it's not just the kid's menu that's changing

[fakereadhed]

*sigh*

People, the elimination of trans fats does not mean that WDW isn't going to be selling fries, burgers, chicken nuggets, mickey bars anymore... People are freaking out about the elimination of their "choices", but no such thing is happening in this case. Eliminating trans fats doesn't mean wheat germ and tofu for everyone, it just means that they are switching the oils in which things are fried in order to allow for more polyunsaturated/monounsaturated fats as opposed to trans fats (i.e. the worst for you fats). In fact, most people probably won't even notice a difference...

Bottom line: Rejoice junk food lovers! We will will still be able to stuff our faces with as much junk food as we allow ourselves to have on vacation and "spoil" ourselves. Disney is just trying to find a way to make sure that, although we may still pack on the vacation pounds to our widdle waddling hearts' content, at least we won't be filling our arteries with as much junk as before. Huzzah!

ITA! And as a label reader, most of the companies that have gone transfat free are replacing it with palm oil. Not healthy for your arteries in the least, for those of you who are intent on being unhealthy on vacation. But still better than the man-made trans fats for those of us who don't have a death wish.

 

[emerymt]

During my trip last week I thought to myself " How long till WDW gets sued for making people fat?" I laughed when thinking of this.

Bingo! Give this person the prize! Considering the extreme consternation visitors are experiencing over changing the kid's dining plan, if Disney could keep their old menu, they would. Disney, like McDonald's and Wal-Mart are constantly at the center of some "controversy" and probably fields hundreds of individual lawsuits every year. All they need is a class-action lawsuit from Consumer's Union to really make their day!

 

[emerymt]

Wouldn't be surprised if WDW spins this to justify yet another round of cost increases for food though...

You might be right, but I am not sure it's spin. That's why food places use transfats- they have a long shelf life and are easier to use. It's actually pretty tricky to get the exact same taste when they switch over, depending on the product. It took Oreo years to do it, but they eventually did. I listened to a segment on NPR about this, the woman doing the interviewing was very keen on it, until she tasted the product. Then, she thought, maybe it wasn't so hot. It was actually pretty funny to listen to.

Disney is just trying to avoid getting caught in the anti-fat fervor. The fact that they have seriously altered their kid's menu is proof of that, because kids are generally thought of as more vulnerable and would be the starting point for anyone's anti-transfat (or any kind of fat) campaign. Will making Disney's food overall slightly more healthy really help anyone avoid a heart attack? No. People always eat worse on vacation- either they splurge a little or they let their bad eating habits run wild (I am in the latter camp). Frankly, though, I don't really care what I eat, I eat what's easiest. It's what you do when you're home that matters. This is just grandstanding.

 

[pepperw23]

I think I have a slight idea what the whole debate is about, and please don't flame me if I am wrong. It's not that people don't want to eat better, it goes back to one of the first post's on this thread.....we are on vacation, we will worry about transfat when we get home. I have to agree, I want to enjoy myself. I fight my weight all year long, please give me one week to get away.
Also one week isn't going to cause child nor adult weight problems, those problems come from life long choices. As much as Disney is costing me, it would be nice if they could not change everything. My kids get tired of the same old thing, and from out past trips, it all depends on the server you get to what they are willing to do. While we don't plan on canceling our whole vacation, we are changing our dining around these changes. I guess the best way to sum up my thoughts.....if you must change somethings, fine...but still leave other things for us to make our own decisions on.

Good point. I for one like to make my own decisions, and will admit I find it slightly annoying that Disney is taking that decision from me by forcing me to go elsewhere if I want my fat, grease oozing chow. Bottom line is this...It is a theme park, not a place known for healthy choices. Sure it is "Disney" but at the end of the day it is still a theme park.

Not everyone wants to eat healthy on vacation, heck most people probably don't. This is a sad testiment of the times we live in though. Everyone trying so hard to be "PC" that somewhere along the way we forgot that it is okay to live a little, let go, let your hair down....EAT A FATTY FRENCH FRY once in a while.

 

[lawyergirl]

Good point. I for one like to make my own decisions, and will admit I find it slightly annoying that Disney is taking that decision from me by forcing me to go elsewhere if I want my fat, grease oozing chow. Bottom line is this...It is a theme park, not a place known for healthy choices. Sure it is "Disney" but at the end of the day it is still a theme park.

