Delight in Gluten-Free at Disney World With These 5 Secrets!
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If you’re reading this post, then you likely manage Celiac disease or gluten intolerance and are either heading to Disney World or thinking about it. If so, I want your family’s vacation to be gluten-free and magical!
I love Disney World because they’re super helpful when it comes to special diets, but there are some little-known facts and tips you need to know.
If we haven’t met, I’m Corinna.
I’m a 16-year food allergy mom turned Food Allergy Coach and we’ve traveled the WORLD with multiple, severe food allergies (peanut and tree nut allergies and gluten intolerance). We’ve been to the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Bahamas, Mexico, and all over Canada and the USA and more.
We’ve been to Disney World many times.
All this travel experience has allowed me to help hundreds of food allergy & Celiac families travel safer, with less stress and anxiety with the Food Allergy Travel Workshop and travel blogs.
Disney has created a reputation for being allergy and gluten-friendly and has become a trusted vacation spot for many gluten-free and celiac families, but as I mentioned before there are some essential tips you need to know.
Secrets for Eating Gluten-Free at Disney World
Secret #1: Is Disney good for gluten-free?
Given Disney’s overall knowledge, procedures, and number of gluten-free options, I would say that Disney World is definitely good for gluten-free diets, including intolerances and Celiac. That said, as it is at home, eating gluten-free at Disney World does come with some additional work and research required (see the next point).
Secret #2. Is it easy to eat gluten-free at Disney?
It is possible to EASILY eat gluten-free at Disney World, but here’s my caveat. If you want to make eating gluten-free at Disney easy, you’ll need to research and plan well in advance.
Why?
Not all quick-service restaurants have gluten-friendly options, and Disney World is fast-paced with lots of line-ups. The last thing you want to do is wait in a long line only to find that there isn’t anything gluten-friendly to eat.
Second,
If the restaurant has gluten-friendly options and you are Celiac or traces of gluten cause trouble for you, you will need to discuss cross-contact with the chef at every restaurant, every time.
This is because of Disney’s policy that “may contain” statements are not considered when they create their menus, and that they lump all sorts of gluten situations into one “allergy-friendly” statement. When I first read this statement on a menu, I honestly thought it was just a way for Disney to cover itself legally. It wasn’t until I read the Disney Gluten Free Guide by Mouse Ear Memories (link below) that I understood what the statement meant and what precautions to take to ensure the food was prepared in the safest way possible.
You can see the statement here at the top of the allergy and gluten-friendly menu:
RECOMMENDED DISNEY GLUTEN-FREE GUIDES
If you want the EASIEST and most stress-free way to eat gluten-free at Disney, I highly recommend you check out the Disney Gluten-Free Guide by Mouse Ear Memories.
This guide is automatically updated every 1-2 months and has the most current list of all the quick service, table service, and kiosks with gluten-free items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It also has all the best gluten-free snacks and hidden menu items in the parks AND resorts.
You’ll also get information about dedicated fryers, recommended desserts, the best snacks, and EPCOT festivals too.
Honestly, when you’re already spending so much on Disney, you’ll want to optimize your time there with this guide!
*When you click on the link above you will be brought to the Mouse Ear Memories Website. I completely trust and recommend this website for its Disney Guides!
Here is a picture of the guide:
I didn’t know about this guide when we were at Disney World last and now that I do, I wouldn’t go to Disney without it. The guide is so helpful, and I love that the guide is automatically updated so that I can be assured that we have the most up-to-date information, no matter when our trip is.
Secret #3. Does Disney have gluten-free desserts?
YES! Delicious gluten-free desserts are often a struggle and one of the things that I wish my daughter didn’t have to miss out on most. It can be heartbreaking to not be able to give her what everyone else can have.
That’s why we love that Disney makes an effort to offer gluten-free desserts. There’s delicious gluten-free churros, beignets, and other goodies too! That said, these desserts are NOT at EVERY quick service or table restaurant, and can be hard to find.
If gluten-free desserts are a priority, it’s best to research and find them in advance so you don’t have to spend precious time searching at the park.
