If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, the abundance of food options across all four parks can be overwhelming, but rest assured that these foods have been well-researched and reviewed in person so you know everything here is 100 percent worth your money (and the calories). While a few iconic treats have made the list (like the Mickey pretzel and Dole Whip), some are a little more obscure (pork nacho fries, anyone?). Expect this list to be a little sweet, partially covered in gooey cheese, and just a tad bit spiked, for those partaking. No Disney trip is complete without scouting out the best foods!
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Even though we ordered the regular hot dog size (it also comes in foot-long), we could easily split this insane dog between three people. The plump hot dog, ultrasquishy bun, Velveeta-like macaroni and cheese, and real pieces of bacon tasted as good as they sound. Paired with the thin, crisp fries, this was junk food at its finest. We recommend grabbing some sauerkraut to pair on the side to break up the creamy richness.
Where to find it:Casey's Corner on Main Street at Magic Kingdom
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Disney's Dole Whip Cup ($4) and Float ($5)
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While there are some subtle differences between Disneyland's Dole Whip and Disney World's, it's still a beloved fan favorite you should try at Magic Kingdom, especially on a blistering day. Try the dairy-free pineapple soft serve in a cup or floated atop tart pineapple juice.
Where to find it:Aloha Isle in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom
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Disney's Corn Dog Nuggets ($8 With Fries)
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These corn dog nuggets are legendary, and they do not disappoint. These fried morsels have a smoky, sweet flavor that pairs really well with tart yellow mustard.
Where to find it:Casey's Corner on Main Street at Magic Kingdom
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Disney's Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich With Nutella ($8)
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OK, you cannot pass up this waffle sandwich. The freshly made vanilla waffles come out crisp and puffy. They slather on just enough Nutella to fill up all the holes. "Fresh fruit" usually means a combo of blueberries, banana, and strawberries. Pro tip: order strawberries only, especially between January and April, when strawberries are in season in Florida. They mounted at least two cups of superripe, incredibly sweet strawberries on top of the waffle. While you can share this with a few friends, it's so good I would recommend this for yourself for breakfast.
Where to find it:Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom
Ah, the turkey leg! This is one of my absolute favorite items to get at Disney parks. The superflavorful brined turkey meat gives you the much-needed sodium boost to replenish your electrolytes after a long day in the sun. I also love that the meat is not greasy or fatty, which can spell trouble for the digestive system on a hot day. Though it's fun to nosh on it from the bone, there's enough meat on it to share with a group of four.
Where to find it:Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom
Some loyal Disney World fans prefer the flavor of the Citrus Swirl, a twist of orange and vanilla soft serves. Don't expect this to be anything like the Dole Whip. It's more of a Creamsicle and a delightful way to enjoy ice cream for breakfast.
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While I can't vouch for lunch or dinner, I found the breakfast at Be Our Guest to be one of the best meals I had at Disney World. I started with the Croque Madame, an open-faced ham sandwich topped with a fried egg, gruyere cheese, and bechamel sauce. Yes, fruit comes with it, but when you're at Disney, who eats healthy things like fruit and vegetables? I ate every bite of the centerpiece. The bread tasted freshly baked, like a crusty sourdough. The egg yolk poured out (it was the first easy egg I had seen all week!). The crispy ham with the melted cheese and creamy sauce left me wishing I had ordered two. I would make reservations half a year in advance just to eat this dang breakfast again.
The Tune-In Lounge is worth a visit just to see all the retro kitchens (each table is decorated like a 1950s kitchen!). While everyone raves about the Sampling of Mom's Favorite Recipes, I stopped in to try the world-famous PBJ shake. It tastes just as the name promises, like a thick, creamy peanut butter milkshake with a hint of fruity sweetness from the jelly. I could not put this milkshake down and plan to have one of these every time I visit Disney World from here on out.
Where to find it:Tune-In Lounge on Echo Lake at Hollywood Studios
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Disney's Chocolate Butterfinger Cupcake ($5)
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This picture doesn't quite show the massive scale of the Butterfinger cupcake. It feels like it weighs several pounds, and the icing is stacked at least three inches high. The cupcake is so big, you can cut it like pie pieces and divvy it up between your group. The chocolate cake is moist and cold, due to being refrigerated (a much-needed, refreshing touch in the heat of the day). It's stuffed with more chocolate frosting, a fun discovery upon cutting to the center. The Butterfinger shavings and vanilla frosting on top will send you into a sugar coma, and it's worth it.
