Dieting at Disney

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  • megan1869
    megan1869 Posts: 166 Member
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    I'd rent a car and hit a grocery store... the food at Disney is a) over priced and b) TERRIBLE TASTING... my family came down a month ago and halfway through the week I had to take my dad to dinner off the property because he was going crazy. I bought a case of water to keep in the room and brought snacks... its smart trust me! and if you do some research I think I saw some grocery stores delivering food ... if you are staying on the property there are mini fridges in the room
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
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    There are TONS of healthy options at Disneyland, although the food can be pricey. My husband and I used to live in SoCal, and we were spending pretty much every Friday and Sunday at Disney for awhile. They have fresh fruit stands everywhere. When in doubt, order grilled chicken and a salad. Don't be afraid to splurge every once in awhile, but don't get dessert with every meal.

    It's a very easy place to stay on plan. Remember, most people don't go there to eat. And I second the smoked turkey leg stands. They are awesome!!!
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
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    This is a Dole Whip. It's pineapple juice and vanilla ice cream. And I want you to go into Adventureland and over to Aloha Isle and have one...for me.
    tumblr_milj3zqdGK1s6pi79o1_1280.jpg
  • andrea464
    andrea464 Posts: 238 Member
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    It's harder to eat well with the quick service than it is the regular dining. Quick service seems to be mostly fast food type of options, but there are usually one or two healthy items in each restaurant.
    Epcot is great for food- tons of great options. The quick service restuaruant in The Land area is AMAZING and has a ton of options, and the QS dining in Mexico is great (and also a great spot to camp out for the fireworks).
    MK- Colmbia Harbor House was the best for us! There is also a place in Frontierland with Mexican style food, but I can't remember the name.
    AK- The QS in front of Yak and Yeti was really good (Chinese).
    DHS- Meh. We never found any food there that wowed us!
  • andrea464
    andrea464 Posts: 238 Member
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    Also- keep in mind you'll be walking a LOT. We logged over 13 miles one day during our last trip!

    You can get water from any restaurant. They'll fix ice water in a cup for you for free.
    Split your meals to make them last longer. We'd share a lunch so we'd have an extra meal to use for breakfast. The meals were usually big enough to share!
    For our breakfast we'd use a meal and that included a drink. We'd use the resort mug to refill drinks for breakfast and once more before going to park and save the water bottle we got for bkfast with meal for later in the day. Many of the resorts now have fridges. Our first trip we didn't have one (Pop Century) but it had one in the fall when we went.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I'd rent a car and hit a grocery store... the food at Disney is a) over priced ...

    this also! We stopped by whole foods before checking in to our hotel and kept all sorts of yummy stuff in our room fridge for lunches. It was nice to come back in the middle of the day to crash and recharge
  • melissaschlierf
    melissaschlierf Posts: 1
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    I love disney!! Whenever we go we bring healthy snacks with us. We bring fruits, nuts, granola bars etc... We also look up the parks restaurants before we go and we find places to eat that have healthy options. Also carry around a water bottle so you have water on hand. It's actually easy to eat clean there, you just have to take extra steps :)
  • lauraboo132
    lauraboo132 Posts: 40
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    Hey I went to disney in april for 14 days and had the quick service plan and ate nothing but the rubbish as it was techincally free but I came home dreading the scales and didnt put any weight on and i ate what i wanted its all the walking
  • feelthelove1964
    feelthelove1964 Posts: 59 Member
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    when i went i lost 7lb over two weeks and never watched what i was eating i ate ice cream everything , the walking around the parks will walk off what you eat .
  • leholcomb
    leholcomb Posts: 146 Member
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    I agree with the majority of the above. As a former cast member, I have eaten at almost every restaurant on property. Disney has tried to incorporate at least a couple of healthy choices to the QSR menus. Wraps and salads mostly. One of my favorites is Peco's Bills in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom. I usually get the taco salad and load up on veggies at the bar and eat the shell sparingly. Also, most of the resorts have a fitness center or jogging trails if you wanted to throw in some extra cardio. I am running a race during my next trip down so I am going to try to eat healthy during my stay as well. Don't want to be weighed down with junk beforehand.

    But as previously stated, you are on vacation! Enjoy it! I try not to weigh for at least a week after I return just so I do not get discouraged. Most people lose weight though.

