Veggie at Disney

Disney loving vegetarian

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Veggie @ Disney - Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon is at once one of my favourite restaurants at Disneyland Paris - and at the same time the most disappointing for vegetarians. Located inside Pirates of the Caribbean, the lighting and decoration all combine to transport you far away from the outskirts of Paris. On a busy day in the parks, it’s a relaxing haven from the crowds outside, and well worth booking ahead for during busy times of year. 

The menu at Blue Lagoon changes fairly frequently. I last ate here in August 2015 and the menu pictured below, from March 2016, has a different veggie option. There is only one vegetarian option, but plenty for pescetarians. 

As with most restaurants at DLP, there are set menu options, these don’t actually feature a vegetarian main course option, but my experience has been that you can ask to substitute a main course for a vegetarian option without a problem, so don’t let that put you off.  The dessert menu suffers from the same lack of V symbols as other DLP eateries, but I’m sure they can’t all be packed with gelatine. 

On my last trip I ordered what was described as a vegetarian parcel, which can best be described as steamed veg in a plastic bag... the veg was decent, but for 25 euros it wasn’t great value. It’s a change from fast food, but not something I’d be rushing to pay £20 for anywhere else. 

However, I would absolutely eat here again, even with microwaved veg in a bag, for the atmosphere alone. Eating inside the ride is just fantastic, and I’ll be giving the ‘vegetable voyage’ a try when I can. 

Find Blue Lagoon on the Disneyland Paris website.

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A spring treat from Cafe Fantasia in the #disneylandhotel (at Disneyland Hotel)

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Veggie @ DLP - Restaurant en Coulisse

Restaurant en Coulisse is the large counter service restaurant on your right as you enter the Studio 1 building on your way into the Walt Disney Studios Park. 

With the exception of Bistrot Chez Remy, the dining options in Walt Disney Studios are limited for vegetarians and carnivores alike. This is, I believe, the largest quick/counter service option in the park, and can very busy at peak eating times. There is a lot of seating upstairs and downstairs, but it’s cafeteria-like atmosphere makes it somewhere you won’t want to linger for long. 

On to the menu, and your veggie option here is a vegetarian burger - described as ‘vegetable cake, cheddar cheese and tomato’. There’s also a fish burger for any pescetarians. The veggie burger isn’t part of the set menu, and will set you back 6.39 (in March 2016). 

There’s also the often-appearing ‘vegetable and cereal salad’, which is a mix of leaves, some veg, and a quinoa-type grain. 

Given the choice I’d much rather go to Bistrot Chez Remy in the Studios, and most of the time will leave the park for meals, but if time and budget mean you plan to stay in the park,  this is a good stand by option. 

 Find Restaurant en Coulisse on the DLP website

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Veggie @ DLP - Fuente Del Oro

Fuente Del Oro is a quick/counter service restaurant in Frontierland, conveniently located opposite Big Thunder Mountain, perfect for a pit stop before or after the wildest ride in the wilderness! 

The food has a tex-mex theme, and there is seating inside and outside. In a rare sight for DLP, the first set menu option at Fuento Del Oro is vegetarian! 

11.99 gets you mini vegetable taquitos (think mexican spring roll) with onion rings and salsa and a choice of side salad or mexican rice, plus a drink. 

It’s not the largest meal in the world for the price, but for a light lunch or snack it’s a good choice, and makes a change from pizza/pasta and fries. The location is great for waiting for that Big Thunder Mountain fast pass window to open, and the location just on the border between Frontierland and Adventureland makes it a good place to stop while exploring that side of the park. 

Taking a look at the A La Carte menu there are some more veggie choices to be found. DLP has a habit of putting a V next to every side item on a menu, even if the main dish it comes with isn’t vegetarian, so you have to read the menu fairly carefully to see past all these Vs to see the true veggie options. 

In this case, as well as the taquitos, you can pick from a vegetarian taco salad, as well as a side of nachos, and the mexican rice and salad that come with the set menu.

In this case none of the desserts have Vs, yet I’d be surprised if the fresh fruit cup at a minimum wasn’t vegetarian. The mystery of the green Vs continues. 

Find Fuente Del Oro on the DLP park map. The restaurant isn’t always open during the off season, keep a look out for the signs in front of closed restaurants telling you which restaurants are currently open.

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Feeling like Spring here today - missing #swingintospring #disneylandparis #dlp #instadisney #disneygram #minniemouse #springfever

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It's ADR day tomorrow - this one is definitely #onthelist #scifidinein #hollywoodstudios #disneydining #disneygram #instadisney #disneyside (at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant)

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Anyone else love playing Sorcerers of the magic Kingdom? Such a fun extra thing to do in the #magickingdom #disneygram #disneyworld #instadisney #disneyparks #mainstreetusa (at Disney's Magic Kingdom)

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Sunny spring days at #disneylandparis #swingintospring

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So excited by the news that #Dolewhip is coming to #disneylandparis. Pic is a rum dole float - let's hope they follow! #morerum

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Veggie @ DLP- Market House Deli

This post is the first of a quick look at some of the menus around Disneyland Paris, and the vegetarian options on offer. 

Market House Deli is on the right hand side (facing the castle) of Main Street USA. It has indoor and outdoor seating, with tables in a little side passage off Main Street.  It’s theming is a ‘20th century New York deli’ 

Here’s a look at the full menu (sorry about the glare).

And a close up on the vegetarian options. There is a ‘cereal bread’ veggie sandwich with radish, courgette, carrots and sun dried tomatoes.

There’s also a tomato and rocket bruschetta which for some reason doesn’t have the green V - mysterious, as there’s no cheese mentioned. 

