I mean, It’s one thing to try to navigate gluten free options near your house, pack your safe food, quiz the staff… but traveling to a new location with new eats and more menus and restaurants than you can even memorize is a lot to take in!
Thankfully, many places are more aware of restrictions/allergies, and many restaurants on Disney World Property can do some really good look alike gluten free and allergy safe meals, like Character Dining and Water parks! (not all… but we’ll cover that in detail below!)
⭐ In a rush and need Done-For-You Plans? See the Disney World Gluten Free eBook with Menus, Snacks and Plans to make this trip simple and stress free ⭐
So can you eat gluten free at Disney World?
Eating gluten-free at Disney World is possible, especially if you are sticking with sit-down restaurants. Many Quick Service Locations have Gluten Free options too (but not all). Plan ahead by looking at reviews and menus, and bring some snacks just in case.
What kind of Gluten Free Food does Disney World Offer?
There are so many gluten free options at Disney World, though many change based on what Restaurant you dine in. Disney has everything from Hamburger buns and Gluten Free Pasta, to dinner rolls and fluffy beignets. Throw in some churros, classic snacks and Mickey Waffles and it’s a true vacation for the gluten free foodie.
And if you are looking for California (this post your reading is about Florida Disney World!) pop over to this easy to use gluten free Disneyland California Guide!
This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you, and I may earn commission on qualified sales, check out my affiliate disclosure for more information and all the legal mumbo jumbo.
***As Always, please speak to a qualified restaurant employee when ordering food. In order to see the most accurate ingredients and risk assessment, you will need to confirm allergy safety in real-time. This is my personal experience, I am not employed or endorsed by companies or brands mentioned.***
The Quick Gluten Free FAQ
Is there Gluten Free Food at Disney World?
As you can see from this guide, there’s a number of options for gluten free eating at Disney World. You could technically go anywhere on property and create a Gluten Free Meal, but you best bet is to do a few minutes of research and pick out some exciting restaurants that will make you a meal you’ve never had before!
Where can you eat Gluten Free at Disney World?
Most places can accommodate you will something, but I have some favorite places I love to recommend! Kona Cafe, Satuli Canteen, Regal Eagle, Coral Reef, Erin Mckennas, and Topolinos Terrace are the top options!
Are Mickey Waffles Gluten Free?
This is an important question because they use different mixes across property! Namaste, Bob’s red mill, and Golden Malted Gluten Free are the most common options. Gluten Free Mickey Waffles are also made with Cup4Cup and a homemade Rice Flour. Ask your server before you order to make sure you are comfortable with the brand.
To learn more about Mickey Waffles, head over to our love letter (And details) all about those famous Allergy Friendly Mickey Waffles!
Are the Turkey Legs at Disney World Gluten Free?
Sometimes! Depending on the supplier, you will find the most Turkey Legs at Disney are gluten free, but occasionally, Turkey Legs contain Gluten. Please always check the allergy binder before purchasing something to confirm it does not contain your allergens!
Are the Caramel Apples Gluten Free?
The Disney Caramel Apples only list Milk, Soy and Peanuts on their ingredients. However, there is a warning at the bottom that the caramel apples are made on shared equipment with wheat and other allergens. This would made the caramel apples not gluten free.
Interested in seeing ingredient labels for the confectionary at disney world?
Does Universal Studios have Gluten Free Food?
Universal Studios Orlando does have a lot of Gluten Free options! My favorite are at Islands of Adventure, like the Three Broomsticks for Breakfast and Confisco Grille for Lunch! In CityWalk, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville has some great gluten free options! You can learn more about Universal with food allergies here.
Gluten Free Disney World by Location
Hollywood Studios gluten friendly and allergy friendly guide
Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios
Disney World Gluten Free Quick Service and Mobile Ordering
***As Always, please speak to a qualified restaurant employee when ordering food. In order to see the most accurate ingredients and risk assessment, you will need to confirm allergy safety in real-time. This is my personal experience, I am not employed or endorsed by companies or brands mentioned.***
You’ll find some hearty options here in addition to sandwiches and burgers and pizza. Most of the quick service options are decent (or really good ) for quick serve. The ones at the resorts tend to have more options than those in the parks.
Then when it comes to strictly quick serve, Mobile ordering is another option that Disney World has created- and good news! It’s pretty easy to use with a non-life-threatening Allergy.⬅️
For those of you with severe needs, Mobile Ordering is NOT the best option, and you need to walk up to the quick serve and talk to them about placing and order with a cashier and manager.
Why? Because accidents happen- even with the chefs. The thing about mobile ordering is that the person that hands you the food is not the person that prepares it and there are huge concerns about misplaced food and cross contamination.
Think grabbing a tray with spillage of allergens and then not changing gloves before handling your tray. And I simply don’t expect the regular staff, many who have no allergy training, to understand this cross contact.
You can see picture walk throughs, and also real life mess ups, for Mobile Ordering at Disney World while Gluten Free.
