Disneyland is much more than a theme park with a collection of rides. It’s an experience. Especially if you approach the park through the lens that it was originally intended. If you’re new to Disneyland, part of your visit to the park should always be to pay attention to the various plaques located in key areas of the park. You may be a Disneyland devotee and still never have given this much thought, but I promise it will enhance your appreciation of this truly unique place. Another truly rewarding experience is taking in the environments, the aromas, and the flavors of several restaurants within Disneyland’s borders. Gluten-free Disneyland menu options are easy to find. So are all types of allergy-friendly approaches. The joy of dining at Disney belongs to everyone.
If you have a particular food allergy, especially gluten/wheat, you will find that it’s still very easy to enjoy the restaurants and other dining locations at the Disneyland resort. Disney has a long tradition of making meals easy on people who have dietary restrictions. While some diets like Keto remain somewhat elusive to the Walt Disney Company, gluten-free diets are very well supported in the parks. In actuality, they are the primary restriction to be listed on Disney’s very accessible allergy-friendly menus. Read on to find out everything there is to know about how to enjoy a gluten-free Disneyland stay.
gluten-free disneyland : the ultimate guide
Gluten-Free Snacks
Before we even get into any menus at actual restaurants, one of the biggest deals about going to Disneyland is the snacks. Popcorn, churros, turkey legs, chimichangas, and a host of ice cream and bakery-related sweets pepper the park to its farthest reaches. You are never far from a quick bite in between meals (or rides). Sadly, as high as this is on many guests’ priority lists, it isn’t the best gluten-free Disneyland option for guests with a wheat allergy.
There are some blatantly obvious options such as the aforementioned popcorn and turkey legs. Fresh whole fruit is always a good decision. Ice cream too is typically safe from a gluten standpoint. However, you won’t find any special menus or recipe adjustments for items like churros. When it comes to clarifying ingredients, you can always ask to look at the labels on packaged items. You can also request a food consult, although this will require a lot of patience, you may want to just play it safe, or bring your own snacks into the park.
Allergy-Friendly Menus
One of the best things about planning meals at Disneyland is how accessible the menus are. It’s easy to see what’s available and at what price. The allergy menus are also available when you simply scroll down past the bottom of the regular menu. It’s much easier to find allergy menus for quick-service restaurants. Table service restaurants require an in-person consult.
Online menus are typically broken down by mealtime. There are snack menus and breakfast menus occasionally. Most Disneyland menus are for lunch and dinner.
Gluten-Free Breakfast at Disneyland
Getting breakfast at Disneyland is not always the easiest thing to do. Most restaurants aren’t open until after 11:00. The morning is the best time to plan as efficiently as possible with rides that get longer wait times into the day. But if you prefer a more leisurely approach in the morning there are a few breakfast locations to choose from. Carnation Cafe is an excellent way to start your day and they are very accommodating. However, as a table service restaurant, they don’t provide their allergy-friendly information online. You will have to ask for a menu when you get there. There are also other ways to ensure that you don’t get anything potentially harmful on your plate which I’ll explain later. While there are substitute items that you can order, Carnation has plenty of fresh fruit and egg options to choose from.
Another option for a gluten-free Disneyland breakfast is the Plaza Inn. This is a buffet-style restaurant with omelets, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, and fruit. Here as well you can consult a cast member about substitutions and ask questions regarding the ingredients used.
The quick service restaurant Red Rose Taverne offers a gluten/wheat allergy-friendly American Breakfast. This includes scrambled eggs, a mandarin, and a choice of bacon or sausage.
Gluten-Free Lunch and Dinner at Disneyland
Lunch and dinner are generally the same menu at Disneyland. As with breakfast, quick service restaurants provide allergy-friendly menu options while table service restaurants don’t. However, table service restaurants are better at customizing orders and providing substitutions when needed. There are plenty of restaurants located all over the park but most are on the west side. That’s where you find Frontierland, Adventureland, and New Orleans Square. These are thriving and bustling locations for dining.
For fans of Disney history, I recommend dropping in on the Golden Horseshoe and visiting Walt Disney’s balcony while you are there. Cafe Orleans is home to Walt Disney’s Italian espresso machine. If you want more ambiance on a budget, you should visit Tropical Hideaway, Bengal Barbecue, Rancho Del Zocalo, or the Hungry Bear. If you really want to splurge on lunch or dinner, there is no better place than The Blue Bayou.
Of all of these, I like Hungry Bear for a good menu of gluten-free Disneyland dining options. There are burgers, fries, and BBQ Chicken salad that are all on the gluten-free menu. There are also gluten-free kids meal options. Rancho Del Zocalo is also a good choice for a half chicken or street tacos off of the allergy-friendly menu. The tacos are a trio made with beef, chicken, and cauliflower.
Plaza Inn is also a good gluten-free Disneyland lunch or dinner option. There are no characters during these food services as there are with breakfast, but the buffet-style menu is very accessible and so are the cast members if you wish to discuss options with them. I like Plaza Inn for a late dinner on the patio when it’s timed right for the fireworks.
Quick Service
Main Street has plenty of other choices to consider. Among the gluten-free Disneyland dining options, there are some allergy-friendly items at Jolly Holiday. You can get gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muffins. There is also a toasted cheese sandwich and tomato basil soup combo.
Fantasyland
In Fantasyland there is really only one choice for a meal and that’s Red Rose Tavern. Luckily, this restaurant makes for a good gluten-free Disneyland lunch and dinner option in its variety of choices. The allergy-friendly menu has three offerings: gluten-free cheeseburger; gluten-free pizza, and gluten-free chicken chopped salad. The spectrum of available options here is very desirable especially given its convenient location and lovely Beauty and the Beast themed atmosphere.
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland is a beautiful place to visit at night and so for that reason alone, Galactic Grill may be your best option for dinner. Galactic Grill offers chopped salad and cheeseburgers for the gluten intolerant as well. For the pizza option, you can go to Alien Pizza Planet. They have gluten-free cheese and pepperoni pizzas as well as two different salads. The antipasto salad is the heartiest choice.
The West Side
The Fantasyland and Tomorrowland gluten-free options are very similar. Some of the best themes and more exotic options are still at places like Rancho Del Zocalo and the French Market. The former has a barbecue half chicken while the latter has a cajun-style roasted half chicken. French Market also offers a gluten-free jambalaya of seafood, chicken, and andouille sausage. Not to be outdone, Rancho Del Zocalo also has that taco trio I mentioned earlier. There are more eateries on the west side, but many of them do not have gluten-free menus as the ones I’ve mentioned here do. Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge has little to offer for a gluten-free Disneyland guest, but they do have a salad offering at Docking Bay 7 if you must eat while you are there.
Mobile Order
The Mobile Order option is available at many quick service locations but not all. Mobile Ordering is a convenient way to order menu items in advance of your arrival so you don’t have to wait in line. Restaurants that accept Mobile Order and have gluten-free options include:
- Refreshment Corner
- Jolly Holiday
- The French Market
- Harbor Galley
- The Hungry Bear
- Docking Bay 7
- The Red Rose Taverne
- Galactic Grill
- Alien Pizza Planet
Advance Reservations
Advance reservations for table service restaurants are recommended. While they do not offer gluten-free menus online, they are very accommodating as they can better afford to meet the stringent demands of guests with common allergies. You can reserve a table 60 days in advance. When you do you should look for the prompt to include any dietary requests. Later, when you arrive for your reservation, ask for an allergy-friendly menu, and be sure to mention that you are gluten-free again when you order. You also have the opportunity to speak to a chef or trained cast member regarding your gluten-free options.
I hope that this gluten-free disneyland guide helped you to plan for your next Disney day!
