Disney Vacation!

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mrs_madison_keane
mrs_madison_keane Posts: 45 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Any fellow Disney World obsessors out there? :)
My husband and I are leaving for a week trip to the happiest place on earth this Saturday! Yay! I'm planning on enjoying myself and soaking up the entire magical experience... but if I can avoid coming home with a few extra pounds as souvenirs, that would be wonderful. Any tips on weight-maintaining-diet-friendly restaurants or food choices at Disney?

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  • pichiPurinsesu
    pichiPurinsesu Posts: 776 Member
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    I'm totally disney obsessed. Taking the kids to the world of the mouse next year and it'd costing a small fortune!
  • pichiPurinsesu
    pichiPurinsesu Posts: 776 Member
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    As for the food I can't help you there I'm afraid but there are gyms and jogging trails
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited May 2016
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    We are annual pass holders, love Disney World. You will be doing a a lot of walking so that will help. Make sure to drink plenty of water, it's already in the upper 80's and lower 90's here in Florida and we've had a lot rain this week so will be very humid. In all 4 parks they have places to get fruit and yummy snacks. In Magic Kingdom they have where you get an Pineapple Dole whip, it's to die for and not to bad on calories. Also in MK at the end of Main Street is an awesome ice cream parlor, check it out!! At Epcot in the French area you can get macaroons they are awesome.

    Make sure to have plenty of sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes and poncho (buy them at Walmart for around a 1.00, at Disney they are like 5.00 or more)....have fun, enjoy yourself!!! :)
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    Yes!!! I went there regularly as a kid and now we've been taking our kids as often as we can. We have our third trip as a family planned for December. I am so excited! Honestly with all the walking I'm not too concerned about my food intake. I think I will just eat whatever but focus on portion control. I have a 1 year old so probably I will share all my meals with him. I am also okay with splurging some. :) It's a special trip and I intend to enjoy it, even if that means I gain some weight.
  • barrebelle7
    barrebelle7 Posts: 6 Member
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    mrs_madison_keane wrote: »
    Any fellow Disney World obsessors out there? :)
    My husband and I are leaving for a week trip to the happiest place on earth this Saturday! Yay! I'm planning on enjoying myself and soaking up the entire magical experience... but if I can avoid coming home with a few extra pounds as souvenirs, that would be wonderful. Any tips on weight-maintaining-diet-friendly restaurants or food choices at Disney?

    The pineapple dole whips are only 100 calories if you get the kid size (which is still pretty big!) ;)
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,770 Member
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    There are plenty of healthy dining options. You can get a grilled chicken salad pretty much anywhere, but there are other choices as well. Are you staying on site and doing a meal plan? We go to WDW pretty frequently...we do annual or seasonal passes every few years, but usually do a 3- or 4-day pass the years we don't get a seasonal. We tend to stay at the Swan or Dolphin (because my husband travels a lot for work and we have loads of Starwood points). We've never done a meal plan, but we did travel to Disney with friends who were on a meal plan and it seemed as though their entire schedule was dictated by their restaurant reservations. Their plan included appetizers and dessert with every meal, plus additional snacks. It was a LOT of food.

    Definitely get a Dole Whip...and pick up cheap rain ponchos before heading to the park. This time of year you are pretty much guaranteed rain at some point during the day (usually late afternoon).

    Most of the hotels do have fitness facilities...but you will be doing so much walking (we usually average 20,000+ steps in a Disney day...more at EPCOT, less at Hollywood Studios) you may never make it to the gym (I never do...but we usually only go for the weekend since we live two hours away).

    Here's a link with some tips...
    https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/06/10-healthful-choices-at-magic-kingdom-park-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

    And the hummus veggie sandwich (mentioned in the link) at Columbia Harbor House is my favorite.

    And one more link
    http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/02/04/eating-healthy-in-walt-disney-world/

    We are actually doing Universal that week.
  • DarthSamson
    DarthSamson Posts: 172 Member
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    must be sad I live 50 miles west and I have not been in 15 years !
  • pichiPurinsesu
    pichiPurinsesu Posts: 776 Member
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    We will be on a flight just shy of 9h to get there... :neutral:

    Living 50 miles away would be amazing f
  • hamstertango
    hamstertango Posts: 129 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Got back from Orlando last week (from UK), you've had great advice already above I just wanted to add that I weighed 5lbs more when I got back a week ago but yesterday I returned to my pre-holiday weight! Just got back to normal food and logging.

