Big Top Treats Review!

Big Top Treats Review

Big Time Fun!

In my opinion, when the Imagineers designed New Fantasyland and Storybook Circus they outdid themselves with carefully planned details to make it a truly immersive experience.  I was a bit nostalgic and sad to hear that Mickey and Minnie’s houses would be going away with the transformation of Mickey’s ToonTown Fair into Storybook Circus, but now that I have seen it and experienced it—I love it!  From the large structures like the circus tents and the Train Station (with the great historic Carolwood theme from Walt Disney’s past), to the peanuts and elephant prints embedded in the walkways, to the cast member costumes (those at Dumbo are my favorite of the whole park!), I love everything about this “new” land.  This attention to detail continues into the retail environment of Big Top Souvenirs where it seems as though you’ve stepped inside the Big Top!

Big Top Treats is the centerpiece of Big Top Souvenirs, and I think it serves as the perfect sister location to the Main Street Confectionery at the other end of the park, and features many of the same sweet indulgences for guests.  But before we get to the sweets, let’s take a minute to appreciate the environment.

Look up, look down, the details are all around.  Inside the tent, the circus is ready to begin.  If you look up you will see ladders and tent poles, along with props for the aerial acts like the rope ladders, the trapeze bars and the rings.  When you look to the floor you find a fantastically detailed carpet that has a pained wood looking border that represents the circus ring and circus ring floor of stitched canvas.  I love these details that the Imagineers add to enhance the feeling of the area that they really wouldn’t have to include—this is what makes Disney, well, Disney.

It may look like the circus just arrived to town, but the main entertainment here are the Cast Members crafting sweets right in front of your eyes.  There is no doubt you will want to sample a colorful treat from the display cases after watching them being made.  On the morning I visited Cast Members were busy making Mickey shaped candy apples and marshmallow treats on Mickey Straws.  It was fun to watch how they make these tasty concoctions.

Inside the glass display cases you will find all manner of sweets in the same fashion as the Main Street Confectionery or Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney.  There are baked goods like Dumbo Cupcakes, cookies (including gingerbread and sugar cookie Mickeys), Mickey Brownies and cake pops (featuring Monsters University characters to go along with the latest movie release).  There is fudge, marshmallows covered in various toppings, Mickey Mouse crisped rice treats, and the adorable decorated candy apples I watched them make.  The apples come themed to various characters from Goofy and Mickey or Minnie Mouse to Mike and Sulley.  Even the non-character apples are shaped as Mickey heads and they are covered in chocolate or caramel, and coated in all types of toppings like M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Toffee, and Butterfingers.  If you select an apple you can ask them to cut it for you to make it easier to eat.  If you are looking for a healthier alternative they do offer other fruits—both plain & chocolate covered fruit kabobs, and chocolate dipped Strawberries (you are on vacation, you know).  When I visited earlier in the morning they were handing out samples of some of their treats.  I tasted the chocolate cake pop—it was very dense by nice and moist cake.

In addition to the featured items in the display case Big Top Treats also sells the traditional Circus Fare of Caramel Corn and Cotton Candy.  You can find Goofy’s Glaciers here too—the perfect way to cool off after a hot ride on Dumbo.  They serve Blue Raspberry, Strawberry, and Lemonade Glaciers, or you may mix any of the flavors you would like.  When I returned on this June afternoon I enjoyed a Strawberry Lemonade blended Glacier and it was the perfect way to cool off.  When I visited earlier in the morning they were handing out samples of some of their treats.  I tasted the chocolate cake pop—it was very dense by nice and moist cake.

Many of the items at Big Top Treats qualify as Snacks on the Disney Dining Plans—but not the large specialty apples.  At $9.99 they are a snack investment to be shared!  The other treats range from around $3.29 to $4.99 (that are considered snack credits).  Goofy’s Glaciers will run you $3.99, the Cotton Candy is $3.95, and the Caramel Corn is $5.99.  Also, since this is a merchandise location I asked if they honored the Annual Pass 10% discount, and they did.

Big Top Treats presents a nice complement to the Main Street Confectionery in the back portion of the Magic Kingdom.  When you are in New Fantasyland or Storybook Circus with your little ones and they begin to melt down you are just steps away from a sugary treat to keep them going for a few more hours or park touring.  While you are there just be sure to take a few minutes to look around and appreciate all of the details that the Imagineering Design Team added to present a Big Top atmosphere that makes you feel like the Ring Master will be bringing in the clowns at any moment.