Allergies and Intolerances

The Disney food and beverage team strives to accommodate guests with special diets including allergy concerns. In fact, Disney has shared that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has received a FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) Award “for dedication to providing a safe and enjoyable dining experience for vacationing families.”

The following food allergies and intolerances can usually be accommodated at restaurants in the parks and Resort hotels: gluten, wheat, shellfish, soy, lactose, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or eggs. Processes are a bit different between Table Service (sit-down) and Counter Service restaurants, as we’ll discuss below on this page.

First and foremost, however, know that — with any special diet concern — it is always best to speak directly with a trained special diets Cast Member or Chef at each dining location you visit, no matter the service style.

Dining in Walt Disney World with Allergies and Intolerances

Table Service Restaurants

Table Service restaurants are locations where guests may often make Advance Dining Reservations prior to dining, and the process of dining with an allergy concern can begin as soon as you make your reservation.

1. Make your Advance Dining Reservations and note your special diet on each reservation.*
2. You may also e-mail the Special Diets department ([email protected]); or call them at (407) 824-5967 if you wish, prior to your trip.
3. Talk to the Chef or Restaurant Manager when you arrive the restaurant.

*As mentioned above, it’s best to notify Disney of any special dietary concerns upon making your Advance Dining Reservations for Table Service restaurants. If you call (407) WDW-DINE to make your reservations, the cast member you speak with can make a note on your reservation. Be vocal that you want your special diet noted on your reservation and request a consultation with a chef, if needed.

If you are making your reservation online via the Walt Disney World website, you will be presented with the option to note a Food Allergy or Special Request as part of the reservation process. When you see the option below, click “Add.”

From here, you may indicate which foods may be an issue. (Note that “Other” is also an option.)

You may also contact a representative at [email protected] after booking your ADR. Guests are also encouraged to inform their server and are welcome to speak with the Chef or Restaurant Manager when you arrive the restaurant.

Table Service Dining TIP!

Most Table Service locations provide menus that can be viewed on the Walt Disney World website prior to your arrival (or even prior to making your dining reservation, so you can see if there is an item that suits your palate). Many restaurants have their Allergy-Friendly items available online! The screenshots below, for instance, are taken from the online menu for 50’s Prime Time Café in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Please note that while this option is available on many online menus, sometimes you will simply find a note stating that Allergy Menus are available “upon request.”

Counter Service Restaurants

Counter Service restaurants — also called Quick Service — do not accept Advance Dining Reservations. Upon arrival at your chosen location, you can — and should — request to speak with a cast member who can guide you accordingly. You may receive a physical menu noting your options. But, rest assured, you may always request to speak to a Chef as well.

Additionally, Mobile Order — a feature available to guests with the My Disney Experience app — is accepted at several major Counter Service locations in both the theme parks and hotels. A terrific feature is available which allows guests to navigate the choices with allergy concerns in mind, by choosing the “Allergy-Friendly” icon.

From here, you can navigate further, as needed.

Additional Counter Service Locations and Snack Kiosks

If you have a question at a snack location regarding food ingredients, many locations have a nutritional book listing every ingredient used in each selection. A cast member can assist you.

Guests may also inquire about pre-packaged allergy-friendly snacks at counter service locations. You may find that items by brands such as Enjoy Life, OMG Manufacturers, Rocky Mountain Popcorn, and Surf Sweets Jelly Beans are available. Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square Market and EPCOT’s Sunshine Seasons, for instance, often have selections available as grab-and-go snacks.

EPCOT Seasonal Festivals

EPCOT hosts four seasonal Festivals throughout the year: the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (the first Festival of the calendar year), Spring’s EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, the original EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Enhanced food offerings around the park are a highlight of each Festival.

For each Festival, you’ll find a Digital Festival Guidebook in the My Disney Experience app. The Digital Guide includes an interesting feature which might be helpful to guests with food allergies or intolerances.

When you click the “View Allergy Friendly Menus,” you can find items that are friendly for guests with gluten/wheat, egg, soy, peanut/tree nut, milk, sesame, fish/shellfish and other allergies. (Please be aware that Disney states the following regarding the Festival Booths: “We use reasonable efforts in our food preparation and handling procedures to avoid the introduction of the most common allergens into your menu choices. While we take steps to prevent cross-contact, we do not have separate allergy-friendly kitchens and are unable to guarantee that a menu item is completely free of allergens.”)

Snacks with Character 

In 2015, Disney delivered a full line of snacks offering alternative choices for guests with special diets which can easily be found at merchandise locations all over the Resort. To create these Snacks with Character, Disney partnered with well-known companies like Enjoy Life and OMG.

Easy-to-carry-along snacks include Bars (like the Dark Chocolate Bar, the Ricemilk Choco Bar, and the Banana Caramel Grain & Seed Bar), Nut and Fruit Mixes, and Sweets (such as Lemon Burst or Chocolate Chip Cookies).

Some of our favorite Disney pals grace the packaging (not just Mickey, but Goofy, Donald Duck, and more!), making these an especially fun option for kids with allergies who have had to go without a Mickey-bedecked snack in previous visits.

Multiple or Unlisted Allergies and Other Special Diet Requests

Please note: Disney states on the Walt Disney World website that guests “with the following concerns should contact [email protected] after booking dining arrangements for their visit and no more than 14 days prior to their arrival:

• Any allergy or intolerance not listed above under common food allergies (which are listed as Eggs, Gluten, Fish, Milk, Peanuts Shellfish, Soy, Tree nuts, and Wheat)
• Phenylketonuria (PKU) or dysphagia
• Other medically-restrictive diets or metabolic disorders
• A single Guest with 4 or more allergies/intolerances or multiple Guests with allergies/intolerances within the same party”

Additional Reference Documents and Resources
Walt Disney World website: Special Dietary Requests
Disney Special Diets Information Letter, including lists of restaurants where special diets can be accommodated most easily
Food Allergy Dietary Reference Sheet (Updated 10-29-09)
Guest Allergy-Dietary Request Form (Updated 6-04-2009)
Check out a sample allergy-friendly menu from Jiko: The Cooking Place

Allergy Eats

For information on making Advance Dining Reservations at table service restaurants, visit our Special Diets Resources Page.

For more Disney dining information, including details on dining discounts, restaurants, dining plans, menus, and more, visit our Disney Dining Reference Page.