Vegan Dining at Disney World is Magical

Walt Disney World is known for many things. It's a premiere family resort destination, encompassing four major theme parks, two water parks, and twenty hotels. Rides, parades, theatre, fireworks, and more. But what about vegan food? Does the Disney magic encompass fine vegan dining? 

Yes it does! 

Our family spent a week at Walt Disney World, and these five meals wowed us the most. 

1. California Grille (at Disney's Contemporary Resort). This fine dining haven atop the Contemporary overlooks the Magic Kingdom (stay for the fireworks) and allows the diner views across all the parks. The 50th Anniversary WDW celebration included a prix fix 3 course menu, including vegan options. Each dish, from the salad served on a savory tart to the extraordinary dessert was absolutely divine.

2. Be Our Guest (in the Magic Kingdom). Another prix fix menu and not cheap, but it feels amazing to be seated in Belle and Beast's castle, watching Beast walk by. The food was amazing. The "Vadouvan vegetables" main dish was bursting with flavor, and Beast himself walked by as we ate. 

3. Jiko (at the Animal Kingdom Lodge). This African-themed restaurant included a vegan injera that was absolutely wonderful. The Jiko salad (pictured) was served on a bed of quinoa, but what made it special was the homemade cashew cheese base, absolutely delightful!

4. Jungle Skipper Canteen (at Magic Kingdom). The jokes are bad (in a good way) but the food is wonderful at this restaurant across from the iconic Jungle Cruise ride. The vegetable stew comes with potato croquettes and has so much flavor, and the dan dan noodles were also amazing. The puns are served with all meals. 

5. Boma (at the Animal Kingdom Lodge). This was an unexpected surprise. The buffet restaurant at AKL had an astonishing number of vegan stations, and a special vegan dessert can be prepared (no extra charge) and brought to the table. The sauteed green beans and coconut-peanut rice were two of the biggest hits, earning repeat trips to the buffet. 

There are tons of other vegan options across Disney. We were glad to see Impossible burgers served at most of the quick-service restaurants, and plant based options clearly labeled everywhere. There are entire vegan booths at the food and wine festival as well. The only big complaint... with many, many options for adults, the vegan options for kids were often lacking. Even some of the restaurants above had barely any plant-based or vegan options for children. So, while Disney continues to be magical, there's still room for growth in thier plant-based offerings.