Ask anyone to list the Disney Parks’ most iconic snacks, and you’ll encounter a variety of familiar dishes spanning Adventureland’s Dole Whip floats and Main Street’s popcorn buckets to rich dark chocolate Mickey bars, cream cheese-filled Mickey pretzels, and flavor-packed turkey legs.
These treats have risen to legendary status for good reason: They’re delicious, Instagrammable, and at least where turkey legs are concerned, capable of feeding multitudes. But they’re not necessarily the best Disney has to offer. In fact, we’ve rounded up a dozen theme park snacks that just might outrank the classics in both originality and taste.
Tropical Hideaway (Disneyland): Lime Chicken Bao
Image: Disney
Honorable mention: Cheddar Garlic Bagel Twists (Maurice’s Treats)
The newest pre-Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge dining location is Adventureland’s Tropical Hideaway, nestled between The Enchanted Tiki Room and the loading docks of the Jungle Cruise. It doesn’t have much to offer in terms of variety—diners can pick from an array of blended Dole Whip drinks, while packaged ramen shakers and mango slices are available for snacking alongside freshly-made bao and sweet lumpia. The bao is the clear standout here, however, and one of the best (and most filling) options in the entire park. Current flavors include spiced vegetable, bulgogi beef, and lime chicken, and while you can’t quite make a full meal out of one, the portion sizes are perfect for bridging that gap between lunch and dinner and portable enough to survive a sudden dash over to Mickey and the Magical Map, too.
Poultry Palace (Disney California Adventure): Chili-Lime Corn on the Cob
Image: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr (license)
Honorable mention: Filmstrip Fries with BBQ Crunch Fry Topper (Award Wieners)
Disney’s carb-loaded snacks tend to get the most attention at the parks, but there are a surprising number of healthy, produce-based choices available, too. In addition to the fresh fruit, pickles, and veggies that are available at Mortimer’s Market and Filmore’s Taste-In, parkgoers can indulge in buttered or spiced ears of corn at the newly-opened Poultry Palace. At the snack cart bordering the Paradise Gardens entrance to Pixar Pier, the more traditional elote (complete with a packet of mayo, Tajin spice, and parmesan cheese) is offered alongside a selection of turkey legs and soft drinks. Granted, this tangy, spicy snack may not be quite as shareable as Award Wieners Filmstrip Fries or Cozy Cone Motel Dill Pickle Popcorn, but that’s half the appeal.
The Friar’s Nook (Magic Kingdom): Creamy Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Tots
Image: Disney
Honorable mention: Cheeseburger Spring Rolls (Adventureland Egg Roll Cart)
Speaking of carbs, there are few combinations more mouthwatering than the marriage between tater tots and bacon-dusted macaroni and cheese. Tucked away between the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel and the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Friar’s Nook, these rich, cheesy ‘totchos’ are just the thing to take the edge off of a long wait for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Happily Ever After. They’re also a welcome change from most of the snack options at the Magic Kingdom, whose Instagrammable treats (from colossal Mickey Celebration doughnuts to Aladdin-themed caramel apples) consistently tend toward the sweeter end of the spectrum.
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie (Epcot): Tartine Aux Fromages
Image: Disney
Honorable mention: Beef Brisket Poutine (Refreshment Port)
The wonderful thing about Epcot is that there is literally no shortage of scrumptious snacks, entrees, and cocktails to guzzle down at any given point in the year. In addition to the wonderful array of international cuisines available at World Showcase’s 11 pavilions, Epcot offers several appealing options at Future World and hosts no fewer than three food festivals in each calendar year: Flower and Garden Festival, International Food & Wine Festival, and International Festival of the Holidays.
When it came to narrowing down each park’s top snack options, though, I wanted to pinpoint some options that you can find at Epcot year-round, whether you’re dipping into Food & Wine after a runDisney marathon or swinging by for the winter holidays. And there’s no better spot to grab a snack than Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie at the France pavilion, where cases of éclairs, quiches, macarons, baguettes, and croissants await hungry travelers.
On the savory side, one of the best options is the Tartine Aux Fromages, a tomato-based pastry topped with Swiss, parmesan, and goat cheese. It’s lighter and crispier than a slice of pizza, but not so heavy that it’ll spoil your appetite for a full meal at Le Cellier or Nine Dragons or Rose & Crown (or wherever you happen to end up).
Dockside Diner (Disney’s Hollywood Studios): Loaded Chili-Cheese Nachos
Image: Disney
Honorable mention: Breakfast Bowl Potato Barrels (Woody’s Lunch Box)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still waiting on the kind of culinary revolution that has erupted in Disney’s other parks. You’ll find funnel cake at Oasis Canteen, Bavarian pretzels at BaseLine Tap House, churros at Anaheim Produce, and cannolis at PizzeRizzo, but don’t expect any truly unique dishes until Galaxy’s Edge opens later this fall.
In lieu of Disneyland’s bao, Disney California Adventure’s elote, and the Magic Kingdom’s mac and cheese tots, however, Hollywood Studios seems to have the market cornered on chili cheese nachos, which are served up at Dockside Diner at Echo Lake. While they’re definitely on the heavier side and may not be the most portable or summer-suitable snack, the salsa-topped nachos are great for splitting with friends while you take advantage of the few air-conditioned seating areas around the park.
Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom): Cheeseburger Steamed Pods
Image: Martin Lewison, Flickr (license)
Honorable mention: Cinnamon-Glazed Almonds or Pecans (Mahindi)
Animal Kingdom may not be the most popular of Walt Disney World’s four parks, but there’s no denying it has the most creative and varied menus of any theme park within or without the Disney bubble. Where else can you find boozy Dole Whip floats, mini mango pies, purple pear boba slushies, and cones of spiced pecans?
There are plenty of tempting treats littered throughout the park’s seven distinct lands, but Pandora – The World of Avatar presents a clear frontrunner at Satu’li Canteen, famed for its protein bowls and dome-shaped blueberry mousse. Over on the kids’ menu is perhaps one of the best snacks in the entire resort: cheeseburger steamed “pods” stuffed with ground beef, cheddar, pickles, and traditional hamburger condiments. Are they super healthy? Nope. An affront to the entire concept of bao? Possibly. But, like Disneyland’s lime chicken bao, they also come in pleasingly large portions—in other words, an essential survival item for tackling the standby line for Flight of Passage or getting younger parkgoers to expand their palates.
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What are your favorite go-to snacks at the Disney Parks? Do you find yourself gravitating toward the classics—pretzels, Mickey bars, popcorn, and Dole Whips—or do you prefer to go off the beaten path?
