Credit: Inside the MagicWalt Disney World operates as both a theme park destination and a massive retail ecosystem where food and merchandise sales generate substantial revenue supporting the resort’s operations and contributing to Florida’s tourism economy.
The property encompasses four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of resort hotels, shopping districts, and entertainment venues that collectively attract tens of millions of visitors annually, many of whom purchase candy and snacks as vacation treats, souvenirs, or gifts for family members back home. Disney’s retail locations throughout the property stock extensive candy selections ranging from classic American brands to Disney-exclusive confections, with colorful displays and strategic placement designed to encourage impulse purchases from guests of all ages looking for sweet indulgences during their vacations.
The company carefully curates its product offerings to balance guest expectations for familiar brands with exclusive Disney-themed items that capitalize on the magic and nostalgia that define the Disney experience. Florida’s tourism industry depends heavily on creating safe, enjoyable experiences that encourage families to visit and spend money throughout the state, making public health concerns that could affect visitor confidence particularly significant for businesses like Disney that rely on maintaining pristine reputations. Recent years have brought increased scrutiny to food safety, manufacturing practices, and ingredient transparency as consumers demand more information about products they purchase and feed to their families, particularly items marketed to children.
The relationship between state government and major tourism employers like Disney carries political and economic complexities, with policy decisions potentially affecting both business operations and public perception of Florida as a family-friendly vacation destination. Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration has positioned itself as increasingly focused on food safety and transparency through its Healthy Florida First initiative, following similar federal efforts by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to examine ingredients in products commonly consumed by children. The administration’s latest announcement targeting candy specifically identifies elevated arsenic levels in numerous popular brands, several of which are currently sold throughout Walt Disney World’s retail locations, creating potential implications for how the resort manages its confectionery offerings and responds to state health warnings affecting products guests regularly purchase during their vacations.
Florida Identifies Elevated Arsenic in 28 Popular Candy Brands
The DeSantis administration announced Monday that testing of 46 candy types revealed elevated arsenic levels in 28 products, representing more than 60 percent of tested candies. The state warned that consuming these products over time could increase children’s cancer risk, releasing findings through the Healthy Florida First website.
First Lady Casey DeSantis presented the results during a press conference at The Villages, emphasizing that while arsenic levels were concerning, tests showed no elevated levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, or other problematic carcinogens in the examined products.
Candies identified with elevated arsenic included several brands commonly found in Disney World retail locations:
- SweeTarts Original
- Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers
- Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (Sour Apple and Strawberry)
- Twizzlers
- Sour Patch Kids
- Tootsie Roll and Tootsie Fruit Chew
- Nerds (Grape and Strawberry)
The announcement also highlighted candies that did not contain elevated arsenic levels, including Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Whoppers, M&M’s, Twix, and Milky Way, providing context that not all popular candy brands tested showed concerning results.
Understanding the Arsenic Context
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo explained that arsenic is a naturally occurring element present in all foods, typically in low concentrations. However, testing revealed candy arsenic levels significantly exceeded those found in other foods known for relatively high arsenic content.
“I was really shocked by the levels of arsenic in common candies, the levels of arsenic in common candies are much higher, two, three, four times higher than even foods that we know have high levels of arsenic in general, like rice,” Ladapo said. “And compared to foods, just typical foods that people eat, the levels of arsenic were 20, 30, 40, times higher. It’s just unbelievable.”
Arsenic is a confirmed carcinogen. Long-term exposure increases risk of skin, bladder, lung, and liver cancer, with potential connections to kidney and prostate cancers. The concern centers not on single servings but on cumulative exposure over time, particularly for children who consume candy regularly.
Casey DeSantis illustrated the consumption context using Nerds candy as an example. The Florida Department of Health determined a child could safely consume approximately 96 pieces of Nerds annually without concern. However, she noted that typical packaging contradicts this guidance.
“96 Nerds, as we well know, is not typically what comes in a box. When you think about it, a typical smaller box can contain about 2,000. If you get one of those big boxes that you get, like a movie theater, that’s about 8,000 Nerds,” she said. “Asking families to stop at 96 pieces over a year is not realistic when it’s viewed against how the product is packaged, marketed, and then consumed.”
Industry Response and Scientific Debate
The National Confectioners Association, representing candy manufacturers, strongly disputed Florida’s announcement. Christopher Gindlesperger, the trade group’s Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications, called the state’s actions “misguided” and accused Florida of choosing “sound bites over science.”
Gindlesperger referenced the FDA’s Closer to Zero Initiative, which aims to reduce dietary exposure to naturally occurring elements like arsenic and is currently developing arsenic action levels for foods consumed by children. The trade association criticized Florida for “publishing unsourced materials that amount to little more than a scare tactic” instead of following the federal science-based program.
Florida tested candy from 10 different manufacturers. Ferrara, which produces eight candies identified with elevated arsenic, directed comment requests to the National Confectioners Association rather than responding directly to the state’s findings.
The administration positioned its testing as supporting federal Make America Healthy Again efforts by serving as “force multipliers” driving accountability. Casey DeSantis explained that while the FDA typically operates reactively after problems emerge, Florida aims to change the system by getting ahead of issues through proactive testing.
Implications for Disney World Retail Operations
Walt Disney World’s retail locations throughout the property stock many of the candy brands identified in Florida’s testing. Guests purchasing treats at park shops, resort gift stores, and Disney Springs retail outlets regularly encounter SweeTarts, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids, and other brands mentioned in the state’s announcement.
Disney has not issued public statements regarding the Florida testing results or indicated whether the company plans to adjust its candy offerings based on the state’s findings. The resort faces decisions about whether to continue stocking identified products, provide additional information to guests about the state’s findings, or wait for federal guidance before making changes.
The situation creates potential complications for Disney’s retail strategy. Removing popular candy brands could disappoint guests expecting familiar products during their vacations, while continuing to sell products the state has publicly warned about could raise questions about Disney’s commitment to guest safety and wellbeing.
Disney’s extensive candy selection includes both national brands and Disney-exclusive products. The resort could potentially emphasize its exclusive offerings or the brands Florida identified as not containing elevated arsenic levels, though such shifts would require significant inventory and merchandising adjustments across hundreds of retail locations.
Broader Tourism and Business Considerations
Florida’s tourism industry depends on maintaining reputation as a safe, family-friendly destination. Public health warnings about products commonly purchased by vacationing families could affect visitor confidence, though the specific impact remains uncertain given the complexity of factors influencing travel decisions.
Disney and other major Florida tourism businesses must navigate state health guidance while maintaining operations that meet guest expectations. The candy testing represents the second Healthy Florida First announcement this month, following earlier warnings about heavy metals in infant formula, suggesting the administration plans continued food safety focus that could affect additional products sold throughout the state’s tourism destinations.
The political dynamics between the DeSantis administration and Disney have evolved through various conflicts and resolutions in recent years, creating additional context for how the company might respond to state health warnings affecting its retail offerings. Disney must balance responding to legitimate health concerns with avoiding actions that could be interpreted through political lenses given the complicated recent history.
What Disney Guests Should Know
Guests visiting Walt Disney World can still purchase candy throughout the property, as no regulations currently prohibit selling the identified products. The state’s announcement provides information rather than mandating action, leaving purchasing decisions to consumers and retailers.
Parents concerned about arsenic exposure can reference Florida’s published testing results to make informed decisions about which candies to purchase for their children. The state’s findings distinguish between products showing elevated levels and those testing within expected ranges, allowing selective purchasing based on individual risk tolerance.
Disney’s retail locations offer extensive candy selections beyond the brands identified in Florida’s testing, providing alternatives for guests preferring to avoid products the state highlighted. The resort’s exclusive Disney-branded candies were not specifically mentioned in the testing results, though it remains unclear whether Florida tested any Disney-exclusive confections.
Look, this candy situation is complicated and honestly kind of anxiety-inducing for parents who just want to buy their kids some vacation treats without worrying about arsenic levels. Florida’s testing raises legitimate questions about what we’re feeding children, but the candy industry’s pushback about sound bites versus science also has merit given that arsenic naturally occurs in basically everything we eat. If you’re heading to Disney World and you’re concerned about this, maybe stick with the chocolate brands Florida said were fine (Hershey, Reese’s, M&M’s, Twix) and skip the SweeTarts and Sour Patch Kids until there’s more clarity about whether these arsenic levels actually pose real risks or if this is more political theater than public health crisis. Disney hasn’t said anything publicly about whether they’re changing what they sell, so for now you’ll still find all these candies on the shelves throughout the parks, and you’ll have to make your own call about whether Florida’s warnings change your vacation candy bu