Plant‑Based Dining at Orlando’s Theme Parks: A Comprehensive Guide
Guest blogger and vegan travel writer Miriam Porter explores the best plant‑based options at Orlando’s theme parks (photo by Miriam Porter/© Disney).
As a seasoned vegan travel writer, I constantly search for tasty, plant‑based fare wherever I go. 2019 is poised to be the year that vegan cuisine truly takes center stage, and Orlando’s theme parks are leading the charge with fresh, exciting menus.
My son Noah and I prioritize healthy choices, yet we can’t resist a vegan cupcake, soft‑serve ice cream, or the newest “veganized” fast‑food item. Below are our top picks at Walt Disney World® Resort and Universal Orlando Resort—happy eating!
Important note: Depending on the time of your visit, some offerings may be temporarily modified or closed. Check healthy travel and what’s open in Orlando and confirm with the parks for current status.
Eating Vegan at Walt Disney World® Resort
Magic Kingdom® Park
Dole Whip—the iconic pineapple soft‑serve—is a must‑try. Order the pineapple float or cup (the vanilla version isn’t vegan). The Aloha Isle line moves quickly with multiple servers.
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Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square offers a reasonable price point and several vegan dishes. Noah loves the Lighthouse Sandwich—request it without the slaw—and the side of steamed broccoli, green beans, carrots (no butter), and couscous.
Casey’s Corner now features Beyond Meat sausages that are never cooked on a meat grill. Options include a Plant‑Based Dog with fries or apple slices, and a Loaded Slaw Dog with vegan aioli.
Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant serves a Plant‑Based BBQ Cheeseburger with vegan cheese and aioli (untried by me, but a future stop).
Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
Mamma Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano on Grand Avenue offers a full‑service meal. Though I haven’t dined here yet, the Polenta Cake, Mushroom, and Herb Cauliflower with vegan cashew cheese sauce are reportedly outstanding.
Mickey Pretzel kiosks feature Mickey‑shaped pretzels that are vegan—great for kids. Dip them in mustard for extra flavor.
EPCOT®
World Showcase lets you travel the globe and sample vegan favorites from 11 countries. Highlights include:
- Mexico’s Choza de Margarita: Guacamole topped with mango and pumpkin seeds, served with fried flour chicharrón, salsa valentina, and lime.
- Japan’s Kabuki Café: Classic edamame.
- America’s Liberty Inn: Grilled Vegetable Burger featuring Beyond Meat.
- Tangierine Café: Vegetable Platter—swap falafel for extra hummus if you want to avoid shared fryers.
- L’Artisan des Glaces: Dairy‑free fruit sorbets (Mango, Strawberry, Lemon, Mixed Berry).
Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Pizzafari on Discovery Island offers a vegan pizza made entirely with Daiya cheese. The separate cooking stations and allergy‑friendly menus also make it ideal for families with nut, soy, milk, egg, or gluten sensitivities.
Disney Springs®
Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC is a must‑visit: fully vegan, soy‑free, gluten‑free, and kosher. Their cupcakes (red velvet, brownie, vanilla) are crowd‑pleasers, and they also sell loaves, cookies, donuts, muffins, chocolate brownies, and soft‑serve ice cream topped with donuts, brownies, or cookies. They can deliver entire cakes to most table‑service venues on Disney property.
Eating Vegan at Universal Orlando Resort
Universal has expanded its vegan offerings, catering to diverse dietary needs across its parks.
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Universal Studios Florida
The Leaky Cauldron™ in Diagon Alley offers vegan items such as breakfast potatoes, baked beans, grilled tomato, root veggies, and garden salads—perfect for Harry Potter fans.
Lombard’s Seafood Grille features a Plant‑Based Penne Genovese with Beyond Sausage, roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and basil oil.
Louie’s Italian Restaurant serves Spaghetti Bolognese with plant‑based Gardein Italian sausage crumbles.
Universal’s Islands of Adventure
The Burger Digs offers a Vegan Cheeseburger Platter (brown rice‑and‑mushroom patty, vegan cheese, fries) and a Chick’n & Avocado Sandwich Platter (plant‑based Gardein Chick’n, Follow Your Heart American cheese).
Mythos Restaurant presents a Plant‑Based Tomato Pesto Cresto de Gallo with Gardein Chick’n, sundried tomato, roasted mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and fresh basil.
Universal CityWalk
Voodoo Doughnut offers several vegan donuts—Oreo Cookie, PB&J, Maple. Note that all donuts are made on the same equipment, which may affect allergy considerations.
When dining, always confirm vegan status with staff and request ingredient lists, as menu items can change with new suppliers.
All images courtesy Miriam Porter. Mickey Mouse © Disney.
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