Ravello -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Four Seasons Orlando

*This dining experience took place in October 2015. This was a special private dining event coordinated through the Food Allergy & Celiac Convention Dessert Party Weekend, which I co-hosted. Private dining space at Ravello at the Four Seasons Orlando can be booked through the Meeting Space & Events page on their website.

The Event

With the 2015 Food Allergy & Celiac Convention Dessert Party Weekend taking place during Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival, we knew that we wanted to host a private dining experience, similar to the chef table experiences held at Disney-owned restaurants that are held as a part of Food & Wine Festival. We wanted something refined, upscale, and, of course...delicious.There was no better option than Ravello, located at the Four Seasons Orlando.Having dined here during their preview dinner prior to officially opening and since, I knew our guests would really love Ravello. The food is impeccable, and they do an amazing job assisting special dietary needs guests. They also have a gorgeous small private dining space that we were able to book for a small group of 14.Little did we and the guests know how amazing the meal was going to be thanks to the dedication of the food and beverage team at Ravello.

The Food

Chefs Cristian and Marco worked with my co-host, Laurie, and I during the pre-planning of this meal to create a custom menu for our group, highlighting some of the restaurant's best dishes, along with some dishes created especially for our event that were both gluten free and vegan.We were completely wowed by the level of inventiveness and the detail they took to ensure we really had an exceptional experience. We also had a lot of food allergies to work with, and having given them everyone's special dietary needs ahead of time, they were fully prepared to create one epic (and safe!) meal.To start off our meal, the chefs brought out a menagerie of various gluten free breads, some of which were vegan and others that included egg. They also brought out extra virgin olive oil with fresh herbs for the bread.During the meal, I sat next to Erica from Celiac and the Beast and both of us immediately were trying to figure out the brand of gluten free bread. Of course, now, I can't find the name of the brand but suffice it to say, it was really good. It wasn't a brand that anyone at the table knew, but we all found it to be delicious. Now, if only Disney could start serving some better bread options like this...For my starter, I ordered the arugula and grilled plum salad. This was absolutely outstanding. I adore stone fruit, so having a dish highlighting them made me really happy. And grilled to boot! The moscato vinaigrette on this was the perfect accompaniment to the salad, and it's one I would hands down order again if it is highlighted on the regular menu.Many of the other guests at this private dining experience ordered the portobello mushroom fries and raved about them. I also heard really good things about the beet carpaccio, a playful twist on beef carpaccio.For my entree, I ordered the vegan lasagna made with zucchini strips. I love zuchinni and thought this was a very fresh dish. The restaurant used Daiya cheese in place of dairy cheese, and the guests who ordered it really enjoyed it.I would have loved to have seen a nut milk ricotta made for this dish, as it would have really elevated the flavors. Check out the version they made for one of our guests and fellow blogger (and friend) Kathleen from Soul Food. Her roasted red pepper sauce looked so good!The piece de resistance was certainly our dessert course. The coconut custard and banana "cream" pie were insanely good. The pastry chef really went above and beyond with these dishes (both gluten free and vegan).The coconut custard reminded me a bit of panna cotta and had a nice texture. I loved the toasted coconut and fresh fruit that topped it.The extra bonus on our plates were Whoopie Pies from the Piping Gourmets that the team picked up at Whole Foods. This was a nice touch and very sweet of them to include.The absolute hands down favorite dessert of everyone was the Banana "Cream" Pie. Wow. Just wow. The caramelized bananas and non-dairy whipped cream tasted like the real thing and the dessert was purely decadent. I, and I'm sure other guests, could have easily eaten several more dishes of the banana cream pie.Overall, I can't say enough great things about this dining experience. Robbie, the Private Dining Coordinator, Michael, General Manager of Ravello, and the entire culinary team went above and beyond to create a really amazing meal experience. I know that I speak for all of the guests at that dinner when I say that we had such a wonderful time and a delicious meal.I am looking forward to dining at Ravello again, along with the other restaurants at the Four Seasons Orlando, and hopefully, hosting another private dining event in the future.

