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!

*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.

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?

5/11/20 5/11/20

Regal Eagle Smokehouse Dinner Review

A salute to all foods, but mostly BBQ. That's what we were looking forward to with the newly opened Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the America Adventure Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase. Brandon and I had been both excited and a little worried to see what was in store for this quick service location that was once Liberty Inn. And, about a week after opening, we had a chance to check it out.

*This gluten free and dairy free dining experience took place in February 2020. It includes information about fish/shellfish free, peanut free, cabbage free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free option too.

Dinner at Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Atmosphere

Both Brandon and I had minimally seen photos from blogs and other Disney outlets about what the newly refurbished quick service location (now rethemed to a Muppets BBQ restaurant) looked like.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse - Entrance / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because Regal Eagle Smokehouse is located in the American Adventure Pavilion, it has a slightly colonial feel to it. The building's exterior really hasn't changed much. But, I do love the very regal sign featuring the one and only Sam Eagle himself.

Regal Eagle - Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The entrance has changed slightly, in that there is a to-go window for drinks and snacks next to the main entrance. Everything is decidedly patriotic with lots of flags and colonial inspired decor.

Regal Eagle - Smoker / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because Regal Eagle Smokehouse is a BBQ themed restaurant, there's a giant smoker near the entrance. I've heard mixed reports on whether this is actually functional or not. Based on our visit, I think Brandon and I both agreed that this is more of an ambiance smoker and not a real functioning meat smoker.

Regal Eagle - Interior Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Inside the restaurant, there are subtle nods to the Muppets. You'll see Sam Eagle in a variety of locations along with some Muppet themed signs and decor here and there. It's definitely much more understated with Muppet theming than I expected.

Regal Eagle - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Even thought the restaurant is no longer Liberty Inn, there are a lot of details that make me feel a little nostalgic for the older version of this quick service location. I do love all the little details and nostalgic nods.

Regal Eagle - Sam Eagle Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As I mentioned, the Muppets are definitely present in the Regal Eagle Smokehouse but really subtly so. This just might be the most Muppety thing in the whole restaurant!

Regal Eagle / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I do recommend if you're dining at Regal Eagle to take a bit of time to look around. There's a lot of great features and details in the restaurant's retheming.

The Food

Of course, the main reason we went to Regal Eagle Smokehouse was the food! I had seen the allergy-friendly menu prior to visiting the restaurant, and I was super excited about all of the options.

In addition to the allergy-friendly menu, I do recommend speaking directly to a coordinator or manager to discuss options. We had a lot of questions on our first visit about dedicated fryers, cross-contamination, and dedicated toasters. The manager on duty was very helpful and gave us a lot of information.

A few details we learned at the time of our visit (and always subject to change) is that the location has a small dedicated toaster for allergy-friendly garlic toast. This is removed from the main kitchen area to avoid cross-contamination.

We also learned that the restaurant does not have a dedicated allergy-friendly fryer; however, the French fries are the only things fried in their fryer. That being said, the manager assured us she would fry a new batch and use fresh tongs and containers to get fries for us to avoid cross-contamination. So, be sure to ask a manager about this and use your own judgement when consuming fries. We actually watched the manager prepare all of our food and were glad to see how cautious she was at preparing things safely.

Another bit of information we learned was cross-contamination with smoked meats for those with specific meat allergies. Because Brandon is allergic to chicken, the manager recommended he get a burger instead as all of the meats are cooked in the same smoker. So, if you have any kind of meat allergy, you'll want to consider the smoked meats.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see, we ordered a bounty of BBQ! Everything you see on this platter is gluten free, and the only item that contains dairy is the cheeseburger that Brandon ordered. It was kind of amazing how gluten free & dairy free friendly the entire menu was.

Brandon's entree was the gluten free cheeseburger on allergy-friendly garlic toast served with French fries. He said it was actually a pretty good burger but that this was mostly due to the allergy-friendly garlic toast. We both agreed that the garlic toast was beyond amazing. It's made with Bloomfield Farm's allergy-friendly bread, and topped with Earth Balance. It's so good. Greasy, but totally worth it!

I wanted to try several things. First up, was the kids grilled chicken drumstick which came with fries and coleslaw. The coleslaw was not only gluten free & dairy free, but it was also vegan. At first I wasn't a huge fan, but I have to admit the coleslaw actually grew on me throughout the meal. It was actually nice to add on top of the brisket sandwich I ordered.

Up next was the beef brisket sandwich served on allergy-friendly garlic toast served with fries and BBQ baked beans. We had so many fries, so Brandon definitely ate a lot of them while I tried out the other sides. The BBQ baked beans were my least favorite of all the items we ordered. I am not a huge fan of baked beans with a strong ketchup flavor, and the brisket in the beans was very fatty and unpleasant. Next time, I'd skip those.

The beef brisket sandwich, on the other hand, was outstanding. This was the hands down best thing I ordered at Regal Eagle Smokehouse, and I'd definitely get it again. The beef was slightly dry, but by adding coleslaw and BBQ sauce, it would be perfect. As an aside, all of the BBQ sauces at Regal Eagle Smokehouse are gluten free. You'll want to check with a manager about the dairy free ingredients and to get safe versions from the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination.

If you'd like to see our full review and initial reactions to the restaurant, check out our vlog review!

Overall

Both Brandon and I are really looking forward to going back to Regal Eagle Smokehouse again when the Disney Parks & Resorts re-open. We both really enjoyed the food there, and we were both impressed by the amount of gluten free & dairy free options there. It's a great addition to Epcot, especially for guests with special dietary needs!

Have you been to Regal Eagle Smokehouse? What did you enjoy when you dined there?

1/2/20 1/2/20

Primo Piatto Dinner Review

Primo Piatto is a quick service restaurant located in the newly opened Riviera Resort at Disney World. Like the resort, the restaurant is inspired by the European Riviera. Recently, Brandon and I stopped by the resort to have a bite to eat at this new restaurant and check out the special dietary needs options.

Dinner at Primo Piatto

Atmosphere

This was our first time at the resort, and not only did we really love the resort's decor, but we really liked the charm of Primo Piatto.

Primo Piatto Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You can enter the restaurant from both outside and inside. I loved the exterior entrance sign at night.

Primo Piatto Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of the things we learned quickly during our first visit was that the restaurant is quite small. The seating area is comfortable but with the holiday crowds, it felt very crowded. This photo was taken later in the evening after the crowds dwindled a little and the restaurant was nearing closing time.

Speaking of small, the restaurant only has two cash registers to order from. Not once in the entire hour we were there did the line ever not back up and go out the door. This definitely seemed to present a major challenge in the flow of ordering at the restaurant, and I hope they'll be able to adjust it a bit as the restaurant continues to get its footing.

Primo Piatto contains lots of bright open space that makes it very feel airy and light. It definitely has a European cafe feel to it. I did also really like that they had a variety of seating options including booths and high-top tables.

Primo Piatto - Sarah at Booth — Primo Piatto / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I absolutely loved the art, photographs, and pops of color & design in the restaurant. My favorite had to be the colorful fabric on the benches in the seating area. You can see how vibrant and rich the designs were in this photo of me that Brandon took.

*Unrelated to the theme or food, I should mention that if you're going to visit Disney's Riviera Resort and are driving or renting a vehicle, parking can be a challenge. Currently, the resort is quite strict about guests visiting who do not either have a dining reservation or are not staying at the resort. In fact, we were advised we could not park at the resort because of this. We were able to visit by entering through Caribbean Beach Resort, but it's worth mentioning, particularly if you're interested in dining at Primo Piatto which is a quick service and does not offer reservations. This is a fairly common practice at Disney resorts during peak times and is alway good to remember.