The only other V on the menu belongs to the side salad (you’ll find this on almost every menu at DLP I think), and again none of the desserts have the V, even though I would expect at least the fruit cup to be vegetarian. 

I didn’t eat at Market House Deli this time but have in the past. I prefer some of the more themed counter service options, but this is in a convenient place if you are eating before Dreams or first/last thing in the day and has some slightly lighter options than elsewhere.

Find it on the map here.

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Veggie @ DLP - Cafe Mickey

Cafe Mickey is a character dining restaurant in Disney Village, right next to the lake, which offers meals with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and Tigger. 

I highly recommend reserving a table, particularly at peak times. We joined a queue of people with reservations waiting outside the restaurant (no buzzers here like WDW) waiting for a table, so be prepared to wait a little, even with a booking.

There are few veggie options here, for starters  a choice of ‘Fantasia Mushrooms’ or ‘Minestrone Soup’. I opted for the mushrooms, which were a few roasted mushrooms, with a pistou (much like pesto) sauce. These were pretty filling (that and I can’t resist the basket of warm bread and real butter you get at table service restaurants!) and I enjoyed them.

For the main course my choice was a potato gnocchi with mushrooms and tofu (picture above). This was a substantial dish of gnocchi in a tomato sauce. It was fairly heavy, as gnocchi tends to be, but enjoyable and very filling. It came with some rocket on the side. 

The pizza on this menu isn’t labelled as vegetarian - see photo below, sorry about the glare - but I imagine if you stuck with vegetable toppings it would be - I do find the green Vs a bit hit and miss at Disneyland Paris. Some things that are obviously veggie don’t have them (like fruit), while others do (like cherry tomatoes).  I tend to check but cast member’s definition of vegetarian vary - I had one waiter say ‘no beef or chicken, so vegetarian, yes?’... not exactly! 

The atmosphere

Cafe Mickey is bright, loud and busy. We were there for about an hour and a half before all the characters made their way round, but we were in no rush. Other tired parents and children didn’t seem so pleased!

The character interaction was great - the characters spend lots of time on photos and autographs, spending a long time with those who wanted them to. They make their way around in a set order of tables, so no need to rush over or worry if they take a break just before they reach you, they will be back! 

Overall

We have been to Cafe Mickey twice and would return in future - a great way to see characters, but not the most relaxing choice! 

Read about Cafe Mickey on the DLP website.

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Jealous of everyone on the last flight to endor today! Glad we got to go twice this weekend and I got the pin - bye droids! #disneylandparis #endor #startours (at Star Tours)

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Lucky to have had great weather all weekend. Cold but sunny. Busy again today with hour waits for lots of attractions but loads of characters out and about too!

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Swing into Spring is just lovely! Very busy in the parks today but managed a few attractions and lots of spring celebrations. Food photos coming soon! (at Disney Land Paris)

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Rainy dreary day in London. Wishing for sunshine and thunder mountain.

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Disneyland Paris veggie dining - any questions?

We are getting ready to Swing into Spring at Disneyland Paris in just 8 days and I can't wait. Our dining plans currently include Cafe Mickey character dining on Friday (early park closing) and an early dinner at Walt's on Main street on Saturday. I've never been to Walts before so excited to see what it's like - there's only one veggie option on the menu so that's an easy choice! Other dining is likely to include Annette's amazing veggie burger, Earl of Sandwich and perhaps Colonel Hathi pizza. What would you like to know about dining at Disneyland Paris? Let me know and I'll report back.

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Why vegetarians need a plan for dining at Disney.

The good news? Being a vegetarian at Walt Disney World can be easy. You can eat interesting,  varied,  delicious and healthy (if you so choose) food at Disney without going near meat or fish.

But... you need a plan.

Without a plan you won’t starve or be forced to eat plain hamburger buns for days, but you won’t get the most out of your Disney dining experience.

Whether you book your dining reservations 180 days in advance or plan out your quick service dining for the day ahead, doing your research will make the experience so much more enjoyable.

Without it, you’ll find yourself piecing together a menu of sides and kids meals and wondering what Disney has against vegetarians.

Most restaurants will have something you can eat.  But let’s take an average day in Magic Kingdom for example. It’s 1pm, it’s hot and humid and you are starving and looking for a quick counter service meal to refuel. The nearest restaurant to you is the Tomorrowland Terrace, where your options are french fries or apple slices. Making your way to Casey’s Corner just over on Main Street, and it’d be more fries and cotton candy for lunch for you.  

But head over to Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square and you could try the delicious Lighthouse sandwich packed with hummus and broccoli ‘slaw. Or if it’s a veggie burger you’re craving you’ll find it at Cosmic Ray’s back in Tomorrowland, but try the Golden Oak Outpost in Frontierland and unless you’re in the market for a meat-laden  waffle you’ll still be hungry.

None of these restaurants require (or take) reservations, but a little research ahead of time will mean you’re heading straight to the top spots for veggies without delay.  

If you can plan a little further ahead the options are even more delicious, and you could be tucking into Quinoa Salad or Vegetable Quiche in the Beast’s Castle at Be our Guest (a Quick Service lunch) or enjoying a Vegetarian Burger or Roast Vegetable Sandwich at The Plaza on Main Street, and taking a break from the heat and the crowds. If that appeals then reservations are needed at most times of year, and can be made via My Disney Experience 180 days before your visit.

Reservations for some of Disney’s top dining experiences are a must whether you’re a vegetarian or not, but for veggies some  daily planning will go a long way to making your experience a much more enjoyable, and delicious, one.