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This meal experience was a part of a private dining event hosted as a part of the Food Allergy & Celiac Convention Dessert Party Weekend. All guests (including the hosts) paid for their food and beverage experiences. I was not required to write this post and all opinions are my own. 

Rebel Hangar -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in June 2015.Star Wars™ Weekends is one of my favorite times of the year at Hollywood Studios. I'm a huge Star Wars™ fan and love all the special events surrounding Star Wars™ Weekends. Last year, Disney launched several new dining experiences including the Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast which was super fun, and equally fun when I went this year in 2015. I love the character interaction and Star Wars™ theming!Of course, you can imagine how excited I got when they announced this year's newest Star Wars™ Weekends dining experience - the Rebel Hangar. In fact, it was so popular, the initial ADR slots available booked up quickly (I heard around 2 hours!). I was lucky to snag a reservation for the very final weekend of Star Wars™ Weekends.Set in a blocked off section of the Backlot Express, the Rebel Hangar offers drinks and small plates. It is definitely not a full dinner location. Of course, my family and I had enjoyed a very filling meal at Mama Melrose earlier in the day for lunch, so we were totally fine with a few small plates.It was a very hot June day, and one thing we noticed about the Rebel Hangar is that there is indoor and outdoor seating. Indoor was blissfully air conditioned while outside was pretty muggy (exactly what you expect on a Florida June day). We didn't ask for a particular seating but were glad to be seated indoors.The theming isn't overly flashy, but each table contains some type of Star Wars™ model and there were loads of Star Wars™ touches throughout the dining area. Essentially, they did a bunch of small touches to overlay the existing Backlot Express interior.In terms of options, there were several available to gluten free diners. Thankfully, Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando had shared her experience at the Rebel Hangar and listed the gluten free options available to guests. Some dishes, like the Pomme Frites (aka French fries) contained dairy (parmesan cheese). After speaking with a chef, I decided to get the Slider Sampler which contained barbecued chicken and barbecued chicken sandwiches along with house-made chips (which were gluten free & dairy free). The sandwiches were modified to be dairy free (removed coleslaw) and served on GNI brand buns.While we waiting for our food, we got to experience some unique entertainment. As we sat and chatted, we noticed that several characters began to come into the Rebel Hangar. Initially, we thought the characters were going to go around to tables for photographs and autographs (much like the Star Wars™ Galactic Dine-In or the Star Wars™ Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine; however, we realized they were all sitting at a table playing cards!It was super cool to watch this, and I almost wonder if Disney is testing this kind of experience for new restaurant experiences. It was nothing like I've ever experienced before at Disney. Generally, they were performing a "skit" while several Disney cast members stood by so people didn't engage with them (more than taking photos), and another cast member was recording the scene with an iPhone.The characters engaged in a card game for about 10-15 minutes and then were interrupted by members of the Empire (aka Stormtroopers!) after a fight broke out and several of the characters were arrested while the card game was broken up. It was pretty neat to watch -- almost like Disney dinner theatre!Pretty shortly after the characters left the Rebel Hangar, our food came out. My slider sampler looked really good, but I have to say it was a bit hit or miss. I loved the house made potato chips. Those were delicious! The beef brisket slider was very tasty but I found the barbecued chicken slider to be rather bland. In both cases, the buns were horribly heated and very dry and crumbly. Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando also noted this in her experience, so it sounded like they just had some challenges heating the buns. Overall, I wouldn't say I disliked the slider sampler, but I'm not sure I'd order it again if the Rebel Hangar came back next year.My family ordered the Pomme Frites and really enjoyed them. They liked the presentation, the seasoning (garlic & parmesan) and the garlic aioli. Next time, I would see if they could make the fries dairy free and still offer the aioli.One final experience at the Rebel Hangar were the Jawas. As you know from my meals at the Sc-Fi Dine-In Galactic Breakfast, I adore these fellas! They were, of course, looking for shiny things to trade with us, though this time we came up empty handed. Still, they were great fun coming through the restaurant interacting with guests.Overall, I really enjoyed the Rebel Hangar Lounge experience. The food wasn't anything special but we had a great time, and we really enjoyed the character atmosphere. If Disney offered this again next year, we'd definitely go back for an affordable and fun way to participate in character dining (note: Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando did not experience any characters when she visited, so this may be subject to availability).Did you get a chance to go to the Rebel Hangar this year? What did you order when you dined there? 

