Dining at Disney Parks is more than just fueling up for your day—it’s part of the whole Disney vacation experience, especially for Cardmembers who can redeem Disney Rewards Dollars toward meals and snacks as part of the fun.1 A lot goes on behind the scenes to make the culinary magic happen, including smart planning and creative thinking to help bring you the best ingredients and protect Earth’s resources at the same time. Here are just a few of the many ways Disney is reducing food waste.
1. Preventing food waste before it begins
It all starts with menu planning! Predicting how many meals to serve each day kicks off the food cycle and helps ensure that Disney Parks use an appropriate amount. Once the menu plan is set, it’s time to harvest fresh fruits and vegetables—and when you dine at Sunshine Seasons or Garden Grill Restaurant at EPCOT®, some of the produce and seafood comes straight from the Living with the Land attraction!
2. Turning food scraps into compost and animal feed
Ever noticed compost bins at the Parks? They collect food scraps for reuse in all kinds of ways. Walt Disney World® Resort turns food waste into compost soil used for fertilizing plants, including those at the dino-themed cafe Restaurantosaurus and the butterfly-attracting Pollinator Garden at Rafiki’s Planet Watch®. In 2022, Walt Disney World® Resort composted about 30 million pounds of non-consumable food. And the Disneyland® Resort also keeps over 5 million pounds of food waste out of landfills each year.
3. Donating to food banks
When prepared food goes unused at Disney Parks, it doesn’t get tossed—it gets donated. The Disneyland® Resort donates over 2,000 pounds each month to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. In 2022, 220,000 pounds of unused prepared food made its way from Walt Disney World® Resort to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida through their food donation program.
4. Converting used cooking oil to biodiesel
When the scent of fries wafts through the air at the Disneyland® Resort, it could be snack time—or you could be getting a whiff of one of the park’s biodiesel-fueled attractions! Used cooking oil from the resort’s kitchens powers all five steam trains and the Mark Twain Riverboat. This effort eliminates approximately 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel each year.
With all the effort that goes into making Disney dining delicious and sustainable, Guests can feel great about every bite. Check out the Dining Perks Guide to plan your next Disney meal—and see select locations where Cardmembers can save 10% on most meals, most days!23
