Magical Disney Dining Resources for Dairy-Free & Food Allergic Guests

Years ago, a reader named Julea emailed to ask about Disney dining options for her food allergy needs. I had good news for her at the time. Disney World had new allergen menus and protocols throughout the park. Now, despite periodic park closures, there are even more allergy-friendly options to choose from at Disney World, Epcot, and even Disneyland. So I’m updating the Disney dining guide with the latest resources, including our extensive Dairy-Free Disney Guides!

Magical Disney Dining Resources for Dairy-Free & Food Allergic Guests

Obviously, we have a dairy-free focus. So I’ve started with our own dairy-free specific Disney dining resources, followed by more food allergy resources and stories for Disneyland and Disney World.

Complete Dairy-Free Guides to Disney Parks & Resorts

We have added detailed dairy-free guides to Disney properties, including their resorts. We’ll update here as new guides become available. These also include vegan recommendations and some additional allergen notes, where available and applicable.

• Disney World: Your Dairy-Free Guide to the Magic Kingdom
• Epcot: Your Dairy-Free Guide to the Disney World’s Fair
• Disneyland: Your Dairy-Free Guide to Food & Dining at the Parks

More Outside Resources for Disney World and Disneyland

The following includes official information pages, as well as some other great allergy-friendly resources, and personal stories.

• Disney World Special Diet Information Page – Current official information from Disney World.
• Disneyland Special Diet Information Page – Current official information from Disneyland.
• How to Eat Dairy-Free at Disney World with Meal Vouchers – Our Go Dairy Free Associate Editor Sarah shares her family’s experiences and also some of their favorite spots for dairy-free eats at Disney World.
• AllergyEats Disney – Our friends at AllergyEats created a Disney dining micro-site within their website specifically for reviews and recommendations within Walt Disney World.
• Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Walt Disney World – No one knows the best gluten-free and dairy-free dining options at this massive park better than Sarah. She is an avid Disney season pass holder and shares her experiences, recommendations, etc. on her blog.
• Allergy Free Mouse – This Disney blogger shares specific dining experiences eating dairy-, peanut-, and tree nut-free at Disney World.
• Milk Allergy Mom – Jamie is wonderful at sharing very personal tips and experiences, and she has created this section on her blog specifically for Disney.

Disney Dining on the Go: Prepackaged Foods

Who has time for sitting down with all of the fun to be head? Kiosks throughout the park, and even several of the casual restaurants, offer pre-made allergy-friendly brands to keep things safe. You can often find brands like Enjoy Life Foods (sometimes repackaged with Disney labeling). We’ve also included kiosk snacks in our Dairy-Free Disney World and Dairy-Free Disneyland guides.

Are Reservations Required at Disney Park Restaurants for Food Allergic Guests?

Reservations are not required at Disney parks, but it doesn’t hurt to call ahead and advise of any food allergies in your party. In the parks, restaurant staff members are trained to handle food allergy requests for walk-ins. Guests should alert the front staff of any food allergy needs upon arrival. If you do opt to give them notice, you can make advanced dining reservations up to 60 days before your trip.

Dairy-Free Disney Dining Stories (from readers)

I have received feedback from several food allergic parents, ranging from just dairy-free to multiple food concerns, and all has been positive for Disney World. Some, such as viewer Frederique, have even indicated that the staff at some of the restaurants goes above and beyond to please. They made his son a special breakfast of Mickey Mouse waffles that made the other non-allergic kids jealous! Here are a few others.

Charity

Last year I took my 4 year severally allergic child to Disney World.  He is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and  tree nuts.  It was by far the BEST vacation for all of us.  I was not stressing about feeding him and he was excited he could eat pretty much anything. You can make arrangements before hand to let Disney of your allergies, then you can rest assure that out will be taken care of.   If you let the waitress/waiter know about your food allergies he/she will get the chef.  The chef will come to your table to talk to you.   I assure you we had a fabulous time.  After the first day I did not worry as much.  Disney went ABOVE and BEYOND for my son and he still thinks about often.

Barb

We stayed at the Disney World Dolphin Resort in Epcot. I cannot say enough good things about the staff and the resort. Our dining experience got off to a rocky start, but after chatting with the Concierge at our hotel, we figured dinner out. The Restaurant Manager in Dolphin Hotel went above and beyond to make sure the kids had meals they could eat. We mostly ate our main dinner meal in the hotel and a few places outside of Disney World (McDonalds and The Outback).

We shopped at the local grocery store and stocked up on cold cuts, soda, water and snacks. Knowing ahead of time that bread maybe an issue, I packed our carryon full of hamburger rolls and bagels so we would be well prepared. We browned bagged it to the park everyday. Meals which tend to be our hot topic of conversation and stress for me seem to fade away. This past week, the kids were asking if we can go back.  I find myself looking online for a great deal for the fall.  Hopefully we will go back and enjoy a long weekend again. [Barb’s children have multiple food allergies, including a life-threatening nut allergy and milk and egg allergies]

Got a Story? If you have a relevant Disney experience on your blog or site to share here, feel free to contact us.

For More Dairy-Free Lifestyle Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!