Star Wars Character Breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine-In 2015 — Table Service — Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in May 2015.Note: The Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast is a special character dining experience that took place during the 2015 Star Wars™ Weekends.Last year, Star Wars™ Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios offered several new meal experiences: Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast and Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars™ Dine at Hollywood and Vine. I dined at both locations and had a great time, especially at the Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine In! For the 2015 Star Wars™ Weekends, we decided to make reservations for the Sci-Fi Dine-In Galactic breakfast for the first Star Wars™ Weekend. We were excited to get into the weekend spirit with a terrific early morning breakfast. Before we arrived, we made sure to get our ride on. Nothing says Star Wars™ Weekends like an 8 a.m. ride on Star Tours! After our flight to Endor, we headed to the Sci-Fi Dine-In. The check-in area was busy, but we only had a short wait (about 10 minutes or "light speed" in Star Wars-speak) before we were moved to the photo line. The Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast is pricey $49.99 per person (for adults) and $31.99 per child (under 9), but we found that for a once a year experience to us, it was worth it. First up, before you get seated, you get moved to a photo opportunity with Boba Fett and Darth Vader (who are not walking around the dining area). Last year this photo opportunity was included with your dining experience; however, as I later learned -- this year it was not. That was a bummer because if I had known I would have asked to have the Photopass photographer take a photo on my iPhone. Boba Fett and Darth Vader really got into character and before you knew it, Boba Fett was pushing you out of the way...Puts a whole new meaning to the Star Wars quote "Move along, nothing to see here." Sci-Fi Dine is set to resemble an old drive-in, so you get to sit in "cars." I love the atmosphere and the big screen showing Star Wars™film clips is really fun! They even showed previews from the latest Star Wars™film coming out in December 2015. After being seated, I was presented with a gluten free and nut free menu for breakfast. Because I am also dairy free, the server said they would get the chef to go over options. The breakfast was very similar to last year's offerings, so I had a good sense of what might be available. I didn't ask about the waffles, but last year they were Van's gluten free waffles, not the allergy Mickey waffles I adore. If you're curious about where to find allergy Mickey waffles at Disney, check out my Allergy Mickey waffles location guide. I decided to order the Tatooine Sunrise, which is what I ordered last year. However, I subbed out the regular scrambled eggs with the eggs, crab and asparagus from the Dune Sea entree. I also asked for a side of the paprika dusted shrimp from the shrimp & grits entree, which I got last year (and were delicious). You can read the full gluten free and nut free menu offerings at Sci-Fi Dine In Galactic Breakfast on the menu page (including the kids menu).While waiting for our first course, which was breakfast pastries, we took in the sights and sounds of the Sci-Fi Dine In! And of course, several characters including Storm Troopers, Jawas, and Greedo were wandering about throughout the meal to take photos, sign autographs, and (in the case of those pesky Jawas) trading shiny things! The breakfast at the Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast is a la carte with several courses brought to your table. Up first is a pastry course. I was served three items:

• Udi's Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin
• Udi's Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffin
• Kinnikinnick Vanilla Glazed Donut

