wdw dec. 2010 - veggie burgers & salads

This is going to be a shorter post, about some of the standard counter-service items I tried on our trip.

First, I didn't take any salad pictures, but my two favorites salads from the last trip are still my two favorite salads. :-) Probably the best "deal" is the house salad from Earl of Sandwich, at Downtown Disney. Just make sure you specify "no croutons" - it's the only "possibly non-vegan" item on the salad (and, of course, choose an appropriate dressing - the Italian is a safe choice). It's a very large salad at a very fair price ($5.99).

However, I still prefer the "made to order" salads available from the Beach Club Marketplace. It's not the most convenient location unless you happen to be staying at (or near) Disney's Beach Club Resort, but it works out for us. At $8.99, it's a bit pricey for a salad, but since I always take it back to our room, I can usually split it up and get two good-sized salads out of it. There are quite a few veggie toppings available to choose from: carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, hot peppers and olives, and some of what might have been "seasonal" offerings: sunflower seeds, cranberries, and another type of nut... sorry, that's all my brain would hold, LOL. (For any non-vegans, there are also two types of cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and croutons.) The raspberry vinaigrette dressing is wonderful. I always order the dressing on the side, and they put it in a little cup for me. With this method, the salad will easily last a couple days in your room's fridge (if you have one).

And, now onto those "last resort" veggie burgers. I have good news, and bad news. The good news is that there is a new option for a bun, available at *some* locations. As previously reported, the Angus burger multi-grain bun is (more or less) vegan (e-mail me for complete ingredients list). And, in my humble opinion, is definitely a step up from the gluten-free roll. (Note, though, that this new option is *not* gluten-free.) The bad news is that the veggie burgers are the same as they were a year ago - not very good. Perhaps they have their fans, but I haven't found any yet.

I ended up finding enough other options on this trip that I only resorted to a veggie burger once, at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, at the Magic Kingdom. The ample toppings bar helps, and I do like this bun better, as I said. It's more substantial, less crumbly - but it's still lacking a bit in flavor. Bottom line, though - I just don't care for these burgers, in any bun, with any variety of toppings. (Not the best photo. Bad or not, I was hungry, and I almost forgot to take the photo.)


I should also mention that, if you're interested in this new bun option, you may need to be VERY specific with your request. I followed the "now standard" procedure of telling the cashier that I had an allergy, and needed to speak with a manager. This time, the cashier actually pointed to the manager and said "he's over there" (not very classy, in my opinion, but it wasn't too big of a deal). Once with the manager, I tried the "v" word, but ended up having to explain what a vegan is (usually the managers are familiar). He then tried to get me to order the veggie burger with the gluten-free roll. I was persistent, saying that I had heard about the option of an Angus burger bun. He hesitated, but eventually got out "the book" (a big black binder with the ingredients for every item sold at that location). I verified that the bun met my requirements and asked if I could order the veggie burger with that. He took care of it from there, and I got what I wanted.

It wasn't the highlight of the trip (I promise there are better meals yet to report!), but at least this time, I was prepared. I will state again that any vegans wanting to eat at counter service should (A) try to eat at "non-peak meal times), (B) know what you want and be specific, and (C) be prepared for an additional wait. I did, I was, and I was. All in all, this was a much smoother trip than last time, because of that.

wdw dec. 2010 - babycakes

Okay, time to sit down and do some serious blogging. Last year, I pretty much did a chronological trip through everything we ate, day by day. This year, I think I'm just going to focus each post on a different restaurant, meal or Disney "thing", in no particular order.

For this first post, I just have to rave about the new, all-vegan, all-gluten-free bakery at Downtown Disney - Babycakes NYC Bakery.
Notice anything missing from this picture? Yup, me too. This is the building that houses the wonderful new bakery, but there is absolutely no signage outside. The manager says it's being worked on. I hope so, because this is something people need to know!

