Disney vacations are amazing in every single way. While many probably prefer a more mellow and relaxing trip, we love the hustle and bustle of Disney World and the busy schedule of fun that you have for a week, sure it’s exhausting but watching our little girl love every single moment (for the most part, excluding some of the characters here and there) is worth it. This trip was just the same, pretty exhausting, especially for this mommy-to-be, but a world of fun that we’ll all remember for many years to come.
A mid-morning snack of a Gluten Free Lefou’s Brew at Gaston’s Tavern.
Our last day of our vacation we always try to plan our flight towards the end of the day so we can squeeze in a little more magic and fly back when we’re all good and exhausted. This round we managed to have that exact schedule so we planned a half a day at Magic Kingdom where we could ride, snack, and lunch to our heart’s content before heading back to the freezing cold Northeast. We squeezed in some must-do rides before a mid-morning snack at Gaston’s Tavern. Dan and little one couldn’t have enjoyed the gigantic cinnamon bun anymore, I mean really who wouldn’t except someone like myself who would get tremendously sick from just licking it. Even though the cinnamon bun looked mighty tempting to my pregnant self, I steered clear of all of that gluten and went with a safe Lefou’s Brew. The apple slushie and sour passion fruit/marshmallow foam on top was perfect for me and our little girl who was chomping at the bit to try some. It was a perfectly, refreshing snack, especially since the classic Florida heat had made a triumphant return after those few chilly days earlier on in the trip.
Not my favorite gluten free lunch at Casey’s Corner.
We wandered the park, dodging in and out of air conditioned stores and fastpassed and non-fastpassed rides until early afternoon came around and it was time for a quick lunch before our big goodbye. Dan loves hot dogs and I knew that he’d really enjoy a lunch at Casey’s Corner, so even though I was a bit skeptical on the gluten free side of things here I wanted to give him one last non-gluten free treat before our departure. Little one had sadly fallen asleep in route to the restaurant so unfortunately no hot dog for her this time, but judging by my husband’s liking of his lunch he’ll probably want to revisit down the road.
I spoke with the manager once we were at the front of the line, interrogated her on the ingredients and cooking process, and finally ordered a plain hot dog with a bag of chips, not exactly what I wanted but the cheesy topping I was wishing for was off limits. Soon enough both of our lunches were ready and we managed to find our way to a standing table top outside of the restaurant. The hot dog itself was great but the roll on the other hand was far from good, it crumbled apart instantly and had a really displeasing spongy texture, pretty disappointing especially since there are better gluten free roll options out there. Sadly for me, I wouldn’t want to return here for a gluten free meal but I’ll certainly be tagging along for my other two hot dog lovers in my family.
Bye Disney World! Until we return as a family of four!
The rest of our day was filled with lots of waiting and travel so a lot less magical than how we started it. Even though it was time for us to leave, which is always the worst part of any trip, we were leaving with tons of pictures and videos so we could relive the memories for years to come with both of our little girls. Every Disney trip has been fantastic and special in its own way but this one will always hold an extra special place in our hearts as our last one as a family of three and our second little girl’s first unofficial trip to Disney nestled close to Mommy’s heart. So for now, goodbye Disney and we’ll see you when we return as a family of four!
Looking at Disney pictures is always a love/hate relationship, loving the memories that we made but hating that we’re not there right now but as they always say if you’re doing something all of the time it’s not as special anymore. Our last full day in Disney this year we tried out a breakfast at Crystal Palace and had some relaxing time meandering through Magic Kingdom before indulging in some dinner at the Polynesian courtesy of Kona Cafe.
Last full day of fun at Magic Kingdom!
We started our day off bright and early with a not-so-fun breakfast at Crystal Palace. Little one was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh and friends and I wasn’t very pleased with the gluten free food so needless to say the breakfast as a whole wasn’t a winner but thankfully it didn’t put a damper on the rest of the day. Once we finished with breakfast we were ready to explore some of the less frequented rides before our scheduled fast passes later in the day. But before the riding commenced we had to sneak in some photo time with Baby Girl #2’s first set of ears to commemorate her trip in Mommy’s belly, it was also a perfect way to announce that we were expecting a little girl.
A special baby announcement with the help of Minnie!
After a few pictures in the new gardens in front of the castle, we headed straight for Adventureland to enjoy some of our favorite attractions. Since we had only eaten a very light breakfast at Crystal Palace we were all more than ready for something to eat for an early lunch after a little bit of riding. Since we were in Adventureland we decided to try out Tortuga Tavern for Dan and little one while I requested a Dole Whip. They loved their nachos and cheese quesadilla and as for my Dole Whip, well let’s just say that the cup looks so much prettier when it’s filled with all of this deliciousness instead of empty. Everyone has their own way of enjoying a Dole Whip, mine is to get pineapple and vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, a huge winner for me pregnant or not pregnant! It is by far one of my favorite gluten free snacks in Disney World and a great use of a snack credit on the dining plan!
Gluten free Dole Whip, pineapple/vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, at Aloha Isle!
