Another Great Disney World Experience

[Alexandra Rosenberg]

I recently got back from my Disney World vacation and just wanted to let everyone know it was even better then I imagined. I had heard wonderful things about Disney World but there was still that part of me that was nervous about eating out for every meal. However, I had no reason to worry. Not only did every chef come out to talk to us at all our restaurants, but at 5 out of our 6 dinner we had gluten free bread!! Every day was more amazing. We stayed at the grand Floridian and at the little lunch place the chef made me a gluten free sandwich and I also had gluten free pancakes one morning. I never got sick and I never had any problems. I had better food there then at home and I even had gluten free brownies and cookies. Everyone was willing to help and the best part was everyone knew what i was talking about. It was fantastic, i want to go back already.

[mrsnj91]

What were the places you ate? WHAT did you eat? I am nervous and most interested in the counter services. Give a diner review!

[Stevedee]

Last year my family enjoyed a fantastic gluten-free experience at Disneyworld. My 5 year old daughter could not believe that the chefs could make her gluten-free meals. We stayed at the All-Star Movies and the chefs there were outstanding. It seemed like everyday we spoke with a different chef, but each and everyone understood our gluten free needs and were very accomodating. We even received a list of gluten free options upon our arrival at the All Star Movies. We also had breakfast with Cinderella and the chef came out to speak to her. The Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom provided the same service. The chef came out, spoke with my daughter and together they decided on a gluten free lunch that she could enjoy.

My question is....this year we are staying at Pop Century and I'm hoping that they will provide the same outstanding service. We will also pick 1 character dining experience.....any suggestions for 4 and 6 year old girls. Anyone ever stayed at Pop Century??

Thanks!

[Nikki'smom]

this is so wonderful to hear! We love WDW! Since my DD is 7 and about to be diagnosed with Celiec one of my fears was WDW! I guess it really is a magical place!

[jmd3]

Anyone ever stayed at Pop Century??

Thanks!

My little girl and I had a mother daughter bonding 4 days away and stayed there in 2005 - but that was before we were dx with celiac. I will tell you it was a fantastic place, we loved it!! She has asked to go back, someday perhaps we will get a chance to.

If you do stay at pop century, please post when you come back, or send me a pm, would love to hear of your experience with gluten free food in their food court!

Thanks

[zansu]

We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge. Everything was great!

I ate at the counter service place near the teacups in the magic kingdom... The manager spoke to us, walked over to the register to order and was on his walkie-talkie to the kitchen to make sure they saw the allergy info Then he helped us find a table (I was in a wheelchair because of a foot injury) then brought out my hamburger on a BUN and FRENCH FRIES (baked because their oil is not safe, but good).

I also ate at the counter service BBQ place in Animal Kingdom -- RIBS for the first time since gluten-free. Manager actually had a book with ingredients that he went over with me.

"real restaurants" are great throughout the park, chef comes out and they're VERY willing to work with you.

[mamaw]

Pizza Planet & Boma was wonderful..... Chef TJ at the Boma was the ultimate success story. If you go to Disney website they have a great list that is gluten-free dining. And I would buy the dining pass again, it was well worth it....We even enjoyed the turkey legs, one looks like a cannibel eating them but who cares!!!!We staye dfor a week at the fort wilderness campground ... 4 of us gluten-free, we never had a problem. We always immediately called ahead & for quick lunces we asked for the manager right away , we didn't wait in the long lines. The manager is usually the one who repairs the gluten-free stuff at the quick lunch places. We got a food at the same time the non-gluten-free family received there lunch. If you don't do it that way the gluten-free people have to wait much longer ....

