Vegetarian/Pescetarian Diets & the Dining Plan - Is it Worth it?

[HoneyBee1991]

Last time I went to Disney World I thought I should have purchased the Disney Dining Plan, at least the quick service one. But I also eat meat the last time I went. Since then I have switched to a pescetarian lifestyle (it's a lot like being a vegetarian only I also eat fish & seafood). That changes a lot of our in-park dining choices. Last time we eat mainly at quick service locations and splurged on some plated table service meals with no buffet style dining. This next trip, we will eat a lot more buffet style meals.

So is it worth it to do a dining plan with a pescetarian diet?

Also, to any other pescetarians or vegetarians or their friends/family members: Do you have any tips or suggestions for eating in the parks or on vacation in Orlando in general? Last time we went we eat outside of the parks about maybe half the time. Is it just easier to eat outside of the Disney bubble?

Thank you so much for your help!!!

 

[Baldy]

Hello. Fellow Pescaterian here.
I have never had a problem finding something to eat at Disney.
If you were vegetarian I would say skip the dining plan, but there are lots of options if you eat fish/seafood. Most restaurants have a salmon dish on their menu. I’m going to list a couple that have more than the usual offerings.
At MK
Skippers canteen has a vegetable stew, a whole fried fish, sustainable fish, a shrimp dish and a seafood stew.
Be Our Guest (QS @ lunch) has 2 really yummy soups (french onion soup and potato leek soup) that count as snack points or as a meal you can get Tuna Nicoise Salad, Quinoa Salad or a vegetable quiche.
Columbia Harbour House(QS) has a tuna sandwich, a lobster roll, fish & chips, battered shrimp, salmon and quinoa, clam chowder, vegetarian chili
*at one point they had a seafood Mac & Cheese. I’m not sure if it’s still available.
Cosmic Ray’s (QS) has a falafel burger.

At EPCOT
Coral Reef Restaurant has a number of seafood dishes. The reviews aren’t the best, but my family has had good experiences. Try the Mahi Mahi.
Tangierine Cafe(QS)has a yummy vegetarian platter
Liberty Inn and Sunshine Seasons (QS) both have vegan “chicken” on their menus. SS has fish tacos and salmon as well.
I would think the Italy pavilion would have lots of pizza and non-meat pasta options.
Try the sushi too.

At AK
Satuli Canteen(QS) has customizable “bowl” you can choose fish or tofu as your protein. They also have curried vegetable pods.
Rainforest cafe has lots of veg/seafood options including a seafood trio which isn’t listed on the Disney website, but has always been on offered on their menu.
Restaurantosaurus (QS) has a black bean burger (and a toppings bar)
Pizzafari I’ve never tried it but there was a shrimp flatbread when we were there last.

At HS
We tend not to eat at this park, but I do recall having a delicious seafood pasta at Mama Melrose once.

At the Resorts
Cape May Cafe has a dinner buffet that is mostly seafood (unlimited crab legs - yum!)
Sanaa I haven’t been there yet but my veg. cousin and her pesc. hubby said it was their favourite meal of their whole trip.
Boma has a buffet with lots of options. They have a rotating menu but the last time I was there the almond crusted salmon was amazing and there was a delicious seafood stew/thick soup.
At DS
Bongos Cuban Cafe try the seafood Criollo it’s huge and the sauce is delicious. $45 per plate if you pay OOP. There were other seafood options too and a live performance.
Blaze Pizza (QS) pizza of course with your choice of sauce and unlimited toppings.

I’m sure there are lots more. It’s late and my brain has shut down for the night. Feel free to PM me if you want. I could talk about food forever.

