A Gaylord Thanksgiving - Part Two

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel was fantastic. We had a room with a balcony that overlooked the Delta Atrium (if you have never heard of/seen pictures of this hotel Google it) so we had a beautiful natural view inside. We went as part of the Dreamworks experience package so we got quite a few perks.

Seeing Shreck for the First Time

We woke up our first morning and were able to go to a fun and gluten free safe character breakfast. I know some people are very self conscious about the chef coming out and confirming your allergies, but I love it. The chef came out of the back, asked if I was gluten intolerant or full blown celiac, told me he would cook all my food in clean pans and toast my gluten free cinnamon raisin bread (that they provided!) in the oven, and delivered my food to the table (everyone else had a buffet) himself. It was so refreshing to be able to sit back and enjoy a meal worry free, not to mention the chef was more than happy to smooth any ruffled feathers and ease any worries. This means I got to enjoy my daughter's elation at meeting new characters, and I got to share in the excitement that she was not completely terrified. I had an amazing breakfast.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Fried Rosemary Potatoes,
Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Fresh Fruit

Lunch later was going to be at a little Irish pub we had dinner at the night before. They had quite a few gluten free options and the hamburger without a bun that I had was hands down the best burger I have eaten... ever... in my life. Unfortunately they were closed so I was not able to try the pork belly (sounded like bacon overload to me) that I was yearning for. We ended up having pepperoni, cheese, and crackers out of our cooler. It was cheap and simple. It also eased my sticker shock at dinner.

We ate at Cascades American Grille for dinner. The waiter we had was a little ignorant of gluten issues but when I started explaining everything he could "just tell the chef," he did end up getting him out of the back. This chef seemed a little less happy to come out front but he was still informative and polite. I was able to order a lamb shank with a lemon mint gremolata and goat cheese polenta. When I asked about the polenta the chef was able to tell me the source and also informed me that it is local and dedicated gluten free. Two things I love to hear. The lamb shank fell off the bone and was on a bed of white and sweet potato gratin that was to die for. The polenta was creamy with the tangy goat cheese bite that I love. Again it was great to be able to just relax and enjoy my meal.

On top of the amazing dining we were able to see a short Christmas show featuring the Dreamworks characters, music, and dancing. The baby loved this for the most part although she did cover her ears for one song. It was great to see her dancing in the front row. We also got to meet and greet with characters from Shreck and Madagascar. Amazingly our 9 month old found this fascinating and exciting instead of scary. She also sat beautifully on Santa's lap for pictures and just talked to him. No screaming!

One of the cooler (pun completely inteded) things we did on the trip was ICE! A full on ice sculpture experience featuring Merry Madagascar. The baby was not too thrilled with this one but the adults loved it (I think toddlers and older kids would enjoy this too with a hat... and gloves... and multiple legging layers). You put on parkas (babies do not like big coats), go into a giant convention hall chilled to 9º, and look at a world of ice carved by Chinese artisans. They even had slides that make you go surprisingly fast! I also loved how the experience ended with a full size ice carved nativity scene. It's truly amazing to see. I wish we had been able to spend more time looking at the sculptures but the baby thought her face was going to freeze off so we walked quickly.

We finished the night with a lovely horse drawn carriage ride around the grounds to look at their 2 million (yes MILLION) Christmas lights. There was an adorable 7 month old girl in the back seat so my daughter spent the entire ride talking to her and singing at the top of her lungs. It was hysterical. After the ride we said hello to the horse, the baby stuck her hand up the horse's nostril, and we went to the room to get ready for bed.

Our visit was exhausting and exhilarating all at once. In terms of gluten free friendliness I give the Gaylord Opryland a definite 5 stars. Maybe next time I will get the courage to try and order room service! I would recommend the Gaylord as a great family vacation spot Christmas or no, but the Christmas festivities were truly a treat. 

Happy eating!

Tori