4.27.2009

Disney World Food

Did you think I forgot that this was a food blog? Of course, not!

Before going on the trip, I spent a good amount of time searching websites for the restaurants and stands within Disney that would be the most accommodating and that would have the most options for me. Sadly, most of those options were sit-down restaurants that were 20-30 dollars for a meal. Obviously being poor college students, those places were not always an option.

I ended up eating A LOT of veggie burgers and fries while I was in Disney. Though, it was very delicious. What is nice is at each stand, no matter the size, there will be an official binder of ingredients of everything they sell. I spent a good amount of time looking at those binders trying to make sure that a vegetarian item was vegan. Luckily, those delicious burgers were.

We did eat a few times at nicer restaurants, where my friend's mother was generous enough to pay for us. One of those places was the Sci-Fi Diner. It was a cool place, as you sat in old 50's cars and watched old movie/advertisement clips. It was great fun, but the options were sparse. The chef came out and was very helpful and really wanted to make sure my experience was a good one. He made a special tofu sandwich that was seasoned to perfection. Was it worth 12 dollars, no, but what can you do. He got really excited and came back out saying that he had vegan cheese in the fridge and if he could add it on. I was happy that he really was trying hard to make my lunch as enjoyable as possible.

Another dining experience that we were dying to participate in was a Character Breakfast. Anybody unfamiliar with Disney will want to know that this is a special breakfast that includes Disney characters floating around to greet you. My mom laughed at the idea that 20 year olds went to one of these breakfasts, but it was all in good fun. Again, thankfully, our friend's mom paid for us, as this bill was hefty! We signed up for a breakfast with Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy! We got to meet each and everyone of them, a few times, and got pictures and signatures (yes, I did have an autograph book). The chef took my friend who has celiac around to show her what she could eat at the buffet and then put in an order for some gluten-free waffles. He was about to take me around and then was like 'All thatyou can eat out there is the fruit, what do you want me to make?' I was thinking a little of everything. We decided on a tofu scramble and some of the same gluten-free and apparently vegan waffles. The waffles I thought were awful. They were dry and flavorless. I had to DRENCH them in the artificial maple syrup to even enjoy them. The tofu scramble was a different story. Oh my, holy lord, this was the best tofu scramble I have ever had. Even though it turned out to be more of a potato hash with tofu in it, I can't even explain the flavoring. Just the spinach, carrots, onion, potatoes, and tomatoes together with the tofu was delectable. I was so sad when I couldn't stuff another bite. The breakfast was paired with apple juice AND chocolate soy milk. We all really induldged that morning and didn't really need to eat again for hours and hours. So delicious.

The rest of the food eaten on the trip was garbage. Loads and loads of sweets and french fries. But, we were on vacation and doing tons and tons of walking, so that was okay. One sweet that I was so excited for was Tofutti ice cream. At home, this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but having the option at a normal ice cream parlour was so gratifying. Food allergies at Disney are not taken lightly, your food will be prepared in a completely different kitchen. That being said, this also means that your food will take a biiiit longer. I felt so guilty as my friends were waiting and waiting for my poor cup of vanilla/chocolate Tofutti ice cream to arrive. When it finally did, I was beaming! We ate our ice cream in front of the glow of Cinderella's castle and prepared ourselves for another round of rides...

2 comments:

Jaanie said...

i still laugh every time i read tofutti.

Sarah said...

haha it is a major brand. I super love it.