Plant-based Character Dining

[woodys_girl]

My family mostly eats quick service, but we like to do a couple of table service meals. The adults are (mostly) plant-based (will have the occasional garnish dairy or baked in eggs) and the kids are not. I'm not worried about finding something on the menu that everyone will eat--in my experience there is always something--but I'm kind of looking for opinions on the best options as far as quality and variety of plant-based/vegetarian dishes, particularly at character dining. I like salad, but I love a hearty tofu or bean based entree even more. We will be going to all the parks and are doing a split stay between CBR and Poly so really any location is possible.

 

[Jim Libasci]

My family mostly eats quick service, but we like to do a couple of table service meals. The adults are (mostly) plant-based (will have the occasional garnish dairy or baked in eggs) and the kids are not. I'm not worried about finding something on the menu that everyone will eat--in my experience there is always something--but I'm kind of looking for opinions on the best options as far as quality and variety of plant-based/vegetarian dishes, particularly at character dining. I like salad, but I love a hearty tofu or bean based entree even more. We will be going to all the parks and are doing a split stay between CBR and Poly so really any location is possible.

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[woodys_girl]

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Thank you!

 

[vakamalua]

We went to two character meals recently with plant based offerings. My vegetarian daughter enjoyed them both. At Ohana & lunch at the Garden Grill at EPCOT. She also liked the plant based meal at Sebastian’s (no characters).
Almost every sit down restaurant at WDW will have at least one vegetarian offering. Not necessarily at Disney Springs. Check out the menus online.

 

[rdaky]

Garden Grill has a plant based family style meal and is a character meal. Whispering Canyon has, in my opinion, a good plant based family style meal. This one doesn't have characters but it can be fun to eat there.

Pretty much every restaurant has a plant based option and most of them are not just salads. I'd browse through the menus to see what sounds good to you.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

My partner is a vegetarian. She enjoys the vegetarian options at CRT. But its obviously not a lot of variety. She also really enjoyed Askershaus. I don't recall which items she ate, but it has a number of different options

 

[woodys_girl]

We went to two character meals recently with plant based offerings. My vegetarian daughter enjoyed them both. At Ohana & lunch at the Garden Grill at EPCOT. She also liked the plant based meal at Sebastian’s (no characters).
Almost every sit down restaurant at WDW will have at least one vegetarian offering. Not necessarily at Disney Springs. Check out the menus online.

Thank you. I am definitely considering both of those character meals and Sebastians. I watched Princess and Bear review it and it looked like it had good options.

 

[Miffy]

Just as an aside, plant-based is not the same as vegetarian although I've noticed lately that some people seem to be using the term to mean that or even to mean mostly plants, but also anything else.

AFAIK, at WDW, plant-based means vegan, i.e., zero animal products (no dairy or eggs, e.g.).

Vegan Disney World is a good source of info.

 

[woodys_girl]

Just as an aside, plant-based is not the same as vegetarian although I've noticed lately that some people seem to be using the term to mean that or even to mean mostly plants, but also anything else.

AFAIK, at WDW, plant-based means vegan, i.e., zero animal products (no dairy or eggs, e.g.).

Vegan Disney World is a good source of info.

Yes, I am aware of the distinction, and I wish the menus would have two labels so it would be easier to identify vegetarian dishes. I know they have allergy menus and you can certainly ask at the restaurant, but I feel like being vegetarian is common enough that they could label it (but maybe I'm wrong). Or maybe that's obvious to other people and I'm the only one who prefers a cheat sheet.

And, thank you, I will check out the link you shared.

 

[Miffy]

Yes, I am aware of the distinction, and I wish the menus would have two labels so it would be easier to identify vegetarian dishes. I know they have allergy menus and you can certainly ask at the restaurant, but I feel like being vegetarian is common enough that they could label it (but maybe I'm wrong). Or maybe that's obvious to other people and I'm the only one who prefers a cheat sheet.

And, thank you, I will check out the link you shared.

IME, the dishes that are noted as plant-based are often also the vegetarian dishes, although of course there are exceptions. Just skip past the items with meat in them, which comprise most of every restaurant's menu at WDW, both QS and TS.

Note that at TS restaurants, there are many off-menu items one can get that are either vegan or vegetarian. Just ask to speak to the executive chef--or sometimes even the server will know--and you'll be surprised at how many things are available that are not on the menus and they will even make things for you on request, assuming they have the ingredients.

 

[woodys_girl]

IME, the dishes that are noted as plant-based are often also the vegetarian dishes, although of course there are exceptions. Just skip past the items with meat in them, which comprise most of every restaurant's menu at WDW, both QS and TS.

Note that at TS restaurants, there are many off-menu items one can get that are either vegan or vegetarian. Just ask to speak to the executive chef--or sometimes even the server will know--and you'll be surprised at how many things are available that are not on the menus and they will even make things for you on request, assuming they have the ingredients.

Thanks, Miffy.

 

[_19disnA]

No idea there was a difference between 'vegetarian' and 'plant based'. I thought plant based was more of a recent invention by marketing departments to make products seem healthier. Funny how potato chips didn't suddenly become a health food just because they are considered 'plant based'.

 

[woodys_girl]

No idea there was a difference between 'vegetarian' and 'plant based'. I thought plant based was more of a recent invention by marketing departments to make products seem healthier. Funny how potato chips didn't suddenly become a health food just because they are considered 'plant based'.

In the real world, "plant based" is sometimes used this way (to mean vegetarian or as a sort of health claim), but Disney is clear that on their menus "plant based" or the little leaf icon means no meat, dairy, eggs, or honey, i.e. vegan.
As someone who eats plant based for health, rather than ethical reasons, I know I'd personally prefer to eat potatoes cooked with butter than vegan potato chips, though of course vegan potatoes would be my first choice.

 

[Simba's Mom]

How is Tusker House? I don't know, but I wonder if there are many plant-based options. I know only that they have basmati rice and characters.

 

[Genie+]

This is the best plant-based character

 

[woodys_girl]

This is the best plant-based character

View attachment 932793

You aren't wrong.

 

[woodys_girl]

How is Tusker House? I don't know, but I wonder if there are many plant-based options. I know only that they have basmati rice and characters.

I haven't eaten there, but I watched the Princess and the Bear review and it seemed like they were lacking a vegan protein-- no tofu, no faux meats, no vegan bean based entrees. There was a cauliflower curry and some rice as well as salad, but no vegan bread (which I find both weird and disappointing). Their review was from last summer, but if that reflects the current menu then it probably won't be my first choice.