Over the years, we’ve eaten a LOT of Disney World snacks.
Mickey Pretzel
We’ve had cupcakes with all kinds of flavors, a wide variety of milkshakes, and our fair share of treats that made us scratch our heads. But there are some snacks that we’ve come back to over and over again — things like Disney’s chicken tenders or the classic Mickey premium bars and stuffed pretzels. And if you’re missing those classic treats when you’re away from the parks, there might be a way for you to get your theme park food fix!
We recently took a trip to Wawa (yes, the gas station!) to try out some of their snacks and see how they compare with the options in Disney World. This particular gas station chain is known for having decent food, and we found ourselves with quite a few options to choose from.
Food selections at Wawa
You can either order at one of the many kiosks to pick up something like a sandwich, salad, or breakfast food, or you can head to the counter, where we found a warming station filled with snacks that were made earlier that day. That’s where we’re getting our samples from this time!
Let’s dig in!
We picked up a Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Pretzel, a package of two Pork Egg Rolls, and a bag of Homestyle Chicken Bites, and altogether our total was $9.34. That’s significantly cheaper than this roundup would’ve cost us in the theme parks, but that’s to be expected.
Wawa Menu
So let’s try out these snacks and see how they compare with their Disney counterparts! First up, we tried the Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Pretzel, which we would put up against either the Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel or the Pepper Jack Stuffed Pretzel in Disney World. The Wawa version is a bit smaller, but it’s also a lot cheaper — the Disney pretzels typically cost around $7.49, while the Wawa one rang up for $2.39.
Stuffed Pretzel
As far as taste goes, there are pros and cons. It’s not as salty as a Disney pretzel, but it’s also not as doughy. We felt like the ratio of cheese to pretzel was pretty decent, and the cheddar cheese flavor was strong. The filling is similar to a cheese sauce, and it’s definitely best when it’s still fresh — this one got a little tough to eat after we let one half get cold.
Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Pretzel
Putting it up against a Disney pretzel, it’s different, but it’s definitely a good alternative if you can’t make it to the parks. It’s significantly cheaper, had a good balance of ingredients, and if you’re feeling fancy, Wawa also sells pretzel dipping sauces by the register. Depending on what you’re looking for in a pretzel, you might even like it MORE than the Disney version. (Although sadly, these don’t come in Mickey shapes!)
Inside of the pretzel
Next up we had the Pork Egg Rolls. A pack of two egg rolls costs $3.19 at the Wawa in Orlando, and it was a really good deal in our opinion. In EPCOT at Lotus Blossom Cafe, a pair of pork egg rolls will cost you $5.25.
Pork Egg Rolls
The Wawa egg rolls were shockingly good for a gas station option. The first one we tried was crispy on the outside with a slight chew to the shell, had plenty of filling, and a good pork flavor. The second egg roll was a little too chewy and slightly more difficult to eat, but the inside was still delicious.
It was crispy and delicious!
In general, we’d put these on par with (or better than, if you get a good batch) egg rolls from a fast-food Asian restaurant. They’re not as high quality as what you’d get at a table service place, but they hold their own against the Disney World quick service option. And for $3.19 from a gas station, they’re no slouch! (We’re definitely not choosing these over the iconic Magic Kingdom spring rolls though.)
Inside of the egg roll
Our third and final snack was the Homestyle Chicken Bites, which were also $3.19. And honestly, of all the options, these were the ones that impressed us the most!
Homestyle Chicken Bites
We’ve eaten chicken tenders and chicken nuggets at Disney World countless times, but these chicken bites from Wawa were BETTER than the nuggets we’ve had in the parks. They were crispy on the outside, had just the right amount of breading, and there was plenty of meat in the middle. On top of that, we didn’t find any gristle or fat inside!
They’re a good size!
The flavor on these reminded us a lot of the popcorn chicken you buy from the deli at the grocery store (specifically like Walmart), and they were a perfect size — bigger than a regular nugget but smaller than a boneless wing. The bag came with five bites in total and we’d definitely order them again.
Inside the chicken bites
So there you go — the next time you’re missing those theme park eats, you might be able to find something to curb your craving at your local Wawa. We spent much less than we would in the parks, and with all that food, we were definitely full before the tasting was done.
Which restaurant, gas station, or chain location would you like us to compare to Disney World food next? Let us know! And if you’ve found a Disney World food “dupe” we’d definitely love to hear about it.
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It’s interesting that you call Wawa a gas station, since I live where Wawa is from, and the convenience store has been around longer than the gas station portion, which were added on.
Has anyone tried WaWa’s sweet cream cheese stuffed pretzel? I plan to soon and wonder how it compares to WDW’s.
Wawa mac n cheese definitely got me through exam weeks at college — we had one right next to my junior dorm. You definitely missed out big time! Plus, you can get it topped with chicken strips, which just makes it ten times better 🙂
I grew up with Wawa living in Pennsylvania and then New Jersey for over 30 years. It is the best. One stop for coffee, breakfast, lunch and then they added gas. I would never, ever call Wawa a gas station. I go to Disney a few times a week living here now and I think the food is as good and so much cheaper than Disney.