Calorie Counts at WDW?

[FT_Roy]

I'm sure this question has been asked before, so I apologize in advance if this is a familiar question!

I'll be making a trip to Orlando next month (Halloween Horror Nights at Universal and girlfriend's first time at any Disney park!), and I'm also currently in the middle of (so far) successfully managing my weight with the MyFitnessPal app. Now, I live in LA and I'm a Disneyland AP, so I suspect the answer is similar to here (where there's no calorie counts to be found at all), but is there any place where calorie counts can be found for some, ideally all, of the WDW restaurants? And if not, can anyone steer me towards restaurants that have healthier options/smaller portions? It's been 15 years since I've been to WDW so I can't say I remember anything, and Google has failed me!

Just to head off some comments I think I'm likely to get (since I get them from my DL AP friends): Just giving up on tracking calories isn't an option, because I'm a creature of habit - if I spend a week just not tracking my food, I won't resume it when I get home (I've already failed in this exact way once before).

Thanks to everyone in advance!

 

[Souvenir]

No, you won't find any official calorie counts anywhere. I get where you're coming from. I'm a very disciplined person when it comes to what I eat and I'm obsessive about tracking the calories I eat as well as those I burn. I love eating at Disney. It's a favorite part of our trips. We schedule 2 table service meals a day and while there is plenty to splurge on calorie wise, it is also very possible to eat in a mindful, conservative way. I would suggest that before your trip you educate yourself about portion size in terms of being able to spot a reasonable portion without having to measure. In general you want your protein to be about the size of a deck of cards and you want to maximize your veggie servings. Avoid carbs, including starchy roots. Ask for all sauces and dressings to be left off or served on the side. On salads, skip croutons and other bread like add ons such as tortilla strips. Choose seafood often as it's very low in calories. Choose cooking methods that don't add oil such as steamed, poached, and grilled. I find that the table service restaurants at Disney, especially the signatures, are very happy to help the guest customize a meal to their liking as long as you aren't asking for anything too bothersome. Substitutions, omissions of ingredients, sauces on the side, things of this nature are generally not a problem. If you strip things down to the basic, and you've schooled yourself in advance about how many calories are in each individual ingredient, it's very easy to count up the calories on the plate in your head. I do this quietly and privately as each course is served and before I take a bite of anything. Then after the meal I put my total in the notepad of my phone. I make sure that I divide my daily total calorie allotment in advance based on how many meals I plan to eat. On vacation I also leave an allowance for adult beverages. I avoid sugary cocktails and stick to clear spirits with club soda and a squeeze of lemon, lime, or grapefruit. I don't touch the bread basket, never take bites from anyone else's plate unless sharing was part of the original plan, and I avoid desserts with the rare exception of a bite or two on days where I skip alcohol completely. Trust me. It is possible to stay on course with your goals and still enjoy what you eat and drink. Be mindful, always choose the healthier option, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and never allow yourself to become ravenous. Being overly hungry, dehydrated, or too tired is a recipe for derailment of your goals. Have a plan in advance. All Disney restaurant menus are available online. Look them over, zero in on what you can make work for you, know what you're going to order before you even get there so that you aren't tempted by or overwhelmed with the menu, and make reservations beforehand. Take it one meal at a time, get back on track immediately if you do stray, and remind yourself constantly of how good you will feel at the end of the trip when you have nothing to feel guilty about. Best of luck to you and congratulations on making healthy changes in your life.

 

[Lets Respect]

No, no calorie counts other than the kids meals which give you a calorie cap. I think it's around 600 for a full kids meal, but that is the cap, some could be lower and the portions are small.

I would just do your best to estimate. Or perhaps look up items at those chain type restaurants like Chilis or whatever to get an idea.

 

[allidog1]

I have used Myfitnesspal while at WDW and just found something similar that is already in their system with the knowledge that I may be a little off on the calories.

 

[reptar77]

I have used Myfitnesspal while at WDW and just found something similar that is already in their system with the knowledge that I may be a little off on the calories.

I do the same. I also generally move to maintenance calories in the MFP app to keep things easier. I usually gain 3-5 pounds (prob water weight) but after 2 days of being home on schedule they come right off.

 

[Hockey89]

What ever you think the calories will be it's a lot worse... I was just at a "chain" in Canada that added calories to the menu.... I shouldn't have been shocked but some of the breakfast orders had 2,200 calories... That's a day for me...

 

[rael ramone]

I'd say check menu's and estimate calorie counts to the best of your ability.

Don't waste calories on things that aren't worth it. Water should be the primary beverage. My last trip counter service restaurants had a no questions asked policy on giving out ice water, many had cups already made up to give out. (And that water tasted better than Dasani).

Colombia Harbour House had grilled salmon that was overcooked, but was edible, and came with couscous & green beans.

Boma had a good selection of vegetables & salads.

Tangierine Cafe has some good selections that have some healthier options.

The new Satuli TS restaurant in Avatar has smaller portions.

I think fish dishes (except 'whole fish') tend to be smaller portions. The venison I had at Tiffins more resembled an appetizer size then an entree size (it was real good, but I was hungry after eating it, and was still hungry after dessert).

But I found in general a lack of vegetables. TS meals that had great tasting flavorful vegetables (like the greens that came with the Buffalo at Artist Point) basically had them as accents and could have used a lot more of them.

Eating earlier rather than later in the day should help. Embracing walking should help. (I've timed the walk from the Studios to Epcot years ago. If you take a shortcut around the Boardwalk pool area and make no stops, its 23 minutes).

If you are staying in a Disney hotel they come with mini Cuisinart coffee makers. I used them to brew hot water for tea (the line inside is if you use the coffee pods, straight water it will overflow if you fill to that level) - if you like oatmeal in theory you could use that water for a healthy filling breakfast in your room.

 

[rael ramone]

I'd say check menu's and estimate calorie counts to the best of your ability.

Don't waste calories on things that aren't worth it. Water should be the primary beverage. My last trip counter service restaurants had a no questions asked policy on giving out ice water, many had cups already made up to give out. (And that water tasted better than Dasani).

Colombia Harbour House had grilled salmon that was overcooked, but was edible, and came with couscous & green beans.

Boma had a good selection of vegetables & salads.

Tangierine Cafe has some good selections that have some healthier options.

The new Satuli TS restaurant in Avatar has smaller portions.

I think fish dishes (except 'whole fish') tend to be smaller portions. The venison I had at Tiffins more resembled an appetizer size then an entree size (it was real good, but I was hungry after eating it, and was still hungry after dessert).

But I found in general a lack of vegetables. TS meals that had great tasting flavorful vegetables (like the greens that came with the Buffalo at Artist Point) basically had them as accents and could have used a lot more of them.

Eating earlier rather than later in the day should help. Embracing walking should help. (I've timed the walk from the Studios to Epcot years ago. If you take a shortcut around the Boardwalk pool area and make no stops, its 23 minutes).

If you are staying in a Disney hotel they come with mini Cuisinart coffee makers. I used them to brew hot water for tea (the line inside is if you use the coffee pods, straight water it will overflow if you fill to that level) - if you like oatmeal in theory you could use that water for a healthy filling breakfast in your room.