The Food

Like most Disney owned restaurants, Primo Piatto does carry an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. Guests can also, at any time, speak with a manager at this location about options. We spoke with cast member Taylor who was just a delight. She also has food allergies and really went above and beyond to assist us with options.

The only bummer of this visit was that the restaurant isn't currently offering their after 4 p.m. dinner options. We were told by several cast members that Primo Piatto hopes to bring these back after the holiday season. I hope that is true because some of the dishes sounded really good.

Primo Piatto / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Once we placed our order with Taylor, we were given a place tracker to take with us to a table. All orders at Primo Piatto are made to order, and we were told they would bring the meals to our table. Taylor did advise us that we might have a slight wait time as the restaurant was both very busy and because we were getting baked allergy-friendly fries. While it was a slight wait, I wouldn't say it was excessive by any means.

Because the after 4 p.m. entrees weren't available, Brandon and I decided to get burgers on our first visit. I ordered the Riviera Burger which normally comes with Grilled Portobello Mushroom, Swiss Cheese (lactose free), Caramelized Onions, and served on an Allergy-Friendly Bun. I did ask for my burger to have the mushroom removed, as I'm not a huge fan.

This burger was marked safe for Gluten/Wheat, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Soy Allergies. If you're dairy free, you can omit the cheese to make this dairy free or order with vegan cheese (I believe they carry Daiya brand currently).

Overall, I was very impressed with the burger. The flavors were really good, and the quality of the actual burger was excellent. My favorite part was by far the Swiss cheese & Caramelized Onions. I would have liked to have had some type of sauce on the burger or some type of lettuce to bring it all together as it felt like there was one slight thing missing. This might have been because I omitted the portobello mushroom, but I would have liked just another texture or taste profile to add to the burger. But, I would definitely get it again.

The baked fries were just OK, in my opinion. Brandon really loved them, but I wasn't overly impressed. Next time we go, we'll be sure to ask about the Romano Parsley which we were told was safe but was missing from all of our fries.

Brandon ended up ordering the Bacon Cheddar Burger which came with Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Aged Cheddar, and served on a regular gluten-filled bun. Like me, Brandon really enjoyed his burger and thought the actual burger patty itself was excellent. I think he was a little jealous of my cheese, as he said he thought mine looked tastier. But, he did say the bacon was really good. He also loved the baked fries.

His sandwich was safe for fish/shellfish, cabbage, peanut, hazelnut, and chicken & turkey allergies. I could have also ordered this gluten free, and dairy free guests could get this dairy free by omitting the cheese.

Overall

Both Brandon and I were highly impressed by our first visit to Primo Piatto. We really enjoyed the quality of the food, felt the prices were fair for what we received, and appreciated how helpful the cast members at this quick service restaurant were. Despite a few hiccups trying to park at the resort, we would definitely go back to Primo Piatto. We both want to try to go back soon, especially once they relaunch the after 4 p.m. dinner options, which sound great! I look forward to future visits to this great new quick service addition to Disney World.

Have you been to Primo Piatto? What was your experience dining there?

1/2/20 1/2/20

Contempo Cafe Dinner Review

Contempo Cafe, located in Disney's Contemporary Resort, is a quick service restaurant that serves classic American fare -- from burgers and sandwiches to pizza. Recently, we had dinner at Contempo Cafe with my family when they were on vacation at Disney World.

*This dining review took place in December 2019. It includes information about gluten free options, in addition to dairy free, fish/shellfish free, cabbage free, peanut free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free options.

Dinner at Contempo Cafe

Atmosphere

Contempo Cafe is located on the Grand Canyon Concourse of the Contemporary Resort. This is where Chef Mickey's, shopping, and the entrance for the monorail are all located. It's definitely a hub, and you'll find that Contempo Cafe is situated directly in the middle of it all.

Contempo Cafe Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

In my opinion, the theme of the restaurant itself is pretty bland. There's really not much to it. It's some basic seating and an ordering area. But, what the restaurant lacks in theme is made up for by the amazing atmosphere of the Grand Canyon Concourse.

Contempo Cafe - Ordering / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of my favorite things about the concourse is watching the monorail and looking at the Mary Blair art designs. The 90 foot mural of It's a Small World is directly next to Contempo Cafe, and it's always so much fun to look at.

Contempo Cafe - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

There is a good amount of seating in this quick service restaurant. But, it can get pretty busy. We did see a lot of guests ordering food to-go while on their vacations. We had a rather large party, so we were able to put together several sets of tables for our group of 10 people.

The Food

When dining at Contempo Cafe, guests with special dietary needs will need to speak directly to a manager about options. In the past, the restaurant did offer an allergy-friendly menu, but I haven't seen one for this location in years. In my opinion, talking to a manager or chef directly is a much better option at quick service locations, especially at resort locations where you can discuss options and modifications.

On our recent visit to Contempo Cafe, manager Kelsey was absolutely fantastic and really went above and beyond to ensure that both Brandon and I had safe and delicious meals.

Contempo Cafe / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I decided to order the Barbecue Chicken Pizza based on Kelsey's recommendation. It was served on Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust layered with Barbecue Sauce, Allergy-Friendly Chicken Tenders, Triple-Cheese Blend, and topped with a Kale-Apple Slaw. The pizza does normally come with caramelized onions, but Kelsey said she wasn't sure about potential cross-contamination issues.

Can I just say how wowed I was by this pizza? It doesn't look all that appetizing, but the flavors were absolutely incredible. I loved the combination of the crispy allergy-friendly chicken tenders with BBQ sauce, lots of cheese, and the Kale-Appple Slaw. The slaw was the real star of the dish! I would definitely get this again, and I'm so glad Kelsey convinced me to try it.

On a side note, if you're dairy free, the restaurant does carry Daiya brand dairy free & vegan cheese, as well.

Brandon's meal turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, but he was very appreciative that Kelsey worked to make sure his meal was safe. He really wanted the Contempo Smokehouse Burger but too many of the components were no deemed safe for his special dietary needs. He ended up with a Bunless Bacon Cheeseburger with Baked French Fries. This dish was gluten free, fish/shellfish free, cabbage free, peanut free, hazelnut free, and chicken & turkey free.

As we learned, Contempo Cafe has a dedicated allergy fryer that cooks allergy-friendly chicken tenders in it and does not currently offer a vegan fryer. This meant that Kelsey needed to bake Brandon's fries. He actually really liked them and said he thinks he prefers the baked versions to the fried ones.

The restaurant also warned Brandon against many of the bread options due to potential peanut cross-contamination with the bread production. You'll want to talk to the manager about options and use your best judgement with regard to cross-contamination. We were able to get him a gluten free bun that was peanut free.

For dessert, I did try out the Flourless Chocolate Cake. This is naturally gluten free (contains dairy), but Kelsey did get me a fresh one that was not housed in the bakery case to avoid cross-contamination concerns. While it wasn't my favorite dessert, it was very good. If you're a chocolate fan, you will really enjoy this particular option because it's very rich and chocolatey. For those with peanut and tree nut allergies, Kelsey did advise Brandon to avoid this dessert.

Overall

While Contempo Cafe hasn't always been my favorite quick service restaurant on property, I was pretty impressed with the food on our recent visit. Not only were the gluten free options great, but the Disney Cast Members there really went above and beyond to help ensure we had a safe and delicious meal. We likely won't dine here a lot because it was a challenge for Brandon to find many options, but we're both glad to know that we can get a meal here if we're at the Contemporary Resort.

Have you been to Contempo Cafe? What did you think of the special dietary needs options?

12/31/19 12/31/19

Restaurantosaurus Lunch Review

Restaurantosaurus, located in Dinoland U.S.A. in Disney's Animal Kingdom, is a quick service restaurant with a charming dinosaur theme that serves classic American style food. Recently, I stopped by Restaurantosaurus with my family (who were at Disney World on vacation) for lunch.

*This gluten free and dairy free dining experience took place in December 2019.

Lunch at Restaurantosaurus

Atmosphere

Dinoland U.S.A. is one of my favorite themed lands in any Disney park. I just love the charm and retro vibe of this dinosaur themed land. Restaurantosaurus fits right into this theme with a quick service restaurant set to resemble a dino-themed dorm room for the paleontology students who once stayed at Dinoland U.S.A.

Restaurantosaurus / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

If you or your family love dinosaurs, this is a great place to visit and eat.

Restaurantosaurus Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I especially love how the building and rooms look like essentially a summer camp bunkhouse filled with lots of paleontology decor. From the books to decorative elements and photos, there's a lot to look at and explore while you're dining there.

Every inch of the restaurant fits into its theme, with so many great hidden and not so hidden dinosaur touches.

For even more fun, I highly recommend dining in the Hip Joint. It's a rec-room style space that is supposed to be the entertainment room for the paleontology students who stayed there. From the outside, you can see part of the rec room is actually housed in a vintage RV. It's definitely very cute and super fun.

The Food

When it comes to meal options, Restaurantosaurus serves standard theme park fare -- including burgers, fries, sandwiches, and chicken tenders. If you have special dietary needs, you'll find an allergy-friendly menu for the restaurant. Guests can also speak to a manager at any time to discuss options too.

On this visit, I decided to go with something super simple -- the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. These tenders are gluten free and dairy free (and cover other allergens, as well, such as fish/shellfish and peanut/tree nut). The allergy-friendly chicken tenders are fried in a dedicated fryer, as are the French fries. If you have any questions about the frying process, be sure to speak to a manager about it.

The allergy-friendly chicken tenders at this location were Ian's Brand. I always really enjoy these chicken tenders, and I really love how crunchy they were on this visit. The manager did a great job frying these and not over or under cooking them.

This may sound odd, but I almost always eat my allergy-friendly chicken tenders with Ken's Steak House Cocktail Sauce, when a Disney owned restaurant has it. The sauce is marked gluten free and is also dairy free too. I don't know what it is, but I just really love the combination of the fried chicken tenders with this cocktail sauce. I found this pre-packaged sauce at the restaurant's toppings bar. But, in many Disney restaurants, you'll need to ask for it, as it's located behind the counter.

Overall

While nothing fancy, I always appreciate Restaurantosaurus' casual theme park options. It's definitely my go-to place in the Animal Kingdom for burgers and allergy-friendly chicken tenders.

Have you been to Restaurantosaurus? What did you enjoy when you dined there?

12/30/19 12/30/19

The Mara Lunch Review

The Mara, located at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House, is a quick service restaurant that serves classic fast food fare with an African twist. It's long been one of my favorite resort quick service restaurants on Disney property. Recently, I had lunch at The Mara while my family was staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge on vacation.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in December 2019 and includes information about dairy free options too.

Lunch at The Mara

Atmosphere

The Mara is named for a river flowing through Kenya and Tanzania. And, you'll see decor in the restaurant that follows this theme. In fact, as you enter the restaurant, you'll see touches of an African reserve, which leads you to the resort's pool area.

The Mara - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

I do love how charming the restaurant's interior is with wooden beams and light fixtures resembling trees.

The Mara - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this visit, I did not spend a lot of time in the restaurant because I took my lunch to-go back to my family's DVC villa. As you can see from the photo, the restaurant has a lot of theming, even in the ordering area.

The Mara - To Go Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because it was December, there were quite a few holiday decorations up too. I love this holiday wreath near the to-go station.

The Food

Like many Disney owned restaurants, The Mara does have an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. You can also speak directly to a manager or chef trained to accommodate special dietary needs orders. I always recommend this if you have additional questions, multiple dietary needs, or want to see if items can be easily customized. On this visit, I spoke with one of the managers and also looked at the allergy-friendly menu.

The Mara - Allergy Ticket / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this visit, I didn't want anything too heavy, because my family was heading to the Magic Kingdom after lunch. With this in mind, I ordered the Mara Salad which is marked gluten free on the allergy-friendly menu. Once I ordered this with the manager, she gave me a pager and an allergy order form to take with me to the cash register.

Because I have been able to reintroduce dairy back into my diet, you'll notice I only had gluten listed. But, if you have multiple dietary needs, they will each be marked on the order form.

The Mara - Gluten Free Salad — The Mara / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this visit, I opted for the Mara Salad which is marked gluten free on the allergy-friendly menu. I believe it could easily be made dairy free by omitting the feta cheese and possibly adjusting the dressing.

The Mara Salad was really excellent. It came with House-grilled Chicken Breast sliced over a bed of Mixed Greens with Red Onions, Lentils, Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Feta served with Chili-Cilantro Vinaigrette Dressing on the side. I found the salad extremely hearty and very flavorful, and I would definitely get it again.

If you're dairy free, I recommend talking to a chef about options at The Mara. The restaurant does carry allergy-friendly chicken tenders which are both gluten free and dairy free, as well as sandwiches that can be easily made gluten free and dairy free too. On my most recent previous visit, I ordered the turkey and avocado club sandwich which was made gluten free and dairy free by swapping out the bun.

Overall

While it wasn't anything fancy, I really enjoyed the Mara Salad at The Mara. It was much heartier than I expected and a great lunch or light dinner option. The dressing was extremely flavorful, and I really loved all of the components together. I would definitely get this and many of the other unique quick service options at The Mara. It's a great go-to restaurant, especially if you're staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Have you been to The Mara? What did you enjoy when you dined there?

11/2/19 11/2/19

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (Disney World) Lunch Review

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo is a quick service restaurant located in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disney's Hollywood Studios. During the first few days of the land opening, we had both breakfast and lunch at the restaurant to check out all of the options available to us as guests with special dietary needs.

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

Lunch at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

Atmosphere

Docking Bay 7 is themed after a working hangar bay. There is actually a bit of a storyline that goes with the restaurant's theme -- though I admit, I would not have known about it if it hadn't been listed on Disney World's official page about Docking Bay 7.

The story is that Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs runs the joint and prepares dishes with ingredients all across the galaxy. So, many of the dishes you find at Docking Bay 7 are said to be inspired by all of Chef Cookie's adventures.

Docking Bay 7 - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The building for Docking Bay 7 does look a bit nondescript. But, you'll find a sign that helps guide you to the restaurant.

Docking Bay 7 - Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The inside is much more interesting, with lots of seating options set to resemble cargo and engine parts that you'd expect to see in a working hangar bay. I really loved the booth areas that were a bit more tucked away from the busy restaurant crowds. These cargo container seats are really clever!

Docking Bay 7 - Decor / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll also see some nods to the restaurant's theme and back-story with various open cargo boxes that include different "food" items. Here we found some fish and other food containers.

Docking Bay 7 Dining Room / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Although I expect the crowds have thinned out a bit at Docking Bay 7 since opening weekend, do take note that it can feel very crowded very quickly in this restaurant. The layout is a little funny, and it definitely doesn't feel spacious. As you can see from this photo, early lunchtime was definitely fairly busy when we went.

