When vacationing, it is sometimes stressful to find gluten-free items, and I find myself wishing I could eat what everyone around me eats. In Disney fashion, they made a gluten-free girl’s wish come true. Hopefully, when you’re done reading this, it will make your dreams come true. Here are my top "10 Gluten-Free Finds" in the Walt Disney World Resort. There is no way to rank these, because I love them all and so will you! Get ready to dive into some scrumptious eats.
Churro
Located at Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Going around watching everyone else eat churros can be tiresome, but you will never feel like this again! Stop by the Nomad Lounge and get your hands around these cinnamon sugar gluten-friendly churros. These crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth golden-fried pleasures will have you smiling ear to ear!
Onion Rings
Located at Raglan Road™ Irish Pub and Restaurant and Cookes of Dublin in Disney Springs
Finally, some delicious guilty pleasure goodness! When I heard that I could get some gluten-free onion rings at Disney Springs I made it my mission on the first day of my vacation to get some. These golden halos have a light crunchy batter that does not overwhelm the taste of the onion inside. If reservations are not available in Raglan Road™ Irish Pub, worry not, you are able to get them at Cookes of Dublin, the quick service location outside.
Fish and Chips
Located at Raglan Road™ Irish Pub and Restaurant and Cookes of Dublin in Disney Springs
Even more delicious guilty pleasure goodness! Fish and chips are also hard to come by, so when I heard that Raglan Road™ and Cookes of Dublin could make gluten-free fish and chips, I had to make some room and get this too. The fish filet is moist and flaky on the inside and perfectly battered and fried. On the side is a generous portion of chips and tartar sauce for dipping.
“Tastes like Chicken”- Because it is!
Located at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom
The one item that many gluten-free people can never get is fried chicken. That’s right — crunchy fried chicken! This moist, crunchy chicken breast has a chili glaze drizzled over it, and underneath there is a ginger and citrus fried rice with a side of seasonal veggies. Here is a tip: ask for the chili glaze on the side, and add while you eat so the chicken can stay crunchy. This place has other amazing gluten-friendly items that will make you want to come back for more!
Indian Style Bread Service with 9 Accompaniments
Located at Sanaa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas- Kidani Village
Sanaa is such a great place to go relax and see wild animals like giraffes, zebras, kudu and many more right outside the window! My favorite item to get here is the gluten-free naan with all nine accompaniments. Seriously, you should not limit yourself to just three; get all nine! The bread service comes with five naan so we usually split it and get three gluten-free naan and two traditional naan (so my boyfriend and I can both enjoy). The cast members here are so understanding and fantastic to talk to. If you like spicy food, I would recommend the pickled garlic, red chile sambal, and spicy pickled jalapeno-lime.
Beignets
Located at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory in Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
Head over to the bakery shop and order the gluten-free beignets! Eat them for breakfast, have them as a snack or even make it an ice cream sundae. Who cares? You are on vacation! A bite of this delicate soft fried dough dusted in powdered sugar will transport you to the French Quarter.
Lo Mein Chicken
Located at Yak & Yeti™ Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
This may not seem like a list-worthy dish, but it is! The gluten-free Lo Mein Chicken is everything you need. The vegetarian option is great too. This savory dish has perfectly cooked rice noodles, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, and green onions. My favorite attribute about this restaurant is that all the dishes come out piping hot and the service is always tremendous.
Chicken Tenders
Located at various locations with chicken tenders on the menu
You can find gluten-free chicken tenders scattered around the Walt Disney World Resort. It is always my go-to quick service lunch option when I am in the parks. These savory chicken tenders are perfectly fried and are a great on-the-go food item.
Waffles
Located at various locations with waffles on the menu
My favorite breakfast item has to be waffles! Disney always makes it super special by having different designs on the waffles depending on where you get them. There are the classic Mickey Mouse waffles that you can find, or some special ones like Simba and Lightning McQueen waffles at the Art of Animation. The waffles are crisp on the outside and fluffy and delicate inside.
Red Velvet Cupcake
Located at Sprinkles in Disney Springs
After shopping around Disney Springs I can get a serious sweet tooth, so I stop by Sprinkles and grab one of their moist, decadent Red Velvet Cupcakes! The best part about this location is they have a Cupcake ATM so you don’t have to go inside and wait in line. It definitely helps save time so I can dig into my gluten-free cupcake faster.
I hope you have your appetites ready the next time you visit the Walt Disney World Resort. There are numerous gluten-friendly options available, so rest assured you will find something that suits your taste buds. Happy eating. my-gluten free friends!
