New Year, New You: How to Stick to your New Year’s Resolutions at Walt Disney World

Believe it or not, we’re one month into the new year, friends! By now, many of us have made new year’s resolutions that we are hoping to keep — even while visiting Walt Disney World.

If you’re working hard to become more active, eat healthier, or learn new things in 2020, you will find that it is entirely possible to do so at Walt Disney World.

Today, we are sharing how to stick to your new year’s resolutions while at Walt Disney World!

Eating Healthier

Walt Disney World is chock-full of yummy and tempting treats, food, and drinks. From Mickey-shaped ice cream to buckets of fried chicken, eating healthy while traveling “the World” may seem like an impossible feat. However, we are happy to report that there are many healthy options at Walt Disney World — that don’t include monster brownie sundaes!

In fact, eating healthier at Walt Disney World has become even easier as of 2019 when Disney announced that all quick service and table service locations in Walt Disney World would include plant-based options on their menus. In fact, there are over 400 plant-based options available in Walt Disney World as of October 3, 2019!

Guests can find hundreds of plant-based options on menus by looking for the green leaf next to menu items. This symbol is the new specialty plant-based icon and can be found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort hotels and theme parks.

Additionally, even if you don’t follow a plant-based diet, both quick-service and table-service dining locations normally have healthy options on their menus. We have found delicious table service salads, oats, grab-and-go salads, hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, gluten-free options, and even smoothies in Walt Disney World restaurants.

In the mood for a sweet treat? One of Disney’s most popular treats, Dole Whip, has approximately 90 calories per serving — and it’s vegan! And if you really want that Monster Sundae, there’s good news there, too! Most of Disney World’s indulgent treats are so big, they’re share-able, so you can enjoy a treat (or two or three) in moderation by sharing with your crew!

There’s no excuse for not eating healthy while vacationing at Walt Disney World.

Staying Active

If you want to be more active in 2020, Walt Disney World is actually a pretty easy place to do that. For most of us, Walt Disney World is the place where we walk the most! It’s not uncommon to walk over ten miles a day in the theme parks, racking up the recommended 10,000 steps per day — and then some! But in addition to walking, there are many other ways of “upping the ante” when it comes to staying active during your vacation.

Many of the Walt Disney World Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts have fitness centers. Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, a Moderate Resort, also has a fitness center. In fact, with the opening of Gran Destino in July 2019, Coronado Springs now has two fitness centers that can be used by anyone staying at the Resort!

Fortunately, for those not staying in a Deluxe hotel, or those not interested in fitness centers, swimming is almost always an option thanks to the warm, Florida weather. Walt Disney World pools are heated to 82-degrees Fahrenheit year-round — and every Resort hotel has at least one!

Additionally, the Walt Disney World resorts abound with beautiful jogging trails that will inspire you to start or end your day with a lovely walk or run.

There is no excuse for abandoning your exercise plans while traveling the World, even if you won’t be spending a lot of time in the theme parks!

Expanding Your Knowledge

Walt Disney World is not just a place for attractions and snacks; it’s also a great place to learn something new, explore new cultures, and learn about conservation. It’s the ultimate “field trip” for kids and adults alike! If you’re looking to expand your knowledge in the new year, Walt Disney World is a great place to do so.

Guests looking to learn more about other countries and cultures can travel to World Showcase in Epcot — home to eleven pavilions representing countries from around the world. We love talking to the Cast Members in each pavilion, as they are all native residents of the country they are representing!

Other wonderful learning experiences in Epcot are Living with the Land and the Behind the Seeds Tour. Living with the land is a boat attraction which allows you to cruise past greenhouses and learn more about the history of farming. You will be able to see firsthand how Walt Disney World horticulturalists use innovative growing techniques to help feed a growing planet (and supply fruits and vegetables to Epcot restaurants).

Sunshine Seasons and the Garden Grill Restaurant in The Land Pavilion, both serve seafood and produce grown in the Living with the Land greenhouses!

The Behind the Seeds Tour is a paid tour, but well worth it! This walking tour allows guests to get up close and personal with The Land Pavilion. They can visit four greenhouses and a fish farm to catch a glimpse of insects, fish, plants and produce. Bonus: If you’re looking to save money in the new year, this is one of the most affordable tours available in Walt Disney World.

Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, Guests can also find tons of educational experiences. One of our favorites is the Conservation Station and Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which gives us an in-depth look at animal living conditions around the world, a glimpse at the veterinary care Disney animals receive, and a thorough explanation of Disney’s conservation efforts.

For guests looking for a “walk on the wild side”, the Wild Africa Trek offers a privately guided VIP expedition of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park!

When you take part in this tour, you can experience an exciting safari adventure where you will be able to enjoy viewing wild animals in their natural habitats by walking along grassland paths, crossing rope bridges and hopping aboard a safari vehicle. Additionally, crossing the rope bridges is a challenging and wonderful form of exercise! That’s what we call a win-win.

We know it is often difficult to stick to your new year’s resolutions while on vacation, but with these tips and suggestions, you can do it!

Share your plans for sticking to your “new year, new you” goals at Walt Disney World this year in the comments below!