By: Danielle Sanchez, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
When I worked as a cast member at Disneyland Resort, I was unaware of my allergy to gluten. I have since returned to the parks with my dietary restrictions over the past few years, most recently a couple of weeks ago, and I am excited to share some of my favorite experiences eating gluten-free at Disneyland!
As someone who has significant reactions to gluten, it is always a bit overwhelming to trust someone else with the cooking, especially when on vacation. Before even visiting Disneyland Resort, I checked out different restaurants on the app as many of them have allergy-friendly options listed there. This was a great tool for helping me plan my days in advance though not all restaurants have this feature available.
The first thing I got myself familiar with was gluten-free snacking at Disneyland. I could certainly spend my park days just enjoying the tasty treats! My favorites are popcorn, Dole Whips and of course, ice cream! It is so refreshing to know that there are multiple options across the parks. Some quick service restaurants even have pre-packaged gluten-free chocolate chip cookies!
Let’s talk breakfast...Carnation Cafe is awesome! Not only do they offer gluten-free pancakes and eggs, but they have gluten-free Mickey waffles! Please note that there are additional charges for some gluten-free items. Breakfast is served from 8am to 11am and you will definitely want to make a reservation in advance.
If I eat breakfast then I do not normally have lunch, unless I am at Disneyland! Jolly Holiday Cafe is by far my favorite spot while in Disneyland Park. It does not matter if it is 90 degrees outside, I love their grilled cheese and tomato soup combo with a chocolate chip cookie for dessert; they even serve the cookie warm. Be sure to mobile order as they will be making your items from fresh and it can be a bit of a wait.
For dinner at Cafe Orleans, I had to treat myself to a Monte Cristo because well, it’s a Monte Cristo! I did reach out to specialty dining approximately 2 weeks prior to my stay to arrange for this meal to be available when I dined at Cafe Orleans. They also had fish and chicken dishes available.
My favorite dinner was over at Trader Sam’s Tangaroa Terrace my first night. After traveling all day and having not eaten, I was really hoping for something special and the Teriyaki Bowl was amazing!!!! The sauce alone would have hit the spot but the chicken and rice were also perfectly cooked, steamed broccoli and some refreshing pineapple made for the best meal of the trip, hands down! You will want a reservation to visit this popular spot. The drinks aren’t too bad either...
In previous visits, City Hall had printed allergy-friendly dining cards but they were unavailable this visit. Be sure to check when you arrive in case they have returned, otherwise you can ask to see a menu at the host stands for the restaurants across the parks. Once seated, if you need to speak with a chef, just ask your server.
Whether it is your first time visiting the parks, or your 100th, Marvelous Mouse Travels would love to help you plan your next Disney vacation! Reach out to be connected to a travel agent.
