Disney here we come! how will I survive??

wdwgirl3
wdwgirl3 Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
we are headed to Disney for 2 glorious weeks in oct! we are on the Disney dining plan, which we got for free since we are staying on Disney property.
anyone a Disney fan who has any tricks or tips for me to stay on track?? any restaurant suggestions? I will try to keep logging food every night. any help would be great. thanks:)
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    With the 8,000 miles you end up walking in a day it really balances out. I'm assuming Disney World in Orlando? We always ate at the sit down restaurants - I've never had the dining plan so I'm not sure if they're included but they seem to have a few more options. Plus you get to rest your feet and relax a bit! In Epcot there is a Japanese restaurant where they cook on your table - those are always pretty good choices.
  • ashprather
    ashprather Posts: 227 Member
    two weeks?! im so jealous! :P they should have nutritional info online, so i would suggest scoping that out, and maybe pre-logging? if you splurge a bit, you should be fine, too. you will be walking a ton, and if you gain, it will most likely be water weight from all of the sodium. so to avoid being discouraged maybe wait a week to weigh yourself after you get home. anyways... have a blast!
  • LadyIvysMom
    LadyIvysMom Posts: 391 Member
    I go about 2 times a year.

    Best advice is stick to your food diary on MFP from a smartphone or laptop. Get pedometer to tell how far you've walked in a day (it will be a lot). Wear comfortable shoes.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
    I went for 8 days, ate whatever I wanted, didn't gain a pound.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
    they should have nutritional info online, so i would suggest scoping that out, and maybe pre-logging?
    No they don't.
  • jennifermaffei17
    jennifermaffei17 Posts: 158
    I went to Disneyland for the first time this past Easter!
    I still miss it. My big tip is take pics of everything...even the trees and what not you see, everything is a memory.
    I absolutely love Disney and will probably be going back again next summer!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I went for 8 days, ate whatever I wanted, didn't gain a pound.

    I just don't see that happening for me LOL. We leave on 9/28 for a trip with the free dining. You get dessert at both meals per day! I'm going to try to do a fruit dessert at lunch, and a real dessert at dinner.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
    I went for 8 days, ate whatever I wanted, didn't gain a pound.

    I just don't see that happening for me LOL. We leave on 9/28 for a trip with the free dining. You get dessert at both meals per day! I'm going to try to do a fruit dessert at lunch, and a real dessert at dinner.
    I don't see why it would be different for you unless you have a HUGE appetite. You may be underestimating how much walking you're going to do. You don't have to go crazy with the food, just be reasonable and eat when you're hungry. Remember just because you GET dessert doesn't mean you have to eat it.
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
    I always lose weight when I go to Disney because you are walking the whole time. Pick a small treat to have each day- don't deprive yourself, and you will be fine. I ate a lot of salads there and didn't go crazy. Have fun!
  • AKaTC518
    AKaTC518 Posts: 7 Member
    With the 8,000 miles you end up walking in a day it really balances out. I'm assuming Disney World in Orlando? We always ate at the sit down restaurants - I've never had the dining plan so I'm not sure if they're included but they seem to have a few more options. Plus you get to rest your feet and relax a bit! In Epcot there is a Japanese restaurant where they cook on your table - those are always pretty good choices.

    THIS!
    With all the walking you will do you will be fine. I've been to Disney many, many times and truthfully when I am there I eat practically non-stop, all hours, and it is junk food. I've never weighed more when I returned than before I left. I'm not suggesting you do as I do, but if you eat in moderation and make healthy choices you will be fine. Have a GREAT time, I am so very jealous! ;)
  • cowsstealmythong
    cowsstealmythong Posts: 173 Member
    You walk. A LOT. So it really won't matter too much what you eat. And if you're staying on property, you'll end up swimming too. :)
    And every place has healthier options. And if you reserve someplace for dinner you can actually TALK to the chef and they can change foods accordingly. :)

    Have a BLAST and don't worry too much about foods. And yes, give in to Mickey icecream bars. they're delish. :)
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I went for 8 days, ate whatever I wanted, didn't gain a pound.

    I just don't see that happening for me LOL. We leave on 9/28 for a trip with the free dining. You get dessert at both meals per day! I'm going to try to do a fruit dessert at lunch, and a real dessert at dinner.
    I don't see why it would be different for you unless you have a HUGE appetite. You may be underestimating how much walking you're going to do. You don't have to go crazy with the food, just be reasonable and eat when you're hungry. Remember just because you GET dessert doesn't mean you have to eat it.

    Of course it does, that's just crazy talk! LOL....at least I'll be sharing all my meals with my 2 year old :-) But I tend to go WAY overboard when traveling.