I was brought the plate before the chef could explain, so make sure to ask if you are unsure about products. As a side note, it's really dark in Sci-Fi Dine In, so as a part of your meal, you get a light saber glo stick! Of course, photos require a lot of flash, so be prepared. The next course served is fruit or a yogurt parfait. Since yogurt is out for me, the only dairy free option is fresh fruit. Last year, they offered a fruit bowl that was almost entirely melon. Sure, the Melon shaped Yoda head was adorable but melon is not my personal favorite. In fact, it's my least favorite fruit. I asked if I could get mixed fruit or strawberries and was brought a fresh bowl of strawberries for my fruit option. While we were waiting for our entree, our friends the Jawas decided to make an appearance (they stopped by twice at our table; they knew a good trading group when they found it). Jawas like shiny things (last year, they brought me a spoon... because well, it's shiny!) and they loveStar Wars™ inspired items. Case in point, last year we traded Star Wars™Magic Band decor. This year, it was all about pin trading, and the first round we got a Phineas & Ferb pin, which got later traded for a Star Wars™ coin/medallion. Remember folks, there's no harm in trying to trade up with the Jawas. My entree and side dish arrived, and good thing -- I was as hungry as a Wookie. The bacon and sausage were delicious (no stringy Disney bacon there!) and the roasted potatoes with garlic were just as delicious as the year before. The crab and asparagus scrambled eggs were yummy, and something I'd definitely get again. And the shrimp was equally delicious. Throughout the meal, we took photo breaks with Greedo and the Storm Troopers. Though, I had to keep telling the Storm Troopers that my breakfast was "not the breakfast they were looking for." Those silly Storm Troopers never learned...Last year's breakfast ended with a special dessert, which was not included at this year's breakfast. I don't think any of us missed it, as we were all pretty much feeling like Jaba the Hutt after our breakfast. We definitely did not go hungry.Overall, my family loves this special breakfast experience at Sci-Fi Dine In during Star Wars™ Weekends. It's one we'll continue to go to every year because we had so much fun! I was pleased to see the new gluten free and nut free menu this year and hope they continue to improve the offerings each year! If you want to read more about the breakfast and see other photos, check out the Disney Food Blog for non-special diets related info from last year. Have you been to the Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast? What did you think of the offerings? 

2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Menu Offerings

I'm so excited to write about the upcoming Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. It's one of my favorite times of the year at Disney World. In a previous post, I mentioned that at this year's festival the Marketplace Passports would list which items were gluten free (as originally posted by the Disney Food Blog). Adding to this, the Disney Food Blog posted the full 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival menu and has noted the gluten free offerings. How exciting is that? Here is a full listing of the current gluten free menu items (as listed on the Disney Food Blog).*Note: Menus are subject to change, as is any information regarding ingredients, cross-contamination, and other special dietary needs ingredients. Always consult with the Disney culinary team for more information before consuming.Africa

• South African bobotie with turkey and mushrooms - gluten free

Australia

• Garlic shrimp with roasted tomatoes, lemon myrtle and rapini - gluten free
• Grilled lamb chop with mint pesto and potato crunchies - gluten free

*Read my review of this booth HERE. Brazil

• Mocequa de pescado: Regal Springs premium tilapia with coconut lime sauce and steamed rice - gluten free
• Crispy pork belly with black beans, tomato and cilantro - gluten free

Canada

• Seared rainbow trout with bacon, frisee and maple Minus 8 Vinaigrette - gluten free
• “Le Cellier” wild mushroom beef filet mignon with truffle butter sauce - gluten free

Farm Fresh

• Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon hash with sweet corn, potatoes, hollandaise and pickled jalapeños  - gluten free
• Griddled “yard bird” with braised greens - gluten free

Greece

• Griddled Greek cheese with pistachios and honey - gluten free

Ireland 

• Warm chocolate pudding with Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur Custard

Mexico

• Rib eye taco: Marinated rib eye, roasted chipotle salsa and grilled scallions on a corn tortilla - gluten free

New Zealand 

• Venison sausage with pickled mushrooms, baby arugula and black currant reduction  - gluten free

Patagonia

• Grilled beef skewer with chimichurri sauce and boniato purée - gluten free
• Roasted Verlasso salmon with quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri - gluten free

*Read my review of this booth HERE. Puerto Rico

• Ensalada de carrucho: Caribbean conch salad with onion, tomato and cilantro - gluten free
• Carne guisada con arroz blanco: Slow-braised beef with Puerto Rican-grown rice - gluten free

Scotland 

• Fresh potato pancake with smoked Scottish salmon and herb sour cream - gluten free
• Seared sea scallop with spinach-cheddar gratin and crispy bacon - gluten free

Singapore 

• Lemongrass chicken curry with coconut and jasmine rice - gluten free

As soon as we know more information about other dietary coverage, we will post it here and in individual marketplace posts, when the Epcot Food & Wine Festival begins.Stay tuned to sources like the Disney Food Blog, Gluten Free in Orlando and here on Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW for the latest 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival news!Looking for a recap of last year's options? Check out Gluten Free in Orlando's reviews, as well as the ones here on Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW. What are you most looking forward to this year at Food & Wine?

