Erin Foster is the Disney Food for Families columnist and a behind-the-scenes guru here at Disney Food Blog! Check out more of her posts here.
Eating in Disney World with a special diet just got a little easier!
I was at Walt Disney World last weekend participating in the marathon festivities. I completed the 1/2 marathon, my first distance race ever. Whoooooot!
We stayed at the Beach Club resort. As a little post race reward, I stopped in at the Marketplace for something sweet. It’s OK to carbo load after the race too, right? 🙂 While checking out the offerings in the bakery case, I noticed a little booklet hanging on a hook attached to the case.
Beach Club bakery case. Note the hook on the middle right of the case.
This turned out to be a collection of laminated cards listing the ingredients found in every Disney-baked item in the store, both those in the regular bakery case and those in the refrigerator case.
Close up of the cards.
Items with ingredient cards included muffins, brownies, cupcakes, cannolis, carrot cake, caramel pretzels, cheesecake, cookies, bagels, croissants, and much more — over 30 items in all. Here are just a few. You can see the rest of the Beach Club ingredients lists on our Special Diets Pages!
Cookie ingredients
Tart ingredients
Cupcake ingredients
Cookie ingredients
The easy availability of the cards means that many guests with food allergies or intolerances will not need to ask for cast member assistance when choosing a snack. While not all nutritional information is on the cards, with the ingredients listed, many of the basic questions are answered.
I can’t recall having seen any similar, openly available, ingredient lists posted at other market or quick service locations at Walt Disney World. Have you? Is this the beginning of a trend?
If you have experience with food allergies, would you find this helpful, or is it not enough information? Please let us know in the comments below.
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First, congratulations on your race! I ran my first half marathon at Disney last year (and the half and the relay this year), so I know what an accomplishment it is!
Second, these are awesome! Bakery items are one of the hardest items to get ingredients for in my experience.
These would be wonderful everywhere! I have a dairy allergy and I would love to be able to check things for myself. It is always a little scary having to trust somebody else with ingredient lists.
This is wonderful! I hate asking, because usually the person behind the counter is either rushed, or doesn’t know! Takes so much of the guess work out – and they don’t have to hand me the huge bible of Disney product ingredients 🙂
Congrats on your race! I did my first 1/2 at the Princess last year–so fun!
These cards are so exciting! I hope this will be something that we see park-wide!
This is great! They should post the nutritional values as well. Guests with health or diet issues could figure out if the item they wish to eat is appropriate for there eating guidelines. Baby steps.
I approve such transparency. But man the cookie ingredients list is such a turn off! I hope it forces manufacturers to redo their formula.
Fantastic idea! Love the Disney folks. Congratulations on the race.
Beth – Thank you for the kind words. I was excited to see the cards too.
Susan – The information is available at most spots at WDW, but you have to ask for it. Sometimes that’s tough if the place is busy or the cast member is not well trained.
Amanda – I agree that the cards were a very manageable size.
Lauren – Thank you. I’ll definitely be doing more runDisney events in the future.
Jennie – I wish they’d post nutritional information too. I’ve gotten used to seeing calorie counts posted on restaurant signage here in NY. (Which is why I’ll eat a pastry at WDW, but not in NY 🙂
Fred – Agreed that the transparency is great.
Jane – Thank you.
This is great news but fair warming: if you or someone in your party has a nut allergy, there may be cross contamination.
While I like the concept, as a mom to a child with peanut/tree nut and sesame allergies, I would like to see “allergen” warnings on these cards. Something that lets us know if (1) it contains any amount of peanuts or tree nuts, or (2) if it was processed in a facility that processes nuts/tree nuts. Other allergens should be listed too – milk, soy, wheat, sesame, etc. (More than just in the ingredient list, I’m thinking like a “Food Allergy Warning” label).
These are amazing. It is a definitely a step in the right direction. I have to agree with TraciLeigh, though, something that would say if there was a chance of cross- contamination will be needed if they want us to stop asking cast members about them.
I need to know if the cupcakes without peanuts/tree nuts were made in the same area as something with peanuts/tree nuts.
But this very encouraging and will help lot of people out.
I would love to see this at all Resort and Park bakeries! I am lactose intolerant and this would make finding a dessert so much easier. It saves time for all involved. I absolutely love the idea! Perhaps there is even a cupcake w/ frosting that doesn’t involve dairy!
Not enough info for our family… there is no disclaimer about cross contamination, or the facility it is processed in… and no disclaimer that the macadamia cookies are next to other treats, so that would render the entire case, even if a product would have been safe, unsafe for nut allergies…
Wow!! This is AWESOME!! I have a dairy allergy – not worried about cross contamination or where it was processed so this is fantastic for me! Is this list still there? We are going at the end of October and staying at the Boardwalk, if so this would be great!!
Thanks for sharing!!
I hope they have this implemented in all places across Disney. It would make all allergy sufferers lives easier. I was diagnosed 4 days ago with a corn allergy and I am trying to wrap my head around it and all the thing I can’t have. Having the list readily available will make my life easier. Yes, they do need the allergen note noted on the card. Huge step in the right direction!! Kudos!!!