Once inside, though, it's not hard to find. (From the above door, just turn right, and you can't miss it.)


You'll notice that the sign doesn't actually say "vegan" or "gluten-free". I actually think this is a brilliant move. This is the only real bakery at Downtown Disney. I think they'll bring in a lot more business from non-vegan tourists who just see the word "bakery", and don't look any further.

Here's a couple shots of the display cases:


While the selection isn't huge, it doesn't need to be - because every item they sell is incredible. The first thing I actually tried was a chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it. Fortunately, the reason I don't have a picture is that my *non-vegan* husband gobbled it down before I could get the camera out! If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.

While all of these items are best fresh, I found that they kept very well for a couple of days if I put them in a zip-lock bag. (I have no idea how much longer they would keep - there's no way I could keep from eating them any longer than that.)

And on a non-vegan Disney note: zip-lock bags should be on everyone's packing list. I can't tell you how many uses I have found for them on vacation.

When you get something from the bakery to go, they will either give you a nice little clam-shell-type box, or an adorable "Chinese take-out" box.


There are a variety of cupcakes available. I decided to try the red velvet. Wow, was this ever rich! The frosting is incredible - not the usual bakery-type "just takes like sugar" stuff, but really rich and creamy. I meant to take a picture of it out of the box as well, but somehow it ended up in my tummy before I got to that.


Next up, we have their chocolate crunch donut. (No, I didn't eat all these items in one sitting. As tempting as that may be, each one of these treats is incredibly rich and decadent!) I will confess that I'm not a huge donut fan. (Stems from a few months actually working in a cheap donut shop when I was younger - *not* a pleasant experience.) However, since I hadn't had a donut since before going vegan (more than 10 years ago now), I decided I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did! This was so much better than I thought a donut could be. Actually, this is what cake donuts should be - like cake with toppings. I can't recommend this one enough!


And, last but not least, my favorite item: brownie bites. Okay, so they look a little small - but there is so much flavor packed into these little gems! They are more of a "cake-like" brownie, instead of a chewy one -but they are so much more moist and chocolatey than anything I've managed to bake at home. I so wanted to buy a dozen of these and take them home!

Not only did I make two trips to this bakery (and wanted to make more!), but I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet the manager, Emily. She is just the sweetest person ever - and so excited to be running this location! She's not only a vegan, but a huge Disney fan. I know that she'll do everything she can to make this bakery a success.

I was so excited to hear about this place. Now, having actually tried it, I'm even more excited. Babycakes NYC Bakery is going to be at the top of my "must-do" list for every future Disney trip. I hope it will be high on your "must-do" list, too!

i'm back!

Okay, major updates coming soon. I have returned from a wonderful week at Walt Disney World, and I have pictures and stories! This post is mostly just a teaser as getting back to the real world has me completely zonked, but yes, there will real updates very soon.

Just a brief overall thought about the trip: from a vegan food standpoint, it was better than my last trip. I think this was based on two things: luck, and lower expectations. There were a couple of big disappointments last year, so I went into this trip not expecting too much, and instead had a couple of pleasant surprises. There *is* good vegan food to be had at the World. You just have to know where to look, don't be afraid to speak up, and keep your expectations reasonable.

So, more coming soon. I'll just share two happy thoughts before I wrap this up: Babycakes NYC bakery ROCKS, and Chef TJ is my hero. :-)

best vegan disney news EVER!

I *just* read this amazing news... so totally cool that I just had to drop everything and immediately blog about it.

Okay, so I had already heard that McDonald's at Downtown Disney had closed its doors. This, in itself, was good news. (Sorry... totally not a fan of the golden arches here.) I had also heard that it was being replaced with a Mexican-type counter service place called Pollo Campero. It was supposed to focus on "delicious and nutritious". It certainly sounded promising, but not knowing their menu or ingredients yet, I was only mildly curious. But what I didn't know is...

that in addition to Pollo Campero, they also put in a Babycakes New York Vegan Bakery. Yes, you read that right. There is now a VEGAN bakery in Downtown Disney! How cool is that?!! I just took a gander at their website. If they sell half the stuff that's listed there, I'll be in heaven (at least until I get home on get back on that scale). Muffins, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, crumb cake, cinnamon rolls...

