Eat Vegetarian at Walt Disney World
In the average American theme park in which hamburgers and hot dogs reign supreme, finding appetizing vegetarian food is an astonishing feat. Thankfully, Walt Disney World is not an average theme park. Not only does Walt Disney Word have vegetarian theme park staples like fries, soft pretzels, popcorn, ice cream and funnel cakes, it also has delightful vegetarian and vegan options ranging from the common veggie burger to the unique and mouth-watering creations by Disney’s fine chefs. With so many options, your dining experience at Walt Disney World is entirely what you make of it.
Instructions
1. The first step in any good Walt Disney World vacation is research. There are a bevy of websites dedicated to Walt Disney World, many of which publish the menus of Disney restaurants. It is important to remember that these do change, but reading them will give you an idea of the type of vegetarian options the restaurant has.
2. Talk to other vegetarian Disney diners. Thanks to the internet, it is easy to find Walt Disney World related message boards. Most of these boards have a “search” feature, which will make finding threads about vegetarian food easy. Many vegetarians have also faced the challenge of planning the perfect Disney meal arrangements and will be a helpful resource.
3. Make reservations. In Disney lingo, these are called “advanced dining reservations,” or formerly “priority seatings.” Disney’s restaurants fall into two categories: quick service and table service. Quick-service restaurants are the Disney equivalent of fast food, in which you place your order and receive your food at a central counter. Table-service restaurants are buffets, and restaurants in which the wait staff take your order and deliver your food. While quick-service restaurants do not take advanced dining reservations, table-service restaurants do, and some fill up months in advance. Once you have done your research, call Disney to make your advanced dining reservations. These are easy to cancel, so if you are looking at going to a popular restaurant, book early. If you cannot get the time and restaurant you want, try again in a few days. More tables may open up if someone cancels their reservation.
4. Don’t fear the buffet. Buffets at Walt Disney World cater to extremely diverse tastes. At breakfast buffets you can traditionally expect fruits, pastries and other traditional breakfast fair. At lunch and dinner buffets, there are generally a good selection of salads (many of which are vegetarian), numerous vegetarian side dishes and often a few vegetarian main dishes. At most buffets, even vegans will be able to find something good to eat. If you tell your waiter about your dietary restrictions, he will generally send out a chef to give you a tour of the buffet. Additionally, if you have any questions while you are at the buffet, there are chefs standing behind the counter who can assist you.
5. Do not be afraid to ask questions at the table-service restaurants. If you have any questions, politely ask your waiter. If she does not know the answer, she will generally ask the chef and return with a reply. This is useful for determining whether dishes contain products you will not eat. Additionally, some chefs may be willing to prepare something for you that is not on the menu. Do not plan on this, but keep it in mind in case of a dining emergency.
6. Eat and enjoy! Since Disney menus change, you cannot guarantee that you will be able to get that delicious dish again, so enjoy it while it lasts and have a magical vacation!
Tags: Walt Disney, Disney World, Walt Disney World, advanced dining, advanced dining reservations, dining reservations, theme park