Just got back from Disney with my celiac 8-year-old. Here's the honest truth about what worked, what sucked, and whether it's worth the stress. Spoiler: mostly yes.
We just spent 5 days at Disney World with my celiac daughter.
Everyone said "Disney is SO good with allergies!" and "You'll be fine!"
They weren't wrong. But they also weren't completely right.
Here's what actually happened, the mistakes I made, and what I'd do differently next time.
Before We Even Got There (Pre-Trip Panic)
Weeks before the trip I was in full research mode.
Read every blog. Watched every YouTube video. Joined Disney allergy Facebook groups.
Made spreadsheets of GF restaurants. Downloaded the Disney app. Emailed our hotel about cross-contamination.
Was this overkill? Maybe.
Was I prepared? Absolutely.
Did I still make mistakes? Oh yeah.
Day 1: Magic Kingdom (And a Minor Meltdown)
Breakfast at Be Our Guest: Reserved this months in advance specifically because they have GF options.
What went right: They brought out my daughter's food on a special allergy plate (different color so servers know to be careful). She got GF Mickey waffles. She was THRILLED.
What went wrong: Wait time was 45 minutes even with reservation. My daughter was HANGRY by the time we sat down. She cried. In the middle of the restaurant. Because she was hungry.
Lesson learned: Bring snacks. Even if you have a reservation. ESPECIALLY if you have a reservation.
I had snacks in my bag but didn't want to "ruin her appetite." Big mistake.
The waffles: Actually pretty good. She ate all of them.
Price: $18 for waffles. (Welcome to Disney.)
Lunch was... interesting.
We hit Cosmic Ray's because their app said they had GF options.
Went to the counter. Asked about gluten-free.
The teenager working there looked at me like I'd asked him to solve a math equation.
"Um... I think we have salad?"
What I did: Pulled up the Disney app and showed him the GF menu items.
What he did: Called a manager.
What the manager did: Knew exactly what to do, flagged our order as allergy, brought food to our table personally.
Food: GF cheeseburger (no bun option) with fries.
My daughter's reaction: "This is fine."
(Her version of 5 stars.)
Lesson learned: Ask for the manager or allergy-trained chef if the counter person seems confused. They know what they're doing.
Dinner was when things got real.
We tried to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table. Made reservation months ago.
Got there. Checked in. Mentioned allergy.
What they said: "Oh, we don't typically accommodate celiac at character dining because cross-contamination risk is too high in our kitchen during busy times."
Internal me: ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS WHEN I MADE THE RESERVATION
External me: "Oh. Okay. What are our options?"
They offered to bring her a safe meal from another kitchen. Would take 45 minutes.
My daughter was already crying because she wanted to eat with the princesses.
What we did: Left. Found another restaurant. She cried in the stroller.
I felt like the worst mom ever.
Lesson learned: CALL and confirm allergies when making reservations. Don't assume. Even at Disney.
We ended up at Columbia Harbour House (quick service). They have GF options. My daughter ate chicken nuggets and was fine.
But she was still sad about missing the princesses.
(Me too, kid. Me too.)
Day 2: EPCOT (Better Planning)
Learned from Day 1. Brought ALL the snacks.
Breakfast: GF waffles at hotel. Easy. No drama.
Snacks: Packed GF granola bars, fruit pouches, cheese sticks in our park bag.
My daughter at 10am: "Mom I'm hungry."
Me: hands her a granola bar from bag
Crisis averted.
Lunch at Sunshine Seasons: They have a whole allergy menu. Asked for it. Chef came out to discuss options.
Got her GF mac and cheese.
Her reaction: "This is the best mac and cheese I've ever had."
(It wasn't, but she was happy, so I didn't argue.)
What I loved: Chef was knowledgeable, took it seriously, made her feel special.
What I didn't love: Still waited 20 minutes for food even though it was "quick service."
But whatever. She was happy.
Dinner around the world:
Tried to eat at different countries. Asked at each one about GF options.
Morocco: Limited options, mostly rice dishes
Japan: Had GF soy sauce, could make several items safe
Mexico: Corn tortillas (naturally GF), several safe options
Italy: "We can make GF pasta!"
Germany: ... lots of beer and sausages. Sausages are hit or miss with gluten.
We ate in Italy. GF pasta with marinara. She said it was "okay."
