Guest Review -- Disney World with Special Dietary Needs Trip Recap Day 2
This series of guests posts comes from reader Kathleen. Her love of Disney and passion for bringing awareness to special dietary needs on her college campus makes her the perfect guest writer for Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW. I’ve been following along on her college journey where she blogs about dining at college with special diets. Check out this great article on allergy friendly dining that she wrote last fall for her campus. Thanks again, Kathleen, for taking us along on your Disney special diets journey! (if you aren’t hungry, you will be after you read these reports)I’ve broken up Kathleen’s posts, and today we’re checking out her last days at Disney World on her vacation. You can catch days 1-3 on her previous post, and you can also recap with her visit to Universal Studios Orlando on her previous guest post! Hi everyone! My name is Kathleen and I’m currently a senior at NC State University in Raleigh. A few years ago, I found out about several food allergies that I have (gluten, corn, dairy, tomatoes, apples and peanuts) and ever since then, I’ve been on the lookout for new and exciting foods to try. Disney is a big deal in our family, and on our annual trip each summer, we love eating at new restaurants to mix things up. This was my third Disney trip with allergies, but my first without dairy, since I found out about that only a year ago.
Day #3 – 7/23On Wednesday, we didn’t have any dining reservations for once, so we ended up having a big lunch at Whispering Canyons Café in between MGM – errr, Hollywood Studios – and Magic Kingdom. This time, Chef Angela helped me out. She said that she could do plain pulled pork for me (unlike the other night), and that she had a gluten and corn free bun in the kitchen that I could have to make a sandwich. I was going to order the sweet potato fries and coleslaw, but after checking the ingredients, she ended up making my coleslaw with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (the regular one had apple juice), and a cucumber-dill salad, both of which were great. That sandwich was huge, but not to worry – I polished off the entire thing!The bagel that she gave me for the bun was also very good, but she later told me that it was an Udi’s bagel. Since I ended up having another skin flare up later that day, I checked the ingredients that night and corn syrup solids was one of them. I’m not sure why two different chefs (this one and Margaritaville) who were so adamant about the bread not having corn, would overlook that. However, the experience was still really good.
That night we were all set to watch the Spectromagic Parade at 11 (wayyyy past my normal bedtime of 9 PM – look at me staying up!), and I used that opportunity to try out the Rice Dream ice cream at the ice cream parlor on Main St. When I ordered, the cashier asked if it was an allergy or a preference, and when I told him it was an allergy, he got one of the servers to put it in a cup instead of a cone. Pretty impressive for a quick service stop.The ice cream itself had an interesting flavor – I liked it, but not as much as the So Delicious coconut milk ice cream I get at home. Still, I’m glad I got to try it. Unfortunately, right after I sat down with my ice cream, they announced that the parade was cancelled due to the one drop of rain that had apparently hit someone. Well, just kidding…there was supposed to be an impending storm that never ended up happening, so for the first time in forever, we were unable to see the parade. Oh well!Day #4 – 7/24Thursday was our “day off” from the parks. Usually on these days we’ll hang out at the pool for a while before moseying on over to Downtown Disney to shop and eat dinner. This year, I convinced my family to try out Whispering Canyons Café for a third time – breakfast! I was happy to see Chef Angela again, and she remembered me from the day before (regular, at last!).Now, there were two things that I was on a mission to find and try before leaving Disney. One of them was the famous allergy Mickey waffles. Chef Angela said that there were two types of batter – one with corn and one without. The batter also has applesauce. Usually they mix the two batters together for the allergy waffles, but she was able to make me Mickey waffles with no corn and no apples, and with pure maple syrup and earth balance butter on the side! She told me that the waffles were lighter in color and had a different flavor due to the lack of applesauce, but honestly, I wouldn’t have known the difference. They were fantastic! I stayed away from the earth balance since I knew it had corn in it, but the waffles and syrup were so good, I didn’t miss it. The waffles also came with bacon or sausage. I was in a bacon mood (who isn’t?), and let me tell you, the chefs at Whispering Canyon know how to cook their bacon. It was perfectly crispy – just how I like it.
Later that evening, after soaking up some rays by the pool and going on an impromptu bike ride to the campgrounds, we took the bus to Downtown Disney to eat dinner at Raglan Road. Originally, I was planning on getting the gluten free fish and chips or chicken curry with an appetizer of onion rings (provided that the batter was corn free). Unfortunately, the onion rings were not dairy free so I couldn’t get those. (*Note from Sarah: These have been dairy free in the past; however, ingredients and recipes do change, so it's important to always check with a manager or chef when you dine at a restaurant at Disney)This was not my week for curry, because it contained at least one of my allergens. Three strikes and it was out. In the end, I ordered the butternut squash “Raglan Risotto” because I love butternut squash, and it was something unexpected. Plus, the fries looked like steak fries and I’m not a huge fan of those, so I was unsure about the fish and chips. The risotto was really good – it was super creamy. I’m not sure how they got it to taste like that without milk or cream, but I liked it. The pear cider was also good. It’s possible that the risotto was too creamy to be true, however, because I ended up having a really bad skin reaction right after dinner. (*Note from Sarah: in the past this has been the restaurant's default vegan dish; always check with a manager or chef when you dine at a Disney restaurant for current ingredient listings, as products and recipes can change). Overall, I think this was my worst experience during my week at Disney. Not to say that it was awful, because the waitress was really nice and attentive to my allergies, but it was a little hard to hear and I wish I could have spoken with the chef since there ended up being some sort of cross contamination or unwanted ingredient in my dinner. Next time, I think I’ll try the fish and chips and hopefully that will work out better.