    Good luck and have a blast! Tell Mickey hi for me! :)
  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member
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    Ahhh Disney. My favorite place on earth. We go every September. For me, it's a vacation. The last thing I want to do is lug around snacks and drinks or prepare meals in my room. But to each their own.
    We usually end up with the QSDP and I don't think about what I'm eating. I eat Mickey bars and cupcakes from Starring Rolls, pastries in France..etc. the average person walks 7-12 miles per day in one park.

    Last September I came home 3 pounds lighter. Cant wait to go this September to check out the New Fantasyland!
    Have fun! And try not to worry about it too much.
  • Dmaster1214
    Dmaster1214 Posts: 9 Member
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    Look for healthy choices, and you know what treat yourself at least 1 of those 5 days.

    As long as you get back on track, you will be fine.

    Eat within reason, try not to graize on small foods all day and wait it out for the main meals like lunch or dinner. That way the overall calories youll eat in the day will hopefully be minimized.

    I like to do some cardio at the hotel before heading out (I know may be overkill for some people since you'll be walking all day).

    Just don't be TOO strict. You don't want your diet to be a burden or a discouragement. Find a happy medium. Enjoy, but don't go looking for food unnecessarily if you get what I mean.

    The day before you leave to go back home, start getting back into the mindset and get back on track! Most importantly.
  • michelefrench
    michelefrench Posts: 814 Member
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    thank you SO much for this thread...we're leaving on Monday for Disney and I was all worried...sounds like as long as i make mostly reasonable choices w/the occasional treat (like that dole whip thing :o) i should be all right....:flowerforyou:
  • trtmom
    trtmom Posts: 76 Member
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    This is a Dole Whip. It's pineapple juice and vanilla ice cream. And I want you to go into Adventureland and over to Aloha Isle and have one...for me.
    tumblr_milj3zqdGK1s6pi79o1_1280.jpg

    Oh my this looks amazing! I definitely am going to have 1.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
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    :frown: Don't diet the whole time. You're going to be in the Happiest Place on Earth, and in that happiest place they have excellent macaroni and cheese, cotton candy, and giant turkey drumsticks.

    Exactly.

    Dieting at Disneyland seems like an excellent way to ruin Disneyland.

    Relax enjoy yourself. It's 5 days.

    You might gain a pound or two but it's nothing you can't take off later.
  • trtmom
    trtmom Posts: 76 Member
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    thank you SO much for this thread...we're leaving on Monday for Disney and I was all worried...sounds like as long as i make mostly reasonable choices w/the occasional treat (like that dole whip thing :o) i should be all right....:flowerforyou:

    We'll be there on Wednesday! Another tip I heard was that you can ask any restaurant for a glass of ice water and it's free. This is a great money saving tip! Because I have the dining plan, I plan on getting a bottle of water with my meal and a glass of water and saving the bottle for later :)
  • trtmom
    trtmom Posts: 76 Member
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    Thank you all so much. Hearing about those who lost weight actually gave me encouragement! I know all the walking will definitely help!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I didn't get the meal plan there because I was worried there would only be bad choices honestly! I was there there 2 weeks ago for 5 days as well. I ate whatever I wanted for breakfast (at the hotel - chocolate chip pancakes with syrup and bacon, french toast with sausage, waffle with bacon and breakfast plate without fried potatoes - I'm guessing some of that stuff was probably 800 calories), had three more or less bad meals (pizza, German hotdog and spaghetti and meatballs), one pastry at Epcot, and the rest was meat/grain/veggies or salad with dressing on the side. I only had a snack twice and it was the protein bar I brought with me. My weight didn't move at all (but we went at the time I usually plateau anyway). We walked a ton obviously.

    Honestly most places have a healthy choice. You can always ask for dressing on the side. Drinks are pretty easy, there are water fountains everywhere (except Animal Kingdom it seemed?), just bring a bottle and refill it.

    All I have to add because I REALLY wish someone had told me, even if it seems obvious - bring your good walking shoes!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Oh, just aheads up...

    When you go to Epcot...go to France and hit up their bakery. It is worth the calories....believe me.

    Totally! That's the only sweet treat I got there. But oh so worth it. I never got to try the Dole whip unfortunately (and it has only 100 calories).

    Oh I'd avoid the turkey leg, I read in a couple places that they have 1000 calories!
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    I lost 5 pounds on my Dinsey vacay last year. You will be walking so much that I wouldn't bother worrying about extra calories. To save money, we had cereal for breakfast in our room before leaving and a protein shake, fruit, and cold sandwiches at the hotel in the middle of the day for lunch.

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