At Disney World, there’s a lot to do, and a lot to eat! Thankfully, the last 10 years have really improved for those of us managing a Tree Nut Allergy.
Tree Nuts are one of many Allergens that Disney Lists on their Allergy Menus (found where available at Certain Locations), and labeled on their prepackaged items.
While not all snacks and menus items are great for Tree Nuts, Disney World really is a rare place where you can enjoy much of what is offered! Let’s look at more suggestions below, some areas to watch out for, and more about what to expect.
Looking for Peanut Free Disney? Find it in this post.
Are the Beignets Tree Nut Free?
Yes, both the Regular Beignets and Allergy Beignets at Disney World’s Port Orleans Beignet location are made without Treenuts. You can order Beignets from Scat Cat’s Cafe for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert!
Is Disney Popcorn Tree Nut Free?
No, The Fresh Popped Popcorn at the Popcorn Stands in the parks contains Coconut Oil, but no other FDA recognized Treenuts. There is a cross contact risk at some Popcorn stands that also sell Roasted Treenuts and Peanuts with a Treenut Cross Contact Warning.
Are Mickey Pretzels Treenut Free?
Fresh Breaded Mickey Pretzels are generally safe for a Tree Nut Free Diet, and made without Treenuts! There is a cross contact risk at some Mickey Pretzel stands. Packaged Mickey Pretzels in the shops are made in a Dedicated Treenut Free Facility.
Are Mickey Bars Tree Nut Free?
No, Mickey Bars contain Coconut Oil, which is a Tree Nut in the United States. Mickey Bars do not contain any other nut ingredients. They are not labeled nut free.
Is Disney Dole Whip Treenut Free?
No, It contains Coconut, so is not labeled Treenut Free. It does not contain any other FDA labeled Treenut, but there is not information on cross contact risks from the manufacturer.
⭐ If this is your First Time to Disney World, you’ll want all the insider tips and done for you plans found in the Food Allergies at Disney World Made Easy Guide , If you’ve been here before and just need the best places to eat and snacks, see the Touring Plan and Snack Guide. Just Gluten Free? There’s a guide for that too!
***As Always, please speak to a qualified restaurant employee when ordering food. In order to see the most accurate ingredients and risk assessment, you will need to confirm allergy safety in real-time. This is my personal experience, I am not employed or endorsed by companies or brands mentioned.***
Treenut Free is actually Treenut Friendly at Disney World
One of the things talked about in the Disney World Food Allergy FAQ, is that Disney has strict disclaimers in place.
Because of these strict disclaimers, Disney labels everything ‘Friendly’ and they are not very consistent.
So that means that we still need to do the whole allergy song and dance, ask about procedures, ask about brands, and ask how items are made. Disney does not include ‘may contain’ statements in their allergy menus, and they’ve been known to make mistakes with labeling.
Thankfully I rarely find issues with Treenuts, but I do sometimes. Disney is fun and great and I recommend it…Just be sure that you talk to Disney Staff at every location and check ingredients to make sure there is no treenut, or hidden treenut, in the product. Ask about cross contact, shared fryers, and how it’s made. Disney Staff is great to talk to, and you’ll find some hidden menu items or unique modifications when you ask in person.
You should bring snacks just in case, and there’s some other things to consider packing for a safe allergy trip.
What Tree Nuts does Disney Recognize under their Tree Nut label?
There are a lot of tree nuts, and in the United States, this also includes Coconuts and SheaNuts.
Two points here. Sheanuts are a very rare allergy by the FDA, so you would want to clarify that with Chefs just in case.
Second is that Coconut is only labeled at Disney 50% of the time, often on it’s own label. As many other countries do not label Coconut as a Tree Nut, Disney also struggles with consistency.
If you have a Coconut Allergy, you would want to say “Allergy to Tree Nuts and Coconut”.
If you do not have a Coconut Allergy, you would want to say ” Allergy to Tree Nuts but not Coconut”.
Here is the list of nuts recognized by the FDA, and often recognized by Disney.
Almond
Beech nut
Brazil nut
Bush nut
Butternut
Cashew
Chestnut (Chinese, American, European, Seguin)
Chinquapin
Filbert
Ginko nut
Hazelnut
Hickory nut
Lichee nut
Macadamia nut
Pecan
Pili nut
Pine nut
Pinon nut
Pistachio
Walnut (English, Persian, Black, Japanese, California)
You can download a Chef Card with all of the tree nuts for your trip. These are a free resource provided by Kids with Food Allergies section of the AFAA, Find the Tree Nut Chef Card here.
Best Tree Nut Allergy Restaurants at Disney World
While there are a lot of restaurants to choose from (and many that are really good for you!) there are some I would recommend over others and then ones I’d skip. For the current list of ones to skip, check the Restaurant Skip List.
I did not list any third party restaurants (they are officially called ‘Operating Participants‘) here, only those owned by Disney. While many third party locations have great allergy procedures in place, they vary by location and some are no better than your restaurant’s back home.
My top three favorite locations for lots of Tree Nut Free options (including a dessert and bread) would be:
- Coral Reef Restaurant (EPCOT)
- Tony’s Town Square Restaurant (Magic Kingdom)
- 50’s Prime Time (Hollywood Studios)
These locations are all table service locations, and table service locations do typically require a reservation and cost more. You can find great tree nut free options at Quick Serve Locations too!
For Tree Nut Free Quick Serve, I recommend:
- Pinocchio Haus in Magic Kingdom
- Connections Eatery in EPCOT
- Restaurantasaurus at Animal Kingdom
- Backlot Express in Hollywood Studios / Docking Bay 7
There are a lot more options than that, and many can find something to share with you. Please don’t think you can *only* go to those locations listed above- those are just my favorites after reviewing and checking procedures on the restaurants at Disney World.
Mobile Order at Disney with a Tree nut Allergy
In 2020, Disney World introduced Mobile Order, and shortly after brought Allergy Mobile Order to the table.
It’s a nifty addition, BUT, it is not a very safe addition for many with a Nut Allergy.
Mobile order is great for a minor restriction, but not for moderate or severe allergies. There’s a few reasons why it’s not so good.
For one, you can only choose one allergen, which means it’s not an option for people with multiple food allergies.
For two, the allergy menus can sometimes be wrong (about 1 out of every 30 times is my experience) and you need to double check ingredients to be sure.
For three, Mobile Ordering does not take into account ‘may contain’ or ‘shared facility’ statements. If you aren’t comfortable with those, please speak with someone to check products.
You can mobile order safely by selecting what you’d like, and then asking to speak to ‘someone’ (generally a coordinator) before placing your order! Then when your order is ready, just double confirm that it’s for your allergy.
I’m not saying Don’t Mobile Order, but I am saying that it’s a helpful tool once you understand the limitations and make the best decision for you and your family. See this post for a full guide for Mobile ordering with Allergies, including images, examples and more things to look out for.
Character Meals with a Treenut Allergy
You can dine at and enjoy Character Meals with a Tree Nut Allergy.
While many of the below options are Buffet Style, You can still eat safely at a buffet at Disney World. I like to ask for the Allergy Menu, and speak to a Chef to confirm items, then get the items from the back to avoid Cross Contact. You can see specifics for Disney Buffets with Allergies here including photos and what to say to the Chef.
Each of the Character Meal Restaurants has an allergy menu (and you can see all the Tree nut free reviews and allergy menus here), and then you talk to a Chef or Manager about the best options for you.
While it may take a few minutes longer, I do recommend getting all items prepared by the Chef to avoid cross contact.
But not all Character Meals are worth it, and would caution against a Character Meal if you or your family have a severe Tree Nut Allergy, have severe anxiety, wouldn’t feel comfortable hugging Characters because of the cross contact risk (etc). You can still have a great time meeting characters outside of the restaurants, and enjoy Table Service locations without Characters instead.
Popular Tree Nut Free Snacks at Disney World
There are a lot of snacks at Disney World, and some could argue that the main point of a Disney vacation is the ride, entertainment and fun eats!
If you want a full list of snacks for quick planning (or quick change of plans on vacation!) grab the Touring Plan with Snack Guide.
At Disney World, these are the most popular Egg Free Snacks.
- Dole Whips (contains coconut)
- Mickey Waffles
- Mickey Premium Bars (contains coconut oil)
- Popcorn (contains coconut oil)
- Themed Animal Crackers
- Mickey Pretzels fresh
- Mickey Pretzels Bagged
You’ll want to plan on skipping the confectionary items, as those have a lot of cross contact. See what I mean by Cross Contact in the Bakery items here.
Areas of Concern when Managing a Tree Nut Allergy
There are several locations that I would recommend skipping, as they are actively roasting Tree Nuts (almonds). This includes a Nut Stand in Hollywood Studios by the old Little Mermaid Attraction, Big Top Souvenirs in Magic Kingdom, and The Confectionary in Magic Kingdom.
You should also be aware that there is nut cross contact at the Popcorn Stands because Cast Members give out nuts and then use the popcorn scoop. Look for Nut Free Popcorn Stands.
Disney likes to let us know when shared kitchens or shared equipment is used. We have every reason to believe that there are serious, because when I ask about other items available, I can see where the cross contact for nuts has occurred.
Tree Nut Free Disney World is a great vacation option
Treenut Free / Friendly Disney World is possible. Disney can manage options for a wide variety of Tree nut comforts, from Shared Equipment with Tree Nuts to No shared Equipment or Cross Contact Risks.
Everyone should eat well on vacation! Learn more common questions and concerns in the Food Allergy FAQ or the Gluten Free Disney FAQ.
Plus the latest Disney News when it comes to Food Restrictions, eats, and offerings. Connect with the MouseEarMemory Gluten Free and Allergy Community at the socials listed below or @Mouse.Ear.Memories