Note: This post is part of a 15 Day challenge with questions referring to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. For more information, or to see all 15 questions, please refer to the introductory post, The 15 Day Disneyland Challenge. As stated in that post, I am not the creator of the challenge – just a willing participant!
Day 5: Your Favorite Snack
Oh, Disneyland. What a dream you are for foodies. Almost anywhere in the park, you can follow your nose to something. From the lovely scents pouring out of the Candy Palace on Main Street, to the buttery aroma of fresh popped popcorn, followed by the cinnamon & sugar mixture that is a churro, there are no shortage of quick bites and snack foods in Disneyland. The Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is a favorite, with the specialty sundaes that our family of three often shares. No trip is complete without a souvenir bucket of popcorn for the ride home. At some point, you can be guaranteed we’ll be stopping at a cart for a Mickey shaped ice cream bar or frozen banana. The bigger question as far as snacks are concerned is:
What snack don’t I like at Disneyland???
Nope. Can’t think of one. So we’ll just go with my favorite of them all:
Pineapple Goodness!
Whether you choose to have it as a float (with pineapple juce), or just by itself, Dole Whip – that heavenly frozen concoction sold at the stand that has longer lines than many rides – just cannot be beat. The tangy/sweet flavor of a mix of pineapple and soft serve has served as a delicious cool down on many a warm day for many people. I realize it’s not popular for everyone, and to those people, I want to say one thing:
Thank you for making the line a few people shorter.
Dole whips have taken on almost a cult following, with people looking for copycat recipes and locations away from the parks that serve it. I have yet to find a location where I live, and have not tried to make my own, but I pay tribute in a different way:
Now I take Dole Whip with me (in spirit) wherever I go, thanks to the awesome designs of Richard Terpstra!
Yes, it’s the only time I’ve paid homage to food with a t-shirt, but being a DisNerd, it only seems natural…. and I haven’t saved up to buy the churro t-shirt yet.
Confessions Of A DisNerd 
There is nothing quite like a Dole Whip or the Float version either. I like to call it “Crack In A Cup” cause of it’s highly addicting nature LOL. Not to mention that the Dole Whip is also vegan for those out there worried about their food habits. This tasty treat has the right amount of sugar and sweetness to satisfy but not leave you sick from it. What a great balance!
My other favorites of course is the churro, but my all time go to is always the Monte Cristo. That will be my downfall of artery clogging happiness to the realms beyond while sitting near the ROA watching the traffic of people and boats.
its got to be the Mickey ice cream bar. Hard as a rock when you first get it so it will keep for a while on those warm days. Pam and I will lick for a while then start biteing the ears off. A perfect snack.
Hmm. Not a big ‘snacker’ even at Disneyland but I have one; sourballs!!! Which is why I have to complain… why in the world would they discontinue them??!? They now only come in cherry and the multi-color is el-gone-o.
I’m getting pretty good at managing food at DL. I avoid the carts completely. But was in raptures Saturday because – with the re-opening of the Candy Palace – PECAN NUTTLES have returned! I don’t care how many WW points they are, a trip to the park means too many pecan nuttles for me.
If nothing else gave me a clue of how unseasonably busy it was at Disneyland in May, it was the consistently insane line for Dole Whips. It was impossible for me to even get one until we caught the last Enchanted Tiki Room show right at 10:00pm on our second-to-last night. That was the only time there was no line (I even had to ask if they were still open).
As for favourite snack… hmmm… I guess that would be it, unless Mint Juleps count. I can’t think of anything else I deliberately go out of my way to eat. That said, we did buy a couple extra bags of the cinnamon crisp thingies from Rancho del Zoccalo once we discovered them. They served us well on the flight back home. For me, what really makes a good Disneyland snack is as much the associations as the food itself. Dole Whips are a part of the Enchanted Tiki Room experience. Mint Juleps are likewise part of the Mark Twain Riverboat experience (I really wish they would serve them onboard, or have a closer counter service).
Brian- The assorted are not discontinued! They only appear on the shelves sporadically though, so when they do I buy five bags and ration them for a few months. And they don’t exist in Florida, only Disneyland. And when they can be found, it’s only in a few shops. I suggest checking Pooh Corner. Speaking of Pooh Corner, I LOVE Tigger Tails. It’s marshmallows dipped in carmel dipped in white chocolate dipped in sprinkles drizzled with chocolate… I can never eat a whole one, but if you ever need a sugar rush this is the way to get it! Speaking of sugar, Also love the free chocolate squares at Ghiradelli in DCA. My favorite actual snack though, not sugar and candy, would have to be the bacon cheddar popcorn. It used to be only found in New Orleans during Mardi Gras but now you can find it occassionally at the Cozy Cone Pop-Cone. It’s amazing.
I’m alllllll about the chimis! With the little salsa packets. I could eat a dozen of those per trip. Munching on one while in line is heaven to me. However, chasing it with a Dole whip float, well, that’s just logical! 🙂 Loving your favs Craig!
My number one with a bullet (and don’t come between me and my treat) is the giant, thick chocolate chunk cookies at the bakery by Winnie the Pooh. Oh sweet, wonderful cookie. They are very thick but nice and chewy inside. Tons of chocolate chunks are loaded in there. Plus, you can taste the sugar crystals inside. Mmmmmmmmmmmm…. I have to have one each day of the trip.
Number two is definitely the Dole Whip. What a dessert. I just wish all the brains at Disneyland would do a better job of queue management. Some lathing tells me that three order takers and one food prepper aren’t the best combo. Still, I wait in the 30+ min line and will continue to do so.
The rock candy cubes used to be my number 1, but alas they have moved on to Yesterland.
Um, DOLE WHIP!!
Still haven’t had a dole whip float (gasp!) That’s next on my must try list!
I’m also a fan of the cookie ice cream sandwich, but it doesn’t hold a candle to a Dole whip. Once and awhile we get a churro, but they are not a must for me.
It’s not really a snack, but for me it’s a treat: raspberry and vanilla coke at coke corner! (thanks to Craig and Melanie telling me about it). It’s a must every trip now!
Cannot wait to try the delicious ice cream at Ghiradelli. MMmm.
But, Dole Whip all the way at Disneyland!!
The last couple times I went to Disneyland with my sis. We had an early snack. We would hop on the DLRR and get out at NOS. We head over to the Mint Julep Bar and get a couple Mickey-shaped beignets. Super yummy! I love their cushy goodness! Then wash it down with a Mint Julep!!!