Trip to Disneyland - eep!

So I have a bit of time before I take a trip to Disneyland with my friends in June.  We're spending 3 days in that area, and I was just idly thinking about how I'm going to keep eating right (and I'll probably exercise very little, besides walking around the park). 

I try to keep my dieting/new lifestyle pretty quiet because one of my friends was once anorexic and she is still struggling with eating issues and body image.  As for my other friends, they are mostly a slim group that have no problem eating lots of junk without gaining a pound.  That, and they're always on the lookout for any suspicious eating now, after the whole anorexia deal with the one girl. 

I know it might be easier if I just flat-out told them I'd like to eat healthily and share my goals with them, but it's such an uncomfortable issue when they (and me included) have been through so much stress over my anorexic friend.  I'm in the middle of my BMI range and I'm looking to get to near the bottom of the range, but not underweight! I have an average body, but these terrible love handles (ugh!) and need to remain strong over those days because if I blow it, I feel so terrible afterwards and really want to avoid that.

So - any tips on what kinds of GOOD foods there are to eat in Disneyland/amusement parks?  Or how I can otherwise make it through?

I remember the last time I went to Disneyland thinking they had NOTHING healthy to eat. At least, it was very hard to find. Your best bet is eating outside the park or bringing in your own food. If that is not an option, there are a few places where you can get a sald or sandwich. Try to find those places. Most of the food there is burgers, pizza, fries....all bad!! There are restarunts outside the park like subway, Mimi's cafe....I'm sure you can find a decent one.

Also, try downtown disney. There are a ton more choices there...House of Blues, Deli's, ESPN zone where at least you can get good salads and good chicken dishes.

Good luck and have fun!!

Does DisneyLAND (in CA) have a Downtown Disney? I know Disney WORLD does.. and if you know where to look in the world, you can still get healthy food choices. Not everything is Crap (though there is plenty of crap if you want it. :) )

Thanks so much for the responses guys.  It's been a while since I've been to Disneyland (yeah CA) and I can't really remember what's down there!  I like the idea of bringing some foods with me; it'll save me money, too!

Fox, we're preparing to go to the World in two weeks. We just stopped at the grocery store and got a bunch of nuts and dried fruit..

And some candy for fun. :) (jelly belly jellybeans and gummis)

Go with the snack bags of nuts, dried fruit, etc... :) They may get a LITTLE sticky in the sun, but they're a good choice. :D

I actually worked there for their college program and then my family came to visit and we spent 2 days at the park. I brought a backpack full of healthy choices and water. The way I saw it, with the backpack, I got more of a workout. I did allow myself one of the 2 days to 'cheat', because there are a lot of foods in Disney that are only available there. There is Downtown Disney (this is where the tram drops you off to enter the park,) but your best bet is to grab food before you go. You could suggest it to your friends, because the added benefit is that you'll save money on food outside the park.

Good luck and have fun!

Disneyland does have a Downtown Disney with a House of Blues and a variety of other restaurants. I've never actually been to Disneyland and didn't eat in Downtown Disney, but while I was at HoB I saw plenty of restaurant options.

Iv been to disney land and i needed another break after this one there was so much excercise involved most of the time was spent walking or standing queuing. I did find it very hard to find helthy food but to be fair I wasn't looking but i was told I was eating allot of fruit which also seemed to available. The one thing I did notice though was a massive choice.

I can't tell you of any specific good food but I can sure tell you of a bad one if you  go to the end of main street there is a ice cream parlor, order the choc= fudge sundae its divine.

Have fun.

You want my expert advice on DisneyLand?

I imagine you'll be staying in a hotel, and here is the most important advice.

Avoid the midnight trips down to the little snack shop in the lobbies. I must of gained about 8 pounds from waking up at 1 AM in the morning and running downstairs to get some ice cream, or wheat thins.

Most importantly, avoid buffets.

Sure, they're great. You pay 8 dollars and you eat all you want. Buffets are silent, but deadly. Stick to restaurants and just buy the cheap stuff.

Cheap usually equals less, so you're eating good food and in portion.