Star Wars Character Breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine-In 2014 -- Table Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in June 2014.Note: The Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast is a special character dining experience that took place during the 2014 Star Wars™ Weekends.This year's Star Wars™ Weekends offered several new meal experiences: Star Wars™ Dine-In Galactic Breakfast and Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars™ Dine at Hollywood and Vine. Of course, as soon as I heard the announcement about these two meals, I had to make sure to go to both of them. They sounded like awesome events and as a Star Wars™ fan, they were totally up my alley.My family and I attended the Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars™ Dine at Hollywood and Vine during the first Star Wars™ Weekends in May and had a great time. I was pleased to see the special diets offerings available and really enjoyed the experience. We had heard tons of buzz about the character breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine In and were really excited to check it out! First up, I have to say that this was a very popular breakfast. When we got there during our visit at 8:30 a.m. it was pretty packed. Our reservation wasn't until 9:10 a.m. but we checked in and figured we'd just hang out and take in the atmosphere (we'd already rode Star Tours at 8 a.m. so bonus for us. Nothing says Star Wars™ Weekends like riding Star Tours early on in the day!). Imagine our surprise when we got called about 10 minutes later. Talk about going light speed to our breakfast! Before our breakfast, we took a minute to pose with Darth Vader and Boba Fett. My family were wearing Rebel Spy t-shirts which did NOT make Darth Vader happy. And Boba Fett decided he wasn't too thrilled with me either. The reactions they gave us were priceless. Then it was off to the Sci-Fi Dine In dining area where we took in the sights and transformation which suited the character meal really well. On the screen, you got to watch Star Wars clips and even the special 1978 Christmas Special. Talk about awesome and corny all at the same time.  Our server greeted us and the very first thing she asked was, "Does anybody have an allergy or special dietary need." This was great because they made sure to ask right away. She took our drink orders and then got the chef while we looked over the menus and check out our surroundings.Breakfast is a fixed price and includes a plate of breakfast pastries per guest, a choice of fruit & yogurt with granola or just fruit, an entree, and drinks of your choice. There's also a special dessert surprise, but more on that later...The chef greeted me with a plate of breakfast pastries knowing that I couldn't have gluten or dairy. I have to say, it's really hard to see what you're getting on your plate, so taking a picture was about the only way I could identify my treats. I got an Udi's blueberry muffin and chocolate chip muffin, and a Kinnikinnick cinnamon sugar donut. All things I really enjoy! I was also served fresh fruit with some cute Star Wars inspired cut-outs. Yoda as melon...adorable! If your'e like me and not a melon fan...beware. The fruit salad is mostly honeydew and other melons. Not really my most favorite. I could go for grapes, pineapple and strawberries, but as with most fruit cups, they weren't too plentiful. Another great feature of the clips is that they show Star Wars™ Weekends specific things, like weekend host James Arnold Taylor and even information about characters walking around. It was all perfectly themed, and I have to say really made the meal experience feel special. For my entree, I ordered the Tatooine Sunrise which included bacon, sausage (which I exchanged for extra bacon), scrambled eggs, and breakfast potatoes. The potatoes that normally come with it contain dairy, so I was given garlic roasted fingerling potatoes. And they were delicious! Very well seasoned and cooked. The rest of the meal was good. I wouldn't say anything special but well cooked and hearty. Enough to feed a Wookie, that's for sure. And speaking of more food...I asked if there were any other options available to me for gluten free and dairy free breakfast. They did carry Van's waffles, which I opted to skip. I like Van's but they aren't the same as my beloved allergy Mickey waffles. I did however, order a side of the shrimp that accompanies the shrimp and grits. And these were a yummy and delicious add on to my meal!  Throughout our meal, we were treated to Star Wars™ music and film clips and also got to meet lots of Star Wars™ characters. One caveat, lighting in Sci-Fi Dine In can be a challenge. My mom got a shot of me and Greedo but the flash wasn't on. The photo turned out pretty dark, which I had originally posted here, but thanks to reader Ron G., who worked some Disney pixie dust on it, it looks awesome! (Thanks, Ron!!)Stormtroopers were around a lot. As I said quite frequently to them, "This is not the breakfast you are looking for!" Of course, they really got into things and lots of stormtrooper hijinks ensued!  Once we finished our meal, we were also treated to a special dessert. Another nice touch was that this cast member also asked about special dietary needs. Unfortunately, the dessert contained dairy (but it was gluten free!). I was able to get a bowl of fresh strawberries. My family did like the dessert, it seems like it was a pudding/custard of some type with pop rock type fruit in them. Talk about a galactic treat!  Perhaps my most favorite thing about the character breakfast were the Jawas. Omigosh. Were these guys adorable! They roamed the character breakfast and yes, if you had something shiny and interesting, they were into trading with you. My family decided to see what would entice the Jawas and they sure do like Star Wars™ bling. My stepdad traded them a Magic Band Star Wars™ gadget, and they were pretty thrilled. One thing is that they don't talk, and you have to translate what they say by their gestures. It took me entirely too long to figure out this Jawa needed to go get the other Jawa's trading pouch. Yep, clearly I needed C3P0 because I do not speak Jawa! When they returned, they made the trade (a shiny limited edition cast member pin) and a spoon. Because apparently, I needed a spoon. Thanks Jawas!  Overall, I had a fabulous time at the breakfast. In fact, the whole family thought out of the two character meals this was by far and away our favorite. It wasn't cheap by any means at nearly $50 but for a once a year experience, we would definitely do it again. It had nice gluten free and dairy free meal options, and the food was quite good too. I give this Star Wars™ character meal a solid 8 out of 10. By far and away of our favorite things to do during Star Wars™ Weekends 2014. And those Jawas? They totally made the meal too! Have you been to the Star Wars™ Character Breakfast at Sci-Fi Dine In? 