Not everyone wants to eat healthy on vacation, heck most people probably don't. This is a sad testiment of the times we live in though. Everyone trying so hard to be "PC" that somewhere along the way we forgot that it is okay to live a little, let go, let your hair down....EAT A FATTY FRENCH FRY once in a while.

Again, I don't want to harp on this, but THE FATTY FRIES WILL STILL BE THERE!!

You will still be able to find your "fat grease oozing chow" (and chances are I'll be right there behind you in that line), but they're just changing what types of oils they're using to fry things!! They aren't making tofu fries or replacing all oils with olestra (or whatever it is that the fat that they put in "light" chips in the US is called).

Sorry, guys, I'll step off my soapbox now.... I guess I'm just getting annoyed at the number of posts harping on the restriction to their so-called "freedom of choice", when no such restriction is taking place.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I wonder what would be posted if Disney had not announced their new policy and just started enforcing it?
People would go, enjoy, and post -- and probably not with nearly the pro-fat comments we read now.

 

[Gillian]

Again, I don't want to harp on this, but THE FATTY FRIES WILL STILL BE THERE!!

You will still be able to find your "fat grease oozing chow" (and chances are I'll be right there behind you in that line), but they're just changing what types of oils they're using to fry things!! They aren't making tofu fries or replacing all oils with olestra (or whatever it is that the fat that they put in "light" chips in the US is called).

Sorry, guys, I'll step off my soapbox now.... I guess I'm just getting annoyed at the number of posts harping on the restriction to their so-called "freedom of choice", when no such restriction is taking place.

If you read the second link posted (I couldn't get the first one to work), it says that they are also going to limit the overall fat content in their meals. I'm not sure of the exact quote.

I agree that removing trans fats does not mean removing fat, but the other part of the article says they will be doing that as well.

 

[earthyfamily]

I'm just having a really hard time understanding why everyone is freaking out about this. I've gotten trampled all over a few times before for mentioning that perhaps they should offer more vegetarian options for us vegetarians. Everyone has always posted to me that I'm not being forced to eat at Disney World, so if they can't accomadate me, stop whining and go somewhere else...same situation here. If they can't accomodate your need to eat unhealthy then go somewhere that can. You're not being forced to eat at Disney World. Now for my family this is a good thing, a few more veggie options and we don't have to worry about eating the trans fat that we wouldn't be eating if we were at home. I guess I just figure why would you want to eat healthy at home and then go on vacation and feel weighed down and yucky from unhealthy food while you're there....that's not what I would consider a fun vacation. Just me though. So here's one positive vote from me for Disney's changes.

 

[mefordis]

I think I have a slight idea what the whole debate is about, and please don't flame me if I am wrong. It's not that people don't want to eat better, it goes back to one of the first post's on this thread.....we are on vacation, we will worry about transfat when we get home. I have to agree, I want to enjoy myself. I fight my weight all year long, please give me one week to get away.
Also one week isn't going to cause child nor adult weight problems, those problems come from life long choices. As much as Disney is costing me, it would be nice if they could not change everything. My kids get tired of the same old thing, and from out past trips, it all depends on the server you get to what they are willing to do. While we don't plan on canceling our whole vacation, we are changing our dining around these changes. I guess the best way to sum up my thoughts.....if you must change somethings, fine...but still leave other things for us to make our own decisions on.

It would be great, in theory, to watch what you eat 360 days a year, then for just 5 days go "hog wild" and eat whatever you please: sugar, fat, heavy carbs, etc. However, do most people really stick to that resolution to go "back to eating healthy" once they get home?

I don't expect anyone to admit it here but I suspect a more accurate scenario for most people is they eat a high sugar, high fat diet at WDW, then get home and vow to go "back to eating healthy" then Halloween comes, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, birthdays, weekends and all the days in between are made "special occasions to eat whatever we want".

Healthy eating has to be a lifestyle choice that is practiced all the time, except when at WDW you may have a mickey bar every day, for example. That is a habit that would not continue back at home. But at least you've stuck to eating clean the rest of the day and it wouldn't be difficult to continue it once you get home.