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Disneyland is full of delicious treats. From high-end to classic treats, Disneyland has everything and anything you could want to snack on! But one of the best treats is Disneyland ice cream.
There are countless places to get ice cream and a variety of different types of Disneyland ice cream. You can get the famous Mickey ears ice cream bar or artisanal ice cream in flavours you’ve never heard of before. And everything in between.
There is no shortage of Disneyland ice cream you can try.
Trust me. The first time I went to Disneyland, I was there for four days and tried to eat every ice cream snack out there. I didn’t go very well and ended with me having a stomach ache.
So if you’re like me and want to try the best ice cream in all of Disneyland, this post if for you!
This list contains only the very best Disneyland ice cream on offer. You’ll know you’re getting the best of the best when you try eat an ice cream from any of the places on this list!
I’ve only included the more unique Disneyland ice cream on this list.
There is nothing wrong with the classic ice cream you can get at the various ice cream carts around the park. I’m a sucker for the Mickey ice cream sandwiches myself, but this list focuses on the top Disneyland ice cream.
Before we get on with the list of the best and most delicious Disneyland ice cream, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve saved the best ice cream of all until the very end.
So make sure you read until the end, so you don’t miss out on my favourite Disneyland ice cream.
Other than leaving the best ’till last, there is no particular order to the list.
PS- If you want to keep your hands free, so you can enjoy your Disneyland ice cream easily, make sure you get yourself an adorable Disney fanny pack.
Stylish and practical!
The Tropical Hideaway
The Tropical Hideaway is one of the newest additions to world of Disneyland ice cream. It opened in December of 2018 and quickly became a crowd favourite.
It is located in Adventureland right next to the Jungle Cruise exit.
The Tropical Hideaway has an amazing atmosphere with tiki torches and umbrellas serving as the decor. It has a large seating area, so it is the perfect place to take an afternoon break and indulge in a tasty snack.
The seating is all outdoors so that is something to be aware of when choosing where to grab a snack. It can get pretty hot in the summer and a bit chilly in the colder months or in the evening.
The restaurant has a number of different food options. They include bao buns, sweet and traditional lumpia (similar to the pineapple lumpia in Animal Kingdom), and mochi.
But the star of the show is the DOLE whip.
Not just any old Dole whip but DOLE whip in flavours you can’t find anywhere else!
DOLE whip is a Disney cult favourite and has traditionally only been served flavoured as pineapple, but Disney has been stepping up their DOLE whip game the past few years.
In addition to pineapple DOLE whip, you can find the following flavours at The Tropical Hideaway:
- Raspberry
- Mango
- Lemon
- Chile-mango float
- Raspberry-lemon float
You can even swirl two of the main flavours together! The raspberry-mango swirl is my favourite, but is far more common for people to swirl pineapple with one of the other flavours.
The Tropical Hideaway is a game changer when it comes to DOLE whip.
Plus it is a lighter ice cream, so it doesn’t fill you up as much as the other Disneyland ice cream choices on this list.
Schmoozies!
I think Schmoozies! is a hidden gem. It is so underrated yet has some of the best ice cream on Disneyland property!
Well not exactly ice cream. They’re shakes, but that’s basically the same thing, so I’m counting it. Schmoozies! is just too good to miss out on!
Schmoozies! is located in Hollywood Land on halfway down the main street right right you wold turn right to go to the Monsters Inc. ride. It is right next door to Fairfax Market.
The walk-up counter has two permanent milkshakes on the menu: Classic Mickey Shake and Churro Shake. The Mickey shake is a cookies and cream base, and the churro shake is brown-sugar cinnamon ice cream and tastes just like a churro!
Both of the permanent shakes are great options, but the seasonal specialty shake is always what I order!
I’ve never had a bad seasonal milkshake from Schmoozies!, and they’re always over-the-top and delicious.
My personal favourite was the mint chip shake that was available during Pixar Fest in 2018. It was incredible! One of the best shakes I’ve ever had.
The milkshakes at Schmoozies! are fairly big and filling, so I don’t recommend you downing one right before you have a dinner reservation!
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream is my favourite spot to grab some Disneyland ice cream!
It is located in Disney California Adventure on the right-hand side of Buena Vista Street. It is connected to the confectionary shop and right next door to Starbucks.
Calarabelle’s is a little tucked away and isn’t as popular as some of the other Disneyland ice cream shops on this list, but it is well worth stopping in and having a snack.
The ice cream shop serves up classic ice cream sundaes, waffle bowls and cones, and floats. In a lot of ways, it is a generic ice cream shop that you can find in just about any city in the world.
But they have one stand-out item, and that is why it made my list!
The hand-dipped ice cream bar!
You start with a base ice cream bar of either vanilla, chocolate, or mixed berry sorbet, and then get to customize it to your taste! You choose between dark, milk, and white chocolate coating then move onto choosing your topping.
Toppings include sprinkles (both standard shape and Mickey shaped), chocolate chips, and raspberry bursts. You can even get “the whole herd” and get all the toppings on your ice cream bar!
It is a really fun way to get the perfect, customized ice cream treat you were craving! I love that I’m able to create exactly what I want and don’t have to order off a set menu.
The only downside to Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream is the seating situation. They’re aren’t any seats inside the ice cream shop, so you either have to walk with your treat or sit outside.
It isn’t a big deal, but it is something to keep in mind. Clarabelle’s probably isn’t the place to go if you’re looking to cool down with some AC.
Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Ice Cream Shop
Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Ice Cream Shop is a fan favourite spot to indulge in ice cream and maybe buy some chocolates to bring home with you.
I would argue that Ghiradelli is home to the best and most unique ice cream sundaes in all of Disneyland. Yes, it is a chain ice cream shop, and you can get the same ice cream at every Ghiradelli, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth eating while at Disneyland!
Nowhere else on property will you find ice cream sundaes as good as at Ghiradelli!
My personal favourite is the Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae. Try saying that ten times fast, eh.
The sundaes at Ghiradelli are more expensive than the other ice cream sundaes on property, but they are worth the additional price. The ice cream is smoother, and the toppings are higher end.
They are well worth the price in my mind.
Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Ice Cream Shop is located in the Pacific Wharf area of Disney California. It is right next door to the sourdough bread bakery tour.
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor
We’re heading back to Disneyland for this next ice cream shop!
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor is located on Main Street USA. It is about halfway down Main Street USA on the left-hand side of the street when walking towards the castle with the entrance at your back.
It is the perfect place to grab some Disneyland ice cream before the parade or after meeting Disneyland characters hanging out on Main Street USA.
Gibson Girl specializes in sundaes but is also the perfect place to go if you’re looking for a single scoop of ice cream.
My personal favourite sundae is the Firehouse Dalmatian Mint Sundae. The mint ice cream is perfectly flavoured. Not too minty and not too bland. Just right. Then add on the fudge topping and whipped cream, and you can’t go wrong!
I’m drooling thinking of it!
Gibson Girl doesn’t have the most exciting or unique ice cream, but it is a classic. There is nothing that makes me feel like I’m in Disneyland more than sitting on Main Street USA with an ice cream sundae watching people walk by. It doesn’t get any better than that.
The Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats
Just like Tropical Hideaway, The Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats opened in 2018. It opened when the newly designed Pixar Pier debuted and has been a hit with guests ever since!
It is located in Disney California Adventures park along the curve of Pixar Pier after you pass Lamplight Lounge but before you get to the Incredicoaster. The Adorable Snowman is the only building in that area, so it is impossible to miss!
You can indulge in vanilla soft-serve, chocolate soft-serve, or lemon non-dairy soft-serve. Each individual flavour is served in a cup or cone, or you can get two of the flavours swirled together!
The swirl is definitely the way to go! Especially the chocolate and lemon swirl. It is such a good combination!
They also serve two specialty items. The Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait and It’s Snow-Capped Lemon!
The Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait is made up of the lemon soft-serve and a blue raspberry slushy. And It’s Snow-Capped Lemon! is the lemon soft-serve capped with white chocolate.
Everything at The Adorable Snowman is delicious!
All the treats are light and refreshing. The ice cream isn’t too heavy, so you won’t feel weighed down after eating it like at some of the other places on this list. It is the perfect light snack!
Salt & Straw
I’ve saved the best for last! This is my absolute favourite place to get ice cream in Disneyland.
The ice cream at Salt & Straw is incredible, and I crave it all the time!
It is a specialty ice cream shop that serves up a number of unique and classic flavours.
Flavours range from Chocolate Gooey Brownie to Black Olive Brittle & Humboldt Fog. From Roasted Strawberry Coconut to Dandelion Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies & Cream. And everything inbetween.
There is truly something there for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re a plain Jane when it comes to ice cream or are super adventurous, you’ll fall in with Salt & Straw.
My personal favourite flavours are Honey Lavender and Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
They also have seasonal flavours that rotate in and out. Every seasonal flavour I’ve tried has been delicious, and they tend to be less out there than some of the regular flavours.
Salt & Straw is the only Disneyland ice cream shop on this list located in Downtown Disney. It is on the right-hand side of Downtown Disney when you’re walking with the parks to your back. It is basically right next door to Naples Ristorante e Bar.
I highly recommend you take the time to explore Downtown Disney and stop in at Salt & Straw for an ice cream treat!
It is normally quiet busy and often has a line, but if you time it right, you can grab an ice cream with no line! Salt & Straw tends to be quietist in the late morning while everybody is in the parks. And busiest in the evening after dinnertime.
But What About Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes?!
If you’ve done any research about Disneyland ice cream, you’ve probably heard about Black Top.
It serves over-the-top extreme shakes. One even has an entire piece of chocolate cake on top of the shake.
They’re honesty a bit ridiculous. They’re quite difficult to eat because they melt so quickly. There is so much stuff piled on the top and sides of the shakes that your hands will inevitably get super dirty and sticky. And they’re so large that you won’t have room to eat anything else.
The shakes are great for an Instagram picture but that is about it. That’s my opinion at least.
There are so many other places you can get ice cream at Disneyland, and they’re all better than the crazy shakes at Black Top Craft Burgers and Shakes.
I say save your money and get a more delicious ice cream at one of the other places on this list!
Conclusion
You really can’t go wrong wherever you choose to indulge in ice cream. Nearly every place you can get ice cream has a great selection of treats.
These are just my favourite places to get Disneyland ice cream. I always prioritize getting ice cream at these seven places, and I think you should too!
Each of the places on this list serve up delicious treats that are unique to their shop. Whether it be raspberry DOLE whip, a custom ice cream bar, or a seasonal shake at Schmoozies!, you simply can’t go wrong.
The only downside to Disneyland ice cream is that a lot of the places that sell it don’t have indoor seating. And if they do, it is very limited.
Good luck trying to find a seat indoors at Gibson Girl!
But sitting outside is a small price to pay to enjoy one of the most delicious treats on Disney property.
Just make sure to finish your ice cream before it melts!
Now I want to hear from you! I’m sure I’ve missed one of your favourite spots to get ice cream at Disneyland, and you’re fuming that it isn’t on the list.
Drop me a comment below and tell me what you’re favourite Disneyland ice cream is!