Disney Parks Best Bites: December 2019

‘Tis the season for food, food, and more food! This month, we’re closing out the year with new bites and edible experiences at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, starting with a few fun holiday offerings at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

If you haven’t been yet, you should totally stop by Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at Disneyland Resort to take in all of the gingerbread holiday goodness going on in the lobby! First of all, there’s a beautiful gingerbread display depicting a replica of the resort’s façade, standing seven feet tall and complete with hidden Mickeys! In addition, you can enjoy A Grand Gingerbread House Experience, a hands-on workshop that’s great holiday fun for the whole family! Meet the Disney pastry chefs who crafted the iconic gingerbread house and create one for your party or family. This experience occurs from 3:00-4:30 p.m. on Dec. 15, 18, 21, and 22. For more information and to make reservations, visit the Disneyland Resort website or call (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463.

Nearby, you’ll find a yummy array of holiday goodies for purchase at the Holiday Cart. These treats include holiday cookies, a Christmas cookie box, gingerbread man cookies, apple caramel pound cake, white chocolate brownie pops, peppermint bark, a truffle box, and gingerbread crispy treats. You can even warm up with some hot apple cider or hot chocolate! Cookie shots are also available, served in sweet cookie cups filled with your choice of milk, chocolate milk, or hot chocolate with pumpkin, peppermint, or caramel syrup. Adults can choose to fill their cookie shots with rum, Irish cream liqueur, cinnamon cream liqueur, or peppermint schnapps!

Also at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, there’s a new “World of Color” dining package coming to Storyteller’s Café. In addition to an All-You-Care-To-Enjoy dinner buffet and non-alcoholic beverage,  guests who book this package will receive a voucher that grants access to a preferred viewing area at Paradise Gardens Park for that night’s showing of World of Color at Disney California Adventure park. Reservations are now open for bookings beginning on Dec. 15 and can be made on the Disneyland Resort website or on the Disneyland App. Pricing is $50 for adults and $25 for children (tax and gratuity not included, theme park admission is also required and not included).

Moving on over to the East Coast, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is completely decked out with all-new holiday decorations and experiences this year as well as a few deliciously festive treats. Many of these items were announced as part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Tasting Sampler, which includes a $10 bonus card valid Dec. 22, 2019 through Jan. 4, 2020 at quick-service restaurants in the park after 4 p.m. (For more info, check out my recent blog post!) While the Tasting Sampler is not required to purchase these items, it’s a wonderful way to taste your way through the park! Out of all the items that will debut alongside the sampler on Dec. 22 (like the hot chocolate beverages – peppermint, sea salt caramel, and s’mores – and a specialty gingerbread latte available at Isle of Java), holiday treats available now include a variety of treats including a peppermint bark churro at Dino Diner, a double chocolate peppermint ice cream sandwich at Dino-Bite Snacks, and a peppermint cookies and cream sundae at Trilo-Bites. In addition to these items, you’ll be able to find a few more seasonal offerings throughout the park:

• Gingerbread Cupcake (available at Restaurantosaurus) – Gingerbread cake topped with cream cheese icing, a buttercream tree, white chocolate accents, and a white chocolate deer
• Menagerie Cupcake (available at Creature Comforts and Pizzafari) – Gingerbread cake topped with cream cheese snow and an adorable polar bear
• White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse (available at Satu’li Canteen) – White chocolate peppermint mousse with peppermint sauce, cookies and cream crumbles, meringue, and a chocolate accent
• Spiced Nuts (available at Dawa Bar)
• Peppermint Soft Serve Ice Cream (available at Anandapur Ice Cream Truck)
• Pumpkin Pretzel (available at Trek Snacks)
• Peppermint Cookies and Cream Shake (available at Trilo-Bites)
• Holiday Menagerie Base Popcorn Bucket (available at various popcorn carts throughout the park)*
• Mickey Elf Premium Popcorn Bucket (available at various popcorn carts throughout the park) *
• Gingerbread Mickey Straw (available at various outdoor vending locations throughout the park) *
• Ornament Mickey Snowman Cup (available at various outdoor vending locations throughout the park) *
• Mickey Jingle Bell Sipper (available at various outdoor vending locations throughout the park) *

*All novelty items are only available while supplies last

Outside of the holiday offerings, if you head over to Africa and Asia, you just might spot a new “Lion King”-themed offering at one of the many outdoor vending carts. It’s a Simba-shaped pretzel! Inspired by Rafiki’s cave drawing of Simba, this super-cute snack is one you won’t want to miss.

Also at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I’m excited to announce that the Restaurantosaurus Burgers and Sundaes experience will be continuing throughout the end of 2020. This experience is a great way to enjoy hand-crafted burgers and a build-your-own sundae bar. For more information, check out my recent blog post. Reservations can be made online (walk-ups are welcome, but subject to availability).

At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, head on over to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and Tiki Terrace to grab this year’s holiday Tiki mug! Taking inspiration from the popular Jungle Cruise, the mug features a Jungle Cruise Skipper holding his ship’s steering wheel. The mug comes filled with the Mele Kaliki Mai Tai – consisting of dark rum, superior rum, allspice liqueur, cranberry juice, orgeat, cinnamon, and a splash of fresh lime juice and garnished with a cinnamon stick (a non-alcoholic version is available upon request). In addition, you can grab a matching ornament over at BouTiki, the merchandise shop located in the lobby of the resort.

Finally, at Magic Kingdom Park, if you’re dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, you can’t miss out on the Signature Slipper & Crown Dessert. This customized royal dessert features your choice of a white or dark chocolate slipper or a white chocolate crown with chocolate mousse and is presented with a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and covered with a chocolate ganache. The dessert plate can also be decorated with a celebration chocolate piece (Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, or Congratulations) as well as an image featuring a character of your choosing from Disney’s animated classic, “Cinderella.” For more information on this incredible restaurant and all of the menu details, visit the Walt Disney World Resort website.

If you’re looking for more information on our holiday eats at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, be sure to check out all of my holiday Foodie Guides:

Disneyland Resort:

• Foodie Guide to Holidays 2019 at Disneyland Resort
• Foodie Guide to Holidays 2019 at Disney California Adventure Park
• Foodie Guide to Disney Festival of Holidays 2019 at Disney California Adventure Park
• Candy Guide to Holidays 2019 at Disneyland Resort

Walt Disney World Resort:

• Foodie Guide to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2019 at Magic Kingdom Park
• Foodie Guide to Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2019
• Foodie Guide to Holidays 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Across the Country:

• Check Out This Year’s Amazing Gingerbread Displays at Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, and Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa

For more information on the holidays at Disney Parks, visit the Disneyland Resort website or the Walt Disney World Resort website, or check out the Disneyland App or the My Disney Experience App for Walt Disney World Resort. Happy Snacking!