Eating vegan at Disney is now a walk in the parks

About 10 years ago, my parents lived in St. Augustine, Fla. I was a frequent visitor, and we’d often take the two-hour drive to Walt Disney World. We were annual passholders, so popping by for a day or a few nights was relatively simple. But one thing wasn’t so simple: I was a strict vegan at the time. 

Disney was always accommodating, but it usually meant meeting with a chef in sit-down restaurants and scouring “vegan at Disney” blogs for meal and snack ideas. While most restaurants had special vegetarian menus available upon request, vegans weren’t a group Disney — or many others, for that matter — catered to. 

It’s a far cry from Disney parks today, where it can be difficult to find a restaurant that doesn’t have plant-based options on its regular menu.

In fact, in 2019, Disney said that hundreds of plant-based options would come to its campuses in Orlando and Anaheim, Calif. Guest preferences were swinging to vegetarian offerings, Disney said, and its new initiative would aim to offer more choices. Plant-based options are designated by a green leaf on menus. 

Disney doubled-down on plant-based food when it announced a partnership with Impossible Foods in early 2020.

The pledge goes beyond mere “meatless” options: Cheryl Dolven, manager of food and beverage health and wellness with Walt Disney World Resort Development, Optimization and Standardization, said Disney defines plant-based offerings as those made without animal meat, dairy, eggs or honey.

“Our plant-based recipes are made with ingredients that come only from plants, including vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts seeds and legumes,” Dolven said. “This definition appeals to a broad audience who are trying to eat more plant foods, even if they aren’t living a vegan lifestyle.” 

Plant-based meal choices are abundant in the parks now, from sit-down restaurants to counter-service locations. Even Disney’s festivals have plant-based offerings at many booths.

I’ve since pivoted my personal dietary preferences from vegan to pescatarian, but more often than not I order plant-based meals at Disney. 

For instance, last spring during the Taste of Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, it took two visits to the festival to try all the items that appealed to my taste buds. My favorite by far was the boneless Impossible Korean short rib, served with cilantro-lime rice, danmuji slaw and kimchi mayonnaise. 

One of my top picks in the parks is the Impossible meatloaf at the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, served with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and seasonal veggies (green beans when I last had it). It’s classic comfort food, but in this incarnation, it’s totally plant-based.

Societal preferences and the dialogue around plant-based eating are clearly changing. Disney has opened several new lands in recent years, like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Florida and California and Avengers Campus in California. With each opening came details on food, with plant-based offerings promoted in particular. 

Galaxy’s Edge is home to the famed blue and green “milk” from the Star Wars franchise as well as the plant-based Felucian kefta and hummus garden spread. Avengers Campus’ Shawarma Palace has a plant-based falafel, among other offerings in the land. The much-anticipated Space 220 restaurant has a pasta dish featuring tempeh ragu and macadamia nut “ricotta.”

I’m sure Disney chefs are still happy to meet with guests about their dietary restrictions, but for vegans at least, it’s no longer necessary.