When you talk to a manager or a Chef then you can alert them to how serious your allergy is and they can limit the number of people touching your food. Win Win!
And Bonus, it really only takes about another 10 minutes of your time, to speak with someone who understands allergies and can make sure you feel safe with yummy eats!
The Best Quick serve options for Gluten Free Foodies on Disney World property include
Y’all. Texas toast. Beef brisket. Sweet tea. I am in BBQ food allergy heaven! It TRULY is a salute to all cook offs but mostly Barbecue!
Everyone was so excited when they came out with all of these themed foods- I mean, Docking Bay 7 has some crazy cool eats!
We love getting this shrimp salad, but my husband gets another dish (since he can’t do gluten or shrimp!). We’ve got the entire galaxy’s edge land covered when it comes to your gluten free eats (and please… check out the popcorn! you won’t regret it)
We’ve eaten here a number of times, especially because my husband loves Chipotle so much and this is SUPER similar. Everything is pretty laid back, and easy to customize because it’s a ‘build your own bowl’ style.
If you are in animal kingdom, satuli is a must stop! See everything for Animal Kingdom in the Animal Kingdom Gluten Free Guide.
Satu’li Canteen also just got a menu refresh for the new Avatar movie, see the details here and a gluten friendly dessert.
This is another one that is pretty basic, but it is basic in a good way! Located inside the Living with the Land building in Epcot, this hidden eatery has some great gluten free eats!
*** Note that this location is typically only open for lunch. You’ll need to check hours on the day you visit.
We love grabbing dessert here. And if I’m being honest, this is my favorite place because there’s plenty of seating and air conditioning on a hot day!
Table Service Gluten Free options at Disney World
Table service is a sit down option, pretty comparable to other casual sit downs like Olive Garden or Outback Steakhouse. You can expect to find bread at most of these locations (and yes, they have some incredible gluten free bread!) and you can also order appetizers, mixed drinks and dessert.
First, when you reserve dining, make sure to list your allergies. (They don’t have options for all, so pick what you can!). This can be done on your my Disney App, online at Disney World, or over the phone (but you typically won’t call in unless you have more than 8 people in your party). Clarify when you get there!
The Best Gluten Free Table Service Options at Disney World!
Be prepared to enjoy lots of corny jokes and some hella good eats at this sister location to the infamous jungle cruise ride.Not only did we survive with our heads about us, but also our wits and a full belly after a delightful lunch.
FRIED CHICKEN. that’s why yall need to go here!
The Boathouse in Disney Springs 🍴
It’s very laid back here- very southern style. So many incredible options, it’s a hidden gem in Disney!
We love heading here when we visit Disney Springs and getting a seat on the back deck over the water. Great food and great ambiance (and yes, kid friendly!)
Tony’s Town Square at Magic Kingdom 🍴
This is standard italian style fare. Most people dislike this because it’s similar to Olive Garden, but since we can’t enjoy Olive Garden with our Gluten allergy- we love Tony’s! You can’t beat the view either!
The menu has been changed, but they still have gluten free noodles on the kids menu (and you can have an adult portion)
The Plaza Restaurant at Magic Kingdom 🍴
The Plaza Restaurant is another amazing place to grab a bite to eat when you aren’t able to Gluten. The view is fantastic (it’s a great view of the castle!) and great food.
Gluten Free Character Meals
Character meals are very much like table service meals, except they have characters! And they also cost more- you certainly aren’t paying for the food and more for the experience.
Not all locations are recommended, here’s several Character Meals that are top of the line, and a few you can skip based on your preferences.
The top options here would be Crystal Palace and Hollywood and Vine (because both the food and experience were superb!) but other classics like Chef Mickey, Tusker House and Garden Grill work too!
Oh and my new favorite, Topolinos. Highly recommend if you get the opportunity to go! It’s just so cute and brunch elegant and they had an incredible amount of options. My favorite was the smoked salmon, but I love love their little fruit displays!
There are more character meals than this… and we’ve reviewed them for you in this master list!
What about Gluten Free at the Water Parks?
Disney has two water parks- both of them are open during the summer, and then one of them is open all year (weather permitting) while the other one is closed for refurbishment and then they switch back and forth.
The first is Blizzard Beach. This is located over by the value resorts. It’s Winter themed, and definitely the favorite for our family!
The Next is Typhoon Lagoon. This is located across from Disney Springs. It’s fun and enjoyable, just not our favorite park for our family as we prefer the kid area at Blizzard Beach more, but really it IS a fun park.
Disney World is really great when it comes to managing allergies- but we find that the level of service changes from quick serve to the parks to the resorts, and we found this to be true at Disney Water Parks as well.
There are SO MANY places to eat- but only ONE is truly trained in allergies.
You can check out this quick serve recommendation for Blizzard Beach, and then this other option for Typhoon Lagoon.
If you find that the menus are lacking (like not being able to do Udi’s pizza because of dairy allergy/intolerance) ask the resorts if they could make you a sandwich to go the night before and then pack it with you on your way to the waterpark (resorts typically wont make lunch/dinner when breakfast is in session)
Eating at Disney Springs while Gluten Free
While Disney Springs is known for it’s shopping, it’s also known for its food! But what about for those that have allergies or food limitations? Is there only one place to eat?
The anwser is complicated because not all places are owned by Disney and have the same standards, but many have some really good allergy friendly standards too.
I have another very large article that cover in depth eating gluten free at Disney Springs, but you should know that, depending on your comfort level, there is quite a lot to choose from.
There’s gluten free onion rings and there’s also an entirely gluten free (yes 100%) bakery at Disney Springs called Erin Mckennas.
However it’s important to note that Erin Mckenna’s uses Bob’s Red Mill (and for those of you that aren’t familiar, please check out this post explaining that ).
Not quite the same level as the gluten free rice krispie debacle, but still something I would point out for you to make an informed decision.
Gluten Free Snacks and Desserts
There’s actually quite a lot of desserts… Check out the top gluten free desserts at Disney World!
The top three Favorite Desserts inside the parks are:
Churros at Nomads Lounge in Animal Kingdom
Chocolate Covered Bananas with Peanuts
Dole Whip at every park (except Hollywood Studios!)
What to Expect when Ordering Gluten Free Food
There’s a lot of planing involved when you have foods that you avoid,an upset stomach, an serious avoidance or someone that is anaphylactic and has to obsessively watch for allergens because it could be a life or death situation… trust me when I say that all of these people have gathered and enjoyed Disney World.
It is going to look different for those of you that have an intolerance/ethical preference vs those of you with a non negotiable allergy.
For most people, you’ll be able to eat foods listed on the allergen menu (where available). This means that for some people, speaking with a chef won’t even be necessary because ordering from the allergy menu that most locations have will be enough to avoid gluten based products.
If you have a NON NEGOTIABLE allergy, things will be *slightly more complicated* because you’ll need to speak with a Chef/Manager and be diligent in confirming that your food is actually gluten free. Always double and triple check with everyone you talk with that you have a life threatening allergy and confirm that food comes out seperate (and likely with a little allergy skewer)
I’d love to tell you that no planning is required, but that’s simply not the case! There are some locations that are better for those who avoid gluten, and you’ll find that snacks and treats will need to be preplanned as well. There are some locations that are NOT owned by Disney World and don’t have the same allergy procedures in place that Disney World uses in their kitchens.
Like, your wondering, do all locations have shared or dedicated fryers? That answer is no. However, if the place does have a dedicated fryer, I include it in my restaurant reviews (over 100 reviews now!) and that can help you make an informed decision. You can also find a handy Dedicated Fryer Cheat Sheet in the Gluten Free Disney Guide.
And can I find safe gluten free (certified) food everywhere I go?
The answer to that is also no… but things are improving and getting better. I always recommend having a back up plan (like a meal replacement), your own safe snacks, and flexibility that you might be eating a lot of rice and protein depending on what locations you’ve picked!
Planning has gotten so much easier with the inclusion of the allergy menu and you’ve found this guide- so let’s jump in and learn more about the options (and some lack of options) at Disney World! This guide below is great for those of you comfortable with Disney, but if you’re new to vacationing with food allergies, please check out the Ultimate Food Allergy Foodies Beginner’s Guide to Disney World!
Gluten Free Epcot Festivals
Festivals are all the rage at Epcot and for good reason! They are so much fun! They are fun for everyone, from dedicated things for the kiddos, to events and live music for the adults.
And when it comes to allergy friendly food, Epcot Festivals are in a category of their own.
There are a lot of people that will tell you there’s only a few options (or that you shouldn’t eat there) and I encourage you to check out the guides below because there is a lot more than meets the eye.
There’s 4 festivals currently and they are keeping the booths up year round with more dedicated spaces just for festivals (like eating spaces and sidewalks off the main path)
- International Festival of the Arts
- The Flower and Garden Festival
- The Food and Wine Festival
- The International Festival of the Holidays
They have introduced new allergy procedures, which means that you can actually talk to someone and have allergy food at the festivals! See more in the post about EPCOT Allergen Procedures.
Conclusion
There you have it food allergy Disney Friends! I hope this guide helps make things easier and less stressful- I know traveling with food allergies can be scary and frustrating and fun (I mean, we just want to be normal!) so I genuinely hope you get to have the trip of a lifetime with lots of awesome safe foods and adventures!
Everyone should eat well on vacation! Learn more common questions and concerns in the Food Allergy FAQ or the Gluten Free Disney FAQ.
Plus the latest Disney News when it comes to Food Restrictions, eats, and offerings. Connect with the MouseEarMemory Allergy Community at the socials listed below or @Mouse.Ear.Memories
My brother suggested I may like this blog. He was totally right.
You can not imagine just how much time I had spent looking for this information! Thanks!