 

[HoneyBee1991]

Hello. Fellow Pescaterian here.
I have never had a problem finding something to eat at Disney.
If you were vegetarian I would say skip the dining plan, but there are lots of options if you eat fish/seafood. Most restaurants have a salmon dish on their menu. I’m going to list a couple that have more than the usual offerings.
At MK
Slippers canteen has a vegetable stew, a whole fried fish, sustainable fish, a shrimp dish and a seafood stew.
Be Our Guest (QS @ lunch) has 2 really yummy soups (french onion soup and potato leek soup) that count as snack points or as a meal you can get Tuna Nicoise Salad, Quinoa Salad or a vegetable quiche.
Columbia Harbour House(QS) has a tuna sandwich, a lobster roll, fish & chips, battered shrimp, salmon and quinoa, clam chowder, vegetarian chili
*at one point they had a seafood Mac & Cheese. I’m not sure if it’s still available.
Cosmic Ray’s (QS) has a falafel burger.

At EPCOT
Coral Reef Restaurant has a number of seafood dishes. The reviews aren’t the best, but my family has had good experiences. Try the Mahi Mahi.
Tangierine Cafe(QS)has a yummy vegetarian platter
Liberty Inn and Sunshine Seasons (QS) both have vegan “chicken” on their menus. SS has fish tacos and salmon as well.
I would think the Italy pavilion would have lots of pizza and non-meat pasta options.
Try the sushi too.

At AK
Satuli Canteen(QS) has customizable “bowl” you can choose fish or tofu as your protein. They also have curried vegetable pods.
Rainforest cafe has lots of veg/seafood options including a seafood trio which isn’t listed on the Disney website, but has always been on offered on their menu.
Restaurantosaurus (QS) has a black bean burger (and a toppings bar)
Pizzafari I’ve never tried it but there was a shrimp flatbread when we were there last.

At HS
We tend not to eat at this park, but I do recall having a delicious seafood pasta at Mama Melrose once.

At the Resorts
Cape May Cafe has a dinner buffet that is mostly seafood (unlimited crab legs - yum!)
Sanaa I haven’t been there yet but my veg. cousin and her pesc. hubby said it was their favourite meal of their whole trip.
Boma has a buffet with lots of options. They have a rotating menu but the last time I was there the almond crusted salmon was amazing and there was a delicious seafood stew/thick soup.
At DS
Bongos Cuban Cafe try the seafood Criollo it’s huge and the sauce is delicious. $45 per plate if you pay OOP. There were other seafood options too and a live performance.
Blaze Pizza (QS) pizza of course with your choice of sauce and unlimited toppings.

I’m sure there are lots more. It’s late and my brain has shut down for the night. Feel free to PM me if you want. I could talk about food forever.

OMG! This list is amazing!!! Thank you so much, you have helped me out more than you know

 

[Baldy]

OMG! This list is amazing!!! Thank you so much, you have helped me out more than you know

You are very welcome.
Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Baldy]

OMG! This list is amazing!!! Thank you so much, you have helped me out more than you know

Just caught a mistake: at Columbia Harbour House the Side for the salmon is couscous not quinoa.
Also, try the Mahi Mahi Reuben at Gasparilla Island Grill (Grand Floridian QS). We were given the option to use our refillable mug for our drink and get a dessert with our meal instead.
They have a caprese (tomato and mozzarella) sandwich too.

 

[Figgy1]

Full on vegan here. Eating in the bubble is easier than eating off property in general. As far as the dining plan goes unless you get the most expensive seafood and desert at TS places it's not worth it $$$ for the most part. Check the menus and do some math. Last trip I found something to eat in every TS and qs place we went to and we did 16 days of eating on property. Most days 2 meals per day

 

[HoneyBee1991]

Full on vegan here. Eating in the bubble is easier than eating off property in general. As far as the dining plan goes unless you get the most expensive seafood and desert at TS places it's not worth it $$$ for the most part. Check the menus and do some math. Last trip I found something to eat in every TS and qs place we went to and we did 16 days of eating on property. Most days 2 meals per day

That's good to know, thank you. Last time I was wishing we would have done a meal plan more for convenience than anything else. That way food & drinks are taken out of the "spending money" equation once we are there and any money we bring on top of that can be for fun

 

[HoneyBee1991]

You are very welcome.
Have a wonderful trip!

Thank you

 

[mj2v]

There is a fb group veg Disney that is very helpful.

