Eating Gluten-Free at Walt Disney World
Traveling with food allergies or dietary restrictions can be difficult, so I am thrilled to tell you that Disney has many options to choose from!
My name is Meagan and I am a Senior Vacation Coordinator at David’s Vacation Club Rentals. When I was told I would be going on a learning trip to Walt Disney World I was thrilled! But my excitement was dampened slightly by the thought, but what will I eat? I have Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten and wheat. While Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease rather than a sensitivity or allergy, I was able to utilize the Allergy-Friendly menus available online to find food free from wheat and gluten that I would be safe to eat.
I recommend doing some research before you go so you have a list of places on hand to choose from – there are so many options available at Disney World that the choices can be overwhelming. By having a few places picked out ahead of time, you can plan your day around one or two areas where you know you will be able to eat.
While it always pays to be prepared, sometimes plans can change! Luckily Disney makes finding allergy-friendly options easy with the My Disney Experience App. Simply enter in where you will be dining and select the menu. If you scroll down to the bottom of the menu, there will be an Allergy-Friendly section that identifies which allergens the dish is free from! I quickly learned to utilize this menu to find choices that I could eat. It is also useful to speak to the Cast Member at your dining location to notify them of your allergy when ordering.
When ordering off the Allergy Friendly menu using the mobile order option, your food will arrive boxed up and sealed with a purple allergy sticker to indicate that the food was prepared separately for you.
When in doubt – check the ingredients! Prepackaged food is available throughout the parks and resorts. Always make sure to read the ingredients before eating!
While Disney does their best to prevent cross-contamination, they, unfortunately, cannot guarantee that cross-contamination will not occur. Out of the many meals and snacks I had while at Disney, I think I only encountered cross-contamination once on the trip.
What I Ate at Walt Disney World
Day 1
Earl of Sandwich, located at Disney Springs
After arriving at Old Key West from our cruise on the Disney Dream, my coworkers Nick, Jordan, and I headed to Disney Springs on the hunt for some lunch while we waited for our Team Leader, Carly, and coworker Zoe. I know what you are thinking. Gluten-free at a sandwich shop? While I didn’t see any options for gluten-free bread, the menu at Earl of Sandwich helpfully noted that the salads were gluten friendly. I had the Greek salad and frozen lemonade. Yum!
Raglan Road, located at Disney Springs
I knew before I even arrived in Florida that I wanted to try the food at Disney Springs’ Raglan Road. I have always wanted to go to Ireland so I was really excited to try the food at this Irish pub! We made our dining reservation ahead of our trip and were glad to have chosen this Table Service dining option so we could sit inside and have a reprieve from the hot Florida sun. I chose the Fish and Chips, which our server helpfully told me would be cooked in a dedicated gluten-free fryer! When the food was brought to our table, my allergy was marked by a wooden skewer on my plate. By having a dedicated fryer and marking my food as separate there is less chance of cross-contamination.
Erin Mackenna’s Bakery, located at Disney Springs
My coworker Zoe recommended we pop into Erin Mackenna’s Bakery, and boy, am I glad we did! Every item on the menu is kosher and refined sugar-, gluten-, wheat-, soy-, dairy-, and egg-free! I left with a chocolate eclair and a French Toastie cupcake. Delicious! While I ate the eclair while we were out that night, I saved the cupcake to have for breakfast in the morning with the complimentary Joffrey’s coffee in my Studio at Old Key West.
Day 2
The Mara, located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
After exploring all that Animal Kingdom Villas had to offer, we stopped at The Mara for lunch. Carly is a big fan of the mobile order option and after taking a look at the menu on my MDE app, I ordered the Allergy-Friendly Tamarind Barbecued Pork Sandwich.
Woody’s Lunch Box, located at Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios
After lunch, we had a little break at our resort and then we ventured over to Hollywood Studios. We spent much of the afternoon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. All of us had a great time on the Rise of Resistance and working as a team on Smuggler’s Run. Once we had our fill of Storm Troopers, we headed over to Toy Story Land. After a fun time on Slinky Dog Dash, we headed to Woody’s Lunch Box for dinner. I ordered the Grilled Cheese and Tater Tots. I was nervous about how the tater tots would be cooked and the possibility of cross-contamination, so I went over to speak to a Cast Member who told me they are baked not fried, so no need to worry about cross-contamination in a fryer!
Hot n Fresh Popcorn, located at Hollywood Studios
After hopping off Toy Story Mania we ran from Toy Story Land to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. After enjoying this cute ride, the park was starting to close. Our group was always hungry so we stopped to grab some popcorn on our way out. Here we experienced some Disney Magic as we were given the popcorn for free!
