August is HERE, friends, can you believe it?
August means a lot of things in Disney World — Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party begins, Halloween decorations start appearing, and this year, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is beginning August 29th (if that seems late, it’s because it is)! I personally can’t wait for this month full of excitement in the parks, and when I told my coworkers all about how my next trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth might be in late August, they warned me about something I NEED to tell you about — there are a lot of things you SHOULD NOT eat in August.
I was a little confused at first — what does the month of the year have to do with what I should and shouldn’t eat while I visit? They quickly explained — the heat in Disney World during August can be BRUTAL, and eating something that normally wouldn’t bother you can have a VASTLY different effect on you when it’s 100 degrees outside.
So I asked the team to tell me EVERYTHING — give me all the foods I should avoid when I go, whether that’s just because they’re far too hot to eat when it’s so warm outside, or because it may not sit right in your stomach. Let me tell you, if you’re visiting the parks this month (or any hot month in Disney World), you NEED to pay close attention to this list too!
Mashed Potato Bowls from Fairfax Fare
Listen, I am a mashed potatoes FIEND, but when Sage himself tells me that eating any of the mashed potato bowls at Fairfax Fare in Disney’s Hollywood Studios are a no-go, I believe him.
The thing is, these are delicious, but they’re so heavy and HOT that eating them during a hot summer day is not going to feel great. I’ll save these for a winter trip — thanks for the heads up, Sage!
Fairfax Fare
Hot Soup
Multiple people on the team shared this, and I guess it’s good I’m not much a soup person, because according to them, eating ANY kind of hot soup during August is a terrible idea.
Yes, this also includes the any of the hot soup options during the beginning of Food & Wine. If that sun is up and beating down on you, the last thing you want is that warm feeling you get from the inside when you eat something hot. We want LESS heat, not more!
Lobster Bisque at Les Halles
Over in EPCOT, one of our Disney experts who has been doing this for a LONG time specifically mentioned that she does not, under any circumstances, recommend the Lobster Bisque (Bisque de Homard) from Les Halles.
Is this absolutely delicious? Yes, 100%. However, you’ll only be focusing on the fact that you’re burning up from both the outside AND inside, so we highly recommend skipping this one during August. During the winter though? Completely different story.
Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles Restaurant
Services: Quick Service
Hot Coffee
Now this one’s a little controversial, but that doesn’t make it any less true! I totally understand that a lot of people need coffee to start their day, and not everyone is a fan of iced coffee, BUT walking around in the sticky Florida heat while drinking a HOT coffee actually sounds like self-imposed torture to me.
My Dad, who has been a hot coffee connoisseur all my life, is probably shaking his head right now, and I’m sure a lot of you are too, but again, why do you insist on feeling like you’re on fire INSIDE too? Isn’t the outside enough? Iced coffee during August is the way to go for a lot of our team.
Mac and Cheese
Writing this actually caused me physical pain because there are very few foods I love more than good mac and cheese, but even I can recognize that eating a hot mac and cheese dish in the middle of summer is not the move.
One of my favorite meals to grab is the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Pulled Pork from Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom, and another member of the team enjoys the Loaded Mac and Cheese dishes at Friar’s Nook in Magic Kingdom, but I’ll definitely be skipping these in August and we think you should to. You’ll thank us later.
Flame Tree BBQ Restaurant
Services: Quick Service
Massive Table Service Meals
I know that snagging that table service meal in the middle of the day is a fantastic way to get out of the heat for a little while, but I’m telling you now to proceed with caution! My coworkers have warned me that while it’s great to revel in the AC while you eat, if you OVEReat, it’s going to feel miserable when you start walking around in the heat again.
It’s important to get your money’s worth during your meal, yes, but be very careful with all-you-can-eat family style/buffet meals, because you may be so focused on getting what you paid for that you feel miserable. And stepping out into the heat is going to make it that much worse. If you’re not a fan of sitting down for a large meal, some of my personal favorite spots to stop to get something lighter (especially if you grab kids meals!) are:
- Columbia Harbour House (Magic Kingdom)
- Sunshine Seasons (EPCOT)
- ABC Commissary (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom)
Anywhere Where You Have To Sit Outside
This one may seem silly, but it’s 100% important to remember. There are many quick service restaurants around Disney World, especially in Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, where the only seating for the restaurant is outside. Unlike other months of the year where eating outside may just be unpleasant, you may actually feel like you’ll melt if you have to eat outside.
A little dramatic, yes, but when you’re sweating through your clothes, you’ll feel dramatic too. Keep in mind though that spaces inside are going to be limited during peak dining times because EVERYONE will be wanting to eat inside, so try to eat at off-peak times to ensure you can grab a spot.
Ice Cream
Hear me out! I balked at this one too until I read why — ice cream melts FAST in Disney World, and having sticky hands when you already feel sweaty and gross from the humidity is not fun. Getting a cold sweet treat is fantastic, but allow me to suggest some alternate options.
Emma recently introduced me to the magic that is Frozen Cokes in Disney World and now I’m obsessed, and any ice slushy is a great alternate (#bringbackthesweetteaslushy). Yes, it’ll still melt fast, but it won’t be all over your hands!
Raw Fish
And lastly, we have the most…unfortunate one here. Now, I won’t reveal who this story belongs to, but let’s just say it’s someone anyone who watches the AllEars YouTube channel would recognize. I personally am not a fan of sushi, but our reporters have to try EVERY booth during festivals, and sometimes that means eating the raw fish/sushi dishes in Japan.
Needless to say, this person usually doesn’t have any issues with sushi, but mixed with the heat of the day and the fast pace the team was setting to get everything done…they met an unfortunate fate and ended up face first in a trashcan. Moral of the story, even if you’re normally fine with raw fish, maybe save that for the cooler months to be safe.
Well, I don’t know about you all, but I’m a little scared now! Sounds like I’ll be sticking with my go-to chicken finger diet, but you know what? To me that’s worth it to not have a day in Disney World ruined by feeling gross. We’re always here to bring you all the latest Disney World tips, so stay tuned to AllEars!
I drive 7 hours to Disney World for my job, and these are 7 mistakes I’ll NEVER make again!
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What else would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments!
Whilst having breakfast at Starbucks in Epcot, the cashier knew we were English because despite the heat outside, people from the UK always order hot drinks.
“Mother always taught me: “Never eat singing food.” – Rizzo the Rat, The Muppet Christmas Carol.
With the above words of wisdom from the rad rat, foods that may be known as seasonal should stay seasonal.
These all feel like fall and winter foods. These do not say 100 degrees in the shade to me. Don’t cross the streams. They feel like comfort foods, but think of where you are before purchasing them. Raw fish, mashed potatoes, and Rock’ n’Rollercoaster…oh my!