What Is the Best Snack at Disney and Other Theme Parks?

June 19, 2021, 7:33 PM · In the middle of the afternoon, when walking around the park all day is making you hungry, what do you look for to eat?

Whether you are visiting Walt Disney World or Cedar Point, Six Flags or Universal Studios, theme parks offer a wide variety of snacks to tempt you throughout your visit. But I suspect most of us have developed pretty strong favorites from among those options.

Do you go for popcorn when you're walking around the park? Or do you prefer the sweeter taste of a churro or maybe going old school with some cotton candy? Perhaps you would rather cool down with some form of ice cream or frozen treat? Or maybe you want to keep it healthy with a piece of fruit? Or do you crave something more substantial, like a corn dog? How about a pretzel, or some fries, or even a big 'ol plate of fried dough, maybe loaded with toppings?

There's no wrong answer here for many of us, but we want to hear which theme park treat is your first choice. If your favorite is not on the list, please pick the choice closest to your favorite. Do keep in mind that we are talking about food snacks here. I know that many theme park fans prefer something to drink - especially on a hot day - but that's a whole other vote!

(Before anyone complains, I left turkey legs off the list because that's easily enough calories for a hefty meal. I can pass off a corn dog as a snack, but not a turkey leg.)

In the comments, please tells us which specific item from which park is your personal, all-time, theme park snack champion.

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Replies (19)

June 19, 2021 at 7:41 PM

I voted ice cream, but I was thinking specifically of a dole whip. On a hot day or waiting for the nighttime fireworks to start, one of those can’t be beaten in my book!

June 20, 2021 at 12:07 AM

I voted for french fries but am really meaning Apple Fries. I just want everybody to know. Thank you.

June 20, 2021 at 7:53 AM

Jack Jack’s num num cookies at Hollywood Studios, by a loooooong way … :)

…….. and if you’ve never tried them, then go to the marketplace stall by Joffrey’s behind the Chinese theater for an artery clogging experience to savor !!

June 20, 2021 at 11:10 AM

I was gonna say "Beer", but now I am intrigued by Jack Jack’s Num Num cookies

June 20, 2021 at 2:03 PM

I voted ice cream but my go to snack that I must buy when going to Orlando is the butterbeer. I looked up the Jack Jack's num num cookies and they do look ridiculously good!!

June 20, 2021 at 4:25 PM

I voted ice cream but specifically for frozen custard at DCA.


Seriously, that stuff is being slept on rn. If anyone’s had Andy’s or Rita’s will know how good frozen custard

June 20, 2021 at 6:57 PM

@TH & Francis 24 .... it had been 4 days since my last one, so had to go in today and have another. Although it was shared, which actually makes a bit more sense ... :) But yes, I can eat one on my own, especially when paired with a nice cold Joffrey's coffee. Handy those 2 places are next door to each other.

.... and this is where all started:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkTdM-wggBo

Snagged ROTR group 2 this morning, (It was deemed a failure by my friend, as the last 2 times I'd gotten us group 1 ... !?!? ... LOL), but didn't get there until around 3pm when they were on groups 80 something. Never a problem, just thought I mention, as a lot of people don't realise it doesn't matter if your boarding group time has expired, as long as it's after the alloted time they will always let you in.

......... and finally, although this is not a snack, but just down the pathway is Woody's Lunch Box, and they do a grilled cheese sandwich to die for.

June 20, 2021 at 7:04 PM

I have to go for the Mouse Ears bars anytime I go.

June 20, 2021 at 10:16 PM

I was surprised by how much I liked the cream cheese filled pretzel at Magic Kingdom. Since that is rarely found, the Dole Whip is second.

June 20, 2021 at 10:44 PM

I used to freakin love the ice cream cookie sandwiches at the Sleepy Hollow Inn at Magic Kingdom. You could take any fresh-baked cookie flavor and have it paired with any ice cream flavor they had on hand. In a classic case of “it ain’t broke but we’re gonna fix it anyway” the last time I was there they had changed the cookie sandwich option to an ice cream and cinnamon churro sandwich, which admittedly on paper sounds like a snack that would be so good it would create a Nexus event, altering the very thrust of Time itself. Alas, when it was compared to the cookie and ice cream sandwich that came before it was but a faded negative of a former image.

June 21, 2021 at 10:12 AM

If I had to choose one of the snacks listed above, it would probably be popcorn, in particular differently flavored popcorn (including kettle corn). We're just not much for snacking in theme parks, and if we do, it's usually snacks we will bring into the park with us (candy, nuts, chips, etc...).

If we're talking about smaller, cheaper food purchases at theme parks, I would much rather have a small plate entrée than one of these snack foods. That's why we tend to visit parks during their seasonal food festivals where those items are more prevalent. However, parks have started recognizing that guests want more substantial and healthy foods as snacks throughout the day and are more frequently offering appetizers or smaller portions of their best selling entrees for guests to consume outside of normal meal hours.

June 21, 2021 at 10:29 AM

I'm another one who voted ice cream with Dole Whip in mind. It's just the perfect cool treat for a hot day and helps re-hydrate you too. It's also a reasonably allergy-friendly treat which can sometimes be hard to come by. Pineapple is a common allergen, so it's not completely allergen-free, but it's closer than a lot of others.

June 21, 2021 at 1:34 PM

Please add Dole Whip as its own category.

June 21, 2021 at 4:10 PM

This may not be very exciting, but my favorite treat at DLR is the Kid's Powerpack Lunch set. It comes with a variety of items including yogurt drink, carrots and dip, goldfish like crackers, string cheese, whole seasonal fruit, and a small bottle of water. Other than the yogurt, all of it can go into a backpack for small snacking through the day. I like it way more than one huge calorie bomb at a single time. I do also love a good Mickey Bar too.

June 22, 2021 at 6:59 AM

The perfect snack: A frozen Butterbeer from IOA with a turkey leg from DHS chased by a Dole Whip float from MK. Would need the portal gun from Rick and Morty to make it happen (and that is the kind of thing I would use it for).

June 22, 2021 at 1:45 PM

Snack? That's like a day's worth of calories there.

Not that I am complaining. I should be so lucky to enjoy a day's worth of calories like that.

June 23, 2021 at 12:57 PM

Popcorn’s always a go to for me at most parks, but it’s easy to screw up - mostly by adding too much salt. I love the Tokyo Disney parks’ flavored popcorn; the Pop Secret they serve at the US Disney parks, not so much. Bring back the Orville Redenbacher!

June 23, 2021 at 4:42 PM

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream, a mixture of both Sticky toffee pudding & salted caramel blondie

June 24, 2021 at 7:29 PM

Another ice cream vote for Dole whip! Popcorn would be a close second.

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