Travel Guides Family Friendly Disney
Handout/Getty Images
Kristi Roe-Owen
Mealtime at most theme parks means choosing from a fairly mundane selection of overpriced fast food options. But one of the beautiful things about a vacation to Walt Disney World is knowing that every detail of the park is perfectly planned, including its food options. From one-of-a-kind snack kiosks to full-service Disney dining options, Disney’s bread and butter is providing the magic, so it stands to reason the park’s actual bread and butter is infused with a little magic as well.
Magic Kingdom is filled with quality treats to enjoy. Whether your idea of vacation snacking is sampling every confection available or searching out the best fuel to prevent a mid-vacay crash, Magic Kingdom has you covered. The elevated amusement park cuisine even includes plenty of gluten-free and vegan offerings. But one thing that makes Disney fare truly special is the park’s constant striving to create unique signature meals and snacks you can’t get anywhere else, a commitment that’s yielded more than a few cult-favorite park treats. To make sure you don’t miss any of these, here’s a list of the best foods you absolutely must try next time you’re in the Magic Kingdom.
The Dole Pineapple Whip at Aloha Isle is a tropical cult classic
YouTube
First released in 1984 at the Adventureland snack shop, the Dole Pineapple Whip was so beloved that it quickly began to develop its own cult following. A quick search on Etsy yields an abundance of scented candles, body spray, jewelry, as well as customized shirts and mouse ears devoted to the tasty tropical treat. If you don’t think the fandom is serious, check out #dolewhiptattoo on Instagram, and you’ll find loads of folks who love the snack so much they’ve permanently branded it on their bodies.
A stroke of branding genius, the treat was originally rolled out about a decade after Dole Food Company took over sponsorship of the iconic Adventureland staple, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. And to the delight of many folks with special dietary requirements, the pineapple-flavored treat is dairy-free, gluten-free, and certified vegan, making it a pleasing alternative to ice cream that just about everyone can enjoy.
The Dole Whip menu has expanded over time to include a range of flavors and menu items. You can go old-school and pick up an original pineapple Dole Whip or the popular pineapple and vanilla Dole Whip swirl. Or, you can go extra fancy with a pineapple upside-down cake or Dole Whip float — that’s Dole Whip or Dole Whip swirl floating in pineapple juice. There’s even a coconut Dole Whip that comes alone or in a coconut-pineapple Dole Whip swirl for folks who like piña coladas (and getting caught in the rain). Grab yours at Aloha Isle in Adventureland.
The Mickey pretzel is a Disney essential
YouTube
No trip to Walt Disney World would be complete with the obligatory mouse ear-shaped food purchase, and the Magic Kingdom is replete with them — from Mickey-shaped ice cream treats to Minnie candy apples. But there’s one mouse-eared treat hardcore Disneyphiles insist shouldn’t be missed: the Mickey pretzel. It’s one of the more affordable snacks at Disney, and lucky for all of us, many of the snack carts scattered around the Magic Kingdom sell them.
While the Mickey pretzel is just one of many beloved pretzels sold at the park, there’s something extra magical about anything featuring that iconic Disney shape. Most seasoned parkgoers also feel the surcharge for a side of pretzel dipping cheese is one of the best investments you can make at the Magic Kingdom. Also, if you want to take your Mickey pretzel experience to the next level, some Disney food fans even recommend a chocolate-dipped pretzel hack. Pick up your pretzel at the Frontierland Churro Cart to nab a side of that tasty chocolate sauce. Line up your chocolate and cheese sauces side-by-side, and you’ve booked your Mickey pretzel a first-class trip to a salty-and-sweet Flavortown.
Customized popcorn on Main Street is an insider favorite
YouTube
The starting point for any visit to the Magic Kingdom, Main Street, U.S.A. is the place to be when you’re looking to score some sweet souvenirs and tasty treats. But if you only make one stop while strolling down Main Street, visit the Main Street Confectionary, an old-fashioned sweet shop. Here, you can watch artisan candy-makers at work, making everything from freshly spun cotton candy to cake pops. And according to many Disney insiders, one of the highlights of the shop is the chance to customize your own popcorn.
To create your own special popcorn recipe, start by choosing your base popcorn of butter-flavored, caramel, cheddar, or rainbow candy. Next, choose your syrup from white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. Now you’re ready for the fun part of choosing your toppings. You can go with two, three, or even more choices of toppings, which typically include a range of M&M’s varieties, crumbled TWIX or Snickers bars, crushed cookies, sour Skittles, pretzel pieces, and more. If you want to load up cheddar with white chocolate and pretzels, no one will judge you for it, and half the fun is watching your personalized popcorn get mixed together and bagged for the road.
Gaston’s Tavern cinnamon rolls are massive
YouTube
What do you serve to a guy who eats five dozen eggs every morning to help him stay large? Apparently, it’s a cinnamon roll that’s roughly the size of a barge. Served at Gaston’s Tavern in Fantasyland near the Beast’s castle, these decadent cinnamon rolls are baked fresh at the Main Street Bakery before making their way to Gaston’s, where they’re given a fresh coat of icing and served up warm and delicious. It’s a perfect on-the-go breakfast if you’re trying to rush over to Space Mountain, but it’s served all day if you’re looking for a sweet treat later in the day.
