Conference koolit::disney

>>>    My girlfriend IS a vegetarian (although I'm "normal")

	As a vegeterian I object to the implication that I'm not "normal".


>>>    we were surprised how difficult it was to find anything suitable for her
>>>    to eat in Disney restaurants and snack bars (unless she ate french-
>>>    fries all the time).
>>>    
>>>    Even in the majority or restaurants outside Disney she was restricted
>>>    to salad bars (although she wasn't too upset about that as the American
>>>    salad bars beat ours hands down!)

	When did you last go to Disney World?  I find that your statement was 
	true as late as my 4/88 trip.  However, in my two trips in 1989 I was
	pleasantly surprised that many of the Disney restaurants have added
	to their menus dishes that do not contain meat, and there's also a 
	larger selection of fish and seafood dishes (I eat fish too).  

	Does your girlfriend eat dairy products and eggs?  If she didn't 
	then it would be a real problem because I'm not aware of any 
	restaurant specializing on dishes based on vegetables and grains only.

	Outside Disney World, I generally choose Italian restaurants as they 
	have a larger selection of cheese-based dishes or Seafood restaurants.

	Good luck finding vegeterian dishes next time you are in Orlando.

	Jacqueline

    Check out note 39, Dining around WDW.  Specifically look at 39.39 and
    39.44.

    In addition to the suggestions mentioned above, I found that many of
    the counter service restaurants at WDW offer salads or fruit plates. 
    We got fresh fruit at the Columbia Harbor House in the MK, and a cheese
    and fruit plate at the Farmers' Market in the Land at Epcot.

    Peanut Butter and grilled cheese sandwiches abound as well.

    For a more substantial meal, you could probably do all right in almost
    any of the full service restaurants.  How about vegetable tempura in
    Japan?  Or try the Polynesian for some south-seas specialties.  You
    should be able to get eggplant dishes at Italy, and I'll bet the Land
    Grille Room has some interesting dishes.

    It may take a little extra work to search these places out, but I
    wouldn't classify WDW as a strictly hamburger and fries kind of place.

    As for the Birnbaum guide, they don't specifically address
    vegetarianism, but the do give an idea of the kinds of things available
    at each restaurant and snack bar in the World.  (BTW, they do tell you
    how you can get served a kosher meal anywhere at WDW.)
    
    I also just found this in my WDW Resort Handbook:
    
         ...If you have any special dietary
         needs, or require Kosher meals when
         visiting the parks, please stop by City
         Hall in the Magic Kingdom, Spaceship
         Earth at Epcot Center, or Guest Services
         at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. 
         When dining elsewhere on the property,
         please call the restaurant 24 hours in
         advance for assistance.

    As the last reply to this was written Jan '90, I'd appreciate an update
    on the situation.
    
    Particularly for a family of intending visitors who don't eat meat or
    fish.
    
    Tnks,
    
    JK

    I could not find a topic on just food so I put my question here. Mod,
    feel free to move this if need be..
    
    	What is wdw policy about bringing snacks/drinks into the park? I'll
    be staying at Fort Wilderness and had planned on packing a ton of
    snacks and juice boxes for the kids. I know we can have all the stuff
    we want at the trailer but can we carry a mini cooler and etc??

    I believe official policy is that no food is allowed to be taken into
    the parks. Other noters have mentioned that discretely hiding goodies 
    in strollers, backpacks, etc. has worked for them. 
    
    Linda

    The thing I've noticed in Disneyland is if you do manage
    to get food inside, you can't find a comfortable place
    to eat it. The lawn areas are roped off, the benches are
    usually filled to capacity and the local restaurants
    frown on cleaning up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
    
    Jodi-

    There is a picnic spot provided at Disneyland just outside the 
    gate. I have never failed to find a quiet spot to eat in any of the 
    Orlando parks. (My favourite place is the garden behind "England" 
    in Epcot).
    