I would go back to Disney just to eat at the Boma!!!

mamaw

[nothungry]

We just got back from Disney World too, it was amazing. I stayed at Pop Century for part of our trip and the food was great. My daughter and I had gluten-free waffles, pizza, pasta, macaroni and cheese there, we were offered plenty of options there but that is what we decided on. We stayed for 8 days on the Disney Dining Plan and had amazing meals at all of the Disney owned restaurants. I do have to admit that BOMA was our favorite. The chef (Chef TJ!!) mad me the most amazing vegetarian meal, and an amazing desert (for me and my daughter) that was about a food high, it had gluten-free cheesecake, gluten-free brownies, fried bananas, strawberries and lost of chocolate sauce. It was incredible!!!!!!!! We also had great meals at the Hollywood and Vine, the Turf Club, Whispering Canyon and the Crystal Palace. I am a vegetarian which normally makes it difficult to eat out, but, not at Disney. The counter services were also great, overall, it was awesome!

[mamaw]

Boma was are most favorite place too... TJ is wonderful... I would go back just to be able to eat there. Our dessert was a zebra dome , & a kahula ( Idon't think I spelled that liquor correctly) choc. cake!!!!He also made us a beautiful platter of real food, so much four of us could not eat it all... People at other tables were asking how we got this mile high platter of food... TJ told them if was a special diet & a guy at the other table said well I want that too.... There were alot of gawkers eyeing up our gluten-free food.

glad you had a gret time & food. The dining plan is the way to go. We used up the lunch & snacks coupons before we left by buying brownies (gluten-free) & turkey legs. They feed us for weeks after as we couldn't eat lunch & supper because we were so full...

mamaw

[nothungry]

Boma was are most favorite place too... TJ is wonderful... I would go back just to be able to eat there. Our dessert was a zebra dome , & a kahula ( Idon't think I spelled that liquor correctly) choc. cake!!!!He also made us a beautiful platter of real food, so much four of us could not eat it all... People at other tables were asking how we got this mile high platter of food... TJ told them if was a special diet & a guy at the other table said well I want that too.... There were alot of gawkers eyeing up our gluten-free food.

glad you had a gret time & food. The dining plan is the way to go. We used up the lunch & snacks coupons before we left by buying brownies (gluten-free) & turkey legs. They feed us for weeks after as we couldn't eat lunch & supper because we were so full...

mamaw

We are going back in February and Boma is our first stop! People also came to our table and asked us how we got all of this food that was not on the buffet! It was so amazing! Disney really knows how to make you feel like royalty!

[mamaw]

You can ask TJ at Boma if you can buy the zebra domes from the bakery. We did, I just finished my last one.... You need a freezer to keep them...

I wanna come along too....

[nothungry]

What were those zebra domes? People in our party were eating them, chef TJ didn't tell us that they were gluten free, he just made us another dessert. I'd like to try them next time.

[mamaw]

The zebra domes come reg. & also gluten-free..... , he gave us a couple of desserts... If you type in zebra domes one of the disney forums will come up & it is actually posted on their. (recipe). We had the one that had African liquor ( Armula) it was wonderful. I have two left...

We loved everything about Boma, my only regret was only dining there once in the week we were at disney....When we go back I will ask for Chef TJ --- he is the best......

hope you had fun.

Did you get a brownie? they are pre-packaged & very good..... From The okbrownie co....

mamaw

[Daryl]

Just returned from Disney as well. I plan to write up the places we ate at and offer my view as well.

[kbtoyssni]

All this talk about how wonderful Disney World is for gluten-free food makes me want to visit!

[mamaw]

Hope you get to visit--- it is so great to be able to eat & feel safe while having fun....

[nothungry]

I would recommend it! I have been 3 times since I have been gluten free, it just feels so good to know that each meal we eat is not an issue ( - and there are of course, many, many great things to do at Disney World!).

Also, I did have the brownies, they were very yummy! I regret that I didn't try the gluten free rice krispy treat. I saw them at the Pop Century food court on my first day and I thought I would pick one up later in the trip, but I never found one again .ONe great thing that we did was have the "kitchen sink" at Beaches and Cream (at the Boardwalk). It was this massive ice cream sundae, served in a sink. It had tons of great toppings, tons of ice cream, a can of whipped cream, and the chef put all of the gluten items in it on the side for the non-celiacs! It was wonderful!!

