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?

3/2/20 3/2/20

Animator's Palate Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

On day 2 of our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, we had dinner at our second rotational dining option -- Animator's Palate. Admittedly, both Brandon and I don't love this restaurant as much as the others on the Disney Dream, both for the theming and food. We just find the general experience underwhelming, and neither of us really likes the combination of classic Disney animation with what's essentially Turtle Talk with Crush from Epcot. Everyone has different preferences though, and we both did find dishes that we enjoyed while dining at the restaurant.

Dinner at Animator's Palate

Atmosphere

Animator's Palate is inspired by Disney animation and classic Disney characters. I do enjoy some of the brightly color nods to animation and the fun designs featured in the carpet and chairs.

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

I do kind of miss the old table markers at Animator's Palate, but these new ones featuring a paint brush are still pretty cute too.

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

Our visit to Animator's Palate was during the cruise's Pirate Night, so we both got into the theming a little bit with pirate bandanas!

We both enjoyed the restaurant's color scheme as it changed throughout our meal, which is definitely very charming. If you want to read more about the restaurant's theme, check out some of our other reviews, including our review from this cruise of our embarkation lunch.

The Food

When you sail on the Disney Dream for 3-night cruises, you don't get a special pirate menu. But, other guests who have sailed on 4-night cruises on the Disney Dream have shared the newly launched Pirate Night allergy-friendly menu.

On this cruise, we were given the regular rotational allergy-friendly menu for Animator's Palate. Since this was our first cruise with the new allergy-friendly menus, we were looking forward to checking out the options. It's important to note that we were given these menus the night before and asked to pre-order our meal, which we did. We ordered items both from the allergy-friendly menu and the regular menu, as well.

Already on day 2, our Assistant Server Gedde was well-prepared for me and my unsweetened iced tea love. In fact, throughout most of our cruise, he made sure I always had two iced teas so that I was never without a beverage, which was so nice.

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

Both Brandon and I were served the allergy-friendly Ener-G rolls to start. We both agree that when well-heated, these rolls are super delicious.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Sliced Serrano Ham with Grilled Zucchini and Squash with Marinated Olives and Roasted Peppers from the allergy-friendly menu. This dish was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies.

Overall, I really enjoyed this appetizer. The Serrano ham was so good, and I loved the olives and grilled zucchini & squash. This is a dish I would definitely order any time we're at Animator's Palate. It was light and refreshing and the perfect start to a meal.

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

Brandon ordered the Sliced Serrano Ham with Manchego Cheese and Olive Tappenade from the regular Animator's Palate menu. This dish was safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Cabbage, and Chicken & Turkey Allergies.

Brandon has ordered this several times when we've dined at Animator's Palate and always says it's very good.

Whenever I got to Animator's Palate, I simply must order the Salmon Tartare. This dish is marked gluten free on the regular menu and does contain dairy.

If you can have dairy and love fish, this is an excellent appetizer to get. The flavors are fresh, bright, and vibrant. And, the quality of the salmon is excellent. It's a hands-down must get for me every trip and didn't disappoint this trip either!

Animator's Palate French Onion Soup in Photo is NOT Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW — Animator's Palate French Onion Soup in Photo is **NOT** Gluten Free / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon couldn't help but order his two favorite soups again from Royal Palace. This included French Onion Soup and Potato Leek Soup. Both of these were safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Cabbage, and Chicken & Turkey Allergies.

One of the great hidden facts about Disney rotational dining is that you can always order dishes from any other restaurant menu that's being served the same night as your meal. So, if you like a dish from another restaurant, you can always request it! Just check with your server. Because Brandon can't easily get soup with his chicken & turkey allergies, he definitely eats as much of it as he can when we're cruising and they're safe options.

I'm not usually very keen on the entrees served at Animator's Palate. And, I have to admit, even the new allergy-friendly options didn't seem all that appealing either. I ended up choosing Animator's Palate night to order one of my favorite things on the Disney Cruise Line -- Indian Food. Our Head Server Sudhir took care of my request and ensured I had some tasty Indian food to enjoy on night 2.

My Indian food meal included lentils, chicken curry, and basmati rice. Everything was gluten free, and I believe everything may have been dairy free too. This entree didn't disappoint, and I was so excited to enjoy it. Everything was so flavorful! If you're interested in Indian food while on your Disney Cruise, be sure to ask your server team about this as an option.

For Brandon's entree, he ended up getting the Lamb Chops, which I believe were from Royal Palace. The entree normally comes with Brussels Sprouts which are a part of the cabbage family (which Brandon is allergic to). They modified the dish to remove the Brussels Sprouts and add double potatoes instead. This dish was safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, Cabbage, and Chicken & Turkey Allergies.

Overall, Brandon said this was a good dish -- though I think his biggest complaint is that he never feels like there's enough meat with lamb chops. He enjoyed the potatoes a lot and is always glad when he gets double potatoes!

For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Fudge Brownieserved with Raspberry Cream. This dish was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Milk, and Peanut Allergies.

This dish was outstanding, and it might have been my favorite dessert of the entire cruise. The dairy free & vegan raspberry cream was so good. Light and fluffy and not too overpowering with raspberry flavor. And, the chocolate fudge brownie was super rich too.

For some reason, I could not find a photo of Brandon's dessert. I'm not sure if this is because we were served the same dessert or if he skipped it. The hazards of not writing up your review until a month after your cruise!

If you want to see more about our overall cruise experience and see our dining reviews on video, check out our vlog series that we posted on YouTube!

Overall

While Animator's Palate may not be our personal favorite restaurant of the Disney Dream's 3 main rotational dining options, we were impressed by the allergy-friendly menu appetizer and dessert menu options. And, we always appreciate that our server teams go above and beyond to ensure we have delicious and safe meals each night of our cruise.

Have you been on the Disney Dream? What do you like to order when you dine at Animator's Palate?

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.

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.

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?

8/26/19 8/26/19

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream

When we're cruising the Disney Cruise Line, one of our favorite places to relax and chill is Cove Cafe. This adults-only coffee shop is the best spot for a good cup of coffee or a specialty coffee drink. You can also get snacks throughout the day and cocktails in the evening too. On our most recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, our stateroom was just one deck below Cove Cafe. So, we spent a lot of time in this relaxing coffee shop.

*These gluten free dining experiences took place in May 2019. It also include notes about dairy free modifications and shares information about the fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free options available through this coffee shop too.

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream

Atmosphere

Both Brandon and I really love the low-key and relaxed atmosphere of Cove Cafe. There's plenty of cushy seating throughout the cafe. Whether you're grabbing a quick caffeine boost on-the-go, or want an after-dinner cocktail, you'll find all types of options for seating to accommodate.

Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We especially enjoyed the seats near the front of the cafe that are have large windows and are brightly lit during the day. This was a particularly favorite spot for us during the afternoon. We got a chance to chat with our favorite barista Agung from Indonesia while we were seated there too.

In the evenings, we both prefer the back of Cove Cafe, which is a bit more chill and quiet. Of course, no matter what preference you have for seating, you'll find lots of great options in the cafe.

Food & Drink at Cove Cafe

Unlike most locations on the Disney Cruise Line, the beverages served at Cove Cafe are NOT included in your cruise fare. This includes all of the coffee and tea drinks, as well as any other beverages (including water and alcohol). The food options, such as pastries and antipasti offered at Cove Cafe ARE included in your cruise fare and will not cost extra. If you're unsure about pricing, one of the friendly baristas at Cove Cafe can help go over the options.

