SPECIAL: Top Treats for Staying Cool this Summer at Disney World

Visiting Walt Disney World in the summer? It’s no secret it can get very hot and humid! Luckily there are many amazing treat options that not only taste great, they can help take the edge off the heat. Keep reading for some great ideas.

Here are all the top treats from Disney Cast Member Alex Dunlap:

We’re chilling out this summer with some deliciously refreshing cool treats at Walt Disney World Resort. If you’re looking for a way to cool off between all of your exciting activities in the parks, then this is the list for you! Between going on fantastical adventures and taking in one of the many entertaining shows our parks and resorts have to offer, you’ll definitely want to find ways to take a break and beat the heat. And what better way to do that than with a yummy frozen treat? Here’s a list with just a few ways to cool off on both coasts! And if you’re wanting to speed up your cool-downs, pay in advance and skip the line by mobile ordering your treat from select locations via the My Disney Experience app at Walt Disney World Resort.

Magic Kingdom Park

• Snack on a scoop of ice cream or even a sundae at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor and be sure to grab the It’s a Party! Sundae and the Sugar Cookie Sandwich available through July 31.
• Try one of the many delicious flavors of soft serve available at Aloha Isle (Dole Whip Pineapple), Sunshine Tree Terrace (Orange-Vanilla Swirl and Redd’s Revenge Float with strawberry soft-serve and Fanta Strawberry), Storybook Treats (Dole Whip – Lemon and Lime), and Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies (Try the new 2319 Cone with mango-vanilla swirl soft-serve).
• Grab a Space Ranger Slush at The Lunching Pad or Wonderland Slush at Cheshire Café.

Epcot

• Try one of the awesome specialty beverages (like the Awesome Mix Slushy, the I Am Root root beer float, the Destroyer Punch, or the Galaxy Juice) available through August 18 at Fife & Drum for “Guardians of the Galaxy – Awesome Mix Live!”.
• Indulge in fresh Italian Gelato from Gelati in the Italy pavilion.
• Scoop up some Kakigōri (Japanese shaved ice) from Kabuki Cafe in the Japan pavilion.
• Stop by L’Artisan des Glaces in the France pavilion for unique flavors of ice cream and macaron ice cream sandwiches.
• Celebrate Disney’s “The Lion King” with the No Worries Panna Cotta (raspberry, papaya, and mango panna cotta with cookie crumbles and white chocolate!) at Refreshment Outpost.
• Wash down your fish and chips with a Frozen Pimm’s Lemonade at the UK Beer Cart, made with frozen Minute Maid Lemonade, Sprite, and gin.
• Make a pit stop at The Land Cart with Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry and Frozen Minute Maid Lemonade or grab a Blueberry Slushy at the Canada Popcorn Cart.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Take a break and enjoy a build-your-own sundae with the new Burgers and Sundaes experience at Restaurantosaurus starting August 18.
• Beat the heat with one of the many treats inspired by Disney’s “The Lion King” throughout the park, like the Simba Ice Cream Sandwich, Simba’s Sunset Dole Whip, the King’s Cooler, the Asante Slush, or the Bugs ‘n Grub Waffle Cone – check out the recent Foodie Guide for more info.
• Feel like a billion bucks with Scrooge McDuck’s Billionaire Bacon Caramel Sundae, available at Dino-Bite Snacks in DinoLand U.S.A.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Sip on a milkshake from Dockside Diner.
• Enjoy hand-dipped ice cream, sundaes, and ice cream sandwiches from Hollywood Scoops.
• Get in on the action with the incredible Frozone Slush (Fanta Blue Raspberry with whipped cream) or the Secret Identity (Frozen Coca-Cola with cherry cotton candy) from the Neighborhood Bakery.
• Get refreshed Green Alien-style with the Mystic Portal Punch at Woody’s Lunch Box.

Disney Springs

• Try one of the many specialty beverages (like the Violet Sake Slushie from YeSake) and desserts available for Disney Springs Flavors of Florida 2019, available through Sept. 2.
• Grab an artisanal shake from D-Luxe Burger like the S’mores Gelato Shake or the Salted Caramel Gelato Shake.

With all of these cold treats, you’re sure to have a great time this summer! And don’t forget, you can always stay hydrated with a complimentary cup of ice water available at any food and beverage location that serves fountain beverages.

For more information on these food and beverage offerings visit the Walt Disney World Resort Dining Page or call 407 WDW-DINE (407 939-3463).

RELATED ARTICLE: Where to Find the Best Ice Cream at Disney World

by Mike and Jamie Sylvester

Whether you’re standing in the middle of Main Street U.S.A., taking a breather back at your Disney Resort, or dashing from one attraction to another… anytime at Disney is a good time for ice cream! So, try not to judge our overindulging ice cream loving taste buds as we share our top 10 favorite places to find the very best ice cream at Walt Disney World.

10 – Happy Landings Ice Cream @ Typhoon Lagoon

It may be number ten on the list, but Happy Landings Ice Cream still gets high marks from us! Get this – they have a Sand Pail that they fill with ice cream… chocolate and vanilla soft-serve ice cream, waffle cone and Oreo cookie pieces, sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel sauce, whipped cream and a cherry of course! All of this goodness is layered into the Sand Pail to be enjoyed. The best part is they give you a shovel it eat it with. Just awesome! If you aren’t tempted to indulge in the Sand Pail, grab a classic ice cream snack like Mickey’s Ice Cream Bar.

9 – Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies @ Magic Kingdom

What’s better than Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain? A ride on Space Mountain and an ice cream to follow it! Get your feet back on the ground with a visit to Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies for a delicious line-up of ice cream selections. In the mood for a Caramel, Strawberry, or a Hot Fudge Sundae? Auntie Gravity’s has you covered. Go simple with a soft-serve cone or cup, or enjoy an Ice Cream Float with a fountain beverage of your choice. This is an especially great place to keep in your hip pocket on those hot and crowded park days.

8 – 50’s Prime Time Café @ Hollywood Studios

Mom is calling and she has some impressive ice cream options for you to enjoy! 50’s Prime Time Café at Hollywood Studios has a perfect 50’s-era atmosphere with Moms, Dads, Aunts and Uncles as the servers. Catch a 50’s television show on the tube while you dine. Be prepared however to order an ice cream dessert to wrap up this perfect meal! We can’t get enough of the Peanut Butter & Jelly Milk Shake which we know sounds gross, but it’s actually really good. The Ice Cream Sundae or one of their other flavored shakes are tasty as well. Plus, most of their other dessert come A ‘la mode! If you don’t have a dining reservation, check out the Tune-In Lounge inside the restaurant and snag an ice cream to go.

7 – Aloha Isle @ Magic Kingdom

The Dole Whip! This is probably one of the most nostalgic ice cream choices you’ll find at Disney World. If you’ve never had one, or even if you’ve had multiple – a stopover in Adventureland at Aloha Isle is never a bad idea. The light and refreshing pineapple with soft-serve vanilla or swirled ice cream is such a delectable treat! Disney even offers Mobile Ordering for Dole Whips on the My Disney Experience App at Aloha Isle. If you aren’t at Magic Kingdom – don’t fret! You can get a Dole Whip at either Disney’s Polynesian Resort or Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Different versions (including alcoholic Dole Whips) are available at Animal Kingdom as well.

6 – Gelati @ Epcot’s World Showcase

An ice cream list isn’t complete without an Italian Gelato! Nestled perfectly in the Italy Pavilion around Epcot’s World Showcase is a small kiosk called Gelati that holds big flavor. Do you want your Gelato to come in a cup, cone, or between a cookie sandwich? As if that’s not a difficult enough choice, you’ll need to decide what flavor of Gelato you want!  You can even try their specialties like the Coppa Amicizia with cookies and cream, strawberry, Fior Di Latte, mango sauce, whipped cream, and whole raspberries. If you’re heading to Disney Springs, you will also find outstanding Gelato options at the Vivoli il Gelato in The Landing. Yum!

5 – Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop @ Disney Springs – Marketplace

World famous chocolate and ice cream is a combination we can’t get enough of! Located in Disney Springs Marketplace, Ghirardelli serves up unforgettable ice cream goodness. An insane list of sundaes awaits with options like Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae, Golden Gate Banana Split, Marina Raspberry Sorbet Sundae, and Painted Ladies Mint Bliss. Sundaes aren’t your thing? Check out their long list of shakes and floats or stick with the scoop or cone. A chocolate/ice cream heaven awaits!

4 – L’Artisan des Glaces @ Epcot’s World Showcase

We’re traveling to France (that is the France in Epcot’s World Showcase) for a satisfying array of ice cream flavors delivered with a dose of French detail. Our favorite selection at L’Artisan is actually their alcoholic option, the Ice Cream Martini! If that’s not your style, they have a great selection of ice cream flavors to put in a cup or cone to allow for easy wandering of the France Pavilion while you snack. Some especially memorable flavors include Caramel Fleur de Sel, Coffee, Cinnamon with Caramelized Pecan, and Coco-white Chocolate. Their sorbets and artisan specials (like the Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich) are also fantastic choices.

3 – Plaza Ice Cream Parlor @ Magic Kingdom

Main Street U.S.A. is such a memorable place at Magic Kingdom. One of the shops that stands out the most for us would have to be the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor nestled on the corner just across the way from Casey’s Corner. This is a great place to breeze in and out before a parade to enjoy a tasty treat while waiting for the entertainment. The menu offers all the favorites you’d expect at an ice cream parlor, but with a few Disney touches like cookie Mickey Mouse ears that can be added to ice cream selections. A timeless favorite here is Mickey’s Kitchen Sink Sundae which comes in a plastic souvenir sink! We’d also recommend the Doughnut Sundae, Apple Blossom Sundae, and their popular Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches!

2 – Beaches & Cream Soda Shop @ Disney’s Beach Club Resort

If the home of the Kitchen Sink wasn’t on this list, we’d have to call shenanigans! This tiny restaurant at Disney’s Beach Club is a great spot to remember the old-fashioned soda shop while playing your favorite tunes on the jukebox. Dine-in for some tasty American classics like burgers and fries before diving into your ice cream dessert. The Kitchen Sink we mentioned is a mountain of ice cream that when delivered to the table sets of alarms! 8 scoops of ice cream and EVERY topping in store is what you and your hopefully very hungry friends can look forward to! While the kitchen sink is the most popular, more fantastic ice cream options include the No Way Jose, Classic Banana Split, Malts, Coke or Root Beer floats, and much more. Adult Hard Floats are available here too. No reservations? No worries, you can simply order your ice cream to-go at the special to-go counter. Beaches & Cream is truly that all-American ice cream joint you’ll want to visit again and again.

1 – Ample Hills Creamery @ Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Here you have it! THE number one place in our opinion to find the best of the best ice cream at Walt Disney World is Ample Hills Creamery located on Disney’s Boardwalk (part of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn). This ice cream shop might not be exclusive to Disney World, as it is a highly sought commodity in the Brooklyn area, but it is definitely taking the Boardwalk by storm! Signature ice cream flavors are what Ample Hills is all about… and boy do they do it well. Favorites would have to include the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, PB Wins the Cup, Sally Sells Seashells, and Malty Salty Pretzel Punch… and we could keep going! Interested in an alcoholic dessert? Check out the Lemon Sky Prosecco with Ruffino Prosecco and lemon sky sorbet. So order a cup, cone, shake or sundae and stroll the Boardwalk with sheer deliciousness in hand!