can also find a few options here for Gluten Free beer and cider.
Docking Bay 7 - The menu has changed here a bit since the last time we personally ate here but you will find the most unique quick service options on property at Docking Bay 7. My personal menu pick is the Felucian Kefta and Hummus Garden Spread, which isn't listed as being Gluten Free but is as long as you order with no pita!
Sci-Fi Dine-In - I dream about the buffalo chicken salad from Sci-Fi Dine-In. They will also make you an entree that features the buffalo chicken tenders and fries. Pair that with a chocolate milk shake that can be made dairy free too and you have my ideal theme park dinner.
Woody's Lunch Box - If it's breakfast you better believe I'm headed to Woody's Lunch Box for a Potato Barrels breakfast bowl (hold the gravy to make it Gluten Free) if it's such the Smoked Turkey and a side of Tomato-Basil soup or the Totchos are what I am going to order!
Gluten Free at Animal Kingdom
Nomad Lounge - This is a must stop! Gluten Free churros are the icing on the cake of the many unique and yummy offerings at Nomad Lounge. It's also a great atmosphere and helps you escape the theme park for a little bit.
Satu'li Canteen - I think everyone who eats here would have to agree that Satu'li Canteen is the best quick service spot in Animal Kingdom. The menu features bowls, and most of the items are Gluten Free by nature!
Gluten Free at Disney Resorts
Most of the resorts will have a lot of the same offerings as the parks. Burgers, fries, pizza and sandwiches can be found in variations on pretty much every menu. In the resort section I am only going to share my absolute not to be missed items that you can't find anywhere else. If the resort you are staying at isn't on this list, no need to panic! That just means that we haven't found anything spectacular that would make it worth the trip to the resort just for the food. I promise you won't go hungry!
Animal Kingdom Resort - Bread service at Sanaa. It's housemate Gluten Free flatbread that comes with amazing spreads and toppings to dip. You also need to make sure you try the Gluten Free Zebra Domes. You can sometimes find them in the fridge in the gift shop, but typically you will need to go head to The Mara (quick service location) and ask for them from the back.
Contemporary Resort - If you splurge on one meal at Walt Disney World it should be California Grill Brunch. This goes down as one of the best meals of my life, and pretty much everyone who dines there agrees. It is a SPLURGE, however, it's all you care to enjoy and comes with bottomless mimosas. If you are looking for another amazing option that's very reasonably priced, the Wave offers an avocado toast that can be made Gluten Free that is super yummy.
Coronado Springs - Three Bridges Bar and Grill. They have some really unique options here like cheese dip with chorizo (or vegan chorizo) and you can also order Gluten Free churros similar to the ones that they offer at Animal Kingdom.
Grand Floridian - I love the quick service at the Grand Floridian, Gasparilla Island Grill. They have really great sandwiches and house made chips that are Gluten Free. Our fancy date night favorite is Narcoossee's. There you will find an amazing selection that includes Gluten Free fried calamari.
Polynesian Resort - Kona Cafe offers lots of Gluten Free sushi rolls which can be hard to find locally so that's a great spot to check out. If you are looking for something quicker head to Capt. Cooks and order the Thai Coconut Meatballs!
Port Orleans French Quarter - Gluten Free Beignets. Need I say more? You can sometimes even find them in seasonal flavors like peppermint and pumpkin spice!
Wilderness Lodge - Our favorite spot at Wilderness Lodge is Geyser Point Bar & Grill. Not only is the setting amazing, right there on the lagoon, but the food is great too! They make amazing burgers and waffle fries!
Yacht Club - Ale & Compass has amazing meals for lunch and dinner but were this location truly shines is breakfast! It's one of our favorites and a great deal a Disney meal.
Disney is always evolving and changing their menu items and offerings up. I hope this post helps anyone who is visiting Walt Disney World Resort with an allergy feel more confident in the offerings and how to make sure you receive a safe meal! If you have any suggestions or edits you would like me to include in this post please send me an email using the contact form and I will be sure to check it out.
Eating out with a Gluten Allergy can be overwhelming as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, but at Disney it's just another one of the magical things that you will experience on your trip!
