Apple-Inspired Fall Food and Drinks at Walt Disney World
Seemingly overnight, the weather snapped up here in the Northeast part of the country. When the very first cool morning of autumn struck, New York City transformed as quickly as the weather. Girls with brand-new Ugg boots emerged in freshly-knitted fall hats wearing long sweaters and gripping the most important and most sought-after drink of the season…the pumpkin spice latte. It’s a marvel, really, but one thing is for certain: pumpkin flavor reigns supreme. Or does it?
If you’re a city dweller like me or call a suburb your home, you likely know exactly what I’m talking about. The ‘PSL’ has become such a cliché in pop culture that pumpkin flavor has wormed its way to the top of everyone’s minds when we think ‘fall flavor’. Doing what I like to do best, I am here to not only prove that pumpkin is NOT the best fall flavor out there, and I have a great source in my corner ready to back me up: Walt Disney World Resort! Are you ready to change your mind and delve into the world of apple flavor? Let’s go!
Food and Wine Festival
Starting off with the Epcot event that celebrates the fall harvest, Food and Wine Festival is chock-loaded with apple eats and treats. The absence of pumpkin and saturation of apple-flavored food and drinks first caught my attention when I visited the festival, and my taste buds still haven’t recovered from the deliciousness! In Germany, you can find the usually Biergarten-exclusive dessert at the outdoor kitchen, and you should absolutely take advantage of your chance to snap it up! The apple strudel is really the only reason to visit Biergarten, but Food and Wine Fest gives you the chance to enjoy the dessert without having to book a reservation.
You’re definitely going to get thirsty while you circle the culinary world of Food and Wine Festival. Both refreshing and article-appropriate, hard apple ciders are a big staple of the Festival offerings at the American Pavilion! Being the apple-lover that I am, I had to sample both the rosé and strawberry/apple ciders available. The rosé was on the drier side and is perfect if you’re sampling small beverages as you walk, and the strawberry/apple blended cider served its purpose of giving me a sweet and quick pick-me-up to continue my walk!
Pinocchio’s Village Haus
Your apple tour of WDW is just beginning, so hop on a monorail and head to Magic Kingdom for the next stop! Surprisingly, apples have wormed their way not only into desserts, but into savory meal options too! At Pinocchio’s Village Haus, pick up their seasonal flatbread featuring chunks of apple, apple butter, brie, and chicken-apple sausage!
Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea
To my dismay, almost every Joffrey’s I visited was sold out of my favorite item. I searched in Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, through Hollywood Studios, and through Epcot when I assumed all hope was lost. When all hope was lost, I noticed a single massive, dense, perfectly-glazed, apple fritter in the Joffrey’s cart near the Canada Pavilion, and I’d belying if I said I didn’t RUN to grab it before someone else did!
The apple fritters from Joffrey’s are, to put it bluntly, enormous. They can easily be shared among 2 or 3 friends, making them a perfect grab-and-go snack. The always-moist pastries get their dense chewiness from the hunks of real apple that stud the pastry and they are a true Disney snack staple on every one of my vacations. Yes…they really are that good.
Animal Kingdom
I never thought I’d say it, and I WILL deny it if asked, but the seasonal apple cider donuts available at Animal Kingdom right now just might trump my beloved fritters. Isle of Java saved my morning when the Animal Kingdom Joffrey’s was out of fritters with their apple cider donut holes on a stick. I’d like to see the donut that produced these ‘donut holes’, because not even a sumo wrestler would be able to finish that bad boy.
Three very large, crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside donut holes make up one order. They come served on a stick which makes for very easy eating, and once you crack that crispy fried outside, be sure the pieces of tender apple that make up the inside don’t fall out…because they are the stuff that dreams are made of!
Fall Specialty Apples
The specialty apples available across Property got an adorable and seasonally-appropriate overlay for autumn. You can pick up a specialty apple or create-your-own any time of the year, but if you’re looking for a cute Disney-themed Halloween treat to share, grab a spookily spectacular specialty apple before the Headless Horseman’s final trot down Main Street. The apples pictured here are from Candy Cauldron in Disney Springs, but you can find them across the Property!
So, after reading up on all of Walt Disney World’s apple-tastic fall offerings, you don’t just have to take my word for it; apple is truly the fall flavor of the moment! Stand aside pumpkin, because WDW is doling out every apple-inspired food and drink you can imagine! From donuts to fritters to ciders galore, we want to know which treat is the apple of your eye (pun intended), so leave us a comment and let us know which you’d order!
Are you planning on booking a Disney vacation for you and your family? I’d love to help! You can find me over on Facebook, or contact me directly at msalerno@mickeytravels.com, or 800-308-6257