Don’t worry I didn’t just eat a Dole Whip for lunch I did indulge in a few more snacks later on like Disney’s signature popcorn and roasted nuts from my favorite stand by Dumbo in Fantasyland. But in-between all of the snacking it was time to use our fastpasses for some of favorite rides like Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan with a few character meet and greets with Cinderella’s stepsisters and Ariel in there as well. It was a relaxing way to enjoy some time in Magic Kingdom and as our little one faded we decided to head out early, meander through some shops, and get in some pool time before our dinner later on.
Kona Cafe Gluten Free Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken Dish
After a decent size nap, little one woke up back in the room where Mommy and Daddy were doing the less fun packing to go home. So we could squeeze in a little more time packing we treated little one to a Mickey lollipop and some tv time. Finally she donned her best Ariel bathing suit and joined Daddy for some perfect pool time while Mommy was on picture duty lounging outside of the pool. She certainly loves herself some time splashing around in the pool so I’m so glad we were able to squeeze in another round before one of our most anticipated dinners at Kona Cafe.
Before too long we were back at the Polynesian and ready for our dinner, a personal favorite for me in the gluten free department. After being seated, I was handed the new gluten free menu which I can say had both pros and cons. I definitely liked how you could see all of your options without waiting to speak to the chef and even though you can still request to speak with the chef I did feel like they didn’t really prefer you to do so now that the menu was clear. I personally always prefer to speak to someone who is knowledgeable about the food whether it’s a manager or chef but this trip I decided to forego that request and just order by the menu. I ordered my favorite Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken dish with the Kilauea Torte for dessert and emphasized that they needed to be done very carefully and gluten free, unfortunately our waiter wasn’t very pleasant and just laughed at my request. I was so taken aback by his response that I told him that I’d get very ill and it wasn’t something to laugh about. This kind of reaction isn’t really new to me but at Disney it certainly was, so needless to say I was less than pleased with him the rest of our meal.
Our meals arrived shortly after the bread course which is always a winner for little one and I definitely enjoy the warmed gluten free dinner rolls with the special butter too. While little one gobbled down her Mickey raviolis, a star in her book, I nibbled at my noodle dish. I have to say that this time around I think a little too much seasoning was added for my taste and it was pretty dry too, not having nearly enough sauce like it always does. I’m not sure if it was the lack of talking to the chef personally or if that was just coincidence but after our experience this time around with the waiter I’ll most certainly always be speaking with the chef from here on. Despite the little bit of a flop that my main entree took, the dessert was just as delicious as always, the chocolaty lava cake spilling over with warm chocolate sauce inside was divine. Check out one of my older reviews to catch a peak of this delicious gluten free dessert option.
All together, our last full day was fantastic, great weather, great food, and tons of smiles and laughs, can’t ask for a better day than that. And to put the perfect finishing touch on the day we managed to make one final viewing of little one’s favorite parade. She loved everything about it, the music, the lights and floats, but by far her favorite part was waving frantically and screaming hi to every single friend she saw even getting a special hug hello from Snow White. There’s no doubt our little one is a Disney lover, I mean she watches Disney Junior daily, but watching our little two year old be so in love with a place as special as Disney World is beyond magical for her Mommy and Daddy.
Stay tuned for our last day’s worth of treats and adventures!
Since our previous day at Epcot was on the chillier side we wanted to make sure we got back over there to enjoy the flowers, butterflies, and characters in a little bit of a warmer climate and thankfully we picked the perfect day for all of that. With the sun out and a little bit of a cool breeze first thing in the morning, we were off to explore some of the countries we missed the first time around and even squeeze in some of little one’s favorite rides! Before the World Showcase opened we finally made our way on Spaceship Earth which we had the pleasure of riding in French (makes for a funny ride and after story that’s for sure lol), Nemo and the aquarium which our little one loved exploring on her own, the butterfly garden which was just as much fun this time around as it was the first time, and I can’t forget our second visit to see Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie, friends that little one just had to revisit.
Mommy & little one love by the butterfly topiaries!
Once the World Showcase had opened it was time for us to head over and venture through some of the countries little one had slept through on our first Epcot day. Mexico was a big hit with the Donald featured boat ride along with actually getting to see the big guy himself right outside. Then we were onto Norway which was the perfect pit stop for a light lunch along with a sweet treat, not for myself unfortunately, sorry gluten free folks out there, but a winner for my daughter and husband. With someone’s belly filled with a little sandwich and a lot a sweet pastry, we were on our way again to explore a couple more countries before our planned early dinner in Italy.
Lunch at Epcot’s Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar started with some SPECTACULAR gluten free bread by Rotella’s Italian Bakery.
After a fun filled morning, little one decided to close her eyes for a bit after an impromptu Snow White visit. While little one napped, Mommy and Daddy wondered through some gift shops and then parked in a perfectly shaded spot next to the lake to enjoy the cool breeze that almost put us down for our naps too. Before long, we were all up and going again and decided to head in for an early dinner at Tutto Gusto, the wine cellar in Italy that’s become by far of our favorite dining locations in Epcot. We were seated quickly and greeted by our waitress who brought along the manager to take my gluten free order. Not surprisingly I went with my usual favorite of Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro with the Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta for dessert, but not without a starter of gluten free bread.
