You're on your way to Walt Disney World! You've bought the tickets (and saved some green buying from us!), booked the perfect resort hotel and planned all the fun things you'll do along the way. One of our favorite parts of planning a Disney vacation is deciding which restaurants and food we want to try. (For the record, this Mommy Frog is always dreaming about Disney snacks!) But we understand that if you or a loved one has a food allergy, this is where the planning might start to feel a bit daunting. There's a lot to think about when dining with a food allergy. Where can I find allergy-friendly foods? How do I make special dietary requests? Are there allergy-friendly quick-service meals or snacks? What about character dining? The list could go on, right? In this post, we're sharing our tips for dining at Walt Disney World with a food allergy. Follow our froggy pointers and you'll be a pro faster than we can down a Mickey waffle (allergy-friendly, of course!).
Dining at Walt Disney World With Food Allergies
For guests with food allergies, deciding what and where you'll eat at Disney World might seem like a giant puzzle. And while we agree there's a lot to think about, allow us frogs to provide you with a little reassurance. Over the past several years, Disney World has made giant leaps to accommodate guests with special dietary needs or requests, including those with food allergies.
In fact, did you know that the Disney World resorts and parks have received a FARE award? FARE stands for Food Allergy Research and Education and the award was given "for dedication to providing a safe and enjoyable dining experience for vacationing families." Pretty cool, huh?
*This information is based on our experience. Please consult a cast member about any allergies or dietary restrictions.
Whether you're dining in the theme parks, resort hotels or Disney Springs, almost every restaurant can accommodate the following common allergies; wheat, shellfish, soy, sesame, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or eggs.
Disney can also accommodate less common allergy-friendly requests such as gluten, lactose, corn, citrus, nightshades and MSG when possible. In most cases, there's nothing that you have to do in advance. However, if someone in your travel party has four or more allergy requests, requires pureed meals or has a medically-restrictive diet, you can email [email protected] to request a Special Dietary Request Form. You can do this no sooner than 14 days before your visit.
Disney World Food Allergies — Table Service Restaurants
Sit-down or table-service restaurants (including character dining locations) can be found across Walt Disney World Resort. From fine dining such as Topolino's Terrace to the casual pizzeria, Via Napoli, there's no shortage of amazing restaurants to try. Table-service restaurants are typically the most accommodating when dining with a food allergy with many having dedicated allergy-friendly food prep spaces to limit cross-contamination. In addition, some table-service restaurants offer dedicated allergy-friendly menus.
Advance dining reservations can be made at table-service locations up to 60 days before your trip. If you're staying on-site, you can make dining reservations for the length of your stay for up to 10 days. But before that magical 60-day mark, take some time to do a little homework. The table-service menus are listed online and in the My Disney Experience app. Take a peek at the menus and make a list of restaurants and food items that will work for you. The allergy-friendly options are usually located toward the bottom of the menu.
When it's time to make your advance dining reservations, you can add a special dietary request to your reservation. On the My Disney Experience app, tap Edit on the "Dietary Requests" tab and then specify your food allergens to avoid. This notifies the restaurant staff that you have an allergy-friendly request, so they can make the advance preparations. Once you arrive, you'll also want to inform your server about your dietary needs.
Once you're at the restaurant, be sure to ask for an allergy-friendly menu. We recently dined at Boma, where the allergy menu was even coded in order of location in the buffet line! If an allergy menu is not available, don't be shy about asking about food substitutions or modifications. Many regular menu items can be modified to accommodate food allergies upon request. Sometimes it's as simple as asking for a gluten-free bun for your burger or even more complex requests such as omitting dairy in a certain dish.
Allergy-friendly accommodations were executed seamlessly during a recent visit to Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom. The family-style Patriot's Platter (roasted turkey, pot roast, oven-roasted pork with mashed Potatoes, veggies and herbed stuffing) can be made to accommodate multiple dietary requests. Once we made our request, the meal was prepared according to our specific needs and the allergy-friendly meal was served separately. We even enjoyed gluten and dairy-free herbed stuffing and dessert — Johnny Appleseed's Warm Ample Cake. YUM!
Still have questions? You can request to speak with the chef or restaurant manager. Often, the special diets-trained cast member or the chef will walk you through the menu or buffet line and point out exactly what you can eat and maybe more importantly, the foods you'll want to avoid.
Disney World Food Allergies — Quick-Service Restaurants
As you're hoppin' through the parks, sometimes a quick-service meal is the way to go. Quick-service, also known as counter-service restaurants, do not accept dining reservations. You'll order your meal at the counter, or better yet, use the Mobile Order feature in the app. Just like the table-service restaurants, you can access the menus online and view the allergy-friendly options available. In the app, look for the "Allergy-Friendly" icon at the top of the screen, then click on the specific allergy concern, such as wheat/gluten, to see a list of all the wheat and gluten-friendly options.
At the restaurant, you'll want to look out for the green leaf icon on the menu. This symbol notes plant-based items made without animal meat, dairy, eggs or honey. For more allergy-friendly requests such as soy, wheat/gluten, ask to speak with a special diets-trained cast member or the chef/manager to discuss your dietary needs. While there's a bit more limitation as to what can be modified at the quick-service locations, there are almost always allergy-friendly choices.
Keep in mind that you might have to wait a little longer than usual for your order. Sometimes the preparation requires more time to make because of the extra precautions taken. Just be sure to pack your patience and build extra time into your vacation schedule, so you don't feel frazzled or short on time.
EPCOT Festivals
We love eating our way around EPCOT's World Showcase, especially during one of the four EPCOT festivals. However, for guests with food allergies, we find that this area is trickier to navigate. There's also not as much flexibility to modify dishes because of the specific ingredients used at the festival food kitchens. That being said, there are still allergy-friendly options!
We have found that the most concise and helpful information regarding allergy-friendly festival foods is listed in the My Disney Experience app. Type in the name of the festival in the search bar and you'll see a link to the allergy-friendly menus at the festival kitchens. This information is also on the Walt Disney World website. We've linked them here for convenience.
- EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
- EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival
- EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
- EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
Keep an eye out — as Undercover Tourist creates downloadable festival menus, we also add icons for allergy-friendly finds, plant-based options and more.
Where to Find Allergy-Friendly Snacks
Disney World is filled to the brim with snack options, mostly available at snack carts, kiosks or specialty shops. Snacks such as cupcakes and cookies at the Main Street Confectionery or churros sold at snack carts, are premade. In such instances, you should request to review the ingredients list. For prepackaged snacks, the ingredients label is on the back.
Many of the snack kiosks have a nutritional book or binder listing the ingredients for each snack. At The Smiling Crocodile in Animal Kingdom, where tacos are made-to-order, they can make ingredient substitutions. Just be sure to communicate clearly about allergy concerns and ask for accommodations before you place your order.
Pre-packaged allergy-friendly snacks can be found as grab-and-go items at select retail locations such as Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square Market and EPCOT's Sunshine Seasons. Look out for brands such as Surf Sweets Jelly Beans, Rocky Mountain Popcorn, Enjoy Life, OMG Manufacturers and Snacks with Character, the Disney-branded allergy-friendly snacks. These usually have cute Disney characters printed on the front of the bag, so it's a fun treat for kids (and adults)!
Allergy-Friendly Dining Disney Springs
From award-winning restaurants, food trucks, dessert shops and everything in between, there are so many delicious eats at Disney Springs. Many restaurants at Disney Springs are not owned and operated by the Disney company. Although restaurant information and menus are available online and in the My Disney Experience app, not all list their allergy-friendly options. But fear not! We assure you that almost every single restaurant can still accommodate special dietary requests and food allergies.
Just like in the theme parks and resort hotels, you'll want to make your reservations in advance and note that you have a special dietary request. Your server will probably ask, but always inform your serving team about your specific needs. Don't overlook asking for an allergy menu or inquiring about any precautions the restaurant can take to accommodate your requests. The same goes for snacks. Don't hesitate to ask to see the ingredients list or a nutritional binder (when available) which lists the common allergens in each food item.
Top Tips for Disney World Food Allergies
As a quick recap, here are our top tips for dining with a food allergy at Disney World:
- Before your trip, take some time to research the Disney World menus at the theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs. Read over the menus online and make a list of restaurants that you want to try and that will meet your dietary needs.
- For table-service restaurants, make your advance dining reservations 60 days before your trip. If you're staying on-site, go ahead and make your reservations for the length of your stay. (Fewer things to worry about later!)
- Contact [email protected] after making your dining reservations no sooner than 14 days before your trip if you have more than four food allergies/intolerances and need additional support.
- Remember to note that you have a special dietary request and select the specific food allergen(s) to avoid so that the restaurant will know in advance.
- Always inform your server at any restaurant about your allergy before placing your order. Double-check before eating your meal.
- Request an allergy-friendly menu or inquire if the restaurant can adapt certain items to accommodate your allergy.
- When in doubt, request to speak with a special diets-trained cast member, the chef or manager about your specific needs.
- Don't see the allergy-friendly menu listed online? Call ahead and ask about the allergy-friendly options.
- Bring your own snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day. You can even bring your own meals into the parks if needed.
- Dining at a buffet? Don't forget to look for the "Available on Request" section of the allergy book to see if there's something specially prepared that you'd like!
- Pack your patience. The preparation time for special dietary requests can sometimes be longer than usual.
*This post is based on our experience. Please consult a cast member about any allergies or restrictions.
Dining with a food allergy at Walt Disney World does require some additional thought and planning, but can be accomplished! Be sure to use our tips to ensure a magical and yummy vacation! What questions do you still have? Let us know in the comments!
Related: A Guide to Gluten-Free Dining at Walt Disney World
Hoppy planning!