    Of course, I would have thought I would have gained weight when we were in Korea too, and I lost 6 lbs. But there, we only ate two meals a day. Walked everywhere there too. So fingers crossed!
  • judypriv
    judypriv Posts: 206 Member
    I go twice a year and last January I had just started here, lost 5 lbs, went to Disney on the Free Dining plan for 10 days, ate what I wanted and came home and gained the whole 5 lbs which is took me months to get back off. Funny, i was just going to write something similar on my board since i go in 10 days for the Halloween Party. I am NERVOUS! I have been told you walk about 6 hours a day so I figured i would have at least maintained but I didn't. This time I am going smarter, I have MFP on my phone to help and I plan to do alot of sharing. I am getting what I like but sharing it with the kids and my friend. If i want a turkey leg, we're all gonna eat turkey leg. if I want a pineapple whip, we will all have some pineapple whip. I also am going to try and eat smarter. if I know I am having junky food for dinner, I am going to choose healthier for lunch and breakfast. I tend to go a little nuts at Disney since there are SO MANY yummy things you can only get there. I am hoping my key will be my iphone and MFP ap. Last time I had no iphone so I didn't log anything and I bet all those salty snacks and treat did me in.
  • blushingmama
    blushingmama Posts: 111 Member
    I always thought Epcot was the best place to eat. And you might be there during the Food and Wine Festival. During the festival they set up lots of extra countries that arent normally part of the attraction and those countries will showcase their foods. You can get small plates of food that way - often my husband and I would share so we could just have a taste.

    But we always do food and wine festival without the kids. If you have kids along that could be a different set of challenges.

    oh and turkey legs! those are awesome too! Magic Kingdom has those too.
  • summaryzn
    summaryzn Posts: 113 Member
    thanks for posting.. going next wed - sat (much shorter of a stay than you) but was a bit worried a/b
    picking up a few pound as well. great responses everyone!
  • dvelocity
    dvelocity Posts: 309 Member
    They have healthy options at almost all of the restaurants. Even some pretty decent looking desserts. You can be as good or as bad as you want to be. The choice is really up to you.

    In Epcot I had my first Black Bean Burger and it was sooo delicious.
  • Carol_L
    Carol_L Posts: 296 Member
    First thing, just because you are on the Disney Dining Plan, it doesn't mean that you have to order and eat everything.

    O'hana is a reasonably good choice - big skewers of grilled meat and shrimp. Everything is served family style, so just go easy on the deep fried stuff and eat more veggies. That always works for me.

    Liberty Tree Tavern will also provide similar options, also family style.

    Epcot has a great variety, and you'll be down there during Food and Wine - there's always some really tasty stuff there.

    Read the menus carefully. If you're going Quick Service, the salads are huge and always a good choice.

    In any case, be sure to have fun : )

    I'm there at the end of October and then hitting the Fantasy for a week. Remy here I come :love:
  • Arthemise1
    Arthemise1 Posts: 365 Member
    I can gain weight just looking at food, no matter how much I walk. I'd say just try to make wise, healthy choices and limit yourself to one dessert a day. But remember, it's vacation! Have fun, don't stress, and be prepared to deal with a slight weight gain when you get home.
  • wdwgirl3
    wdwgirl3 Posts: 36 Member
    wow! thank you for all the tips guys:) I think the best thing to do is track food as much as possible. we are staying on property @ POFQ and we got tickets to MNNSHP as well:) thank you again for the advice! btw, I will not be eating a turkey leg! I found out they are 1000 calories each!
  • wdwgirl3
    wdwgirl3 Posts: 36 Member
    [/quote]

    I just don't see that happening for me LOL. We leave on 9/28 for a trip with the free dining. You get dessert at both meals per day! I'm going to try to do a fruit dessert at lunch, and a real dessert at dinner.
    [/quote]


    we will be there on the 29th! are you staying on site as well? I am hoping the weather cools down. today it was 43 with the humidity!
    ( I am in canada, so we use the metric system) I think that is around 98 degrees?
  • hadillon
    hadillon Posts: 2
    I've gone to disney more times than I can count. This past March we went and I had been using the MFP for a couple of months and I managed to not gain weight for the 1st time ever!! I logged an average of 20,000 steps per day. I packed easy to carry/travel snacks--Protein bars, individual nut/seed packs, etc. I tried to pick from the healthier options and drink lots and lots of water. You can ask at all of the quick service and table service for their nutrition info. (they are required by law, the FDA, to have it and make it available). Enjoy your trip!!
  • wdwgirl3
    wdwgirl3 Posts: 36 Member
    I've gone to disney more times than I can count. This past March we went and I had been using the MFP for a couple of months and I managed to not gain weight for the 1st time ever!! I logged an average of 20,000 steps per day. I packed easy to carry/travel snacks--Protein bars, individual nut/seed packs, etc. I tried to pick from the healthier options and drink lots and lots of water. You can ask at all of the quick service and table service for their nutrition info. (they are required by law, the FDA, to have it and make it available). Enjoy your trip!!

    great job! great to know it can be done:) thanks for the tip about the nutrition info. I will for sure be asking
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    we will be there on the 29th! are you staying on site as well? I am hoping the weather cools down. today it was 43 with the humidity!
    ( I am in canada, so we use the metric system) I think that is around 98 degrees?

    Oh, of course it was that hot. Last time we went, the first week of May a few years ago, it was in the 100s each day. Record temps. Lovely...more melting. We are staying in the pirate rooms at the Caribbean Beach resort!
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    we go every couple of years, stay on the dining plan, and I usually lose weight or maintain. The walking is actually great exercise. If you are worried about it, get a fitbit so you can estimate your burn and put your mind at ease! You'll probably be able to eat whatever you want as long as you don't just go completely crazy.

    On a side note, we have been to just about all of the restaurants, so feel free to message me if you are trying to choose between some. I can at least tell you what I thought!
  • 20carrots
    20carrots Posts: 279 Member
    I'm going at the end of Sept for the Tower of Terror race and staying a few extra days. Wondering why I didn't get the dining plan for free? We are staying on property for 5 nights--does anyone know if that qualifies?

    That said, I don't really want it since their only vegetarian options are veggie burgers and FRIES! Everywhere, seriously, fries.
  • judypriv
    judypriv Posts: 206 Member
    I'm going at the end of Sept for the Tower of Terror race and staying a few extra days. Wondering why I didn't get the dining plan for free? We are staying on property for 5 nights--does anyone know if that qualifies?

    That said, I don't really want it since their only vegetarian options are veggie burgers and FRIES! Everywhere, seriously, fries.

    You probably hit a blackout day. They often black out marathon days and always holidays.

    I hear you on the fries. I am not a fry person - don't like them BUT I always ask for something else and they give me carrot sticks or grapes which I like to snack on during the day.

    I will miss you all. We leave in 9 days and come home on the 29th. We will be at Saratoga Springs. We go in 140 days as well and we will be in the AoA resort (Art of Animation).
  • SpazzyMal
    SpazzyMal Posts: 276 Member
    I'm also going to be going to WDW early this October. I don't personally plan on worrying about what I eat while I am there, because I know I will be walking for the large majority of the day. However, if you're going to be there for two whole weeks you're probably going to be taking it a bit easier than me and my family tend to do.

    At any rate, you can of course choose to make the best choice available to cut back a bit on calories, even if you don't want to be super strict with it. Allears.net has menus from all the restaurants, and that might help you to plan. No nutritional info available, however, so you'll have to guesstimate. Dole Whips are surprisingly low in calories, however, just FYI.
  • mrtobias50
    mrtobias50 Posts: 93 Member
    wow! thank you for all the tips guys:) I think the best thing to do is track food as much as possible. we are staying on property @ POFQ and we got tickets to MNNSHP as well:) thank you again for the advice! btw, I will not be eating a turkey leg! I found out they are 1000 calories each!

    Glad you found out about that Turkey Leg - I was so shocked and sad when I found out!!

    What a treat! Two weeks!

    Disney is so customer focused and they will adjust food as needed at the sit down restaurants. Tell them you have dietary needs when you make a reservation. They do have lots of healthy options it just takes vigilance. I love the mouse and we visit Disneyland at least twice per year. Heading back in November I have cruised with them twice and have been to Disney World as well.

    There are websites with nutritional info to check out ahead of time. Try DIS for or Mouseplanet. Decide what treats you do want, drink lots of water, walk a lot and MFP. BTW, I eat plant-based (vegan) and I have been able to make it work.

    Have a great trip!
  • SpazzyMal
    SpazzyMal Posts: 276 Member
    I'm going at the end of Sept for the Tower of Terror race and staying a few extra days. Wondering why I didn't get the dining plan for free? We are staying on property for 5 nights--does anyone know if that qualifies?

    That said, I don't really want it since their only vegetarian options are veggie burgers and FRIES! Everywhere, seriously, fries.
    I'm a vegan and I eat very well whenever I go to Disney World. Yeah, I do have to have a veggie burger and fries a few times, but it's not as often as one might think. If you want some info I can message you a list I have of options that I've compiled for myself. Animal Kingdom Lodge's restaurants, in particular, are freaking incredible.
  • claire7090
    claire7090 Posts: 67
    We went to Disney at Easter - I did not log and ate everything (the trip took 3 years to save for and I love American ice-cream and refused to miss out). I gained 7 lbs although I lost 3 of those in the first 4 days home so think that may have been caused by extra sodium in my system or the long flight so I reckon I gained 4 lbs for real.

    Based on that if you are planning to only have one 'naughty' dessert each day and logging so you are aware of what you are eating I don't think you will gain very much - you will walk miles and if you have a pool at your resort a swim each day will burn a few more calories.

    Have a great trip, we are saving to go again but think it will be another 3 years before we can save enough money!

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