Day #5 – 7/25On Friday, our only reservation was at Crystal Palace and it was an early dinner. The rest of my family had gelato in Italy, and I just brought a snack from the hotel to tide me over between breakfast and dinner. Normally we do a lot more character meet and greets, but this ended up being the only one we did this year!The chef was great – she took me around the buffet to show me what was okay for me to eat, and said that she could prepare a couple of the hot bar vegetables plain for me. Remember when I said I was on a mission for two specific things? Well, the allergy chicken tenders were the second. I knew that Crystal Palace offered them, so I asked the chef if she could make those for me. She said that was not a problem, and that she would bring those out with the vegetables. I was able to try the sweet potato salad (!!), beet salad, and cucumber/pickled ginger salad from the salad bar. They were all good. You know I love sweet potatoes, and I’m also a fan of beets and fermented vegetables so it was a good appetizer.
I was very excited for my entrée to come out. The colors on the plate were so pretty I almost didn’t want to mess up the food. Ha! Yeah right! I haven’t had chicken fingers in quite a while, and these were definitely worth all of the hype I’ve been reading about them.After bringing that out, the chef told me there was rice dream and a chocolate brownie that I could have, and she brought those out for me for dessert. I already knew what the rice dream was like, but that chocolate brownie was the bomb. In the words of Princess Anna, I wanted to stuff some chocolate in my face, and I did. Just more gracefully. I think Crystal Palace was the best experience I had during the trip – those chicken tenders and brownie sealed the deal!
Day #6 – 7/26The last day of the trip is always sad for our family, but luckily we’re so busy enjoying the parks that we don’t really realize it until we’re in bed. Our last dinner reservation was at Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. I’ve come to realize that I prefer buffets for dining with allergies because I can see what’s available and know what it is instead of just reading a name off of a menu.The chef, Chef Trevor, was very nice. He was surprisingly young, and cute too! This buffet had a lot more protein options that were safe (as opposed to Crystal Palace), so I had the carved turkey. I also got the steamed broccoli, and broccoli salad from the buffet. The chef brought me some plain green beans and plantains (twice in one week, what up!) that I could eat as well. Not to sound like a broken record, but everything was delicious. That broccoli salad was so good, I went back for seconds! I love mixing fruit and nuts into my salads, and the combination of broccoli, soy nuts and cranberries worked really well.
The allergy brownie at this place was made with corn flour, so I couldn’t have that, but Chef Trevor brought me out a bowl of So Delicious Coconut ice cream. I’ve never had the coconut flavored one before, and I think it’s my new favorite! To make it even better, I topped it with an enjoy life cookie that I brought from the hotel. Ta da! Cookie Sundae.
Overall, this trip to Disney was fabulous. I got to spend time with my family, eat good food, and hang out in the happiest, most allergy friendly, and my personal favorite, place in the world – Walt Disney World! Now I just need to grow three inches so I can be a princess and I’ll be set. All I can say is, thanks to Sarah for letting me share my experience with you all. I had a wonderful time and I’m so excited to see what’s in store for next year!A huge thank you to Kathleen for her great trip report! If you want to learn more about Kathleen’s experiences as a college student with special dietary needs, you’ll get that chance at the upcoming Food Allergy & Celiac Convention held at Disney World on November 22, 2014.
Star Wars Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine 2014 -- Table Service -- Hollywood Studios
*This dining experience took place in May 2014. Note: The Star Wars™ Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine is a special character dining experience that took place during the 2014 Star Wars™ Weekends.
A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I got a chance to enjoy the first Star Wars™ Weekend festivities with a character meal dinner at Hollywood & Vine in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Meeting Jedi Mickey and the rest of the gang, it was a chance to have a galactic meal to commemorate the special event weekends.When Disney first announced special character meals during Star Wars™ Weekends, I knew I had to try them at least once. Hollywood & Vine hosted a dinner with Jedi Mickey, the rest of the Fab Five (in Star Wars costumes) and Chip & Dale as Ewoks (how you could not see these cuties!?). This was my first visit ever to Hollywood & Vine; however, I was able to connect with the chefs from 50's Prime Time who also work at Hollywood & Vine (they share a kitchen) and check with them on food offerings for gluten free & dairy free diners. Before my visit, they shared with me a lot of the options available to me, and I was looking forward to checking them out.When we arrived for dinner, it wasn't too crowded, though we planned for an early dinner. I tend to make early dinner reservations for buffets, so that I can ensure I get to make a big pass through the buffet before as many other people do, to help with cross contamination risks (chefs will bring you food from the back typically, but in some instances they aren't too keen to do so, so I always prepare just in case). We first got in a line to check in. The kiosks set-up for the event made the check-in process go quickly & smoothly.
