If you are vegetarian and are a bit nervous about what kind of fare you’ll find in the land of the mouse, the good news is that Walt Disney World® Resort has really increased their veg offerings in the last five years or so. Veggie burgers or salads at every meal are a thing of the past!
Vegetarian Eating at Disney World
I’ve been vegetarian for more than 10 years, and was vegan for a portion of that time, so I want to share my time tested, go-to locations for the best vegetarian grub. (Disney’s recommendations are here but be warned, the blog post is from 2015 and options may not currently be available. Always check the restaurant’s menu online before you go.)
I’m also listing some restaurants to avoid based on my experiences. Of course, everyone has different tastes, so I recommend looking over the menu selections. Don’t despair if things don’t look quite to your liking! You are at Disney – you can always ask for dishes to be modified to be made vegetarian. Cast members want you to enjoy your meal, and the majority of the time they can make changes without any problem.
Helpful Tips for Vegans at Disney World
Vegans, you might be surprised to hear it, but quick service is a more difficult option than table service. At quick-service locations, tell the cast member you are vegan, and they will either have a manager help you or they will give you a food allergies notebook that lists the ingredients of each dish. At table service restaurants, just tell your waiter you are vegan, and the chef will point out suitable items or create an entrée for you!
Vegetarian Eating Tips at every Disney World Park
Magic Kingdom® Park:
- Crystal Palace buffet has lots of options.
- Be Our Guest lunch quiche is better than the dinner options (and also much less expensive).
- Liberty Tree Tavern veggie sandwich at lunch (veggies and potatoes on the buffet for dinner, too, but not the tastiest).
- Jungle Navigation Co. has a few options, and I really enjoyed them – they also modified an app to make it veg for me.
Epcot®:
- Sunshine Seasons is a gold mine for vegetarians and vegans alike — chow down!
- Electric Umbrella’s new flatbreads are yummy.
- Kringla in Norway has some great options for your sweet tooth.
- La Cantina in Mexico for cheese empanadas and guac (beware that lines can be long).
- Garden Grill buffet – veggies and carbs are so good; some of them are grown in the gardens right at the pavilion.
- Via Napoli pizza or Tutto Italia pasta in Italy.
- Don’t go to China – Everything on their menus are made with chicken stock
- Japan’s veggie options are boring.
- The Rose & Crown’s veggie pot pie is just about the worst thing I’ve ever eaten at Disney.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios® (this is the one park where I feel the table service restaurants really lag behind when it comes to tasty vegetarian options):
- Backlot Express has a super caprese sandwich.
- ABC Commissary always has a couple of reliable veggie options — the salads are usually imaginative and quite good.
- Brown Derby will make the well-known Cobb salad without the meat or alter another menu item.
- Sci-Fi Dine In doesn’t have a reliably good entrée — I’d stick with salad, apps, or desserts.
- 50’s Prime Time Café veggie entrée options are not good — like a microwavable meal; eat the apps and desserts instead.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:
- Yak & Yeti Local Food Café’s tikka masala is very good.
- Satu’li Canteen in Pandora has two yummy options, of which the tofu bowl is my favorite.
- Kamal’s is small (walk up and order through the window), but it has a rotating menu with items such as hummus, falafel, and samosas
- Tusker House has lots of vegetarian items on the buffet – including some fun African-influenced specialties.
- Yak & Yeti Restaurant can do a lot — Ask your server about modifying anything. They also have the Asian veggie standbys with good flavor and quality.
Resorts:
- The Wave at Disney’s Contemporary Resort typically has two veggie options and they’re very tasty and creative.
- ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has a veggie entree option, you just have to ask (super good tofu).
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort’s Cape May buffet at dinner has lots of veggies and really good mashed potatoes. Breakfast is also good.
- Sanaa at Kidani Villas is really, really good with lots of veggie options. If you have a sensitive palate, watch the spice level at this Indian/African restaurant
Downtown Disney®:
- Morimoto was very accommodating and the quality is high.
- Paradiso has multiple options.
- Raglan Road’s veggie option is good.
- Paddlefish’s veggie option was NOT good and the whole place smells like sea creatures being steamed.
- Blaze Pizza has plenty of options to make your own pizza/salad, even vegan cheese!
- Earl of Sandwich is a yummy and filling options for veggie sandwiches.
Vegetarians will Eat Fine at Walt Disney World
The options for vegetarians have exploded in recent years at Walt Disney World, and I’m sure they will continue to expand. If you have questions or want to share your best vegetarian and vegan eating tips while traveling at Walt Disney World, just get in touch or comment below!