Have you realized that you have an “every-trip” food? Something you eat every time you’re in your favorite Disney park or resort?
I figured my “every-trip” food would be something very “Disney-esque,” like an ice cream cookie sandwich or a Mickey rice krispie treat. But, it’s not. I realized that the thing I eat on every single trip, without fail, is candy, made by Nestle, and imported to Florida from the UK. Sad, but true.
It’s no secret that I’m addicted to Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Fruit Pastilles. I have been since I first found them in a Tesco in London a million years ago; I used to keep rolls of them in my tiny dorm-room refrigerator and eat ’em while I was studying. 🙂
They’re ten times better than any Ju Ju Be or Dot ever could be, and they have a serious history. You can even buy this cool print on the interwebs these days! From the 1950s!
Speaking of taste, it’s tangy and prickly. Nothing as pedestrian as a Ju Ju Be. The texture could easily pull out every filling you have. And, sadly, I haven’t found a store in my town that sells them. 🙁
But as I was walking through the Epcot UK pavilion one day — years ago — I saw that little yellow box and started to get excited. I’m pretty sure the cast member thought I was completely off my rocker!
These days, I high tail it to Twining’s Tea Shop in Epcot on every visit. Sometimes it’s the first stop I make! And even though I’ve found them (for a significantly cheaper price) on Amazon.com, I still get a box or two (or six) in Epcot on every trip — it makes me feel like I’m coming home!
Those green ones are my favorite. Just as an FYI. In case you’re eating some fruit gums someday and you see me walking by. 😉
So, do you have a similar “pilgrimage” for any of your favorite foods sold in Disney parks or resorts? What’s your “every-trip” food in your favorite Disney park?
BRiTMiCK says
Mmm, the green ones are my favourite too. I also like the strawberry and lemon ones, less keen on orange and always leave the black in the gums – I’ll eat the black in the pastilles. I used to love the pastilles when I was little and hate the gums as they were too hard, but my love for both of these sweets has grown over the years. They remind me of going to the pantomime at the theatre every Christmas with my family, where I was always bought a box of either one or the other! Although I do think that the gums taste much better when they’re shaped like in your photos from the box, as compared to the round ones you get in the tubes, even though I’m sure their exactly the same other than shape. Mmm, might have to nip out at lunch and buy some now!
Sorry – got distracted, my “every-trip food” is an ice-cream cone from the Ice Cream Parlour on Mainstreet – there’s just something about sitting outside there watching the world go by or watching the Castle show in the distance, while munching on a yummy icecream. I couldn’t visit and not take a break there at some point.
Sarah says
Mine is the School Bread from Kringla. Even though they changed (shrunk) them a few years ago, I still love them.
Lacey says
My every trip food is found at the magic kingdom near the magic carpet ride. There is a little hut and they sell fresh frozen orange juice & vanilla swirl cones. They are delish sometimes we stop there first for a breakfast treat!
Mrs M says
Ha, don’t you HATE how the fruit gums get stuck in your teeth? I’m a purist and it has to be the ones in the tube/roll.
I buy Haribo when I go on holiday to Majorca as they have such a better choice there! http://www.haribo.com/planet/sprachauswahl.php
I’ve only been to Disney once so don’t really have a “must buy” food but I shall be stocking up on Pez when I am in the US as they hard to track down here & very expensive when I do!
Brenda says
I love the yellow and the green ones myself :)I also love that I can find a Curly Wurly in the same shop!!!
My every trip food would be a hot dog from Caseys. Yes I know most hot dogs taste the same but I there is something about a Caseys hot dog….followed with an ice cream cone from the Parlour across the street 🙂
Silvercat says
AJ – if you want a complimentary box or two sent to you from the UK, let me know!
My must-have eat trip food? Dole Whip. Ooh, or maybe funnel cake! Or – gasp – both!!
Kelly says
I try my best to get Corn Dog Nuggets from Casey’s on every trip. I’ve tried to find something suitably similar at home and nothing comes close.
canadianslovewdw says
me and my wife always have to get the roasted almonds. but sadly last year the only place we found them was downtown disney. in the past we would get them in the magic Kingdom.
canadianslovewdw says
one more must have at disney. my daughter always insists on have those powdered suger filled tubes… you can get them anywhere…
Jeff from NJ says
Like AJ, my, “Every Trip” item can be purchased elsewhere, but it’s just one of those traditions. No trip would be complete without purchasing some Selma’s cookies. Prior to 2007, they were sold in the original Selma’s packaging (http://www.selmas.com/), but they’ve since been rebranded as part of the Minnie’s Bake Shop line. They’re just enormous cookies of varying flavors and taste fantastic! They’re also now available as a Dining Plan Snack purchase, so I usually save the bulk of my snacks for the last day, and grab a pile of these cookies to bring home (you can freeze them). Invariably, we deplete the stash in the freezer and start asking, “Hey, we’re out of Selma’s cookies…when are we going back to Disney?”
°o°
Emma says
Our ‘every trip’ item is Goofy’s Taffy – have to buy several bags of it to bring home! and a Dole Whip at the Magic Kingdom, I guess that is one most peoples’ lists.
Emma
ps – if you’d like any Rowntree’s sweets (candy) sent over the UK, let me know! 🙂
Sara says
My every-trip food has to be a Napoleon from France. I would have said a funnel cake from Sleepy Hollow, but somehow that fell through the cracks on our last trip! We have to stay better focused on these sugary treats!
My boyfriend’s every-trip treat comes from the Twinings shop as well – he LOVES those Penguin cookies that come in the long sleeve…at least two sleeves are usually bought on each trip!
Michelle P. says
My every trip food used to be the jalepeno peanut brittle from the Main Street Confectionary. Sigh… it was discontinued a couple years ago. I still haven’t found a good replacement – although the packages of kettle corn they sell are coming in close!
Patricia lenz says
Without fail my every trip food is the dole whip from aloha isle. I tried it on our first trip 16 years ago and fell in love. My favorite thing is grabbing one on a hot day finding a seat and people watching in adventureland. I can’t wait to go back in August–that’s sure to be one of my first stops!
Mykelogan says
At Disney World, my every trip foods would have to be Dole Whip and the Mushroom Filet at Le Cellier. Oh, and Mom’s Fried Chicken at POP Century, it really is a fantastic and relatively cheap meal!
At Disneyland, of course there is also Dole Whip but my true must do food there is the Corn Dog over at California Adventure. Best on the planet!
Nicola says
There are a few things I love and the chocolate covered marshmallows are one of them, the other thing I obsess about (so much so I now make it at home) is the salad from the skillet at whispering canyon cafe. The apple vinegrette makes me smile so much!! I can’t wait for it to get warm here in the UK so I can enjoy my WCC salad again!
Nate B. says
This is a great topic. My every trip food is the cookie ice cream sandwich from Sleepy Hollow in the Magic Kingdom. My wife and I have to have at least one on every trip.
Sarah says
I don’t have an “every trip” since I basically live at the parks, but when I wasn’t living in Orlando, I would always have to get a strawberry fruit bar!
And I believe I’ve seen the fruit gums & pastilles at the local Super Target. They have an end cap dedicated to UK products, including items like Marmite and HP Sauce.
Griffin says
Every trip I have to get a bag of Goofy’s chewy sour cherry balls!! And last year we got this soft taffy candy from Japan, Milka, I think it is. We will be making that an every trip treat as well!
Shiraz says
An ice cream cookie sandwich is my every trip snack either in the magic Kingdom or at POFQ. I always get the two chocolate chip coookies but sometimes I get vanilla ice cream and sometimes mint chocolate chip.
Alan says
No question the thing I cannot miss on each trip is the Original 1762 at the Earl of Sandwich although maybe rather the Spaghetti Fra Diavolo at Mama Melrose, better yet the Lobster Bisque at the Chefs de France, no I mean a cold Safari Amber at the Dawa Bar but maybe a properly served Smithwick’s ale at The Hole in the Wall pub at Raglan but then you have to add the fried scallops from next door although I never miss the Tortelli Di Vitello Al “Chianti” at Tutto Italia …
Shayne says
Well, with the exception of my last trip, it’s fish & chips from the Yorkshire County Fish Stand outside the Rose & Crown in Epcot. No idea why, I just feel like the trip isn’t complete until I’ve sat on a bench somewhere in the UK or France, eating my fish & chips and washing it down with a pint of Bass Ale that I know I’ll inevitably give to my husband to finish because I’m not a big beer drinker!
Dave says
smoked turkey legs !!!
Liz says
We always get a dole whip while at MK and a breakfast pizza from Wolfgang Puck Express, no fail.
Emma Godbold (from the UK) says
Hey AJ if you want me to bring you some wine gums from home when we meet up for our meal at 50s Prime Time next year just let me know!!!
My ‘must have’ for every trip is always a hot fudge sundae from the ice cream parlour on Main St, MK. There’s nothing like being full of hot fudge and ice cream whilst singing (and crying) along to Wishes 😉
fjfuchs says
HAVE TO HAVE at least TWO hamburgers from Beaches and Cream (with the pickle, please)! I’m not sure if it’s the food or the people – – we feel like family in there. Another MUST stop is the Coke Pavilion in Epcot where you can taste all the awful soft drinks from other countries. It makes you appreciate Coke even if you’re a Pepsi person. Pretty silly huh? Oh well.
Nathan says
My hands down have to have Disney treat is a Dole Whip in Frontierland! There’s nothing better than that cold pineapple ice cream and pineapple juice on those muggy July days. (Even when it’s cold it’s still pretty awesome! :)) When we went in January, we stopped at the bakery in France and shared a chocolate croissant with a cup of coffee. It was perfect because it was cold (for Florida anyway) and it just warmed the soul. Also, the Norway bakery is the bee’s knee’s. I could keep going lol.
Bill says
Like ka-zillions of others, I gotta have a Dole Whip or ten.
AJ- These fruit gums are readily available here in the US. Look in the “ethnic” food section of your supermarket. They’re usually tucked in with English fare like custards and Spotted Dick. I never tried them, but now I will have to. “Better than Dots”! Really?
Paul W. says
We have realized lately that one of our main concerns when going to WDW is food. We have too many that are every trip must haves to list, and we really enjoy trying new things as well. Thanks to this blog we are more knowledgable when making food decisions.
Thanks.
Gillian says
We’re coming to WDW in May for our honeymoon and are SO excited. It’s my first trip for about 12 years and I find myself dreaming about the hot dogs from EPCOT (I think I’ve said that before, somewhere). I don’t know why!
My fiance, who is a Disney virgin, has already started talking about the ice cream sandwiches from Main Street Bakery since seeing a photo of one on this blog. I sense that might be our first stop 😉
Can I just say how much we enjoy reading this, and all the comments. We are so inspired that we’ve decided to have a World Showcase drink-and-snack-a-thon while we’re there. I am not sure how long we’ll be standing for!!
Thanks for all the lovely reads folks. Can’t wait to be back there.
Gabriella says
Our classic WDW cult snacks include dole whips, mickey bars, caramel corn, churros, candy apples and pastries/crepes in France, but our lesser-known favorites include chocolate Mozart balls in Germany (if you like marzipan, you’ll LOVE these!!), beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter, Kona coffee at the Polynesian and the cream cheese-filled soft pretzels in Tomorrowland!
Tuelle says
Kasugai Muscat Gummy Candy from the Japan Pavilion.pic here: http://tinypineapple.com/a/lost/kasugai-muscat-gummy.jpg. My wife can’t understand my obsession with these somewhat overpriced “grape flavor slaps you upside the head” gummies, but I *MUST* have them on every WDW visit. Must. Have. Mmmmmm. 🙂
Randy says
I haven’t been in a long while but I have a few things that I used to always get and will definitely get again the next time I am there
1 – Popcorn – I know you can get this anywhere but it doesn’t seem the same
2 – Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
3 – Turkey Leg
Sasha says
The Ham and Cheese Croissant from Boulangerie Patisserie in Epcot!! Crispy outside with melty cheese and salty, lightly sweet ham inside. Yum! The only time I didn’t get one was during the Food and Wine Festival because I knew I was going to be so full that day. Although I still almost pick one up anyway. 🙂
barb-n-kurt says
best ‘must-haves’ are the turkey legs & dole whip…no, wait; japanese candies & pecos bill’s double burger w/ fixin’s, er..maybe the sundaes @ Pop Century & the giant pretzels in AK, oh, we didn’t think this was gonna be soooo hard!!
Jill says
Without a doubt my husband and I can not consider it a trip to the world if we don’t get Kaki Gori from Japan in EPCOT.
Saddest news is that they no longer make the original Kaki Gori now they make the “American Snow Cone” version. EPCOT will never be the same again for us. ;(
Meghan says
I think my list would be a book, but the main “must have” is the chocolate dipped Mickey Mouse Ice Cream. My family makes so much fun of me, and they always take random photos of me with my multiple ice cream treats. Last year, I got one for free on my birthday, and it was like winning the lottery.
Rich Miller says
My wife must have a Magic Cookie Bar from the Wilderness Lodge every trip. Another fav of hers is of course the Dole Whip. For me, I really like Coke Floats. I never get one at home, but always seem to get 1 on 2 while on vacation.
Alex says
I love these but I have never purchased them in WDW, I always just pick them up in the ethnic food section of Kroger, or in Central Market’s candy aisle.
The only foods I buy every trip to a Disney park are dole whips and character gummies, I have picked those up at least once a trip since the first trip I made eating food (so since I was around three.)
Pudge the Fish says
Tonga Toast from Kona Cafe on the last morning of vacation and one of the one inch thick peanut butter cookies (with the gigantic peanut butter wafers, and probably a stick of butter, baked inside) from Goofy’s Candy Company at DTD.
Madoka says
Disneyland and DCA are our home parks. For DH, he always has to have a chocolate croissant, (at least one) churro, and a Dole Whip Float. At DCA, we used to always get a hot link corn dog at Corn Dog Castle until it was shut down for the Paradise Pier remodel. I expect this tradition will continue when the location reopens. At WDW, the must-get is definitely the school bread from Kringla Bakeri in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot.
Sarah says
It has to be anything at the Patisserie in the France Pavilion. I’ve been to Paris twice and miss it, so eating a chocolate croissant or something else there just brings me back. I went to the Kringla bakery last time I was there, and loved the giant sweet pretzels they have there. Those might have to become a must have too!
Megan says
Braquetto D’aqui in Italy/Epcot, loaded fries from Pecos Bill in MK, tuna Poke at the Kona Island in Polynesian, Grown-up Grilled cheese from the Poly, cheese board from Cali Grill, profiteroles form les chefs du france….I could certainly continue but my tummy is growling now lol.
Anna says
I worked at Disney World for 5 months, and I never got tired of these:
Creme brulee from fake France’s boulangerie.
Pineapple/vanilla Dole Whip, preferably just before Wishes.
Veggie sandwich with extra feta and onions from Earl of Sandwich.
Pear and almond tart from the bakery in fake Norway.
Galloping Gourmand says
Man I know nobody is reading this so I shall compose a haiku about my every trip snack, the ki-gori:
Fruit syrup, ice, cup
with these three things together
refreshment is born
Rhiannon says
The Mickey Ice Cream Bar is the 1st thing my husband eats @ the parks. In fact he was there without me and sent me a text picture of one with a bite missing and a caption saying Wish you Were here.
Our other must have is the fried chicken from 50’s Prime Time Cafe @DHS. In fact we have 22 reservations booked there for our trip in May!
Griffin says
Well done, GG, well done. lol!
Sara says
Galloping Gourmand – your haiku reminds me of the first kaki-gori I had, bright red and accidentally dropped onto my dad’s new white shoes…lol.
Enchanted Princess says
My husband used to get the giant sized McDonald fries in Animal Kingdom, but that’s since long gone. Now on every trip, he loves to try out a new candy or snack at the Japanese Pavillion. Our son tries to use all of our daily snack credits for popcorn because he “must must must” have some. And our newest inductee to our annual Disneyworld trek, our daughter, loves the Mickey ice cream bars. And, my family knows that Mommie must have Mickey waffles bright and early in the morning or our precisely scheduled day’s activities in the parks will blow up in a puff of smoke. They are just the best in the world.
DtownBlue says
Dole Whip Float!
No Way Jose from Beaches and Cream!
Mickey Bar!
Western Omlette from Pop Century!
Corn Dog Nuggets!
Ahhhh…there’s too many things!