Where to find it:The Trolley Car Café (Starbucks) on Hollywood Boulevard at Hollywood Studios
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Disney's Mickey Ice Cream ($5)
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It's a classic staple for a reason. The slightly bitter dark chocolate shell cracks open to reveal a sweet vanilla ice cream center. It's a $5 treat you can't resist.
Where to find it: Churro cart next to The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios
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Disney's Roll and Butter With Red Wine Salt (Free With Meal)
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While many frequent Disney World visitors say the cobb salad and the grapefruit cake are the things to order at the Brown Derby, they weren't my favorite. I found the salad to be wilted and the cake to be dry. That said, the beautiful interior design and lavish service are enough to bring me back through this restaurant's doors to try other entrées . . . that and the whipped butter with red wine salt served with warm, crispy rolls. You can't find better bread and butter than this.
A day at Disney World doesn't get much better than blue skies and a fresh Mickey pretzel. That salty, doughy treat begs to be paired with something refreshing and sweet, like a PBJ milkshake!
Where to find it: Churro cart next to The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios
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Disney Tusker House Buffet Breakfast ($32 each plus 18 percent gratuity)
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I tried many character breakfasts, but my favorite had to be the Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. Depending on your reservation, you may get to enter the park early, which means you get to be one of the first on the safari ride (when all of the animals are awake and grazing).
Mealie pap (sort of like sweeter, creamier cheese grits), beef bobotie (a beef stew on the bottom with a baked cornbread topping), and sweet plantains are some of the tastiest offerings from the buffet. My absolute favorite was the Cape Malay curry chicken. Though it doesn't seem breakfast appropriate, it's worth filling at least a fourth of your plate with. As always, you can't have a breakfast without Mickey waffles, which are fluffy and full of vanilla flavor. Definitely say yes to the jungle juice, which is like a tropical punch. I don't know what they put in that stuff, but it's addictive.
Imagine McDonald's-like french fries coated in shredded pork, sweet barbecue sauce, and melty nacho cheese. That's what you're working with. Sit behind the Barbecue restaurant, near the lake, to watch people scream on the Expedition Everest roller coaster. Just, you know, don't eat this before going on the ride.
Loaded with carbs, protein, and fat, the fries are a filling snack that will easily keep you satisfied for the day. Top it with some mustard if you want to add a hit of acidity to the mix.
This $9 bun is worth it. After having tried all the cinnamon rolls around Disney parks, this is the best one. Beyond its utter cuteness (hello, it's Mickey-shaped), the cinnamon roll has incredible flavor and texture. The flaky exterior paves the way to a brioche-like interior that tastes warm and fresh out of the oven. Every bite has plenty of rich cinnamon swirl. There's caramel topping, which adds more flavor and moistness. Definitely share this with a group, although you'll be tempted to hoard it for yourself. As you walk around the park, people will stare at your plate longingly.
While there's carbs and sugar aplenty at Disney World, a well-balanced meal can be a little more challenging to come by. I ate every single bite of this unassuming beef and lamb flatbread. In fact, several people around me even asked what I was eating and where they could pick up one. Inside a fresh, pillow-y flatbread is tender strips of grilled meat dressed with crisp lettuce, cucumbers, and a tasty white sauce (could be mayo or yogurt based). I loved the crunchy green papaya slaw (not pictured) and flavorful black-eyed pea salad served on the side. I plan on ordering this again and again.
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This croissant doughnut delivers on what it promises. The doughnut contains infinite flaky layers that have the same texture and taste as a croissant. Fried and tossed in cinnamon sugar, it's the closest thing to breakfast heaven. Pro tip: keep it in the bag as you munch on it. That way you can catch all the flaky bits to pour into your mouth at the end.
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I screamed with excitement when I saw Fin Du Monde on draft in the Canadian section of Epcot. The beer translates to "The End of the World," and while that sounds dismal, according to Beer Advocate, "It is brewed in honor of the intrepid European explorers who believed they had reached the 'end of the world' when they discovered North America, 'the new world.'" This Tripel-style golden ale washes down exceptionally smooth and has a wonderfully full body. Keep in mind, this is no light lager. Reserve this beer for cold days and nights, when you're looking to fill up and get your buzz on. The alcohol percentage is a staggering nine percent.
Where to find it: Canada Pavilion, outside of Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canadian Pavilion at Epcot
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Disney's Fresh Baguettes (Demi Is $2)
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OK, Disney World isn't the place you would think to buy a fresh baguette, but the store is owned and operated by French bakers who imported the bread oven from France. It is legitimate and tastes as you would hope: ultracrunchy on the outside paving way to a soft, fluffy interior.
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It's tough to pick a favorite as it was all so good. We tried the following, pictured from left to right: roule ($4), croque-monsieur ($9), Perrier ($4), demi baguette ($2), assiette fromage ($9), and tartine ($7). I would say the favorites in the group had to be the assiette fromage (cheese plate), which had goat cheese, brie, and blue, among other tasty, authentic slices. The cheese tartine was also perfection. I don't know how the French are able to melt the cheese into a crust on top of toasted bread, but I wish I could eat that every day.
I tried the caramel fleur de sel (salted caramel) ice cream, pictured left, and the strawberry macaron ice cream sandwich, pictured right. I was a little bummed that the storefront only sells two types of macaron sandwiches a day (you can't customize your own), but the deliciousness of the salted caramel ice cream made up for any disappointments. It's — in my humble opinion — the best ice cream at the Disney parks (yes, even better than Dole Whip!). Because it was freezing outside and no one was ordering ice cream, I didn't see that the store sells Croque Glacé (ice cream pressed in a fresh brioche bun). Think of an ice cream panini (toasted hot on the outside) with frozen ice cream in the center. I am just going to have to go back!
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Having visited London, I was skeptical that the fish and chips at Disney could possibly taste as authentic, and yet, I was blown away. Dare I say, Disney World's fish and chips surpass anything I've ever had in London. A whole cod filet is battered and fried to flaky, crisp perfection. The thick-cut "chips" appear to be double fried as they're golden brown and just the right amount of crunchy. The plate comes with all the condiments you could possibly hope for: lemon, ketchup, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar. All you need is a wee pint of ale and a table with a view of the lake, and you're set.
Where to find it:Rose & Crown in the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot
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Disney's Sticky Toffee Pudding ($8)
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Though you'll be extremely full from the fish and chips, it's impossible to resist ordering the famous steamed pudding (pudding refers to dessert in England). The cake, served warm, has vanilla custard on the bottom of the plate and a hot butter-rum sauce drizzled on top. It tastes like a boozy butterscotch cake.
Where to find it:Rose & Crown in the United Kingdom Pavilion at Epcot
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Disney Margaritas ($13-$15)
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La Cava Tequila Bar at the Mexican Pavilion serves up all sorts of specialty margaritas with whatever tequila you could possibly imagine. While the frozen Avocado Marg ($15) with a hibiscus salt rim is one of the most popular items on the menu, it's on the pretty sweet and creamy side. If you're looking for something zestier with a bite, try the off-menu "skinny margarita" ($13).
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Thick-cut chips, spicy red salsa, fresh guacamole, and oozy queso dip: the trio combo has a hefty price tag, but there's, like, five avocados' worth of guacamole in that bowl. It'll take a group of four to leave a dent, and it's an easy way to fill up for the day. I would certainly return, although I may prefer to hang out outside instead of in the dark cave that is the indoor tequila bar.
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The wine-based cocktails at Via Napoli, the pizzeria in the Italy Pavilion, are definitely worth ordering, especially when you're looking for something lighter to sip on than a straight glass of wine. We tried the Red Sangria, pictured, and a Rossini, like a bellini but made with strawberry puree. Refreshing and delicate, these cocktails paired ever so nicely with our Napoli-style pizza.
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Wait times at Via Napoli can be pretty intense — I overheard one family waited 45 minutes past their reservation time — but it's because everyone wants a slice of this pizza. According to the restaurant website, "The thin-crust pizzas are made with fresh mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomatoes and real Caputo flour imported from Southern Italy. Water for the dough is even sourced from a spring similar to Italy's Campania region." We could certainly taste the difference. Our only regret was ordering the smaller sized pizza!
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One thing you can be sure of when you dine at Disney World, if the description says "spicy," you are guaranteed to get spicy. This ramen bowl featured chewy al dente noodles, corn, imitation crab, a little broccolini, extremely tender shrimp, and a spicy broth. While it might not be the type of dish you'd turn to in the heat of Summer, it offered much-needed heat when I visited in the dead of Winter. I paired it with a hot green tea that helped offset some of the capsaicin burn.
Where to find it:Katsura Grill in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot
