5/24/20 5/24/20

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Enchanted Garden just might be our favorite rotational dining restaurant located on the Disney Dream for its atmosphere and for excellent meal options. On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream in January 2020, Enchanted Garden was our rotational dining for the final night of of our cruise. Both Brandon and I had been looking forward to it, and I was especially looking forward to the new allergy-friendly menu options there.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in January 2020. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as a review of fish/shellfish free, peanut free, cabbage free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free options.

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

Enchanted Garden is themed after the Gardens of Versailles. You'll begin your meal in a bright and cheerful restaurant and as your meal continues, you'll experience sunset in the gardens.

Enchanted Garden - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I'll admit that on our first Disney Cruise together, both Brandon and I weren't all that excited about eating at Enchanted Garden based on its menus descriptions. But, since then, we've been blown away by its charming decor and delicious food.

Enchanted Garden - Booths / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I absolutely love these artfully designed teacup style booths that line the restaurant. We've been lucky enough to dine in them on several cruises, though on this cruise, we were seated in a corner in the back of the restaurant.

Enchanted Garden - Fountain / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The small but elegant fountain featuring Mickey Mouse also greets you when you enter the restaurant, and it's definitely a great photo op as the restaurant lighting changes.

Enchanted Garden - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Our table was located in a tucked away corner of the restaurant near the portholes. Both Brandon and I enjoyed the location, which gave us a chance to look at the charming light fixtures, elegant carpet, and little hidden touches on the wall.

Enchanted Garden - Lighting / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll see beautiful trellis style decor. If you've ever seen photos of the Cafe Parisien from the Titanic, it harkens back to this cafe style restaurant both in style and theme.

Brandon and I did take the Art of the Theme tour several cruises ago on the Disney Dream, and the cast member who led the tour mentioned that classic ships inspired the DCL designs. So, I'm not surprised to see some similarities between Enchanted Garden and the Cafe Parisien.

Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Here's a photo of our table. How cute are the chairs in this restaurant? They have the cutest flourishes that resemble a hot air balloon!

Since this was the last night of our cruise, we wanted to get some photos with our amazing service team. Our head server, Sudhir, did an awesome job of making sure we were taken care of -- and bonus, he totally hooked me up with Indian food throughout the cruise.

Our assistant server Gede was just a hoot. He kept us entertained and laughing throughout the cruise.

And, finally, our server Elisa was super friendly and made sure our special dietary needs were taken care of and that we had delicious food options every night. We couldn't have asked for a better service team!

The Food

Like the other main rotational dining options on the Disney Dream, Enchanted Garden offered an allergy-friendly menu. I'm not going to lie. This was by far the allergy-friendly menu I was the most excited. Had this been the first night or a longer cruise, I would have tried a lot more of the options because everything sounded so good!

Up first, Gede always made sure Brandon and I had plenty of beverages. I enjoyed iced tea on our final night.

Our bread service included hummus and Ener-G gluten free and allergy-friendly rolls. Both Brandon and I really love these rolls when they are well-heated, and we lucked out with that this cruise for sure. Brandon wasn't a fan of the hummus. But, I really enjoyed it for something different with our bread service.

Enchanted Garden - GF Potstickers — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my starter, I ordered the Vegetable Potsticker which were Pan-Seared, served with a Citrus Slaw. These were marked as safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu.

Omigosh. These were by far one of the best appetizers I've ever had on the Disney Cruise Line. These were outstanding and super flavorful. The exterior was crispy, and I loved the fresh flavors of the accompanying citrus slaw. Had I know they would be this good, I might have ordered them every night of the cruise. This was a hands down winner, and I hope DCL keeps these around!

Enchanted Garden - Food in Photo is NOT Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon's first appetizer actually came from Royal Palace. He had somehow forgotten to order the Fried Brie during our dinner at Royal Palace. So, he asked our server Elisa for these for dinner on our last night.

This version of the fried Brie is fish/shellfish free, chicken & turkey free, cabbage free, peanut free, and hazelnut free. You can also pre-order a gluten free version of this too if you ask your server.

As always, these were a hit with Brandon, and he said he'd wish he'd order these every night because he enjoys the fried Brie so much.

For his other appetizer, Brandon also ordered the French Onion Soup from Royal Palace. It's another favorite of his, and he wanted to get soup one last time before our cruise ended. This was safe for fish/shellfish, peanut, cabbage, hazelnuts, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Because of Brandon's chicken & turkey allergies, soup can be super tricky to get because many soup's have chicken broth or stock as its base. But, we're always so glad he can get great soups on DCL because they use vegetable stock (typically) instead of meat-based versions.

I ended up getting two entrees on our visit to Enchanted Garden. The first was Caramelized Sea Scallops with Allergy-Friendly Pasta tossed in Cilantro-Pesto, Roasted Vine Tomatoes, and served with Roasted Meyer Lemon. This was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

I admit, I wasn't expecting to like this, as I'm not always a fan of pasta, especially on the Disney Cruise ships. But, this dish blew me away. The pasta was perfectly cooked and had a lovely pesto sauce that was flavorful and well-seasoned. And, the scallops were just perfection. I would 100% get this entree again. It was that good!

Enchanted Garden - Prime Rib — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For Brandon's entree, he chose the Slow-Roasted Prime Rib carved and served with Thyme-Roasted Vegetables, Fondant Potato, and Natural Jus. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. It was also chicken & turkey free too.

Overall, while it wasn't Brandon's favorite steak of the cruise, he said he enjoyed the prime rib and especially liked the fondant potatoes.

For my second entree, Sudhi made sure I got another Indian food platter. This time, I was served a spicy lamb curry and split peas. The peas were absolutely fabulous and definitely a little on the spicy side. I liked the lamb curry, but I'll admit I'm not a huge lamb fan overall. Still, it was great to try a few different curries that I hadn't had on previous cruises!

If you are interested in Indian food (whether it's gluten free, vegan, or dairy free options), be sure to ask your server about pre-ordering this. It's definitely one of my favorite hidden tips for cruising.

Because there were so many great things on the menu, I knew I had to order several of the allergy-friendly desserts. Brandon and I decided that splitting them was the way to go. Up first was the Carrot Cake served with Poached Carrot Strips and Berry Salad. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

I really loved this dessert. It was surprisingly tasty, and I loved the cream cheese style frosting. This would definitely be a get again dessert!

For our second dessert, we ordered the Warm Apple Pudding served with Vanilla-Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert. It was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut, and Soy Allergies.

At first, I think I liked this dessert better as it was heated, and I liked the apple compote on top. But, the cake itself was a little on the tough side. Overall though, it was a solid dessert that I'd get again despite the slightly tough/chewy cake.

If you want to see more about our cruise experience and our dining reviews as we experienced them, check out our cruise vlog!

Overall

Enchanted Garden never fails to disappoint on excellent entrees, wonderful theming, and a great meal experience. We're looking forward to getting back on the Disney Dream and enjoying another great meal at Enchanted Garden. AND, I'm even more excited to dine there with a fantastic allergy-friendly menu.

Have you been on the Disney Dream? What was your experience at Enchanted Garden?

5/22/20 5/22/20

Cookie's BBQ Lunch Review on Castaway Cay

Cookie's BBQ located on Castaway Cay is the main restaurant on Disney's private island. There are two other dining locations: Cookie's Too and Serenity Bay BBQ that also provide guests with meals during their visit on Castaway Cay. On our recent cruise in January 2020, we enjoyed a lunch at Cookie's BBQ, which is the recommended location for all guests with special dietary needs (because it's the location that accommodates pre-ordered meals). We always look forward to a BBQ lunch at Cookie's!

Lunch at Cookie's BBQ

Atmosphere

Any day at Castaway Cay is a great one (in my opinion), and on our visit, the skies were clear and it was a beautiful sunny day.

Cookie's BBQ Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Bright and cheery, Cookie's BBQ is always an inviting place to enjoy lunch. I love the signs and details that let you know your meal at Cookie's BBQ is all about the barbecue food.

Cookie's BBQ - Fresh Fruit Stand / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The restaurant features many different buffet style stations. I especially love the fruit station which features just about every fruit you can think of from grab and go options, like apples & bananas, to freshly sliced fruit like papaya and pineapple.

Every aspect of Cookie's BBQ is bright and inviting. And, you'll be ready to dig in to great BBQ food when you smell the grills going at Cookie's BBQ too!

The Food

Cookie's BBQ typically does not offer an allergy-friendly menu; however, on our most recent cruise, we were presented with a gluten free and dairy free menu the night before we arrived at Castaway Cay that featured many items available at Cookie's BBQ. In addition to the items listed, you can also request other items like French fries made in a dedicated fryer too!

