Walt Disney World Resort

This is a copy of the letter Walt Disney World Resort sent me in response to my question about whether they offer any gluten free foods at their restaurants. The letter is dated January 1, 2005.

Dear Lani,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World® Resort.

We appreciate your interest in learning what arrangements might be possible in our theme park and resort restaurants for guests with specific dietary restrictions. First, please know that the chefs and managers in our full-service restaurants are always happy to provide information regarding not only the ingredients of menu selections, but also how items are prepared. In many instances, food may be specially prepared to accommodate particular dietary restrictions.

It is also sometimes possible for our restaurants to prepare food items using special ingredients (gluten-free flour, for example). For this reason, we encourage you to make your particular restriction known when booking priority seating arrangements for our full-service restaurants, so that the appropriate notation may be made. Priority seating may be arranged up to 90 days in advance for selected restaurants by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).

You may also be interested to know that with very few exceptions, our restaurants use only canola oil in the preparation of our food. According to our Epcot® Executive Chef, canola oil contains the lowest percentage of saturated fat of all the commonly used cooking oils. Peanut oil, however, is used in our restaurants featuring oriental cuisine, because of its higher smoke point. This is an important consideration for items being stir-fried, for example, as other oils tend to burn when used at such high temperatures.

If you have specific inquiries or would like recommendations regarding the food served at the park restaurants, you are welcome to call the executive chefs or Food and Beverage managers for our theme parks, at the telephone numbers listed below. If no one is immediately available when you call, please be sure to leave a message and a telephone number where you may be reached.

Magic Kingdom Park: 407-824-5967
Epcot: 407-560-7292
Disney-MGM Studios: 407-560-1347
Disney's Animal Kingdom: 407-939-7536 (Please note Walt Disney World Company operates no
full-service restaurants in this park.)

We would also like to mention that as an exception to our standard policy, guests who have specific food allergies are welcome to bring their own small snack items with them into the theme parks. However, picnic baskets, ice chests, and coolers are not permitted.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if applicable on all correspondence.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Lainie Weidner
WDW Online Communications