The Food

Like most Disney owned and operated restaurants, Docking Bay 7 does carry an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. Do be sure to always double-check this menu and speak with a chef if you have any questions about options or have special dietary needs not covered by this menu. Because of our special dietary needs, we made sure to talk to a chef directly about options.

Docking Bay 7 / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Chef Quan helped us on both of our visits. While I opted to order a gluten free dish from the menu, we did need to find out if there was anything that Brandon could eat at the restaurant. He is allergic to fish, shellfish, peanuts, hazelnuts, cabbage, and chicken & turkey. Because most of the options either contained shellfish or chicken, we weren't sure there'd much he could choose from.

Chef Quan was very helpful, though he did mention that there's limited options at the restaurant because they wanted food that could be easily and quickly prepared for guests -- anticipating that the restaurant would be really busy. With this in mind, he said options and customization would be a bit of a challenge. But, he really worked hard to ensure Brandon could eat something at Docking Bay 7.

For my entree, I decided to try one of the three gluten free options on the menu -- the Roasted Endorian Chicken Salad (formerly labeled the Roasted Endorian Tip-Yip Salad). This was marked safe for gluten/wheat, fish/shellfish, and peanut allergies. It does contain dairy and cannot be modified. The salad comes with Marinated Chicken, Mixed Greens, Roasted Vegetables, Quinoa, Pumpkin Seeds, and Green Curry Ranch.

Overall, if you can have dairy, this is an excellent gluten free option. I was really impressed by the hearty portion (there was a ton of chicken in the dish) and the flavors were surprisingly good. I had heard hit or miss reviews from Disneyland about this dish -- especially because some of the ingredients in the salad were warm while others were cold. While I definitely noticed the temperature differences, I still thought the salad was pretty good. I also didn't think the ranch or curry flavors were too prominent -- though if you don't like either of those, you might want to skip this one.

I would definitely get this dish again -- though I really want to try the shrimp and noodle salad options after reading Alexis from Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures' review in her most recent trip to Disneyland. The shrimp and noodle dish on the adult and children's menus are both gluten free and dairy free.

After talking to Chef Quan, it looked like the only safe option that would work for Brandon's special dietary needs was the Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs with a slight modification. Chef Quan actually made a fresh batch of potatoes for Brandon to substitute for the cabbage slaw (which he is allergic to). This was really nice of the chef to do so that Brandon could also try the food at Docking Bay 7.

The Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs typically comes with Sticky Pork Ribs, Blueberry Corn Muffin, and Cabbage Slaw. In this case, Brandon had potatoes instead of the slaw. With this modification the dish was safe for fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, cabbage, and chicken & turkey allergies.

Docking Bay 7 - Kaadu Ribs & Muffin — Docking Bay 7 / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Generally, Brandon said the ribs were good. Neither one of us are fans of ribs and eating meat off the bone, and Brandon said this was not exactly the easiest thing to eat. The muffin was nothing to write home about. And, he said the best part of the entree were the potatoes. Because it was just so-so, Brandon said he'd probably prefer to get food elsewhere next time we visit Hollywood Studios.

Overall

While we were both glad to be able to eat something at Docking Bay 7 for lunch, neither one of us were all that impressed with the food. I liked mine a bit more than Brandon did, but knowing that he really could only get one dish doesn't make either of us want to prioritize eating there in the future. I do want to get back to try the shrimp and noodle dishes, but I'm not sure I'll do that anytime soon. Still, I'm always super glad there are special dietary needs options at any Disney restaurant. This one is just not our personal favorite for options and variety. Even though it's not our first choice, I'm still glad we went. And, huge thanks again to Chef Quan for helping ensure we had safe options there!

Have you been to Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo in Disney World? What did you think of the special dietary needs options?

9/10/19 9/10/19

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (Disney World) Breakfast Review

Docking Bay 7 is a quick service restaurant located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and (at the time of this post) is one of the park’s newest dining options. We were lucky enough (or crazy enough!) to attend the opening of Galaxy’s Edge on August 29, 2019. During our visit on opening day, we knew we wanted to get at least one meal at Docking Bay 7. Because we arrived in the new land at 4:45 a.m., breakfast was our meal of choice for the day.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in August 2019. It includes information about fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free options, along with dairy free modifications.

Breakfast at Docking Bay 7

Atmosphere

The restaurant is housed in a working hangar bay. And, as the story goes, Chef Strono "Cookie" Tuggs runs the joint and prepares dishes with ingredients all across the galaxy.

The restaurant's exterior does look quite a bit like a hangar bay. And, you'll see lots of mechanical touches outside and inside. On opening day, the restaurant's sign was having a bit of a malfunction, so I had to chuckle at the half lit digital sign.

Docking Bay 7 Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Inside, you'll find a variety of spots to enjoy your meal -- including freighter crates, benches, and tables. There is some really clever seating to make you feel like you really are in a working hangar.

Docking Bay 7 Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll also hear some general ambient noise that sounds like ship's being worked on while you dine there. As you can see from the photo, seating was a bit hard to come by on opening day. The restaurant actually has less seating than I anticipated, so do be sure be on the lookout for different seating options. There is outdoor seating in a small alcove too, but in August in Florida that wasn't too appealing -- even at 8 a.m.

The Food

The food at Docking Bay 7 is supposed to be inspired by Chef Strono "Cookie" Tuggs' planet-hopping travels and features exotic flavors. While this may be true at lunch and dinner, breakfast is a bit more standard.

For guests with special dietary needs, Docking Bay 7 does currently have an allergy-friendly breakfast menu. I will be honest that this is probably one of the most limited quick service breakfast menus I've ever seen for certain special dietary needs. If you're dairy free, I would just skip this restaurant altogether for breakfast. The only real options for dairy free guests are plain potatoes and fruit. If you're gluten free, it's pretty limited too.

If you do have a special dietary need, they will bring a chef out to assist you with any questions that you might have. On our visit, I wanted to see if the sausage served at breakfast was also a gluten free option since it was not listed on the allergy-friendly menu.

Unfortunately, as I learned from Chef Quan, the sausage has a cross-contamination issue, as it is grilled on the same surface as the gluten-filled pita bread. The Bright Suns Youngling Breakfast does not contain sausage. So, that explained why the adult version of the breakfast platter was not a gluten free option but that the Youngling version was.

On another aside, if you have celiac disease, I would not order the Rising Moons Overnight Oats which is listed as gluten free on the allergy-friendly menu. The restaurant does not currently use certified gluten free oats or purity protocol oats (the safest oats for anyone with celiac disease). And, there is a high risk of cross-contamination due to the processing of the oats. This was definitely a bummer to see it listed as a safe option because traditional oats are not considered safe for anyone with celiac disease or a wheat allergy.

Because my only real option was the Bright Suns Youngling Breakfast, that's what I ordered. This came with a Three-Cheese Egg Bite, Purple Potatoes, and Fresh Fruit. I am not a big fan of melon, so I asked if I could get extra potatoes instead, which Chef Quan was happy to do.

If you can have dairy, this is a nice little breakfast -- though I'd probably just get breakfast elsewhere with more options instead. The egg bite was sous vide and was really tasty. The purple potatoes were also well-seasoned. All in all, not bad. But, not amazing.

With Brandon's allergies, the chef also recommended that he order the Bright Suns Youngling Breakfast. This makes the Youngling Breakfast option gluten free, fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free. Unfortunately, there is a cross-contamination issue for guests with nut allergies with the Mustafarian Lava Roll.