You can do this yourself by looking at the gluten-friendly menus in the Disney World app. Unfortunately, Disney doesn’t make it very easy to find gluten-free options on their menu because there’s no way to search for restaurants with gluten-free options. You’ll have to look through every restaurant's menu and scroll to the bottom to see what there is and decide on the best option for you.
The Mouse Ears Memories/Safe Disney Food Gluten Free Disney World Guide has a detailed list of all the gluten-free desserts, sweets, and snacks in every park and resort. This guide makes it seriously easy to make sure nobody is left out, no matter where you are on the property.
*When you click on the link you will be brought to the Mouse Ear Memories Website. I completely trust and recommend this website for its Disney Gluten Free and Food Allergy Guides!
Secret #4. Not all Cast Members are fully trained for Celiac or where traces of gluten may be a problem.
Some cast members are part of the Disney College Program and may only have worked at Disney for a few weeks, and they are not fully trained about Celiac requirements. If you’re in this situation, and you find the Cast Member isn’t prioritizing your needs, it’s ok to ask for more assistance.
One of the cool things about the Disney Gluten-Free Guide is that there are actual scripts with the wordings that Cast Members will understand so you can communicate your gluten-free requirements in a quick and easy way so you can get your meal, the way you need it, as quickly as possible and get back to the magic!
*When you click on the link you will be brought to the Mouse Ear Memories Website. I completely trust and recommend this website for its Disney Guides!
Secret #5. Disney World is great but isn’t perfect with gluten-free.
While Disney World has a great reputation in the food allergy & gluten-free community, it’s still important to take precautions. Nobody is perfect and safety is the first priority!
Walt Disney manages gluten-free options in a unique way, and as I mentioned above, I honestly didn’t fully understand how it all worked until I received my Disney Gluten-Free Guide. For example, until I read this guide, I had no idea that if you are concerned about “may contain” statements, it’s ALWAYS best to talk to the manager or chef.
This is so important, and these guides are seriously helpful!
*When you click on the link you will be brought to the Mouse Ear Memories Website. I completely trust and recommend this website for its Disney Guides!
Here’s a picture of the Gluten Free Guide:
Disney Gluten-Free Menu Examples
Now that we’ve covered those little-known facts about gluten-free at Disney World you may want to see an example of an allergy menu showing the gluten-free options.
Keep in mind that menus & ingredients can change quickly and so this menu is outdated.
Also, not every restaurant at Disney has gluten-free options, so it’s important to research ahead of time so you don’t waste a lot of time searching for food when at the parks.
I hope these pictures will help you understand what gluten-free food is like at Disney World.
Disney Gluten-Free Menu - MAGIC KINGDOM
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe (In Frontierland near Splash Mountain)
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn Allergy Menu at Magic Kingdom in Disney World
Note: This restaurant had a topping bar which we weren’t comfortable with because of the chance of cross-contact and contamination. This meant that our kiddo didn’t get anything extra except the meat and cheese on her nachos. If we would have known, we would have asked them to put some toppings on her nachos in the back when we first ordered.
BONUS SECRET #6…
If you’re headed to Disney and you haven’t checked out the Disney Gluten-Free Guide, you’ll want to do it before leaving this post.
Even if you aren’t going to Disney for a while, you can buy it now and start planning since you’ll automatically be sent new updates.
Here are a few reasons you should check out this guide:
You’ll know all the insider tips and tricks for eating gluten-free at Disney.
The guides will help you reduce stress and anxiety for your trip.
You’ll be able to share the guides with travel companions so they understand the extra steps required for eating gluten-free at Disney and why they may need to be patient. They will also learn how to order for you if needed.
AND ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE…
You’ll know exactly where to find all the best gluten-free food and treats so you can enjoy your trip and save many hours searching. There’s no need for disappointment because nobody has to miss out!
*You’ll be brought to the Mouse Ear Memories Website when you click on the link. I completely trust and recommend this website for its Disney Guides!
Do you need information about other food allergies?
Check out this post: Unlock the Magic of Disney Allergy Menus.
Or this one: Must-try Snacks for Peanut Allergies at Disney World.
Was this post helpful? Let me know if you have questions in the comments!
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