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Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan While Traveling to WDW

Disclaimer: This blog post, and all past and future Fish Are Friends, Not Food blog posts, are written with my most recent knowledge of the food in WDW parks. Please note that things are constantly changing, so this information might not always be up to date. Also note that I do not take into consideration refined sugar, cross contamination, or impure food items. With that said, always ask a chef before ordering if you are unsure about something, because the recipe may have changed or you may have a different way of defining your vegan lifestyle. 

I’d like to introduce a new segment to Fish are Friends, Not Food called, “Traveling to and from WDW.” During this particular post, I’d like to cover some of the vegan options you can find at MCO, the Orlando airport you will most likely be flying to and from to WDW.

Vegan at MCO

Many of the restaurants at MCO are scattered around the different terminals, so not every terminal will have what you are looking for. It’s best to figure out where you want to eat before you settle in, unless you are willing to settle for whatever your particular terminal has to offer (which is what we did).

 

On the Border– I always get chips and salsa from here while waiting for the plane (and by always, I mean the two times I’ve flown.) Something about the salsa is just absolutely delicious and they give you a family size bag of tortilla chips to go along with it! The chips are fresh and warm as well!

 

 

Starbucks– Any drink on the menu that would be made with dairy can be made with soy milk! Kevin and I always get a frozen Frappuccino with soymilk! Oh, and skip the whipped-cream!

 

Burger King– Because they didn’t have a sub place, Kevin made his own at Burger King. He got a Whopper bun (which is vegan) with tomato, lettuce, onions, and pickles. Yeah, it was kind of weird, but he said it actually tasted pretty good! So, if you’re in a bind, it’s good to know this is an option. Also, the fries here are vegan (unlike McD’s fries which are made with “beef flavor,” whatever that means)

 

 

Panda Express– Ask them for a nutrition guide before ordering anything, because it tells you what it has in it! If you are eating vegan, don’t order anything with a check mark under, “Eggs,” “Milk,” “Fish,” “Shellfish.” You can also find a PDF of this list online if you want to know what you can have ahead of time. They offer an Eggplant and Tofu Entree option which is vegan, but the mixed veggie entree and veggie spring rolls contain milk! All sauces they offer appear to be vegan, so it seems many entrees, like chow mein, can be “vegan-ized” by omitting meat. They also have plain rice which is fine.

 

Qdoba Mexican Grill- This restaurant has so many options that rather than tell you what you can have, I’d rather just say don’t order anything with meat or dairy and you will be fine! What I mean by this is Qdoba is sort of a build-your-own type of eatery, so when ordering your taco, nachos, or taco salad (for example), add everything except the meats and dairy! They have tons of veggies, beans, and rice to fill your bowl and belly! They also have a nutrition guide in case you are wary!

 

Nature’s Table– Most things on the menu can be made vegan by asking the server to take off the cheese or substituting a sauce for an oil and vinegar topping instead! Here they offer “vegan-izable” salads, smoothies, fruit, breakfast potatoes, and rice bowls.

 

Smoothie King– They have so many choices of smoothie here! You must be careful exactly what smoothie you are ordering because, though some can be ordered without dairy, a lot of the smoothies on the menu come with dairy already! To be safe, ask before ordering!

 

 

See how easy it can be to travel to and from WDW from MCO?! If you know what to look for, you can find something to eat just about anywhere! In an upcoming “Traveling to and from WDW” post, I’d like to cover more options you can find at fast food restaurants, so stay tuned!
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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 southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  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! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com!

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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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