Vegetarian Discussion TopicsEating Vegan in Walt Disney World
Posted by Yoshi
at 01/07/2013
Heading to Florida for the Disney Marathon, any advice or recommendations as far as eating? I'm not really the type to survive on salads alone so I was hoping someone may have some experience with his. I'll be with 4 omni friends so I don't want to make all of our dining decisions based on me. Thanks.
Responses
Hi Yoshi~
Congratulations on the marathon! That's so impressive. Will you be staying in Orlando/Lake Buena Vista generally or in Disney itself?
As for eating options, I went to Disney for a week last year. We were staying at a place in the Disney "compound", as I jokingly refer to it, with another family. I think it was called the Wilderness Lodge. Anyway, if you go to the theme parks themselves, I found they had slim pickings for vegans. Vegetarians could scrape buy with a slice of cheese pizza or a pasta dish, but as a vegan you were looking at a hot pretzel tops.
Suffice it to say, the Whole Foods just outside of Disney World was my lifesaver. It's easy access just off of I-4 on Turkey Lake Road. I loaded up on groceries so I could have a vegan breakfast at the condo before we left, then take some snacks with me for the theme parks during the day. See http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=22116
Dinner was different. Where the theme parks had virtually nothing vegan, the upscale restaurants in the park almost all had separate vegan and vegetarian menus. The trick is, you must tell them you're vegan and you must ask for the separate menu. They don't offer them as a matter of routine and they're not displayed with the regular menu. This seriously pissed me off b/c I didn't discover these "secret vegan menus" until half way into our trip. In any event, in the Disney compound itself, I had the greatest success dining at the restaurants in the Animal Kingdom Lodge building (adjacent to the Animal Kingdom Theme Park). Sana'a was my favorite. See http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=35367 Sanaa is located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, specifically Kidani Village. Boma and Jiko (in the Animal Kingdom Lodge) also had great vegan menus. You must check out Boma:
http://veganindisney.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/boma-flavors-of-africa/
Here is Jiko's vegan menu:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/Media/InternetMediaType/Dining/Jiko/jiko-menu-vegan.pdf
You mentioned you're going with 4 omni friends. We went with meat eaters and they all loved Sanaa, Boma and Jiko. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these.
If you happen to go to Downtown Disney, there's a Babycakes Cupcakes store there (vegan cupcakes). It's nice but not worth it's own trip IMHO.
In Orlando itself, my favorite was the Dandelion Communitea Cafe. It's a casual all vegetarian restaurant in what looks like it used to be someone's house. Also recommended is Thuyen Vien for delicious, cheap Vietnamese food served by warm, friendly people. The atmosphere, though, is simple (i.e.: plastic chairs). Ethos Vegan Cafe in nearby Winter Park is also not to be missed.
Congratulations on the marathon! That's so impressive. Will you be staying in Orlando/Lake Buena Vista generally or in Disney itself?
As for eating options, I went to Disney for a week last year. We were staying at a place in the Disney "compound", as I jokingly refer to it, with another family. I think it was called the Wilderness Lodge. Anyway, if you go to the theme parks themselves, I found they had slim pickings for vegans. Vegetarians could scrape buy with a slice of cheese pizza or a pasta dish, but as a vegan you were looking at a hot pretzel tops.
Suffice it to say, the Whole Foods just outside of Disney World was my lifesaver. It's easy access just off of I-4 on Turkey Lake Road. I loaded up on groceries so I could have a vegan breakfast at the condo before we left, then take some snacks with me for the theme parks during the day. See http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=22116
Dinner was different. Where the theme parks had virtually nothing vegan, the upscale restaurants in the park almost all had separate vegan and vegetarian menus. The trick is, you must tell them you're vegan and you must ask for the separate menu. They don't offer them as a matter of routine and they're not displayed with the regular menu. This seriously pissed me off b/c I didn't discover these "secret vegan menus" until half way into our trip. In any event, in the Disney compound itself, I had the greatest success dining at the restaurants in the Animal Kingdom Lodge building (adjacent to the Animal Kingdom Theme Park). Sana'a was my favorite. See http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=35367 Sanaa is located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, specifically Kidani Village. Boma and Jiko (in the Animal Kingdom Lodge) also had great vegan menus. You must check out Boma:
http://veganindisney.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/boma-flavors-of-africa/
Here is Jiko's vegan menu:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/Media/InternetMediaType/Dining/Jiko/jiko-menu-vegan.pdf
You mentioned you're going with 4 omni friends. We went with meat eaters and they all loved Sanaa, Boma and Jiko. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these.
If you happen to go to Downtown Disney, there's a Babycakes Cupcakes store there (vegan cupcakes). It's nice but not worth it's own trip IMHO.
In Orlando itself, my favorite was the Dandelion Communitea Cafe. It's a casual all vegetarian restaurant in what looks like it used to be someone's house. Also recommended is Thuyen Vien for delicious, cheap Vietnamese food served by warm, friendly people. The atmosphere, though, is simple (i.e.: plastic chairs). Ethos Vegan Cafe in nearby Winter Park is also not to be missed.
Hi, hope I'm not too late to help. I'm making my 3rd vegan WDW trip next week and have found a number of vegan food items available in the parks. We've also had 2 great meals at 1900 Park Faire with Chef TJ. He seems to work evenings Sunday through Thursday. Tell him you are vegan and he'll bring you course after course of wonderful food!
