From Mickey waffles and gluten free Monte Cristo sandwiches to pizza and dessert, Gluten free Disneyland is a delicious adventure! Disneyland & California Adventure were one of the tastiest vacations we have ever been on. From fancy food to on-the-go eats, Disneyland has it all!
How do I prepare for my gluten free Disneyland trip?
I absolutely love how easy gluten free Disneyland & California Adventure are. They make it both simple and delicious to eat safely in both parks.
I mean, just look at this delicious churro toffee and Minnie Mouse caramel apple?! Always check that ingredients are safe when ordering treats. They often change but these were gluten free when we enjoyed them.
Just like doing gluten-free Napa, the food and activities will be unforgettable! Just a few simple steps to a safe and fun vacation.
Start by making reservations with specific menu requests at least 72 hours prior to your visit. Also, be sure to stop in to each individual restaurant to get the most up to date list of gluten-free offerings when you are in the park.
Pro Tip: Reach out to chefs before your trip with your specific dietary needs. The email they recommend using to connect is DLR.Special.Diets@disney.com. You can also get more information on their website: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/.
Disneyland Gluten-Free Monte Cristo
Back in 2013, I saw the regular version on the menu and called to speak with a Disney chef to see if they could make me a gluten free version. They so kindly agreed if we came early and it was fantastic! I am happy to be a trailblazer for the gluten-free community, and this one was one of my big accomplishments for my friends who dine gluten free at Disneyland.
This meal from Cafe Orleans was most definitely RICH! But also, really great. They also offer them during lunch at Blue Bayou.
They accommodated by having gluten-free bread (Udi's) on hand as well as creating a new batter (using Cup4Cup flour) and fresh oil in a new fryer that was dedicated gluten-free for us.
The end result was fantastic! In fact, my dad who ordered the regular version said ours was much, MUCH better. He thought it was lighter and more flavorful.
Pro Tip: Make sure to call ahead for a reservation for the first of the day when the oil is fresh and not contaminated with gluten. Also, make sure with your reservation that they know you want a Monte Cristo sandwich. You will need to make this reservation at least 1-2 weeks in advance.
Does Disneyland have other gluten-free options?
I don't know about you guys but we love Frontierland especially now that I can get this bbq brisket sandwich. It was fantastic on a gluten free bun! They had plenty of other options as well even for our dairy free boys.
The breakfast sandwich over by space mountain at Galactic Grill is very tasty. It is usually only available early in the day so I recommend ordering early.
Pro tip: Be sure to make all of your reservations EARLY. You can book up to 60 days in advance for some restaurants and many will book up within the first few days of releasing reservations.You can make dining reservations online or call (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463.
The little shops have gluten free bagged cookies available which makes it night for on the go snacks.
The boysenberry freeze in Disneyland is a delicious treat. It’s made with 100% frozen apple juice and swirled with boysenberry. I promise you, this is one that you will want to order over and over again.
Does Disneyland have dairy-free options too?
Yes, dairy-free Disneyland is actually quite easy as well. I wrote all about my experience with it first hand.
First, this Dole whip is the very freshest treat in the park and it is dairy-free! You can also find lots of fresh fruit stands, turkey legs, Enjoy Life Foods cookies and chocolate bars in the gift shops and so much more.
These vegan and gluten free chili cheese fries are delicious and available at Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland. The whole family loved them, even my picky, non-dairy free hubby.
What fine dining gluten-free options are there?
My birthday dinner was celebrated at Wine Country Trattoria in California Adventure. It was fantastic!
I don't know that I have ever seen my mom order pasta at a restaurant let alone eat it anywhere in the past 10 years and she actually loved it!
She and I both enjoyed gluten-free pasta dishes. Shrimp scampi for her and herb roasted chicken served with fettuccine alfredo and broccolini for me.
The pasta was cooked to perfection and we could hardly believe it was gluten-free. It was definitely one of the best pastas I have ever enjoyed.
What other amusement parks have gluten-free options?
I first wrote about our Disneyland gluten-free experience back in 2005 when it was virtually the only amusement park with good gluten-free food. We also did Disneyworld gluten-free which was fantastic!
Now, others have better options. We did Universal Studios & the Wizarding World of Harry Potter gluten-free a while back. We've even done Legoland gluten-free and enjoyed it, but not quite as well. Just be sure to get their apple fries!
Check out these other posts about gluten-free and dairy-free adventures:
What is Gluten Free in Disney's California Adventure?
Even with embarrassing birthday shirts, gluten free in Disneyland and California Adventure couldn't have been better! The good eats kept right on rolling into Cars Land...
I'd heard about the chicken at Poultry Palace and it did not disappoint. It was actually very tasty with a nice crispy crust that just happens to be gluten free. Yay!
The abominable snow treat shack near the pier is full of tasty frozen treats. This is just one I ordered that we loved.
The birria tacos at Cocina Cucmonga are SO fantastic! Probably one of my favorite meals in the whole park. They are flavorful and delicious plus they aren't too expensive.
We loved the peanut butter, jelly, banana and bacon sandwich at Pym's Test Kitchen along with dedicated fryer tots. It was a simple but delicious meal.
We loved that there is a gluten free cookie option at Jack Jack's cookie stand. It is jam filled with soft, delicious sugar cookie type dough and it is fantastic!
We had the most magical moment at Lamplight Lounge! We went in for a lovely dinner with the kids and they led us to a secret room down by the water called the writers room. There were games, a balcony to be right on the water and a great menu. I even enjoyed these gluten free lobster nachos!
From the decor to the music, they got it all right. We also LOVED the new Cars ride! There are two different routes on it so make sure you get to enjoy both.
The new Cars Land in California Adventure was awesome! I have to say that Disney truly went where nobody has gone before in creating the ultimate movie experience in a theme park.
You immediately feel like you walked into Radiator Springs when you step onto the asphalt.
The Cozy Cone Motel features multiple cones that each serve different food and beverage items. While we couldn't enjoy the famous bread cones filled with chili or mac n' cheese, my hubby did and said it was good.
I enjoyed some buttered popcorn and the highly recommended popcorn anywhere you can find it!
At Flo's V-8 Cafe we enjoyed the most talked about item on the menu, roast beef & cheddar sandwich with horseradish aioli and grilled onions. It was served with coleslaw and was on a gluten-free bun. While it may not be available anymore, they have lots of other sandwiches.
I chose to add a strawberry shake and I am glad I did. It was delicious and simple just like a good shake should be. Who can beat that view right? Disney knocked it out of the park with their new Cars Land.
What used to be Taste Pilots in California Adventure next to Soarin' is now a new grill. Nearly everything on the menu is gluten free!
They have a dedicated fryer and lots of great toppings for the burgers and these cheeseburger fries. While the meat patty wasn't huge, it was still filling enough especially once you add toppings.
We visited the Ghirardelli store more times than anyone should in a week but the chocolate and treats were so delicious that we couldn't help ourselves! We were provided with an allergen list upon arrival to help us understand what we could safely enjoy.
Most things were gluten-free which was nice. While they do make one chocolate bar or two that contains gluten, they thoroughly clean their lines before producing the products that are gluten-free.
We thoroughly enjoyed the root beer floats as well as banana splits. The banana splits are big enough to share.
Are there gluten-free character Disney dining experiences?
Yes and I highly recommend them! When doing gluten-free Disneyland & California Adventure, Goofy's Kitchen is a must.
We always choose one character dining experience for our little ones and I am glad we do. They always love it and it becomes such a fun memory for everyone.
These character dining experiences allow them to get more one-on-one time with characters. It also helps them get autographs for their books without waiting in line after line.
As a mom, I say that the additional cost of this meal was worth my time saved not standing in as many character lines. Goofy's Kitchen is just that, goofy!
All the food is totally kid friendly and a fun way to start the day. The executive chef is very helpful in navigating what we could enjoy gluten free.
He let us know that he could make us anything we wanted in the back because most of the buffet items could be a cross-contamination risk.
For example, the bacon is placed on bread to soak up the grease. Scary! Don't fret though, they will make you fresh bacon in the back and bring it right out to your table. I personally love salad so I also enjoyed a fresh green salad with my breakfast.
The chef made my mom and I our own gluten-free pepperoni pizza, eggs Benedict (minus the English muffin), and a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies and brownies.
The pizza was awesome! The crust was filled with tasty herbs which I didn't think about when I ordered the famous PB&J pizza gluten-free. It was not as good with a savory crust. 
The Mickey waffle was divine! In fact, my dad said it was much better than the regular gluten-filled waffles. It was crispy on the outside and soft in the center.
It was very big so I only recommend one if you are really hungry. It is made in a dedicated gluten-free waffle iron and is created using Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour.
Lastly, I couldn't resist the urge to have them make me the gluten-free pancakes banana foster. OH MY GOODNESS, they were the best!
I had already eaten everything else so was thinking I might be able to eat a few bites but no, I had to eat the whole plate.
The pancakes were so fluffy and cooked just right. The bananas foster topping was buttery and super sweet. I will dream of these pancakes...
Where do you eat gluten-free in Downtown Disney?
In addition to the yummy food above, we also enjoyed a very tasty meal at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney. The ambiance was so fun.
It is reminiscent of what you would expect old New Orleans to be. With a live band dressed in old time jazz wear and playing the blues, it made for a fun dinner.
The steak was very delicious and seasoned to perfection. The shrimp and grits were SO good! I literally wanted to lick my plate clean.
My family and I really enjoyed this dinner and recommend it for anyone but especially those who like a little creole in their life!
What other amusement parks have gluten-free options?
I first wrote about our Disneyland trip ten years ago when it was virtually the only amusement park with good gluten-free food. I have since updated this with the most current options that are gluten free. We also did Disneyworld gluten-free which was fantastic!
Now, other have better options. We did Universal Studios & the Wizarding World of Harry Potter gluten-free awhile back. We've even done Legoland gluten-free and enjoyed it, but not quite as well. Just be sure to get their apple fries!
We had a wonderful time and I can't imagine a more magical birthday celebration with the people I love most than this Disney vacation!
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Let's reminisce on some gluten free food that used to bee available at Disneyland...
*I was provided with two one-day park hopper passes as a member of the media. We still bought the other 4 days we were there as well as our kids passes so rest assured that none of my reviews are biased. I loved the time we had in the park and all reviews are my own and 100% unbiased. I take no responsibility for the dining experience of others while at any of these restaurants. Always be your own advocate and ask lots of questions to ensure a safe dining experience.
stephanie says
Heading to DL between Christmas and New Year and I am hoping beyond hope that my husband and I will be able to find food readily available so that we may avoid becoming HANGRY :):):) and I will call ahead as you suggested to facilitate a great visit. I'm just a little concerned that your results are not what the "average joe" should.
Other than calling ahead do you have any tips that may make our visit yummy.
We are a party of 7 and 2 of us eat gluten free.
Thanks for your feedback.
Steph
Chandice says
Hi Steph, I hope you have a blast and a tasty time too! I definitely think calling ahead and ordering specifically what I wanted to be ready when we got there was super helpful. I asked them to have specific dishes for me so it wasn't the kitchen scramble when I got there. Can't wait to hear how it goes for you! 🙂
Rebecca says
Ahh!! Thank you so much for this post! we are planning our second trip to Disneyland and this has given me sooo many more tasty GF things to try. Can't wait!!
Chandice says
I am so excited for you guys Rebecca, you will love it! Just make sure to call more than 72 hrs. ahead... 🙂
Justine says
Thank you for this wonderful post! My family is going to Disneyland in November and it's been a while since I went and I was curious what they offered now for gluten-free (especially now that it's become much more mainstream)! I'm so excited and will definitely be planning ahead at some restaurants. My soon to be 1 year old is gluten free as well so I especially wanted to make sure he had options!
I couldn't help but notice you mentioned they removed the gluten free crab cakes! If you're ever in the Los Angeles region, I own a casual fine dining restaurant named Aroha and our entire dinner menu is gluten-free, including our crab cakes. One of the perks of marrying a chef... He had to learn how to accommodate my list of allergies, and therefore, everyone else's!!
Chandice says
Oh my goodness Justine, I love this! I am coming to Expo West at the Anaheim convention center in March and would LOVE to come visit you and share my experience! How far are you from the Anaheim convention center?
I just know you will love Disney dining as much as we did! The biggest thing to remember is PLAN and call ahead. We got all that we wanted because I called more than 72 hours in advance and requested it. They really are very accommodating when people ask in enough time for them to make it happen. Can't wait to hear all about your trip! Please email me anytime, glutenfreefrenzy@gmail.com.
Justine says
Hi Chandice! Our restaurant is about an hour and forty minutes north-west of Anaheim. A bit of a treck but it would be wonderful if you were able to come in! If you do, please let me know in advance. At this point, my husband is the one there and I'm normally at home with our son. My husband is from New Zealand and was very shocked that flour was added to so many sauces, soups, and recipes out here! He was never taught to add fillers like that, so making a fully gluten free menu for everyone was very easy for him! He even picks up gluten-free bread every week to make homemade croutons for our gluten free guests salads! Our entire Sunday brunch menu is gluten free as well. We're probably the one restaurant that when I guest lists an allergy on a reservation, we get excited because we know they'll have a great time!
I will definitely make sure to make reservations at the restaurants in advance and call a few days to a week before about our orders!
Emma says
Hi Justine - I just had to look up your restaurant website because the name caught my eye... I'm from Auckland 🙂
Your menu looks amazing, I wish it was here! We need more gluten free friendly restaurants 🙂
We are travelling to Disneyland on Saturday but unfortunately it looks like your restaurant is just a bit too far away from where we're staying (right near Disneyland).
Hope you have a great trip to Disneyland in Nov 🙂 All the best, Emma.
Justine says
My husband was born and raised in Auckland...he was a chef at the Stamford Plaza (Kabuki restaurant) when I vacationed there 7 years ago and the rest is history!!
It's definitely a treck from Anaheim but if you're ever in California again, definitely stop by! We've had people drive from San Diego and fly from New York just to dine at the restaurant! Saturday is actually our restaurant's two year anniversary so we've got some special things going on!!
Have a wonderful time in Disneyland on Saturday!!! And thank you! We are very excited for our trip. We're going for my 1 year old's birthday. Everyone says at this age they enjoy the zoo more but he LOVES being stimulated with tons of exciting things and crowds of people! He gets so bored at the zoo. Lol He may never remember this trip but I'm so excited for the cute photos! 😉
Emma says
I just wanted to say a big thanks for your GF blogs! This one and the 5 years previous one I've enjoyed reading. I'm off to Disneyland in a few weeks and now got a big list of GF places to eat whilst there so my thanks go to you 🙂
Chandice says
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words. I can't wait to hear all about your Disneyland trip!! I hope it is as magical as ours was. 🙂
Cassi says
Thanks for a great preview as I prepare to go to Disneyland. I live by Walt Disney World, so I'm hoping I have similar great experiences in Cali soon. You mentioned the Cozy Cones. Any idea if the flavored popcorn is gluten free? An email to Disneyland special diets was answered with a generic reply. Thanks! Great post!
Chandice says
Hey Cassi, I hope it is as wonderful for you as it was for us. The key is to call more than 72 hours in advance to each restaurant with your requests. As far as the flavored popcorn, I was told it was but we sticked to basic just in case.
Mishelle says
Thank you SO much for doing this Gluten Free adventure! I too went for my 30th birthday (before I was diagnosed GF), and just booked my 35th birthday trip there in October. I had heard on multiple message boards they were very accommodating with GF folks and were committed to making your trip wonderful, but didn't realize how big the possibilities were. I was unsure about rocking up there and just asking each restaurant - so thank you for providing contact information for folks I can contact ahead of time. I'm even more excited now than I was before 🙂
Chandice says
Hi Mishelle,
I am SO happy to hear this! I loved celebrating 30 there and the food was fantastic! The key truly is plan, ask, plan and ask some more. 🙂 Happy early birthday and please tag me on social media with pictures. I am dying to see how everything turns out for you!
Mishelle says
Hey Chandice!
I just got back from my Disneyland birthday celebration and wanted to provide this update for your readers, because I hadn't seen any blogger post this yet! I contacted Disney in July prior to my visit, and was told to go to City Hall and get a list of all the allergy-free items offered in the parks, and that all restaurants would have an allergy-friendly menu to look at. (Note: I have found at least one place online where somebody posted an old copy of this list) Luckily, I did a lot of internet research to know pre-plan where we wanted to go. When I showed up at the park, I was told at Disneyland and DCA that that list no longer exists - I don't know when it went away but between July and now - and guests have to go to each restaurant in person to request their allergy-friendly menu. While the allergy menus are great and I"m so glad they have so many options, guests have to go to each restaurant individually, which is so inconvenient to have to do on vacation. As of right now, Disney doesn't make these available online, but all their regular menus are........unfair for those with allergies. if I hadn't done lots of planning from home (Googling the menus that other people posted online), it would have really frustrated me and wasted a lot of time just checking out menus. I realize not everybody cares that much about food, but it was special celebration and I wanted to make sure to pick the places I liked the best! I'm going to contact Disney and ask that they make their menus more accessible and bring back the allergy list so guests can see all items in one comprehensive document.
jmr says
I'm getting ready to go to Disney tomorrow and found your blog by googling. It is very helpful. I think Florida's Walt Disney World is gluten free nirvana where I can eat easily just about anywhere in the park with tons of info both online and at the parks to tell me where and what to eat
I live near Disneyland and usually pack my own food when I go there because I hate the humiliation of having to always make special requests/beg them to heat me up a frozen gf pizza/delay my whole group while I talk to a manager to find out if there's anything at all I can possibly eat. I can't understand why Disney World is the most gluten free friendly place on planet earth and Disneyland makes no effort to accommodate gluten free guests.
From reading your blog, it sounds like they're finally going to at least get some special menus. I'd really love it if they just marked "gf available" on some of their regular menu boards so I'd make everyone less irritated with me when it's time to eat. I have a season pass, but I get so upset at the thought of trying to eat at the park, I've only used it twice this year.
Chandice says
I am so sorry to hear this. I will say that my positive experiences have definitely been because I planned/called ahead and specifically asked for certain things to be ready on days/times. I do know that they are doing much better now though to accommodate even walk-up guests. I agree with you, Walt Disney World is AMAZING!! I too hope Disneyland will catch up soon. 🙂
Alexis Williams says
How were you able to email Cafe Orleans ahead?
Chandice says
I spoke with the resort special diets chef and the marketing department both of whom helped me tremendously with the individual restaurants we wanted to dine at.
Grandmother says
I am glad to hear you had a great experience with meals at Disney. I think it would be good for your readers to know that your experience with gluten-free options are not typical, however. Yes, the chef will come out and talk to you about what you can eat on a buffet but the rest of us don't get specially made peanut butter pizzas at breakfast or gluten-free pancakes or any of the other things you had made for you.
Chandice says
I definitely think you could have these things made for you if you asked the chef to make them. Also, did you call ahead (more then 72 hrs.) and speak to the special diets department? They are very willing to help make your experience just as great as this was for us with a bit of planning and preparation. Most didn't care that I was a blogger. They just wanted to make the experience great.