diff --git a/js/OptionsDialog.js b/js/OptionsDialog.js
index d0cf8983..e0e0a77d 100644
--- a/js/OptionsDialog.js
+++ b/js/OptionsDialog.js
@@ -3,54 +3,26 @@
 /**
  * Shows an Options dialog that consists of sim-global options.
  *
- * Options are provided as 'globalOptions' inside a sim's options.
- *
  * @author Jonathan Olson <jonathan.olson@colorado.edu>
  */
 define( function( require ) {
   'use strict';
 
   // modules
-  var VBox = require( 'SCENERY/nodes/VBox' );
   var Text = require( 'SCENERY/nodes/Text' );
   var inherit = require( 'PHET_CORE/inherit' );
   var PhetFont = require( 'SCENERY_PHET/PhetFont' );
-  var CheckBox = require( 'SUN/CheckBox' );
   var Dialog = require( 'JOIST/Dialog' );
 
   // strings
   var optionsTitleString = require( 'string!JOIST/options.title' );
 
   /**
-   * The options should be an array of item objects, which all have item.type. The following types are available:
-   *
-   * { // 'boolean' will show up as a labeled CheckBox
-   *   type: 'boolean',
-   *   label: 'Some Option',
-   *   property: someBooleanProperty
-   * }
-   *
-   * @param {Array} options
+   * @param {Node} optionsNode
    * @constructor
    */
-  function OptionsDialog( options ) {
-
-    var children = [];
-    for ( var i = 0; i < options.length; i++ ) {
-      var option = options[i];
-
-      switch( option.type ) {
-        case 'boolean':
-          children.push( new CheckBox( new Text( option.label, { font: new PhetFont( 15 ) } ), option.property, {} ) );
-          break;
-        default:
-          throw new Error( 'unknown option type: ' + option.type );
-      }
-    }
-
-    var content = new VBox( { align: 'left', spacing: 10, children: children } );
-
-    Dialog.call( this, content, {
+  function OptionsDialog( optionsNode ) {
+    Dialog.call( this, optionsNode, {
       title: new Text( optionsTitleString, { font: new PhetFont( 30 ) } ),
       titleAlign: 'center',
       modal: true,
@@ -60,5 +32,8 @@ define( function( require ) {
 
   inherit( Dialog, OptionsDialog );
 
+  OptionsDialog.DEFAULT_FONT = new PhetFont( 15 );
+  OptionsDialog.DEFAULT_SPACING = 10;
+
   return OptionsDialog;
 } );
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/js/PhetMenu.js b/js/PhetMenu.js
index ba763c7c..b98bbb7c 100644
--- a/js/PhetMenu.js
+++ b/js/PhetMenu.js
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ define( function( require ) {
     var itemDescriptors = [
       {
         text: optionsString,
-        present: !!sim.options.globalOptions,
+        present: !!sim.options.optionsNode,
         callback: function() {
-          new OptionsDialog( sim.options.globalOptions ).show();
+          new OptionsDialog( sim.options.optionsNode ).show();
         }
       },
       {
diff --git a/js/Sim.js b/js/Sim.js
index 3835157c..6cebfc38 100644
--- a/js/Sim.js
+++ b/js/Sim.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ define( function( require ) {
       standalone: false, // whether to run the screen indicated by screenIndex as a standalone sim
       credits: {}, // credits, see AboutDialog for format
 
-      globalOptions: null, // replace with globalOptions described in OptionsDialog
+      optionsNode: null, // a node placed into the Options dialog (if available)
 
       // if true, prints screen initialization time (total, model, view) to the console and displays
       // profiling information on the screen