Pro tip: Download the Disney app and filter by allergies. Shows you EVERY restaurant with GF options. Life-changing.
Day 3: Hollywood Studios (The Day Everything Went Wrong)
Breakfast: Forgot to pack snacks because I'm an idiot.
My daughter at 9:30am: "I'm hungry."
Me: realizes snacks are back at hotel
Panic mode activated.
Found the nearest quick service (Backlot Express). They had GF options but the wait was LONG.
By the time we got food, my daughter was melting down. Crying. Saying she didn't even want food anymore.
What I learned: YOU NEED SNACKS AT ALL TIMES. I thought I learned this on Day 1. Apparently I needed to learn it again.
Lunch was fine. Had reservations at Sci-Fi Dine-In. They handled the allergy well. She got a burger (no bun) and fries.
The cool part: We ate in a car watching old sci-fi movie clips. She loved it despite the burger being "okay."
Dinner: Tried 50's Prime Time Café.
This was... an experience.
The waiter stays in character (like your mom from the 1950s telling you to eat your vegetables and sit up straight).
I mentioned her allergy when we sat down.
Waiter: "Don't you worry honey, we'll take good care of you."
What actually happened: Food came out. She took one bite of her "GF chicken nuggets" and made a face.
"Mom these taste weird."
I tried one. They tasted... off. Not bad, just not right.
Me to waiter: "Are you sure these are gluten-free?"
Waiter: "Let me check."
Came back. "Oh no, kitchen made a mistake. These are regular nuggets. I'm so sorry."
My reaction: Stayed calm (on the outside). Asked them to remake it.
My daughter: Starting to cry because she'd already eaten two bites.
What they did: Manager came over, profusely apologized, comped our entire meal, brought out fresh GF nuggets, gave my daughter a special dessert.
What I did: Watched my daughter like a hawk for the next 24 hours for symptoms.
What happened: She was fine. No symptoms. Maybe she didn't actually swallow any? I don't know. We got lucky.
Lesson learned: Shit happens even at Disney. Even when you do everything right. Have a plan for when things go wrong.
Also: advocate loudly and politely. They took it seriously once I pushed back.
Day 4: Animal Kingdom (Finally Got It Right)
By day 4 we had a system:
Morning routine:
- Eat breakfast at hotel
- Pack snacks (granola bars, fruit, cheese sticks, GF pretzels)
- Bring her own GF bread for any sandwich orders
- Check app for GF dining options before leaving
Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ: She got GF pulled pork with fries. Said it was "really good actually."
(Progress!)
Dinner at Tusker House: Character dining. I CALLED AHEAD this time.
Confirmed they could do GF. Told them about celiac. They prepared.
What happened: Chef came to our table before we even sat down. Discussed options. Made special GF dishes. My daughter got to meet characters while eating safely.
Her reaction: "This is the best dinner ever!"
My reaction: Almost cried from relief.
Lesson learned: When you plan ahead and communicate, Disney really does shine.
Day 5: Back to Magic Kingdom (Redemption Arc)
Last day. We'd learned so much.
Breakfast: Hotel again. Easy.
Snacks: Packed.
Lunch at Be Our Guest (yes, we tried again): Made reservation. Called ahead. Confirmed GF options.
This time: Went smoothly. No issues. She got GF chicken and vegetables.
Dinner at Skipper Canteen: Adventureland restaurant. They were AMAZING.
Chef came out. Made suggestions. Created a custom GF meal for her.
She got GF chicken skewers with rice and vegetables.
Her verdict: "I like this place."
Me: Success.
What Actually Worked: The Good Stuff
Disney really does take allergies seriously. When you find the right people who know what they're doing, they're incredible.
The allergy-friendly restaurants we loved:
- Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) - ★★★★★
- Tusker House (Animal Kingdom) - ★★★★★
- Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom) - ★★★★★
- Sunshine Seasons (EPCOT) - ★★★★☆
- Most quick service places - ★★★★☆ (hit or miss on quality but safe)
The Disney app is ESSENTIAL. Filter by allergies. See every option. Make informed choices.
Chefs come to your table at sit-down restaurants. They know their stuff. They care.
They take cross-contamination seriously. Separate prep areas, different colored plates, careful handling.
Character dining CAN work if you call ahead and confirm.
