Fill your day with fun & treats!
Whether you?re enjoying the day roaming Disney World or spending the afternoon watching animals at SeaWorld, you shouldn?t have to worry about what you?re going to eat. We?ve created a simple guide to multiple theme parks across America that offer not only the best kid friendly attractions but also gluten-free food!
Sesame Place
www.sesameplace.com
Located in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, Sesame Place is where the television classic comes to life. Children will adore wandering around Elmo?s home and riding the numerous attractions this theme park has. The park has both ?dry and wet fun,? so any type of ride that you can think of has been transformed into the Sesame Street equivalent and made kid friendly. Sesame Place also has a handful of shows and parades that families can watch together.
The park allows ?diet-restricted? guests to bring collapsible coolers into the park, so snacks and other gluten-free treats are okay. On the other hand, Sesame Place does offer gluten-free options. Simply ask a cashier or team member for a supervisor, and then he/she will work with you to choose a safe meal. The supervisors, all of which have been trained in Allergen Management by The Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), will personally oversee the preparation of your meal, so cross-contamination won?t be an issue. Beyond gluten-free lifestyles, other major food allergens can easily be taken care of. Aside from the menu options at Sesame Place, they also have prepackaged items: Divvies treats (which are free of all eight common allergens) and other gluten-free to-go products.
SeaWorld
www.seaworld.com
SeaWorld has locations in Orlando, FL, San Antonio, TX, and San Diego, CA. Although each park may have slightly different rides, the point of the park is the same: allow visitors to connect and care for sea animals through entertainment. SeaWorld is known for its aquatic animal shows such as Shamu at the Orlando location. Most of the rides at SeaWorld involve a fair share of water, so be prepared to get a little wet. The park also has countless exhibits that put the cutest (waddling Artic penguins) and fiercest (shark tank anyone?) animals on display. If you?re feeling up to it, head over to the stingray center and touch the soaring underwater animals.
Since Sesame Park is actually a branch of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, SeaWorld?s gluten-free and food policies are exactly the same as their Elmo-themed cousin.
LEGOLAND
www.legoland.com
The name of the park gives a lot of the mystery away. LEGOLAND is an interactive theme park geared towards families with children ages two to twelve. The Florida LEGOLAND is actually the largest LEGOLAND Park in the world. Spread across 150-acres, this theme park has more than 50 rides, shows and attractions. There?s also a beautiful botanical garden and LEGOLAND Water Park for those blistering Florida days. All parks also have special hotels with themed rooms and suites, so the fun doesn?t have to stop once you leave the rides. Although most people think of the LEGOLAND in California or Florida, the theme park actually has a few other locations across the globe: Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Billund, Denmark; Germany; Malaysia, and Windsor, England. Where ever you are in the world, there may be a LEGOLAND nearby!
Although the main theme park and water park don?t allow guests to bring in outside food or drink, gluten-free eaters (and individuals with other dietary restrictions) will find plenty to eat at LEGOLAND. While planning your trip, head to the park?s website and search through their dining options. Each restaurant or dining facility will note whether or not they serve gluten-free options. For example, the Market Restaurant at the Orlando location serves Rotisserie Chicken and a side of red bliss potatoes and a vegetable medley.
Story Land
www.storylandnh.com
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this New Hampshire-based park is the story behind it. According to their website, a husband and wife team had the idea of building a ?village where storybook animals could live and where storybook characters could come to life.? In 1954, Story Land opened, and today the park has 21 kids? attractions that were designed with both children and their parents in mind. The theme park is a mixture of rides and carnival games all situated in the midst of multiple New Hampshire state forests.
Unlike most other theme parks, Story Land allows guests to bring in their own lunch, which is a blessing for gluten-free eaters. Of course, if your family prefers to eat at the park, then there are plenty of safe options. Story Land has gluten-free hamburger and hot dog buns, cookies, salads, ice cream and a few other lunch items. Be sure to speak with a park coordinator so that they can help you get a safe meal.
Disney World
www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
Disney World, which is the famous mega park located in Orlando, Florida, has attractions, rides, shows, plays, and tons of other ways to fill your day (or week). The theme park consists of a handful of smaller theme parks and two water parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
Disney World is where gluten-free dreams come true. The park is impeccable with its options and preparation for gluten-free eaters. Dietary restrictions are treated with the utmost diligence. Almost every restaurant within the mega-park?s walls have gluten-free options available. Disney encourages future guests to make reservations at the places you?d like to eat so there is a note for the wait staff. But they can certainly accommodate you just as well if your meal is more spur of the moment! When you arrive at a restaurant, the waiter will bring out a chef who will help customize their menu to a gluten-free meal. Guests are also allowed to bring in small snacks (such as protein bars) to stay full throughout the day. <
- Theme park adventures 5 Theme Parks with Tons of Gluten-Free Options - February 5, 2016
- Adventures in Rome - January 10, 2016
- Tastes of Tuscany - November 6, 2015
Leave a Reply