[GFM]

It's great that Disney is gluten-free friendly. I'd like to take my son who has Celiac there someday. My question is how do you go about planning the trip? Do you have to make reservations months in advance so that you can eat at certain restaurants or stay in certain resorts? Can you do that online at their website or should you go through a travel agent? Do you need to call Disney directly? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

[mamaw]

GFM

We did our own planning that way we got exactly what we wanted. We did book several months in advance through the Disney Website. The operators are very helpful & kept us on track. I know the first time we called I think we spent an hour with them --- drilling them for answers to all our questions.. There were four of us gluten-free so needless to say we wanted to be sure of wha twe were doing.Never did they rush us...

First off decide how long you want to spend at Disney & what month as some are busier than others. We have been there many times & for us we prefer end of April or mid may... It was very hot in mid May this year...

They have alot of package plans . At the beginning we planned on five days but then the operator tells us it is just as cheap to stay for 7 days for just about the same price so know what you want before hand.. If you plan on only one trip to Disney in years then I would stay for 7 days to get to do & see everything without being rushed so you can't enjoy it.. even that doesn't get everything....

We loved the dining plan as it saved us a load of cash. Adults is like $38.00 a day & kids are around $12.00 a day. This includes a lunch ( quick serve) snack, & a full course dinner every day that you are there. No extra charge for gluten free.... we called 7 booked our reservations ahead of time & then we called each place in the morning to let them know we would be there & needed four gluten-free meals...When we ate at the counter service for lunch we asked for a manager right away , we did not wait in the long lunch line. That way the reg. eaters got in the reg food line & we had the manager do our gluten-free food & we all received our food at the same time. If you do it the other way the gluten-free food is always later....The Boma at Animal Kingdom is the very best for a supper make sure you request TJ the chef. He's the best.

If you have extra dining vouchers left ( as we did) we bought gluten-free brownies & turkey legs to go home with us...

I think we lived on the Disney aite for a month or so .... just to get a precise game plan as we didn't wan to be wasting time at Disney trying to decide what to do. We knew each day where we would be & booked our meals accordingly....

I would also tell you to get the hopper pass, this way if you get done at one theme park you can go to another or jump around . If you don't have that you are stuck in one park ...The last day we hopped from park to park because we wanted to shop at each park...

hope you get to go very soon...... & I hope this info helped you decide.

blessings

mamaw

[GFM]

Thanks mamaw! That was a lot of helpful information.

[Daryl]

This was our third trip there in the last 7 years. We went for my now 7 year old that didn't remember anything when we were last there in 2002. We did 6 days, 5 nights. if you're a member of AAA, go into their travel department and talk with them. I would recommend staying on Disney grounds for the convenience of gettign around and the extra park hours you can take advantage of. We stayed late two nights at magic Kingdom and Epcot. The parks were open untill 11pm and midnight. Transportation wise, you can park your car and jump the busses or water taxi's to hop from your resort tot he parks. Or if you preffer to drive (which is quicker) you can park for free by showing them your resort parking pass. Park Hopper is also the way to go. The meal plan is also worth while. Although for 2008, they aren't including gratuity. If your flexible with the time, I recommend the fall. The last two times we visited the last week of August. While a little warm, the crowds weren't bad. This last time (last month) we went during one of our school breaks. We ran into people from our county of residdence that were there too. Crowds were very light, since the rest of the country is back in school (we start back the first week of August each year). And if you're lucky enough to catch a good promotion you might get free dining. Our AAA travel agent told us that for the past two years Disney had offered free dining to guests that stayed during the time we were considering. Sure enogh they ran it again this year. So we ate for free the entire week. We even brought snacks home, and fed my parents a sit down meal one night. The parks are also decorated for the holiday themes depending on the time of year you travel. it was all decked out for Halloween last month. I was there another time between Thanksgivign and X-mas.