It probably comes as no surprise that our favorite thing about Disney World is, well, the FOOD! We are Disney Food Blog after all.

But, what happens when the Disney World snacks we try happen to be absolutely horrendous? Okay, horrendous might be a strong word, though we’ve had our fair share of not-so-great eats in the parks and hotels this year. It’s time, Dear DFB Reader, to follow us on a journey of the WORST snacks we’ve tried in Disney World this year (and which ones you should get instead.)

Listen. We love our jobs. Being able to visit Disney World and eat snacks to review for y’all is dope and we’re super grateful. But sometimes, a Disney World snack makes us wish we had chosen to go to law school after all (sorry, Mom!) We’ve tried plenty of eats in the parks and hotels this year, and we wouldn’t wish these upon our worst enemies.

The WORST Snacks We’ve Tried

Little Mermaid Milkshake — Hollywood Scoops

We grabbed The Little Mermaid Milk Shake from Hollywood Scoops in Hollywood Studios when the new live-action movie premiered. It was a Vanilla, Mango, Guava, and Ginger Milk Shake topped with Whipped Cream and a Pineapple-Guava Seashell Cake. Yes, that is…a bit much.

Although the milkshake itself was creamy with a nice consistency and the presentation is beautiful, we’re just going to have to say it — we did not think this milkshake was good. It honestly made us feel like we were drinking toothpaste. Even if you love ginger, the ginger flavor here was so overpowering that it takes over the entire drink.

See the Full Review Here

L’Arte de Mangiare — EPCOT Festival of the Arts

We didn’t really love anything on the menu at this Italy Festival Booth, but we especially didn’t love the Mozzarella Fritta, which was flash-fried breaded fresh mozzarella with artist palette condiments.

It was basically just one large fried cheese puck — we wish there had been more to it for the price. The cheese was dry, not melty, and the breading didn’t really have any sort of flavoring to it. It was a bland mozzarella stick!

Read Our Full Review Here

Malasadas — Pinocchio Village Haus

Next up were the Malasadas in Magic Kingdom. A Malasada is a Portuguese fried donut made with flat rounds of yeasty dough. So sort of like flat donut holes. Disney’s version featured the flavors of Hawaii and is served with a mango-coconut sauce and came with a white chocolate “Aloha” coin.

We didn’t think you could go wrong with fried dough, but what we got was dense, tough, and not as warm as we thought it should be. We expected light and fluffy, these are NOT THAT. In fact, we had to do a LOT of chewing just to get that fried dough down. We’re not sure if it was because we waited a little bit to take photos before eating these, but they even seemed a little cold when we first got them.

Check Out Our Full Review Here

Plant-Based “Cheese” Pizza — Pinocchio Village Haus

Next up, we tried the “cheese” pizza at Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland. This is a regular pizza topped with tomato sauce and plant-based cheese. We’ve had some stellar plant-based meals from Disney World in the past, so we had some high hopes — that were immediately squashed.

We won’t accuse this of being a microwave pizza… BUT — it did remind us a whole lot of a microwave pizza. The cheese is made by Follow Your Heart, which is one of the easier brands to find at the store. When melted, the consistency tends to be more like warm cream cheese and is gooey in a way that dairy cheese normally isn’t. This cheese was no different and unless you’re used to it, you might find it difficult to stomach.

See the Pizza Review Here

Artisan Burger — Gasparilla Island Grill

We tried the Artisan Burger — a Grilled Signature-blend Burger with Brisket, and Chuck topped with Bacon, Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion on a Toasted Brioche Bun, served with French Fries.

This burger had one major problem: it was VERY dry. You really needed some kind of sauce to make it edible. A sauce would also solve the problem that this burger was pretty bland, as there didn’t seem to be much seasoning at all.

Read the Full Burger Review Here

Sesame Chicken Stir Fry — World Premiere Food Court

At Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, we tried the Sesame Chicken Stir Fry and Walt Disney’s Favorite Chili, which comes in a bread bowl. The stir fry comes with chicken, broccoli, red peppers, and onions and is served on a bed of Jasmine rice.

We thought we had finally found a decent option for an All-Star food court, but the sesame sauce was minimal, and we thought this dish was pretty bland and under-seasoned. If you can’t handle spices, this could be a nice dish for you, but if you’re expecting an Asian dish with some zing, this isn’t it.

See Our Full Review of the Sesame Chicken Here

What You Should Eat Instead

Simba Sunset Dole Whip Float — Tamu Tamu Refreshments

The Simba Sunset Dole Whip features pineapple Dole Whip topped with red syrup flavored with strawberry, watermelon, and coconut.

If you’re looking for something sweet that seriously hits the spot, the Simba Sunset is definitely it. It’s light and fruity so it won’t weigh you down, and we love that it’s inspired by one of our favorite animated Disney characters.

Learn More About the Simba Sunset Here

Saganaki on Fire — Wine Bar George

Forget dry cheese pucks — let’s talk cheese on fire. Saganaki is a Greek dish that takes Vlahoriti cheese (which your server douses with Metaxa) and then sets ABLAZE!

The cheese itself Is FANTASTIC — wonderfully melty with crispy bits like the ones that get stuck on the sides of the pan when you’re melting something cheesy in the oven. It’s served with crostini on the side, just sadly NOT anywhere near enough to enjoy all of its cheesy goodness (but we won’t judge if you spoon this directly into your mouth.)

Check Out the Flaming Cheese Here

Beignets — Scat Cat’s Club

Beignets are a classic Disney treat and for good reason. The pillowy doughs of powdery goodness essentially melt in your mouth and we truly cannot imagine a more beautiful thing. You’ll often find specialty beignets throughout the year…

…but you can also get the Scat Cat’s Beignets which come with a trio of Mickey-shaped Beignets served with Red Pepper Jelly, Pimento Cheese, Green Goddess Dressing, and dusted with powdered sugar.

See More Beignet Action Here

Plant-Based Gyro — Artist’s Palette

We spotted a plant-based item on the menu at this spot that sounded pretty darn appetizing, so we decided to try it out — the Plant-Based Gyro. It’s made with Plant-based “Sausage”, Hummus, “Tzatziki”, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Cucumbers, Kalamata Olives, and Golden Raisins in a Baked Pita with Herbed-Red Wine Vinaigrette.

WOW — this seriously knocked our socks off. The raisins add a sweetness every few bites, and the whole garbanzo beans are a nice texture we weren’t expecting. The plant-based sausage is an interesting choice, but it does kind of mimic the flavors of traditional gyro meat.

Read Our Full Gyro Review Here

Stack Burger — Steakhouse 71

Don’t settle for boring hockey puck burgers in Disney World — because you straight-up don’t have to anymore. Meet the Stack Burger from Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary. The Steakhouse 71 Stack Burger is a Signature Blend of Beef with American Cheese, Lemon Aïoli, Red Onion, and House-made Pickles on a Brioche Bun.

We consider the Stack Burger to be one of the best burgers on property. It’s INSANELY good and has been perfect each time we tried it (which is, admittedly, probably too many times.)

See a Full Review of the Stack Burger Here

Loaded Burnt Ends Fries — Regal Eagle Smokehouse

Last but not least are the Loaded Burnt Ends Fries, which are Seasoned French Fries with Burnt Ends, Macaroni & Cheese, and Beer-battered Onion Rings…are you drooling yet? 🤤

We thought the fries were super tasty, although they were pretty salty (they had a dry rub on them). That mac ‘n cheese helped to balance out the saltiness a bit, so make sure you eat those parts together.

Check Out the Loaded Fries Review Here

WE KNOW – there are SO many great snacks at Disney World! We have reviewed nearly EVERY snack available at Disney World, and we’ve written a series of DFB Guides about them! Check out our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining + Snacks Bundle for all the details you need to plan your snackin’ and spending. 

No matter how you feel about these Disney World snacks, chances are a new favorite might be around the corner. One thing is for sure, you can always count on us to bring you the latest Disney World snack news and reviews!

Snacks You Absolutely CANNOT MISS in Disney World in 2023

What’s the WORST snack you’ve ever had in Disney World? Tell us in the comments.