Disneyland, the "Happiest Place on Earth," may seem a little unnerving to a vegetarian. The focus of food in the park does not primarily cater to healthy diets or meat-free lifestyle. For many years, lack of vegetarian options was a major complaint of some Disneyland visitors. Today, it is possible to find good, meat-free food choices in the park, if you know where to look.
Breakfast is the easiest time to find vegetarian food at Disneyland. The Carnation Café on Main Street, USA offers a variety of veggie breakfasts, including a mouthwatering cinnamon roll French toast. Café Orleans in New Orleans Square offers a vegetable scramble, or a healthy combo of yogurt, fruit, granola and a bran muffin.
You can also duck out of the park to one of the hotel restaurants to find great vegetarian food at Disneyland Resorts. The Storyteller’s Café at the Grand Californian Hotel offers an all you can eat breakfast buffet at $11.99 US Dollars (USD) for children and $22.99 USD for adults. The Storyteller’s Café also has a set menu with many vegetarian omelets and griddle specialties such as waffles, and you may even get a visit from some Disney characters while you eat.
Probably the best place to find vegetarian food at Disneyland is Red Rockett’s Pizza Port. Located in Tomorrowland between Innoventions and Space Mountain, this futuristic pizza place offers a good selection of salads, pasta, and one heck of a vegetable pizza. Try the Starfields of Green salad, the Terra Nova tomato basil pasta, or the Lunar Cheese pizza. Pricewise, while far from cheap, Red Rockett’s is one of the best deals in Disneyland.
One of the favorite dishes of Disneyland regulars is the gumbo served beside Pirates of the Caribbean, at a walk-up stand called the Royal Street Veranda. $8.69 USD will net you a French bread bowl stuffed with hearty vegetarian gumbo, sure to fill you up for hours. Definitely add the available New Orleans fritters for an after-meal treat. Gumbo, a thick and spicy stew, is a great buy on cool Southern California evenings, and gives you an excellent way to stay warm while waiting for the fireworks to start.
If you are searching for healthy snack vegetarian food at Disneyland, stop by the fruit carts located on Main Street, in Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and across from Splash Mountain in Critter Country. These stands offer a good choice of sliced fruits and vegetables, some with dipping sauces. Add a bag of healthy trail mix and a fruit juice and you are set for snacks.
Don’t be afraid to indulge in treats at Disneyland. This area is where vegetarians may do best, as nothing is off limits. Whether enjoying an ice cream sundae from the Gibson Girl on Main Street, diving into the crème brulee trio at the Blue Bayou, or sneaking into the Stage Door Café in Frontierland for a funnel cake, dessert at Disneyland is a wonderful thing for vegetarians.
Vegetarian food at Disneyland can be easy, if you know ahead of time the menus available. Check out websites like dlresortinfo.com for frequently updated menu selections for every restaurant in the resort. As vegetarianism becomes more common throughout the world, we will likely see meat-free choices increase, but even now it is certainly possible to find vegetarian food at Disneyland that will satisfy your stomach and your diet.