Star Wars Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine 2014 -- Table Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in May 2014. Note: The Star Wars™ Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine is a special character dining experience that took place during the 2014 Star Wars™ Weekends.A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I got a chance to enjoy the first Star Wars™ Weekend  festivities with a character meal dinner at Hollywood & Vine in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Meeting Jedi Mickey and the rest of the gang, it was a chance to have a galactic meal to commemorate the special event weekends.When Disney first announced special character meals during Star Wars™ Weekends, I knew I had to try them at least once. Hollywood & Vine hosted a dinner with Jedi Mickey, the rest of the Fab Five (in Star Wars costumes) and Chip & Dale as Ewoks (how you could not see these cuties!?). This was my first visit ever to Hollywood & Vine; however, I was able to connect with the chefs from 50's Prime Time who also work at Hollywood & Vine (they share a kitchen) and check with them on food offerings for gluten free & dairy free diners. Before my visit, they shared with me a lot of the options available to me, and I was looking forward to checking them out.When we arrived for dinner, it wasn't too crowded, though we planned for an early dinner. I tend to make early dinner reservations for buffets, so that I can ensure I get to make a big pass through the buffet before as many other people do, to help with cross contamination risks (chefs will bring you food from the back typically, but in some instances they aren't too keen to do so, so I always prepare just in case). We first got in a line to check in. The kiosks set-up for the event made the check-in process go quickly & smoothly.Once we got checked in, we were sent to another line near the entrance. There, we waited for a few minutes before taking photos with Chip & Dale dressed as Ewoks. Can I just say how adorable these two are? I mean, seriously. Adorable. They had the best costumes of the entire meal. Chip & Dale should dress as Ewoks all the time.Once we got seated were were given our Fantastmic Dining package vouchers (which was a $4 upcharge to the meal) and paper light saber cutouts. Fun!As you can see from our photos, the restaurant was pretty quiet once we got in. Hollywood & Vine has a retro diner theme, and you can see the touches throughout the seating area.Once our server took our drink order, we were greeted by Storm Trooper Donald. He was awesome. The photo we took came out really dark, but trust me. It was good! Once Donald moved along (nothing to see at our table), out came Chef Eugene. He took me around the buffet and showed me what were safe options - which were plentiful. He also offered to bring me back rolls as well. I had pre-ordered dairy free mashed potatoes but that memo didn't get to him. He offered to make me some in the back (more on this later).Here are some of the gluten free & dairy free options. And check out the names. They are totally Star Wars™ inspired. From what I understand, this is the regular menu just with Star Wars™ names. Get ready now for the onslaught of pictures...These photos don't include all the choices but there were definitely a lot. I will say though, that if you are a vegetarian or vegan, this might not have the best offerings. It's very meat protein heavy, as you'll see by the photos of my buffet plates.One strategy I use when buffet dining is getting all of my food at once. I load up multiple plates so that I don't have to go back to the buffet again and I have lots of food. As you can see here, I loaded up quite well. I do this in case the chefs don't want to bring me food from the back, which happens on occasion. I feel more comfortable getting items straight from the buffet, when it's early (i.e. restaurant just opens) or a fresh plate has been added with new serving spoons. On this occasion, only some items were brought from the back for me. First up were the cold salad options. I love peel & eat shrimp, so I got a lot of these. I also got the mussels, potato salad, a slaw with soy nuts and cocktail sauce. My favorite thing on this plate was the slaw with soy nuts. Really quiet delicious, and I loved the various textures in the slaw. The potato salad was pretty plain, so I wouldn't probably get that again, but the shrimp & mussels were good.As you can see by this plate, I wasn't kidding when I mentioned there were lots of meat options. Most of this was just OK - I wouldn't say it was the best buffet options but not the worst either. My favorite thing on the buffet was hands down the Chipotle BBQ chicken thighs with citrus. This was fantastic and a real standout for the meal. I am really glad I got a bunch of this too. The only thing on my plate I really didn't enjoy was the plantains. I'm not a huge fan of them to begin with mostly because of the texture, so that's a bit of a personal dislike.With my dinner I had GNI brand rolls. They were heated fairly well, but did not come with any accompaniment (Earth Balance or extra virgin olive oil). Next time I'll be sure to ask for some.Remember those dairy free mashed potatoes I mentioned? I have to say that I really appreciated that Chef Eugene offered to make them for me; however, something got lost in the translation of making these. They used to be made at 50's Prime Time with extra virgin olive oil and were amazing. These were made with Soy Milk & Earth Balance - which would have been OK except that the soy milk was vanilla flavored. I don't know about you but vanilla & mashed potatoes just don't go together. My whole family tried them and everyone agreed these weren't very yummy. Next time, I think I'd skip these unless I knew they were made with EVOO ahead of time.When it came to dessert, I wish there had been some options on the buffet safe for gluten free & dairy free diners; however, there were none. That being said - that was one impressive buffet. Check it out!I was glad to hear that I did have a dessert option that I enjoy - the allergy house-made brownie with non-dairy ice cream. And I was even more excited when I learned it was So Delicious vanilla ice cream. Holy moly, you have no idea how excited that made me! I am a huge So Delicious fan, so knowing it's now on property just made me so giddy. Sure, it's currently only the vanilla flavor, but that's fine by me!This was so amazing. The combination of a rich brownie and coconut milk ice cream with Hershey's syrup makes me happy. It's the little things! Of course, I was so stuffed by the meal's end I'm surprised I got the whole thing down...but of course, I did.Overall, I thought that Hollywood & Vine offered a lot of options which is great. It was nice that there were so many items that were gluten free & dairy free on the buffet line. I also really love the dessert here which makes me happy. As far as a buffet goes, it's certainly not my favorite. I would likely choose to go to 50's Prime Time over Hollywood & Vine if it were between the two or another Hollywood Studios restaurant. For the event, the price was really high - high enough that I wouldn't do it again next year if it's offered. That being said, the character interaction was really good here, and I felt like we had ample time to see characters if we wanted.I'd give this experience a 6.5 out of 10.Have you been to the Star Wars™ Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine this year? What did you think of the special diets offerings?