Carnivores vs. Vegetarians

[anniebean]

Ok, we have 3 very hearty meat eaters in the family, and 2 veggies (me and son). Below are our reservation list for our upcoming trip. If any vegetarians have eaten at any of these, please let me know if it is good or not....

Whispering Canyon Cafe (dinner)
Crystal Palace (lunch)
Le Cellier (lunch)
Tusker House (lunch)
Mama Melrose (lunch)
1900 Park Fare (breakfast)

Really the only 2 I worry about are Le Cellier, and WC.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Crystal Palace (lunch) -- Many choices. We ate there last week, the chef walked the line with us and pointed out everything that was not vegetarian, including hidden ingredients like chicken/beef stock or gelatin. Service was great, character interaction was good, overall a very nice meal.

Tusker House (lunch) -- Often cited as one of the best restaurants for vegetarians. We've eaten here and also had the chef walk the line with us to be sure we know what was what.

Mama Melrose (lunch) -- Ate here last week. The chef came to our table and reviewed the entire menu, indicating clearly vegetarian options, a couple more that could be modified, and offered to swap the sides where the polenta was made with chicken stock. The food was all excellent and the service great.

1900 Park Fare (breakfast) -- haven't done this in a few years, but remember it as a great experience. Here again, I would ask for the chef to be sure of ingredients. I personally loved meeting Mary Poppins.

 

[anniebean]

Great! Thanks for the reply! I'm assuming most Disney restaurants can alter/modify things on the menu to make them vegetarian friendly. This is my first trip to Disney as a vegetarian. I went to Universal/IOA last year as a vegan and didn't have any problems....of course I ate a lot of the same things the whole week which got a bit boring.

 

[creampuff317]

We are vegetarians too When we visited WDW, I remembered at Whispering Canyon Cafe is quite meaty and can't really accommodate vegetarians well. Things might have changed since then......

 

[epcotprincess]

Mama Melrose's has some great vegetarian options! Their Penne Alla Vodka and Eggplant Napoleon are both really quite good.

 

[KYMickey]

We are vegetarians too When we visited WDW, I remembered at Whispering Canyon Cafe is quite meaty and can't really accommodate vegetarians well. Things might have changed since then......

This is my opinion too. Your choice is certainly are going to be limited if you're a vegetarian when you eat at WCC. As others stated the other selections are quite vegetarian friendly.

 

[bicker]

Crystal Palace and Tusker House are among the best spots for us, imho. I understand the chef at 1900 Park Fare is very vegetarian-friendly. Mama Melrose was a decent, if not stellar meal for us.

Whispering Canyon... hmmm... We haven't eaten there in many years, since before we were vegetarians, so I can't say. Le Cellier is marginally okay. I do like the tomato stack appetizer.

 

[bicker]

Great! Thanks for the reply! I'm assuming most Disney restaurants can alter/modify things on the menu to make them vegetarian friendly.

I think you need to be careful with that generalization: That's true of full-service restaurants, but at buffet, pre-plated, and family-style restaurants, many things may be so fully prepared in advance that there won't be an opportunity to adjust them. (Indeed, that's even possible for a few items at some full-service restaurants, but that is much rarer.)

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

I think you need to be careful with that generalization: That's true of full-service restaurants, but at buffet, pre-plated, and family-style restaurants, many things may be so fully prepared in advance that there won't be an opportunity to adjust them. (Indeed, that's even possible for a few items at some full-service restaurants, but that is much rarer.)

I completely disagree about buffets at WDW -- the buffet chefs are the most accommodating of all. We have experienced WDW buffet chefs offer to make fresh pasta dishes without meat and with any veggies we could choose from what they had on hand. THey've offered freshly made salads when there was meat or cheese that we would not eat in what was on the buffet. We have had chefs bring out individual servings of completely vegetarian soups when all the soups offered on the buffet were meat or fish based.

These experiences took place at Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, Cape May, and probably others too. In all instances this was the chef's suggestion --not our requests.

I think the situation at the pre-plated locations is different. Honestly, because I don't want to be the "problem" guest, we avoid those places because their standard fare is not vegetarian-friendly. But I have seen dining reviews here on the DIS where vegetarian and vegan guest were accommodated satisfactorily.

 

[bicker]

I completely disagree about buffets at WDW -- the buffet chefs are the most accommodating of all.

To be clear, I didn't say they weren't accommodating; rather I even pointed out that chefs at full-service restaurants sometimes have some such limitations as well. I think, though, that your implication that the chefs at the buffet restaurants are "the most accommodating", i.e., more accommodating than the chefs at full-service restaurants, is way off-the-mark. As good as you've gotten at the buffet restaurants, there is a higher probability of getting more accommodation at Kouzzina than at Cape May Cafe (for example); at Tony's Town Tavern than at Liberty Tree; at Jiko than at Boma.

