Disney on Keto?  Exploring low-carb, sugar free options at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas

Something had to change.  I humbly start this article by admitting the past couple of years hit me pretty hard with the loss of family, friends and beloved pets. I was devastated and in survival mode. 

I basically just worked and ate my way through the grieving process with the end result being a 50 lb weight gain of which I was mortified but seemingly helpless to overcome once the dust settled on the process.  Somewhat willing to accept my fate thanks to the aging process and some medical issues, I was trying to come to terms with my new size and as Dory would say,  “Just keep swimming”.  Then in mid December 2017, something happened:  I stumbled across a Ketogenic lifestyle Facebook group. I liked what I read about the diet, especially when I realized cheese was an acceptable food within the program. (Are you kidding me?!)   I remembered my friend Susan, an avid volleyball player, had mentioned it a couple of years ago as did one of my snow skiing buddies.  A skeptic by nature, I reached out to them for verification –  did this way of eating help them? I’m not making this up when I tell you Susan said, “Shontell, that diet changed my life.”  She elaborated and I’ll spare you the details but fast forward to June of 2018 and I am 30 pounds lighter and feel better than I have in a long, long time.  If you aren’t familiar with the buzzword, it’s easiest to think of it as a “low-carb” way of eating. It’s not for everyone but has had life changing results for others.  This article is not to steer anyone towards or away from the lifestyle, but merely to provide some information for those traveling to Disney and trying to stay true to the path.

DVC Family and Keto Family

One of the things I’ve learned so far in my journey is that the group of “Keto-ers” is far larger and more vast than I ever realized, somewhat reminiscent of DVC Members!  To my own surprise, my orthopedic Doctor is a Keto-er and we had a quick discussion about my weight loss and his own experience on my last visit.  Imagine my further surprise when a post popped up in one of the Keto groups asking if anyone has been able to do Disney on Keto.  Light bulb moment, of course! With the growing low-carb, sugar free seeking population, perhaps a support, tips and tricks group for those heading to their Disney Vacation Club homes and the Walt Disney World parks might be helpful.  Fast forward and we now have a “Disney on Keto” page and discussion group on Facebook. It’s just getting started but we already have Keto-ers in California and Cast Members in Florida participating.   

My first personal goal is to investigate the DVC Resorts and share the best low-carb Keto options because, well, as you might imagine, I find myself discussing and visiting the Disney Vacation Club Resorts fairly often in my day to day life.  This past week I made a quick visit to the Boardwalk Villas, one of the first DVC Resorts and the favorite home of many a Member. I thought this resort might be a challenge.  Let’s face it,  the theme of the property lends itself to what we all affectionately refer to as “Fair-food”.  Think fried carbohydrate dough laden with confectioners sugar. Albeit delicious, the complete opposite of what the Keto-lifestyle supports.   Upon digging a little deeper, I discovered it would be quite easy to stick to the program thanks to three of the full service restaurants on property. 

Surprisingly Fantastic Dining Options

The Flying Fish is probably the easiest to enjoy without too much substitution involved thanks to their fresh fish options including Sea Bass, Mahi Mahi and Salmon. Throw in the NY Strip and Filet entrees and you could easily eat there for a week without having to repeat yourself.  I can tell you from personal experience the food here is always divine!

The Big River Grille & Brewing has 4 Keto friendly burger options by simply subbing in a lettuce wrap and ditching the fries for a salad or veggies. Not to mention the Habanero chicken with avocado and pico de gallo and my favorite Keto friendly steak, the Ribeye with veggies. I opted for their Cobb Salad with bacon, egg, avocado, tomato with no dressing.  I learned all their dressings are provided by Ken’s so you could easily look those up to stay within your allowed carbs for the day and in any restaurant you’ve got the oil, vinegar and lemon dressing option with zero carbs. 

The ESPN Club offers wings with a variety of sauces that can be put on the side to monitor your sugar consumption, the Buffalo Blue Cheese sauce enticing me the most. The Caprese Burger and Chicken Philly look perfect with a quick inquiry on the cheese sauce to not throw off your macros. Entrees that would work include the Double Bone in Pork Chop, Ribeye steak and Fish of the Day with specific low-carb friendly sides like veggies or salad.

While Trattoria al Forno is probably the least keto friendly restaurant, if the family insists on Italian one night the Insalata Caprese with the Oak Grilled Strip Steak with asparagus would be perfect to stay on track.

Low-carb and sugar free lifestyle subscribers will probably want to skip the Boardwalk Bakery altogether unless you are desperate.  They do offer some sandwiches that you can ditch the bread and make your own meat and cheese plate if you must. The same applies to the Pizza stop unless you want to pick cheese and toppings off but the one reasonable choice is the Kale Chicken Caesar sans the croutons. Ken’s caesar salad dressing only has 1 carb per serving but made with soybean oil for those avoiding or with allergies.  Hopefully, I don’t need to mention it’s best to avoid the ice cream shop and the fried carbohydrate food truck on the Boardwalk itself. 

I stopped by the Screen Door knowing that sometimes we need a snack!  I was quite pleased to find breakfast sausage and eggs for utilizing the full kitchen in the 1 to 3 bedroom villas. Not to mention a delightful selection of cheeses and sliced meats from Dietz & Watson that could easily make a charcuterie tray to enjoy on the balcony or in front of a Disney movie while relaxing in your room.

Hopefully, this finds some fellow DVC Keto-ers and offers some incentive and assurance that staying at the Boardwalk Villas and staying on track can be pretty easy.

Do you Keto?

I’d love to hear your experience with the lifestyle, your success story,  if you’ve done Disney on Keto and your favorite DVC low-carb friendly restaurants and meals. Please join the discussion and share your stories on the Disney Keto Facebook page.  Your Disney expertise helps everyone!

Never heard of Keto or the Ketogenic lifestyle but curious?  I recommend starting here: https://www.ruled.me/benefits-ketogenic-diet/ or here: https://www.drberg.com/blog-article/ketogenic-diet-plan  for the basics. Other Disney special dietary needs information can be found on AllEars.net one of my favorite Disney Information sites.

This article is not intended to offer any type of medical advice or dietary recommendations. Any and all liability related to food consumption related to the ketogenic, low-carb or sugar-free lifestyle or consumption at any Disney affiliated restaurant falls completely on the reader.