    All the walking at the parks and shopping certainly off-set the extra calories. I did log but not in detail like normal or make great food choices all the time like normal at home, ate generally slightly above maintenance I think.

    I must say that it all really helped me trust the numbers (calories for deficeit and calories for maintenance plus eating calories from exercise) and I feel more relaxed now that I won't wake up 10lbs heavier all of a sudden.

    Enjoy your holiday, say hi to Mickey for me!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I went 2 years ago and had no problem maintaining (but I was heavier) - I let myself have whatever I wanted for breakfast (and definitely didn't pick the healthiest choice) and had a couple treats during those 5 days too.

    There are healthy options everywhere in the park (great link above), and they are pretty good about putting dressing on the side etc. If you're going to splurge, do it at Epcott at the world showcase (I had a French tart - totally worth it). It was a bit annoying to have to plan lunch around the healthy option every time but we had kids, otherwise the extra walking would not have been a bad thing.

    The tough thing for me was the resort eating, but there are good options there too... I just didn't care for them... Whatever you do, don't order that horrible pizza that they advertise everywhere (that delivers to your room) - nasty!!! I had some protein bars with me for snacks if I got hungry.

    And yeah, I ruined my what I thought were very comfortable sandals and my feet there. Seriously bring comfortable walking shoes.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited May 2016
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    You will lose weight - all that walking.
    I hope you are going during the week.
    The crowds are almost nothing on a Tuesday or Wednesday compared to weekends.
    They used to let you bring in water bottles.
    I always tucked sandwiches and protein bars inside the diaper bag.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    We usually share meals since the portions are huge, or order a couple appetizers to share instead of entrees.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
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    I'm so jealous of you! I went with my boyfriend last year and I usually just got what I wanted-some days I would get a salad for lunch, but you walk so much in Disney you most likely will be fine :)
  • ptsmiles
    ptsmiles Posts: 511 Member
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    I love Disney World. Went for the first time when I was about 6 or so and have been 5 times since then. We are planning to take my two boys (8,11) this September as a surprise vacation. Hoping to keep it a secret until the day before we leave. I've been hearing wonderful things about the Dole Whips and will have to remember to give one a try. Any other tasty, figure friendly foods that are a must?
  • mommastains
    mommastains Posts: 4 Member
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    We Love Disney World!! DVC & AP Empty nesters now let us go 4 times a year. Here is one of my before & after WDW pics.bhdrsjz4z7wg.jpeg
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    If you have a condo or room with a fridge, it helps! We had a place with a little kitchen, got sandwich stuff (meat & cheese & veggies) and fruit - with some fishy crackers, nuts & jerky too.. Packed out own lunches and snacks and had bacon & egg breakfasts before we left for the parks....
    It was August and VERY hot - and we were the envy of some when we sat in the shade eating ice cold watermelon. We each carried a small bag with our lunches & an ice pack, and hubby got to carry the backpack cooler with iced water bottles and drinks....
    Have fun!
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,841 Member
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    mrs_madison_keane wrote: »
    Any fellow Disney World obsessors out there? :)
    My husband and I are leaving for a week trip to the happiest place on earth this Saturday! Yay! I'm planning on enjoying myself and soaking up the entire magical experience... but if I can avoid coming home with a few extra pounds as souvenirs, that would be wonderful. Any tips on weight-maintaining-diet-friendly restaurants or food choices at Disney?

    All the restaurants have good choices for food. Also realize that if you are normally not very active you will be logging 10+ miles in a day walking, so there are extra calories to burn. We did a few days where we got in early and didn't leave until they close, and I had over 35k steps, so over 15 miles. And I am normally a desk jockey.

    My best advice though, forget it and enjoy a few days. Don't gorge yourself, but enjoy. You can make up the extra cals over the next week or so without any ill effect.

    PS - I LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney. Enjoy.
  • kaylajane11
    kaylajane11 Posts: 313 Member
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    I am so jealous! Disney World is my favorite place ever, but I haven't been in 8 years. I'm hoping to get there again soon!

    As others have mentioned, you will be walking so much that it will offset most of the food that you eat. It's a vacation! Enjoy yourself! Once you get back home and back into your routine any vacation weight (which, as mentioned, is likely mostly water weight anyway) will come off.

    Have a great trip!
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
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    As someone born & raised all of my 27 years in central FL, it does not excite me. But have fun! I know for others it's really a huge fun fest.

    Yes, you'll walk a lot. It's going to be crazy hot. The parks will allow you to being your own food and drinks. That's the best part haha. But there are many options that you won't have any problem fitting into your daily calorie goals. have a great time!

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