We pre-ordered several items, including our favorite burgers and fries combo. We were also excited to pre-order some desserts, which haven't been as easy to order on Castaway Cay on previous cruises.

Cookie's BBQ / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

When we arrived at Cookie's BBQ, we went to the station where you talk to a coordinator about your pre-order. It's usually in the middle of the restaurant area. If you're not sure where to go, as a cast member! They're always happy to direct you.

Once our pre-order was confirmed, Brandon went and found a picnic table, and I picked up some fresh fruit from the fruit station. I don't mind getting fruit from the station, because it's completely removed from the regular buffet and only contains fruit. But, you can always request fruit to be brought with your pre-order too.

I don't know what it is, but the fresh fruit on Disney Cruise Line, and especially at Castaway Cay, is always so fresh. Pineapple is always a must, and it never fails to disappoint! So good!

Our pre-order arrived, and we didn't waste any time digging in. Both Brandon and I got burgers and fries. The burgers are served on a gluten free, dairy free, peanut/tree nut free, egg free, and vegan Ener-G bun. While it's not our favorite, I'm always glad we have a bun option. The burgers can be made gluten free and dairy free by omitting the cheese; or, you can add cheese if you do not have an allergy or can tolerate it.

Fun fact! Only guests with special dietary needs can get fries on Castaway Cay. They are a pre-order item only, and a very special treat to get when you're on the island. We always enjoy them lots and are super grateful that they offer guests with special dietary needs this option!

For dessert, we were served a Namaste chocolate cake with fresh fruit. This was gluten free, dairy free, egg free, peanut/tree nut free, and vegan. While I usually love Namaste cake, for some reason this one wasn't very good.

We both agreed that the cake was very rubbery and hard to chew. I'm not sure if it was over-baked, sat too long, or had some other issue with the replacement ingredients to make it allergy-friendly. All the desserts we had the ship that were top 8 allergy free were fantastic, so we figured this was just a weird fluke. But, I'm so glad to see Disney Cruise Line step up their game with lots of additional options!

If you want to see our visit to Castaway Cay in video form, check out our vlog, which includes our lunch review of Cookie's BBQ!

Overall

Cookie's BBQ is always such a fun tradition for us for lunch whenever we visit Castaway Cay. The BBQ vibe always feels just right for being on the island, and you can't beat burgers and fries and fresh fruit! There are also a lot of other options that we didn't get on this visit, but you can read some of our older reviews for options too. We can't wait til our next cruise and visit to Castaway Cay and Cookie's BBQ for delicious food in an island setting.

Have you been to Cookie's BBQ on Castaway Cay? What did you get when you dined there?

3/2/20 3/2/20

Royal Palace Breakfast Review on the Disney Dream

Leisurely breakfasts on the Disney Dream are one of my favorite ways to start a morning whenever we cruise. While many people enjoy Cabanas, the ship's buffet, I prefer dining at Royal Palace -- the a la carte option each morning. On day 3 of our cruise, we were arriving at Castaway Cay (Disney's Private Island), so I headed to Royal Palace for some allergy-friendly Mickey waffles while we docked.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in January 2020. It includes information about dairy free options.

Breakfast at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

I've written quite a few reviews of the atmosphere at Royal Palace, so definitely check them out if you're interested in more full-scale descriptions of the theming.

Royal Palace - Breakfast Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I will say that breakfast at Royal Palace is so relaxed compared to dinner. I love being able to be seated in a cozy corner and enjoy a great meal.

Royal Palace - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I also love how bright and chipper the restaurant is during the day. There's something especially bright about it when we arrive at Castaway Cay on a sunny day!

The Food

That morning, I was feeling just a bit on the tired side. So, like you do when you're tired, you order coffee!

Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I ended up getting a latte with almond milk. Do be sure to ask your server team about cross-contamination or safety if you're concerned with dairy cross-contamination and the frother. As an aside, Disney Cruise uses Almond Breeze almond milk. While I do prefer the coffee at Cove Cafe, this was still a pretty solid option for coffee lovers out there.

Royal Palace - Fresh Fruit — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Taking a cue from my breakfast the previous morning, I opted to start my meal with a Fresh Fruit Plate. I found that this helped ensure I wasn't overly full and that my server team didn't keep asking me if I wanted more food. It was a good compromise to not over-order and still enjoy a few things.

I was asked to pre-order my meal the night before. And, I asked for the allergy-friendly Mickey waffles with Blueberry Compote and Strawberry Cream. Unfortunately, something got lost in translation because they gave me strawberry jam instead and no blueberry compote. This wasn't a huge deal, but I would definitely be more specific next time I pre-order!

The Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles are gluten free and dairy free (and free of most of the top common allergens & vegan too). They are currently being made on the Disney Dream using the King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix. While they aren't my favorite allergy-friendly Mickey waffles, they still are pretty good and a perfect way to start the day!

The bacon, which I didn't take a photo of was just OK.

If you want to see more of our overall cruise experience and our dining reviews on video, check out our YouTube channel vlogs!

Overall

Having breakfast at Royal Palace on the Disney Dream is always a must-do anytime I cruise. And, ordering the Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles is on my must order list at least once on the cruise too. Thankfully, I can get my waffles and a relaxed atmosphere all in one place at Royal Palace. It's a location I'll keep visiting again and again!

Have you been to Royal Palace for breakfast on the Disney Dream? What did you order when you dined there?

2/17/20 2/17/20

Royal Palace Lunch Review on the Disney Dream

On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, Brandon and I had lunch on day 2 of our cruise at Royal Palace in between getting off the ship at Nassau, Bahamas and a bit of relaxation in the Senses Spa Rainforest Room. I had already enjoyed breakfast there earlier in the day, but I always look forward to lunch at Royal Palace.

Lunch at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

I mentioned this in another review, but one of the things that I truly love about eating at Royal Palace during the day is getting to really see and enjoy the restaurant. As you can see by this photo Brandon took, the restaurant is elegant and spacious.

Royal Palace - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Lunch at Royal Palace is currently offered from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the Disney Dream. Admittedly, we got there around 1 p.m. as we had been at the Rainforest Room relaxing just previously. I'm always surprised at how empty the restaurant can be during lunch. There were very few tables with guests, so we truly had a relaxing and chill lunch which was nice.

Brandon and I did not pre-order our meal for lunch, so we talked through the options with our server team. Both of us have been to Royal Palace for lunch so many times that we have a pretty good idea what the options were. We both quickly ordered, then took in the atmosphere.

I love that at lunchtime you can get beautiful views of wherever you are docked. I loved the crystal blue Bahamas waters that we could see from the portholes near our table.

Royal Palace - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Here's a much better photo of the large dining area at Royal Palace. As you can see, there's lots of space and different kinds of seating options for guests and parties of all sizes.

The Food

Unlike dinner, there is no allergy-friendly menu offered at lunch. You can see some gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian options marked on the regular lunch menu. And, you can always talk through the options with your server.

Because we've been so many times, we both already knew what we wanted to eat. Neither one of us wanted a huge meal either, so we stuck with main entrees, dessert, and allergy-friendly rolls.

Up first, we were brought a bowl with lots of Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls. These are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, soy free, chicken & turkey free, and vegan. We both agreed that throughout our cruise, the DCL cast members did an excellent job heating the rolls every meal. When these rolls are well-heated, they are great!

For my entree, I ordered gluten free and allergy-friendly chicken tenders, which I had on our last cruise and loved. You can imagine my surprise and delight when I was served a kids plate version of the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. On our last cruise, I had a regular plate. I have to admit, this was a pretty fun way to enjoy my meal. They even gave me BBQ sauce in the shape of mouse ears too! How cute!

If you are craving gluten free and dairy free chicken tenders, I highly recommend ordering these. I forgot to ask what brand they're using (again!), but they are just fantastic. They're nice and crispy and crunchy -- just the way allergy-friendly chicken tenders should be. The steak fries I got were also very good, and of course, I made sure I ate all of my veggies too!

Royal Palace - GF Burger — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon ordered a cheeseburger, and on this visit, it was served on a gluten free bun. Essentially, he had a burger that was gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and chicken & turkey free. While Brandon wasn't too keen on his gluten free bun (it wasn't well-heated and fell apart a bit), he did enjoy the burger and his fries.

For dessert, we were both given gluten free ice cream sundaes. Although I do eat dairy now, I do avoid certain kinds of dairy and limit my dairy when I can. I rarely eat any dairy-based ice cream, so I passed on this one. Brandon enjoyed it, but we both agreed we'd much prefer something else for dessert besides a sundae.

If you want to see and hear our initial thoughts on this dining experience, check out our Disney Cruise Line Vlog. We not only cover our dining experiences, but we also share some of our other cruising fun too!

