Ah, Disneyland. Gorgeous weather, original park dreamed up by Walt himself, and home of some seriously fantastic ice cream treats. Today, we’re stopping by the recently-renovated Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street USA to check out one of their house specialities!

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor has long been a fixture on Main Street USA, and guests can often expect to encounter long lines here as they await their turn to order their favorite cone, cup, shake, or sundae.

But with some extra added touches, you may soon find that it’s well worth the wait. Plus, we have a tip for minimizing line time… .

Atmosphere

It’s very likely that you’ll smell Gibson Girl Ice Cream before you spy it. There’s some serious freshly baked waffle cone-age happening inside, after all!!

Step inside, and you’re immediately greeted by a “sorbet” palette (get it?!? the hits keep on comin’). Pink, mauve, and pale green/blue combine to provide a pleasing Victorian feel.

The swirling dark wood pattern reminds me of filigree, in contrast to a backdrop of pastel, marbleized stained glass.

Turn-of-the-century, Victorian touches extend above and below as well. Ornate brass chandeliers hang from intricate ceiling medallions, and the ceiling design mimics tin tiles.

Striking wall sconces softly illuminate while adding a powerful decor punch.

And, if you peer out the painted window at just the right time, you may just spy a horse-drawn trolley making its way down Main Street.

When the ice cream parlor was renovated last year, the space gained valuable square footage for the (almost ever-present) queue, but additional seating space was also added.

Be sure to spend a little time noticing the details here — the rich, brocade wallpaper is a fitting background to the framed prints of Gibson Girls — feminine ideals made popular by Charles Dana Gibson, an illustrator, in turn-of-the-century America. Notice, too, the circle-and-square floor tile. I seriously love the pattern and colors they’ve chosen.

While tables are made of a utilitarian composite material, and are meant to stand up to the high-traffic area, the chairs are delicate and traditional ice cream parlor chairs. Not particularly comfortable. But then, you won’t be sitting here for hours.

More feminine touches crown the counter. You find delicate art glass pieces, and the “chandelier”-type hanging in the middle consists of strands of pearls. A closer look and you’ll see that those prized waffle cones have made it into the decor here as well! And rows and rows of freshly-made waffle cones as far as the eye can see, just waiting for ice cream! Heaven!!

I also spied this old-fashioned souvenir glass while snapping photos. This was the same glass featured for the Limited Time Magic Christmas in July event this past summer.

Here’s hoping for a return of the Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundae this holiday season!

Eats

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is hosted by Dreyer’s Ice Cream, so you’ll find that particular brand featured in all of the creations here. And while the menu isn’t extensive and it’s a little pricey, guests will routinely tell you that servings are enormous!

Choose from a plain waffle cone, or add even more decadence by choosing a dipped version. If you really deserve at treat (of course you do!), they have dipped cones that come with sprinkles or chopped peanuts as well.

I had to try one of the sundaes that I’d been eyeing all week, though.

If you know me — and my love for cookies + hand-dipped ice cream — you probably could guess what came next. Yes. I chose the Chocolate Chip Cookie Hot Fudge Sundae. It’s like my favorite treat, the Hand-Made Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich, deconstructed! With Whipped Cream! And a Cherry!!

I love real Hot Fudge, too — like, when it just starts to melt the Vanilla Ice Cream. So good.

The two Chocolate Chip Cookies were fresh and chewy, and were just perfect for scooping up bites of the sundae. And true to expectations, with two scoops of ice cream and two cookies, this was more than enough treat to share. It dwarfed the cup.

Good thing for the cool AC of the shop, because this would have flooded out of the cup in short order had we chosen to eat and stroll! But complaining about pretty decent value does seem kind of silly, doesn’t it?

Overall

Ice cream and Main Street USA. They go together like peas and carrots (although I like them much, much better). But really — when you’re in Disneyland, it just seems like there are some snack MUSTS. And having ice cream on Main Street in a parlor inspired by turn of the century ideals seems like it fits into this category pretty well.

Sure, lines here can be long. But here’s a TIP: they can be considerably shorter during parades. So if you don’t mind missing the hoopla outside, parade time is a great time to head in for your frosty treat.

If you love ice cream parlors, you should definitely give Gibson Girl a try. Whether you choose a sundae, or one of those amazing cones, I’m fairly certain you’ll be pleased with the outcome.

And be sure to check out our Ice Cream Gallery for some of our other favorite Disney ice cream treats!

What will you order on your next trip to Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor? Leave a comment and let us know!