10 Iconic Disney Treats You Shouldn't Skip

1. Dole Whip Soft Serve- One of a classic Disney favorite snacks. Whether you get a float or soft serve you can't go wrong here. You can purchase it in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom or at the Polynesian Resort.













2. Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar- Another Classic treat. Perfect for photo ops. You can purchase these treats basically anywhere in the parks from any ice cream stand.

3. Chocolate Covered Pineapple- Delicious and Refreshing. Also a good way to get you kids to eat a few "healthy" items. You can buy these at any of the Confectionaries on site. So for example the Confectionary on Main Street USA or the Candy Cauldron in Disney Springs.










4. Mickey Shaped Pretzels- Delicious and a whole lot of fun. Another thing that can be purchased almost anywhere in the parks. Just look for a pretzel stand. Cheese is a dollar up charge and a bit too salty for my liking, I say pass on the cheese.

5. Carmel and Chocolate Mickey Apples- These are a lot of sugar and very sweet but definitely not something to pas up. I recommend sharing one since I have never been able to finish one on my own. They come plain or in a variety of designs and characters. You can buy them at any Confectionary on site.

6. Rice Krispie Treats- Delicious and full of sugar yet smaller in size then the candy apple. Another great photo op treat. Purchase these at any Confectionary on site.

7. Brioche Ice Cream Sandwich- Delicious and perfect for those hot summer days. The donut like bread will help from the ice cream melting all over your hands. Its also a great customizable experience where you pick out all the fillings so everyone can be happy. Buy this in the France Pavilion in Epcot.

8. Mickey Waffles- Such a perfect and sweet treat. While you can get these at any breakfast place on site your can also get them as a snack in the Magic Kingdom in Liberty Square. You can get the covered in a variety of sauces or fruits as well as sometimes special flavors such as Red Velvet.

9. Gaston's Warm Cinnamon Roll- Delicious and a great bang for your buck. It retails at only 5$ and could easily feed two adults. Buy this in Gaston's Tavern at Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland.

10. Churros- Another Classic. Who doesn't love cinnamon sugar coated donuts, because thats what this is. You buy these almost anywhere in the parks. Just look for a Churro, Popcorn, and Pretzel Stand. Chocolate Sauce is a dollar up charge, but I feel its worth it.

Wonderful or Wordless Wednesday- Planning Trips

Planning trips to Disney can be tricky, especially if your on a tight budget. Disney's own website has a really great tool to help price out your hotel stay and meal plan, but there are definitely some tips and tricks to get the cheapest stay that are not advertised online.

Tip #1. Go During the Off Season- Not only will hotels be cheaper and easier to book but lines will be shorter and your trip will be more enjoyable overall. Disney sometimes even offers free meal plans to families staying on site during the off season. Speaking of food, did you know Disney raises the prices of restaurants during the busier months of the year. So traveling during September or January will save you a lot of money in the parks.

Tip #2. Disney Gift Cards- Disney gift cards can be used on nearly everything at Disney World including hotel stays. Before you leave stock up on Disney Gift Cards from Target. If you have there credit card they allow you to save up to 10% on them. So it is like you are getting free money.


Tip #3. Plan a "Free" Day- There are plenty of things around Disney World that are free yet still full of that Disney Magic you want on your vacation. You don't need to go to the parks everyday. Spending time at the pool, going to Disney Springs, or just Resort Hopping is a great way to plan a day that won't cost you tons of money. You can also see the fireworks from the Polynesian Resort beach eating Dole Whips to end the day off in a perfect Disney way.

Tip #4. Cheap Airfare- Keeping you flight possibilities open and not so rigid is a good way to save money on flights. I like to use the website Skyscanner and look though an entire month to find the cheapest flights. Keep your options open. Flying in and out during the middle of the week might be a good option to save some pennies.

Tip #5.  Skip the Park Hoppers- As much as people want to be able to have the freedom to go to any park they want, more often then not you don't leave the park you start at, especially if you have kids in tow. Save that extra money you would be spending on a park hopper and really experience a single park in one day. I promise you won't get bored and you mind and body will thank you for it later. Every park, Even Hollywood Studios, has more then enough things to do to fill up an entire day from park open to park close.

The Worth the Wait Rides

Now waiting in lines is just something you have to accept if you are headed to Disney World, but some rides are worth the three hour wait while other are definitely not. Heading to Disney with small children in tow is always going to be different then if everyone in your party meets the 48 inch height requirement, and for the sake of this post I will include all rides even those with strict height requirements. I will also be focusing on just Magic Kingdom today.
Peter Pans Flight
Now by far the most classic of all the Disney Park rides is Peter Pans Flight. This is one of the few original opening day rides still open today with little to no changes. If you want a blast from the past this is the ride to go on. It is a lot of peoples favorite ride so the wait times can get really long in the middle of the day and often they don't turn the air on in the inside slow moving line. This is a great ride but really not worth the uncomfortable wait. I say try and hop on it first thing in the morning or very late at night after the firework crowds have left if your unable to get a FastPass for this classic.
Space Moutin
This ride is by far the largest thrill ride you are going to find at Magic Kingdom and is many peoples ultimate favorite ride because of that. Needless to say the wait times for it can start to get up to three hours long on those extra busy days in the summertime. The wait itself is usually not that bad, even if you have kids in tow because inside they have games and air conditioning. This is a good ride to go to in the heat of the afternoon if you just want to cool off since the entire line is inside. Now if you think your going to get out of waiting in line by booking over to this ride right after the fireworks you are mistaken, every other person also had that same idea. You best bet for this one is to go during lunchtime or early in the morning. But honestly the wait for this one usually isn't so bad and is totally worth it.
Seven Dwarves Mine Train
This is the newest addition the Magic Kingdom and part of the expansion of Fantasyland a few years back. It is a rollercoaster type ride mixed with a dark room animatronics ride for those who haven't been able to experience it yet. Because it is so new the wait times can be ridiculous, up to 2 hours on the regular. The wait is all outside with a few shaded areas but not real air conditioning till you get right up to the ride. There are a few amusing things for the kids to play with in the line but not a whole lot. The ride itself is your typical slow moving Disney coaster, very short, and nothing that special other then the state of the art animatronics half way through. I say skip this line unless its and hour or less. Not worth the hype.
Big Thunder Mountain
This is a classic Disney coaster most guests don't want to miss out on during there trip. The line itself varies a lot from day to day and is a bit unpredictable. I have seen it at 20 minutes and I have seen it at 3 hours just a few days apart. The wait itself is all outdoors with no air conditioning and very little air flow. It is not the greatest wait during those extra hot days or in the middle of the day. I say if the wait is long, get in line early in the morning or late at night when the sun has cooled off a bit. Don't miss this ride though.
Splash Mountain
This water ride is a lot of kids absolute favorites, and is one of the "thrill" rides that has a shorter height requirement. You will be getting wet on this ride so it is not one for early in the morning. The wait varies for this one as well, depending on the temperature of course. If it is very hot out it could be worth the long wait for this ride, but I say do it last thing at night right before you head back to the hotel or home. This way you don't have to wait as long and don't have to stand around in you wet clothes all day. If you do go on in the middle of the day there is not guarantee your clothes will dry quickly so you may be stuck in those wet clothes all day. Definitely worth the longer waits for this ride on hot days though.

The One Where it Begins

I would by no means call myself a Disney expert but I have spent my fair share of time around the house of mouse, specifically Disney World. Fall of 2018 I was able to participate in the Disney College Program and worked and lived at the Happiest Place on Earth for six months. I was able to learn my way around the four parks, two waterparks, and Disney Springs pretty quickly and I know quite a bit of tips and tricks to do Disney on a very tight budget, what to skip and what is a for sure must. This is the place to learn all of my little secrets to make the most of your time at Disney and to learn any information about the Disney College Program and the application process.