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Fish are Friends, Not Food: Why Dine Vegan in Disney Parks?

by Angie Carriero

If you do an online search in your favorite search engine with the phrase, “Why should I go vegan,” endless results appear for websites with lists on positive reasons to go vegan. I thought I would do a little twist on this trending list format by making a light-hearted “go vegan” list, but with a Disney twist!

So, what are some Disney related reasons to go vegan, or at least reduce your meat intake, while touring the 4 WDW parks? Keep reading and see!

Save the cheese for the mice! Mickey and Minnie have to eat, too!

Let Pumba have a “problem free philosophy!” Pumba shouldn’t have to worry about getting eaten!

“Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like yoouuu!” Many people look up to and model themselves after celebrities! Some famous vegan role models include- Ellen DeGeneres, Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone, Mike Tyson, Steve-O, Tobey Maguire, Casey Affleck, Prince, Paul McCartney, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Alec Baldwin, Bill CIinton, Carrie Underwood, and Anthony Kiedis, to name a few.

Donald Duck– I know you can’t understand a word he says, but that doesn’t mean you should eat him!

Don’t become the 1000th happy haunt too early! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.! Animal products are the only source of food containing cholesterol! Eating a plant based diet stops the consumption of cholesterol and tends to be lower in saturated fats, which are 2 high risk factors in heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol!

Feel less sluggish throughout the day– Foods heavy on the fats and those that are high in sugar and carbohydrates with little fiber to ease the digestion can give you a food high, followed by a crash! Eat whole, healthy foods to avoid this- something easily done with a vegan diet!

”It’s a small world, after all…”– When I think about this phrase, I think about all the countries around the world I would love to travel to (if I didn’t plan all my vacation time visiting WDW!). Americans and their love for meat, I thought, really separates us from other countries. In fact, “Americans consume more meat than people in most other developed nations. In 2009, the U.S. produced 94 kilograms (208 pounds) of meat per person for domestic consumption, not including seafood. That’s nearly 60 percent more than Europe (61 kg, or 134 pounds per person) and nearly four times as much as developing countries.*” The reason I bring this up is because when you are an American, especially one that only gets one vacation a year, and you decide to use that on traveling to WDW, you miss out on traveling to other countries. If you traveled to those countries, you might eat like them, so why not try to eat like them in WDW instead anyway and eat less meat on vacation!?

Clarabell the Cow might come around more!– For those of you who know about rare character sightings around the parks, you know that Clarabell the Cow is one of those rare characters! Maybe she would come around more if the world was a safer place for cows!

A single Turkey Leg is “over 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat**” for just a SNACK- need I say more?

Live to see Tomorrow(land) or the new Fantasyland Expansion!- With all the studies conducted proving the health benefits of a vegan diet, including lower risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, (and even cancer according to “The China Study”), it’s reasonable to bet a vegan might live longer!

Be more like Aladdin/Jasmine– Aladdin takes place in the fictional Arabian city, Agrabah. Middle Eastern food has a reputation for having a vast selection of vegetarian and vegan options like hummus, falafel, pita bread, baba ghanouj, baklava (which Genie sings about), couscous, tabouleh, and salads among other things! Plus, in the movie, you see Aladdin snacking on a loaf of bread with Abu, Iago eating crackers, Jasmine handing an apple to a kid, and when Genie poofs up “column B,” it’s a mountain of fruit- what’s more vegan than that!?

Feel less heavy before riding thrill rides– Dairy and meats tend to give you that “rock in the stomach,” and heartburn feeling, which is not a good mix when spinning upside down on a coaster!

–  Look more like a Princess/Prince, and less like a Pooh Bear– Along with many other health benefits of a plant based diet, a person who follows a vegan lifestyle is at less risk of obesity!***

–  “A plain yellow pumpkin to become”….. a family meal- Ok, maybe not a PUMPKIN, but… you know what I mean. It takes less work for your body to digest fruits and vegetables, so take the energy you save to walk to the next attraction and stay for all the EMH!

 

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in upstate NY with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she works at Farm Sanctuary as an animal caregiver. Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help!

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About Lou Mongello

Lou Mongello is a former attorney who left the practice to pursue his passion, and is now a recognized Disney expert, author, speaker, and host of WDW Radio. Learn more…

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