Overall

Royal Palace is always an excellent option for a la carte lunch on the Disney Dream. Once I discovered that I can get allergy-friendly chicken tenders there, it quickly became a must-go to spot at least once on our cruise. Plus, we enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the ability to not feel rushed or overwhelmed when we dine there. It's definitely a location we'll go to again and again on our Disney Dream cruises.

Have you been to Royal Palace? What did you think of their lunch options?

2/17/20 2/17/20

Royal Palace Breakfast Review on the Disney Dream

On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, I had breakfast a couple of the mornings at Royal Palace. This dining option, located on deck 3, midship, is my go-to spot for a la carte breakfast. It's my personal preference, as I find Cabanas (the buffet) on the ship to be a little overwhelming. I personally don't enjoy the lengthy waits to get even simple items like gluten free muffins, so I opt for Royal Palace breakfast almost every time. On this visit, I dined by myself (as Brandon is not an early morning person), and I also pre-ordered my breakfast the night before.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in January 2020. It includes information about dairy free options.

Breakfast at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

I actually prefer dining at Royal Palace during the day because it's much brighter and lighter inside. And, you get great views of wherever you are in port or at sea.

Royal Palace Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because it was early, I had a good chance to relax and enjoy a low-key meal experience.

Royal Palace currently opens on the Disney Dream around 8 or 8:30 a.m. I found that on both days, the restaurant was fairly quiet around that time.

I had a nice cozy corner booth, which was very nice. It gave me a chance to just wake up and take in some of the beautiful Disney princess inspired decor and theming.

The Food

Unlike the main rotational dinner options, breakfast and lunch on the Disney Dream do not currently offer an allergy-friendly menu. This is no probably though, because you can either 1) pre-order your food the evening before with your head server or 2) the server team at breakfast can help you navigate any options.

On this visit, I did pre-order breakfast at the suggestion of our head server Sudhir. He and I chatted quite a bit the night before because I asked about pre-ordering Indian food. Sudhir is from India, and he promised he'd make sure I got Indian food every night for the rest of the cruise.

When I was pre-ordering breakfast, Sudhir made several suggestions and asked if I wanted hash browns. On previous cruises, I was told this was not an option. But, Sudhir said he would work Disney magic to make this happen. I would recommend that you always talk to your server to discuss options and ingredients, because from my experience ingredients and product offerings can change from sailing to sailing.

After I was seated at breakfast, I ordered my normal morning drinks of Apple Juice and Iced Tea.

I had planned on only getting my pre-ordered breakfast, but my server insisted I get something else while I wait. Because I didn't want anything too heavy, I opted to get the fresh fruit plate, which came with mango, papaya, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries. This was a nice light way to start my morning, and Disney always has excellent fresh fruit on the ships.

Royal Palace - GF Eggs Benedict — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my entree, I always get Eggs Benedict on a gluten free bun, at least once on our cruise. It's a must-order for me, and it's become a cruising tradition. While it's not the best or fanciest Eggs Benedict, it's really tasty. I am always pretty amazing that they manage to perfectly poach the eggs too. If you're dairy free, do ask the servers about other options like allergy-friendly Mickey waffles, omelets, scrambled eggs, and more.

And, of course, the hash browns were amazing. They were extremely hot and very fresh. I would definitely get these again, and I'm so glad that Sudhir made Disney magic happen with these. So good!

If you're interested in learning more about this meal experience or want to see what else we did on our Disney Cruise, check out our Disney Cruise Vlog!

Overall

Royal Palace never disappoints when it comes to a delicious and relaxed breakfast experience. I absolutely love the breakfast options there. It's a great way to start the day, and I'm always glad that I get up early and take the time to go there. It's a must-do on every Disney Cruise!

Have you had breakfast at Royal Palace? What did you think of the special dietary needs options?

2/17/20 2/17/20

Royal Palace Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, our first rotational dinner was at Royal Palace. Located on deck 3, mid-ship, this Disney princess inspired restaurant is one of our favorite restaurants on the Disney Dream. We also spend a lot of time there (as you'll see by our cruise reviews), because it's one of the a la carte options for breakfast and lunch on the ship.

Dinner at Royal Palace

This was our first experience with the allergy-friendly dinner menus too on the ship, so we were looking forward to checking it all out. I will say that it might have been my least favorite meal of the cruise, which is unusual for Royal Palace. But, that's because I totally branched out and tried a few dishes that I would not normally order. That being said, it's still a great rotational dining option for guests with special dietary needs.

Atmosphere

As I mentioned, Royal Palace is inspired by Disney princesses. I do love the murals, paintings, and decor throughout the restaurant.

Royal Palace - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this particular visit, I didn't get too many photos because the ship was rocking quite a bit due to waves and wind. It was our first time cruising in January, and as we learned, winter on the high seas can include slightly rough waters!

We had the second dining of the night, which is at 8:15 p.m. So, the restaurant was a bit dark. And, as you can see from the portholes in this photo, it's pretty dark outside too!

We were seated at a 4-top table in the middle area of one of the dining sections. It wasn't my favorite location that we've had in Royal Palace, but it was by no means terrible. We were seated by ourselves, which we personally prefer. You can request to be seated at a table by yourself both in advance by calling Disney Cruise Line or by asking at one of the ship's dining sessions on embarkation day.

The Food

We had learned that the Disney Dream had started offering allergy-friendly dinner menus to guests with special dietary needs sometime in late fall 2019. Our last cruise was in May 2019, so we were looking forward to checking the menus out ourselves.

As you can see by this photo of Brandon with the allergy-friendly dinner menu, there were a ton of options. Almost every single dish on this menu is top 8 allergy free (gluten/wheat, egg, fish/shellfish, milk, peanut/tree nut, and soy), which was fantastic! There were SO many choices!

I do have to shout-out our server team. Our Assistant Server Gedde was just awesome, and once he learned our drink preferences, he made sure we were ready with drinks as soon as we arrived at our meals. By the end of the cruise, he was bringing me double iced teas as soon as we were seated!

Up first were Ener-G rolls with butter. If you're dairy free, do ask about dairy free butter options or other dipping sauces. Both Brandon & I were served these rolls on this visit to ensure that our special dietary needs were covered. These are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, soy free, and vegan.

For my starter, I ordered Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp with Green Asparagus, Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli, and Dill Dressing. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

I've been getting this dish for quite a long time on the Disney Dream, and it never sails to disappoint. If you love seafood, this is a fantastic option. I probably should have ordered it again on another night, because boy, is it delicious.

I couldn't help but try one of the new allergy-friendly menu options -- the Potato Gnocchi tossed in Provencal Sauce, garnished with Cremini Mushrooms and Caramelized Grape Tomatoes. It is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

Oh boy. I wanted to love this dish. I really did. Especially because it's so rare to get something like gnocchi gluten free when dining out. But, I was not a fan. The gnocchi itself was extremely gummy and tasteless. And, the sauce pretty much tasted like bad pizza sauce. Overall, I cannot recommend this unless you really really love pizza sauce or have your heart set on trying it. I'm glad I did try it, but I'll be skipping this one next time.

Brandon was extremely happy to be able to order not one but two soups. He got the classic French Onion Soup and Potato Leek Soup. Neither are listed on the allergy-friendly menu. But, they are listed on the regular Royal Palace dinner menu. The kitchen confirmed that both soups contained vegetable broth, making them safe for Brandon's fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, and chicken & turkey allergies. The Potato Leek soup is also gluten free.

As a quick aside, if you're interested in ordering something from the regular menu, you can still do so. We ordered a bit from the allergy-friendly menu and the regular menu at every meal. In fact, the regular menus do still have GF, DF, and vegetarian notes still on them. And, you can also still look for items not marked safe for a special dietary need that can be modified easily too. My rule of thumb is, if you're interested in a dish, ask your server!

For my entree, I ordered another dish that was new on the allergy-friendly menu -- Oven-Baked Salmon with a White Bean, Pancetta, and Swiss Chard Ragout. This was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, Shellfish, and Soy Allergies.

Overall, I was not impressed with this dish. The salmon itself was super tasty. But, the ragout was not. I guess I should have expected it to be tomato-based, but I was a bit surprised when it came. I was not at all a fan of the ragout which included touch, almost crunchy white beans and way too much tomato.

Next time, I'd go for the Chateaubriand steak or the tuna for safer bets.

Speaking of steak, Brandon ordered a dish we both usually get -- the Chateaubriand-Roasted Filet Steak which featured a Roasted Filet Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, and a Red Wine Jus. The Jus was omitted for Brandon due to the chicken broth in it, and Brandon got mashed potatoes instead of the Sage-Rosemary Roasted Potatoes listed on the allergy-friendly menu.

