If so, I'd love to hear some tips and places you went stories etc. I have heard Disney is good for gluten free, but I am not sure about buying the dining plan (will there be GF everywhere we go?)

So if anyone has any been there done that stories, I'm all ears!

Disney is supposed to be a GF Nirvana...

You can check here for more info:

http://www.allearsnet.com/din/guestceliac.htm
http://www.kintera.org/site/pp.asp?c=ewK0LjP7E&b=88697 - This is Disneyland...not Disneyworld.

We went over Christmas a couple of years ago. I know we ate at the restuarant in Animal Kingdom, and the chef made us a special funnel cake dessert using rice flour. They walked us around and told was foods on the buffet were gluten free using an allergy chart of everything that was in them...so multiple allergens were easily identified, too.

We also ate at a restaurant that was like a drive in movie..can't remember the name now..course we still have the cups from there..so let me go check!It was the Sci Fi Dine In Theatre restaurant. It was awesome. I had a great gf pasta dish. Again, they said they could do better with advance notice.

So, the restaurants do prefer advance notice, but I just did not find that practical because we don't like to have to be on a precise schedule when doing something like Disney.

I was actually a little disappointed that there weren't more stands with gluten free options. I think we found a few fruit cups. Maybe Turkey Legs (but that might be Great AMerica...lol).

Cara

Yes, I have read turkey legs from others too. What a weird food choice at a stand? I don't know that my girls would eat a turkey leg? Maybe...

Okay, I will add these notes and check links!

Also, I'm interested in recommendations on resorts/lodging. I assume some of the disney resorts have better GF options within their resort food establishments then others

The Animal Kingdom restaurant (can't remember the name of it) was great. We stayed just one night at the Animal Kingdom as a gift from my sister who is in the Disney vacation club. If you are not on a tight budget...I could easily recommend staying there. It is cool to watch the animals outside your window, although the rooms themselves were just OK given the cost of them. Very nice, but not large or extraordinary.

As for food, the chef was awesome, and if he knew you were going to be staying there, with advance notice, I'm sure you'd be delighted with his attentiveness ~ assuming it is the same guy from two years ago, but he had been there a while and seemed settled there. He came out to the table, chatted with us a few times, told us how much more he could do if he had advance notice. If I had access to old posts... I probably even mentioned his name.

Good luck!

Cara

I'll look it up! We were thinking of staying in a disney resort (mod or deluxe?) but I am open to a suite that is close by too...that sounds appealing!
We will not likely make this trip often, so we want it to be over the top!
LOL

I might be wrong...or it might have changed by now...but if you stay on grounds, I think those people can get into the parks 1 hr before it opens to the general public and 1 hr after it closes to the general public. We had some friends stay there a couple of years ago.

When we were there last (about 8-10 years ago), we stayed off grounds. When we go back (hopefully spring '07) we are going to check into staying right on grounds. That way if we want make sure we're fresh for the fireworks at night, we can go back to the room/pool and hang out there for awhile and come back when we're ready. That's not so convenient if you stay off grounds.

Okay, I have booked a resort and airfare. Now I am stumped on if I should or shouldn't reserve and try calling ahead for GF meals.

I would like to think that we may eat wherever we are (and not be tied to a dining schedule) so making reservations (when I have NO IDEA where we'll be or what we'll be doing) seems a bit odd.

Do those of you have been there think it's worth planning around to ensure the GF options available?

Hi
I live near Disney (about 20miles north)

when my kids were younger we had annual passes to the Disney parks and spent a lot of our time there.
The four parks are unique: Magic Kingdom is the best for children followed by Disney/MGM studios, and EPCOT is really special, but more adult oriented. The Animal Kingdom is really well done. I grew up in Africa and spent a lot of time on safari, and Disney really have managed to give a glimpse of that wonder at Animal Kingdom.

staying at a Disney resort or hotel is far and above the best choice if you can afford it. The perks are tremendous and they do cater to specific dietary needs.
The Disney resorts/hotels are an absolute delight for kids as there is non stop entertainment and the Disney characters even join in for meals etc

you can also hop a monorail from your accomodations to the parks with ease, and yes, Disney resort.hotel guests are allowed in to the parks ahead of others, so you get bonus time with less crowds early in the morning

Enjoy!!

Thank you! That is good to hear. We are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I know the girls will be over the moon about that. I booked a couple of things for meals on advisement from the person I spoke to at Disney.
I booked a night at Boma, a lunch at Crystal Palace, a lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, a lunch at Hollywood and Vine (with Playhouse disney ), and I am thinking of booking the Hoop De Doo Musical Revue because I have read so many good reviews.

This will, no doubt, add up to a small fortune! LOL
but for us, it is such a RARE treat. We have never been on a family vacation like this (we only just visit other family members) So, once every 6 years, we have to live it up!

I was thinking Epcot seemed a little old for my 3 and 6 year olds. I wasn't sure about MGM, even, but I know they will LOVE magic kingdom. We will have to spend 2 or 3 days there.