Also: I didn't say that there was no flexibility whatsoever. I said that many things may be so fully prepared in advance that there won't be an opportunity to adjust them. Other things may be prepared during the service, so those things perhaps could be adjusted, especially if anything is made per-portion, rather than by batch (as many things are made, at buffet restaurants).

But I have seen dining reviews here on the DIS where vegetarian and vegan guest were accommodated satisfactorily.

Probably some of mine.

 

[itchin2go]

I'm vegetarian and my husband is a raging meat eater. I think all of your choices will be fine, except perhaps WCC. There's not a vegetarian entree currently listed and the last review I read from a vegetarian was not very complimentary.

If you're ok with parting with some extra money, I once had an excellent vegetarian entree at Artist Point. Another restaurant in the area (and for only 1 TS) is the Wave in the Contemporary. I have not eaten there personally, but they have a good variety of foods for both meat eaters and vegetarians, and I've read lots of rave reviews. It's on my short list of new restaurants to try!

Though some may question Le Cellier for vegetarians, I had an excellent pumpkin ravioli there once. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

And I have never had any trouble at the buffets.

I really think you're in good shape, but you might need to rethink WCC.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[tigerdragon]

I've eaten as a vegetarian at all of those except Le Cellier and Tusker House. I enjoyed all of my meals at all the places except WCC. I don't see the vegetarian dish listed on allears but what I had was disgusting. I barely touched it. It's been a few years but what I remember of it was some sort of bean dish. I like beans but not this. And the meat eaters in our party really didn't enjoy their food there either.

If you're really set on eating there perhaps they could make you a meal of the side items. But I would change it if I were you.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

WCC's vegetarian entree last summer was the pasta without chicken. It was awful. The chef did make another dish for us which was much better. I have some photos up of it in my review:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=38536700&postcount=72

 

[i.love.stitch]

these are straight from the menu and there are probably more that you can eat if you talk to someone and they may alter the menu to make it more vegetarian friendly

*none of these include appetizer options (except for WCC)

WCC- no veg friendly items on menu for entrees but there was a salad(s) on the appetizer menu

CP- buffet, there is plenty of options

LC- Porcini Mushroom Ravioli (the only veg friendly thing i saw)

TH- buffet, that apparently has a vegetarian section or table

MM- eggplant entree, cheese flatbread, and tomato flatbread

1900 PF- buffet, muffins, fruit, waffles, oatmeal

*like what a bunch of people said, just make sure you ask someone because there might be hidden meat products in food, and they might be able to make more meals available to you

hope this helped!

 

[anniebean]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with WCC because of the 3 meat eaters in the family. I figured since it is free dining, my son and I pay to pick up something afterwards if needed. I appreciate the help on the other restaurants! I'm really anxious to try Tusker House. We were able to get the Finding Nemo ressie w/ it.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with WCC because of the 3 meat eaters in the family. I figured since it is free dining, my son and I pay to pick up something afterwards if needed. I appreciate the help on the other restaurants! I'm really anxious to try Tusker House. We were able to get the Finding Nemo ressie w/ it.

Considering the reviews for WCC, I would recommend you call Disney Dining and ask them to make note that two vegetarians are dining on your ADR. Or, you may even want to call the restaurant directly.

 

[bicker]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with WCC because of the 3 meat eaters in the family. I figured since it is free dining, my son and I pay to pick up something afterwards if needed.

Have you considered having one meal separate from each other, you and your son together, perhaps over at The Wave (take the boat), and the rest at WCC?

 

[Abra Cat]

I see it's been a little while since this conversation, but I just wanted to add that my family ate at WCC in December, and the chef made me quinoa cakes with edamame and veggies, and it was fantastic-- one of my favorite meals of the trip.

 

[anniebean]

Just an update on my part...

We have switched the dining reservation to a breakfast ressie so I should be good. The family (I think) just want the experience of WCC....and of course, the endless milkshakes...that they oddly enough have on their breakfast menu! My middle child who was the veggie with me has since abandoned ship, and is a raving carnivore with the rest of the pack.

 

[TillyMarigold]

MM's penne a la vodka (sans pancetta) was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I mean, I've had a lot of penne a la vodka, but this was absolutely the best I've ever had. Also, the tomatoes and mozzarella appetizer was incredible. It was one of the best meals we ate, which surprised me because we only booked it for the Fantasmic package.

My DH had a vegetarian pizza. I quote, "it's a good pizza, but it's just a pizza." Meaning he liked it but it was nothing special.