His version was safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Soy, Chicken & Turkey Allergies. You can get it dairy free too by getting the roasted potatoes.

Overall, Brandon said this was very good and a dish that he always enjoys whenever we have dinner at Royal Palace.

For dessert, we both got desserts from the allergy-friendly menu. Brandon got the Warm Chocolate Cookie Brownie which came with chocolate sauce and raspberry sorbet. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

Brandon is a big fan of this dessert and has gotten it quite a few times on previous cruises. Funnily enough, I think he likes it more than I do, as I haven't been as big of a fan when I've gotten it. He said it was great, as usual.

For my dessert, I got the Raspberry and Cream Cake layered with Raspberry Jam and Whipped Cream. This dish is marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, and Peanut Allergies.

While I liked this cake, I didn't love it. The cake was Namaste brand, and I found it to be a bit on the dry side. The dairy free whipped cream and frosting, on the other hand, was outstanding. It was definitely not a bad dessert, and I'd probably get it again because I enjoyed the flavors -- even with a dry cake.

If you're interested in learning more about the allergy-friendly options, our initial reactions and thoughts, or just want to see a bit more of our cruise experience, check out our Disney Cruise Vlog. Our Day 1 video includes this meal and more!

Overall

Royal Palace is always a great meal experience with a lot of special dietary needs options. With the addition of the new allergy-friendly menus, there's even more to enjoy. While I didn't love all of the dishes I tried, there's still a lot of the classic dishes at Royal Palace for dinner that I do really enjoy. I'll look forward to our next cruise and ordering some of those favorites again.

Have you been on the Disney Dream? What do you think of Royal Palace?

2/17/20 2/17/20

Animator’s Palate Embarkation Lunch Review on the Disney Dream

Recently, we just returned from a wonderful 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream to celebrate my birthday. It was a great way to spend a long weekend, relaxing, and enjoying all that Disney Cruise Line has to offer. The Disney Dream currently departs from Port Canaveral, so a weekend getaway on DCL is a lot easier for us as Orlando locals. One of our favorite traditions whenever we board the Disney Dream is to get embarkation lunch. Currently, it's located at Animator's Palate.

Embarkation Lunch at Animator’s Palate

As guests with special dietary needs, both Brandon and I prefer dining at the a la carte embarkation lunch instead of going to the ship's buffet - Cabanas. That's because we feel like we can talk through the options and not feel like we're waiting forever for our meal. This method works well for us, but of course, if you do dine at the buffet, be sure to speak with a head server and chef to help ensure you have safe and delicious options. If you're curious about the process at Cabanas, check out my friend Alexis from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures blog posts about Cabanas on the Disney Cruise ships.

Atmosphere

I have to admit, that Brandon and I both find Animator's Palate to be our least favorite of the three main rotational dining options on the Disney Dream. This is a restaurant that you'll dine at at least once while you're aboard the Disney Dream. And, it's also open during embarkation lunch currently.

Animator's Palate - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of the reasons we don't like the restaurant as much is because it can get quite loud. To add to this, we generally find the combination of classic Disney animation with what is essentially Turtle Talk with Crush from Epcot into one restaurant a bit odd. While we don't hate the restaurant, we just don't love the atmosphere and food overall during main rotational dining meals.

Animator's Palate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

At embarkation lunch, we find the restaurant to be a little more relaxed, though on this visit, we both agreed it was a bit louder than it has been in the past.

Animator's Palate - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

There are a lot of cute Disney touches throughout the restaurant. I do like the Mickey Mouse inspired chairs.

Animator's Palate - Carpet / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

And, I have to say I personally think my favorite part is the sparkly Disney-inspired carpet. I don't know why, but I just love it.

The Food

The Disney Dream introduced allergy-friendly dinner menus for each of the three main rotational dining options on the ship sometime in late 2019. We'll go into detail about these at our dinner, but it's important to know that they don't offer allergy-friendly menus at any other meal. This includes embarkation lunch.

Your server team will work to ensure you have safe options throughout your meal. We had a great experience at our last embarkation lunch when we cruised in May 2019 and knew we'd be fine this visit too.

Animator's Palate - GF Rolls — Animator's Palate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

After we were seated, our server team noted our special dietary needs and quickly brought us some Ener-G rolls to start our meal. These are gluten free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and soy free. They are also vegan.

While I'm always served these rolls, it depends on the restaurant we're dining at and the regular bread served there for Brandon. Because of his peanut and hazelnut allergies, he is often brought Ener-G rolls too to help avoid cross-contamination. Both Brandon and I actually enjoy these rolls when they're well-heated. In this case, they definitely were, and they were a great way to start the meal.

One of Brandon's favorite things about the Disney Cruise Line is that he can usually enjoy the soups served in the restaurants. Because he's allergic to chicken & turkey, we always have to ask about the soup base to ensure it's vegetarian. Brandon loves soup, so it's always disappointing when he can't enjoy it. On this visit, he was able to get his two favorite soups on the Disney Dream, including this Potato Leek Soup.

We both ordered this as an appetizer. The soup is gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and chicken & turkey free. It does, unfortunately, contain dairy. If you're dairy free, I do recommend either the smoked salmon appetizer or a side salad if you're dining at the a la carte Embarkation lunch.

Animator's Palate - Food in Photo is NOT Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW — Animator's Palate - Food in Photo is **NOT** Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon ordered a second appetizer as a back-up just in case the soup was not going to be safe for him. so, the restaurant brought him both. He ordered the Beef Empanada with Red Chimichurri. This was fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and chicken & turkey free. This contains gluten, so this is not an option that is safe for those who are gluten free.

For the most part, Brandon does enjoy this dish. He's ordered it before and found it to be tasty, though maybe not his favorite thing.

For my entree, I ordered the Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. It can be made gluten free by omitting the croutons. The dish does contain dairy and fish, so if you have those special dietary needs, you'll want to avoid this one. If you can have dairy and are looking for something a bit lighter, I highly recommend this. It's definitely a nice easy-going lunch, and I never leave feeling too full when I order this at embarkation lunch.

Brandon got the Sliced Roasted Beef Sirloin with Double Baked Potato and Green Beans. This is a dish I've ordered in the past and one of the dishes, the servers almost always recommend to me as a gluten free option. This dish is gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and chicken & turkey free.

This has been Brandon's go-to entree at the Embarkation Lunch for quite a while now, and it's definitely one he will be getting again. He's a big fan of the baked potato especially.

For dessert, I always get the Chocolate Marquise Bombe which is the restaurant's no sugar added dessert. I usually hate no sugar added desserts, but there's just something about this chocolate mousse. I find the flavors to be light, creamy, yet rich. I can definitely recommend this to guests who are gluten free and can have dairy.

Brandon usually gets the Welcome Aboard Ice Cream Sundae, but the servers brought him the Cookies n' Cream Cheesecake before we could even request dessert. He's not usually a big fan of cheesecake, so he said this was OK, but not amazing. This dish was safe for fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, and chicken & turkey allergies.

If you're interested in seeing and hearing our first impressions or want to see a bit of our cruising experience, check out our Disney Cruise Vlog that we did while we sailed on the Disney Dream. Day 1 includes this Embarkation Lunch and lots more!

Overall

While it may not be anything special in terms of the options, both Brandon and I really do enjoy the Embarkation Lunch at Animator's Palate on the Disney Dream. We love the relaxed atmosphere and the servers ability to help ensure we have a safe meal without feeling rushed or in the way like we do at Cabanas. We also really enjoy some of the standard dishes at the a la carte lunch. They make for a perfect way to begin any Disney Cruise.

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? Which do you prefer - a la carte lunch or buffet lunch during embarkation?

1/26/15 1/26/15

Animator's Palate -- Debarkation Breakfast -- Disney Dream 2014

Animator's Palate Debarkation Breakfast Menu

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.