Magic Kingdom
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Main St Bakery
Divvies snacks
Caramel popcorn
Main St Ice Cream Parolor Tofutti
Columbia Harbor House
Vegan chili, fries, and apple pie
Lighthouse Sandwich no slaw
Cosmic Rays
vegan burger with vegan bun
Tortuga Tavern
Vegan nachos
The Lunching Pad (& Gaston’s)
Soy Milk - Regular or Chocolate
Epcot
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
America
Liberty Inn
Veggie burger w/avacado
Germany
pretzels
Japan
Kaki Gori
Norway
Kingla Bakeri in Norway
Sweet almond pretze
Sunshine Seasons
grilled vegetable sandwich with a creamy tomato hummus - no feta
vegetable sushi
tabouli and hummus roll ups
middle eastern sampler
vegetable barley soup
tofu noodle bowl - no cracker
Sushi
kids PB&J w/grapes & water
Morocco
veg platter - no pita, no lentil salad
China
mango tea
Hollywood Studios
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Hollywood and Vine
tofutti ice cream (you have to ask) with strawberry syrup
50’s Prime Time – spaghetti and “meatâ€balls- on the menu, minus cheese to make it vegan, tofutti sundae
Backlot Express
veg sandwich on multigrain ciabatta - pesto is vegan
black bean salad
baked fries
southwest salad no chicken
Prime Time Cafe
vegan shake
Animal Kingdom
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Pizzafari
Energ rice crust vegan cheese
Resorts
Beaches and Cream
Shakes and Sundaes
No Way Jose
Magic Kingdom
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Main St Bakery
Divvies snacks
Caramel popcorn
Main St Ice Cream Parolor Tofutti
Columbia Harbor House
Vegan chili, fries, and apple pie
Lighthouse Sandwich no slaw
Cosmic Rays
vegan burger with vegan bun
Tortuga Tavern
Vegan nachos
The Lunching Pad (& Gaston’s)
Soy Milk - Regular or Chocolate
Epcot
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
America
Liberty Inn
Veggie burger w/avacado
Germany
pretzels
Japan
Kaki Gori
Norway
Kingla Bakeri in Norway
Sweet almond pretze
Sunshine Seasons
grilled vegetable sandwich with a creamy tomato hummus - no feta
vegetable sushi
tabouli and hummus roll ups
middle eastern sampler
vegetable barley soup
tofu noodle bowl - no cracker
Sushi
kids PB&J w/grapes & water
Morocco
veg platter - no pita, no lentil salad
China
mango tea
Hollywood Studios
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Hollywood and Vine
tofutti ice cream (you have to ask) with strawberry syrup
50’s Prime Time – spaghetti and “meatâ€balls- on the menu, minus cheese to make it vegan, tofutti sundae
Backlot Express
veg sandwich on multigrain ciabatta - pesto is vegan
black bean salad
baked fries
southwest salad no chicken
Prime Time Cafe
vegan shake
Animal Kingdom
Pretzels
Popcorn (Butter is vegan)
Pizzafari
Energ rice crust vegan cheese
Resorts
Beaches and Cream
Shakes and Sundaes
No Way Jose
Unfortunately, BuddyWheeler's entire list is in question because butter is, in fact, not vegan. It's dairy. Unless the only vegan product the parks go out of their way to use is Earth Balance.
Nor is pesto vegan, as it's prepared in advance with parmesan cheese. Also, the pretzels are made from milk and egg, just as most of the bread products in the parks will be. Even the veggie burger patties are "garden burgers" containing egg and dairy.
What's nearly impossible to find is anything organic.
Unless you're going to select the higher end restaurants with professional chefs that can cater to you, or cheat on pretzels and veggie burgers out of desperation, it's always best to bring your own food into the park or keep your room stocked.
Buy a juicer when you get to town and return it as "defective" before you leave, as one way to work around things.
Nor is pesto vegan, as it's prepared in advance with parmesan cheese. Also, the pretzels are made from milk and egg, just as most of the bread products in the parks will be. Even the veggie burger patties are "garden burgers" containing egg and dairy.
What's nearly impossible to find is anything organic.
Unless you're going to select the higher end restaurants with professional chefs that can cater to you, or cheat on pretzels and veggie burgers out of desperation, it's always best to bring your own food into the park or keep your room stocked.
Buy a juicer when you get to town and return it as "defective" before you leave, as one way to work around things.
I believe what BuddyWheeler was trying to say is that the butter and pesto have been checked and are actually vegan. The "butter" on the popcorn is not butter at all, but butter flavored oil. Pesto is not always made with cheese. I don't know, from my own experience if this pesto is vegan or not, but don't be so quick to dismiss his information.
I have been researching vegan food in the parks for some time now because we are leaving for our own Disney trip tomorrow. I have come across most of the same options that he listed as vegan on other vegan blogs and posts. The veggie burgers have been checked by many other people and everyone has said they are not made with dairy or eggs. The buns, however, usually need to be switched for a whole grain bun to be vegan. Also, soft pretzels are often vegan and have been checked by others as well... all agreeing that they are indeed vegan.
It is always best to double check for yourself while in the park to be 100% sure of information provided on blogs and websites, but his list seems to be consistent with options that I have found in various other places.
Enjoy your trip! :)
I have been researching vegan food in the parks for some time now because we are leaving for our own Disney trip tomorrow. I have come across most of the same options that he listed as vegan on other vegan blogs and posts. The veggie burgers have been checked by many other people and everyone has said they are not made with dairy or eggs. The buns, however, usually need to be switched for a whole grain bun to be vegan. Also, soft pretzels are often vegan and have been checked by others as well... all agreeing that they are indeed vegan.
It is always best to double check for yourself while in the park to be 100% sure of information provided on blogs and websites, but his list seems to be consistent with options that I have found in various other places.
Enjoy your trip! :)
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