<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi All,
I'm posting this for those who think they can no longer travel with their
diet restriction.  It's a little more work to travel and prepare all your
own food, but it is a lot cheaper and the best part - you know what you are
eating.  I hope someone out there finds this useful.
Kelly,
Stanford, CA


5 GF DAYS IN DISNEYLAND, FAMILY OF 4, TOTAL COST $500.00
(that's total expenses, not per person and not per day)

Tickets:  Buy the Disneyland Flex Passport at the Disney Store.  Adults
$68.00, kids (3-12) $51.00.  Total $238.00.  This allows 5 days admission
with one day early admission (get in 90 minutes before the park opens).
These tickets are not sold at the Disneyland gate.  The other way to obtain
them is through AAA.  If you have military privileges, discount tickets can
be had mail order through Tickets and Tours (contact your local
installation).  Flex passports can also be bought through package deals at
hotels, but compare package prices with buying tickets and rooms separately.

Lodging:  On the west coast, book a discounted room through the green
"Traveler" coupon book you can pick up at MacDonald's (use the toll free
numbers to call motels).  Do this early since only a few rooms are reserved
for this coupon.  Five nights at the Granada Inn is $35/night plus tax.
Total less than $200.00.  These rooms have full kitchens with full size
refrigerator and stove/oven (you can rent pots & pans, etc but I take my
own), free continental breakfast, and free shuttle to Disneyland.  At the
minimum, get a room with a small refrigerator and microwave. I believe
every motel offers free shuttle service (Disneyland does charge to park in
their lots).

Transportation:  Drive your car.  For me two tanks of gas $60.
Food:  Pack a large ice chest full of your favorite GF foods.  Plan the
meals ahead of time, and do "pre cooking" as much as possible.  For
example, for chicken tacos, cook and freeze the filling.  The filling and
tortillas can be heated in a microwave in the motel.  Usually a continental
breakfast is provided at most motels and offer coffee and juice.  Take the
toaster and make your own continental breakfast.  Pack lunch into the park
and leave in a locker.  For backpacking your food, take non-crushable items
like bagels rather than bread.  I packed bread sticks everyday and
sandwiches made from GF bread.  Snacks need to be tasty for those times you
pass by and smell churros or popcorn.  Rather than buying, pull out
homemade GF brownies or cookies from your bag and hand them to the kids.
Dinner is made back in the motel room while the kids swim.  If you plan to
stay late at Disneyland, pack a creative gourmet dinner and keep it in the
lockers.  Enjoy watching Fantasmic while eating your gourmet treats.  By
avoiding restaurants there are no additional costs for eating while on
vacation.

My last trip I used the following recipe:

Bread Sticks  -  Pizza dough  -  Cinnamon Rolls  -  Meat Pies

Basic dough recipe

1 c. baking mix (Bette Hagman's works)
1/4 c. potato starch
1/4 c. potato flour
1 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t salt

1 egg
2 T olive oil
add enough milk to the egg & olive oil to make 1 cup liquid

Mix dry ingredients.  Whisk together wet ingredients and add to dry.

For bread sticks, form dough into bread stick shapes and bake at 400
degrees for about 10 minutes or until they just start to turn brown.
Variations, add grated cheese, garlic, or sugar & cinnamon.

For pizza dough, make the basic dough and pat it out thinly onto a
non-stick pan.  Top with sauce and rest of toppings, and bake at 400
degrees until done ~ 10 minutes.

For cinnamon rolls, make basic dough.  Sandwich it between wax paper and
roll out about 3/8" thick.  Remove top wax paper.  Spread dough with soft
butter, sugar and cinnamon.  Use bottom wax paper to help you roll the
dough into a log.  Cut into =BD" thick slices.  Lay on non-stick baking pan
and bake in 400=B0 until done ~ 10 minutes.  Top rolls with a mixture of
powdered sugar and milk.

For meat pies, make basic dough.  Divide dough into fourths.  Pat out each
fourth into 6" circle.  Place any cooked meat filling in the center of the
circle.  Fold ends over and pinch together so the filling is completely
enclosed in the dough.  Bake at 400=B0 until done ~ 10 minutes.  Apple pie
variation - make the dough a little sweeter with 1 T added sugar,  place
apple pie filling inside, coat top with whisked egg and sprinkle with
sugar.  Bake as above.

I premix the dry ingredients for the above recipe in individual ziplock
bags before leaving home.  In the room, I add the wet ingredients and bake.
It's quick and easy.

Drinks:  Take water bottles filled with cool-aid, juice or water carried in
fanny packs or backpacks.  If you take or rent a stroller, keep a frozen
gallon of water under the stroller that will thaw and give you ice water.
Buy a cup of coffee or iced tea and keep the cup since refills are free.
Keep refilling for five days - you will usually get a new cup with every
refill.  Two cups of coffee, $3.00.

Souvenirs:  Pick up Mickey Mouse T-shirts at garage sales, thrift stores,
or discount stores before the trip.  After arriving at the motel, hand out
the shirts and wear them the first day.  Make an autograph book with a
Disney picture on the cover (travel agents have brochures with great
pictures).  Let the kids use the homemade book to get Disney character's
autographs.  The characters can also sign the kids garage sale t-shirts or
hats (take a marking pen).  Light up toys are popular at night for little
ones.  Try to find a light up toy you already have to take and keep them
satisfied.  The best souvenirs are pictures, so take lots of them.

When to go:  The best time to go is during the winter.  The weather is mild
and the crowds are down.  Avoid holidays!  Check out Disney's web site for
operating hours at Disney.com. Drive down very early in the morning, to
arrive shortly after the park opens.  The kids will sleep most of the way,
and this will save one night in a motel.  During off season, the park
closes at dinnertime on weekdays, which makes it easier to go have a
homemade dinner in the motel.

Total cost of five fun days in Disneyland is under $500.

I have no financial interest in any of the above.