Seriously, check it out. Here's the link to the article mentioning the change: Inside the Magic, covering Disney news, theme park events and beyond (thanks Inside the Magic!). And here's a link to the website for this bakery: Babycakes NYC.

(I have to go now. The itinerary for my upcoming trip needs a little work... like a whole lot more trips to Downtown Disney!)

new buns...

In anticipation of my next trip to the World, I e-mailed SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com, and asked a few questions. I'm still awaiting some restaurant-specific info (and suspect that I won't really have more on that until I get back from my trip), but I did learn something new.

I asked about the veggie burgers. During my last trip (December 2009), the standard counter-service vegetarian burger was a very veggie-type Gardenburger, on a non-vegan bun. By request (which means, speaking with a manager), you could order this veggie burger on a "gluten-free" vegan roll. These burgers are sadly not as tasty, in my humble opinion, as the Boca burgers they used to serve, but with enough toppings, they are edible. However, the gluten-free rolls are rather dry, tasteless and crumbly. Again, better than nothing, but not the best bun for holding together a veggie burger with enough toppings to drown out the flavor.

While it sounds as if the veggie burgers remain the same (I was just told it's still a Gardenburger burger), there is a new vegan bun option. The letter I received says "We also carry a new Angus Burger brand Multigrain Bun which is vegan friendly". I will have to report back after I've actually tried this new bun, but I'm very excited about the possibility of improvement!

Look for some major blog updates from me near the end of the year. Once again, I plan to attempt to photograph everything I eat, and take notes. Sadly, my pocketbook won't allow me to try everything, but hopefully I'll have some new tasty finds to share.

And if you've actually tried this new bun, I'd love to hear about it! Thanks, and Happy Disney Veggie Dining! ºoº

another teeny tiny update

Just heard some exciting news, and wanted to pass it on...

A recent Disney guest had lunch at the Crystal Palace, in the Magic Kingdom, and mentioned that some of the food items on the buffet were marked as either "vegetarian" or "vegan". He didn't take any pictures, and isn't sure of specifics, but he's positive that the notes were there. (This guest was neither a vegetarian, nor a vegan. He probably never would have mentioned it, except that I think he was a bit surprised to discover that a dish marked "vegan" was actually quite tasty.)

This is very exciting news. I am absolutely positive that there were no such notes in December 2009. (I *did* take pictures, and notes, and being a vegan, most definitely would have noticed.) While I really don't know if the vegan options are any better than before, clear signage is a huge step in the right direction. While I have always managed to get a chef to walk through the buffets with me, and point out the vegan options, some are more thorough than others, and sometimes it's just difficult to remember everything. (As I actually had a rather unpleasant experience at Crystal Palace, I'm especially glad to hear of this improvement at this location.)

I have yet to hear of such signage at any other buffets, but I will certainly be on the lookout during my next visit. Let's hope this is a "sign" of things to come! :-)

quick, tiny, IMPORTANT update

No time for a proper post, but I just got the news from a fellow vegan that Chef TJ has relocated again. That AMAZING feast I had at 'Ohana last December is now a thing of the past. However, Chef TJ is still at Walt Disney World, so there is hope for a new special TJ experience. Word is that he's now working at one of the restaurants at the Grand Floridian. I've been trying to determine which restaurant - will post as soon as I have confirmation. I will also be doing my darndest to get ressies at said restaurant for our upcoming trip later this year... after which there will be some real updates to this site again.

If you know where Chef TJ is, please let me know. Thanks to Jordan for breaking the news to me, and to Vegan Satori for confirming it on his blog!