US Parks go healthy

Kristof · October 18, 2006, 01:54:16 AM

From Screamscape:

Quote from: "Screamscape"Disney has announced that they will begin serving more nutritionally balanced meals at the US theme parks as well as limited future endorsement deals on food products that limit fat and sugar. Trans fats will be eliminated from meals at the theme parks by the end of 2007. Changes will take place over the next several years as the various contracts expire. Starting this month kids meals at the parks will now include low-fat milk, 100 fruit juice or water as a replacement for soda and servings of carrots or apple sauce in place of fries. Parents can still opt to keep fries or soda at no additional cost.

Patrick · October 18, 2006, 12:30:02 PM

Sounds rather interesting, though saw an article in English newspaper, Daily Mirror stating that Disneyland Resort Paris is also joining the healthy eating scheme, how great this whole idea will work is good, but I don't know I kind of like the occasional burger, pizza and stuff in DLRP. I can still see kids going for the burger as opposed to the salad.

Maarten · October 18, 2006, 12:39:05 PM

I support Disney's effort to make the meals at the parks more healthy. Not that I'm a freak who only wants to eat healthy food, but I would like to eat several different things when I am at the parks. Not only fries, hamburgers and hotdogs. Like I said before, the food at Walt Disney World was great, but that was mainly because of the diversity.

I'm curious to know if Disney will succeed or that the Americans in particular will stick to their unhealthy food.

Anthony · October 18, 2006, 01:28:59 PM

It's a sad day when Disney takes ideas from McDonald's!

But more choice is great, I hope these changes come sooner rather than later so I can get something other than a market house deli baguette for once. Not that i'm a health freak either, but most of dlrp's counter service food is just nasty.

Kristof · October 18, 2006, 01:47:53 PM

I'd like to point that DLRP is making a lot of progress in improving the food offerings. They have some really delicious salads from the French brand Bonduelle (one of the most expensive brands here in Belgium) now at certain locations (including Backlot Express).

I agree about the food offerings at Walt Disney World, but I noticed that the quality had fallen since last year. And one more problem over there, most food is related to just one restaurant and one park. So when you're at Epcot, it's a lot harder to get something similar that was on sale at Magic Kingdom, at least for the vegetarian stuff.

Anthony · October 18, 2006, 04:13:50 PM

Quote from: "raptor1982"I'd like to point that DLRP is making a lot of progress in improving the food offerings. They have some really delicious salads from the French brand Bonduelle (one of the most expensive brands here in Belgium) now at certain locations (including Backlot Express).

Great stuff.

I've never been in Backlot Express but it sounds like it has some really nice food.

About what you said with WDW - I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or not. I always thought it's a shame how Colonel hathis and Pizza Planet sell the same pizzas and so on. The one thing DLRP needs is just more variety, not necessarily swapping burgers for salads.

Maarten · October 18, 2006, 05:23:29 PM

Quote from: "Baloo"About what you said with WDW - I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or not.

Well, I didn't really mind to be honest. It would be okay with me if some restaurants at DLP and WDS sell the same stuff, as long as there is enough variety overall.

QuoteI always thought it's a shame how Colonel hathis and Pizza Planet sell the same pizzas and so on. The one thing DLRP needs is just more variety, not necessarily swapping burgers for salads.

A bit offtopic, but can someone tell me what kind of food they used to sell back in the days when Colonel Haithi's Pizza Outpost was still known as the Explorer's Club? Did they have themed food? I mean pizza's don't really seem to be a jungle kind of dish.

Patrick · October 18, 2006, 10:49:00 PM

Quote from: "Maarten"A bit offtopic, but can someone tell me what kind of food they used to sell back in the days when Colonel Haithi's Pizza Outpost was still known as the Explorer's Club? Did they have themed food? I mean pizza's don't really seem to be a jungle kind of dish.

In the Explorers Club it was a table service restaurant, like Walt's and Innoventions, it used to serve tropical dishes as compared to pizza fast food it serves now :wink: . Though that was completely offtopic :lol:

Maarten · October 18, 2006, 10:59:11 PM

Quote from: "PATMAGIC"
Quote from: "Maarten"A bit offtopic, but can someone tell me what kind of food they used to sell back in the days when Colonel Haithi's Pizza Outpost was still known as the Explorer's Club? Did they have themed food? I mean pizza's don't really seem to be a jungle kind of dish.

In the Explorers Club it was a table service restaurant, like Walt's and Innoventions, it used to serve tropical dishes as compared to pizza fast food it serves now :wink: . Though that was completely offtopic :lol:

Yeah, sorry for that. :lol:

I would love to see The Explorer's Club return, including it's audio-animatronic birds. But lets get back ontopic.

The Butlin Boy · October 18, 2006, 11:02:52 PM

It's great to here that the disney parks are going to sell more healthier foods now

Kristof · October 19, 2006, 10:09:32 AM

More from Mickey News:

QuoteMOST RESTAURANTS AT WALT DISNEY World and Disneyland are handled by the company's own food and beverage division, so compliance with its own initiative to serve healthier foods shouldn't be a challenge.

However, several outside companies ("operating participants," in Disney parlance) run restaurants at Disney properties, and those restaurants will be required to follow Disney's new food-and-nutrition guidelines.

"We have had initial conversations" with the participants, said a spokeswoman for Burbank, Calif.-based Disney. "There's certainly a big interest on their part to work with us, integrate with us and carry out our guidelines."

Los Angeles-based Wolfgang Puck Co. operates a cafe at Disney World. "Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express is excited by Disney's recent decision to serve healthier food in their theme parks," Wolfgang Puck Company said in a statement prepared for Marketing Daily. "We will continue working toward offering healthier options for both children and adults as we introduce new recipes and ingredients in our restaurants."

McDonald's, Rainforest Cafe and Earl of Sandwich also operate restaurants at Disney World.

Disney's new guidelines cover three areas: food licensing and promotions aimed at children, food served to children at the parks and resorts, and trans fats. Beginning this month, kids' meals served at the company's U.S. parks and resorts will automatically include applesauce or carrot sticks as a side dish instead of French fries, and juice, low-fat milk or water instead of soda. Fries and pop are available on request.

The company aims to remove trans fats from Disney menu items by the end of 2007, and have outside vendors remove trans fats from menus by the end of 2008.

Currently, the guidelines apply only to Disney's domestic properties, but the company plans to make it a global initiative, according to a spokesman. Disney also operates parks in Japan and France.

Parents sparked the health initiative, the spokesman said. "We were hearing from families who buy Disney products. They wanted a wider range of food, particularly more nutritious food," he said. The company does not disclose how many children visit the parks each year.

Martha86 · May 20, 2007, 10:19:25 PM

It's a good idea to encourage people to be more healthy and all, but when you're on holiday and faced with the choice of a menu - 9 times out of 10 you will not scour it for the healthy option. People like to treat themselves on holiday! Saying that, I think the pizza's in Bella Notte and Colonel Haithi's are absolutely vile - like school dinner food.