Eating Gluten Free at Disneyland is very easy to do. Disneyland is amazing at accommodating dietary needs so that people with restrictions can have a great, worry free, day with their families.
I recently found out from my doctor that I can no longer eat gluten- which at first can be a scary thing when you think about it. You can read more about the beginning of my gluten-free life HERE. I did a lot of research before my trip to Disneyland about what I was going to be able to eat so that I wouldn’t have to think about it that day and I was so surprised at all the options I had. There are 4 options that I wanted to share with anyone else that is eating gluten free or has a member of their family with food restrictions.
1. Sit Down Dining:
If you really want to treat yourself to some of the delicious food that Disneyland has to offer, I would highly recommend the sit down dining options. Now keep in mind, that this is something that needs to be thought out well in advance. These restaurants require reservations ahead of time. But the cool thing about that is when you call to make your reservation you can (and should!) let them know ahead of time that you have a gluten allergy. If there is something specific on the menu that you would like to eat, you can let them know in advance and many times they can make you a gluten free version! I was able to call ahead and get a gluten free Monte Cristo sandwich at the Cafe Orleans, and it was so good!! It was so fun to treat myself to a famous sandwich at Disneyland that was made gluten free just for me. To make a reservation, call (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463. You can also book online, just be sure to type in about your food restrictions. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/
Most of the sit down dining locations also have a allergy friendly menu that you can look over to easily see what all our options are. So cool. This is the one from Cafe Orleans:
Here are a few more I found (they may not be current):
2. Quick Service Dining:
These are the locations that you can order at the counter and then find your own seat. Be sure to let the cast member know when you are making your order that you have a gluten allergy. Almost all of these locations have gluten free options and menus. Any place that serves sandwiches carries gluten free buns so that you can still enjoy the same sandwiches and burgers and hot dogs as everyone else. Also, if you are going to a buffet and inform them on your allergy, a cast member is trained to walk you through and inform you on which items are ok to eat.
3. Snacks Around the Park:
Be sure to head to head to City Hall on Main Street to get a current listing of gluten-free items offered around the park. It’s so handy to have with you so there’s no guess work involved. This list is for food items, including snacks, at both Disneyland and California Adventure. Here is just an example of the first few pages of an old list, so be sure to grab one that is current (click on the pages to view larger).
4. Bring In Your Own:
If you are wanting to save on money and prefer to eat your own gluten free food they have stated on Disneyland’s website: Guests with food allergies or intolerances are allowed to bring food into Disneyland theme parks and dining locations. When entering a park, simply inform the Security at bag check that someone in the party has a food allergy or intolerance.
Hopefully this will give those of you with food restrictions a little more peace of mind while on your Disneyland vacation! I know for me it made my vacation so fun and worry free.
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robin burns says
Disney World is also very accommodating. Chiefs will talk with you about what is on buffets. They go out of their way. Cashiers have menu of gf choices.
Cate M says
Couldn’t agree more with this. My dad and I both had to go gluten-free for health reasons. Disneyland is one of our favorite places to go because they take such precautions to avoid cross-contamination and keep us safe. The allergy friendly menus that they introduced at the quick service locations have made ordering so much easier. And on the receipt, it will say “gluten” on every item ordered to alert the next cast member that there is an allergy. (I would guess they do the same with nuts, dairy, etc.) I emailed [email protected] before my last trip, and they sent me a current list of all of the quick service locations that could accommodate food allergies. They were extremely helpful with all of my questions.
Erica says
Thank you so much for sharing this! Disneyland is SO accommodating.. that’s one of the MANY MANY reasons we love it so much!