    If you are discrete you will not have a problem. I don't think a 
    cool box counts as discrete. I use a large camera bag to carry a 
    few snacks and drinks. As well as looking completely innocent its 
    padding keeps the drinks cool.
    
    Robin (form Warrington)

    Since we have small ones, we carry an extra "diaper bag".  No questions
    are ever asked.
    
    We usually bring our own lunch, or else return to make lunch and take
    the afternoon off.
    
    John

I have three active children and despite rules...well sometimes they are meant
to be broken.

On a cool day I usually take a small backpack to carry a sweater/light jacket
for everyone.  I will also put three juice boxes in there and some 
light snacks (usually buy those packs of fruit bites, crackers, raisins and
maybe a candy bar or two).

We stay at FW and usually go over to a park from opening till 1-2 PM.  We use
the snacks to hold us over till our late lunch (we always eat a few of the days
in the parks for the variety).  Late lunch at the Trailer home....and whatever

There was one day that we knew we were going to stay all day, eat supper at
MK.  So to save money we made a few sandwiches.  A great place to get a 
little bit of rest, eat the lunch and continue on was in the 'fort' on 
Tom Sawyers island.

-Jay (who wishes he could afford to buy lunch at the Prime Time or Brown Derby
       every day!)

re:-.1

I meant to add....

when it is not cool I usually bring a 'waist pack' to carry all the snacks 
and one juice box (one of my children does not like/drink soda and we have
found it to be a problem to find something for her).  Anyways it is rare that
we would ever enter a park without taking some type of snack for the kids.

-Jay

    
    
    This kinda has to do with food...we are going in Oct. and our son will 
    be 8months old...I am pretty sure he will still be on the formula
    then...if he is -- is there a place to heat up his bottle in the
    parks...we will be staying 6 miles from disney...so going off grounds
    to eat his cereal and bottle is not a choice...Sorry if this is covered
    else where but I'm just starting to read the file...
    
    				Pat Jacob
    

RE:                       <<< Note 153.12 by AIMHI::JACOB >>>
    
I can't answer your question, but I can suggest you giving your son cold
formula.  Babies do not need to have their formula served warm.  You might
try getting him/her used to drinking cold forumula a few weeks before hand, 
then you won't have to worry about warming it.  (I did this gradually with 
my son; each time I'd microwave his bottle for less time until finally he 
was drinking them right out of the refrigerator.)

� �ori �

re: .12

I believe that you can do this at the Child Care centers.  I know that there is
one in the MK and another at Epcot, I'm not sure about MGM.  These are 
wonderful places to take pick up extra baby need as well as a quite place
to take you child to eat or get away from the excitment of Disney. I think they
are run by gerber.  They are rather high priced for the things they sell
but use of the facility is/was free.

Dan

    Why not just use the Powder formula and add warm water.  I'm sure the
    restaurants in the area you'll be in will be able to give you a glass
    of warm/hot water.  Also, by doing this you'd not lugging around the liquid
    formula and taking chanes of it spilling/spoiling by not being
    refrigerated.
    
    Just a thought,
    

Last year we went to WDW with some friends who had a very young baby.
My friend was nursing so we decided to check out the baby stations.
We found one in each of the three parks and they are equipped with
a large kitchen with stoves and microwaves.  Each also had a nursing room
complete with soft lights and rocking chairs.  It was very private.
There was a very nice changing room with about a dozen changing tables,
and a feeding room with high chairs and small tables where toddlers
could sit down and eat.  These places were immaculate and each
were staffed with someone to assist you if you needed anything.  There was
formula, food diapers available for sale, but I didn't see how much
they cost.  We were there during the peak park attendance times, yet there
were very few people there.  Once we were the only ones in the entire
place.  I don't think folks realize what these places are like so they
aren't highly utilized.  The one I actually went in was in the Magic Kingdom,
kind of behind the Crystal Palace.  It was easy to find on the map of the
park and worth the detour.  It was quiet and cool, a nice place to rest
in the middle of the day.

Joey.