Coral Reef Dinner Review
Coral Reef, located in The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion in Epcot, is a table service restaurant that serves seafood and steak options for guests with views of a living coral reef. Brandon, his mom, and I recently had dinner at Coral Reef one evening while we were picking up our annual passholder coasters and magnets during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.
*This gluten free dining experience took place in October 2019. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut, and chicken & turkey allergies.
Dinner at Coral Reef
Coral Reef, located in The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion in Epcot, is a table service restaurant that serves seafood and steak options for guests with views of a living coral reef. Brandon, his mom, and I recently had dinner at Coral Reef one evening while we were picking up our annual passholder coasters and magnets during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.
Atmosphere
Coral Reef is inspired by the living seas and features views of the coral reef located in the pavilion.
Coral Reef Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
When you arrive at the restaurant, you'll notice lots of bright vibrant colors to set the stage as you begin your journey "under water" into the restaurant.
Coral Reef Lobby / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Once you enter the restaurant's lobby, you can see that it resembles the ocean floor. I have to admit that the restaurant's interior does feel a bit dated -- though the lobby portion is less so than the actual interior.
Coral Reef Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
While we all agreed that you can get nice views of the coral reef & aquariums from anywhere in the restaurant, since this was Brandon's mom's first visit to the restaurant, we requested a table near the front.
You can request this when you check-in to the restaurant -- though there may be a bit of a wait. We were also told by the cast member during check-in that they would try their best to honor this request, but that's it's not always a guarantee. Thankfully, the restaurant was a bit slow when we dined there, and we had no issues getting a table near The Seas marine life.
Coral Reef Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On our previous visit, we sat at a table near The Seas and found the chairs to be really uncomfortable. This time we were seated in a much more comfortable booth. We all agreed this was far more comfortable and relaxed way to experience the restaurant and would actually request a booth straight away the next time we go.
Coral Reef - Table / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
As you can see, the interior of the restaurant features lots of blues, purples, and other sea-inspired colors. I do hope that someday they refresh the restaurant's decor because it really is a bit outdated.
The Food
Of course, the main reason we came to Coral Reef was dinner! Because it is owned and operated by the Disney Company, Coral Reef does have an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. You can also always ask to speak with a chef directly whenever you dine there.
Coral Reef / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Before our meal, we were brought out bread service. I was served Ener-Ggluten free and allergy-friendly rolls, which are also dairy free, vegan, and free of the top common allergens. These were well-heated on this visit -- making them a nice way to start the meal. If you're just gluten free, you'll be served butter with the rolls. If you're dairy free, be sure to ask for some Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread.
Brandon was also served the house rolls, which looked like pull-apart Parker House style rolls. Both Brandon and his mom didn't think they were very good and said they were pretty bland.
Coral Reef / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On my previous visit, I ordered the Mahi-Mahi which is a gluten free and dairy free dish. But, on this visit, I was leaning towards trying the Shrimp & Grits because I'd heard such great things about it from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures.
The Shrimp & Grits includes Sauteed Shrimp, Cheddar Cheese Grits, Local Corn Succotash, Andouille Sausage, Creole Spice Emulsion and is marked safe for gluten/wheat, fish, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergies. This does contain dairy and cannot be modified.
Overall, I was really impressed by the shrimp & grits entree. It wasn't my favorite version of the dish, but it was really good. Everything was really flavorful, and I was shocked at how big the dish was. The amount of shrimp in it was excellent. If you like seafood and enjoy a bit of spice, this might be a good dish for you. I would definitely order the shrimp and grits from Coral Reef again.
Coral Reef / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because the menu is heavy on the seafood and Brandon is allergic to both fish & shellfish, his options were pretty limited. Thankfully, he's a big steak fan, so he ordered the Grilled 10-oz Top Sirloin Steak. On the allergy menu, it comes with Olive Oil-Mashed Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables and is marked safe for gluten/wheat, egg, fish/shellfish, milk, peanut/tree nut, and soy allergies.
But, Brandon did ask if he could order swap the olive oil-mashed potatoes for the loaded mashed potatoes on the regular Coral Reef menu. He was able to do this with no issues for his special dietary needs. Overall, he said the dish was really good -- and like my shrimp & grits, he had a huge portion of steak.
Coral Reef / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon's mom also ordered the Caesar Salad for her starter, which included Romaine Lettuce, Parmesan Cheese, and Caesar Dressing. It was marked safe for gluten/wheat, peanut/tree nut, and shellfish allergies. Although I didn't try it, Brandon's mom did say it was a really good version of Caesar Salad. So, if you're a fan of this type of salad it might be worth ordering.