If you are a coffee drinker, do make sure to pick up one of the Cove Cafe Coffee Club cards! We made sure to get one on our cruise, and we were able to get a free specialty coffee drink by the end of our cruise. It's definitely well worth picking up. And, it does not expire. So, you can use it on multiple cruises. In fact, we have one at home just waiting for our next cruise!

I wouldn't consider myself a big coffee drinker anymore. I gave up coffee for many years after my Crohn's disease diagnosis. But, I've been able to reintroduce it a bit here and there. So, I am always happy to find other options besides coffee at a coffee shop.

Cove Cafe does carry Republic of Tea hot and iced tea. For those who are gluten free, you'll appreciate that The Republic of Tea is the first and only tea brand in the United States to obtain certification by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

On one of our visits, I did get the iced Darjeeling tea. It was good and a lot larger than I expected. Given that most of the iced tea served on the Disney Cruise Line is Gold Peak Tea, this was a huge step-up for an iced tea lover. I may have to try some of the other teas the next time we're on a Disney Cruise!

I did try coffee on a few other occasions on our cruise. The first time I got a latte with almond milk. One of the great things about the ship is that they do also offer non-dairy milk options too. I believe they also carried soy milk in addition to almond milk on the Disney Dream.

If you are concerned about cross-contamination, you can always ask your barista to use a clean frother for your non-dairy milk.

On another occasion, I ordered an iced latte with almond milk. Because we were cruising during the warmer months in the Bahamas, I definitely preferred the iced latte format.

For those who might be interested in coffee syrup flavors, always double-check the ingredients in the syrups. I believe Cove Cafe was using the DaVinci brand of coffee syrups at the time of our sailing.

Because of being gluten free, I tend to stick to simple coffee drinks. But, Brandon ordered quite a few more elaborate coffee drinks during our visits to Cove Cafe. First up was the Mocha Latte. As you can see, he ordered his drink with regular milk which was much more frothy and than the drinks I ordered with almond milk.

Brandon said the mocha latte was really excellent and would get it again. As you can see from the photo here, our barista Agung was awesome at making sure that both Brandon and I got delicious drinks and that they were beautifully presented!

But, by far, Brandon's favorite coffee drink was the Moka Experience offered by Cove Cafe. At $12, it's a little pricey, but it was well worth it for what you get.

This dish included chocolate truffles, espresso, chocolate syrup, RumChata, and whipped cream -- among other things. He said it was rich and decadent and by far the best coffee drink he ordered.

No matter what type of drink you order, don't forget to pair it with a snack or two. I can't have any of the breakfast pastries, but I'm always a big fan of the antipasti options during the evening time at Cove Cafe. Brandon and I tend to get a little snack at Cove Cafe a few hours before dinner, especially if we have late dining.

The antipasti options included Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, and marinated olives. We both skipped the olives and opted for just Parmesan and prosciutto on our visits.

If you're gluten free or have other special dietary needs, don't hesitate to ask the baristas to bring you fresh items from the back area of the coffee shop too. They are always willing to accommodate too! Generally, I find the evening snacks to be much safe and limited in gluten because they are typically antipasti platter items.

As you can see, we got antipasti options on several different trips. If you're a fan, it's definitely worth a visit.

Overall

Cove Cafe is one of our favorite go-to spots for coffee and tea drinks. With options for gluten free, dairy free, and vegan guests -- including non-dairy milk -- there's something for everyone at Cove Cafe. If you're a fan of snacks, you can often find evening time snacks that are gluten free there too. If you have allergies like fish/shellfish and peanut, you'll be in fairly good shape there too. If you have other nut allergies, do make sure you check ingredients, especially in flavored syrups!

No matter what your special dietary needs are, you're sure to enjoy Cove Cafe as much as we do too!

Have you been to Cove Cafe on any of the Disney Cruise Line ships? What was your experience with this coffee shop?

8/22/19 8/22/19

Room Service on the Disney Dream

The Disney Cruise Line does an excellent job at accommodating guests with special dietary needs in their various restaurants. But, I'm always pleasantly surprised by how well they can also accommodate with their room service options. On our recent cruise on the Disney Dream in May 2019, we took advantage of room service a few times on our 3-day cruise.

Room Service on the Disney Dream

Though we're usually just too stuffed to order a lot of food from room service, on this cruise we did order a few things. The first was an allergy-friendly cake. I had always been curious about the allergy-friendly cakes on the Disney Cruise Line -- especially after reading about the gluten free Mickey Mouse cake that Alexis' Gluten Free Adventures ordered on one of her Disney Cruises.

Ordering cakes from Disney Cruise Line at the time of our cruise required us to order a cake using an online PDF form that we had to fax to Disney Cruise Line at least 7 days before our cruise. You can see this form and the variety of special dietary needs friendly cake options on their website.

But, if you're planning on ordering a cake on an upcoming Disney Cruise, you'll now be able to order a special dietary needs cake online through their new Onboard Gifts portal. I did recently look up the options for our cruise to Alaska next year, and it looks like they have reduced the allergy-friendly cake offerings (or our cruise is limited on options). Here's a screenshot of the options available for our cruise in the Onboard Gifts portal.

Disney Cruise Line Allergy-Friendly Cake Options / Photo Copyright Disney Cruise Line

We really enjoyed our cake a lot, so we may have to order the Mickey Mouse allergy-friendly cake for our next cruise too. I'll also be curious to see if their options expand or if these are the only options they'll be providing to cruise guests now and in the future.

Disney Dream / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I would say that Brandon and I both aren't super sweets people. We both like dessert, but it's not always our favorite part of a meal. That being said, we are both suckers for good chocolate cake. I decided to pre-order the Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Mousse Filling and Chocolate Glaze.

This cake was ordered to be gluten free, peanut free, and hazelnut free. The cake and frosting were also dairy free, but some of the decorations on (like the chocolate tuiles) contained dairy. The cake was priced at $21 and said it contained 4-6 servings.

The cake was set to deliver to our stateroom on embarkation day at 5 p.m. Since Brandon and I both really enjoy sitting on our verandah and sailing away from port on embarkation day, we thought this might be a nice way to celebrate sailing away. Our cake arrived about 5:15 p.m., so fairly on time for our preferred delivery time.

Disney Dream Room Service / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see, the cake was beautifully decorated and presented. We were both really impressed by the overall appearance and how nice it looked. I admit, I think we both expected a rather plain cake to arrive. So, seeing all the decorations and fresh fruit was pretty exciting.

We each tried a small serving of the cake as we sailed away from Port Canaveral. I think both of us thought it would taste OK, but we were both really pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Brandon said it was the best chocolate cake he's had in a long time -- gluten free or not. We both agreed that we would definitely order this again.

Because the cake was quite large for two people, we actually ate the cake throughout our cruise. We had to do some shifting to keep it in the refrigerator. But, it was totally worth the effort. The cake held up very well over the course of our 3-day cruise.

As an aside, the cake is very rich. So, I'm glad it took us the entire length of our 3-day cruise to eat this cake because it was a lot!

Because our cruise was fairly short, we didn't order too much more room service. We do always order room service in the afternoon on our Castaway Cay day after we've returned from the ship and before the ship departs from the island.

Brandon always order the Mac & Cheese -- which contains gluten but is fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He has said it's not the best mac & cheese in the world, but it's still pretty good.

Disney Dream - Room Service Cheese Plate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We also usually order the gluten free cheese plate. Depending on your cruise, you may or may not be served gluten free crackers (like we have been on our previous cruises). On this cruise, we were served the cheese plate minus the crackers because they did not have any in stock. Either way, we always enjoy the cheese plate which is gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free.

If you're interested in other special dietary needs options, I recommend speaking with room service about the options available on your cruise. I have heard from other guests that you can also order special diets cookies (usually boxes of Enjoy Life Foods cookies) and even allergy-friendly chicken tenders too.

Overall

While room service isn't always at the top of our list on our shorter Disney Cruises, I'm so glad they have options for guests with special dietary needs. Both Brandon and I love the cheese plate. And, we were especially impressed with the allergy-friendly cake that we ordered on this cruise too. We'll definitely be ordering another allergy-friendly cake on an upcoming cruise now!

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? What's your experience with special dietary needs options through room service?

7/19/19 7/19/19

Royal Palace Debarkation Breakfast Review on the Disney Dream

It's amazing how quickly a cruise can go by. Just like that our 3-day cruise on in May on the Disney Dream was over. Because we dined at Royal Palace the evening before, we were assigned Royal Palace as the location for our debarkation breakfast. Guests also have the option to dine at Cabanas the morning the cruise debarks. But, we always prefer the assigned rotational dining option for an a la carte breakfast. Because we had late dining, our debarkation breakfast was around 8 a.m. -- early, but not nearly as early as our previous debarkation breakfasts.

*This gluten free review took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Debarkation Breakfast at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

It's always so sad on the day we leave the ship! I do appreciate that Disney Cruise Line has magical touches, even as you're debarking.

Disney Cruise Line - See Ya Real Soon / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I always get a few photos of the See Ya Real Soon signs throughout the ship. It's both sad and gives us something to look forward to because we're always thinking about our next cruise!

Even though we had a later breakfast, as you can tell, Royal Palace was pretty deserted. A lot of guests do skip breakfast or head to Cabanas instead.

Royal Palace - Sarah with Menu — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I may be smiling in this photo, but we both didn't want to leave the ship at all. Three day cruises never feel like enough time when you're sailing on a Disney Cruise ship.

The Food

Breakfast during debarkation includes a limited menu. This means that if you're interested in items like allergy-friendly Mickey waffles, they won't be options. That's because the ship is essentially debarking and re-embarking the same day. So, the crew really has a tight turn-around to get the ship ready for the next set of cruising guests.

Although Brandon is not a big breakfast person, he did get breakfast during debarkation. We both ordered cold beverages, including orange juice.

Usually, I try to order easy but filling breakfast items to help fuel us for our drive home. I got a ham and cheese omelet which is gluten free. It can be made dairy free by omitting the cheese. Overall, as omelets go, this was good but nothing special. Still, given how quickly debarkation breakfast goes, I was pleasantly surprised by how decent this was.

Even though you can't order allergy-friendly Mickey waffles during debarkation breakfast, you can get allergy-friendly pancakes. These are gluten free and dairy free, and they are made using the King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix. I have to admit, that I think I liked the pancakes better than the waffles. Super tasty and definitely a breakfast option I'll get again.

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

Brandon opted for something very simple -- scrambled eggs and bacon. His breakfast entree was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He is happy with something simple and small, though we both agreed he got a fairly substantial portion.

Overall

While debarkation breakfast is never fancy, we always appreciate being able to get one last meal on our cruise. It's a nice way to cap off the sailing and get a little bit more of the Disney Cruise Line magic in before we head back home.

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? How do you dine for breakfast on debarkation day?

7/16/19 7/16/19

Royal Palace Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

A three day cruise goes by fast! And, on our last night of our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, we had our last rotational dinner at Royal Palace. It didn't feel too much like a new experience that night because we'd been at Royal Palace so much over the course of three days. But, we both really enjoy the Royal Palace dinner and the options available to us there.

*This gluten free review took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Dinner at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

Because I've posted so many Royal Palace reviews, I won't share too many photos of this Disney princess inspired restaurant. But, you can see and read more about it in my breakfast and lunch reviews.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it in earlier reviews, but we had the later dinner seating at 8:15 p.m. This was our first cruise dining this late. And, while we were both a bit skeptical about it at first, we actually really loved late dining. In fact, we both agreed that we will always book the second dining on every trip from now on. For us, it gave us a lot more time to digest and not feel rushed in the afternoon after excursions, relaxing, or getting back on the ship.

I did want to include a comparison photo for you of dinner. As you can see, the atmosphere is totally different in the evening when the restaurant is much more crowded. That's one of the reasons I love eating there at breakfast and lunch. The low crowds are just such a nice change of pace.

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

I love the adorable napkin shapes throughout the ship's restaurants. This one is perfectly themed for Royal Palace.

The Food

Royal Palace is hands down our favorite of the three main rotational dining options for the food. While we Enchanted Garden is our favorite restaurant overall, we both agree that the food at Royal Palace tends to be much more our speed. So, we actually ate food that was entirely from this restaurant instead of requesting items from other dining locations!

Another shoutout to our assistant server Cristel from Mexico! She completely rocked the entire cruise and really made our dining experience pleasant. From start to finish, she really made sure we enjoyed our meals and always had our double drinks!

I forgot to take a photo of the Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls. But, we did manage to get a shot of the olive tapenade that was served as an accompaniment to the rolls. I really loved the saltiness of the olives, while Brandon preferred to skip the tapenade and just use butter on his rolls.

Royal Palace - Iced Lobster & Shrimp — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For the second time on the cruise, I ordered the Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp. This is gluten free but contains dairy. It can be easily made dairy free by omitting the sauces. If you are a seafood lover, this is an excellent classic steakhouse appetizer.

For Brandon's appetizer, he ordered the Breaded and Deep Fried Brie. This is fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. This is one of his favorite appetizers because he is a huge brie fan.

Although I didn't order it this time, I have actually been able to pre-order this dish to be gluten free on a previous cruise. If you're gluten free and really love the idea of this, I highly recommend pre-ordering it, as they cannot make it on the fly.

Royal Palace - Leek Soup — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We both also ordered the Leek and Potato Soup. It's one of our favorites, and it is gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. It is also vegetarian. If you enjoy soup, I highly recommend this option, especially for gluten free guests since it requires no modifications to be gluten free.

Both of us also ordered the Chateaubriand-Roasted Filet Steak with Crushed Potatoes and Green Beans. Neither one of us could have the Bernaise Sauce that normally comes with it. With this modification, this dish was gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. The potatoes do contain dairy, so if you're interested in this, you may be able to swap out the potatoes with advance notice.

Both of us really enjoyed the entree. And, we both agreed that the mashed potatoes were actually the best part of the plate. I think that's partially because our steaks were both overdone. Mine was especially well-done.

Brandon's was a bit more rare, so be sure to tell your server if you have a particular concern about meat temperature and cook.

Royal Palace - Creme Brulee — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For dessert, we were both served Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee. This dessert is both gluten free and peanut free. Brandon said it was just OK, and I skipped this because I do not like Creme Brulee usually.

I was also extremely bummed because I had pre-ordered the Grand Marnier Souffle, which my friend Alexis from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures has ordered on her cruises and raved about. When I asked our server Allen about it, he said the kitchen told him they couldn't make it. I will definitely be asking about it again on a future cruise, just in case they can make it on that sailing.

Allen did bring out the allergy-friendly dessert of the night, which was the same dessert Brandon had at our embarkation lunch. A combination of a cookie and brownie topped with raspberry sorbet, it was a much better option than the creme brulee. This dessert is gluten free, dairy free, vegan, peanut free, and free of the top common allergens. I am still bummed I didn't get the Grand Marnier Souffle I pre-ordered, but I'm at least glad I had a decent dessert option.

Overall

Royal Palace is definitely a great meal during your rotational dining options. It's a favorite of ours for the excellent food options and overall experience. If you are on your cruise, don't skip out on this restaurant during your sailing. It's definitely worth the experience, especially if you're a fan of French and steakhouse inspired fare.

Have you been to Royal Palace on the Disney Dream? What did you think of the dinner options there?

7/16/19 7/16/19

Cookie's BBQ Lunch Review on Castaway Cay

Cookie's BBQ is one of three restaurants on Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. On our recent 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream, we had lunch at Cookie's BBQ, which is the main restaurant on the island, and the location that handles special dietary needs requests. On our last two cruises, we've pre-ordered our lunches, and this has worked really well for us. So, Cookie's BBQ is our go-to spot to eat.

*This gluten free review took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Lunch at Cookie’s BBQ

Atmosphere

Somehow I always manage to forget to take a lot of photos of Cookie's BBQ when we eat there. I'm sure this is due to being super relaxed and chill while we're on the island!

When you go to Cookie's BBQ, you'll want to find the giant boat with potato chips on it. This is exactly where you need to go to check in if you're pre-ordered food or to talk to a coordinator about special diets options.

Cookies's BBQ Potato Chips / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You can always grab a bag of plain Lay's potato chips too while you're there. These are individually packaged and gluten free and dairy free too!

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

One of the things I always appreciate about the food options with Disney Cruise Line is that they always have lots of fresh fruit and vegetables around for guests to grab and take with them. Cookie's BBQ is no exception. They have tons of fresh fruit available. And, I always make sure to grab at least one plate of fresh pineapple, mango, and grapes.

Another nice touch is that while you're on your way to your picnic bench to enjoy lunch, you'll find fresh condiments individually prepared by cast members. This is great for those of us with special diets who need to avoid cross-contamination.

The Food

Although we didn't pre-order food at any other location, we always make sure to pre-order our lunch on Castaway Cay. In May 2018, we didn't pre-order and attempted to eat at the Serenity Bay BBQ (the adults only restaurant). And, I had very limited options. So, we've pre-ordered on the last two cruises and had great success.

One important note about pre-ordering. It does not guarantee that you get your food the moment you walk up to the restaurant. What it does is help the restaurant and coordinators prepare the right amount of food for special diets guests and help streamline the process when you arrive. We sadly saw a guest who came to Cookie's BBQ who was extremely irate that the special diets food options for her kids was not ready immediately. For us, even with a small wait, we're just grateful we can eat safely while we're on our cruise, so I do recommend having a little patience and understanding with the cast members who are helping make your experience safe and delicious.

After speaking with a coordinator who found our order, we were given a number to take with us to whatever picnic table we wanted to sit at. While Brandon grabbed us a table, I went to get some fresh fruit. I don't know what it is, but I swear the fruit on the cruises is so fresh. I could eat the pineapple they serve for days!

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

A cast member arrived at our table with only one of our orders. Unfortunately, the coordinator got confused and only grabbed my pre-order and not Brandon's. So, the cast member went to prepare Brandon's food, which did arrive pretty quickly considering.

I pre-ordered a cheeseburger on a gluten free bun, French fries, and grilled mahi mahi. Everything was gluten free, and the burger could have been made dairy free by omitting the cheese. While I wouldn't say anything we get at Castaway Cay is super amazing, we both really just enjoy a basic grilled burger while we listen to the ocean nearby. I also really enjoy the grilled fish too.

You'll find that there are other options that are gluten free safe too -- like the grilled chicken, potato salad, and coleslaw. Always double-check with a coordinator to confirm that the items you're interested in are safe for your special dietary need. I also recommend that when you pre-order that you ask for specific items that you want. We have found that if you're too vague, you're likely to get plain and bland food. The more specific you are, the better your experience!

As you can see, Brandon got virtually the same thing -- minus the fish because of his allergies. This burger was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He was served a regular gluten-filled bun since that was safe for his special dietary needs.

Overall

We both really enjoy the simple pleasures of getting classic BBQ food when we eat at Cookie's BBQ on Castaway Cay. There's something charming and nostalgic about eating BBQ at a picnic table and lounging afterwards on the beach. If you have special diets, I strongly recommend pre-ordering your food and eating at Cookie's BBQ (and avoiding Cookie's Too and Serenity Bay BBQ) for the best special dietary needs options while you're at Castaway Cay.

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

7/16/19 7/16/19

Royal Palace Breakfast Review - Disney Dream

Royal Palace on the Disney Dream really was our home away from home on our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream. That's because it's not only one of the three main rotational dining options on the cruise ship, but it's also the location for a la carte breakfast and lunch while you're on your cruise. So, we ate there a lot!

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Breakfast at Royal Palace

On day 3, I had breakfast at Royal Palace as we docked at Castaway Cay. Since Brandon is not a breakfast person, I went down for some allergy-friendly Mickey waffles while he woke up and got around for our relaxing day on Castaway Cay.

Atmosphere

Because we dined at Royal Palace so much on this cruise, you'll see lots of photos in all of my reviews of breakfast and lunch.

Since Royal Palace is themed after the Disney princesses, you'll find lots of royal touches throughout the restaurant, including paintings and other decor.

During my breakfast, I was seated near the porthole windows on the side of the ship.

While it didn't make for the most amazing views in the restaurant, I really didn't care because I had some fantastic views of Castaway Cay.

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

There's nothing quite like enjoying a leisurely breakfast while your cruise ship docks into port at Castaway Cay. If you dine early at Royal Palace (the restaurant typically opens at 8 or 8:30 a.m.), do ask for a seat by the windows. It's worth asking for the amazing views!

The Food

Because we were at Castaway Cay and would be having BBQ lunch on the island, I wasn't planning on ordering anything too filling at breakfast.

I do always order an iced tea for a little bit of caffeine and an apple juice to get my day started.

After I had been seated, our server Cristel from our main rotational dining experiences saw me. She wasn't a part of my breakfast server team, but she did come over to say "hello." She noticed I didn't have any gluten free pastries at my table and insisted on bringing me some, which was very nice of her. I ended up with two of the Kinnikinnick brand cinnamon sugar donuts. These are gluten free, dairy free, and free of the top common allergens. I always enjoy these donuts and do tend to get them at least once on our cruises.

Since I'd already ordered my favorite gluten free Eggs Benedict earlier on the cruise, I knew I wanted to get allergy-friendly Mickey waffles this time. I was able to get Allergy-Friendly Mickey Waffles with Blueberry Compote, Strawberry Cream, and Bacon.

The waffles are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and free of the top common allergens and are made using the King Arthur Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix. This is change from previous cruises where they were using mixes like Namaste to make the waffles.

Overall, I really liked the waffles, especially with the blueberry compote and strawberry cream (the cream contains dairy). You can also get your waffles served with plain maple syrup too. The combination of the blueberry compote and strawberry cream were just perfect and made the waffles really special -- as opposed to getting them with just maple syrup. I would definitely get these again on a future cruise.

Overall

Royal Palace continues to be my go-to spot for a la carte breakfast on the Disney Dream. I'm really glad it's there as an option, because I much prefer the low-key and relaxed atmosphere there than at Cabanas, which can get really busy some mornings. Plus, these allergy-friendly Mickey waffles and toppings might be my new favorite breakfast entree on the Disney Dream. They were the perfect way to start my day on beautiful Castaway Cay.

Have you been to Royal Palace on the Disney Dream for breakfast? What did you think about their special diets options?

7/16/19 7/16/19

Enchanted Garden Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

Enchanted Garden on the Disney Dream is one of the three main rotational dining restaurants. On our recent Disney Cruise in May, we had dinner here on our second night, which was also pirate night on the ship. After our last several cruises, Enchanted Garden has become one of our favorite restaurants to dine in for its charming theme and delicious entrees.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

Atmosphere

Enchanted Garden is themed after the gardens of Versailles. So, you'll see lots of beautiful garden-inspired touches throughout the restaurant.

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

From the moment you step inside, you'll see beautiful garden murals and lights.

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

The lighting does change throughout your meal and goes from day time to sunset. I love some of the charming seating options in here, including the tea-cup inspired booths. We've been lucky enough to have been seated in these several times and always love them.

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

The centerpiece as you walk into the restaurant is a beautiful water fountain. I absolutely love getting photos of it after our meal when the lighting looks more like twilight.

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

We always look up, down, and all around whenever we're in a Disney restaurant. That's because you'll see so many beautiful and themed elements just about everywhere. My favorite in Enchanted Garden are these beautiful flower lights.

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

We were seated towards the middle of the restaurant, and we had a good vantage point of the restaurant without being in too congested of an area.

The Food

Because we were on a 3-day cruise, even though we dined at Enchanted Garden during pirate night, the menu was still Enchanted Garden's regular rotational dinner menu.

For our bread service, we were both brought the Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls, which are gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, vegan, and free of the top common allergens, with some hummus. While Brandon ate the rolls, he's not a fan of the hummus, so he skipped that. Overall, I enjoyed the bread service. If you're a hummus fan, you'll enjoy this version which is fairly mild in flavor.

I have to shout-out our assistant server, Cristel from Mexico. She was a total rockstar throughout our cruise and really took great care of us. She was also super on top of beverages. In fact, she learned quickly what drinks we liked to order and brought us double drinks at all times throughout the meal.

She was also awesome when I saw her during breakfast at Royal Palace and even insisted on bringing me gluten free pastries when she saw I didn't have any. And she wasn't even my server during that meal! She was really excellent and definitely went above and beyond during our cruise, so if you get a chance to have her as a part of your service team, you'll be well taken care of.

While we absolutely love Enchanted Garden's theme and the entrees served there, sometimes we go a little off-book when we dine there. Luckily, we learned several cruises ago that you can order items served at any of the three main rotational dining options during your meal. Because I'm not a big fan of any of the appetizers at Enchanted Garden, I requested the Iced Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp that is normally served at Royal Palace.

This dish is marked gluten free on the Royal Palace menu and can be made dairy free by omitting the sauces. This is always one of my favorite appetizers. And, I like it so much that I ordered it twice on this cruise. If you're a seafood fan, this is always a great option.

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

Brandon was also not feeling any of the appetizer choices from Enchanted Garden that night. He ended up getting the French Onion Soup from Royal Palace again. This dish is fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He really enjoys this soup a lot. And, he was still so glad that he could get soup on the cruise pretty much as much as he wanted. This continues to be a real winner in his book.

Enchanted Garden - Indian Food — Enchanted Garden / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because I wasn't all that excited about the Indian food options I had the previous night at Animator's Palate, our server Allen wanted to make sure I got some options that I really loved. I was served a plate of curry chicken, scented rice, and curried potatoes. This was all gluten free.

This second serving of Indian food did not disappoint. And, as you can see in this photo, I was one happy camper.

My favorite main dining entree is also at Enchanted Garden. So, Allen brought me a plate of the Marjoram Scented Roasted Chicken too. Although I couldn't eat everything, I did put a major dent in the dinner. The roasted chicken is so flavorful and tender, that it continues to be tops for me for entrees. I also really enjoyed the whipped sweet potatoes, sautéed spinach, and the chicken jus served with this too. This entree is marked gluten free on the Enchanted Garden menu.

For Brandon's entree, he ordered the Slow Roasted Prime Rib. This was a gluten free (marked on the menu), fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Overall, Brandon really liked it, but did think the prime rib was quite fatty for his taste. We both totally forgot until after he'd ordered that he had loved the seared pork tenderloin medallions served at this restaurant on our last cruise. He could have ordered this, but chose not to because he was already feeling pretty full.

Even after stuffing myself silly with all the food I ordered, I still managed to have some room for dessert. Though it's not marked gluten free on the menu, I was served the Orange Yogurt Cake. Having been to Palo many times, this was absolutely the same orange almond cake served there for dessert.

The cake itself is gluten free and dairy free, but the accompaniments contained dairy. I loved the actual cake itself -- it's one of my favorite desserts on the ship. But, the solidified yogurt rectangle served on the plate was just weird and kind of gross. Next time, I'd just ask for the dessert minus the yogurt and cream sauce.

For Brandon's dessert, he ordered Chocolate Garden Torte which came with a coffee cream and was peanut free. Even though he's not a big dessert person, he loves chocolatey desserts. This one was a real winner, and one he'd get again.

Overall

We both really enjoy the atmosphere and entrees served at Enchanted Garden. With a beautiful garden theme and pleasant dim lighting, we always look forward to our dinners at this rotational dining location.

Have you been to Enchanted Garden? What did you think of the restaurant and food?

7/16/19 7/16/19

Royal Palace Lunch Review on the Disney Dream

Royal Palace always feels like our home restaurant when we're cruising on the Disney Dream. That's because we tend to eat there quite a few times for a la carte breakfast and lunches throughout our sailing. On our recent May cruise on the Disney Dream, we ate there several times, including once for lunch. I had already had breakfast there that morning. So, we had a late lunch after a relaxing few hours in the Rainforest Room in Senses Spa. It's a great way to rest, relax, and recharge. And, after our time there, we decide a refuel at lunch was in order.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Lunch at Royal Palace

Atmosphere

As I mentioned in my breakfast review of Royal Palace, the restaurant is themed after Disney princesses.

The restaurant has a very different feel to it during the day time. And, we both really enjoy how relaxed and low-key it is. We went closer to the end of lunch service, so it was quite empty. But, our overall service and experience were still beyond excellent.

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

We were docked in Nassau, Bahamas that day, and so our view wasn't the most amazing, it was still nice to have a window seat with some views outside.

Our table was also in a nice cozy corner, which we really appreciated. It was nice to just relax and not feel rushed during our lunch.

The Food

On this cruise, we didn't pre-order any of our lunches, as we have on previous cruises. Both of us agreed that you don't really need to pre-order a meal, unless you have a really special request. We have found the restaurants to be really accommodating even with all of our special dietary needs.

Royal Palace Lunch - Allergy Friendly Rolls — Royal Palace Lunch / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We were each brought a bread service -- I was served the Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls, which are gluten free, dairy free and free of the top common allergens and vegan. During lunch, they weren't that well-heated. But, if you can get them well-heated, they are always a nice accompaniment to any meal.

Brandon was given the regular bread service as the bread was peanut free. He wasn't too keen on the bread throughout our cruise and felt that the gluten free rolls were sometimes better than the gluten-filled ones he was served.

Royal Palace - Ahi Tuna Nicoise — Royal Palace / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

For my appetizer, I ordered the Ahi Tuna Nicoise which is marked gluten free and dairy free on the Royal Palace lunch menu. This has been a go-to appetizer for me on several cruises now. I really love the fresh flavors and how light is is. It's a great way to start a meal or as a main entree if you're feeling like eating light.

Royal Palace Lunch - Meat & Cheese — Royal Palace Lunch / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon started with the Sliced Serrano Ham with Manchego Cheese and Tomato Bread. This was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Overall, he really enjoyed the meat and cheese portion of this appetizer but wasn't as keen on the tomato bread. He's ordered this on several cruises too and enjoys it quite a bit. If you're gluten free, they can make this GF by omitting the bread.

My friend Alexis from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures had posted about some really tasting looking allergy-friendly chicken tenders on her Baja cruise on the Disney Wonder. They looked totally different than any of the ones that you can get at Disney World, so I knew I had to try them on our cruise.

I was able to order allergy-friendly chicken tenders, French fries, and steamed vegetables during lunch. The tenders and fries are made in a dedicate fryer to avoid cross-contamination. Overall, I was so happy I ordered these. There were super crispy and really delicious.

In hindsight, I should have asked what brand they were using. But, I was enjoying them too much and too relaxed and just plain forgot! I will absolutely be ordering these again and investigating where else I can order them on the ship. I have heard that you can get them at Cabanas, Flo's Cafe, all of the main rotational dining restaurants, and through room service.

Brandon really wanted to get the lamb burger on the Royal Palace lunch menu, but it contained fish in the burger patty, so it could not be modified. Instead, he got the Classic Cheeseburger and French fries. His fries were also made in a dedicated fryer, and the entire meal was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Brandon did enjoy the burger but said it wasn't anything too special.

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

For my dessert, I was served the allergy-friendly dessert of the day -- a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting layers, raspberry non-dairy whipped topping, and fresh fruit. This was gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and free of the top common allergens. Overall, I really enjoyed this. The cake was a little dry and dense, but the light and airy raspberry whipped cream on it was fantastic and really made the dessert. I would definitely order this dessert again.

For his dessert, Brandon was served the Italian Style Ice Cream Sundae with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce, and Whipped Cream. This was peanut free, and I believe he did not have the biscotti crumble that is normally in the sundae included in the version he was served. Brandon is not a huge dessert person, so while I think he enjoyed it, I'm not sure it's something he'd go out of his way to order.

Overall

Royal Palace for lunch continues to be our preferred way to enjoy lunch when we're dining aboard the Disney Dream. It's low-key and relaxed and gives us a lot of options and flexibility for our special dietary needs. I think I may have found my go-to lunch choices on this visit too!

Have you been to Royal Palace on the Disney Dream for lunch? What did you think of the options available to you?

7/15/19 7/15/19

Royal Palace Breakfast Review on the Disney Dream

Royal Palace, on the Disney Dream, is one of the three main rotational restaurants for dinner. It also happens to be open for a la carte breakfast and lunch during your cruise. On our recent cruise in May on the Disney Dream, I had breakfast at Royal Palace on two of our cruise mornings.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Breakfast at Royal Palace

I much prefer breakfast at Royal Palace to the buffet options at Cabanas or Enchanted Garden because I like the ability to get a variety of options without the hassle or worry of a buffet and cross-contamination. I also find that Royal Palace tends to be fairly quiet, making for a much more pleasant overall breakfast experience.

Atmosphere

Royal Palace is inspired by Disney princesses. So, you'll see lots of royal touches throughout the restaurant. Because we dined at Royal Palace a lot during the cruise for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I'll be showing lots of photos of the overall theme throughout those reviews.

One of my favorite parts about breakfast at Royal Palace is how calm and low-key it is.

As you can see from the photos here, there really aren't a lot of people dining a la carte each morning.

Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One tip that I always have for dining here during breakfast or lunch is to ask for a seat near the windows -- especially if you can get one with a lovely ocean view. I have often had great views in the morning when sitting near those windows.

On this visit, I had an interior table, but it was close to the hallway which had portholes. So, there was still plenty of sunshine flooding through.

The Food

Royal Palace's a la carte breakfast menu does mark some options gluten free. But, you can also talk to your server about additional options too. Dishes like allergy-friendly Mickey waffles aren't on the regular menu but are available upon request.

You can also pre-order your breakfast at Royal Palace by ordering your meal the night before with your server. Because we've been on the Disney Dream quite a few times, I decided not to pre-order for breakfast on this cruise. But, we have pre-ordered in the past, and it can be really helpful, especially if you have specific plans or activities to go to. It won't ensure your meal is ready the moment you sit down, but it will help speed the general preparation process a bit.

Day two of our cruise was our Nassau, Bahamas day. Brandon is not a huge breakfast fan, so while he was getting up and showered, I went down for breakfast at Royal Palace before we disembarked to get our passports stamped and a brief look around of Nassau.

I started the meal with a few breakfast beverages -- my favorite iced tea and apple juice -- while I looked over the menu.

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

One of my favorite breakfast entrees is the gluten free modified Eggs Benedict. You can order this gluten free by swapping out the gluten-filled English muffin for gluten free buns. I ordered the classic Eggs Benedict. But, you can also order two other versions gluten free too (one has salmon and the other has rosemary ham).

If you can have dairy, this is a terrific breakfast option. I ordered this a few times on our Disney Cruises, and I have always found the eggs to be well-poached, and the Hollandaise sauce to be excellent. This is always a must-order for me at least one of the mornings on a cruise.

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

My server also offered me Udi's Double Chocolate Chip Muffins. On our last cruise, I was served Kinnikinnick Chocolate Chip Muffins which are one of my favorites. But, Disney Cruise Line is no longer serving these. So, Udi's it was. I wasn't all that keen on the muffins (which are gluten free and dairy free) because they just taste like dry chocolate cake to me. But, I'm glad they are available to guests!

Overall

Royal Palace's a la carte breakfast is a must-do for me when I'm on the Disney Dream. It's a great way to have a low-key and filling breakfast. As you'll see from other reviews, you can also get other items like allergy-friendly Mickey waffles and pancakes. If you're on the Dream, definitely make plans to have breakfast there for delicious and safe options without the hassle or rush of the buffet at Cabanas.

Have you been on the Disney Dream? What did you think of the breakfast options at Royal Palace?

7/15/19 7/15/19

Animator's Palate Dinner Review on the Disney Dream

On the first night of our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream in May, our dinner was at Animator's Palate. Having already had embarkation lunch there earlier that day, we were getting double-duty with Animator's Palate on day one. But, since this is our least favorite of the rotational dining options on the ship, we weren't too sad to be dining there all in one day and eating at the other restaurants the rest of the cruise.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Dinner at Animator's Palate

Atmosphere

In my review for embarkation lunch, I talked a lot about the theme of Animator's Palate. I won't post as many photos in this review. But, I would definitely encourage you to read through the embarkation lunch post if you're interested in learning more or seeing additional photos.

For our cruise, we were designated table 32 at all three of the main rotational dining restaurants. Prior to our cruise, we requested to have a table with no other guests. And, we were both happy to see that this request was able to be accommodated. It's never a guarantee, even with a request, but we've been lucky to have it honored every time we've cruised.

One of the main differences from the embarkation lunch to dinner is that the restaurant does change its lighting quite a bit from light, bright colors at the beginning of your meal (similar to what you see during embarkation lunch) to a bit more dark during the end of your meal.

The visual cues are a nice way to transition the start and finish of your dining experience. You'll also notice this use of lighting in Enchanted Garden too, which we'll talk about in our review of that restaurant.

You'll also see lots of turtle and Finding Nemo inspired art throughout the restaurant too.

Brandon snapped this photo of me with my Animator's Palate menu. I love that if you move the menu side to side or up and down, the animation actually changes.

The Food

As I mentioned, Animator's Palate is our least favorite restaurant on the ship. Part of this is the very loud atmosphere (even with second dining, we found the acoustics in the restaurant make it quite loud). The other part is the food. Neither one of us gets very excited about most of the food offered there.

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

I have two exceptions to that. The first is the Smoked Salmon Tartar. This is marked gluten free on the Animator's Palate menu and does contain dairy. If you can have dairy and like seafood, this is an outstanding appetizer. It's super flavorful and really surprised me the first time I had it. I always order this every time we dine at Animator's Palate. It's that good.

Since Brandon is also not that keen on the Animator's Palate menu, he was struggling with what to order. One of the best tips I've learned over the years is that if you don't like something on a menu, you can actually request items from the other main rotational dining restaurants during your meal.

With this in mind, Brandon requested by the Leek and Potato Soup and French Onion Soup from Royal Palace. Both of these are made with vegetable stock, so they are also vegetarian options. They are also fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Brandon loves both of these soups, so this was a double soup win for him.

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

Another great tip that I've learned is that you can often ask for Indian food, as the ship prepares various Indian dishes every night of your cruise. They aren't listed on any menu, but your server can help arrange options for you, depending on your special dietary need. In my case, since I wasn't feeling like any of the entrees from Animator's Palate, I asked for Indian food on our first night.

Unfortunately, I should have been more specific about what I was interested in with our server Allen. That's because I ended up with two gluten free, dairy free, and vegan dishes that I wasn't particularly fond of. I was served some plain rice, curried okra, and lentils in a tomato sauce. The lentils weren't terrible, but I really disliked the okra. It was poorly cooked and very slimey. Allen did offer to bring me any other entrees that I might like, but since I'd already eaten quite a lot with bread and my appetizer and planned on ordering dessert, I skipped any additional food. So, lesson learned. Be specific whenever you can!

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

Brandon ordered the Ginger-Teriyaki dusted Angus Beef Tenderloin. This was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. He said that while the steak was well-cooked, he wasn't all that keen on the sauce included with the entree.

The other dish that I always order when we dine at Animator's Palate is the Crunchy Walnut Cake. It is marked gluten free on the menu, and is so delicious. I absolutely love the candied walnut crust and the soft chocolate cake in this dessert. It doesn't look like anything fancy, but it's a great dessert.

For Brandon's dessert, he ordered the Cookies n' Cream Sundae. This was a peanut free dessert. This has been a dessert he's ordered several times on our past cruises, and I know it's one of his go-to's for an easy dessert. I don't think it's anything special, but if you can have ice cream and gluten, it's not a bad option.

Overall

While Animator's Palate isn't our favorite of the main rotational dining options on the Disney Dream, we were both glad that the restaurant could easily accommodate us -- even going above and beyond to bring us Indian dishes and appetizers from other restaurants. The next time we cruise on the Dream, I could see us skipping this restaurant in favor of going to Palo or Remy (the adult dining locations) instead.

We are looking forward to trying Animator's Palate on one of the classic ships like the Magic and Wonder. You can read more about those from our friend Alexis at Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures.

Have you been to Animator's Palate on the Disney Dream? What do you like or dislike about this restaurant?

7/15/19 7/15/19

Animator’s Palate Embarkation Lunch Review on the Disney Dream

In May 2019, we were lucky enough to take another 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream. While it was a short cruise, we always love being able to get away from it all -- even if it's just for a short long weekend. Departing from Port Canaveral, it's an easy drive for us and the Disney Cruise Line terminal at this port makes it super easy to get in and on the ship early in the day. After an easy embarkation, our first stop is always embarkation lunch.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in May 2019. It also includes information about peanut free, fish/shellfish free, and chicken and turkey free options.

Embarkation Lunch at Animator’s Palate

Embarkation lunch options on the Disney Dream include an all-you-care-to-enjoy lunch at Cabana's -- the ships buffet restaurant -- or an a la carte lunch, which is currently being held at Animator's Palate. Because of our special dietary needs, we always choose to go to the a la carte lunch. It's much easier to navigate and talk through our special dietary needs without feeling like we're being rushed and without worrying about major issues of cross-contamination.

This was also Brandon's first cruise after being diagnosed with peanut, chicken and turkey allergies (we already knew about his fish and shellfish allergies), so we really wanted to ensure that he was safe and that we could speak with the service team about lunch options for him too.

Atmosphere

Animator's Palate is one of the three main rotation dining restaurants on the Disney Dream. It's also the only main rotational dining restaurant on all of the four current Disney Cruise Line ships. Each one has their own twist on Disney animation. On the Dream, Animator's Palate is inspired by Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. If you've ever been to Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot, you'll find this restaurant's theme very familiar, especially during dinner where Crush will actually talk to you.

During embarkation lunch, Animator's Palate is usually fairly quiet and low-key. You'll get plenty of opportunity to explore the restaurant and take a look at its impressive animation theme.

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

I love how touches from the support beams to the decorative elements all take inspiration from classic animation.

Even the carpet is pretty magical too! Check out the adorable not-so-hidden Mickey on the carpet near our table.

The theming truly covers every inch of the restaurant. Even the tables and chairs get in on the theming action.

I love how the table markers on your table even look like paint brushes.

The Food

Embarkation lunch at Animator's Palate includes a small but varied menu of options. Guests with special dietary needs will notice that the lunch menu includes a few notations like gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian. But, we always recommend you talk to your server about options. Even on this visit, I was able to get something not marked gluten free with an easy modification.

With Brandon's allergies, we definitely needed to consult with our server team too because nut free and other allergens are not listed on the embarkation menu.

Animator's Palate - Embarkation Lunch Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Unlike Walt Disney World, you will rarely have a chef come to your table to discuss options. Usually, you'll tell your server dishes you might be interested in, and they will consult with the kitchen to see if it's safe. It can take a little bit of time, but in our opinion, it's well worth the effort.

