Yes, Really! Even MORE Vegan and Vegetarian Dining Reviews! May 8-15, 2010

[ehartman4]

Yeah, I love Tusker House! That couscous was one of my favorite parts of the meal. Oh man was it good!! I was disappointed in the samosas though.

The chef there told us that the tofu was fried with meat dishes but maybe they have their own frier now! I sure hope so because that would be awesome.

 

[Siddhartha]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Laurs020]

I'm no longer vegetarian, but frequently still order veg. meals. It's great to see that Disney has so many options for non-meat eaters. Your pics and reviews are fantastic!

 

[v_gan]

After Tusker House, we went to Rafiki's Planet Watch, saw Divine for the first time (!!!), and stared at some amazing little ducklings. Then we went back to our room to relax a little before we played mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens. We had a fun time, and I got a hole-in-one on the Chernabog hole! After mini-golf, we headed to the Contemporary Resort for dinner. I had a reservation for The Wave at another time during our trip, but I canceled it for a reason I can't remember. Probably didn't feel like leaving the park at the time. So I made one that afternoon.

This was our first time visiting the Contemporary Resort and.. WOW. It's pretty boring It looks like a mall, with nothing in it. But, anyway..

We checked in, made sure my dietary notations had been made (they had), and we were given our pager:

We waited in a pretty little blue area, facing the bar:

Our anniversary had been noted on our reservations as well, so we were brought free champagne:

I don't drink, but I decided to take a small sip and make a gross face..

Jon was happy because he got to drink both glasses

Soon after we were given our drinks and stuff, our server brought us the bread and olive oil. It was then that she took our orders, and I asked her if she knew what was vegan on the menu. She told me that she didn't know, but that she would get someone who did.

When she came back, she brought along with her a very nice lady, who couldn't have been more than five years older than me, who was also vegan and worked in the restaurant. She told me that the vegetable stew had butter added in at the end of the cooking process, but that they could leave it out. I also asked about the avocado and citrus salad, and she said it was fine. So that's what I ordered! It was so nice to actually have someone that was vegan (and nice) help me with my selection.

I have NEVER had a salad that tasted this good. Never. The little white bits you see on top are grains of sea salt. They made everything taste SO much better. The grapefruit wasn't horribly tart like I've had in the past. It was actually pretty perfect. And the creaminess from the avocado, as well as the citrus dressing.. PERFECTION.

Seasonal Vegetable Stew. Good grief.. I didn't think my meal wasn't going to get better after that salad. But this at least matched it! I was pretty sold on The Wave after my first bite of this entree. Every little detail was perfect. The vegetables, the grains, the broth.. All perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned.

I had honestly never had such a perfectly simple meal. I was a happy Mousketeer!

Jon ordered the veggie burger

We both cleaned our plates!

Since I had been wanting to go to The Wave on our past two trips.. I decided to order every item on the menu that I had been eyeing over the years. So we splurged and spent $8 on this:

Pineapple, Strawberry, and Lemon-Basil sorbets. A bit tiny for $8. Ok, a LOT tiny for $8. But, this was a splurge, so.. The pineapple was definitely our favorite. The strawberry wasn't anything special. The lemon-basil was STRONG in the basil department. Interesting, but I wasn't a big fan. I thought it was adorable they they cut the dried pineapple into a heart.

This is why I don't order dessert.

Overall, I think my meal at The Wave is definitely in my Top Five favorite meals at Disney World. Ever. I'll just remember not to order dessert next time. Everyone in the restaurant was friendly to us, and it made me sad that there weren't a lot of people dining in there. If you haven't already, definitely check out The Wave on your next trip. You won't be disappointed!

When we were leaving, I heard explosions. So I grabbed Jon's hand and we (kind of) ran through the lobby and into the parking lot to watch the last half of Wishes..

What a magical end to a wonderful meal!

 

[v_gan]

Today was our full Magic Kingdom day! Started the morning by hula-hooping in front of the train station, meeting the Fairy Godmother, getting our Peter Pan FPs, riding Winnie the Pooh, Haunted Mansion, and BTMRR, meeting Ariel, and exploring Tom Sawyer Island.

Then it was time for an early lunch at El Pirata y el Perico!

We both ordered the vegetarian tacos, which come with a side of refried beans and rice. Luckily, there's a toppings bar to make things a little more interesting:

Vegan toppings included lettuce, tomato, and salsa.

Next to the toppings was a condiments section which had packets of salsa, hot sauce, and sour cream (obv. not vegan, but Jon got some).

Umm.. These tacos were awesome. It really doesn't get much better than sitting in Adventureland, eating tacos, and listing to the Pirates of the Caribbean score. Probably one of the highlights of my life. I really enjoyed this meal, especially since I love Mexican food. You mention tacos, and I'm there. Plus these were cheap and filling.

It's my understanding that they've since changed the vegetarian option here. I think they're soft tacos now? I'm not sure. But I did enjoy the hard tacos enough on this trip to go back on the morning we left. I'd definitely go back again on another trip! Jon agreed that this was one of the best meals we've had at Disney World.

After lunch, we headed into Tomorrowland and picked up some Space Mt. FPs, then got in line since it was short. After we got out, we ran into PUSH, and then rode Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, Carousel of Progress, and the TTA. Then I went to go meet Chip and Dale in their space suits, and we ran into PUSH again! He recognized us from earlier, so it was extra funny

I decided to buy some popcorn before we headed into Toontown.

I like getting my popcorn in the souvenir bucket so that I can put the top on and eat bits of it throughout the day. It even stays fresh a few days after, if there's any left!

So we got our popcorn and took the trail into Toontown, where we explored and took pictures of every detail we could find, since it won't be there on our next trip. We went through Donald's Boat, Mickey and Minnie's Houses, rode the Barnstormer, went through the shops, and even decided to meet the princesses! It was only a 15 minute wait, and I had always wanted to, soo.. Yep. It's weird in there. And really quiet. But I finally got to meet Cinderella!

After Tootown, we went to Liberty Square and ran into the parade route. I managed to cross before the parade came, and I got in line to meet Tiana. Probably my longest wait on this trip, especially since I was by myself. After Tiana, me and Jon rode Splash Mountain and then made our way to see Jack's Pirate Tutorial.

Because he knows I love him, Jack always picks me to join his crew

Sorry, kids. Maybe you'll get picked next time. And, yes. I did change into my Jack Sparrow shirt in hopes that I would get picked again.

After the pirate tutorial with the love of my life, me and the real love of my life decided to get some ice cream! So we made our way the the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor.

They have Tofutti and Rice Dream right on the menu! I decided to ask if their hot fudge was vegan, thinking it might be Hershey's chocolate syrup. But it wasn't either. So I just got chocolate Tofutti. I told Jon I would get him whatever he wanted, so he chose the Plaze Ice Cream Sundae

It took a good long while for them to get my ice cream. Jon's came super quick, though.

Mine came eventually, and I was happy. They pretty much gave me half a pint of ice cream.

The rest of our night was spent re-riding and getting in things like Snow White and Jungle Cruise at night. Super fun day at the MK!

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Great updates im not a huge dessert person either and they tend to dissapoint me just stick to appetizers wayy more satisfying

 

[lilpooh108]

Hi there! Loved your reviews...quick question (b/c I'm still learning all this stuff)...what is not vegan in hot fudge? Is there usually dairy in it?

I'm taking DD this winter and she's allergic to milk & eggs so basically we order all of her meals vegan to avoid any dairy/eggs hidden in bread, sauces, etc.

Thanks for letting us know that the pesto sauce has dairy in it...was there anything else you thought was surprisingly not-vegan at Disney (like, hidden in stuff)?

 

[superme80]

Love the updates!!!! Those tacos look good!!!!

 

[v_gan]

Hi there! Loved your reviews...quick question (b/c I'm still learning all this stuff)...what is not vegan in hot fudge? Is there usually dairy in it?

I'm taking DD this winter and she's allergic to milk & eggs so basically we order all of her meals vegan to avoid any dairy/eggs hidden in bread, sauces, etc.

Thanks for letting us know that the pesto sauce has dairy in it...was there anything else you thought was surprisingly not-vegan at Disney (like, hidden in stuff)?

Yes, it's usually dairy in the hot fudge.

Someone mentioned that the BBQ sauce at Flame Tree had worcestershire sauce in it, but there are some brands that don't contain anchovies that could have been used, so I don't know about that. Although, that wouldn't affect your daughters egg and dairy allergies.

The Dole Whips contain dairy, as well as the regular hamburger buns (and I'm assuming the hot dog buns, as well.) You'll need to ask for the allergy-free bun for your daughter (which sucks, because it's pretty gross.) Funnel cakes and pretty much all baked desserts/snacks will have egg and dairy in them. The soft pretzels are vegan, as well as the popcorn. They have allergy-free Divvies cookies and caramel corn available at many places throughout the resort that your daughter can snack on. Sorbet is available at pretty much every table service restaurant as a dessert option, and fruit is available at counter service.

You definitely won't have any troubles with your allergies! All you have to do is ask

 

[lilpooh108]

Yes, it's usually dairy in the hot fudge.

Someone mentioned that the BBQ sauce at Flame Tree had worcestershire sauce in it, but there are some brands that don't contain anchovies that could have been used, so I don't know about that. Although, that wouldn't affect your daughters egg and dairy allergies.

The Dole Whips contain dairy, as well as the regular hamburger buns (and I'm assuming the hot dog buns, as well.) You'll need to ask for the allergy-free bun for your daughter (which sucks, because it's pretty gross.) Funnel cakes and pretty much all baked desserts/snacks will have egg and dairy in them. The soft pretzels are vegan, as well as the popcorn. They have allergy-free Divvies cookies and caramel corn available at many places throughout the resort that your daughter can snack on. Sorbet is available at pretty much every table service restaurant as a dessert option, and fruit is available at counter service.