Coral Reef / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For dessert, Brandon couldn't pass up the chance to get a chocolately dessert. He's not a big dessert fan, but he loves chocolate flourless style cakes. And, the Chocolate Wave dessert at Coral Reef is one he really enjoys. This includes chocolate curls and raspberry cream and is marked safe for gluten/wheat, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies. If you love chocolate cake, this is definitely one to try. It's very rich and a perfect way to end a meal.
Overall
While we wouldn't say the food is anything fancy, we have been pleasantly surprised by the food at Coral Reef. On both of our recent visits, we have found delicious and tasty options that cover our special dietary needs and leave us satisfied. Even better? We really enjoy the atmosphere and spending a leisurely dinner watching the marine life at The Seas. If you seafood that isn't super pricey, this may be a good option to dine at when you're in Epcot.
Have you been to Coral Reef? What did you enjoy when you dined there?
Electric Umbrella Dinner Review
Electric Umbrella, located in Future World in Epcot, is a quick service restaurant that serves up classic theme park food, like sandwiches and salads. Whenever we're in Epcot and want a quick service meal, we tend to go to Liberty Inn for allergy-friendly chicken tenders. But, during the holiday season while I was recovering from resection surgery for Crohn's disease, we stopped by Electric Umbrella to get a quick bite to eat.
*This gluten free and dairy free dining review took place in December 2018.
Dinner at Electric Umbrella
Electric Umbrella, located in Future World in Epcot, is a quick service restaurant that serves up classic theme park food, like sandwiches and salads. Whenever we're in Epcot and want a quick service meal, we tend to go to Liberty Inn for allergy-friendly chicken tenders. But, during the holiday season while I was recovering from resection surgery for Crohn's disease, we stopped by Electric Umbrella to get a quick bite to eat.
Atmosphere
I'm not sure there's a real major theme going on at Electric Umbrella -- short of its very 1990s futuristic feel. There's lots of neon and bright colors. But, the restaurant itself feels very dated and worn down inside.
I ended up not getting many photos while we were there because I was feeling pretty exhausted just getting into the park. We ended up only being there for about an hour & 1/2 because we needed to pick up a Christmas present for a family member. But, recovering from a surgery meant I was moving slow and not feeling the greatest.
But, as you can see from the photo above, the restaurant is pretty much all neon and 90s color schemes.
The Food
We ended up utilizing mobile ordering, although Electric Umbrella does have an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. The mobile ordering works really well if you only have one special dietary need. I do definitely recommend speaking with a manager about any special dietary concerns and especially if you have multiple dietary needs.
Electric Umbrella / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon and I were both hugely disappointed by our allergy-friendly chicken tenders at Electric Umbrella. Taste-wise, they should have been just fine since they were the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders and the normal Disney French fries. But, the manager ended up undercooking them slightly (the chicken was cooked, but the breading was slightly doughy in spots). And, they were very greasy, as though the fryer hadn't been up to temperature. My guess is because we stopped by near the end of the day that the allergy-friendly fryer had been turned off.
Because this was only my 2nd meal out at Disney after resection surgery and my stomach was still very fragile post-surgery, I only ate a small bit of the tenders and gave the rest to Brandon. It was a bummer especially because they weren't well-cooked. The French fries were actually overcooked and veering into burnt territory too, which was odd.
Overall
Both Brandon and I agreed that we won't be going back to Electric Umbrella any time soon. It's a shame that our meal wasn't so great because this is a restaurant that's owned and operated by Disney (which is a bit rare in Epcot), and we had high hopes that it would be another good go-to option for allergy-friendly chicken tenders. We'd much prefer going to Liberty Inn in the World Showcase for allergy-friendly chicken tenders.
Have you been to Electric Umbrella? What was your experience dining there?
Electric Umbrella -- Dinner -- Quick Service -- Epcot
*This dining experience took place in September 2016.
Electric Umbrella, located in Future World in Epcot, is a quick service dining location owned & operated by the Disney Company that serves burgers, fries, sandwiches, and a few flatbread options.I recently stopped by Epcot the night before the Epcot 2016 Food & Wine Festival to check out the festival booth signs for gluten free and vegetarian/vegan information and while there decided to grab dinner.Sadly, when I went to Tangierine Cafe in the Morocco Pavilion (which is not owned by Disney), the chef there said they had no gluten free bread and advised me not to eat there. This was a bummer, as I used to love their food options there. I'm not sure if it was a random issue or if it's not as good as it used to be for gluten free diners.With this in mind, I ended up grabbing dinner at Electric Umbrella on my way out of the park.