Day 3
Boardwalk Bakery (Now the Boardwalk Deli), located at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
The Boardwalk Bakery is brimming with tasty treats – from cakes and pastries, croissants, and donuts to cookies and brownies, BUT these treats are made with wheat and gluten. They do have a selection of Allergy-Friendly items as well. I selected an Allergy-Friendly blueberry muffin and cappuccino. I was pleasantly surprised that the muffin was warmed up, so it seemed to come straight from the oven!
Pizza Window, located at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
We spent the morning exploring the Beach Club and Boardwalk resorts and worked up an appetite for lunch. After ordering at the Pizza Window, we took our pizzas back to our resort and ate our lunch by the pool – it was so delicious that there are no pictures!
Aloha Isle, located at Magic Kingdom
Refreshed from our pizza pool party, our group headed over to the Magic Kingdom. When the clouds opened up and the rain started to come down we stood under the distinctive thatched roof of Aloha Isle and ordered Dole Whips for everyone.
The Plaza Restaurant located at Magic Kingdom
Ready to rest our tired feet, we had a tasty table service dinner at the Plaza Restaurant, sharing a plate of the Allergy-Friendly Plaza Loaded Fries. I ordered the Allergy-Friendly Chicken Sandwich. The food was delicious, and we had the perfect table in front of the windows with a view of the fireworks.
Note: While all the food I had was off the Allergy-Friendly menu, I am afraid that some cross-contamination must have occurred at some point this day as I became sick and had to leave the park. While it was a bummer to leave early while my coworkers headed over to the Haunted Mansion, one incident over our five-night stay was better than I anticipated!
Day 4
‘Ohana, Located at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
Today was a special day – it was Team Leader Carly’s birthday! To celebrate, we headed over to ‘Ohana at the Polynesian resort. I had the All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Allergy Friendly Ohana Breakfast Skillet. This was definitely the most lavish meal we had. There was fresh fruit, gluten-free donuts substituted the pineapple-coconut bread my coworkers enjoyed, scrambled eggs, sausage, fried island-style potatoes, and, best for last, gluten-free Mickey Waffles!
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Booths
Our April trip coincided with the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival. The park was awash with vibrant colors of spring flowers and lush green grass and the delicious aromas from the Outdoor Kitchens! After grabbing a Flower & Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchen Menu, I identified the Gluten/Wheat Friendly items and went searching. At Bauernmarkt, in the German booth, I had Potato Pancake with applesauce, and at the Caribbean booth near Future World, I had the La Isla Fresca Arepas. A wonderful opportunity to try new foods!
Day 5
Roaring Fork, located at Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
After exploring the wonders of Wilderness Lodge, we stopped at Roaring Fork for lunch. I ordered the Allergy Friendly Chicken and Waffles, which was my favorite meal of the trip! My food arrived in a box sealed with the now-familiar purple sticker.
Mickey Bar at Magic Kingdom
On our last day at the parks, we headed back to Magic Kingdom. While initially planning to break off to enjoy the day in our own ways by possibly park hopping or relaxing back at our resort, Carly, Zoe, and I ended up spending the entire day at the park! The warm April weather and clear blue skies made it the perfect time for ice cream. While the Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich was out of the question, after a glance at the ingredients listed on the wrapper, I was able to enjoy a Mickey Bar with Carly and Zoe while we watched a cavalcade!
Columbia Harbour House, located at Magic Kingdom
While I had a less-than-magical experience at Columbia Harbour House, I was able to order a gluten-free brownie, a cookie, and a chocolate milk for an afternoon snack. The brownie and cookies were prepackaged, so there was no fear of cross-contamination.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, located at Magic Kingdom
When it was time for dinner, we moseyed on over to Frontierland to Pecos Bill to rustle up some grub. I went for the Allergy Friendly Chicken Nachos. This meal of the day kept us going until it was time for Disney Enchantment, the most magical way to end our trip!
Day 6 Departure Day
Good’s Food to Go, located at Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Now it’s time to say goodbye. Sadly, we checked out of our studios at Old Key West, packed up our suitcases, and headed over to Good’s Food to Go for our last meal. I had the Breakfast Platter, which consisted of scrambled eggs, Mickey waffle, bacon, and potatoes. While our last meal could have been a sad occasion, it sticks out to me as one of our most magical moments. Just as we were sitting down to eat, some very special guests arrived to bid us farewell.
~Meagan