 

[jimbojones]

As folks have said in other threads unless you order the most expensive dishes on the menu and are a big eater, the dining plans are not worth it in general, regardless of your diet. As a vegetarian I can say that I enjoyed having a dining plan when it was free , and have no trouble finding lots of options to eat, but I would not get a dining plan. When I have had one I felt like I was either eating more than I wanted/needed or was wasting the plan.

 

[dreamfinder]

You will have plenty of options of food to eat. But vegetarian meals tend to be the cheaper items on the menu, so breaking even on the DDP becomes a much harder proposition. As with any DDP question, look at the menus and add up the items you think you would order and see if you come out ahead or not.

 

[larryz]

Be sure to ask about "sprinkle toppings" that chefs like to put on their dishes -- I was trying to eat meatless at a Chili's and found out the hard way that the "shrimp tacos" had bacon bits sprinkled over them. Wasn't on the menu, and I didn't expect them...

 

[danyoung56]

I'm sure it was just a typo, but in case the OP gets confused the restaurant you were referring to in the MK is the Skipper Canteen, not Slippers.

 

[gobstoper27]

Hello. Fellow Pescaterian here.
I have never had a problem finding something to eat at Disney.
If you were vegetarian I would say skip the dining plan, but there are lots of options if you eat fish/seafood. Most restaurants have a salmon dish on their menu. I’m going to list a couple that have more than the usual offerings.
At MK
Slippers canteen has a vegetable stew, a whole fried fish, sustainable fish, a shrimp dish and a seafood stew.
Be Our Guest (QS @ lunch) has 2 really yummy soups (french onion soup and potato leek soup) that count as snack points or as a meal you can get Tuna Nicoise Salad, Quinoa Salad or a vegetable quiche.
Columbia Harbour House(QS) has a tuna sandwich, a lobster roll, fish & chips, battered shrimp, salmon and quinoa, clam chowder, vegetarian chili
*at one point they had a seafood Mac & Cheese. I’m not sure if it’s still available.
Cosmic Ray’s (QS) has a falafel burger.

At EPCOT
Coral Reef Restaurant has a number of seafood dishes. The reviews aren’t the best, but my family has had good experiences. Try the Mahi Mahi.
Tangierine Cafe(QS)has a yummy vegetarian platter
Liberty Inn and Sunshine Seasons (QS) both have vegan “chicken” on their menus. SS has fish tacos and salmon as well.
I would think the Italy pavilion would have lots of pizza and non-meat pasta options.
Try the sushi too.

At AK
Satuli Canteen(QS) has customizable “bowl” you can choose fish or tofu as your protein. They also have curried vegetable pods.
Rainforest cafe has lots of veg/seafood options including a seafood trio which isn’t listed on the Disney website, but has always been on offered on their menu.
Restaurantosaurus (QS) has a black bean burger (and a toppings bar)
Pizzafari I’ve never tried it but there was a shrimp flatbread when we were there last.

At HS
We tend not to eat at this park, but I do recall having a delicious seafood pasta at Mama Melrose once.

At the Resorts
Cape May Cafe has a dinner buffet that is mostly seafood (unlimited crab legs - yum!)
Sanaa I haven’t been there yet but my veg. cousin and her pesc. hubby said it was their favourite meal of their whole trip.
Boma has a buffet with lots of options. They have a rotating menu but the last time I was there the almond crusted salmon was amazing and there was a delicious seafood stew/thick soup.
At DS
Bongos Cuban Cafe try the seafood Criollo it’s huge and the sauce is delicious. $45 per plate if you pay OOP. There were other seafood options too and a live performance.
Blaze Pizza (QS) pizza of course with your choice of sauce and unlimited toppings.

I’m sure there are lots more. It’s late and my brain has shut down for the night. Feel free to PM me if you want. I could talk about food forever.

Hi, This does not pertain to me, but I thought this was very detailed and informative for those who are Pescaterian. It's people like you who really make me appreciate this forum!!

 

[Baldy]

I'm sure it was just a typo, but in case the OP gets confused the restaurant you were referring to in the MK is the Skipper Canteen, not Slippers.

Lol.
Fixed that thanks.