Once we got checked in, we were sent to another line near the entrance. There, we waited for a few minutes before taking photos with Chip & Dale dressed as Ewoks. Can I just say how adorable these two are? I mean, seriously. Adorable. They had the best costumes of the entire meal. Chip & Dale should dress as Ewoks all the time.
Once we got seated were were given our Fantastmic Dining package vouchers (which was a $4 upcharge to the meal) and paper light saber cutouts. Fun!
As you can see from our photos, the restaurant was pretty quiet once we got in. Hollywood & Vine has a retro diner theme, and you can see the touches throughout the seating area.
Once our server took our drink order, we were greeted by Storm Trooper Donald. He was awesome. The photo we took came out really dark, but trust me. It was good! Once Donald moved along (nothing to see at our table), out came Chef Eugene. He took me around the buffet and showed me what were safe options - which were plentiful. He also offered to bring me back rolls as well. I had pre-ordered dairy free mashed potatoes but that memo didn't get to him. He offered to make me some in the back (more on this later).Here are some of the gluten free & dairy free options. And check out the names. They are totally Star Wars™ inspired. From what I understand, this is the regular menu just with Star Wars™ names. Get ready now for the onslaught of pictures...
These photos don't include all the choices but there were definitely a lot. I will say though, that if you are a vegetarian or vegan, this might not have the best offerings. It's very meat protein heavy, as you'll see by the photos of my buffet plates.One strategy I use when buffet dining is getting all of my food at once. I load up multiple plates so that I don't have to go back to the buffet again and I have lots of food. As you can see here, I loaded up quite well. I do this in case the chefs don't want to bring me food from the back, which happens on occasion. I feel more comfortable getting items straight from the buffet, when it's early (i.e. restaurant just opens) or a fresh plate has been added with new serving spoons. On this occasion, only some items were brought from the back for me. 
First up were the cold salad options. I love peel & eat shrimp, so I got a lot of these. I also got the mussels, potato salad, a slaw with soy nuts and cocktail sauce. My favorite thing on this plate was the slaw with soy nuts. Really quiet delicious, and I loved the various textures in the slaw. The potato salad was pretty plain, so I wouldn't probably get that again, but the shrimp & mussels were good.
As you can see by this plate, I wasn't kidding when I mentioned there were lots of meat options. Most of this was just OK - I wouldn't say it was the best buffet options but not the worst either. My favorite thing on the buffet was hands down the Chipotle BBQ chicken thighs with citrus. This was fantastic and a real standout for the meal. I am really glad I got a bunch of this too. The only thing on my plate I really didn't enjoy was the plantains. I'm not a huge fan of them to begin with mostly because of the texture, so that's a bit of a personal dislike.
With my dinner I had GNI brand rolls. They were heated fairly well, but did not come with any accompaniment (Earth Balance or extra virgin olive oil). Next time I'll be sure to ask for some.Remember those dairy free mashed potatoes I mentioned? I have to say that I really appreciated that Chef Eugene offered to make them for me; however, something got lost in the translation of making these. They used to be made at 50's Prime Time with extra virgin olive oil and were amazing. These were made with Soy Milk & Earth Balance - which would have been OK except that the soy milk was vanilla flavored. I don't know about you but vanilla & mashed potatoes just don't go together. My whole family tried them and everyone agreed these weren't very yummy. Next time, I think I'd skip these unless I knew they were made with EVOO ahead of time.
When it came to dessert, I wish there had been some options on the buffet safe for gluten free & dairy free diners; however, there were none. That being said - that was one impressive buffet. Check it out!
I was glad to hear that I did have a dessert option that I enjoy - the allergy house-made brownie with non-dairy ice cream. And I was even more excited when I learned it was So Delicious vanilla ice cream. Holy moly, you have no idea how excited that made me! I am a huge So Delicious fan, so knowing it's now on property just made me so giddy. Sure, it's currently only the vanilla flavor, but that's fine by me!
This was so amazing. The combination of a rich brownie and coconut milk ice cream with Hershey's syrup makes me happy. It's the little things! Of course, I was so stuffed by the meal's end I'm surprised I got the whole thing down...but of course, I did.Overall, I thought that Hollywood & Vine offered a lot of options which is great. It was nice that there were so many items that were gluten free & dairy free on the buffet line. I also really love the dessert here which makes me happy. As far as a buffet goes, it's certainly not my favorite. I would likely choose to go to 50's Prime Time over Hollywood & Vine if it were between the two or another Hollywood Studios restaurant. For the event, the price was really high - high enough that I wouldn't do it again next year if it's offered. That being said, the character interaction was really good here, and I felt like we had ample time to see characters if we wanted.I'd give this experience a 6.5 out of 10.Have you been to the Star Wars™ Character Dinner at Hollywood & Vine this year? What did you think of the special diets offerings?