Sailing away on our 3 day cruise on the Disney Dream was such a wonderful time, and I can honestly say those 3 days flew by so quickly. With amazing meals that included Palo and Remy, it's a wonder I didn't come back gaining 10 pounds! So, as you can imagine, our final breakfast aboard the Disney Dream was bittersweet.When you dine at your debarkation breakfast you eat at the same location you dined the night before, rather than the traditional rotational dining. For us, this meant dining at Animator's Palate again.The breakfast is also a standard menu served at all of the dining locations and is different from the regular a la carte breakfast menu. Additionally, be prepared to dine early. I think we were at our breakfast by 6:30 a.m. There are two seatings for breakfast, and you'll dine really early (like we did) or a little later in the morning (but still fairly early) depending on whether or not you dined at the first or second dinner seating. You have to be completely out of your stateroom around 8 a.m. so dining early was OK by us.Our head server and server assisted me with my breakfast options. What I really wanted was the corned beef hash and eggs, but unfortunately, it contained gluten. I ended up with the Route 66 entree minus the hash browns (which also contain gluten) and a side of gluten free & dairy free pancakes. I also got an apple juice and iced tea to wake myself up!For my main entree, I would say this was just OK. Like my breakfast at Royal Palace, I didn't think it was anything to write home about but was sufficient in both portion and taste. Next time, I think I'd ask for just ham and bacon and skip the sausage, as it wasn't my favorite.The pancakes were just OK here as well. My favorite version of the gluten free and dairy free pancakes were definitely at Royal Palace - they were really well cooked and perfectly crisp on the outside. Cabanas was my least favorite (they were practically inedible). These were somewhere in the middle of those two.The restaurant is busily trying to prep for the next breakfast and to get you off the ship promptly, so don't expect this to be a very relaxing meal. Everything came out super quick and the servers were working hard to shuttle everyone out as efficiently as they could. My mom and I had our dining table to ourselves that morning, as our table-mates didn't join us (they were debarking and then getting back on the ship for another 3 day cruise - lucky ducks!), so that made for a really lovely last meal on the ship.I have to say that overall my Disney Cruise Line experience was wonderful. Once I learned a lot of the ins and outs of how the ship handles special diets, I was able to eat a lot of amazing things. If you are looking for really customized meals, the adult dining is the way to go. We loved Palo and Remy a lot and plan on dining at Palo on every future cruise that we do (and I'm dying to try out brunch!).After our short cruise, I can easily see why others love the Disney Cruise Line so much. You can read about gluten free cruise reviews from Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando. She has posted several cruise recaps.Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise? What were your favorite meals?

1/26/15 1/26/15

Animator's Palate -- Debarkation Breakfast -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Sailing away on our 3 day cruise on the Disney Dream was such a wonderful time, and I can honestly say those 3 days flew by so quickly. With amazing meals that included Palo and Remy, it's a wonder I didn't come back gaining 10 pounds! So, as you can imagine, our final breakfast aboard the Disney Dream was bittersweet.When you dine at your debarkation breakfast you eat at the same location you dined the night before, rather than the traditional rotational dining. For us, this meant dining at Animator's Palate again.The breakfast is also a standard menu served at all of the dining locations and is different from the regular a la carte breakfast menu. Additionally, be prepared to dine early. I think we were at our breakfast by 6:30 a.m. There are two seatings for breakfast, and you'll dine really early (like we did) or a little later in the morning (but still fairly early) depending on whether or not you dined at the first or second dinner seating. You have to be completely out of your stateroom around 8 a.m. so dining early was OK by us.Our head server and server assisted me with my breakfast options. What I really wanted was the corned beef hash and eggs, but unfortunately, it contained gluten. I ended up with the Route 66 entree minus the hash browns (which also contain gluten) and a side of gluten free & dairy free pancakes. I also got an apple juice and iced tea to wake myself up!For my main entree, I would say this was just OK. Like my breakfast at Royal Palace, I didn't think it was anything to write home about but was sufficient in both portion and taste. Next time, I think I'd ask for just ham and bacon and skip the sausage, as it wasn't my favorite.The pancakes were just OK here as well. My favorite version of the gluten free and dairy free pancakes were definitely at Royal Palace - they were really well cooked and perfectly crisp on the outside. Cabanas was my least favorite (they were practically inedible). These were somewhere in the middle of those two.The restaurant is busily trying to prep for the next breakfast and to get you off the ship promptly, so don't expect this to be a very relaxing meal. Everything came out super quick and the servers were working hard to shuttle everyone out as efficiently as they could. My mom and I had our dining table to ourselves that morning, as our table-mates didn't join us (they were debarking and then getting back on the ship for another 3 day cruise - lucky ducks!), so that made for a really lovely last meal on the ship.I have to say that overall my Disney Cruise Line experience was wonderful. Once I learned a lot of the ins and outs of how the ship handles special diets, I was able to eat a lot of amazing things. If you are looking for really customized meals, the adult dining is the way to go. We loved Palo and Remy a lot and plan on dining at Palo on every future cruise that we do (and I'm dying to try out brunch!).After our short cruise, I can easily see why others love the Disney Cruise Line so much. You can read about gluten free cruise reviews from Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando. She has posted several cruise recaps.Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise? What were your favorite meals?

11/7/14 11/7/14

Animator's Palate -- Dinner -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.When it came to regular rotational dining on my recent Disney Dream cruise, my mom and I chose not to dine at any except Animator's Palate for the majority of our cruise, as we wanted to take advantage of the adult dining locations Palo and Remy. We did request ahead of time that our rotational dining include Animator's Palate on our last night, and luckily, that request came through!We were looking forward to Animator's Palate more for the atmosphere than the food but were curious to see how the rotational dining option would fare. We were also curious about the seating arrangements since we'd spent the majority of our cruise dining solo at our meal tables. When we were seated we found out we were at a table for 4 and that our dinner table mates were another mother daughter pair. Our assistant server, server, and head server were hilarious as they were like, "oh you finally showed up!" and were actually all very lovely and accommodating. They were well aware of my dietary needs and said they'd be taking good care of me.The decor in Animator's Palate is cute, with lots of fun and whimsical touches. Animator's Palate is on all of the Disney Cruise Line ships and each has a distinct theme. The Disney Dream's is Finding Nemo. Super cute!The Animator's Palate menu actually lists gluten free and dairy free options, which was interesting. I noted the shrimp salad said it wasn't dairy free, and when I asked about it they said it was because of the egg (which is not really dairy). So, if you think you're interested in a dish, let your server know because it might actually be safe or easily modified. First up, my server brought me Ener-G rolls. They weren't heated that well, but smothered in extra virgin olive oil, I was able to eat a bit of them. First up, I ordered the roasted red bell pepper salad with zucchini and red onion salad served in a balsamic vinaigrette. This was my least favorite part of my meal. The salad was super bland and the dressing did not even remotely resemble a balsamic vinaigrette (there was not hint of balsamic at all). It said it came with cilantro but I could see or taste any. Next time, I'd look for something else as a starter.Next up, I ordered the shrimp salad with cucumber, red onion and hard boiled egg. It wasn't at all what I had envisioned but I actually really loved this. The shrimp was marinated in dill (which I love) and the dish reminded me of Scandinavian shrimp salad (if you don't know what I'm talking about, visit an Ikea cafeteria!) It wasn't minced or small, so it was rather like a chop salad but tasty. If you don't like cucumber or red onion, probably not the dish for you.For my entree, I chose the snapper with scallops, crushed potatoes and a salsa verde. This dish was OK but not great. I liked the snapper, the asparagus, the lone scallop and the sauce. However, the dish was totally not as described. This salsa verde did not resemble any salsa verde I've ever had...um, to begin with folks salsa verde is green. Hence the verde point for those who speak Spanish! The crushed potatoes were actually mashed potatoes and they omitted the dairy for me. I wouldn't say it was a terrible dish just needs a different description.For my dessert, I was told they had a chocolate cake for me. The lighting on this photo is bad, but it was nicely presented. It came with Hershey's chocolate syrup. I had heard that the chocolate cake might also be sugar free, but when I asked they couldn't tell me for sure. It wasn't a bad chocolate cake and satisfied me at the end of the meal. I think they might have used Namaste mix for the cake.Overall, I can't say that I loved Animator's Plate or was wowed by the food. However, it was filling and fairly tasty. Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando also noted that on her review from the Disney Dream. We also dined here on debarkation day for breakfast, so stay tuned for that review! Have you been to Animator's Palate? What did you order when you dined there?

11/7/14 11/7/14

Animator's Palate -- Dinner -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.When it came to regular rotational dining on my recent Disney Dream cruise, my mom and I chose not to dine at any except Animator's Palate for the majority of our cruise, as we wanted to take advantage of the adult dining locations Palo and Remy. We did request ahead of time that our rotational dining include Animator's Palate on our last night, and luckily, that request came through!We were looking forward to Animator's Palate more for the atmosphere than the food but were curious to see how the rotational dining option would fare. We were also curious about the seating arrangements since we'd spent the majority of our cruise dining solo at our meal tables. When we were seated we found out we were at a table for 4 and that our dinner table mates were another mother daughter pair. Our assistant server, server, and head server were hilarious as they were like, "oh you finally showed up!" and were actually all very lovely and accommodating. They were well aware of my dietary needs and said they'd be taking good care of me.The decor in Animator's Palate is cute, with lots of fun and whimsical touches. Animator's Palate is on all of the Disney Cruise Line ships and each has a distinct theme. The Disney Dream's is Finding Nemo. Super cute!The Animator's Palate menu actually lists gluten free and dairy free options, which was interesting. I noted the shrimp salad said it wasn't dairy free, and when I asked about it they said it was because of the egg (which is not really dairy). So, if you think you're interested in a dish, let your server know because it might actually be safe or easily modified. First up, my server brought me Ener-G rolls. They weren't heated that well, but smothered in extra virgin olive oil, I was able to eat a bit of them. First up, I ordered the roasted red bell pepper salad with zucchini and red onion salad served in a balsamic vinaigrette. This was my least favorite part of my meal. The salad was super bland and the dressing did not even remotely resemble a balsamic vinaigrette (there was not hint of balsamic at all). It said it came with cilantro but I could see or taste any. Next time, I'd look for something else as a starter.Next up, I ordered the shrimp salad with cucumber, red onion and hard boiled egg. It wasn't at all what I had envisioned but I actually really loved this. The shrimp was marinated in dill (which I love) and the dish reminded me of Scandinavian shrimp salad (if you don't know what I'm talking about, visit an Ikea cafeteria!) It wasn't minced or small, so it was rather like a chop salad but tasty. If you don't like cucumber or red onion, probably not the dish for you.For my entree, I chose the snapper with scallops, crushed potatoes and a salsa verde. This dish was OK but not great. I liked the snapper, the asparagus, the lone scallop and the sauce. However, the dish was totally not as described. This salsa verde did not resemble any salsa verde I've ever had...um, to begin with folks salsa verde is green. Hence the verde point for those who speak Spanish! The crushed potatoes were actually mashed potatoes and they omitted the dairy for me. I wouldn't say it was a terrible dish just needs a different description.For my dessert, I was told they had a chocolate cake for me. The lighting on this photo is bad, but it was nicely presented. It came with Hershey's chocolate syrup. I had heard that the chocolate cake might also be sugar free, but when I asked they couldn't tell me for sure. It wasn't a bad chocolate cake and satisfied me at the end of the meal. I think they might have used Namaste mix for the cake.Overall, I can't say that I loved Animator's Plate or was wowed by the food. However, it was filling and fairly tasty. Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando also noted that on her review from the Disney Dream. We also dined here on debarkation day for breakfast, so stay tuned for that review! Have you been to Animator's Palate? What did you order when you dined there?

11/7/14 11/7/14

Cookie's BBQ -- Lunch -- Castaway Cay -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014Castaway Cay is Disney's private island, and when you sail on a Disney Cruise Line that is near it, you will get a full day to enjoy this amazing location. It was the highlight of my trip, and I admit, I could have stayed here forever. It was so much fun to rest and relax and enjoy the crystal blue waters. Even as a Florida resident who has access to amazing beaches, I was pretty blown away by the water at Castaway Cay.One of the things to note at Castaway Cay is that it has 3 dining options - Cookie's BBQ, Cookie's Too BBQ, and the Serenity Bay BBQ. Serenity Bay is the adults only beach, and a welcome place to get away from it all. So it was nice to see that they had an adults only restaurant available there. After an early breakfast at Cabanas, my mom and I got off the ship bright and early around 8:30 a.m. We were one of the first folks off the ship and decided to take advantage of that by taking lots of photos and meandering. My mom and I took a leisurely stroll from the dock to Serenity Bay (fair warning, it's a hike). Along the way we took photos of the various meal locations (among other things). We planned on dining at the adults only restaurant since it was easily located at Serenity Bay. We spent much of the morning at the beach and when the time came for lunch we headed to the Serenity Bay BBQ. I spoke with a cast member there who said they could make up some options but that they recommended we go to one of the other two dining locations as they would be better equipped to handle my requests. First up, we went to Cookie's Too BBQ which was closer than Cookie's BBQ. When we got there the cast member I spoke to told me that they were unable to accommodate there at all (versus Serenity Bay which said they could offer me stuff just reduced options). They told me to head along to Cookie's BBQ for special diets accommodations. Let's just say my mom and I worked off our food that day! Cookie's BBQ is an open air buffet with a lot of great BBQ type food. I spoke with a cast member who got the manager on duty. They went over some of the options with me that included, mahi mahi, roasted chicken, and burgers. They said they had gluten free and dairy free buns on hand. Unfortunately, they told me the ribs were not gluten free. That's a bummer since I had heard about them from Gluten Free in Orlando. I was told they contained soy sauce. While I waited for my plate to be made, I also grabbed a bag of Lay's plain potato chips which are gluten free. I also caught up with my friends who as luck would have it were dining at the same time and had pre-ordered their food. Unfortunately, they lost my friends pre-order but somehow had her daughter's. After seeing the pre-order, I was glad I ordered food when I got there. Plain chicken is not particularly a highlight for me culinary-wise.You'll notice that her plate was from Animator's Palate, as that is where they dined the night before. I was pleased to get my plate which was huge. I had a generous portion of Mahi Mahi, Roasted Chicken, and a Burger. The mahi mahi was OK. It wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad either. The burger was also nothing amazing, but it was good. I did not enjoy the bun, as it was rather dry and not very heated. In hindsight, I'd just get a burger, no bun with all the fixins'. The roasted chicken was the absolute star of this meal. It was insanely delicious! Note to self, skip the mahi and order extra chicken next time!Cookie's BBQ also has a huge fresh fruit station, which was awesome! In this photo, they are still setting it up, but during lunch they were carving fresh pineapple and papaya among other things. It was the perfect light dessert, and I loaded up on freshly cut pineapple slices. Delicious! If you're just gluten free, you'll have access to soft serve ice cream too, which I'm told is safe.Overall, despite being shuffled to three locations, I really enjoyed the lunch at Cookie's BBQ. The roasted chicken was so amazing, and I will definitely be getting it again on my next cruise. Next time, I might gamble with the Serenity Bay BBQ, as it looked like the menu was mostly the same. I can always go for a burger with no bun! Have you been to Castaway Cay? What did you get at Cookie's BBQ?

11/7/14 11/7/14

Cookie's BBQ -- Lunch -- Castaway Cay -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014Castaway Cay is Disney's private island, and when you sail on a Disney Cruise Line that is near it, you will get a full day to enjoy this amazing location. It was the highlight of my trip, and I admit, I could have stayed here forever. It was so much fun to rest and relax and enjoy the crystal blue waters. Even as a Florida resident who has access to amazing beaches, I was pretty blown away by the water at Castaway Cay.One of the things to note at Castaway Cay is that it has 3 dining options - Cookie's BBQ, Cookie's Too BBQ, and the Serenity Bay BBQ. Serenity Bay is the adults only beach, and a welcome place to get away from it all. So it was nice to see that they had an adults only restaurant available there. After an early breakfast at Cabanas, my mom and I got off the ship bright and early around 8:30 a.m. We were one of the first folks off the ship and decided to take advantage of that by taking lots of photos and meandering. My mom and I took a leisurely stroll from the dock to Serenity Bay (fair warning, it's a hike). Along the way we took photos of the various meal locations (among other things). We planned on dining at the adults only restaurant since it was easily located at Serenity Bay. We spent much of the morning at the beach and when the time came for lunch we headed to the Serenity Bay BBQ. I spoke with a cast member there who said they could make up some options but that they recommended we go to one of the other two dining locations as they would be better equipped to handle my requests. First up, we went to Cookie's Too BBQ which was closer than Cookie's BBQ. When we got there the cast member I spoke to told me that they were unable to accommodate there at all (versus Serenity Bay which said they could offer me stuff just reduced options). They told me to head along to Cookie's BBQ for special diets accommodations. Let's just say my mom and I worked off our food that day! Cookie's BBQ is an open air buffet with a lot of great BBQ type food. I spoke with a cast member who got the manager on duty. They went over some of the options with me that included, mahi mahi, roasted chicken, and burgers. They said they had gluten free and dairy free buns on hand. Unfortunately, they told me the ribs were not gluten free. That's a bummer since I had heard about them from Gluten Free in Orlando. I was told they contained soy sauce. While I waited for my plate to be made, I also grabbed a bag of Lay's plain potato chips which are gluten free. I also caught up with my friends who as luck would have it were dining at the same time and had pre-ordered their food. Unfortunately, they lost my friends pre-order but somehow had her daughter's. After seeing the pre-order, I was glad I ordered food when I got there. Plain chicken is not particularly a highlight for me culinary-wise.You'll notice that her plate was from Animator's Palate, as that is where they dined the night before. I was pleased to get my plate which was huge. I had a generous portion of Mahi Mahi, Roasted Chicken, and a Burger. The mahi mahi was OK. It wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad either. The burger was also nothing amazing, but it was good. I did not enjoy the bun, as it was rather dry and not very heated. In hindsight, I'd just get a burger, no bun with all the fixins'. The roasted chicken was the absolute star of this meal. It was insanely delicious! Note to self, skip the mahi and order extra chicken next time!Cookie's BBQ also has a huge fresh fruit station, which was awesome! In this photo, they are still setting it up, but during lunch they were carving fresh pineapple and papaya among other things. It was the perfect light dessert, and I loaded up on freshly cut pineapple slices. Delicious! If you're just gluten free, you'll have access to soft serve ice cream too, which I'm told is safe.Overall, despite being shuffled to three locations, I really enjoyed the lunch at Cookie's BBQ. The roasted chicken was so amazing, and I will definitely be getting it again on my next cruise. Next time, I might gamble with the Serenity Bay BBQ, as it looked like the menu was mostly the same. I can always go for a burger with no bun! Have you been to Castaway Cay? What did you get at Cookie's BBQ?

11/5/14 11/5/14

Cabanas -- Breakfast -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Cabanas is the Disney Dream's main buffet serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. While I had dined here on embarkation day, I didn't find it to be my personal favorite on the cruise ship. I much preferred Enchanted Garden for embarkation lunch or Royal Palace for breakfast and lunch a la carte.However, on our Castaway Cay day we wanted to be off the ship bright and early (around 8:30 a.m.) to really enjoy the full day at Castaway Cay. This meant that our best option was Cabanas for dining early. The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. with a continental breakfast and begins serving full breakfast at 7:30 a.m. We got there just around 7:30 so good timing on our part.I made sure to ask a cast member for a head server who could assist with special dietary needs and was greeted by Dogan who helped me at Cabanas on day 1 but whom I'd also seen at other restaurants. He immediately greeted me by name and knew my special dietary needs. It's kind of great how the cast members start to know you throughout your trip!I told him that I was interested in the gluten free and dairy free pancakes as I'd had some killer ones at Royal Palace the day before. I also asked for ham and scrambled eggs. Dogan asked me if I wanted any muffins or donuts, and I said that I'd like one of each (I ended up with more than that though). I was told they had blueberry and chocolate chip muffins on hand.My mom and I decided to sit out on the deck since we had docked at Castaway Cay and it was a gorgeous morning. I let Dogan know where I would be and off I went to grab some beverages and enjoy the amazing view.For my drinks, I grabbed some water and some apple juice. I like the variety of juices available at Cabanas.I'm not gonna lie, the wait was a bit long for breakfast. Dogan said he thought it would come out fairly quickly but it was probably 20 minutes, which in the grand scheme of things isn't long, but sure feels long when others are eating (and my mom finished her meal before I got mine).My scrambled eggs for breakfast were perfectly fine. Nothing exciting but tasty. The breakfast ham was a bit thin and reminded me of deli ham. I kind of joked that if you put the ham and egg on a gluten free English muffin, you'd have an egg McMuffin going on. That's what the flavors reminded me of.Unfortunately, the silver dollar pancakes were the worst part of my breakfast. They were just dreadful. Not at all like the light and airy (and crispy) version I had at Royal Palace the day before. These were tough and almost dead-baked inside. I gave my mom a bite and she agreed that they were not good at all. She had also tried the ones at Royal Palace and said that they were terrific. These were not.Dogan brought me two of each of the muffins and donuts. These were Kinnikinnick brand and definitely staples I enjoy and love. I would have loved a chocolate chip muffin (my favorite!) but the blueberry are good too. I loved the vanilla glazed donuts. Pretty sure I ate both of those. Put Kinnikinnick donuts in front of me and I will eat them!Overall, I found Cabanas to be an adequate breakfast but not my favorite by any means. Next time, I'd just wait until one of the a la carte options opens and head to Castaway Cay just a little later. It was very quiet at Serenity Bay until around 11 a.m. so, even leaving an hour later would be totally worth it to eat at the a la carte meal. Cabanas was also quite busy early in the morning, so if you dine here, plan ahead!Have you dined at Cabanas on the Disney Dream? What did you think of it?

11/5/14 11/5/14

Cabanas -- Breakfast -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Cabanas is the Disney Dream's main buffet serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. While I had dined here on embarkation day, I didn't find it to be my personal favorite on the cruise ship. I much preferred Enchanted Garden for embarkation lunch or Royal Palace for breakfast and lunch a la carte.However, on our Castaway Cay day we wanted to be off the ship bright and early (around 8:30 a.m.) to really enjoy the full day at Castaway Cay. This meant that our best option was Cabanas for dining early. The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. with a continental breakfast and begins serving full breakfast at 7:30 a.m. We got there just around 7:30 so good timing on our part.I made sure to ask a cast member for a head server who could assist with special dietary needs and was greeted by Dogan who helped me at Cabanas on day 1 but whom I'd also seen at other restaurants. He immediately greeted me by name and knew my special dietary needs. It's kind of great how the cast members start to know you throughout your trip!I told him that I was interested in the gluten free and dairy free pancakes as I'd had some killer ones at Royal Palace the day before. I also asked for ham and scrambled eggs. Dogan asked me if I wanted any muffins or donuts, and I said that I'd like one of each (I ended up with more than that though). I was told they had blueberry and chocolate chip muffins on hand.My mom and I decided to sit out on the deck since we had docked at Castaway Cay and it was a gorgeous morning. I let Dogan know where I would be and off I went to grab some beverages and enjoy the amazing view.For my drinks, I grabbed some water and some apple juice. I like the variety of juices available at Cabanas.I'm not gonna lie, the wait was a bit long for breakfast. Dogan said he thought it would come out fairly quickly but it was probably 20 minutes, which in the grand scheme of things isn't long, but sure feels long when others are eating (and my mom finished her meal before I got mine).My scrambled eggs for breakfast were perfectly fine. Nothing exciting but tasty. The breakfast ham was a bit thin and reminded me of deli ham. I kind of joked that if you put the ham and egg on a gluten free English muffin, you'd have an egg McMuffin going on. That's what the flavors reminded me of.Unfortunately, the silver dollar pancakes were the worst part of my breakfast. They were just dreadful. Not at all like the light and airy (and crispy) version I had at Royal Palace the day before. These were tough and almost dead-baked inside. I gave my mom a bite and she agreed that they were not good at all. She had also tried the ones at Royal Palace and said that they were terrific. These were not.Dogan brought me two of each of the muffins and donuts. These were Kinnikinnick brand and definitely staples I enjoy and love. I would have loved a chocolate chip muffin (my favorite!) but the blueberry are good too. I loved the vanilla glazed donuts. Pretty sure I ate both of those. Put Kinnikinnick donuts in front of me and I will eat them!Overall, I found Cabanas to be an adequate breakfast but not my favorite by any means. Next time, I'd just wait until one of the a la carte options opens and head to Castaway Cay just a little later. It was very quiet at Serenity Bay until around 11 a.m. so, even leaving an hour later would be totally worth it to eat at the a la carte meal. Cabanas was also quite busy early in the morning, so if you dine here, plan ahead!Have you dined at Cabanas on the Disney Dream? What did you think of it?

