The Best Places to Get Ice Cream in Disney World

It’s no secret that Florida is a hot place. This is especially true during the summer months, but even the winter days can be uncomfortably warm. For this reason- and because we absolutely love frozen sweet treats-ice cream is a must-have on any Walt Disney World vacation.

Luckily, there is no shortage of ice cream in Disney World. In fact, it’s kinda hard to go anywhere without spotting one of those adorable Mickey ice cream bars. That said, as much as we love Mickey bars, they are far from being the best ice cream on property.

If you’ve had your fill of Mickey bars and ice cream sandwiches and you’re looking for a higher quality ice cream fix, this is the article for you. Below we’ve compiled a list of the top ice cream spots on Disney property, and we think you should try them all.

Beaches and Cream Soda Shop

Considered by many to be the absolute best place to get ice cream anywhere in Walt Disney World Resort, Beaches and Cream Soda Shop is a pretty good bet if you’re in the mood for ice cream. This restaurant is located at Beach Club Resort and is a table-service eatery, meaning you will want to snag a reservation before you go.

In addition to the usual ice cream cone and shake choices, you can also order the incredible Kitchen Sink Sundae here. This enormous dessert includes brownie, cake, cookie, several kinds of ice cream, every sauce you can imagine, and a whole load of toppings, all with whipped cream and cherries of course. It can be shared by a small crowd, so we highly recommend taking some friends.

L’Artisan Des Glaces

Another fantastic choice for ice cream, L’Artisan Des Glaces is located in the France Pavilion in Epcot. This spot has a number of different delicious handmade flavors available, along with some of the best made-on-site waffle cones you’ll find anywhere.

Other wonderful choices at this location include the Croque Glacé (ice cream in a brioche bun), the Cafe Glacé coffee drink, and their amazing macaron ice cream sandwich.

Related: Finding the Best Coffee in Disney World

Aloha Isle

Dole Whip is a Disney park classic that everyone needs to try at least once. You’ll likely love it, and if you love it as much as we do, you’ll be back for more every single trip.

Where do you go to get this delicious pineapple soft-serve? Aloha Isle in Adventureland, of course! Here, they serve up pineapple Dole Whip, the Dole Whip float over pineapple juice, and all kinds of other takes on the classic sweet treat.

That said, if you can’t make it to Aloha Isle, Tamu Tamu Refreshments in Animal Kingdom and Pineapple Lanai in the Polynesian Resort also serve Dole Whip. These spots are equally good and are definitely acceptable alternatives to the Magic Kingdom location.

Sunshine Tree Terrace

Another excellent spot for some fruit-flavored soft-serve is Sunshine Tree Terrace. This counter-service location is also found in Adventureland, not far at all from Aloha Isle.

The treats served here are not pineapple flavored though. Instead, they are citrus-flavored. The featured menu item here is the Citrus Swirl, which is frozen orange juice blended with vanilla soft serve. That said, we also love the orange Dole Whip served here.

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain

Ghirardelli chocolate is never a bad choice, so it only makes sense that heading to the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain for ice cream would be a good idea. This Disney Springs spot is the perfect place to grab a frozen treat and cool off on a hot day.

The main attraction here? The incredible hot fudge sundaes, which are made with handmade hot fudge and a number of other tasty toppings. We especially love the Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae, which features vanilla ice cream, caramel, and sea salt in addition to hot fudge and a Ghirardelli chocolate square as a finishing touch.

Related: Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

La Gelateria Toscana

So far we’ve covered ice cream options and some soft-serve spots, but what about gelato? No need to worry, there’s a place for that too.

La Gelateria Toscana is located in the Italy Pavilion in Epcot. This spot features pastries and yummy frozen adult beverages, as well as a nice selection of wine and beer. That said, the main event is their deliciously old-world gelato. Get it served in a cone or a cup-either way, you’re sure to enjoy the rich flavor and texture of this chilly sweet treat.

Related: Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Epcot

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor

Many would say no trip to Magic Kingdom is complete without a stop at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. This Main Street, U.S.A. ice cream shop has been around since the park’s opening, and the classic Victorian-style ice cream parlor is just as charming as ever.

Right now, this parlor serves up Edy’s Ice Cream in a variety of flavors and offers such treats as a brownie sundae, double-scoop ice cream cones, and a banana split. There are also plant-based frozen desserts and fat-free/sugar-free options available for those with dietary restrictions.

Related: A Yummy Muppets Inspired Ice Cream Recipe

Hollywood Scoops

Offering quick window service in a prime location between Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Hollywood Scoops is a superb spot to stop for an afternoon pick-me-up between rides.

This location offers hand scooped ice cream in a variety of classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip. The brownie ice cream sundae option is incredible, but honestly, even just a scoop of ice cream in a bowl is nice. Like Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, Hollywood Scoops also has a fat-free sugar-free option which is perfect for some.

Dino-Bite Snacks

Heading to Animal Kingdom theme park? Not to worry, there are excellent ice cream options there too.

One of our favorite ice cream spots in this park is Dino-Bite Snacks. Why? Because this location serves up Häagen-Dazs, one of our favorite ice cream brands.

Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and no-sugar-added vanilla are available. These flavors can be used to make a number of desserts, such as the fantastic ice cream cookie sandwich, the old-fashioned hot fudge sundae, or a float with your choice of fountain beverage. We also love the 50th Celebration Ice Cream Sandwich served here.

Storybook Treats

We’ve listed a couple of soft-serve places already, but we feel that Storybook Treats also deserves a place in this lineup.

This Fantasyland spot always offers creamy, delicious chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, and honestly, we’d be happy with just that. However, the folks who built the menu for this spot like to go above and beyond and are constantly rotating new treats in and out, meaning fun new treats pop up here nearly every time we visit.

Currently, guests can enjoy a Heigh-Ho Sundae, which is chocolate soft-serve with graham cracker pieces, chocolate rocks, hot fudge, and whipped cream. Alternatively, they can order a Snow White cone, which is lemon Dole Whip served on a blue cone with a chocolate bird and a sugar bow. Another favorite? The Peter Pan Float-a lime Dole Whip and Sprite float with a chocolate feather on top.

Anandapur Ice Cream Truck

Last but not least, there is the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck. This is another Animal Kingdom location that is definitely well worth visiting, especially if you’re a soft-serve fan.

Like Storybook Treats, this place always has some seriously delicious chocolate and vanilla soft-serve. That said, it’s the inventive rotating menu that really shines.

Right now, guests can order the Kite Tails Sundae, which is a strawberry and lemon soft-serve topped with a white chocolate medallion. Or, they might pick the Mighty Mist soft-serve, which is a strawberry and vanilla swirl served in a blue-tinted white chocolate waffle cone.

As you can see, there are tons of excellent places to grab an ice cream treat in Disney World. Which one will you try first?