by Angie Carreiro
Since I was a child, waking up to a Mickey Waffle at my Disney Resort was a pleasure I looked forward to every visit. Any vegetarian diner can enjoy them no problem (as long as you aren’t planning on adding a side of bacon to your plate!) But, as a newly turned vegan, the thought that I couldn’t eat those delicious ears ever again brought a hint of tears to my eyes.
You see, most recipes for waffles call for eggs and dairy, which is a no-no if you are following an animal-product-free lifestyle.
I thought my Mickey Waffle days were over, until…
It was the morning of September 14, 2011, and I was fast asleep in my resort bed at All-Star Music in Walt Disney World. As usual, my boyfriend, Kevin woke up before me. He let me know he was going to wander around our resort for a bit and he left. I eventually sat up in bed and watched Stacy tell me what I must do to do the must do’s. A bit of time passed. The door opened. Kevin walked in with a tray of food. I looked, then, I LEAPT out of bed! Let me tell you why…
MICKEY WAFFLES!!!
I had done a lot of research before our trip, but never thought to find out if Disney would do a vegan Mickey Waffle! Well, THEY WILL! Just about anywhere where they are already serving waffles, you can ask your server or the chef to cook you up some special, smiling waffles to call your own!
So here’s the deal. I’m gluten-intolerant as well as vegan, so, that morning Kevin went to ask a Cast Member if a vegan/gluten-free waffle was possible. The Cast Member working this part of the food court (at All-Star Music Resort) said they actually already had a specific type of batter that happens to be very food-allergy friendly! They also have a separate kids’ waffle-iron set aside to make them for those who have severe allergies! You don’t have to feel like you are putting the burden of your dietary requests on anyone else, because they have 
already planned for the special Mickey Waffle requests without any call-ahead notice! Though you may wait a bit longer for your waffles to be made, they are well worth the wait! The best part is that they have the same taste and consistency as the non-allergy-friendly waffles!
As far as toppings go, the maple syrup they use is basically corn syrup, with no milk products added (sometimes “buttermilk” flavored syrups have dairy added, but most syrups bought in stores are safe). We also tried strawberries and bananas on top!
My Mickey Waffle days aren’t over and neither are yours! (In fact they’ve only just begun!)
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!
