The 10 Best Disneyland Snacks You’ll Love Eating

Discover the best Disneyland snacks your family will love eating — “Pommes Frites” by HarshLight licensed under CC BY 2.0

Disneyland is a snack-lover’s paradise. Disney knows that a day in the park – miles of walking and standing in lines – can leave a person hungry, and it’s hard to have fun when that hungry feeling inevitably turns to “hangry”. So they make it as convenient as possible to grab quick, easy mini-meals all over the park, often themed to whatever area you happen to be in.

Whether you’re looking for sweet or savory, unique or classic, this list features our picks for the ten best snacks at Disneyland and where to find them.

Snacks Around Disneyland and California Adventure

Disneyland puts a lot of care and detail into “theming” their food options so they reflect their surrounding. Decadent French sweets, for instance, pop up in New Orleans Square or by the European-style shops in Fantasyland. Looking for a pop of exotic flavor?

Your best bet is amongst the palm trees and animal calls of Adventureland. Classic boardwalk treats are all over Pixar Pier.

Of course, some snacks can be found everywhere. Disneyland food carts offering hot and fresh popcorn, churros, ice cream, and pretzels line almost every pathway across the parks.

The Classic Snacks

Tried-and-true state fair staples, these snacks are great for a mess-free walk around to your next attraction, or waiting for a parade. They’re nostalgic, delicious, and so popular that you can find them everywhere in the Disney parks.

Whether you swing sweet or salty, you can find these staple snacks at carts all over, morning or night. Ice cream for breakfast? You’re at Disneyland. Go right ahead.

Corn Dog

Everybody knows that dipping something in batter and frying it makes it absolutely irresistible. State fairs have known this for year, and what is Disneyland but the biggest, most magical fairground on earth? The Disneyland corn dog is large enough that it could be a meal by itself, but not so huge that you can’t call it a snack.

For around ten bucks they come with a bag of chips or apple slices, but ask for just the dog and the price drops several dollars. Its dipped in crunchy, golden batter with the perfect amount of sweet to savory, and even spiciness, if you go for the Hot Link version available at California Adventure’s Corn Dog Castle.

Churros

The perfect size and shape to nibble on the go, no trip to Disneyland is complete without this fried dough treat, dusted in cinnamon and sugar. They’re so convenient, with churro carts left, right, and center, which make the park smell amazing.

They cost around five dollars and are long enough to share. Sweet, light, and indulgent, once you’ve tried the classic cinnamon churro, you might be tempted to try one of the many specialty flavors like s’mores or carrot cake.

Mickey Ice Cream

There’s no snack more classic or iconic than the Mickey ice cream bar. It’s a classic concept (creamy vanilla ice cream covered in a crisp chocolate shell) with that iconic mouse ear shape. Kids adore it and it’s basically a rite of passage to get that melting chocolate smeared across your face.

The Mickey ice cream sandwich is also incredibly popular. Want a Mickey-shaped treat but looking for a salty option? Disneyland has you covered with the Mickey pretzel.

Pickles

Giant pickles can be found at fruit carts or markets in both parks, now in dill, sour, and spicy varieties. They’re budget friendly at just a few dollars, weirdly refreshing after a lot of fried food and sugar, and great for chomping on a hot day. Plus, pickles are cucumbers, so they definitely count as a vegetable, right?

Another way to get the tangy, salty kick is the old favorite: fry them in batter. A love ‘em or hate ‘em appetizer at the Carnation Cafe, they’re made with a panko and parmesan batter and served with a dipping sauce. You get five or six spears for around eight bucks, which is a little pricey and not ideal for sharing. The batter is delicious though, and a perfect starter to a meal on Main Street, USA.

Caramel Apple

Let’s close off with the “healthy” option… an apple a day, right? The doctor probably doesn’t mean one covered in a thick blanket of chewy caramel. That’s before adding chocolate, nuts, sprinkles, candy bars, Mickey ears, marshmallows, or pretzel pieces. Disney has truly made caramel apple decoration into an art. Pooh Bear, Tigger, Mickey, Olaf, and many more have all been featured in apple form.

They range from simple (apple and caramel on a stick, about $5) to elaborate (the price will increase the fancier it gets). Caramel apples, for all the jokes, are actually a great alternative to, say, a cake pop or rice krispie treat. They can be just as fun and delicious while being “technically” a fruit, better value for money, and way more filling.

Favorite places to get them include the gift shop near Splash Mountain/Winnie the Pooh in Critter Country, Trolley Treats at California Adventure, or the Marceline sweet shop on Main Street, USA.

Cult Favorite Snacks

Some Disney snacks have had a fan following for years and now with Instagram and Facebook, they’ve become legendary. Disney even offers snack-themed clothing and merchandise for die-hard foodies. There’s a very good reason everybody raves about them, though: they’re delicious!

Dole Whip

Dole Whip is so popular, Bon Appetit has even written a feature on the treat. The sweet, tangy, pineapple-y, frozen goodness makes this list because the Disney parks are really the only place to get them! A Dole Whip is essentially pineapple soft-serve ice cream, but the fresh pineapple juice is absolutely infused into the creamy flavor in a magical way. You can go for the classic Whip or add pineapple juice and a cherry to make it a Float.

The Tiki Juice Bar at the entrance to Adventureland used to be the only place to grab one to go, but Disney decided the tiny stand couldn’t keep up with popular demand and provided another park-side option (you can also find them in the Disneyland Hotel). In 2018 the tiki-torch-lit Tropical Hideaway opened.

Sandwiched between the Enchanted Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise, the Tropical Hideaway not only offers a place to sit and enjoy your refreshing treat, but many more options: you can order your Dole Whip in orange, raspberry, and swirl flavors, or Loaded with fresh fruit and crystallized hibiscus.

A version in lemon can be found near the Incredicoaster in California Adventure. A classic Whip will set you back just about six bucks, while a Float is another dollar extra. A Disneyland essential, and the ultimate refreshment on a warm California day.

Turkey Legs

There’s nothing like a big hunk of smoky, salty meat to make you feel like Gaston while you’re strolling around Fantasyland. The turkey legs are truly huge, as well they should be. At over eleven dollars, they’re the most expensive snack on the list, but you definitely get bang for your buck.

The size of the leg led to the popular urban myth (thankfully debunked) that Disney was actually trying to pass off emu or ostrich as everybody’s favorite Thanksgiving bird. Find them at Edelweiss Snacks near the Matterhorn, or a sweet BBQ version at Troubadour Tavern.

Beignets

Another fried dough option on this list, and yet so different from the churros mentioned above. These pillowy doughnuts are rich and given a generous dusting of powdered sugar. This is a great example of Disney theming an area of the park right down to the food offerings. Beignets are a New Orleans staple, so of course it makes sense to find them in several locations in New Orleans Square.

They are, of course, Mickey-ear-shaped. They’re not a fussy food – especially when eating them hot out of the paper bag, fingers covered in white sugar – but they are ultimately indulgent. Always fresh, they are equally good enjoyed in the sunshine or with hot coffee in an attempt to warm up after the Splash of Splash Mountain. They’re very popular so luckily you can find them in several locations.

If you’re looking for a quick bite on the go, head to the Mint Julep Bar. Or, you can settle in for a bowl of gumbo and order beignets to finish off the meal. At Cafe Orleans, a plate of beignets is accompanied by raspberry coulis and decadent vanilla bean cream to elevate this snack into a dessert.

Unique Offerings

Seasoned Disneylander and first-timers alike might be looking for those snacks that are unique to Disneyland. Here are a few unusual choices you won’t find at your state fair.

MacaROON vs. MacaRON

These two sound very similar but are miles apart in taste. However both can be found at the Jolly Holiday Bakery at the end of Main Street, USA, making taste-testing them very very convenient. The Matterhorn Macaroon is named after the classic Fantasyland mountain ride. It’s sweet, golden, and full of coconut, topped with white chocolate “snow”.

Meanwhile the Raspberry Rose Macaron is a French almond cookie filled with buttercream and fresh raspberries. It’s also shaped like Mickey Mouse and has a dusting of edible gold for an extra touch of magic. The Macaron is about twice the price of the Macaroon (approximately six dollars versus three), but both are large and perfect for a sweet tooth.

Bacon Mac’n’Cheese Cone

The Cozy Cone Motel in California Adventure is genius because it really caters to the fact that park-goers are exactly that: on the go. Everything served here is portable and finger-friendly. This macaroni and cheese served from Cone 3 is served in a bread cone, meaning you can eat everything but the napkin.

There are places in the parks that arguably serve “better” mac’n’cheese but there’s a time and place for this no-frills rendition of a childhood classic. Especially when it’s topped with a very generous portion of salty bacon for around the ten dollar mark.

Like the Corn Dog, this snack is easily a light meal in itself, especially if you pair it with another offering from the Cozy Cone (which include flavored popcorns, ice cream, and pretzels). Pick one up to munch during the long wait for Radiator Springs Racers.

Spoiled for Choice

Let’s be honest, these are only some of the snacks to be found all over Disneyland. This list could go on and on if we were to include all the different types of flavored popcorns and ice cream sundae shops, the fresh fruit and vegetable stalls and the dozens of cookies offered in bakeries across the parks.

Snacks are constantly changing with the seasons too, giving guests the chance to experiment with old favorites. Seasonal items change every year, but here is a look at the holiday foods from 2018.

Bored of beignets? Try them in gingerbread or pumpkin spice.

Not a fan of raspberry rose flavor? There’s always a specialty macaron somewhere in the park.

Except for the Fried Pickles, all the delicious snackable treats on this list can be found at carts or counters, making them the perfect choice for any time of day. From munching on a pretzel in line to licking ice cream during a parade, Disneyland has you covered when it comes to variety, convenience, and taste of its hundreds of options of snacks. Picky kids and adult gourmands alike, snack away!

Disneyland Hack: If you download the Disneyland app on your phone you can search for where to find individual snacks like Dole Whip and Turkey Legs. If the location offers mobile ordering, you place your order and have it ready when you arrive. Over twenty quick service locations now offer this service.

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The 10 Best Disneyland Snacks You’ll Love Eating