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(CNN) - In a sign that veganism is reaching the habits of the American masses, Disney announced that plant-based food will be added to the dining rooms of its theme parks in the United States.
More than 400 summers will be available at the fast service points and on the menu cards of the Walt Disney World restaurants in Orlando, Florida, in early October, followed by Disneyland in Anaheim, California, by the spring of 2020 .
It is an important task: there are more than 602 places to eat at the Walt Disney World and the Disneyland resort. Most have exclusive themes for each theme park or hotel.
For now, everyone will have a vegan theme that suits the different parks, such as the "Tatooine Two Suns Humus", inspired by Star Wars at Hollywood Studios in Orlando; or "Le Fou Festin", in the Be Our Guest restaurant in Magic Kingdom, also in Orlando.
The new green logo
Disney is implementing plant-based food options in all dining rooms of theme parks in the United States, such as Asian steamed dumplings at Le Cellier, a grill at Epcot. (Disney)
The new additions extend beyond the walls of the parks: each dining room, within 36 at Disney's Orlando location, and three Anaheim hotels, will also have vegan options. These include "carrot gnocchi" at The Turf Club Bar and Grill at the Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and "Cauliflower Tacos" at The Wave of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary Resort.
From the "crispy fried tofu with spicy chili" in the Animal Kingdom, to the "Florentine without egg" on Main Street USA, Disney is being careful to call the different items under the name of "plant-based" and not " Vegans. ” This is due to the changes that the term “vegan” continues to adopt over time.
In order to help customers choose plant-based dishes, Disney is marking each menu item with a new green leaf-shaped logo.
As well as many Disney food offerings, some of the vegan dishes have their own theme for each location. This hummus dish is served in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and is known under the name "Extension of the Felucia Garden", a reference of a weed-covered planet in the Star Wars universe.
However, the company said that all of its products "are made without animal meat, without dairy, eggs or honey," in order to get closer to the most accurate definition of vegan cuisine.
There are few places less friendly for vegans and vegetarians than theme parks, where the standard are hamburgers and hot dogs. Those products are among the best sellers at Disney World, where 10 million hamburgers, 6 million hot dogs and 800,000 kilos of their iconic turkey legs are served each year.
The shortage in plant-based food options, as well as the difficulty in identifying them, has led Disney's vegan followers to create their own online survival guides.
Eric Brent, founder of the HappyCow vegan restaurant guide, was delighted with the expanded menu.
"Vegans and those looking for plant-based options are in paradise with all the good news and awareness," Brent said. "We are sure that the recent increase in Disney offers will be very well received and hopefully we will soon see that one day they will be totally compassionate about their food options."
Paris and Hong Kong also have plant-based options
In the international parks there are also plant-based food options, including “Mushroom Risotto with Mushrooms” at the Disneyland of Paris, “Fry vegetables with plant-based dumplings” at the Disneyland of Hong Kong, or “Cake of banana with caramelized nuts ”at the Shanghai Disney resort.
But, the plan that includes a vegan option in each Disney menu is, for now, an initiative in the United States.
vegan dietDisneyveganism
