« one leg up | Main

feeding time at "animal kingdom"...disney style!

 

This week we've been on vacation at one of the most "magical" places...Disney World, Florida.  

In the weight loss surgery "world" the most common questions that arises soon after the thrill of being able to ride the rides and actually being able to "walk" the park for a day, is the questions of food. 

This is my experience.

One day this week, we ventured out on safari, down the trails of Disney's Animal Kingdom. I was a little concerned that they would confiscate my snacks and water, but upon entrance into the park, they did not.  

I actually found the "food" environment inside the park quite "bariatric" friendly, not to say that there weren't plenty of tempting treats to avoid.

My first stop before lunch was mid-morning or around 11:00.  I knew the rest of the group had eaten breakfast later than I had and would not be ready for lunch quite so early, so I chose to stop at the fruit stand at the intersection between Africa and Asia. I was pleasantly surprised that among the fresh fruits were a selection of apples, both red and green, bananas, and oranges.  I purchased an apple for around $1.35. They also had fruit and cheese which would have been a good choice also, had it not been so close to lunch. I also had a few mixed nuts and was good to go until the rest of the group was ready for lunch. Let's go see the lions, tigers and elephants!

After our African adventure, it was time for lunch. There were several options. Our choice was one of the "stop and go" stands. The place we chose included  three entree choices: burgers (with or without cheese),  tuna salad on a pita, and turkey and cheese. Any of these choices would have been good for me. I choose the cheeseburger, cut it in half, and took off the bread. Condiments were optional and were available on the side. I chose apple slices instead of chips.  Just across the way, we found a little table for four in a sunny spot. In the unseasonably cool air, the Florida sun was a delightful addition to our lunch. Let's go to Asia and ride the forbidden mountain roller coaster of Mt. Everest...yes, I did! 

Water was on the agenda for the in-betweens and available at most every stop along our trail, for $2.50. 

I munched on a few nuts in the afternoon and we left just before the park closed around 4:15 and went to eat dinner outside the park at Red Lobster...seafood here we come...you know I'm happy.  

Just to make sure I got the information correct: I did call Disney Dining to ask about the policy of bringing your own food or coolers inside the park...here is what I was told: 

Snack bags and small coolers are allowed in the park.  Coolers cannot be any larger than 24 x 15 x 18 inches. They cannot be full-size cooler or have wheels. There is no designated storage for food or coolers inside the park. 

Water is allowed to be brought in, but no glass or alcohol can be carried in, however, alcoholic beverage were sold inside the park.

Plastic knives may be confiscated, however plastic ware is available inside the park. 

Overall, I had a pleasant day, I never worried about finding plenty of food or water to suit my needs as a weight loss surgery patient or with hypoglycemia.  

I remember our last trip during hot weather, we froze water bottles, which was a great idea. 

So, I officially report that Disney, in my opinion is very "bariatric friendly". We had a very relaxing, enjoyable and "wonderfully magical" adventure.  Yes, you can...you have many more miles to go!

Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 10:06AM by Registered CommenterJulia Holloman | CommentsPost a Comment

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>