Food is an essential part of going to Disney Parks.  It’s an especially essential part of going to the parks when you’re with me.  I like food.  For those that don’t go to the parks very often, picking where to eat can be somewhat overwhelming.  While we have a decent amount of reviews here on the blog, not everyone has the time to go through each one.  With this in mind I wanted to make a list of my favorite foods to eat at Disneyland and Disney World.

These won’t be for everyone and I admittedly lean more towards the savory than the sweet.  But my hope is if you’re going to, or in, the parks and don’t know what to get you can skim through this list and find something that looks appealing.  I’m including all options no matter if it’s a table-service, counter-service, snack or lounge option.  I’ll add location of the item and a sentence about them.  Finally, this list isn’t about what I think is the best value, it’s simply about what I think tastes the best.  We’ll start in Disney World!

Dole Pineapple Float (Aloha Isle – Magic Kingdom) – A true Disney classic.  It will show up again when we get to the Disneyland section.

Whole Fried Fish (Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skippers Canteen – Magic Kingdom) – A weird, unique and really fun entrée.  It is also delicious.

Braised Pork (Lunch at Be Our Guest Restaurant – Magic Kingdom) – One of the best counter-service dishes around.  Braised pork on top of mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.

Warm Cinnamon Roll (Gaston’s Tavern – Magic Kingdom) – The original Main Street Bakery cinnamon roll revisited.  This is delicious, especially after an early morning stroll through Magic Kingdom.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Waffle (Sleepy Hollow – Magic Kingdom) – One of the best items at Magic Kingdom.  The chicken is juicy and has an interesting sauce, as well as a nice slaw on top of the sandwich.  Not that this went into consideration, but this is one of the best values around.

Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich (L’Artisan des Glaces – Epcot) – The ice cream at L’Artisan is fantastic, combine that with macarons and we’re shooting off into orbit.

Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookie with Pecans (Karamell Kuche – Epcot) – A delicious cookie with apple inside of it and caramel drizzled on top.

Filet Mignon (Teppan Edo – Epcot) –  Extremely tender steak with great flavor.

Prosciutto e Melone Pizza (Via Napoli – Epcot) – The best pizza I’ve had anywhere at Disney.  Cantaloupe on pizza is better than cantaloupe by itself.

Fruit Tart (Trolley Car Cafe – Disney’s Hollywood Studios) – Mainly, I’m just trying to find a way to get Hollywood Studios on this list.  But this fruit tart is really good.

Beef and Lamb Gyro Flatbread (Harambe Market – Animal Kingdom) – This is a really good gyro.  I loved the seasoning on the meat.

Warm Colossal Cinnamon Roll (Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery – Animal Kingdom) – This giant cinnamon roll is my wife’s inclusion but it is really delicious.  Colossal isn’t too much of an exaggeration here either.

Ribs and Chicken Combo – (Flame Tree Barbecue – Animal Kingdom) – Flame Tree is the best barbecue in a Disney Park and this is my favorite entrée.  The ribs are juicy and the chicken has a great seasoning.

Wagyu Strip Loin and Braised Short Rib (Tiffins – Animal Kingdom) – The Strip Loin is simply the best steak I’ve ever had.

Bobotie (Boma – Animal Kingdom Lodge) – Boma is a buffet full of great offerings.  I chose Bobotie from their great list because it’s unique.  Bobotie is an African dish (basically a casserole) made of mostly meat and egg.

Bread Service (Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge) – The bread service at Sanaa is one of the most fun things I’ve ever eaten.  They bring you 5 types of naan bread and up to 9 dips for your bread.  The tastes are diverse and are pretty unique.

Zebra Domes (Around Animal Kingdom Lodge) – You can find these desserts at Boma and The Mara (Animal Kingdom Lodge’s counter-service option).  A Zebra Dome is Amarula Cream Liquor mousse is enrobed in panna cotta-esque white chocolate and drizzled with chocolate and chocolate shavings (Via Disneyfoodblog.com).

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream Sundae (Ample Hills Creamery – Disney’s Boardwalk) – I don’t really care much for ice cream but this is absolutely delicious.

Oak Fired Filet of Beef (California Grill – Contemporary Resort) – This is a delicious steak and the risotto that’s typically served with it is a great compliment.

Tonga Toast (Around the Polynesian Resort) – You can find Tonga Toast, which is french toast with banana in it, at Captain Cook’s or the Kona Cafe.

Anything or everything at Ohana (Ohana – Polynesian Resort) – I could pick a favorite but if you’re going to Ohana you get all of the food anyway.  And I lied… I couldn’t pick a favorite.

Yacht Club Burger (Crew’s Cup Lounge – Yacht Club) – The best cheeseburger I’ve tried on Disney property.

Disneyland

Dole Pineapple Float (Tiki Juice Bar – Disneyland) – This one earns extra points over the Magic Kingdom version because you can drink/eat it while sitting in the Tiki Room.

Carne Asada and Red Chile Enchilada Platter (Rancho del Zocalo – Disneyland) – A very good counter-service entrée.  Not the most authentic Mexican dish but a good effort for a theme park restaurant.

Fried Chicken (Plaza Inn – Disneyland) – By all means, theme park fried chicken should be greasy and pretty bad.  This is really good quality and delicious.

Raspberry Rose Mickey Macaron (Jolly Holiday Bakery – Disneyland) – My favorite dessert at Disneyland.

Pommes Frites (Cafe Orleans) – Disneyland) – If I was a Disneyland local, I’d eat these once a week.  It wouldn’t be healthy but it’d be well worth it.  Deliciously seasoned fries with great dipping sauces.

Monte Cristo (Cafe Orleans – Disneyland) – Incredibly rich but if you like grilled cheese sandwiches you’ll definitely like this.

Mickey Beignets (Cafe Orleans – Disneyland) – The dipping sauce to go with these fresh beignets makes for a perfect combination.

Chimichanga (Snack Carts – Disneyland) – These chimichangas are served throughout Disneyland.  I can never figure out why I enjoy them so much but they’re addicting and delicious.

Chili Con Queso (Cozy Cone Motel – California Adventure) – A guilty pleasure, this is chili and cheese in a bread cone.  One of my favorite snacks at California Adventure.

Cheddar Garlic Bagel Twist (Cozy Cone Motel – California Adventure) – My wife’s favorite thing at a Disney Park.  So much so that she stops and gets these about once a day when we are at Disneyland.

Lobster Nachos (Cove Bar – California Adventure) – These nachos are entering legendary status.  A huge portion size and a delicious snack/entrée.

Anything at Napa Rose (Napa Rose – Grand Californian) – My favorite restaurant in the world.  I’ve yet to be disappointed by anything I’ve tried here.

Classic Eggs Benedict (Steakhouse 55 – Disneyland Hotel) – I’m not an Eggs Benedict expert, but the ones here are the best I’ve tasted.

Panko-crusted Chinese Long Beans (Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Hotel) – Whenever I have green beans, or any vegetable for that matter, I just dream that I’m eating these.  A perfect accompaniment to a drink and the coolest bar there is.

While this is a pretty lengthy list, there is plenty that will be added over the years.  What are some of your favorite items to eat at Disney Parks?  Let me know in the comments!  Thank you for reading Wandering in Disney.

– Andrew