Travelling to Orlando Florida from Ireland

[IrishCoeliacDad]

Hi guys

I'm traveling to Orlando soon from Ireland with my coeliac wife and son. I'll be staying in one of the Universal hotels. We won't be hiring a car so will be relying on public transport or taxis. 

Can anyone recommend good places to pick up gluten-free snacks and staples please?

Also any restaurant recommendations if you have any?

In fact any general food advice would be great 😃

 

Cheers

Go raibh maith agat

 

 

[Rogol72]

11 hours ago, IrishCoeliacDad said:

Hi guys

I'm traveling to Orlando soon from Ireland with my coeliac wife and son. I'll be staying in one of the Universal hotels. We won't be hiring a car so will be relying on public transport or taxis. 

Can anyone recommend good places to pick up gluten-free snacks and staples please?

Also any restaurant recommendations if you have any?

In fact any general food advice would be great 😃

 

Cheers

Go raibh maith agat

 

 

Hey @IrishCoeliacDad,

Fellow countryman here. I've heard anecdotally that some chefs add pancake mix to scrambled eggs and omelets to make them more fluffy. That's one to watch out for if indeed it does happen.

https://www.findmeglutenfree.com/us/fl/orlando 

I'm sure someone else will chime in with better advice.

Safe journey and enjoy your holiday.

[Scott Adams]

If you plan to buy any food at markets Trader Joe's has a big selection of gluten-free items, including bagels, buns, bread, etc.

[JD-FLA]

Hello IrishCoeliacDad - I live in Central Florida and I have been successful in finding foods that are gluten free. Publix is another supermarket chain in the area. If staying on Universal property you'll need to do a rideshare like Lyft or Uber in order to get to Publix. I recommend the Publix on Sand Lake Road at Plaza Venezia. Whole Foods is right in that area as well at Sand Lake Road and Turkey Lake Road. Whole Foods has quite a few options that are allergy friendly. Stay away from Kirkman Road toward MetroWest. We also have the option of food delivery. Most resorts will accept a food delivery to the hotel from Amazon. Publix uses a third party for their food delivery. I believe Whole Foods has a partnership with Amazon Prime members and will deliver within hours of placing an order online. That may be your best bet to avoid having to deal with rideshare.

Bfree is an Irish brand I know of that is sold in Publix. I love Siete brand snacks. They have become very popular for what I believe you call crisps (we call potato chips) and what I believe you call biscuits (cookies). They also make tortilla chips and dairy free dips. I have eaten several of their items with no issues.

I will be honest and tell you that I do not trust the numerous restaurants in the parks and surrounding areas. Many times they will advertise a gluten fee option only to learn that is not made in a dedicated kitchen or in a dedicated gluten free environment. I very rarely eat out. If you would like to try, the Parks in recent years offer numerous gluten free options. If there are any concerns ask to speak to the chef. They will come to table and advise what is safely made in the kitchen. Remember that many restaurants in the Parks and Resorts are not owned by Universal (same with Disney). They are independent and as such may not follow the Universal food guidelines. I have been to many restaurants over the years only to arrive and learn that they will not guarantee a gluten cross-contamination even when serving a gluten free meal. I cannot recommend any specific restaurant at Universal as I've not eaten at any of them since being diagnosed.

[IrishCoeliacDad]

Thanks everyone for your advice, feeling a good bit more confident now. I'll try remember to come back and let you know how we got on. 

 

Cheers