Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant/Dining Help Thread

[TinkFan74]

This summer my daughter will be taking our first vegan trip to WDW, it also happens to be my birthday so we will be celebrating at a character meal (I am a big kid at heart). We just returned from Disneyland where we were very disappointed with our food options; we had many buffets where we felt ripped off as we could eat very little of what was offered, and our $140 prix fixe meal at Blue Bayou was a glorified mushroom on a plate topped with soggy spinach (very bland), I really don't want a repeat of this experience at WDW. Could somebody please tell me what the best character meal is for vegans, so that I can avoid having to find a taco bell later in the evening when I am still hungry. Thanks for your help

 

[prudence64]

This summer my daughter will be taking our first vegan trip to WDW, it also happens to be my birthday so we will be celebrating at a character meal (I am a big kid at heart). We just returned from Disneyland where we were very disappointed with our food options; we had many buffets where we felt ripped off as we could eat very little of what was offered, and our $140 prix fixe meal at Blue Bayou was a glorified mushroom on a plate topped with soggy spinach (very bland), I really don't want a repeat of this experience at WDW. Could somebody please tell me what the best character meal is for vegans, so that I can avoid having to find a taco bell later in the evening when I am still hungry. Thanks for your help

I think you are going to have to call ahead to arrange a good vegan meal at a character dining spot. There some decent vegetarian options on menus but not vegan that I can recall.

 

[bumbershoot]

This summer my daughter will be taking our first vegan trip to WDW, it also happens to be my birthday so we will be celebrating at a character meal (I am a big kid at heart). We just returned from Disneyland where we were very disappointed with our food options; we had many buffets where we felt ripped off as we could eat very little of what was offered, and our $140 prix fixe meal at Blue Bayou was a glorified mushroom on a plate topped with soggy spinach (very bland), I really don't want a repeat of this experience at WDW. Could somebody please tell me what the best character meal is for vegans, so that I can avoid having to find a taco bell later in the evening when I am still hungry. Thanks for your help

As vegetarians we don't really go to character meals anymore, since it's hardly worth it. If we were vegan I doubt I ever would go. That said, Tusker House is going to be the closest IMO, but you will want to note it on the reservation and talk to a chef there to find out what you can eat.

At Blue Bayou, how did you end up with a fixed price meal? The portabello is the veggie dish, and has been for years now (we first went there in '08-ish and that's what it was then), and it's about $30.

I'd much rather go and spend $10 per person for a birthday meal at Sweet Tomatoes across from Downtown Disney, where there are vegan options (maybe not many, but more in line with the price of the meal). Could go a couple times for the cost of one character meal. Sure, no characters, but those are free to meet around the parks anyway.

Taco Bell has vegan items?

 

[prudence64]

As vegetarians we don't really go to character meals anymore, since it's hardly worth it. If we were vegan I doubt I ever would go. That said, Tusker House is going to be the closest IMO, but you will want to note it on the reservation and talk to a chef there to find out what you can eat.

At Blue Bayou, how did you end up with a fixed price meal? The portabello is the veggie dish, and has been for years now (we first went there in '08-ish and that's what it was then), and it's about $30.

I'd much rather go and spend $10 per person for a birthday meal at Sweet Tomatoes across from Downtown Disney, where there are vegan options (maybe not many, but more in line with the price of the meal). Could go a couple times for the cost of one character meal. Sure, no characters, but those are free to meet around the parks anyway.

Taco Bell has vegan items?

Try calling garden grill to see what they will do for vegans. It's family style rather than buffet

 

[TinkFan74]

As vegetarians we don't really go to character meals anymore, since it's hardly worth it. If we were vegan I doubt I ever would go. That said, Tusker House is going to be the closest IMO, but you will want to note it on the reservation and talk to a chef there to find out what you can eat.

At Blue Bayou, how did you end up with a fixed price meal? The portabello is the veggie dish, and has been for years now (we first went there in '08-ish and that's what it was then), and it's about $30.

