This Food Mistake Seems Easy to Avoid in Disney World...But It's NOT

There’s a lot to think about when you’re planning your Disney World vacation.

Any day I get to ride the Peoplemover is a good day

Whether you’re going for one day or two weeks, you’ve gotta think about what dining reservations you want to snag (if any), what rides are your top picks, what your rope drop strategy looks like, and of course, figure out your budget for souvenirs, snacks, and everything in between for when you’re in the parks, and that’s just to name a few. Last year I went to Disney World MULTIPLE times, both for work and for fun, and I learned a lot about what it means to be in Disney World so frequently on MANY different types of days. In fact, I have to say that I learned some harsh lessons, and one of them I never thought I’d fall victim to, but alas, I did. Here’s how you can avoid falling into the same trap I did!

When I go to Disney World by myself, my top priority is almost always the rides. I’m a sucker for Disney World rides, even if I’ve been on them tons of times before.

Myranda and I on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!

While I love live entertainment and want to try new snacks while I’m there, it just always seems to be that my brain is focused on riding all the rides I can in whichever park I’m in. And that’s totally fine…except for the fact that I got so caught up in riding rides that I forgot to stop and eat when I should have. Now, I’d had breakfast and I’d had more of a snack for lunch than an actual meal, and while I normally always have emergency snacks in my bag, this was the one time I didn’t (and I’ve never made THAT mistake again — always have snacks!).

Let me set the scene: There I was, rushing over to TRON Lightcycle / Run to make it in time for my return time (back when the Virtual Queue was still a thing!), but the park was getting ready to close early for a special event that evening. It was 5:30, and I was hoping I’d get out of the ride in time to stop by Auntie Gravity’s for an ice cream sundae, because for some reason I was CRAVING one. (The healthiest thing to eat? No, far from it, but hey, it was a Disney World day!). Once the park hit 6PM, all the restaurants would be closed to me, but they’d be open for party guests.

Lo and behold, while I had a great time on TRON, I didn’t make it off the ride until after 6, and as I walked up to the Cast Member outside Auntie Gravity’s at 6:03 PM, I knew I was too late, but I asked anyway. Sure enough, I couldn’t go in, so I made my way over to Main Street, U.S.A., hoping that maybe by some miracle I’d be able to go into the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, since the My Disney Experience App wasn’t showing that the special event started until 6:30 for that location.

Alas, I was turned away there too by a very kind Cast Member, and as I walked up Main Street, defeated, I realized that I was SO hungry and had waited so long that I had slipped into hangry territory. I certainly didn’t let it show to the Cast Members I interacted with, but as I walked I found myself almost in tears! Over an ice cream sundae!! And that’s when I knew I had made a dire mistake, and I needed to get SOMETHING as soon as possible, or else my mood would only worsen.

This was NOT my mood on Main Street that day

Had I been with other people, I can only imagine the way I would have accidentally snapped at them or truly burst into tears over something so trivial, but when your body is running on empty, emotional regulation flies out the window to put your energy towards more important functions (such as breathing, walking, you know, the works). Seeing that The Confectionery was still open, I decided to go in and grab myself a Goofy’s Glacier, which was close enough in the way I wanted something cold and sweet, and then I grabbed myself fast food on the way back to my accommodation.

Moral of the story: ALWAYS have snacks in your bag, for one, and two, pay attention to your body and stop for food and water when you need to. On hot Disney World days, it’s even harder to do this, since often you’ll be so overheated your body won’t tell you what it needs, but you’ve gotta make sure you’re giving yourself the fuel you need to have a great day.

It’s also why we always say that if you and your group start fighting out of seemingly nowhere, pause, sit somewhere in the AC for at least 20 minutes in complete silence, and make sure everyone eats and drinks something. You’ll be amazed at what a quick reset like that can do for everyone’s moods! We’re always here to bring you the latest Disney World news and tips, so stay tuned to AllEars!