We get it — restaurant menus change in Disney World. We even understand why — it’s nice to change things up to give visitors NEW snacks and foods to get excited about.
But sometimes that means that some of our favorite snacks have to go away forever. We’re not always sad to see something go (we were FINE when the BIZARRE Squid’s Revenge drink disappeared). Sometimes, though, Disney decides to get rid of some of our favorite snacks, and then we’re just sad.
So far in 2023, we’ve seen a LOT of snacks disappear. The 50th Anniversary Celebration ended, and MOST of the snacks that came with it went away, too. We were happy some DID stick around (with a non-50th anniversary theme), like the Glimmer and Shimmer Blondie in Hollywood Studios.
A few of those snacks made our list of the most DEVASTATING changes, so let’s look at those menu changes that REALLY hurt.
Mini Mango Pie
Okay, we loved that Mini Mango Pie from Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This delicious little pie had a thick graham cracker crust, and a sweet and tart mango filling that we raved about A LOT. We weren’t just fans of it, though — our readers seemed to love it, too. Perhaps that’s why we were VERY surprised when it disappeared from the menu.
At the time, Cast Members told us they didn’t know if it would return, and well, it hasn’t. So we have to mourn this little tasty snack. There is some good news, though — this mini pie is actually made by a company called Kenny’s, and we’ve actually seen it at our local Kroger and Publix!
Here’s Why This Mini Pie Won Our Dessert Wars
Wendell’s Bear Claw
Over at Westward Ho in Magic Kingdom, we would OFTEN pick up Wendell’s Bear Claw, which was a traditional bear claw pastry dipped in and filled with chocolate and sprinkled with hazelnuts. It was simple, but OH, SO GOOD. Although it was a 50th anniversary treat, it did hang around for a little while — at least until recently, when we were told it would go away for good.
What did we do with that tragic news? We ordered the VERY LAST WENDELL’S BEAR CLAW and then went to see its namesake, Wendell from The Country Bears, and he helped us wish this delicious snack a sad goodbye.
See How Wendell Said Goodbye To His Pastry
Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich
The Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich from Karamel Küche in EPCOT began its life as a seasonal holiday treat. It’s made with two gingerbread cookies filled with salted caramel buttercream! It ended up returning the following year and then stuck around because it was so popular. However, apparently, popularity doesn’t mean much for snacks in Disney World, because it is GONE, and we’re still not over it.
All we can do is hope that it turns up again this holiday season. So if you’re paying attention, Disney, BRING THIS SNACK BACK.
Read Our Very First Review Of This Cookie Sandwich
50th Anniversary Dessert
The 50th Anniversary Dessert didn’t have a fancy name, but it didn’t need it. This gluten-free treat was a Raspberry Cheesecake with a Rose Gold Champagne-infused Glaze, all on top of an Almond Cookie. It had a nice fluffy cheesecake filling and that raspberry flavor just made our mouths happy. However, once the 50th Anniversary Celebration ended, this dessert went away forever.
This was one of three 50th anniversary snacks here, and we would happily trek over to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort if Disney decided to bring this back (hint, hint).
Read Our Review Of This Beautiful Treat
Showtime with Jose
Another 50th anniversary treat that has gone away is the Showtime with Jose, which was available at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom. This was a Mango and Vanilla swirled soft-serve Pineapple float, garnished with a blue feather. There was something about the combo of mango and vanilla that worked so well, but if you didn’t get a chance to try it, you’re now out of luck.
We’re just happy that our FAVORITE 50th anniversary Dole Whip treat stuck around — the Tropical Serenade is still available at Aloha Isle.
Read Our Review of Showtime with Jose
Should we be wearing black as we mourn the loss of these great treats? Can we convince Disney World to bring them back? We don’t know, but we’re just going to sit here and see if we can’t figure out how to make them at home (we DID figure out how to make the Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich at home, though — here’s our copycat recipe!).
WE KNOW – there are SO many great snacks at Disney World! How do you choose (we don’t want to choose but will blow our budget on Day 1 otherwise)? We’ve got you covered! 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. You can even download them to your smartphone – it’ll be like we’re right there with you in the parks!
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Which snack has disappeared from Disney World that you’re most upset about? Let us know in the comments!
The post The 5 Most Devastating Menu Changes in Disney World in 2023 first appeared on the disney food blog.