Disney World in Orlando, Florida is known as a dream destination for the young and the young at heart. It is not, however, known as a destination for healthy dining. Like most theme parks, Disney World offers plenty of pizzerias, hot dog stands and candy stores. Ice cream, soft pretzels and popcorn are also ubiquitous, both inside Disney's four parks and throughout Downtown Disney. However, it is possible to find healthy options while staying or playing at Disney World. Restaurant information is as of January 2011; check with the resort before planning to eat at a particular restaurant.
Step 1
Pack dried fruits as snacks before you enter one of Disney World's parks. Make your own dried snacks by placing cut fruits in a dehydrator for 12 to 18 hours, then sealing them in a freezer bag. Although drying fruits may result in some loss of nutrients, these snacks are still healthier than candy, ice cream, soft pretzels and other common offerings in Disney's parks.
Disney World permits guests to bring food into the park, as long as the food does not require heating. Coolers and glass containers, however, are not permitted as of January 2011.
Step 2
Opt for bottled water instead of soft drinks, which are loaded with refined sugars. Although soft drinks provide a quick energy boost, your body rapidly converts the refined sugars to glucose, and can cause energy crashes shortly after you consume these beverages. The caffeine in soft drinks can also contribute to dehydration.
You can obtain bottled water at most quick-service restaurants and food stands throughout Disney, including Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, Fountain View Ice Cream in Epcot's Tomorrow World and Backlot Express in Hollywood Studios.
Step 3
Opt for salads instead of burgers or pizza. Many of the restaurants, particularly the sit-down variety, throughout Disney's parks offer a variety of healthy salad options. For example, Liberty Tavern, a casual restaurant near the Magic Kingdom entrance, offers a tossed greens salad with strawberry vinaigrette dressing. The Rose and Crown Dining Room, an upscale eatery in the United Kingdom Pavilion in Epcot, offers a wedge salad with walnuts, apples and cranberry ranch dressing. Ask for the dressing on the side, so you can control how much you put on your salad -- restaurant dressings tend to be high in calories and saturated fat.
Step 4
Choose soup instead of fried appetizers. Most of the dine-in restaurants throughout Disney World and Downtown Disney offer low-fat, filling soups for health-conscious visitors. For example, Cap'n Jack's in Downtown Disney offers vegetable soup, Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot offers lobster soup and a variety of seasonal soups, and Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom offers Jungle Safari soup with vegetables, lean sausage and chickpeas.
Step 5
Opt for vegetarian appetizers, entrees and side dishes. Although Walt Disney World is not particularly well known for vegetarian fare, restaurants throughout the parks and Downtown Disney offer meatless options. Tusker House, an African restaurant in Animal Kingdom, offers vegetable samosas, spicy tandoori tofu, baba ghannoush and hummus. Epcot's Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, where children can dine with Disney princesses, offers mushroom-stuffed pasta with Swiss chard.
Tips and Warnings
- Pack bottled water before you go instead of buying it at one of the Disney parks. Bottled water, like most other food and beverage items, is expensive inside the gates. Place 1-ounce servings of unsalted nuts or seeds in sealable sandwich bags, and put them in your purse or travel pack. These foods provide protein for energy without loading you up on calories and saturated fats.
Things You'll Need
- Fruits
- Dehydrator
- Bottled water
- Nuts
- Seeds
References
- "The Healthy Guide to Walt Disney World 2009"; Dan Green; 2008
- "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011"; Bob Sehlinger et al.; 2011
- Walt Disney World: Dining FAQ
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