You definitely won't have any troubles with your allergies! All you have to do is ask

Thanks for the tips. That's too bad the Dole Whip contains dairy (I guess it's considered frozen yogurt w/cream powder in it). Great to know that the soft pretzels are vegan =)

We love Divvies, and by the way, this is not-Disney related but we just started eating "Uncle Eddie's Vegan" soft-baked ginger molasses cookies. They're SOOOOOO good and available at Whole Foods. I'm sure you already know about it or if you don't, try it it's yum

 

[UKVeggie]

Thanks for you review of The Wave Andrea

I have an ADR for there and was considering dropping it but your review has convinced me to give it a shot!

 

[VeganCupcake]

Thank you Miss Andrea! I really <3 your reviews! They are fun to read and they make my trip planning sooooo much easier! hahaha!

 

[v_gan]

Today was our full day at the Studios. We got there before park opening, rode Toy Story Mania, got FPs for later, met Buzz and Woody, rode RNRC, met Mickey and Lotso, used our TSM FPs, played in Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground to re-enact some childhood photos, met Bolt, and then headed to Backlot Express for lunch!

Posing with some of the props.

We both ordered the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich. I ordered mine without the cheese.

We sat in a little corner with lots of windows and unpainted statues.

Jedi Training was going on outside, and it was entertaining to watch the kids and provide our own commentary.

As you can see, the sandwich shown on the menu is a lot thicker than the ones we received

I bit into my sandwich, and it was HOT!

So I decided to open it up and let it cool off. As you can see, there's really not much in there. But, gosh darn it, it tasted awesome.

The black bean salad it comes with was really good, too. The only give you about two tablespoons, though

We both really enjoyed our sandwiches and salads, we just could have done with double the portion sizes. I would definitely go back on another trip! I was really happy to finally get to try the sandwich. I hope they keep it around. I'll just have to order two next time.

"Feed the birds.."

So, when we finished lunch, we headed back to the Muppet-Vision area to meet Jessie. We did a bit of shopping and then rode the Backlot Tour. I was ridiculously excited to see that they added Davy Jones' organ to the exhibit at the end. After that, we decided to check out the Lights, Motors, Action show. It was interesting, but I'll never do it again. We went through a few more shops and rode RNRC one more time and got TOT FPs. We started getting hungry again, so we decided to get a snack. But on the way to getting a snack, we were blocked by the well-named BLOCK Party Bash. I did get to see Flik! I blew him a kiss, and he caught it and put it on his lips

Anyway.. We decided to go to the Tune-In Lounge for a milkshake and some fries.

I asked the lady if I could get a PB & J Milkshake made with Tofutti and soymilk, and she went to go ask if it could be done (which, obviously it could since I they did last time.) She brought out a chef, which I didn't really find necessary, but I guess it's mandatory? I think it was a different chef than last time, because he didn't seem completely annoyed by me and was very nice. He just wanted to check to make sure it wasn't allergies or anything like that, and said it wasn't a problem making the milkshake vegan. So that's what I ordered! Jon ordered some kind of beer with an orange peel in it.. Blue Moon, maybe? I don't know. We decided to share some fries.

SO. GOOD. It was even better than last time! It's so magical that I can get vegan milkshakes at Disney World. I'm still pretty blown away by how catering they are to special diets.

Jon's beverage.

Our fries.

The bartender lady was very nice and friendly. I really enjoyed being able to go into the 50s Prime Time themeing without a reservation and without being confined to a table. It was nice to just slide in for a quick snack! We'll definitely do this again rather than making a lunch or dinner out of it. Truth be told, the stuffed pepper wasn't really my favorite entree. But I kind of what to see what the new vegetarian option is all about.

I will say that I did miss going to the Sci-fi Dine-in on this trip. I wish we had made reservations there for some of our time at the Studios. I wanted that tofu!

But I was happy with getting to try new things on this trip.

Coming Up: California Grill

 

[lilandvisma]

Enjoy reading your reviews! You guys are too cute together

 

[Chaitali]

Love your reviews! My dad, brother, and I are vegetarian and my mom is vegan. I'm planning on taking her to the California Grill in October so I'm definitely looking forward to that review. I hope it went well!

 

[Stew_Mouse]

Love your dining reviews! Hope we can see the Cali Grill report!

The PB&J milkshake looks delicious. Do you know if I can get that in a to go cup instead of drinking it there?

 

[wonderalice23]

These reviews are wonderful! After being vegetarian for a year, I went vegan this January. My last trip was vegetarian - but I was hesitant (even though this is my 17th WDW trip) on how to get vegan items! These threads and links have been more than helpful - and yes -I made the obligatory reservation at 1900 Park Fare - because that's where I hear Chef TJ is these days.