While we pondered our appetizers and entrees, our server team brought us rolls to start once the kitchen team confirmed they were safe for us. I was given a basket of Ener-G allergy-friendly rolls with butter and margarine. These rolls are gluten free and also cover the top common allergens too. While, I wouldn't say they are the best rolls I've ever had, if they are well-heated, they are a nice addition to any meal.

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

Bread service in this photo contains gluten but is fish/shellfish, peanut, chicken & turkey free.

During this meal, Brandon was served the regular bread service. Depending on the meal, sometimes he was given regular gluten-filled bread, and at other meals he was served the Ener-G rolls. It really depended on what bread they were serving that day. He was not particularly fond of this bread service, as he said the rolls were not heated and very hard and crunchy.

One of Brandon's favorite things when we dine on the Disney Dream is soup. We were both quite concerned that he would not be able to get soup on this cruise because chicken broth is a common soup base. We were super excited to learn that many of the soups were vegetable broth based so that they could also be vegetarian (and in some cases vegan).

Both of us ordered the Leek and Potato Soup. This is gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. It does contain dairy and cannot be modified to be dairy free. If you're gluten free, be sure that they do not serve the soup with the soda bread. We both really enjoy this soup, and it's one I actually ordered on multiple occasions during this cruise. It's very mild in flavor and a great comfort food soup.

Animator's Palate - Embarkation Lunch Empanada — Animator's Palate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because Brandon didn't think he'd be able to get soup, he also asked if the Beef Empanada with Red Chimichurri was safe for him to eat. He was doubly surprised when he got both the soup and the empanada. The empanada was fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free.

While Brandon said it wasn't his favorite thing during lunch, he said he would definitely order it again.

On our previous other cruises, I have ordered Sliced Roast Beef Sirloin, which Brandon ordered on this cruise. I have really enjoyed that entree, but on this cruise, I was looking for something a little lighter during lunch. I mentioned that I was interested in the Chicken Caesar Salad if it could be made gluten free.

Luckily, this was an easy gluten free modification and only needed the croutons removed to be GF. This was the perfect lunch option for me, as it wasn't too heavy, but it had a nice amount of protein with it. This made eating several courses and dinner later that night a lot easier too! While the dressing contains dairy, you might be able to get a different dressing to make it dairy free. On our next cruise, I'd definitely order this again.

Animator's Palate - Embarkation Lunch Beef — Animator's Palate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon ordered the Sliced Roast Beef Sirloin. This dish was gluten free as is. But, it needed the sauce removed to be fish/shellfish, peanut, and chicken & turkey free. I believe the sauce contained chicken broth.

Brandon said this was as good as it has been on the previous cruises, though we both agree that we find the embarkation lunch sirloin a little on the fatty side compared to the cuts we've had during dinner. Still, if you're a red meat person, this is a great hearty lunch option.

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

For dessert, I was served the Chocolate Marquise Bombe with chocolate mousse and raspberry sauce. This is the no sugar added dessert on the lunch menu and is gluten free, as is. While I typically really dislike sugar free desserts, this mousse is really good. I had it on our last cruise and really loved it. I was super excited to get this again, and it was just as good as it was the first time I had it. I will definitely continue to order this at embarkation lunch!

Animator's Palate - Embarkation Lunch Allergy-Friendly Dessert — Animator's Palate / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Brandon was served a dessert that we both ended up getting a few times during the cruise. This is an allergy-friendly dessert that is part chocolate chip cookie and part brownie. It is topped with raspberry sorbet. The dessert is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, peanut/tree nut free, and vegan.

Brandon liked this dessert better than I did, as I would have preferred it to be either a cookie or a brownie instead of the combination of both. I think I'd also rather have a non-dairy ice cream instead of sorbet too. But, Brandon really enjoyed this at lunch and on future dinners too.

Overall

Both Brandon and I agree that we both much prefer the low-key and relaxed atmosphere of the a la carte embarkation lunch at Animator's Palate to the busy and chaotic buffet lunch at Cabana's. Though the lunch menu may be limited, we both found excellent options during our embarkation lunch. It's definitely a much less stressful experience for guests with special dietary needs and gets your cruise started on a positive and delicious note.

For more about Cabana's, check out the reviews from our friend Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures on her blog.

Have you been on a Disney Cruise? Where do you have lunch on embarkation day?

11/19/18 11/19/18

Room Service on the Disney Dream

On our 3-day cruise on the Disney Dream in October 2018, we did get a chance to try room service with a special diet. Although we only ordered room service once, I wanted to write-up a bit about our experience and what we ordered. For those who have not been on a Disney Cruise, select food and beverage are included in your cruise fare and do not cost any extra. That means, you can order room service "for free" when you sail.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2018. It includes notes about dairy free options too.

Room Service on the Disney Dream

Castaway Cay View / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We decided to order room service in the afternoon on our Castaway Cay day. We had come back to the room after spending time at Serenity Bay and wanted to rest and relax with our amazing view, shown here, of the island. It made for the perfect back-drop as we sat on our verandah before we sailed away.

Castaway Cay / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Castaway Cay is pretty gorgeous, so we definitely wanted to soak as much of this sunny view as we could!

Disney Cruise - Room Service / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I ended up calling room service to see if they could make the cheese plate gluten free. We also noted that the Greek Salad and Fresh Fruit Bowl were listed as GF on the room service menu. When I called, they said they could make the cheese plate gluten free by swapping out the crackers, which was great. We ended up ordering that and some Angry Orchard Hard Cider, which is naturally gluten free.

There are definitely other options that can be made gluten free too. So, it's always worth calling to ask.

Our room service arrived with our cheese plate (and Brandon's gluten-filled mac & cheese) along with our hard cider. Do be careful when ordering this. We ordered two Angry Orchards because we assumed that they were the normal glass bottles of hard cider. But, when they arrived, we had two giant wine sized bottles of hard cider. We ended up having the cast member take one back, as we both only wanted a glass of hard cider and two bottles would have served 4 glasses in total.

Disney Cruise - Cheese Plate - Room Service / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Sitting on the verandah was the perfect spot to enjoy views of Castaway Cay along with our cheese plate and hard cider. The cheese plate came with several types of cheese, grapes, celery, and gluten free crackers. I believe they were Mary's Gone Crackers, but I did not confirm that with room service. They were definitely a grainier type of gluten free cracker.

Overall

We were both so glad we took a chance and called room service to see if they could accommodate a gluten free cheese plate. It was the perfect late afternoon snack on our verandah and made spending our last few hours on Castway Cay relaxing and magical.

Have you ordered room service on the Disney Cruise ships with a special dietary need? What did you order?

Dinner at Enchanted Garden

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Lunch at Cookie's BBQ

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Breakfast at Royal Palace

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Dinner at Animator's Palate

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Lunch at Royal Palace

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Breakfast at Royal Palace

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Dinner at Royal Palace

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Embarkation Lunch at Animator’s Palate

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Cove Cafe on the Disney Dream

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Food & Drink at Cove Cafe

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Debarkation Breakfast at Royal Palace

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Dinner at Royal Palace

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Lunch at Cookie’s BBQ

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Breakfast at Royal Palace

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Dinner at Enchanted Garden

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Lunch at Royal Palace

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Breakfast at Royal Palace

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Dinner at Animator's Palate

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Embarkation Lunch at Animator’s Palate

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Room Service on the Disney Dream

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Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW