Orlando Vacation - Vegetarian Dining at Walt Disney World
Vegetarian Dining at Walt Disney World
 Every vegetarian is familiar with the pitfalls of traveling. It is often difficult to find restaurants with acceptable menu choices, and those that are offered may be a bland sampling of iceberg lettuce salads and steamed vegetables. Wait staffs may be uninformed, and in some cases even prone to giving out wrong information.
Fortunately, Walt Disney World has greatly expanded its dining choices over the past few years. Vegetarians will now find an amazing array of cooked to order dishes, full counter service meals, and even fast food and snack stand options.
Obviously, the more restrictive your diet, the more planning will be required. It is easy to tell at a glance whether a dish contains meat, but much more difficult to determine whether it was cooked in fish stock or contains gelatin. Vegans are advised to stay away from snack stand items that are not clearly and obviously a fruit or vegetable. Snack stands generally do not maintain ingredient lists, and unless the Cast Member running the stand happens to also be a vegan, he or she is unlikely to be aware of the ingredients.
However, even reducing snack stand choices to obvious fruit and vegetable items still leaves a wide range of choices. Limited selection produce markets are available in each park, offering apples, bananas, and other selections. Less restrictive vegetarians will find an array of choices from funnel cakes to French fries and even baked potatoes.
*Tip* Surprisingly, all popcorn served throughout the Walt Disney World Resort IS vegan.
*Tip* The soft pretzels are also vegan.
Snack shops offer a reasonable alternative to snack stands. Shops such as the Main Street Bakery in the Magic Kingdom offer a wider list of available choices, and most maintain written ingredient lists. Only slightly more time-consuming than stands, these shops are available in every park as well as Downtown Disney, and are an excellent choice for vegans.
Counter service restaurants are an excellent option for quick meals. Most counter service restaurants offer at least a few vegetarian choices. Many can be made vegan simply by omitting an ingredient or two. Additionally, the counter service restaurants maintain written ingredient lists, allowing you to determine whether a dish contains a constituent ingredient that would be cause for concern.
Unlike many counter service restaurants across the country, the vegetarian options are generally freshly prepared and fairly substantial. Although prepackaged salads are often offered for those in a hurry, selections are not limited to these items. Veggie burgers, vegetarian sandwiches, and a wide variety of soups and pastas are offered. Most counter service restaurants throughout the World Showcase offer vegetarian options as well, and again, these are well-crafted, flavorful dishes. Each is appropriate to the cuisine of the country in which it is served.
Although the counter service restaurants are unable to make elaborate changes to the menu, or prepare dishes from scratch, the Cast Members are generally eager to assist in any way possible. Omitting ingredients is never a problem, although during the lunch or dinner rush you may have to wait a bit for a special order. Eating at off-hours may result in more personalized service and shorter wait times for food.
While the counter service restaurants aim to please, and the snack shops and stands offer a variety of choices, it is in the full service restaurants that Disney’s legendary dedication to guest service is fully able to shine. Be sure to make reservations as far in advance as possible (30 days, 180 days, or up to 2 full years in advance, depending on the restaurant). When you make your reservation, be certain to request a vegetarian meal. Once at the restaurant, again mention to your server your specific dietary requirements. Walt Disney World servers are exceptionally familiar with the menu, and will be able to guide you to choices that will meet your needs. Your server will also gladly work with you to change the ingredients of a listed dish to fit your dietary restrictions and personal tastes.
If you do not see anything on the menu that appeals to both your diet and your tastes, discuss this with your server as well. Unless the restaurant is extraordinarily busy, it is often possible for a new dish to be created for you using the ingredients on hand. It is generally best to request a chef to come to your table so that you can discuss the possibilities directly rather than relaying messages back and forth through your server. You will likely have the most success with this when dining during less popular hours.
In order to fully experience the power of Disney magic, it is allegedly possible to create an entirely personalized menu well in advance of your visit. I have not tried this personally, but it has been suggested by more than one source. You might as well try it, the worst that can happen is that you will not be successful.
Call the main Disney switchboard at 407-824-2222, and ask to be connected to the restaurant of your choice. Once connected, ask to be put through to a chef. Explain your dietary requirements to the chef, and ask for his or her help in planning a menu for your visit. From what I understand, most chefs are happy to work with you. Once your menu is planned out, be sure to get the chef’s full name, and confirm with him or her the date and time of your visit.
The day of your meal, check in at the restaurant as soon as it opens, and let the Cast Member know that you have arranged a special meal with Chef (insert name here). Make sure that he or she confirms your special meal before you leave. When you are seated, tell your server about your arrangements, and he or she should take it from there. Again, I have not personally confirmed this process, but it cannot hurt to try.
Whether you choose full service or counter service dining, or simply eat your way through Disney at the various snack stands and shops, you will find a plethora of vegetarian choices. Vegan meals are only slightly more difficult to find, and most restaurants are able and willing to accommodate special requests. Call ahead, eat during off hours, and never be afraid to ask questions. You will discover an amazing array of tasty and balanced vegetarian options. |
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