Fans of the massive cinnamon roll say what truly sets it apart from the Main Street version is its extra special icing — Gaston’s cinnamon roll comes with a healthy layer of maple frosting layered underneath its customary vanilla icing. Per the Disney Food Blog on Instagram, whose vast Disney food knowledge includes a wealth of vacation food hacks, you can upgrade your cinnamon roll by asking for extra icing for the ultimate tavern treat.
No strings attached, Pinocchio’s flatbread is delicious
YouTube
While bouncing from Dumbo the Flying Elephant Ride to Peter Pan’s Flight makes for a magical afternoon, long lines and walking may eventually lead to a serious, not-so-magical bout of “hangriness,” for both younger and older Mouseketeers. When you or others need to recharge flagging energy levels before standing in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean, few options fit the bill better than a piping hot plate of flatbread from Pinocchio’s Village Haus.
Pinocchio’s flatbread isn’t a specialty, hand-tossed pizza. However, it will fill you up with some of the tastiest, gut-filling fare you’re going to find at a fast food stand in an amusement park. If you’re Disney crew just needs a culinary placeholder but isn’t trying to carb load, one flatbread can probably satisfy two people. The pizza crust is crunchy around the edges and softer on the inside, and cheese lovers will appreciate the gourmet cheese flatbread’s blend of provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan. Pinocchio’s also serves a pepperoni flatbread, a margherita, and an all-meat option loaded with bacon, pepperoni, ham, and sausage. For the vegans in your party, Pinocchio’s even offers a plant-based “cheese” pizza.
Drop in for the seasonal shakes at Auntie Gravity’s
YouTube
Once upon a time, not so long ago, Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies in Tomorrowland was a great spot for a fairly standard selection of ice cream treats. Think soft-serve cones and cups, fountain drink floats, sundaes, and smoothies. But like so many Disney food vendors, they’ve seriously upped their game over the past few years. Auntie Gravity’s offers a seasonal selection of one-of-a-kind culinary experiences you can’t get anywhere else, such as the the Apple Fritter Milk Shake, which is a salted caramel delight topped with green apple whipped cream and garnished with an apple fritter.
When it first rolled out, this magical shake caused something of a buzz when Instagrammers couldn’t help but notice the fritter’s resemblance to a chicken nugget. As one person commented on Disney Food Blog’s Instagram, “I can’t unsee it! Gravy shake topped with mashed potatoes, and topped with a chunk of fried chicken.” But fortunately, it’s just a deliciously applely autumn delight.
Past Auntie Gravity’s shakes have included treats like the ridiculously decadent Asteroid Shake — a chocolate milkshake with hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate donut hole Mickey ears, and graham cracker crumbs — and the Prince John Sucker Slushy, a green apple-lemonade slushy served with whipped cream and a ring pop. The beauty of these seasonal treats is that you get to experience something different every time you visit, which means even more ice-cream-dream memories to bank in your Disney memory vault.
Westward Ho’s candied bacon skewers are new flavor frontiers
YouTube
When you’ve had about as many kiosk carbs as you can handle and you’re craving something a little more protein-heavy, head on over to Westward Ho Refreshments for a candied bacon skewer. But don’t expect the thin, crispy bacon strips you’re used to. Westword Ho serves much thicker and juicier slabs of bacon that will make you feel like you’ve taken a detour to the Oregon Trail. Coated in brown sugar, the mouth-wateringly thick chunk of bacon curls onto a skewer and it’s just sweet enough to enhance the salty and savory flavors. Although it’s usually served with chips, you can save a few bucks by requesting the bacon strip without the chips, a cool hack when dining on a budget at Disney.
This satisfying snack is a favorite among YouTubers and TikTokkers. In her review, one vlogger on YouTube observed, “It’s not overly sweet, which I like … it’s cooked to perfection so you don’t notice that it’s fatty.” However, you can’t dilly-dally if you’re dead set on trying this tasty hunk of meat, as they’re prone to sell out later in the day.
Don’t miss the hush puppies at Columbia Harbour House
YouTube
Tucked away in Liberty Square, just a stone’s throw from the Haunted Mansion, the Columbia Harbour House has been a longtime favorite among Disney vets. You’ll feel like the Disney prince version of Alexander Hamilton in this Revolutionary-era, nautical-styled restaurant that features a fairly well-rounded offering of satisfying seafood fare. The menu features a range of moderately priced options (by Disney park standards), but a meal can get a little costly, especially if you’ve got a big brood to feed. So, when it comes to crowd-pleasing yet filling and affordable snacks, you can’t go wrong picking up an order of hush puppies (or a few).
If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying this savory Southern staple, hush puppies are a type of deep-fried cornmeal fritter that’s typically served as a side dish or bread substitute. The hush puppies at Columbia Harbour House are especially noteworthy for containing real chunks of corn, elevating them above your standard fast food hush puppies. Disney Food Blog calls them “little balls of fried perfection,” praising their “deep-fried crispy golden shell surrounding a soft, warm cornbread and spice center.” And at just a few bucks each, they make a decent snack without cutting too much into your Auntie Gravity’s ice cream budget. When it comes to epic Disney snack deals, the Harbour House hushpuppies are a good catch.
Eat literally anything from the Spring Roll Wagon
YouTube
If you’re the kind of person who likes to try adventurous twists on tried-and-true favorite foods, you’ll adore the Spring Roll Wagon in Adventureland. The Spring Roll Wagon specializes in Americanized takes on the crunchy, lightly fried Asian appetizer. Typically, you’ll find at least two options here, although they can change from one day to the next. Three regular offerings include the pepperoni pizza spring roll, cheeseburger spring roll, and the recent addition of the cordon bleu spring roll. Each comes with its own dipping sauce and tastes pretty much exactly how you’d expect — in the best possible way.
Bite into the pepperoni pizza rolls, which are served with a side of marinara sauce, to get a mouthful of warm melted cheese, tomato sauce, and sliced pepperoni. Inside the cheeseburger spring roll, you’ll find a tasty bite of American cheese melting perfectly into ground beef. The newest offering, the cordon bleu spring roll includes chicken, ham, and melted cheese and is served with a side of honey mustard. In their review of this latest addition, WDW News Today described the cordon bleu spring roll as a “mashup of greasy flavors,” but noted, “The chicken and ham are not overpowering. They are nice complements in a rather cheesy roll.”
Past offerings have included buffalo chicken, Philly cheesesteak, and bacon macaroni and cheese spring rolls, so you never know what will be available when you drop by. If you’re torn between two types, they’ll even let you mix and match.
Wake up to a chicken and waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments
YouTube
When you really need to fuel up for your 10,000-step haul around the Magic Kingdom, there are few meals as hearty and stick-to-your-ribs as chicken and waffles. And at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments in Liberty Square, you can pick up this brunch-time favorite in sandwich form for noshing on the go. The Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken Waffle Sandwich first rolled out about a decade ago along with a handful of other waffle sandwiches. The chicken sandwich was an instant cult classic, so when it disappeared from the menu, it was only a matter of time before it would resurface again. And true to Disney form, it returned with a few magical improvements.
These days, the favorite dish comes with a chunk of deep-fried, honey sriracha-glazed, and sweet-and-spicy battered chicken breast tucked inside a fresh-pressed waffle with a generous serving of creamy, crispy Asian broccoli slaw. As if that wasn’t tempting enough, the sandwich comes with a side of homemade chips. Fans of the sandwich love the combination of crunchy slaw and tender chicken, which Dining at Disney praised as having “a ton of flavor” without being overly spicy.
Try the Grey Stuff … it’s delicious!
YouTube
If your Disney dining dreams begin and end with Lumière’s big number “Be Our Guest,” we’re right there with you. Who wouldn’t want to be treated to one magical dish after another? Fortunately, if you play your cards right and save room for dessert, the reality isn’t too far from Belle’s special meal in “Beauty and the Beast.” And to make sure you know it, Disney even offers a dish called “The Grey Stuff” — and yes, it is delicious. In the hit animated film, the item in question pops up mid-song between all sorts of culinary delights, briefly passing through the verse and leaving viewers to wonder just what exactly the creamy blob of grey mystery food could be.
It might not seem like a pile of mystery goo would be among the park’s most beloved offerings, but like the Dole Whip, the Grey Stuff is one of those dishes fans love so much they’ve gone to great efforts to recreate it at home. The internet is replete with many copycat recipes. However, according to People, this light and creamy mousse is a mixture of vanilla pudding, whipped cream, crumbled cookies, and cream cookies. These days, it can be found lurking on top of the Master’s Cupcake at Gaston’s Tavern in Fantasyland and comes topped with candy pearls and a lovely fondant rose.
Keep a very important date for the Cheshire Cat’s frozen teas
Nothing quenches the thirst on a hot afternoon in Florida like a frosty frozen beverage, and one of the Magic Kingdom’s most pleasantly surprising frozen treats can be found at the Cheshire Cafe in Fantasyland, adjacent to the Mad Tea Party ride. This venue is known for two things: its signature chocolate and icing-drizzled Cheshire Cat tail pastries and a variety of frozen teas.
One of the coolest things (pun intended) about the Cheshire Cafe’s offerings is that the menu changes, depending on when you arrive. Around Halloween, you might pick up a Queen of Hearts slushy — a frozen cherry slushy served with black cherry purée, whipped cream, and a chocolate crown garnish — or a grape-flavored Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat slushy. Another time of year, you might pick up a grape and raspberry lemonade Wonderland Slush complete with a rock candy straw. But if you’re in the market for a magical tea party vibe, there are two frozen tea slush staples at the snack stand: a Mixed Berry Tea Slushy with whipped cream and sprinkles and a Blackberry Tea Slushy with whipped cream. Both of these tasty treats are solid additions to any “unbirthday” celebration.