If you have no other choice but a buffet, stick to the fish and the salad bar. Maybe sneak a few french fries.

Also, check if your hotel has a sauna and/or fitness center.

If it doesn't and you can't find an afforadble one with them, then atleast get a hotel with a pool. Wake up in the mornings and either run laps around it, or swim in it.

It's great excerisie and fun.

-Aiden

I was at Disney World in Dec 06.  I didn't really find it that hard to eat well as long as you stay away from the fried foods, which are obviously tempting.  They had a few places in the park with totally healthy snacks, where you could buy whole fruit, bags of carrots, nuts, etc.  And they had at least a couple of healthy choices at each restaurant.  If you eat a healthy breakfast and keep healthy snacks, go ahead and have that chili dog for lunch because you will walk it off for sure!  Wear a pedometer and you will be suprised at how many calories you burn cruising around.  If you are using Disney tranportation, get off a stop or two before your hotel. 

Honestly, you may just want to plan on eating your maintenance calories that week and work on trying to stay under that rather than trying to eat your loss calories and feeling like a failure if you go over.  Don't spend the whole time stressing over food or it won't really be that fun. 

Finally, one of the people on our trip had lost about 100 pounds on WW and she didn't complain about the food choices.  I know she carried some food with her but mostly she was able to make good choices most of the time.  Sitting down to eat at a place with a menu usually gave us a lot more healthy choices than eating on the hoof though, so try to convince your group to go to full menu places for meals.  That might help.  Good luck!

I just came back from disneyland last month, and if you're looking for exercise you will get it by waling around the park, even justs walking to the rides is sometimes pretty far if it's busy. I found some healthier stuff in the restaurants, and not the "fast food" restaurants, but bringing your own food is the best thing to do.

But for exercises they say the average person walks 5miles in Disneyland so if you're there for a few days you're good to go.

My boyfriend and I have annual passes to Disneyland and go all the time. A few of the food courts (like the one in Tomorrowland) have salad choices, you can get the dressing on the side. There's also a healthy snack stand in Tomorrowland that sells fruit and stuff. 

I think pretty much all of the sandwich choices come without condiments, so you could get a chicken sandwich or something and just use mustard. 

You do walk a TON while at Disneyland, so if you can't eat 100% healthy, don't sweat it, just have fun!! 

I always pack snacks in my purse or backpack when we go....low fat granola bars, bananas, energy bars, etc. It sucks because there are yummy snacks all over the park, so if I get hungry, I need to make sure to have a healthy option on hand. Of course, every now and then, we do break down and get churros....they're just so good!  :)

Enjoy your trip!

^totally! Disneyland has some really healthy options. & their fruit bowls are amazing! I think they have the best quality & nutritionally sound food out of every amusement park / touristy place I've been to.

I also second the notion of Disneyland as exercise, especially 3 days. You'll be able to enjoy a cheeseburger & a frozen lemonade (or frozen banana! Yum!) without worry.

Enjoy!

The best thing I found was they have great fruit and veggie stands!!!! So if you eat good lunches...salad sandwich type of thing then if you are needing a snack just stop by there and pick up some fruit and veggies (they where amazingly decent priced to)

I just came back from Disney World last week and I actually did really well with my food choices.  I was at disney for 3 days and in Florida for a week in total and lost 1 pound while I was down there.  Disney has a list of all of their restaurants and on the list restaurants with healthy food choices had a little apple symbol next to them.  At Animal Kingdom I ate a chilled fruit platter with honey yogurt at one restaurant for lunch and had a southwest salad at a restaurant at Hollywood studios for dinner.  They also have desserts for diabetics which are low in sugar.  My other meals were character meals, family style dinner with turkey, potatoes, gravy, veggies, etc., very tasty but probably loaded with fat.  Lots of fresh fruit at the breakfast buffet.  I brought along my personal favorite Luna nutrition bars as a snack for when I got hungry and one time had a Mickey shaped ice cream on a stick.  Drank lots of bottled water.  I'm sure there are similar healthy choices at Disneyland - just be smart about your choices.  Have a great time!!!