I'd much rather go and spend $10 per person for a birthday meal at Sweet Tomatoes across from Downtown Disney, where there are vegan options (maybe not many, but more in line with the price of the meal). Could go a couple times for the cost of one character meal. Sure, no characters, but those are free to meet around the parks anyway.

Taco Bell has vegan items?

The Prix fixe menu was part of the Fantasmic Dinner package which also provides you with a fast pass for a premium viewing section. I don't' mind spending 60 dollars on a meal if the food is good, but we found the entree to be underwhelming, our only starter option was a bowl of lettuce, and the dessert was a scoop of sorbet with no topping of any kind.
At Taco Bell you can order the bean burritos and seven layer burritos without cheese or sour cream, you can replace these toppings with guac and pico de gallo, the potatoes are also vegan.
Thanks for the suggestion of Sweet Tomatoes, we may try it while we are there, but for special occasions we don't mind spending a lot of money for character meals as long as the food is good.
I think I will try Tusker House as Animal Kingdom is my favourite park.

 

[bumbershoot]

The Prix fixe menu was part of the Fantasmic Dinner package which also provides you with a fast pass for a premium viewing section. I don't' mind spending 60 dollars on a meal if the food is good, but we found the entree to be underwhelming, our only starter option was a bowl of lettuce, and the dessert was a scoop of sorbet with no topping of any kind.

Aha, that makes sense now.

It's like the Fantasmic dinner packages at WDW that make no sense for someone who isn't ordering expensive meat meals. If the package itself, what you're getting with it, makes it worth it, that's OK. But for me it's the food first.

At WDW you'll never see me ordering that package at Brown Derby, beause the Tofu Noodle Bowl is the only thing we eat there. It's $29 for the dish. It's not worth it to me, to buy the package, especially since Fantasmic at WDW is a lesser show than at DL. We once got the chopped salad there without the meat and it was a bowl of mush, LOL.

Tusker has all sorts of couscous and things like that. Very nice. Probably the rice has butter in it, but the chef will tell you all when you get there. Best, it's "pods" not one big long line, so there's no need for you to go to the first station, which is a carving station, and wait to bypass something you won't be touching. Just jump to the pod you want!

And beware the desserts at WDW, as they are known to have gelatin (though we have recent confirmations that some cupcakes don't seem to). Ask ask ask.

 

[Ava]

Has anyone done Akershus lunch or dinner? We did breakfast there on our last trip and it was fine, but thinking of lunch or dinner this time if there are enough/good vegetarian options, for kids as well as adults.

 

[prudence64]

Has anyone done Akershus lunch or dinner? We did breakfast there on our last trip and it was fine, but thinking of lunch or dinner this time if there are enough/good vegetarian options, for kids as well as adults.

They had a very, very tasty butternut squash ravioli and I found enough on the appetizer buffet to satisfy me. I was pleased as a vegetarian. I would not think there would be enough for vegans, however.

 

[prudence64]

They had a very, very tasty butternut squash ravioli and I found enough on the appetizer buffet to satisfy me. I was pleased as a vegetarian. I would not think there would be enough for vegans, however.

Forgot to mention that my daughter got the macaroni and cheese, but gave it a thumbs down.

 

[disnut1149]

I haven't been to HDDR in a long time. Anyone there recently as a vegetarian and what did you have to eat. Did you have to call a day ahead? Thanks!

 

[andigomeep]

How is Chef Mickey for dinner? We also have Tusker House breakfast but would only like to do one character meal, which would be better?

 

[DCDisney]

At HDDR as long as it is noted on your reservation you don't need to call ahead. They have a standard plate of pasta and veggies but they are also flexible since they stock lots of foods for the buffet at Trails End. They made me my own salad, stir fry squash, and a baked potato on our last visit in addition to the items I could eat from their regular menu.

We really don't care for Chef Mickeys. They have never been helpful with modifying anything it's either yes you can have it or no you can't. If you think they have enough for you as is it can work. We also find it less than clean there. The one thing my kids really liked there was the Mickey shaped cheese ravioli.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

How is Chef Mickey for dinner? We also have Tusker House breakfast but would only like to do one character meal, which would be better?