Electric Umbrella does have an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu which made it a lot easier to order. I ended up getting my favorite allergy friendly Chicken Tenders. The manager on duty appeared to have baked them, so this took a bit longer for my order.
I'm a big fan of their chicken tenders, though these were a bit overcooked as you can see by the photo. Still, they are a nice solid meal and one I will always get again if I'm in the parks. The wait time here was really long, but the restaurant was also very busy. If you're interested in dining here, consider eating during an off hour.Overall, I love the allergy chicken tenders at Disney, and I'm glad that Electric Umbrella has them. You can also find them at Liberty Inn in the World Showcase in Epcot too.Have you been to Electric Umbrella? What did you order when you dined there?
Sunshine Seasons -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Epcot
*This dining experience took place in April 2015.
Sunshine Seasons located at the Land Pavilion in Epcot's Future World continues to be one of my favorite quick service restaurants on Disney property. In addition to getting a chance to consult with the culinary team instead of a manager, this quick service dining location is also known for being fairly flexible at customizing dishes during lunch and dinner. For several years now, their grill station has also been entirely gluten free and usually only has one item that contains dairy (the mashed potatoes). So you can imagine what a great go-to quick service this is in Epcot.Over the years, I've rotated ordering the rotisserie chicken, slow-roasted pork and grilled fish (which used to be mahi mahi). And on this particular occasion, I decided to go with the grilled salmon which I had not had on their menu before. When ordering, the chef confirmed with me that everything was gluten free and dairy free, with the exception of the mashed potatoes which contained dairy. Even the sauces that accompany the dishes are gluten free and dairy free. That's win-win!
The grilled salmon typically comes with roasted potatoes, green beans with garlic, and a tomato chutney. I decided to skip the chutney on this visit, primarily because I haven't loved the sauces that Sunshine Seasons makes over the years. I found that the simple grilled fish, potatoes, and green beans were still flavorful.The grilled salmon was nicely cooked (a little overcooked, but I did expect that a bit) and the roasted potatoes were delicious. I enjoyed the green beans a lot, as they were full of garlic. If you are not a garlic fan, you might want to ask for another side with your entree. The cast members at Sunshine Seasons are always willing to swap sides too!
Though I didn't get dessert, I loved that directly next to the grill station is a special diets grab and go section with lots of sweet treats, including Enjoy Life Foods Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They have quite a few gluten free and dairy free options (and many free of other allergens, as well).In addition to the grill station, there are also other gluten free (and dairy free) options at the other stations. You can read about the soup & salad options and the Asian noodle station options on Gluten Free in Orlando's website.Overall, I love being able to stop at Sunshine Seasons. They serve quick service meals that aren't just burgers and fries, and I love having that option when I'm in Epcot.Have you been to Sunshine Seasons? What did you order when you dined there?
Garden Grill -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Epcot
Well, as you saw my previous review of the Garden Grill, I really enjoyed this place. The food was fabulous, the ambiance was unparallelled! Great character interaction and an overall calm and dare I say relaxing character meal! I was very much looking forward to this meal there. However, it was a bit disappointing, unfortunately. I think perhaps it may be due to the seasonality of the menu and the chef's prerogative on meal offerings.We were great by Chef Aeran, who quite honestly, seemed less than thrilled to be assisting me. I told her the last time I went there that they had made me safe potatoes--she told me this was absolutely untrue and that they gave me incorrect food (um, well I didn't get sick or have a reaction, so I'd say the crushed potatoes in olive oil were fine lol). Oh well. The last time I also got an AMAZING blend of veggies--this time I was told I could only get plain broccoli (the veggie offering this time was swiss chard, which was very prevalent in the Living with the Land ride at the time). I can't imagine why she couldn't make sauteed swiss chard for me, but alas it was not going to happen. She said the fish dish was perfectly fine as was the salsa on top of it. I was brought turkey with gravy, smashed plain potatoes (not very flavorful), plain broccoli, seasoned rice and fish. I was able to eat the salad with oil and vinegar and the ener-g rolls. Dessert was a french meadow brownie.The salad, as usual, was excellent and very fresh. It didn't have the bacon bits in it, which was a missing piece to it, to be honest! anything is better with bacon!!!
Ener-G rolls and um, the corn I didn't eat out of the salad (Crohn's folks don't usually digest these well, so I don't eat corn!)
