Guest Author - Sarah Norris: Holidays at Disney with a Special Diet

When traveling to the Walt Disney World Resort with a special diet during the holidays, guests might wonder if they’ll be able to celebrate with special treats. The great news is that at Disney World, you can enjoy the jolliest of holidays with ease and delicious (and safe!) food. Here are some particularly magical holiday tips and ideas to help create that extra special holiday vacation.

Enjoy a holiday feast! Not matter what holiday you’re celebrating this fall and winter season, you can get a traditional turkey dinner any day of the week at Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom. Gluten free diners can happily enjoy honest to goodness gravy (which happens to be dairy free and allergy friendly too) with their turkey dinner. Dairy free? You’ll swoon over the delicious dairy free mashed potatoes. My family dines here every year during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for that holiday tradition. You’ll also love the holiday décor in the restaurant.

Did someone say cookies? Santa Claus isn’t the only one who loves holiday cookies! If you’re attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, head to one of the many cookies & cocoa stations located throughout the Magic Kingdom. Let a cast member know you have special dietary needs, and you’ll be treated to Enjoy Life cookies or OMG It’s Gluten Free cookies. Cocoa isn’t gluten free or dairy free, but you can always bring a safe mix from home and ask for hot water! 

Gingerbread displays & shops sometimes carry special diets treats! One of my favorite holiday traditions is to check out all the gingerbread and holiday displays at the various resorts. The biggest and most impressive are at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Disney’s Contemporary Resorts. There, take a look through all of the goodies for sale (yes, the gingerbread displays turn into honest to goodness shops!). For the past several years, Babycakes NYC treats have been available for purchase, including gingerbread people and cinnamon French toastie loaves. 

Enjoy a snack in the parks! Even though they aren’t holiday specific, I always look for gluten free and dairy free treats in the park. There’s something magical about watching the Holiday Wishes fireworks show while eating popcorn. For something sweet, you can score gluten free and dairy free caramel corn at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (the only known place to get it!). Of course, there’s always the classic turkey leg, which is both holiday inspired and gluten free and dairy free.

Make plans for a special meal. Disney excels at making amazing special diets options. Looking for sushi on Thanksgiving? A classic Feast of Seven Fishes Italian meal? Chances are, you’ll find it at one of Disney’s hundreds of restaurants. Planning ahead is key. Make your ADRs well in advance and be sure to note your special dietary needs on your reservation. 

It’s not just about the food! Of course, food is really important when you have a special diet, but Disney also offers so much amazing holiday entertainment that you’ll want to take advantage of it! From the Osborne Lights, Candelight Processional (pro tip: book a holiday dining package with this for an extra magical experience. My favorite is Biergarten), to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, there’s something for everyone!

I hope you enjoy your magical visit to Disney during the holidays. It’s one of my favorite times of year in the Disney Parks and Resorts!

Sarah Norris is the owner of Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW, where she chronicles her experiences visiting the Walt Disney World Resort gluten free, dairy free, and Crohn’s disease. You can frequently find her scouring the parks for the latest special diets Disney dining news and enjoying a safe and delicious meal.