I think Tusker House is much better for vegetarians than Chef Mickey's.

 

[disnut1149]

The Prix fixe menu was part of the Fantasmic Dinner package which also provides you with a fast pass for a premium viewing section. I don't' mind spending 60 dollars on a meal if the food is good, but we found the entree to be underwhelming, our only starter option was a bowl of lettuce, and the dessert was a scoop of sorbet with no topping of any kind.
At Taco Bell you can order the bean burritos and seven layer burritos without cheese or sour cream, you can replace these toppings with guac and pico de gallo, the potatoes are also vegan.
Thanks for the suggestion of Sweet Tomatoes, we may try it while we are there, but for special occasions we don't mind spending a lot of money for character meals as long as the food is good.
I think I will try Tusker House as Animal Kingdom is my favourite park.

Do the refried beans at Taco Bell have lard in them? There's a Mexican restaurant near us and they said they have lard in their refried beans.

 

[Laura]

Do the refried beans at Taco Bell have lard in them? There's a Mexican restaurant near us and they said they have lard in their refried beans.

Nope: http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/ingredientstatement

 

[disnut1149]

Nope: http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/ingredientstatement

Thanks!!

 

[punkin712]

Nope: http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/ingredientstatement

No lard in the refried beans, but their sour cream contains gelatin.

 

[Ava]

Has anyone gotten a different vegetarian dish for dinner at Be Our Guest? We want to dine here, but my wife is not a big fan of ratatouille. I wish they had the quiche from the lunch menu as a dinner option!

ETA: I need some ideas/opinions on ADR choices. We've decided to skip DTD this trip and we're on the DDP, so I need another dinner. Preferably at a resort, but could also be in a park as we have extra days on our tickets. Our vegetarians are 2 adults, a 6yo and a 2yo. Here's what I have so far:

8/21: MK day - Crystal Palace lunch
8/22: AK morning - Tusker House lunch, Epcot evening - Via Napoli dinner (OOP)
8/23: Blizzard Beach, Chef Mickey's dinner
8/24: Epcot day - Akershus breakfast
8/25: MK morning, DHS evening - Sci-Fi dinner
8/26: rest day - This is where I need a dinner, we were going to do DTD but decided not to.
8/27: AK day - Boma dinner
8/28: DHS morning - H&V breakfast, MK evening - BOG dinner (1900 Park Fare as back-up plan)

What's your favorite restaurant that I'm missing? We tend to like buffets as it gives everyone lots of options, but I think we're doing most of them already, lol.

 

[bumbershoot]

We love Hollywood Brown Derby. DH and I get the Thai tofu noodle bowl, and DS has traditionally gotten their wheat bread grilled cheese.

At BOG we are overjoyed with a salad and soup combo for dinner. Both soups, the French onion and the potato leek, are vegetarian and very good. DH has been to many fancy restaurants in his omnivorous days and has tried many FO soups, and says that BOG's is the best.

The quicker is great at lunch but soup and salad at dinner worked well for us. DS disliked the kids pasta and marinara and was desperate enough to try my potato leek soup and loved it. There was only one soup he liked at that point but BOG's PL soup changed him. Yay!

 

[Ava]

At BOG we are overjoyed with a salad and soup combo for dinner. Both soups, the French onion and the potato leek, are vegetarian and very good. DH has been to many fancy restaurants in his omnivorous days and has tried many FO soups, and says that BOG's is the best.

Were you able to get a soup and salad for dinner using a TS credit on DDP? We had the French onion soup here with lunch last year and really liked it so that with a salad will probably be fine for DW if we can use a TS credit for it.

I think I solved my problem, btw. I just found out that Spice Road Table at Epcot now takes DDP, so we're going to try that. There's nothing vegetarian on the kids menu so I'll probably call ahead to see what they can provide for DD, unless anyone has experience dining here with a child and the new menu. The "hummus fries" look similar to falafel so she'd probably like those.