The non-gluten free bread sticks and focaccia arrived for Dan and little one which made a certain somebody a happy camper with a bread stick in one hand and a cup of apple juice in the other. Not too long after, my plate arrived with some very appetizing new gluten free bread that I hadn’t had before. After some inquiries I found out that they weren’t too pleased with their previous gluten free offerings so they had chosen to go with a new brand of gluten free bread by Rotella’s Italian Bakery. This bread was by far the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had! It was fresh, soft, not crumbly in the slightest bit, and had some pull just like a normal slice of bread. It was SPECTACULAR, so much so I’ve already inquired on their website about hopefully ordering some for my enjoyment at home.
Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro courtesy of Epcot’s Tutto Gusto!
The gluten free bread was soon finished and this mommy-to-be couldn’t get over the sense of euphoria that the delectable bread put me in. It really was such a treat to enjoy a truly phenomenal gluten free bread that required no preparation and was just pulled straight from the bag! Anyway, soon after the bread delivery our main courses arrived and my Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro looked just as delicious as always, so much so that little one decided to share my pasta with me instead of even tasting her chicken fingers. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was enveloped in a delicious tomato sauce with chunks of tomato and bits of burrata cheese scattered throughout. This is a perfect way to enjoy gluten free pasta and will keep us coming back for many trips to come.
A Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta is the perfect way to end a meal at Tutto Gusto!
And without further delay, my chocolaty dessert arrived making mommy and baby very happy. The Chocolate Cherry Panna Cotta is an amazing example of a gluten free dessert that goes above and beyond offering a plate of fruit or cup of sorbet. The cherries on top are delicious of course but the star for me is the chocolate panna cotta below which is light and airy but creamy at the same time, a delicious treat for any diner but especially a gluten free one who rarely gets to indulge in desserts like these.
Mommy, Daddy, and Baby #2 while little one slept before dinner!
Dinner at Tutto Gusto was as always perfection. The staff there are phenomenal and perfectly attentive to the needs of a gluten free diner along with a little toddler who loves to say hello and show off her coloring and play-doh masterpieces. With another amazing meal under our belts at Tutto Gusto, it’s now become a must do dining experience with every vacation.
A perfect ending to our Epcot experience during our 2015 Disney Vacation.
Since we had finished with dinner a bit earlier than usual we took our time meandering back through the rest of the countries and decided to hop on the monorail to enjoy some Magic Kingdom fun along with the parade later on that night. Our day in Epcot was such a relaxing one, allowing us to enjoy the warmer weather while exploring all of the Flower and Garden festivities with some Epcot fun in-between. We’re Epcot lovers so a little extra time there was perfect and definitely topped off an already special trip.
We love our Animal Kingdom days not only for the park itself but also the sheer fact that they are hands down much more relaxing and slower paced than any of the other days in our vacation. This time around our Animal Kingdom day was no different and was perfectly timed right in the middle of our trip. So with a little extra sleep under our belts and a slightly later breakfast we were off to indulge my little animal lover in one of her favorite adventures in Disney.
First on our schedule was the safari which I know some say is off limits when you’re pregnant but having ridden the ride before when pregnant I felt more than comfortable. We requested the front row in our vehicle so it was slightly less bumpy for this expecting mommy and we were off to enjoy the safari. We all loved this ride, by far one of our favorites in Animal Kingdom and if you haven’t heard this recommendation before, I highly recommend hopping on this one first thing as most of the animals are up and about. After our safari ride we wandered the shaded, curvy paths, letting our little girl get some energy out in a less congested venue while seeing some her favorite animals. With animal watching checked off the itinerary it was time for some snacks, a gluten free, frozen chocolate and nut covered banana for mommy and a Mickey pretzel for little one while we headed off to watch some of the best shows Animal Kingdom has to offer and Dan hopped on a rollercoaster. P.S. I love the frozen banana, such a delicious gluten free treat!!!!
Some warmer fun at Animal Kingdom!
With a full morning of fun we were more than ready for some lunch. Now this was an adventure to say the least. Just a word of warning if you’re visiting Animal Kingdom right now, there’s a lot of construction going on in certain areas so that means a lot of walls which isn’t a huge deal. Unfortunately though, our all time favorite lunch location in this park, Flame Tree Barbecue, has been closed for refurbishment since earlier this year so it too was walled up and missing. Good news is that you can still order some of their amazing barbecue offerings at other stands nearby and even dine at some of the pavillions towards the river but for the gluten free vacationer things are a bit more complicated than usual. Thankfully I could still order myself some gluten free pulled pork with a manager who was called to the stand, but the portion was much smaller than usual and you were limited to only getting a bag of chips for a side rather than the delicious fries that I love so much at Flame Tree. The meal was delicious as always of course but I just could have gone for a lot more pulled pork than what I actually got. I for one can’t wait until the refurbishments are finished and I can enjoy some gluten free barbecue in all of the splendor Flame Tree is known for!
While lunch was a little different than always, it was a huge relief that I could personally still enjoy my usual but sadly there was an even bigger disappointment in store at Animal Kingdom for the gluten free folks. One of my all time favorite perks of visiting Animal Kingdom is indulging in a BabyCakes breakfast treat, courtesy of the allergy stand, but unfortunately the menu has changed a bit and there appears to be little to no BabyCakes gluten free treats at the allergy stand any longer. I had heard that the product offerings had changed but crossed my fingers and hoped for the best anyway that maybe that day would be my lucky day. Sadly, it wasn’t, they no longer seem to offer my all time favorite gluten free treats by BabyCakes, their delicious and perfect donuts. I believe they still offer the cupcakes but I can’t tell you how disappointed I was that instead of the fresh BabyCakes breakfast treats they now offer the donuts by Kinnikinnick. I’m hoping that one day I’ll be lucky enough to witness a return of BabyCakes gluten free donuts, and maybe even more products, to the Animal Kingdom allergy stand and hopefully even more locations throughout Disney.
Overall our day in Animal Kingdom was fantastic as always with a few hiccups dining wise but with an early dinner scheduled at a new dining location for us we couldn’t have been more excited for our meal to come. So we called it an early afternoon and took a short bus ride over to Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’d never dined at any restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge before but we’ve always wanted to take a peak at the stunning resort and dabble in some of the eats, Dan more so than I seeing as I’m much more of a conservative and less adventurous diner. So this vacation we thought it would be a great time to dine with the animals in clear view and enjoy some new cuisine at Sanaa.
Gluten Free Naan at Sanaa with three accompaniments!
We arrived early afternoon to hopefully explore the resort a bit while little one napped. The nap part was successful but instead of exploring we/I decided to rest our feet on a beautiful, shaded porch where we could watch giraffes, birds, and zebras wander by. It was the perfect, relaxing nap time with amazing views of all Animal Kingdom has to offer but the views from the porch were nothing compared to the front row seating at Sanaa itself. We checked in early and managed to snag a perfect seat right in front of a window allowing us to see all kinds of wildlife pass by. Little one was in rare form to start the meal so things were a bit chaotic at the beginning but thankfully they calmed down a bit allowing all of us all to take in the beauty of the experience.
Normally I’m hesitant to try new things but while pregnant I’m even more so mostly because of my extraordinarily sensitive palette and stomach. The gluten free menu had a huge selection but I decided to go simple and start with the gluten free version of the bread service that I’ve been reading so many phenomenal things about and try the tomato soup for my main dish. Along with the gluten free naan I chose three accompaniments including the Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, and Cucumber Raita.
Gluten Free Sanaa Indian Bread Service for yours truly!
I cannot say enough fantastic things about the gluten free naan. It was AMAZING!!! While I’m not sure what regular naan is supposed to taste and feel like, the gluten free version is beyond phenomenal. I only wish I could indulge in the soft and chewy textured bread service while at home but that’s why vacations are special right! As far as the three accompaniments, I mostly chose them because the chef suggested them as the non-spicy options and I’m so glad that she did. The hummus and raita were by far my favorites, the mango chutney wasn’t really up my alley mostly because of the sweetness but Dan personally loved it. Thanks to the gluten free bread service alone at Sanaa we’ll definitely be back in the future, and I may even order my very own bread!
Gluten Free Tomato Soup at Sanaa
While Dan and little one’s main dishes arrived, my tomato soup had as well. The tomato soup was perfectly seasoned with a few pieces of cheese floating around as well, making it a perfect little dish. Even though the soup was definitely tasty, one of my least favorite pregnancy ailments had been large and in charge that day of our vacation so thanks to my acid reflux I only could enjoy a little bit.
View from our table at Sanaa!
I just couldn’t get over the amazing view we had while we were eating dinner. Most of the animals we were able to see grazing around and occasionally walking by but we were fortunate enough to have a closer visit from a little someone. Excuse my lack of knowledge of wildlife but we liked to call him the funny haired, tall bird who seemed to really enjoy the restaurant diners, coming over repeatedly and pecking at the windows where we were seated, definitely brought a few smiles to our little girl.
Sanaa’s Gluten Free Coconut Kulfi!
Dinner at any Disney restaurant isn’t complete without dessert so after rave reviews of all of our main dishes, we were ready to enjoy something sweet. I opted for the gluten free Kulfi which happened to be coconut that evening with some fresh fruit. It was certainly a delicious dessert but I’m personally not a huge fan of coconut so I only took a few bites and shared my fruit with little one who seemed to prefer mommy’s dessert over her own s’more sundae, certainly not what her mommy would’ve chosen out of the two. I’ve read that the Kulfi flavors do change so I’m certain I would’ve loved a different flavor but for me this one was just too much coconut.
Ending a peaceful Animal Kingdom day with a little Magic Kingdom fun, parade, fireworks, and some more night time splendors!
Our day at Animal Kingdom and dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge were fantastic! It’s still one of our favorite days during our vacation and I can officially say after rave reviews from Dan and nearly finished portion of naan pizza by little one that we’ll be dining again at Sanaa. I’d say this Disney day was a success and I’ll be dreaming of that amazing gluten free naan until we meet again!
In all of my Disney travels over the years I can never remember having to wear a jacket, let alone pants. But our 4th day in Disney was definitely on the chillier side so jackets and pants were a must. The short spurt of chilly weather in the middle of our trip was certainly a rarity for us on our Disney vacations but I have to say I preferred it over the sweltering heat that we usually have experienced on our summer vacations. So with sweatshirts, jackets, and pants on we were prepared for our half a day in Hollywood Studios.
Hollywood Studios
We usually don’t spend too much time in Hollywood Studios seeing as there’s a ton for our little one to do but we certainly packed a lot into our shortened day. We started off with a bang and twisted and turned on the Toy Story ride, which our little girl happened to love this time, attempting to pull the string and play the game with her too big 3D glasses on. On the way to Daddy’s Aerosmith rollercoaster, we had to make a quick stop to give some hugs to Pluto and Chip and Dale. We were back in route again and Daddy was off to ride his ride while little one and I picked up a new pressed penny book and added some new pressed pennies. After a little rest for Mommy and little one a warm bench, Daddy soon reappeared and we were off to catch the Disney Junior show, which is always a winner, followed by some hugs, kisses, and a little dancing too with Sofia and Jake. The last adventure before lunch was our little girl’s first time in the Honey I Shrunk The Kids inspired land which she absolutely loved; anything that includes climbing ropes, running around, and conquering twisty paths and slides is a winner for our courageous little girl.
Gluten free greek salad lunch at Studio Catering Co..
Since we were right next door we decided on Studio Catering Co. for lunch which in my book is a huge winner for gluten free diners. In the past I’ve taken advantage of their delicious gluten free roll choice and enjoyed a sandwich and fries, take a look at the Gluten Free Italian sandwich, but this lunch I was more in the mood for a salad so it was a gluten free greek salad this time around. My salad was put together safely and in a separate space and I was able to watch every bit of it being put together making me feel a lot more comfortable. Soon enough all of our meals were delivered and I was enjoying a Gluten Free Greek Salad with my favorite, an OMG Gluten Free Fudge Brownie for dessert. It was a perfect lunch, just enough to tide me over until a little snack that afternoon, a strawberry macaron maybe?
We finished up our day at Hollywood Studios with the Little Mermaid show, another winner for little one and headed out as our little girl had fallen asleep. We’d never taken the boats from Hollywood Studios but we decided it was a great opportunity especially since we had dinner at Epcot a little later and we could probably keep little one sleeping a little while longer that way. So with that we got a tour via boat of some of the other resorts between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and finally arrived at Epcot’s back corner near France. Since little girl was still sleeping and we happened to be in the right neck of the woods, I enjoyed another Gluten Free Strawberry Macaron from the snack stand while we put our feet up to enjoy some peace and quiet over in England.
Gluten free dinner at Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot’s England.
As nap time came to a close we decided to try to sneak in for an earlier dinner in England since it had warmed up enough to maybe enjoy an outdoor seat on the lake. Lucky us we were squeezed in early and got a great seat by an outdoor heater with a great view of the lake and the hustle and bustle on the main street, plenty to occupy our rambunctious toddler. Our waitress was phenomenal and made sure all of us were well taken care of, especially making sure the chef, Chef Joe, was out and tending to my gluten free needs without too much delay. We’ve dined at Rose & Crown before so Chef Joe actually remembered us, even recalling my order of a Gluten Free Filet with Garlic Herb Butter, Green Beans, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. It was great to see a familiar face in the ordering process, especially one that remembered us too. So without further delay our orders were all placed and our food was soon on its way.
A Rose & Crown Pub gluten free filet with crispy green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.
The filet with the garlic, herb butter sauce was just as delicious as before, Chef Joe really did me proud. Each bite was just as tasty as the last and even though this pregnant mommy has really been off of meat this pregnancy I managed to eat a huge portion of my filet. I should mention that the accompaniments were just as delicious as the main star on the plate. The string beans were fresh and crispy and the garlic mashed potatoes were so creamy and had just the right amount of garlic. My main dish was delicious but I definitely was looking forward to a sweet treat at the end.
Rose & Crown gluten free English trifle with layers of fruit and custard, hold the cookie.
Per Chef Joe’s recommendation, I went with the Gluten Free English Trifle, sans the cookie, which is layers of fruit and custard. The custard was phenomenal and the strawberries were a perfect match. While I certainly enjoyed my dessert it was even better watching our little girl, who ordered the same treat I had but with the cookie addition, enjoy hers even more. Spoonful after spoonful elicited that grin and “mmm” sound making all of us smile along with her enjoyment.
