This week, we kicked off our sixth annual Mouse Madness tournament. This year, we’ll be crowning a champion Disney Parks snack. Of course, with only 16 bracket slots available, we had to leave off some truly tasty options. To compensate, we gave our staff the opportunity to shout out their favorite snack at either Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Here’s what they had to say:
Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar
Picked by: FanBoy
There are many Mickey-shaped foods to be found at the Disney Parks but this one has long been a favorite. Plus, this treat always seems to deliver on its “premium” promise. Is it because Southern California and Central Florida can both get a swelteringly hot, making anything cold taste that much better? Perhaps… but I prefer to believe it’s just some Mickey magic.
Biscuit Chocolat
Picked by: Michael Mack
Yeah, I know. I picked a chocolate chip cookie as my favorite Disney snack. But this is not your average chocolate chip cookie. It’s a French chocolate chip cookie. Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in the France Pavilion is my go-to place for a quick bite in Epcot and of course there’s always room for dessert. The Biscuit Chocolat is a big cookie filled with huge chunks of delicious chocolate. You can’t go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie. Especially not this one.
Nutella Waffle
Picked by: Cole Geryak
If you ever find yourself in Liberty Square at night around the time of the fireworks, you may stumble upon a long line near the entrance to the land. Here, you can find Sleepy Hollow, home to the Nutella Waffle Sandwich, the greatest snack that Disney has ever given us. Fresh fruit is delicious. Nutella is scrumptious. Belgian waffles are amazing. Now put everything together and you have the greatest sandwich ever created.
Dole Whip
Picked by: Mike Celestino
I’m as disappointed as anyone that I’m giving the most cliche answer possible, but the truth is I have some crazy food allergies that get in the way of me being adventurous with snacks at Disneyland. I can’t eat wheat or eggs, so pretzels and ice cream are both out, as are a good 90% of what most people consume around the parks. Fortunately for me, Dole Whip is both gluten-free and vegan. And I like it too! Nowadays whenever I want a tasty treat I’ll pick up a pineapple-raspberry swirl and grab a dockside seat at The Tropical Hideaway, where I can listen to Rosita’s corny jokes and dream about a life where I could eat whatever I wanted.
Mickey Rice Krispies Treats
Picked by: Alex Reif
First, I know what you’re thinking — but, yes, the Disney Parks actually do use name brand Kellogg’s Rice Krispies for these treats. Like many of the best foods at Disney, these are also often Mickey shaped. You’re also likely to find several specialty varieties dipped in an assortment of decorations and toppings, but even the plain, packaged ones (produced by Selma’s Cookies) are perfect to me.
Classic Disneyland Churro
Picked by: Doobie Moseley
Growing up in Southern California in the 70s and 80s, a trip to Disneyland was a once or twice a year occurrence. And one of the highlights of each trip was getting the warm, fried, crispy, chewy, sweet snack known as a churro. They'd roll it in cinnamon and hand it over with just tissue paper giving me no choice but to eat it all at once. Which wasn't easy, because it was about 3 feet long (at least it looked that way when i was 10). To my young mind, this wasn't Disneyland's version of a traditional Spanish dessert, this was Disneyland's original creation available only to those of us lucky enough to enter the Magic Kingdom. I looked forward to it almost as much as riding Space Mountain. Now I'm a little older (okay, a lot older) and I know churros can be found at Costco and pretty much everywhere else, and can be had in various styles (light sabers?!), flavors and with dipping sauces. But to this day, when I go to Disneyland and get a classic churro, I'm transported back to a simpler time when a trip to Disneyland was all I needed to make everything right in the world. Love them churros! And speaking of churros and Space Mountain – have you heard of the Space Mountain Churro Challenge?
Violet Lemonade
Picked by: Jeremiah Good
This little treat debuted a few years ago at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and has quickly become a mainstay of the event. Just a simple small cup of lemonade with some special flavor and, of course, its purple color makes it not only a great thing to grab on those warm park days but it was also one of the first “Instagramable treats.” Sadly, it’s only available for 90 days out of the year during the F&G Festival but that short time makes it even better because no one takes it for granted.
Lotus Blossom Café Potstickers
Picked by: Kyle Burbank
Epcot is home to many tasty snack selections from around the world, but one of my favorites comes from China. To be sure, there’s nothing exceptional about the Lotus Blossom Café’s potstickers, but my love of dumplings brings me back to them often. Actually, my real pro tip is that you can add a side of white rice for just a couple of dollars and (nearly) make a meal out of the duo. Hey, it still works out cheaper than some single dishes from festival kiosks.
Disney Lollipop
Picked by: Gideon Moseley
I love the Disney rainbow swirled lollipops because they taste good. They have the perfect flavor — tutti frutti. Most lollipops are fruit flavored so it makes sense that Disney has one with all fruits. The swirls make it look cool, too. The only bad thing about the lollipop is that when you lick it your face gets all sticky. Aside from that it’s a great snack.
Mom tip: Enormous lollipops can be your greatest gift or worst nightmare. If you are prepared with some wet wipes for the sticky aftermath and perhaps a Ziploc bag for sucker remnants that can still be enjoyed again, it can be a superb tool for distraction and quiet during longer waits or when heading out of the park. It doesn't melt and drip like ice cream, but if wildly waving it can be just as challenging to contain.
Mint Bliss Intense Dark Sundae
Picked by: Bekah Burbank
If I were to name a Disney Springs snack as my favorite, then this wouldn’t count. But fortunately for me, Disney California Adventure offers the exact same thing, so here we go. While I’ve spent very little time at the Disneyland Resort, I’m happy to say DCA’s Pacific Wharf features a Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop where my favorite snack lives. I’m very serious about dark chocolate, and Ghirardelli’s Intense Dark Sundes are the absolute best. With three flavors to choose from (Espresso Escape, Midnight Reverie, and Mint Bliss) this shareable treat is my one must-have when I’m at the Disneyland Resort.
Honorable Mentions
Corn Dogs (Are they a snack or a meal? It depends)
Donut of the Month (Available in the Hub)
U.K. pavilion chips (That’s “fries” for you Yanks)
Citrus swirl (Some say this frozen treat is actually better than the Dole Whip, but we’ll let you be the judge)
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider (An Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival exclusive)