What Sucked: The Reality Check
It's stressful. Every meal requires thought, planning, and communication.
It's expensive. GF meals aren't cheaper. And Disney food is already pricey.
Wait times are longer. Allergy meals sometimes take extra time to prepare.
Mistakes happen. Even with all the protocols, we had one mix-up.
Not all staff are trained equally. Some knew everything. Some knew nothing.
Quick service is hit or miss. Sometimes great, sometimes just "okay."
You can't be spontaneous. Can't just grab food anywhere. Need to plan.
What I'd Pack Next Time
Snacks (learned this the hard way):
- GF granola bars (we brought 20, used all of them)
- Fruit pouches (easy, no prep)
- Cheese sticks (protein between meals)
- GF pretzels (for munching in lines)
- GF crackers (Annie's bunnies - her favorite)
Other essentials:
- Her own GF bread (for sandwich orders)
- Allergy cards (with celiac info to show staff)
- Wet wipes (for cleaning tables/hands)
- Ziploc bags (for leftover snacks)
What I overpacked: Full meals. Didn't need them. Disney has enough options.
The Money Talk (Because It's Expensive)
Total food cost for 5 days (family of 4, one GF kid):
Rough estimate: $800-900
Breakdown:
- Sit-down dinners: $150-200 each ($600-800 total)
- Quick service lunches: $60-80 per day ($300-400 total)
- Snacks/drinks: $20-30 per day ($100-150 total)
- Minus the comped meal from the mix-up: -$150
Was it worth it? Yeah, actually.
Memories were made. My daughter felt included. She had fun despite the challenges.
But it's not cheap. Budget accordingly.
Tips From Other GF Families We Met
Met a bunch of other celiac families in the parks (we can spot each other apparently).
What they told me:
Bring your own GF cupcakes for any character dining. Freeze them before the trip. They'll thaw by dinner time. (Genius.)
Get a mini fridge in your room. Store cheese, yogurt, fruit. Easy breakfast without paying hotel prices.
Pack GF bread and PB&J supplies. Make lunches in the room some days. Save money and stress.
Join the Disney Food Allergy Facebook group before you go. Ask questions. Get real answers.
Request chef at ANY restaurant. Even quick service. They can make modifications.
Download allergy guide from Disney website. Has everything listed out clearly.
Would I Do It Again?
Yes.
But I'd do it SMARTER.
What I'd do differently:
- Call every restaurant when making reservations (not just assume)
- Pack more snacks (like, way more)
- Make a spreadsheet of every meal (I know, I know, but it would've helped)
- Bring her own GF treats for character dining
- Get mini fridge in room
- Lower my expectations (not every meal will be perfect)
- Relax more (we survived, she had fun, it's fine)
What I wouldn't change: Going. Making the memories. Seeing her face light up when she realized she could eat safely at Disney.
Worth it.
The Bottom Line
Is Disney World doable with a celiac kid?
Yes. 100%.
Is it stress-free?
Nope. But what family vacation is?
Is it worth it?
If you plan ahead, communicate clearly, pack snacks, and stay flexible? Absolutely.
My daughter's review: "Best vacation ever. Can we go back?"
My review: "Let me recover financially and emotionally first."
But yeah. We'll probably go back.
Because despite the stress, the mistakes, and the price tag, we made magic happen.
And isn't that the whole point?
Quick Reference: Best GF Options by Park
Magic Kingdom:
- Be Our Guest (sit-down) - ★★★★★
- Columbia Harbour House (quick service) - ★★★★☆
- Skipper Canteen (sit-down) - ★★★★★
EPCOT:
- Sunshine Seasons (quick service) - ★★★★★
- Most World Showcase countries have options - ★★★★☆
Hollywood Studios:
- Sci-Fi Dine-In (sit-down) - ★★★★☆
- Backlot Express (quick service) - ★★★☆☆
Animal Kingdom:
- Tusker House (character dining) - ★★★★★
- Flame Tree BBQ (quick service) - ★★★★☆
Final thought: You can do this.
It's not as scary as it seems.
Disney really does care about accommodating allergies.
Just plan ahead, bring snacks, and don't be afraid to advocate for your kid.
And hey - if we can survive 5 days at Disney with celiac, you can too.
Good luck, and may the GF Force be with you.