All in all, I can’t say enough great things about dining gluten free at the Rose & Crown Pub. My whole family, along with our little girl, loves dining here each and every time, this time being no exception. Our meal outdoors, even though it was chilly, was so fun and made even better by our waitress who our little girl just loved talking and playing show and tell with. While the staff are truly fantastic as a whole, the highlight for us was the attentiveness of the chef. The chef himself brings out your meal and dessert and even checks on you to make sure all was to your liking. Chef Joe does a fantastic job catering to any request and deserves a huge thank you from my family and probably many others for the great work he does behind the scenes.
Such a fun night in Epcot!
It was a perfect day in Disney, a little chilly, but from start to finish filled with good food and lots of fun. We had a great day in Hollywood Studios and an even better night in Epcot which we topped off with few rides. What we love about each of our Disney trips is that every day in Disney is special and holds so many different memories. This trip was no different and by Day 4 we had already created so many special memories and we couldn’t wait to enjoy even more the next few days!
Not too long ago, pre-babies, Dan and I ventured to Europe and Disney World while I was pregnant with our first little one. We created so many amazing adventures with little one in my belly, ones that she’ll surely love hearing about down the road. Although they were both difficult for completely different reasons, they were so worth it for us to add to our memory book. Just as we were trying for our second baby we had been in talks for our 2015 vacation. We knew we wanted to do another Disney trip but the timing was of course a question. With no luck on the positive pregnancy test front yet we bit the bullet and booked our vacation for spring and two days later learned the excited news. We were so thrilled about the positive test result that we had almost forgotten we had planned a vacation that would put me nicely in my third trimester which for me was a no go. The next day we bumped up our vacation to a new time of year we hadn’t experienced in Disney yet and signed ourselves up for another vacation while expecting.
As the one who was actually expecting, I couldn’t have been more excited to be pregnant and bring my family to Disney again but I have to admit my constant nerves about the unexpected. You just never know how your pregnancy will go and planning a vacation, especially one like Disney where the weather can be really hot and uncomfortable and the intensity level is well, less than relaxing, is a pretty nerve wracking undertaking. Nonetheless, this mommy-to-be was Disney bound with our little toddler who’s surely a Disney baby and our new little one who would get to share a similar story with her sister of her visit in mommy’s belly, how cool?!?! I couldn’t help but be so excited for the vacation ahead, to experience the magic of Disney, create more family memories that will last a lifetime, and enjoy one last trip as a family of three before our new addition makes her appearance.
Disney World at 22 weeks with Baby #2
So as I turned into my 22nd week, I packed my maternity attire and emergency supplies and we were off to experience the magic of Disney. We headed out nice and early for the first flight of the day so we could get in a nice full first day. We all made it through the flight in one piece and were greeted in Orlando with warm and sunny weather, a stark difference from the impending snowstorm in the Northeast. We quickly switched into some summer clothes and were greeted by the Magical Express who whisked us away to our home away from home, the Wilderness Lodge. With magic bands on our wrists, we were ready to start our Disney adventure and couldn’t wait to head over to the Magic Kingdom to ring in our trip.
By the time we had checked in and caught the boat over to Magic Kingdom it was lunch time so we grabbed little one a quick lunch and mommy a little snack too from Roaring Fork at Wilderness Lodge and decided to hop on a few rides first before we lunched on something more substantial. Since our little girl’s favorite attractions are by far those in Fantasyland we headed that way first and caught a few Disney staples before this mommy-to-be was in desperate need of sustenance. For the first lunch of our trip we decided on one of my all time favorites, the Turkey Leg from the Frontierland cart over by Splash Mountain which is also conveniently located right next to a Mickey Pretzel stand that was music to our little girl’s ears.
Mommy & baby with a giant turkey leg.
I manned the pretzel stand and grabbed our little girl her very own Mickey pretzel, which are sadly not gluten free, while Dan checked over the turkey leg ingredients and picked up lunch for us. I’m normally not a huge meat eater, especially while pregnant, but just the thought of a delicious, juicy turkey leg made my mouth water so I knew it would be the perfect fit for lunch for me. And it was just as delicious as in my memory, thanks to the smoking it was a juicy cross between ham and turkey that is a hugely satisfying lunch for anyone out there. Since I hardly ever put a significant dent in a Disney turkey leg Dan agreed to share one for our lunch especially since we were eating an earlier dinner at Hollywood Studios. With both of us devouring the turkey leg, after some time sitting in the shade the turkey leg was no more and the Mickey pretzel, well didn’t really resemble Mickey too well after my little girl was through with it. With Daddy’s finishing touches on the pretzel we were off to enjoy a bit more of Magic Kingdom before a little afternoon nap.
We had a fantastic couple of hours in Magic Kingdom to kick off our vacation and were really looking forward to a perfect first dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe. We caught our bus over to Hollywood Studios without too much of a delay and arrived for our dinner more or less on time, checked in, and waited a bit too long for our table to be ready. Our little girl was less than patient waiting for our table, pure exhaustion was setting in, which made the waiting a lot more painful, but thankfully we were called back and settled in without too much trouble. I requested to speak to the chef since our waitress hadn’t heard anything about my allergy free fried chicken pre-order which unfortunately was the same response from the chef. Despite my ordering ahead of time via email and phone, the chef told us that he hadn’t heard anything about the allergy order, which was so frustrating for me especially since I had taken all of the extra steps to make dinner easier. Last time this had happened the chef told us he couldn’t make the chicken for me but thankfully this chef was so accommodating and just told us it would take a little while but I could absolutely enjoy the chicken. So without too much delay my Gluten Free Fried Chicken had arrived piping hot and with an allergy pick sticking out of it.
Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time Cafe Gluten Free Fried Chicken
The chicken was just as tasty as I had remembered, crispy coating covering the juicy, tender meat inside. It was perfectly complemented with a garlicky mashed potato and crispy green beans, which my little girl was appreciative of enjoying as well. All together my entree was delicious but I do wish that my extra homework ahead of time paid off and not only guaranteed me my meal but also limited our wait too. Thankfully this dinner we got lucky and had a great chef who looked just as frustrated as we did when he heard what had happened but nonetheless put together a great gluten free meal for me.
Hollywood Studios, 50s Prime Time Cafe Gluten Free Dad’s Brownie Sundae
We certainly couldn’t finish our dinner at 50s without a Gluten Free Dad’s Brownie Sundae so it was one sundae for us three to split and trust me there’s more than enough to do just that. A perfect gluten free brownie smothered in all kinds of fixings, from hot fudge to vanilla ice cream and a mountain of whipped cream to all kinds of candies. It was perfection, my only complaint was the missing popcorn topping which may or may not still come on the sundae, not sure about that one, but that aside, the sundae was delicious!
Our first day of our Disney vacation was certainly a magical one filled with lots of smiles, delicious gluten free and non-gluten free food, and an extra special purple Mickey balloon for an extra special little girl. After so much excitement on our first day we called it an early night and relaxed back at our room only to find the biggest surprise of all, our room was in perfect view of Magic Kingdom’s firework show. With such an amazing surprise, we pushed off bedtime a bit and snuggled together on our balcony to enjoy the amazing firework show. Can’t ask for a better ending to our first day than that! Stay tuned for more Disney updates from our 2015 Disney vacation!
We’re back from our last vacation as a family of three! Every ounce of our trip was filled with so much magic and so many memories. Our little girl was in love with every bit of Disney from the big castle and seeing all of her friends to riding rides and watching parades, there is truly no better feeling than watching your little one love something so much! We certainly did create memories for a lifetime and I can’t wait to tell our second little one of their first unofficial trip to Disney in mommy’s belly.
Couldn’t love my family more!
It’s hard to believe next time we venture down to Disney we’ll be a four rather than a three but we couldn’t be more excited to make even more Disney memories with our little one and her new baby sister. That’s right! We’re having a little girl! While I never really had a “feeling” of what this little one might be I would’ve sworn it was a boy judging by how different I had felt this pregnancy from my first but after two ultrasounds confirming it we are definitely going to be welcoming our second little girl this summer! I’m so in love with our first little girl and I just can’t wait to shower our new little one with just as much love.
Little one is going to have a little sister coming this summer!
Stay tuned for more pregnancy updates and Disney gluten free recaps!
With Disney just around the corner, my weeks just keep getting busier and busier. On the top of my to do list this week is to share my belly pics from the last few weeks. I can hardly believe I’m 21 weeks right now, even though my belly and baby movement confirms just that. So needless to say I have some catching up on here to do. On top of sharing my pregnancy moments in time with you, I also wanted to go over my dining agenda for our Disney vaca coming up very soon. With my appetite halfway back to normal I’m so excited to dine at Disney and share with all of you my gluten free Disney dining plans! So for my Happy Monday post I thought I’d sprinkle my blog with a little Disney magic and share our dining plans!
We’ve taken a number of trips over our years together and the planning is always one of my favorite parts. No, we don’t have typed out itineraries planning every detail down to scheduled bathroom pit stops, but we do make sure we have a plan for each of our days figured out before we go. Thankfully, this practice came in handy when vacationing gluten free because there’s certainly no better way to travel gluten free then with a plan. Our Disney vacations are no different, in fact Disney themselves make it so you almost have to plan out every detail of your vacation before you even go, from dining 6 months out to picking your ride fastpasses 60 days prior to leaving. Yes, it takes a bit of the spontaneity out of your vacation which we still try to maintain with open-ended lunch locations and a dinner or two along with our park hopper passes, but for this Gluten Free Mom To Be planning most of my meals ahead is a must.
One of our favorite topiaries last year! Wish we could’ve taken it home for our Bambi nursery!
This time around we’re venturing to Disney in a cooler season than we had originally planned thanks to Baby #2’s arrival early to mid- summer, but we’re so excited because we’re going to be there for the Flower and Garden Festival, an amazing Epcot event that we were able to catch at the very end last Spring. On top of the gorgeous floral topiaries, we’re so excited to revisit the butterfly garden with our little butterfly lover. enjoy some of the music that’s supposed to be there that weekend, and finally make a few pit stops to some of the food stands throughout the countries, which I’m crossing my fingers that there are some gluten free and pregnancy friendly treats for me to enjoy. But on top of the special event that we’re going to be around for, we’ve got some really exciting meals planned, some are favorites that we do every time, some are occasional meals that we like to enjoy here and there, and some are brand new places for us!
Day 1: We always try to head straight over to Magic Kingdom our first day after we arrive and sneak in a lunch and a few rides before an early dinner. We have an early dinner reservation at 50s Prime Time Cafe, which has kind of turned into a tradition of doing on the first night. What can I say, I look forward to that fried chicken for months before so why not ring in your vacation with as a great a gluten free dish as this one.
50s Prime Time Cafe gluten free friend chicken.
Day 2: We’re heading back to Magic Kingdom to enjoy some more of our favorite rides, characters, and parades until our dinner at Ohana at the Polynesian. We haven’t been to Ohana the past few trips but we think our little girl will really like the food not to mention everything going on around her this time around. I just wish they could do a gluten free lomein when they bring that delicious looking bowl full of the gluten filled version but I’ll just be happy with that amazing salad to start!
Our first Ohana visit when I was pregnant with our little girl!
Day 3: One of our favorite stops when we’re in Disney World is Epcot, and especially now with the Flower and Garden Festival going on. With most of this day spent in Epcot, we planned a new dinner for us at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios. It’s a two meal dinner so it’s a splurge but the menu is definitely up Dan’s alley and their infamous Cobb Salad is right up mine. I couldn’t resist trying it this time around thanks to the amazing reviews by Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free in WDW & Gluten Free in Orlando. So excited for this one!
Day 4: Hollywood Studios is usually our shortest day so we’re planning on doing a morning at that park and then maybe some pool time if it’s warm enough before our dinner at the Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot. Dan loves the Rose & Crown food, I’m more of a fan of the actual restaurant and the outdoor seating right on the lake even though they have made a delicious steak with garlic mashed potatoes.
Day 5: We’ve always wanted to see Animal Kingdom Lodge but truthfully haven’t made it over there because it’s kind of out of the way. We figured there was no time like the present and we’d take advantage of our Animal Kingdom day and just head straight over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for a new dinner. Our little girl loves animals so Animal Kingdom is always a highlight of her trip so we figured a dinner at Sanaa would be a real treat for her, especially if we catch a glimpse of animals grazing by while we eat. Even though I’ve read pretty good reviews on the dining here, I’m still a bit nervous because the cuisine is not necessarily up my alley but Dan is beyond excited.
Day 6: Time for our second Epcot day! While I’m not too keen on all of the walking that Epcot entails while I’m pregnant, I am really happy that this trip we’re not going to be doing the trek in 110 degree summer heat like we’ve done in the past. We decided this day to either take advantage of the food stands or do a delicious dinner at Tutto Gusto wine cellar in Italy. I’m leaning towards a nice sit down dinner where I can get my favorite gluten free Pomodoro Pasta or maybe something new!
Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro at Epcot’s Tutto Gusto
Day 7: We always try to do a character breakfast every trip, especially since we have a huge Disney lover on our hands. This time around we decided to do an early breakfast at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom where you can meet Winnie the Pooh and friends. We’ve done this breakfast before and little one loved the humongous squishy characters who she couldn’t get enough hugs from, but now she knows who they are so I think it might be an even bigger hit.
Crystal Palace gluten free breakfast in Magic Kingdom
After our breakfast at Crystal Palace we’ll spend our last full day in Magic Kingdom, day and night, with a break at dinner time for one of my favorite dinners at Kona Cafe in the Polynesian. This has become an every vacation tradition, and usually ends up being our last night’s dinner because we LOVE this dinner location! Anywhere where I can get a humongous bowl of their gluten free noodle dish with grilled chicken that reminds me of my favorite lomein of years past is phenomenal in my book!
Large bowl full of Kona Cafe’s gluten free Pan-Asian Noodles!
Day 8: Our last day in Disney is bitter sweet, we usually book our flight for later in the day/night so we can enjoy a fuller day at the end. We squeeze some of our last favorite rides, sit down for a nice lunch, and just relax back at the resort until our not so Magical Express arrives to take us to the airport.
We’re so excited to explore Disney one last time as a family of three but also with our second little one in tow in mommy’s belly makes it even more special. We vacationed in Disney in the heat of the summer when I was pregnant with our first little girl and we just love telling her that she was in Disney before she was even born and now we’ll get to do the same for this little one. Since we’ve had some hiccups the past few vacations, my fingers are crossed extra tight that we’re all happy and healthy for this adventure. We’re so excited for our big vacation, and as always I’ll be sharing my delicious meals with you when I get back so stay tuned to see how the dining goes but also to find out if our little girl will have a new brother or sister!
