You know how you walk through Disney World and there are literally candy stores EVERYWHERE?
Main Street Confectionery, the candy shops in every park, all the resort gift stores, Disney Springs with those massive candy displays? Yeah, well, Florida just tested a bunch of popular candies and found that MORE THAN HALF OF THEM contain elevated arsenic levels that could potentially increase cancer risk in kids over time.
And here’s the kicker: A LOT of these candies are sitting on Disney World shelves RIGHT NOW.
Let’s back up for a second because this story is actually bigger than just candy.
Walt Disney World is basically a small city that happens to have roller coasters and Mickey Mouse. We’re talking about a property that spans 25,000 acres with four theme parks, two water parks, dozens of hotels, and HUNDREDS of retail locations selling everything from t-shirts to turkey legs to, you guessed it, TONS of candy.
Disney makes BILLIONS from merchandise sales, and candy is a huge part of that because what parent can resist buying their kid some SweeTarts or Sour Patch Kids when they’re having the time of their lives on vacation? The answer is basically no parent, which is why candy displays are strategically placed at every cash register and in prime locations throughout the parks where your defenses are lowest.
Florida’s entire economy basically runs on tourism, and Disney is the crown jewel of that tourism empire, which means anything that affects Disney’s operations or makes parents second-guess their vacation spending is kind of a BIG DEAL for the state. But here’s where it gets interesting: Governor Ron DeSantis has been on this whole “Healthy Florida First” kick lately, testing everything from infant formula to candy to see what’s actually in the products we’re giving our kids.
This follows Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s federal push to examine food ingredients and make America “healthy again,” which has been super controversial but also raised legitimate questions about what’s hiding in our food supply. So when DeSantis announced Monday that his administration tested 46 types of candy and found elevated arsenic in 28 of them (that’s MORE THAN 60 PERCENT, people), it wasn’t just a random health announcement. It’s a state health warning about products that millions of Disney World guests buy every single year, creating a potentially awkward situation where Florida’s governor is basically warning families about products that Florida’s biggest tourism attraction is currently selling to those same families.
The List That’s Making Parents Panic
Florida dropped the testing results Monday, and First Lady Casey DeSantis presented them at a press conference in The Villages. Here’s what they found: 28 out of 46 tested candies showed elevated arsenic levels that could increase kids’ cancer risk with regular consumption over time.
The good news? No elevated levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, or other scary carcinogens showed up in the tests.
The BAD news? Some of the most popular candies in America made the arsenic list, including ones you DEFINITELY see at Disney World:
CANDIES WITH ELEVATED ARSENIC (that Disney sells):
- 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)
If you’re a Disney regular, you’ve SEEN these candies. They’re in the shops on Main Street. They’re at resort gift stores. They’re at those massive candy walls in Disney Springs. They’re EVERYWHERE.
CANDIES THAT TESTED FINE (also at Disney):
- Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Whoppers
- M&M’s
- Twix
- Milky Way
So basically, chocolate is your friend, and sour/chewy candies are the problem. Got it.
Wait, HOW MUCH Arsenic Are We Talking About?
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo showed up at the press conference and basically said he was SHOCKED by the results. And this guy sees medical data all day, every day, so when he’s shocked, that’s saying something.
“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.”
Let that sink in. The arsenic in these candies is 20 to 40 times HIGHER than normal food. TWENTY TO FORTY TIMES.
Arsenic is a confirmed carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). Long-term exposure increases risk for skin, bladder, lung, and liver cancer, plus potentially kidney and prostate cancer. It occurs naturally in basically everything because it’s in soil and water, but usually in TINY amounts.
The problem isn’t eating ONE piece of candy. The problem is how candy is actually consumed in real life.
Casey DeSantis broke this down using Nerds as an example, and honestly, it’s terrifying. Florida determined that a child could “safely” eat about 96 pieces of Nerds per YEAR based on the arsenic levels.
Sounds reasonable, right? 96 pieces over 12 months?
WRONG. Here’s the reality check:
“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 explained. “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.”
So you could blow through an entire YEAR’S worth of “safe” Nerds consumption in like ONE MOVIE. Or one afternoon at Disney World if your kid discovers the Nerds display at the candy shop.
The Candy Industry Is BIG MAD About This
The National Confectioners Association (basically the candy lobby) came out SWINGING against Florida’s announcement. Christopher Gindlesperger, their communications guy, released a statement calling Florida’s testing “misguided” and accusing the state of choosing “sound bites over science.”
His argument? The FDA already has a program called “Closer to Zero Initiative” that’s working on arsenic action levels for kids’ food, and Florida is just creating panic instead of letting the federal process play out.
“Florida has chosen sound bites over science – ignoring this science-based program in favor of publishing unsourced materials that amount to little more than a scare tactic. Food safety and product quality remain our highest priorities, and we remain dedicated to being transparent and socially responsible – and we follow the science,” Gindlesperger said.
Okay, so the candy industry says Florida is fearmongering. Florida says they’re protecting kids. Who’s right?
Probably somewhere in the middle, honestly. Arsenic IS naturally occurring, and yes, it’s in everything we eat to some degree. But 20-40 times higher than normal food? That DOES seem worth looking into, regardless of whether there’s already a federal program in place.
Ferrara, which makes EIGHT of the candies on the elevated arsenic list, refused to comment directly and just pointed to the National Confectioners Association statement. Make of that what you will.
What This Means for Disney World (And Your Vacation)
Here’s where it gets interesting for Disney fans: Disney hasn’t said ANYTHING publicly about this.
The candies identified by Florida are STILL on Disney World shelves as of right now. You can walk into any park shop or resort gift store and buy SweeTarts, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids, all of it.
Disney is facing some tough decisions:
OPTION 1: Pull the candies from shelves – This would show Disney prioritizes guest safety above profits, but it would also remove popular products that guests expect to find, potentially creating backlash from visitors who think Disney is overreacting to state testing.
OPTION 2: Keep selling everything – Business as usual, but now parents know the state of Florida has officially warned about these products, which could look bad for Disney’s family-friendly brand if something goes wrong.
OPTION 3: Wait for federal guidance – Let the FDA sort it out and make changes if federal regulations require it, which is probably the most legally safe approach but doesn’t address concerned parents RIGHT NOW.
Disney has MASSIVE candy inventory across hundreds of locations. Making changes isn’t as simple as just pulling items off shelves. There are contracts with suppliers, distribution logistics, merchandising strategies, and probably a million other business considerations we’re not even thinking about.
But here’s the thing: Disney’s brand is built on TRUST. Parents trust Disney to provide safe, magical experiences for their families. If parents start questioning whether the candy Disney sells is safe for their kids, that’s a problem that goes way beyond just candy sales.
The Political Angle We Can’t Ignore
Let’s address the elephant (or mouse) in the room: DeSantis and Disney have had a COMPLICATED relationship over the past few years. There was the whole Reedy Creek Improvement District situation, various political battles, and general tension between the governor and the company.
So when DeSantis’s administration releases testing showing elevated arsenic in popular candies that Disney happens to sell throughout its property, some people are going to wonder if there’s a political motivation beyond pure public health concerns.
Is this legitimate health testing? Probably yes, given that Kennedy’s federal team is doing similar work.
Could there also be some satisfaction in putting Disney in an awkward position? We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Either way, Disney is stuck navigating state health warnings about products it sells while maintaining its reputation as THE safest, most magical place on Earth for families.
What Should Disney Parents Actually DO?
Okay, real talk time. If you’re planning a Disney World trip or you’re there right now, what should you do about this candy situation?
OPTION 1: AVOID THE FLAGGED CANDIES – Stick with the chocolate options Florida said tested fine: Hershey, Reese’s, M&M’s, Twix, Milky Way. These are available throughout Disney World and your kids will probably be just as happy with them.
OPTION 2: IGNORE THE WARNING – The candy industry says this is overblown, and one vacation’s worth of candy probably isn’t going to cause long-term harm. If your kid wants SweeTarts, let them have SweeTarts and don’t stress about it.
OPTION 3: SKIP PARK CANDY ENTIRELY – Bring your own snacks, focus on Disney’s incredible food offerings instead of candy, or just say no to the constant candy requests. (Good luck with that last one, though.)
OPTION 4: WAIT FOR MORE INFORMATION – See what the FDA says, see if Disney makes any official statements, and make decisions based on more complete information once it’s available.
There’s no perfect answer here because we’re dealing with incomplete information, conflicting expert opinions, and the reality that parenting involves constant risk calculations where you never have all the facts.
Our Take (For Whatever It’s Worth)
This situation is frustrating because nobody really knows what the “right” level of concern is. Is Florida being overly cautious? Is the candy industry being defensive because profits are at stake? Are we all poisoning our kids with SweeTarts without realizing it? Or is arsenic in candy just another one of those “life involves risks” things we can’t completely eliminate?
What we DO know:
- Florida tested candy and found elevated arsenic in 60% of tested products
- Several of these products are sold throughout Disney World
- Arsenic is a confirmed carcinogen
- The candy industry disputes Florida’s approach
- Disney hasn’t publicly responded
What we DON’T know:
- Whether these arsenic levels actually pose significant health risks
- How Florida’s testing methodology compares to FDA standards
- What Disney plans to do about this
- Whether other states will conduct similar testing
Here’s our honest advice: If you’re heading to Disney World soon, maybe lean toward the chocolate options that tested fine and skip the sour candies that showed elevated arsenic. It’s not going to ruin your vacation to have Reese’s Cups instead of Sour Patch Kids, and it might give you some peace of mind.
But also, don’t let this completely stress you out. Your kids are probably at more risk from sunburn at Disney than from eating some Twizzlers during their vacation. Use common sense, make informed choices where you can, and remember that Disney World is still one of the safest, most controlled environments your family will ever visit.
Just maybe with slightly different candy choices than you originally planned.
And honestly? We’re really curious to see if Disney says anything about this or quietly adjusts what they stock in their candy shops. Because THAT response will tell us a lot about how seriously we should be taking Florida’s testing results.
Stay tuned, Disney fans. This candy drama is probably just getting started.