Brandon did get fruit with his entree, and he said overall the entree was very good. I think we both generally liked it but neither one of us were wowed.

Overall

When it comes to getting a quick service breakfast at Disney World, Docking Bay 7 would not be at the top of my list. I would eat the Bright Suns Youngling Breakfast entree again, but only if we were strapped for time or I really needed something to eat. There are a lot better quick service options at the Disney World resorts that can accommodate and gives guests a larger variety of dishes to choose from. While we were really appreciative that the chef took the time to talk to us and tried to accommodate as best he could, the limited menu options make it a location we'll skip for breakfast on most occasions.

Have you been to Docking Bay 7? What did you think of the breakfast options?

9/4/19 9/4/19

The Mara Dinner Review

The Mara, located at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House, is the resort's quick service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Recently, we had dinner there with friends the night before Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios as we had a mini staycation booked there for the weekend.

*This post contains a gluten free and dairy free dinner review. It also includes information about fish/shellfish free, peanut free, and chicken & turkey free options too.

Dinner at The Mara

Atmosphere

Because we were with friends, neither one of us did a very good job of getting photos. You can see more photos of the restaurant's interior and ingredients for the gluten free Zebra Domes in the last review we did of dinner at The Mara.

One of the things that I do love about the themes at the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants is that they reflect where they are located in the resort. The Mara, for instance, is located near the pool and several water features. The restaurant is named for a river flowing through Kenya and Tanzania -- so being located near the water is definitely fitting.

The Food

Because we were getting up extremely early for the opening of Galaxy's Edge, we all wanted something fairly filling but nothing fancy. The Mara has a variety of options and offers an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu.

Guests with special dietary needs can also speak to a chef or a manager about additional options too. On this visit, we did speak to a manager about modifying a dish to be gluten free and about the allergy-friendly fryers for Brandon's chicken & turkey allergy.

The Mara / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

While there are quite a few gluten free options on the allergy-friendly menu, I had my eye on the Hand-carved Turkey and Avocado Club Sandwich. The manager told me the only modification needed was to swap the bread.

The sandwich was served on a Local Oven bun and came with Hand-carved Slow-roasted Turkey Breast, Berbere-spiced Bacon, Pickled Red Onions, Arugula and a Chunky Avocado-Mayo Spread and French Fries. This was made gluten free and dairy free and the allergy-friendly menu also indicated that it was fish/shellfish free and peanut/tree nut free. The fries were also made in the dedicated allergy-friendly fryer.

The sandwich itself was really good. The only exception to this was the gluten free and dairy free bun, which was very poorly heated. Parts of it were rock hard and other parts fell completely apart. I have found that the Local Oven buns don't hold up the best, but this was entirely an issue of poor heating on this occasion. Still, all of the components of the sandwich were outstanding, and I loved the chunky avocado-mayo spread. I would definitely get this again, despite the poorly heated bun.

Brandon ordered the Black Angus Cheeseburger which included a Grilled 1/3 lb Black Angus Burger topped with Sharp Cheddar on a Brioche Bun served with French Fries. The burger was safe for fish/shellfish, peanut, and chicken & turkey allergies.

The only challenge was the cooking of the French Fries. Unfortunately, the allergy-friendly fryer is used for cooking allergy-friendly chicken tenders. The manager on hand said that they did not have a vegan fryer on hand at the time. With this in mind, she ended up baking Brandon French Fries so that he could have them as a safe option. The chicken & turkey allergies can be a challenge with the allergy-friendly fryers, we have found. So, we always double-check with a chef or manager to ensure he has safe options.

Brandon said the cheeseburger was pretty good. And, he was really impressed with how good the baked French Fries were. He said he'd definitely eat them again and wasn't at all disappointed that the couldn't get them fried.

Overall

While nothing fancy, we both agreed that the special dietary needs options at The Mara are not only pretty plentiful, but that they're very tasty too. We both appreciate that the managers and chefs at the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants go above and beyond to accommodate as much as they can for guests with special dietary needs. This meal was a great example of that. We both agreed we'd order the dishes we got again too!

Have you been to The Mara? What did you order when you dined there?

7/29/19 7/29/19

D-Luxe Burger Lunch Review

D-Luxe Burger is my go-to quick service restaurant whenever I'm in Disney Springs. Unlike most restaurants in Disney Springs, D-Luxe Burger is owned & operated by the Disney Company, which means they follow Disney's strict food allergy protocols for guests with special dietary needs. Even better, you also get to a talk to a Disney Chef too. On my most recent visit, I met up with my friend Ron who was in town visiting Disney World for a quick lunch.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in June 2019. It includes notes about dairy free modifications.

Lunch at D-Luxe Burger

Atmosphere

I managed to forget to take photos on this visit. But, I've written quite a few reviews about D-Luxe Burger.

D-Luxe Burger Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

To learn more about its theme and extensive back-story, check out the review I wrote when the restaurant first opened in May 2016.

The Food

Unlike most Disney owned restaurants, D-Luxe Burger does not currently offer an allergy-friendly menu. But, guests with special dietary needs will get to speak with a Disney chef about options. I always appreciate this and that the chefs here take great care to answer questions and prepare your food safely.

D-Luxe Burger - Gluten Free Burger — D-Luxe Burger / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because we were having dinner at 'Ohana that night, we decided to split a D-Luxe Cheeseburger served on a gluten free bun with a side of French fries made in a dedicated fryer. We also ordered three dipping sauces -- the curry ketchup, chipotle mayo, and three honey mustard. These are all gluten free, but the chipotle mayo does currently contain dairy.

When it comes to burgers, you really can't go wrong with a burger from D-Luxe. And, we both agreed that the cheeseburger was outstanding. One big change that threw us both was the gluten free bun. In the past, D-Luxe Burger has used the Local Oven brand gluten free and dairy free bun. On this visit, it was a totally different (and much improved) bun. At first, we were both concerned we got a gluten-filled bun. But, we realized it was just a different brand. Although I haven't gotten 100% confirmation, I have heard from other readers that the buns are now Deanna's Gluten Free brand. Both of us agreed that the buns were a big improvement over the previous brand.

I think the one slight disappointment at D-Luxe Burger are the fries. They used to be really amazing. But, lately, we've noticed a big decline in the taste and texture of the fries. More often than not, they just taste a little stale. I'm sure they are fresh, but the overall texture and taste isn't as good as it used to be.

In fact, we noticed a big difference in the fries we got at Hangar Bar recently. The chef there told us they are the exact same fries as D-Luxe Burger. But, we all agreed, they were way better at the Hangar Bar. While it's not a reason to avoid D-Luxe Burger, it is something to think about when you order the fries there. Of course, I smother them in enough sauces that it helps too!

Overall

The burgers at D-Luxe Burger always impress. The flavors are outstanding, and there's always a good amount of options for guests with special dietary needs. While we usually stick to the basic cheeseburger, we've also had other specialty burgers on the menu with great success. If you're looking for a quick service restaurant in Disney Springs, this is definitely a great option for a low-key and filling meal.

Have you been to D-Luxe Burger? What did you think of their options?

7/27/19 7/27/19

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Lunch Review

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, located at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort, is a quick service restaurant that serves up New Orleans inspired meals. It's also the spot where you can get allergy-friendly beignets at Disney World -- making it the perfect place for a meal or a snack. Recently, I had lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory with my good friend Ron who was visiting the Disney Parks & Resorts.

*This gluten free & dairy free dining experience took place in June 2019.

Lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory

Atmosphere

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is inspired by the classic New Orleans celebration of Mardi Gras. In fact, if you look around, you'll notice that the restaurant looks like a warehouse for Mardi Gras floats.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

If you look at the drink station in the middle of the quick service dining area, you'll notice that it actually resembles a float.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

You'll also find lots of Mardi Gras float touches throughout the restaurant.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Even the light fixtures look like Mardi Gras beads! It's pretty neat to see all of the fun touches throughout the restaurant.

The Food

Of course, the real reason we come to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory is the food! While I have gotten different lunch and dinner options on previous visits, on this visits both Ron and I really just wanted allergy-friendly chicken tenders and French fries along with the allergy-friendly beignets. Yep, it was all about the gluten free & dairy free fried foods on this visit!

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory - Allergy-Friendly Chicken Tenders — Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory currently serves the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders along with steak fries. These are both gluten free and dairy free.

Made in a dedicated fryer, these were well-fried and really delicious. I'm not usually a big steak fry fan. But, these were also well-fried too. The chef was generous with the portion too, so we were glad that we decided to split an order since we had dinner reservations at Cape May Cafe that night.

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Of course, we couldn't leave the restaurant without ordering their allergy-friendly beignets. That is always the real reason to come to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory! These are both gluten free & dairy free and oh so delicious. The beignets are currently made with Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust mix, which is fairly allergy-friendly but does have a potential cross-contamination with nuts -- so do make sure you check with a chef depending on your special dietary need.

While the photo isn't very pretty, the beignets were outstanding on this visit. They were piping hot, smothered in powdered sugar, and surprisingly light for a gluten free dough. I know that some guests have mentioned that they find the dough quite dense. But, the chefs seemed to have adjusted the recipe lately. And, I have found them to be much lighter on recent visits.

Overall

Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory never disappoints -- especially when it comes to serving one of the most unique and delicious sweet treats. The chefs there are always very accommodating, and they do a great job at providing safe meals that will make say "Let the good times roll" whenever you dine there. It's always a great go-to for me, and I always recommend it, especially for the allergy-friendly beignets!

Have you been to Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory? What did you think of the special diets 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?

4/27/19 4/27/19

ABC Commissary Dinner Review

ABC Commissary is a quick service located in Disney's Hollywood Studios and is one of our go-to spots for a quick bite to eat when we're in the park. We recently stopped by here for a quick dinner. Unfortunately, this would be Brandon's last experience enjoying the allergy-friendly chicken tenders, because we found out after some allergy testing that he has a rare allergy to chicken and turkey. Thankfully, there are other options he'll get to enjoy. But, on this trip, he got to have one final meal of allergy-friendly chicken tenders.

*This gluten free dining experience took place in April 2019 and includes notes about dairy free options and peanut free options.

Dinner at ABC Commissary

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary is set to resemble a traditional working commissary for actors and crew at a working TV studio or movie lot.

ABC Commissary Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because of this, I would say that the theme of the restaurant is pretty basic.

As you can see, there is ample indoor seating, with cafeteria style tables and booths. On this particular visit, both Brandon and I were talking about how this restaurant really does need a refurbishment. Everything really feels like it's straight from the late 1990s.

The Food

Of course, we're really visiting ABC Commissary for the food. We have visited ABC Commissary quite a few times this past year for dinner, and when we've asked for an allergy-friendly menu, we've been told that they do not have one at dinner time. The cast members, including the managers, have been great about walking through the options for guests with special dietary needs.

There are quite a few gluten free options at dinner time. But, we always ask for the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. They aren't listed on the dinner menu, but they are available to order if you ask.

ABC Commissary / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We ordered two orders of allergy-friendly chicken tenders with French fries. These are safe for gluten/wheat, egg, milk, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies. Now that Brandon also has a peanut allergy, we also have to make sure anything he orders is peanut free too.

I also asked for several sides of the Ken's cocktail sauce which is both gluten free and dairy free. Just be sure to ask a cast member, and they can bring it to your table with your meal (which they do at dinner time at ABC Commissary).

The allergy-friendly chicken tenders and fries are always delicious here, and this visit was no exception. Brandon loves that they offer steak fries instead of the regular Disney fries. I personally prefer the regular fries, mostly because I find the steak fries to usually be a little undercooked. But, on this visit, they were great.

I also ordered the new gluten free brownie being sold at Disney World. The brand is Sweet Street Desserts. I wouldn't say it's very allergy-friendly because it contains egg, milk, and soy. It also had a note about being processed in a facility with peanuts and tree nuts, so Brandon skipped trying it with his nut allergy. Taste-wise, it was delicious. If you like super chocolately treats, this one would definitely be a good option for those who are gluten free only.

Overall

We are always such big fans of ABC Commissary for an easy, quick, and tasty quick service meal in Hollywood Studios. With Brandon's new special dietary needs, we'll probably have to be more creative when it comes to food options if we dine here. But, if you're gluten free, dairy free, or have other top 8 common allergens, you'll find a good amount of options at ABC Commissary for lunch and dinner.

Have you been to ABC Commissary? What do you order when you've dined there?

3/4/19 3/4/19

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

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?

3/4/19 3/4/19

Columbia Harbour House Dinner Review

Columbia Harbour House, located in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, has long been one of my go-to quick service restaurants for gluten free and dairy free options. Well, really, it's my go-to spot for allergy-friendly chicken tenders. I don't know what it is about this location, but I've always just loved the way they cook their allergy-friendly chicken tenders. The rest of the special diets options are pretty limited. But, the chicken tenders are just so good, they're hard not to order anyway!

*This gluten free and dairy free dining review took place in February 2019.

Dinner at Columbia Harbour House

On this particular visit, we stopped by Columbia Harbour House before attending the Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event held in the park that night. As a part of the event, we were given a voucher to redeem a complimentary quick service entree and beverage at select locations. Thankfully, Columbia Harbour House was on that list, which meant free allergy-friendly chicken tenders!

Atmosphere

Unlike other Liberty Inn in Epcot, which is also colonial America themed, Columbia Harbour House is a beautifully themed restaurant with a sea faring colonial village theme.

Colubmia Harbour House - Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Although I didn't snag many photos that night, you can see a lot of the colonial theming and touches throughout the restaurant.

Columbia Harbour House - Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Although the photo here highlights more traditional theming, both Brandon and I always love the nautical touches and even the sea shanty songs you can hear in the background when you dine here.

The Food

Of course, our big reason for going to Columbia Harbour House is always the allergy-friendly chicken tenders and the huge portion sizes they serve at the restaurant. Like most Disney owned restaurants, Columbia Harbour House does carry an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. You can also always ask to speak with a manager to discuss any concerns and additional options for special dietary needs. The location is pretty limited on options. So if you don't want a salad, baked salmon, or chicken tenders, I would recommend dining at another location.

Columbia Harbour House / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Last summer, Brandon and I discovered that the restaurant had changed the brand of allergy-friendly chicken tenders they were using. Most locations on Disney property still serve the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders. But, at this location, you'll find the Chef's Line brand being served. If you want to know more about this brand and ingredients, check out the post I wrote back in July 2018 about it, which includes photos of the ingredients that the manager shared with me.

Overall, these particular chicken tenders remind me a lot of the AllergyFreeFoods brand that Disney used to serve. These are more chicken nugget style, and they do have a lot of breading on them. Brandon prefers the Ian's brand over this one. I like both, but after this last visit, I think I lean slightly towards the Ian's brand in preference -- only because I found these chicken tenders to be a lot saltier. They're still really good though, and we both agreed we'd still order these any time. And, as you can see from the photo, my portion was pretty large too.

Overall

No matter what brand of allergy-friendly chicken tenders they are serving, Columbia Harbour House always does a great job of frying the allergy-friendly chicken tenders to perfection (and in a dedicated fryer too). It's a great go-to spot if you're craving allergy-friendly chicken tenders or even a healthier option, like baked salmon, when you're in the Magic Kingdom.

Have you been to Columbia Harbour House? What did you think of the food options there?

3/4/19 3/4/19

Liberty Inn Dinner Review

Liberty Inn, located in the American Adventure Pavilion in the World Showcase at Epcot, is a quick service restaurant that serves sandwiches and salads. It's also one of the few restaurants in the World Showcase that is owned and operated by the Disney Company (most restaurants are leased by outside companies). So, it's always nice to stop by this quick service restaurant where I know they have an allergy-friendly menu, and I can speak to a manager about options. Plus, they serve allergy-friendly chicken tenders here, which is almost always what we stop by to get. On this occasion, Brandon and I were at Epcot to check out the Festival of the Arts and wanted a quick bite as we explored all the festival fun.

*This gluten free and dairy free dining review took place in February 2019.

Dinner at Liberty Inn

Atmosphere

I wouldn't say that Liberty Inn has a very detailed atmosphere. It's meant to resemble colonial America. But, the theming is fairly sparse. You'll find a few corners, like the photo below that include some colonial decor.

Liberty Inn Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Overall, you'll mostly just find a ton of tables for seating because generally this restaurant gets really crowded.

Liberty Inn - Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

When we visited, it was only a few hours before the park closed, and we found the restaurant to be pretty quiet. That's a rarity, so we really enjoyed having lots of seating options.

The Food

Since Liberty Inn is a Disney owned restaurant, they do carry an allergy-friendly lunch and dinner menu. You can also speak to a manager at any time if you have additional questions or have multiple dietary restrictions. I always recommend this, especially if you want to discuss food preparation, ingredients, or are looking for customized dishes.

Liberty Inn - Mobile Ordering / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Liberty Inn is also currently offering mobile ordering. If you have a special dietary need, you can utilize this option. But, it only allows you to select one dietary restriction when ordering. With this in mind, I would only order through mobile ordering if you have one special dietary need that's listed on the option (currently, this includes the top 8 common allergens). If you have any questions or multiple dietary restrictions, I would order in person.

We have used mobile ordering at Liberty Inn and at Backlot Express. We've only ordered allergy-friendly chicken tenders with mobile ordering service too, so I'm still testing out the waters with this ordering option.

Liberty Inn Allergy Friendly Chicken Tenders — Liberty Inn / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

On this occasion, we both ordered allergy-friendly chicken tenders and French fries through mobile ordering. Brandon prefers the allergy-friendly chicken tenders to the regular ones, even though he can have gluten/wheat.

When our orders arrived, we dug in. Currently, Liberty Inn is serving the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders. Both, Brandon and I thought our servings were generous, and we both left the restaurant very full.

Overall

While I wouldn't say the food at Liberty Inn is anything special, I'm always glad it's an option in the World Showcase. And, even better is that they have allergy-friendly chicken tenders there, making it a great go-to spot for a gluten free and dairy free fried food option.

Have you been to Liberty Inn? What did you order when you dined there?

11/13/18 11/13/18

Backlot Express Dinner Review

*This gluten free and dairy free dining experience took place in November 2018.

Dinner at Backlot Express

Backlot Express, located in Disney's Hollywood Studios, is a quick service restaurant that serves burgers, fries, and chicken tenders. Although it's nothing fancy, it's long been one of our go-to spots for a quick and easy dinner at Hollywood Studios. Both Brandon and I love it for their allergy-friendly chicken tenders and fries. On this visit, we decided to stop by for a quick dinner on a weeknight while checking out the Flurry of Fun festivities in the park. We also used it as a test for the mobile ordering which now allows some special dietary needs ordering options.

Atmosphere

Backlot Express has a theming that represents a working studio backlot -- complete with props and other set design elements. Even though the theming isn't immediately that noticeable, if you stop to look around for a bit, you'll see lots of great detail in the restaurant's theme.

Backlot Express Ordering Counter / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The main ordering area is a little sparse. But, if you keep exploring you'll find lots of cool details.

Backlot Express Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We usually sit on the side of the restaurant where the theming is focused on set-design and studio safety. But, on this visit, we sat on the opposite side, closer to where the backstage of the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is. In fact, we heard the show going on during in. And, even cooler? We noticed that all of the theming details on this side of the restaurant reflected stunt design. Talk about a nice touch!

The Food

Since Brandon and I were doing mobile order, we took some time to look at the allergy-friendly options in the mobile ordering portion of the My Disney Experience App prior to ordering. The app ordering for special diets is based on dietary need and is formatted similarly to the allergy-friendly menus.

Unfortunately, if you have multiple special dietary needs, you can only order through the mobile ordering with one notation. This is a major limitation of the ordering in our opinion, and I hope they'll work to improve this feature. For instance, on this visit, we only ordered the allergy-friendly chicken tenders under gluten/wheat allergy. If I were dairy free, for instance, I couldn't order it as gluten/wheat allergy AND dairy/milk allergy.

Backlot Express - Mobile Ordering Station / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Once you order and pay, you'll have a spot on your app that lets you "check in" when you are at or near the restaurant, so the restaurant can prepare your food. In our case, we checked in about 2 minutes away from the restaurant. We were notified that we could get an alert when our food was ready. I would say we waited probably another 5 minutes or so before we got that notification. Once we received the alert, we went to the area that was designated for mobile ordering pick-up.

Both a manager and another cast member were waiting for us at the mobile ordering pick-up. They not only had prepared our allergy-friendly order as they normally do, but prior to giving us the food, they confirmed our special dietary needs. Our meal was also served on a different color tray like it usually is for special diets orders.

Backlot Express - Allergy Friendly Chicken Tenders / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see by the photo, we received a mobile order receipt with our order too. Both of us ordered the allergy-friendly chicken tenders which are both gluten free and dairy free. This is a favorite of ours. And, we both appreciated getting extra fries on this visit and that everything was very fresh and piping hot. They are always a winner in our book!

Overall

The food was delicious, as always. And, the mobile ordering app was easy to use. But, I would definitely give Disney feedback about allowing guests with multiple dietary needs to flag their meals as such. Unfortunately, the mobile ordering only seems to be really good for those who have one special dietary need. Hopefully, as they continue to refine this service, they'll add in more options and flexibility for guests with special dietary needs. If you do need to order with multiple special dietary needs, I would recommend ordering as you normally would and speaking with a manager prior to ordering.

Have you been to Backlot Express or used mobile ordering? What was your experience?

11/5/18 11/5/18

ABC Commissary Dinner Review

*This gluten free and dairy free dining experience took place in November 2018.

Dinner at ABC Commissary

ABC Commissary is a quick service restaurant located in Disney's Hollywood Studios. It offers burgers, salads, and chicken tenders during lunch time and offers a bit more upscale meal options at dinner. You can read a bit more about some of the other dishes that we have tried in previous visits for dinner here on the blog. On this visit, we stopped by ABC Commissary specifically for allergy-friendly chicken tenders which both Brandon and I love. You can also get them at Backlot Express but Brandon really loves the thick-cut steak fries offered at ABC Commissary.

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary's theme is set to reflect an actual commissary at a working TV and film studio. With that in mind, it includes a lot of extra seating and sparse décor.

ABC Commissary Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of the things that Brandon and I frequently comment on about ABC Commissary is that the interior is pretty dated. The seats aren't the most comfortable and all of the carpet and furnishings look like they haven't been changed since the mid-1990s.You'll see the classic 90s pastel colors throughout the restaurant too.

We ended up finding a nice cozy corner where there weren't a lot of other guests for dinner, so we had a good view without feeling like we were in a crowded space. As you can see from the photos, the restaurant does have a lot of tv show posters and memorabilia throughout the restaurant -- keeping with the commissary theme.

The Food

I was excited going to ABC Commissary because I thought I might be able to finally use the mobile ordering for special dietary needs. Unfortunately, when I got into the mobile order section of the My Disney Experience App, I noticed that the allergy-friendly chicken tenders were not listed as an option for guests to order. So, we ended up going through the regular line to order. If you're not getting allergy-friendly chicken tenders, you can find a variety of options listed as gluten friendly in the app.

ABC Commissary Gluten Free Mobile Ordering / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Since we did not order through the app, I also didn't get a chance to see if you can order special diets options with multiple special dietary needs. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to try this out soon.

ABC Commissary - Allergy Friendly Chicken Tenders / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Thankfully, you can still order allergy-friendly chicken tenders with French fries at ABC Commissary. We each got an order. And, I asked for a few sides of Ken's Dressing Cocktail Sauce which is gluten free. Everything I ordered was both gluten free and dairy free.

When you order at ABC Commissary, you will be given a pager for your table, and a manager will bring you your order. This is a really nice feature, and we're both big fans of this method or ordering at quick service restaurants. It's so much better than waiting around the counter while they make your food.

Although I don't typically love steak fries as much as the thinner fries offered at Disney, I thought the ones we got that evening were really well cooked. Everything was piping hot and fresh from the fryer. As you can see, ABC Commissary (at the time of this review) was still serving the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders.

Overall

We both enjoy grabbing a quick dinner of allergy-friendly chicken tenders and fries whenever we are at ABC Commissary. It never disappoints, and we always get plenty of food. One of these days, we will have to try some of the other dishes offered too!

Have you been to ABC Commissary? What do you order when you dine there?

11/2/18 11/2/18

Geyser Point Bar & Grill Dinner Review

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

Dinner at Geyser Point Bar & Grill

Geyser Point Bar & Grill, located at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort, is a hybrid of quick service and table service dining options. That's because you can order from a quick service counter or dine in the lounge/bar area of the restaurant. We really enjoy Geyser Point Bar & Grill for it's affordable and delicious sandwiches -- and especially for their gluten free waffle fries! Recently we stopped by Geyser Point for a late dinner after a movie at Disney Springs.

Atmosphere

Because it was late, I totally spaced on taking any photos at the restaurant. Here's a photo from a previous visit. As you can see it shows the covered al fresco dining area at Geyser Point Bar & Grill. If you want to see more photos of the restaurant, check out a previous review I wrote here on the blog.

Geyser Point Bar & Grill Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of my favorite things about Geyser Point is dining there in the evening and sitting closer to the water so that we can watch the fireworks or the Electric Water Pageant. There's just something relaxing and magical about that!

The Food

I am always so surprised at how great the food is at Geyser Point Bar & Grill. There are plenty of gluten free options too. Currently, the restaurant does not have an allergy-friendly menu. But, you will get a chance to speak with a chef who will go over options with you. On this visit, I opted to order something different instead of the burger that I usually get.

Geyser Point Bar & Grill - GF Turkey Sandwich / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The chef prepared for me the Smoked Turkey Sandwich which comes with Lettuce, Tomato and Cranberry Mayonnaise served with Waffle Fries. The only modification to this dish is the gluten free (and dairy free) bread. In fact, this dish was entirely gluten free and dairy free with just that modification.

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this sandwich. It was very flavorful and the turkey was really delicious. I loved the cranberry mayonnaise which added the perfect amount of tang to the dish. It was nice and light -- perfect for a late dinner in the evening or on a hot day. Of course, the waffle fries made in a dedicated fryer continue to be my favorite thing at Geyser Point. I don't know what it is but these waffle fries are epicly good!

Overall

Geyser Point Bar & Grill continues to be a low-key and pleasant place to get a quick service style meal that's filling, delicious, and not too pricey. It's best enjoyed when the temperatures are a little "cooler" or later in the day when the sun has gone down. For us, the combination of food and atmosphere make it a must-do on our regular rotation of Disney restaurants.

Have you been to Geyser Point Bar & Grill? What did you think of the special dietary needs options?

11/2/18 11/2/18

Everything Pop Dinner Review

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

Dinner at Everything Pop

Everything Pop is a food court style quick service restaurant located at Disney's Pop Century Resort. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for guests and includes a lot of retro inspired meals. It's been a while since I've dined at Pop Century. Recently, I stopped by for dinner while I was visiting friends who were staying at the resort.

Atmosphere

Everything Pop's theming is inspired by nostalgia. From the 1950s to the 1990s, there's a bit of retro fun for every generation. Before you walk into the food court, you'll find a shopping area too.

Everything Pop Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Once you're past the shopping area, you'll find a brightly lit seating area and food court style dining area. I do find that there's ample seating in the restaurant, which is nice because it definitely can get busy at Everything Pop.

Everything Pop Seating / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

My favorite spots to dine at Everything Pop do tend to be some of the booths near the sides of the restaurant where it can be a little quieter.

The Food

Everything Pop has offered allergy-friendly menus in the past. But, every time I've visited, a chef has come out to talk to me about options and has told me that I don't need to use a menu. I really do appreciate that the chefs work to customize and make delicious meals for you (and give you more options!). On this visit, I was greeted by Chef Williere, who I haven't seen in ages. He used to work at 50s Prime Time Café back in the day and used to call me the "chicken lady" because I ordered the gluten free & dairy free fried chicken so much. He also used to work at Whispering Canyon Cafe too. So, it was great to see a familiar face.

He told me that I could get a lot of options. This included:

Seared Salmon
Carved Rotisserie Turkey Breast (You can choose several dairy free sides)
Seasonal Risotto
Allergy-Friendly Chicken Tenders (both gluten free and dairy free)
Hamburgers (dairy free) and Cheeseburgers
Various Sandwiches

Of course, this isn't a full list but it gives you an idea of the types of meals they could make. I'm pretty sure Chef Williere would have made me just about anything I asked for too -- he was that accommodating.

I ended up ordering the Carved Rotisserie Turkey Breast with mashed potatoes and green beans. For some reason this just sounded good! Everything on the plate was gluten free. But, the mashed potatoes do contain dairy. If you're dairy free, you can easily swap out the mashed potatoes for another side too, which is nice.

Overall, I really liked this dish. The turkey was super moist and tender and not dry (which I feared from a food court style quick service). The green beans were well seasoned and had lots of flavorful garlic in them. My favorite part of the meal was actually the mashed potatoes, which were super creamy and rich. And, as you can see, the entire dish was a huge portion and could easily be split by two people!

Overall

If you are staying at Pop Century, Everything Pop is an excellent restaurant to get delicious and safe food that has a lot of flexibility for options and customization. I consistently hear rave reviews about the chefs at Pop Century for their willingness to work with any special dietary needs to offer lots of variety for their guests. Although I don't go there often, I'm really glad that Everything Pop works to provide a great variety of options.

Have you been to Everything Pop? What do you think of the special dietary needs options there?