Six Flags - St. Louis

[CeliacMom2008]

I received the email below in response to an iquiry about gluten-free options at the Six Flags St. Louis park.

Thank you for your interest in Six Flags St. Louis. We do not have any gluten free products in the park, but I have included a list of the areas in the park that have gluten in the food, so that you will better know where you are able to eat.

Foods that contain Gluten

[Jungle]

Dear Six Flags,

Do you think it would be possible to get 1 food without Gluten? Is it that much trouble? Really, even a green salad? How about bringing in an apple? Come on!

sincerly,

Not going to be a customer until then.

[CeliacMom2008]

I know! My first reaction was not to go. But then the other side kicked in...my son was invited by a friend to go and he is REALLY excited about it. I don't want him to miss out of being a kid just because he has celiac. So we'll find a way to make it work. It's actually a 3 day 2 night trip. I haven't had much luck finding places to eat, so I'm a little stressed. We usually take food with us for trips, but this one is full of logistic challenges - two separate hotels, first without fridge or microwave; second night does have kitchen, but is after a day at Six Flags (so if I were to bring frozen pizza to cook at hotel how do I keep it frozen for two days (one of which the cooler would be in a hot car all day long)??); etc. I'm going to figure it out, but so far it's just not coming to me!

[bbuster]

  On 5/31/2011 at 11:39 PM, CeliacMom2008 said:

I know! My first reaction was not to go. But then the other side kicked in...my son was invited by a friend to go and he is REALLY excited about it. I don't want him to miss out of being a kid just because he has celiac. So we'll find a way to make it work. It's actually a 3 day 2 night trip. I haven't had much luck finding places to eat, so I'm a little stressed. We usually take food with us for trips, but this one is full of logistic challenges - two separate hotels, first without fridge or microwave; second night does have kitchen, but is after a day at Six Flags (so if I were to bring frozen pizza to cook at hotel how do I keep it frozen for two days (one of which the cooler would be in a hot car all day long)??); etc. I'm going to figure it out, but so far it's just not coming to me!

If you will have a car, there is a pizza place called Cecil Whittakers just off Hwy 141, maybe a mile at most south of I-44. It's maybe 10-12 miles from Six Flags. They have fantastic gluten-free pizza - thin crust St. Louis style. In the past few months the gluten-free bakery that supplied the crusts (formerly Beck's) was sold and there were delays in the transition with the new owners taking over, but I think they are up and running now. You might want to call and confirm. Anyway, the Cecil Whittakers I am talking about is:

Valley Park/ Fenton

2001 Smizer Station Rd

Valley Park, MO 63088

636-861-2330

We went there last fall for a soccer tournament. To take it a step further, the new bakery is called New Day Gluten Free Grocery & Cafe, 15622 Manchester Road, Ellisville (west of St. Louis, several miles north of I-44). I have not been there since it re-opened, but went once when it was Becks and got some really good stuff! I see that they are on Facebook.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Does Six Flags allow you to take a small cooler of food in? If not, I would think they should make an exception for someone with celiac or food allergies. Perhaps a drs note would be acceptable? Otherwise, can they leave the park with a stamp on their hands and still get back in that day? Perhaps keeping a cooler a food in the car and go to the parking lot for lunch or a snack. For that first day in the hotel without a fridge, lots of cold things can be kept for a day in a cooler, just replenish the ice from the hotel ice machine as it melts.

[bbuster]

  On 6/1/2011 at 5:51 PM, GlutenFreeManna said:

Does Six Flags allow you to take a small cooler of food in? If not, I would think they should make an exception for someone with celiac or food allergies. Perhaps a drs note would be acceptable?

Most parks I have ever checked out allow this.

From the Six Flags St. Louis website FAQ:

May I bring my own food and beverages into Six Flags St. Louis?

No outside food, beverages or coolers are allowed to be brought into Six Flags St. Louis. However, exceptions are made for Guests with special dietary needs to include food allergies and baby food/formula. Guest should contact Park Security or Guest Relations when they arrive at the Park for approval to bring in special dietary foods. The special dietary food containers will be marked and dated to clearly show that they have been approved for entry into the park.

  On 6/1/2011 at 5:51 PM, GlutenFreeManna said:

Otherwise, can they leave the park with a stamp on their hands and still get back in that day? Perhaps keeping a cooler a food in the car and go to the parking lot for lunch or a snack.