11/4/14 11/4/14

Palo -- Dinner -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Palo is the Disney Dream's second adult dining location. With an upcharge of $25 per person, it offers an adults only dining experience at a reasonable price. While my dining experience at Remy was decadent, it's not someplace I would dine on every cruise (I consider it a special occasion restaurant). Palo is one I would dine at every night if I could.Our regular rotational meal that night was slated for the Enchanted Garden. I'm a bit bummed we did miss dining here, as we only visited once during the embarkation lunch, but after dining at Palo, I'm not too sad. It was terrific! Palo's culinary theme is Italian, and while I didn't love the decor (it's a little too 80s Italian for me), the food was fantastic. When we arrived, we were directed to the Meridian Lounge (shared with Remy) and met up with my friends who were dining at Palo for the second night in a row (it's that good!). We enjoyed chatting with them for a bit and then were seated in Palo with a lovely window view. Our server Andrea was the highlight in service for our trip. She made the meal exceptional and really did a terrific job at making us feel comfortable and welcome. She went over the menu with us, noting that the restaurant was aware of my special dietary needs. Up first, were brought an antipasti cart - table-side. The only thing I couldn't eat was the parmesan cheese, so we had a heaping plate of marinated olives, red bell peppers, artichokes, prosciutto, and other cure meats. This was the best pre-course treat. My mom and I both raved and said we could eat this at every meal. I was also brought my favorite bread of the trip - Udi's Gluten Free pizza crust topped with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. It was heated and cut into wedges and was oh so delicious. I actually topped the bread with some of the antipasti which was delicious. While we enjoyed this, Andrea went over options for us. She had some recommendations for me that might be good choices. I opted for the cioppino as my starter and two entrees - the seafood risotto and the scallops with barlotti beans. The second entree was to be shared with my mom, as we learned this trick from our friends who said it worked great at their previous Palo meals. Before our appetizers, we were served a lemon sorbet as a palate cleanser. This was so fresh and light. I could eat this kind of sorbet all the time! The cioppino was a huge dish considering it was a starter. With a rich tomato broth and a variety of seafood in it, it was a great way to start the meal. I wouldn't say it was the best cioppino I've ever had, but it was quite good.My our entrees, I dove into the scallops first so that my mom could have the other half. I will say, this was my least favorite dish of the entire cruise. If you like fennel this would be your thing. I found the fennel entirely too overwhelming and the scallop & barlotti bean combination to be odd. The beans were more al dente than I would have preferred. They were nothing like the decadent and rich version I had at Ravello (which I adored). My mom also did not like this dish, so I'm glad we got it as a dish to split.My main course was the seafood risotto, which they had to modify some for me. I probably should have opted for something else, as I was missing the zucchini that came with it (which I really wanted). Despite that, the dish was very good. If you like seafood, it was filled to the brim with it. From mussels to scallops, calamari, and shrimp -- there was no shortage in this dish. At this point, I was very full and assumed my dessert option would be sorbet. However, I was pleasantly surprised when Andrea said they had an almond orange cake available to me. Cake?! Well, you know those were the magic words to me. Rarely do I get a dessert that is non brownie or sorbet based, so I was thrilled. And I was not disappointed. This dessert was beyond amazing. It was made with almond flour, so it was rather dense almost like a pound cake. The rich flavor of the almond and oranges blended together nicely. The cake itself wasn't very sweet but had some powdered sugar on top to add a touch of sweetness. On the side, I had fresh raspberries and orange segments which were perfect accompaniments. I liked this cake so much, I actually asked if I could have one to go. Palo doesn't have containers or bags, but they kindly plated up a new dessert for me after our meal was complete and gave me silverware so I could take it back to the room. How cool is that?Andrea also brought us another dessert - the strawberry basil sorbet with fresh fruit. This was so delicious too! It reminded me of the raspberry mint sorbet that I used to love at Sanaa. Dessert here blew Remy away!After our meal, we were given a digestif (after dinner palate cleanser) of prosecco and lemon sorbet. This was another winner at Palo. Overall, my mom and I both loved our meal at Palo (she had some amazing courses - pro tip - get the Palo signature steak dish if you like steak; you won't be sorry) and agreed that we wouldn't hesitate to go back again. For the upcharge, food quality, service, and ambiance, we thought it couldn't be beat. We actually said we'd eat here twice on a 3-4 day cruise because it was that good. I'm dying to try out brunch at Palo especially after reading reviews from my friends Sarah at Eating WDW and Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando! Have you been to Palo? What did you think of it?

11/4/14 11/4/14

Palo -- Dinner -- Disney Dream 2014

10/29/14 10/29/14

Royal Palace -- Lunch -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Dining at the Royal Palace on the Disney Dream was perhaps my most favorite for breakfast and lunch of the cruise. Located on deck 3, this restaurant was a la carte for both breakfast and lunch when we dined there on day 2 of our cruise.Having dined at Royal Palace for breakfast earlier that day, I was familiar with the set-up and how the ordering would work here a la carte. In fact, the team actually remembered me from breakfast when we came in for lunch later in the day after our Nassau excursion.After having such a decadent dining day on day 1 with two lunches at Cabanas and at Enchanted Garden along with our 3 hour dinner at Remy, both my mom and I knew we needed to eat a little lighter on day 2.We were glad to see that the menu had some lighter options, including several salads. When our server asked what I was interested in, I asked if the assorted seafood sample for an appetizer was OK. For my entree, I requested the lemon chicken salad, and for dessert I ordered the citrus fruit cocktail that was on the appetizer section of the menu. I was in luck as none of my entrees needed modification for gluten free and dairy free.The assorted seafood sampler was very similar to the options available at the buffets on embarkation day with a crab claw and shrimp. The shrimp here was slightly seasoned which was very nice (and much better than plain peel and eat shrimp). I really enjoyed the bay scallops which were marinated in citrus. These were nice and sweet. The crab claw was good, though it could have used a sauce. Though it doesn't look all that appetizing, I loved the lemon chicken salad. With fresh papaya (yum!) and chicken marinated in coconut milk and lemongrass, the flavors were fresh and light. The salad was topped with a vinaigrette.Funnily enough, the chef did ask the server to ask me if coconut milk was OK for me to consume. It sometimes cracks me up when people assume coconut milk is milk because it has the the word milk in it. As one friend put it, "that would be a very interesting kind of cow if it produced coconut milk." If I had dined at Royal Palace again on the trip, I would have definitely ordered this entree salad. It was delicious! For dessert, I had the fruit cocktail salad. This was super weird. My mom and I both ordered it and neither one of us got the almonds that the dish claimed to have in it. The only mint was a small sprig on the top of the cup. It was literally a bowl of grapefruit segments and a couple of orange segments. I can't have grapefruit, due to medication, so I skipped this dish once I realized what was in it. To me, this was just not a citrus cocktail salad!Overall, my mom and I really enjoyed Royal Palace for lunch. We thought it was the perfect mid-day meal, especially since we had Palo reservations that night. We both said we'd love to go back to Royal Palace and have lunch again on our next Disney Cruise (and yes, we're already planning).Have you been on the Disney Dream? What did you think of Royal Palace?

10/29/14 10/29/14

Royal Palace -- Lunch -- Disney Dream 2014

10/27/14 10/27/14

Royal Palace -- Breakfast -- Disney Dream 2014

*This dining experience took place in October 2014.Royal Palace located on deck 3 of the Disney Dream is one of the ship's regular rotational dining locations. Inspired by classic Disney films like Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast, Royal Palace serves French-inspired, continental cuisine fit for a king or queen for breakfast, lunch and dinner.My mom and I stopped at Royal Palace for both breakfast and lunch on day 2 of our Disney Dream cruise. Both meals were a la carte. For breakfast, we were seated at our own table and found the restaurant to be fairly quiet. It opened at 8:00 a.m., and we arrived shortly after the opening. (Note: on day 3 of our cruise, they opened at 8:30 a.m.) This was my favorite breakfast of the trip, both for my meal and the ambiance. The breakfast menu itself was fairly lengthy with options that included, yogurt, fruit, hot cereals, cold cereals, sweets (pancakes and waffles) and savory dishes. I was told by my server and many folks prior to my cruise that the ship could make allergy pancakes and had Van's waffles on-hand. Our server took our drink orders, while we looked over the menu. I got unsweetened iced tea and apple juice. Day 2 was our Nassau, Bahamas day and with an excursion planned, I knew I wanted a hearty breakfast.Since I did not pre-order my breakfast, having dined at Remy and not my regular rotational dining the night before, I consulted with my server and the head server Robert. Pre-ordering is not required for meals, though some servers suggested it to help speed along your meal process. I never pre-ordered any meal (and I actually tried a couple of times but my servers said it was not necessary) and didn't find it to be too cumbersome or too long of a wait. I decided to order the Express breakfast entree which is basically the same as the American entree at most Disney World restaurants. It contains eggs, breakfast meat and potatoes. I also asked for a side of allergy pancakes on the side. The breakfast entree that was brought out to me was huge. And extremely generous with the breakfast meat. I was not able to get the breakfast potatoes as they were hash browns that contained gluten, so the team doubled up on other portions of my entree to make up for the potatoes. I wouldn't say this entree was anything special. The scrambled eggs were good, as was the ham. I wasn't too keen on the breakfast sausage and the bacon served is the same stringy bacon you get at Disney World quick service breakfast. It was filling though, and I definitely did not go hungry.The star of my breakfast were the gluten free dairy free pancakes. These were delicious. Whoever cooked these did a stellar job. They were crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked. I think they used Bob's Red Mill pancake mix for the base. My only complaint? The server poured the maple syrup for me, and I could have used more! This girl loves maple syrup! Out of all of the breakfasts I had on the Disney Dream, this was my favorite. I thought they cooked the allergy pancakes the best, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. We tried to go here again on day 3 but they opened later, and we had Castaway Cay to explore! I also dined here for lunch on the same day and had another good meal here, so stay tuned for that review! I never did get to eat dinner here, but I heard many guests say that this restaurant was their favorite rotational dining dinner.Have you been on the Disney Dream? Did you eat at Royal Palace?

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Lunch at Cookie's BBQ

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Breakfast at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Lunch at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Breakfast at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Dinner at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Embarkation Lunch at Animator’s Palate

Atmosphere

The Food

Overall

Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW