Sometimes, you gotta spice some things up to keep the romance alive…with your Disney snacks, of course!

Let’s face it, some of the snacks that you can find in Disney World are just plain out BORING. And, you didn’t shell out thousands of dollars to chow down on popcorn, pretzels, and other eats that you could pick up from your local grocery store and have on your couch! But, we’re not saying that you need to ditch the Mickey-shaped Pretzel (after all, everything DOES taste better Mickey-shaped), we’re just saying that there’s a way to make it BETTER. So, as people who make a living off of snacking, we’re bringing you ALL the ways that you can take your dining game to the NEXT. LEVEL. in Disney!

Cheese All Over Everything

First things first, we’ve gotta start with the king of all snack upgrades — CHEESE! You know that cheese sauce that’s way too yellow to be real but is still somehow delicious? Around here we call that plastic cheese and it is ALL over Disney World as our trusty friend who will always make things better.

No matter where you are in the parks, you’re probably only a short walk away from this liquid gold, but there is a chance you’ll have to pay a little bit extra for this treasure. Usually, there is a $1 upcharge for this beloved addition, but take our word for it — it’s TOTALLY worth it!

And, while plastic cheese is our first love in Disney World, you can find more variety in cheese sauce — you just have to know where to look! For example, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Magic Kingdom is home to QUESO and we’ve experimented with a lot of different ways to eat it.

For example, we once achieved a new level of cheesiness by combining plastic cheese AND queso on a Mickey Pretzel, and it was nothing short of amazing. See what we mean about the Mickey Pretzels now?

So, to serve as the source of your cheesy inspiration the next time you find yourself in the Disney Parks, let’s talk about some of the places where you can find this worldly delight and hack your way to the PERFECT Disney snack.

If you are in Magic Kingdom, you can easily add plastic cheese to your order at Casey’s Corner. We can’t think of a time that we’ve been here and NOT gotten a side of plastic cheese, but our favorite pairing is with the corn dog nuggets!

And, if we still haven’t convinced you that plastic cheese is THE ultimate cheese, you can pair your nuggets with the queso from Pecos Bill.

But, Magic Kingdom isn’t the only place that offers this magical upgrade. You can head over to Backlot Express in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and top your chicken strips and fries with cheese!

You should also be able to find plastic cheese anywhere they serve Mickey Pretzels. So if life has you down and you just need some cheese, it’s usually not too far away! We aren’t sure what the price for happiness is, but $1 seems like a total bargain!

Click Here to Get Some Awesome Plastic Cheese Merchandise! 

Don’t Settle… You Deserve Better

Now, we know that it can be very easy to settle in Disney World. Sometimes the lines may be too long, or you may just not know all the amazing things that are out there. There’s no need to fear, DFB is here, and we know of some classic theme park snacks that have just a little edge over their generic associates.

Pretzels

We know that it can be hard to say no to a Mickey pretzel, but we are going to tell you to do just that the next time you get the craving! Because we’re here to tell you pretzels are better STUFFED and there’s nothing plain and simple about it!

Disney World is home to both a Sweet Cream Cheese Pretzel (which is a soft, warm pretzel that is covered in breadcrumbs and filled inside with cream cheese frosting) and the ever-elusive Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel (which is stuffed with, you guessed it, pepper jack cheese). And, opting for these two (arguably better) pretzels won’t cost you any more than their Mickey-shaped counterpart (usually between $6.99 to $7.25 usually).

The only catch is that they can be harder to find in the parks. Most recently we’ve found the  Sweet Cream Cheese Pretzel at the snack cart next to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Hollywood Studios and at Lunching Pad in Magic Kingdom. And, the Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel can be found at BoardWalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas (under the alias Jalapeño-Stuffed Pretzel) and the Magic Kingdom Churro Wagon (known as the Pepper Jack Pretzel).

And, if you’d rather your pretzels not be stuffed with anything, there are still many other pretzels that offer up more than the Mickey Pretzels. In fact, some of our favorite pretzels are actually more like meals!

For example, at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Disney Springs, you can order up the Air Pirate’s Cargo Loaded Pretzel which is basically a gigantic soft pretzel stuffed with the components of a charcuterie board. And, BaseLine Tap House boasts the Bavarian Pretzel which comes with delicious beer-cheese fondue and spicy mustard for all your dipping needs.

Just keep in mind that these will usually cost you a little bit more than your average pretzel.

You’ve heard of a bar crawl, but what about a Disney World Pretzel Crawl!? Click HERE to learn more!

Churros

Looking for something a bit sweeter in Disney World? Well, many Disney-goers find themselves turning to one trusty snack — churros. We get it, you can find them almost everywhere you look in the parks and there’s just something about carbs and cinnamon powder that you can’t resist. But, what if we told you that there’s a BETTER way to eat your churros?

The secret lies at Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where they serve up their own spin on Churros! These babies are a bit shorter than the ones that you’ll find in the parks, but they uphold the mantle of iconic theme park snack.

It is also worth mentioning that these churros are gluten-friendly and come with two delicious dipping sauces. The first dipping sauce is a Chili-Strawberry Sauce which is reminiscent of a strawberry jam with a kick at the end. And, the second dipping sauce is the Vanilla Crema which is the perfect balance to the spicy strawberry-chili sauce.

Give ’em a little mix to achieve the churros you’ll be dreaming about for years to come.

The churros aren’t the cheapest treat at $9 but take it from us — they are WORTH IT! You don’t need a reservation to grab some grub at Nomad Lounge, but it is first-come, first-serve, so if you want to try these, pop on over and put your name down or add your name to the walk-up waitlist on the My Disney Experience app!

See more of our favorite items from Nomad Lounge HERE!

Popcorn

The next thing you just can’t settle on is your popcorn! That’s right, you can even upgrade your popcorn in Disney World, and one of the BEST ways to do this is to head on over to EPCOT at the Canada pavilion. Why? Well, that’s where you’ll find Maple Popcorn!

You won’t break the bank with this upgrade because it is the same price as the regular popcorn in Disney at $6.50. And, if you spring for the $13 souvenir bucket, then you can get $2.25 refills for the length of your stay!

Another popcorn option that will have you wondering why you ever ate regular popcorn can be found over at Karamell-Kuche in EPCOT’s Germany Pavilion. This shop is known for baking up some AMAZING caramel treats and perhaps their most-popular item (for good reason) is the Fresh Made Werther’s Original Caramel Popcorn for $6.99.

Don’t worry, you WON’T regret it, and you will have plenty of popcorn leftover to snack on when you’re done!

How To HACK IT — Click HERE to Learn ALL the DFB Disney Snack Hacks!

Skip the Standard, Strive for the Exceptional

Don’t settle for something that you can get at the grocery store or just order off Amazon, either. Taking a trip to Disney World is a BIG DEAL, and your snack game should show that as well! The next time you think about just grabbing a regular ole cupcake… don’t! Pick up something like the School Bread from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT…

…or perhaps a Pongu Lumpia from Pongu Pongu in Pandora — The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After all, what says stepping your snack game up like a pineapple and cream cheese spring roll?!

And, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Croque Glacé from L’Artisan des Glaces in EPCOT’s France Pavilion. This is your choice of ice cream sandwiched and sealed between a warm homemade Brioche Bun for $9.50. Need we say more?!

No matter what kind of snack you prefer, always remember — you’re worth it and never settle! Disney World is FULL of snacks so if you can find it in your local grocery store, save the money and opt for something that you can’t get at home instead.

Click Here to see 20 lies about Disney Snacks you shouldn’t believe!

You Always Miss the Shots You Don’t Take… Ask for MORE!

There are some pretty delicious Disney snacks, but that doesn’t mean a little something extra couldn’t make them better. And, what better way to start than with bacon! Over at Everglazed Donuts, it’s already awesome that you can upgrade your grilled cheese experience and get it ON A GLAZED DONUT but you can kick it up a thousand notches by ordering it with bacon! Adding in the bacon is an extra dollar, but it is most definitely worth it.

Next up on the list is the Warm Cinnamon Roll that you can get from Gaston’s Tavern in Magic Kingdom for $6.79. While this MASSIVE cinnamon roll by itself is delicious, you’ll want to ask for EXTRA icing to make this snack even more drool-worthy. In fact, this is such a common request here that Cast Members keep cups of extra icing ready to go behind the counter!

Similar to asking for plastic cheese, this next move will take your dessert game to the next level! Next time you are at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom, make sure that you ask for a cup of peanut butter sauce. While you do have to pay an extra $.69 to get it, we’ve used it to hack A LOT of Disney snacks!

Ice cream…Mickey cookies…you name it — we’ve probably topped it with peanut butter sauce.

Now, there has been a lot of dessert talk here with these upgrades, but we’ve also got one for all you breakfast fans out there! If you’re starting your day in Magic Kingdom, head on over to The Friar’s Nook and pick up a Breakfast Sandwich.

When you are ordering your sandwich, ask for a side of the sausage gravy (it’ll cost ya $1), and then slather that sandwich with all the goodness! pour it on your sandwich. You’ll never be satisfied with ordering a regular bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich from Starbucks ever again. And, as an added bonus, you get to skip that huge Starbucks line in the park!

So, don’t be afraid to mix and match your snacks the next time you’re visiting Disney World! It may not be shown on the menu, but if you take a chance and do some experimenting, you’ll end up having an EPIC treat that’s all your own.

Click HERE to See 8 (!!) of Our Favorite Disney World Food Hacks!

Treat Yo’ Self

We need everyone to channel their inner Tom Haverford right now and TREAT YO’ SELF! That’s right, you are on vacation, and it is time to upgrade your snacks and experiences because this is Disney World!

Order the bigger size, ask for the extra sauce, load up on the cheese — usually, the price difference is marginal, and you are, after all, at Disney World.

And, if you want to turn your snack into a souvenir, treat yo’ self to Disney’s souvenir buckets and cups! Many times, purchasing a souvenir bucket can end up saving you money on refills, but at the very least, you’ll probably get asked a million times where you got that cute popcorn bucket when you walk around the park (and who doesn’t love that kind of a compliment!).

Plus, you can also take your souvenir buckets and re-use them at home to infuse some Disney into your day. Depending on which one you get, you can even use them as decorations for holidays!

If you’re okay with spending a little bit more to make your Disney dining a full-on experience, then you can try out a Disney Dessert Party!

Have you ever been looking for a spot to watch the fireworks and wondered, “why can’t I have my own little reserved space to enjoy the show?” Well, the good news is you can — sort of. Magic Kingdom offers THREE exclusive fireworks dessert parties where you’ll be treated to unlimited bite-sized desserts (and even drinks!) either before, during, or after the nighttime showing of Disney Enchantment.

Or, for that luxury cruise vibe, try the Ferrytale Fireworks Cruise! This event won’t get you a secured position in the parks to watch the fireworks and enjoy some desserts, but it will get you a view from the Seven Seas Lagoon on one of the ferryboats.

It includes unlimited desserts and drinks (including adult beverages) for $99 for adults and $69 for children. This is one of our FAVORITE dessert parties that is offered in Disney World as it is both entertaining and longer than other dessert parties, but since the view is from the water and not in the park, you miss the projections on the castle. If this is your first time viewing the fireworks show, you may want to opt for one of the other dessert parties, because Enchantment features some awesome projections that you don’t want to miss!

See our FULL review of the Ferrytale Fireworks Cruise HERE!

Don’t Be a Broken Record

The last tip we want to offer up is — don’t get in your own way! So many times, we find what we love and get that over…and over…and over again. While nostalgia is great and there’s nothing quite like a familiar treat, you are missing out on an entirely different world!

For instance, you don’t ALWAYS have to get a Pineapple Dole Whip when you go to Disney World. Disney is home to lots of different Dole Whip flavors and floats so try something new! Many times, the newest concoction is only available for a limited time so if you skip it you may never try it. And, if you’re not sure if the treat is worth skipping your tried and true favorite, stay tuned to DFB because we share our honest thoughts on every kind of Dole Whip we find!

It seems like every day a new treat, drink, or dish arrives in Disney World so, yes, have your Mickey Premium Bar, but save some room for other NEW snacks too!

Click Here to See Some New Snacks to Try at Disney World 

To Sum it All Up

We know, we know — there are TONS of Disney snacks all over property and it can be hard to see what there is and how to level up your snack game. But, you can rest assured that we have traveled the road before you to help you out! We’re piling the peanut butter sauce on cinnamon rolls, sprinkling Tajin packets on Dole Whip, and testing out every snack hack we can think of to bring you the latest on what you should and shouldn’t eat in Disney World. So, if you want to take on Disney World snacks like the pros, be sure to stay tuned to DFB!

Click Here to See the 30 Best Disney World Snacks You’ve NEVER Heard of

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What is your favorite way to kick up your snacks in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How to Kick Your Disney World Snacks Up a Notch! first appeared on the disney food blog.