I know you can do this - my cheap (excuse me, THRIFTY) brother used to do it whenever they went there.

[GlutenFreeManna]

  On 6/2/2011 at 3:54 PM, bbuster said:

Most parks I have ever checked out allow this.

From the Six Flags St. Louis website FAQ:

May I bring my own food and beverages into Six Flags St. Louis?

No outside food, beverages or coolers are allowed to be brought into Six Flags St. Louis. However, exceptions are made for Guests with special dietary needs to include food allergies and baby food/formula. Guest should contact Park Security or Guest Relations when they arrive at the Park for approval to bring in special dietary foods. The special dietary food containers will be marked and dated to clearly show that they have been approved for entry into the park.

I know you can do this - my cheap (excuse me, THRIFTY) brother used to do it whenever they went there.

LOL! I grew up with cheap--er thrify parents. We always used to do that at amusement parks in the 1980's. We either had a small portable cooler of food or a big cooler in the car and we would just go to the parking lot for a tailgate-style lunch. I've never been to Six Flags, however.

[CeliacMom2008]

I emailed them back asking about pieces of fruit or bags of chips and the response I got was that they were unaware of any places selling either. I am so very unimpressed with them. I know we're spoiled by Disney, but come on - a piece of fruit??!?!? Is that too much to ask for? We will be coolering it a lot for that trip. I did find New Day Gluten Free that is opening up soon with dine in and appears to already be open for carry out items. Looks like a great little place. Hope it makes it!

[bbuster]

  On 6/2/2011 at 5:21 PM, GlutenFreeManna said:

LOL! I grew up with cheap--er thrify parents. We always used to do that at amusement parks in the 1980's. We either had a small portable cooler of food or a big cooler in the car and we would just go to the parking lot for a tailgate-style lunch. I've never been to Six Flags, however.

I have not been to Six Flags in many, many years, but I promise that you are better off eating your own food than the crappy, overpriced stuff they sell inside the park.

We are planning a trip to Florida that will include the Universal parks and CityWalk, where we can get some really good overpriced food. Topping our list will be Margaritaville - they took such good care of us (four years ago), making special arrangements to make sure my son got a great gluten-free meal. He just wanted burgers and fries, but they went somewhere to get him a gluten-free bun for the burger and a gluten-free brownie for a giant ice cream dessert. This week I checked their website, and now they have a gluten-free menu that includes all these things as standard!!!

[lpellegr]

Just for the record, Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ is the same way with gluten-free food. Basically, I'm on my own.

And on a completely unrelated note, on the website Damn You Autocorrect I saw where someone's phone had autocorrected Six Flags to Sex Flaps. Now I can't think of these parks without giggling.

[modiddly16]

Hersheypark probably is one of the best themeparks for gluten free options. We went last weekend with our family and there were gluten free wraps, buns, pizza and chicken fingers! It takes awhile longer to cook them than the normal food but none of us got sick!

[lpellegr]

Agreed, the Hershey Park gluten-free pizza was incredible! I wish it was available everywhere.

[CeliacMom2008]

I know Disney has us spoiled...We'll see how this adventure turns out...

[Austin Guy]

I did Six Flags Fiesta Texas with kids a few weeks ago. A cooler in the car with water, protein, fruit and snacks was very welcome. It was safe for me to eat and didn't cost us a tenth of what park food would have cost. Being in the car with the AC running on a 100 degree day was also a huge plus.

[October3]

  On 6/29/2011 at 1:47 PM, Austin Guy said:

I did Six Flags Fiesta Texas with kids a few weeks ago. A cooler in the car with water, protein, fruit and snacks was very welcome. It was safe for me to eat and didn't cost us a tenth of what park food would have cost. Being in the car with the AC running on a 100 degree day was also a huge plus.

I'm thinking they must mean they don't have anything certified gluten-free, because there are lots of things they serve not on the list of foods containing gluten. Things like ice cream (not in a cone), their big turkey legs and corn on the cob.

We're going today and I tried to call them but its too early. If I get confirmation of any foods that are actually safe I will post.

[October3]

I didn't get a call back but I did ask about the smoked turkey legs at the stand and was told that they do not use any kind of rub that would contain gluten. They are just smoked turkey legs. So that's what we went with. My kiddo doesn't react to gluten so we have no way of verifying by personal experience whether it was okay but my thought is it was fine.