17 Absolute Best Places To Find Ice Cream At Disney World

Even if you've never been to Disney World, hugged Mickey, or taken in a Disney fireworks spectacular, there's a good chance you know one defining factor of the parks: It's hot. Regardless of the season, you're bound to experience some extremely steamy days during your visit. Granted, Walt Disney World keeps its indoor locations very well air-conditioned, but sometimes that's just not enough. You'll want something to cool your body down from the inside out, which is where ice cream comes into play.

As a local to Walt Disney World, my family and I visit a few times a week, at least. I would visit each day if given the chance. Some days, my family goes rope drop to fireworks, but most days, we escape to Disney for just a few hours. Often, on those short trips, we'll grab a snack, and the snack of choice in my family is ice cream. It's safe to say that I've tried ice cream from nearly every location offering it on the Walt Disney World resort property, and there are certainly some stand-outs among them.

It's perhaps not surprising that ice cream is served in nearly every nook and cranny of the resort, but some of my favorite locations earn that recognition for their unique offerings. If you or someone you're traveling with is dairy-free, fear not; there are plenty of dairy free treats to enjoy, too. 

During especially hot and oppressive days in Magic Kingdom, nothing sounds quite as good as a Dole Whip. And there's no better place to get one than Aloha Isle in Adventureland. 

Dole Whip is essentially a creamy, soft serve pineapple sorbet, but now there are a tons of flavor options you can find throughout the parks, including coconut. The original pineapple Dole Whip flavor is a favorite of vegan Disney fans because it does not have any dairy in it. To turn it into an ice cream treat, you can request a Dole Whip twist with vanilla soft serve. 

Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of dedicated seating around Aloha Isle. But, you can find benches nearby to sit on and enjoy your cold treat while watching the Disney parade magic.

Salt & Straw is located in Walt Disney World's Disney Springs. Here, you can find a truckload of Disney merch, upscale shops, and some of the best dining that Disney has to offer.

I like visiting Salt & Straw for a little dessert after a delicious meal. This isn't a typical ice cream shop — even though it certainly appears that way from the outside. Here, the flavors are rather unique concoctions. Of course, you can get simpler flavors, like Chocolate Gooey Brownie and Double Fold Vanilla. 

One of the best parts about visiting Salt & Straw is that the staff will give you samples of whatever you want to try. Its seasonal, rotating menu changes nearly every time you visit, so you're bound to find a new favorite ice cream.

The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor is the perfect next stop if you're looking for more of a traditional ice cream experience in Magic Kingdom. This shop, located right at the end of Main Street with a great view of Cinderella's Castle, serves a variety of different sundaes.

The most notable of the offered sundaes is definitely the Mickey Sink Sundae. This overwhelmingly large sundae includes your choice of two ice cream flavors, a topping of hot fudge (or caramel sauce), whipped cream, and two cherries. The real star of the show, however, is the little Mickey-themed sink it comes in. After you finish your super sundae, the Mickey sink becomes the perfect souvenir to bring Disney home with you. Fair warning here: With this ice cream parlor's small town feel and incredible smells, it will be hard to resist stopping in as you walk down Main Street.

If you are adventuring through Disney Springs and want something more refreshing, a Dole Whip should do the trick. You can find one at Swirls On The Water. This location is, as the name suggests, right off the Sassagoula River. This is a fairly busy waterway that connects several resorts together via boat. You'll find Swirls on the Water right off of the bridge, on the side closest to the Rainforest Café. You'll know you're close when you see the volcano, which is awfully hard to miss, especially when it's throwing fireballs into the air. 

The Dole Whip-style offerings change with the seasons, so I recommend opting for whatever sampler platter is on-hand. Here, the cast members also serve up the Dole Whip with either hard cider or rum to really make your Disney Springs experience delicious. I love this spot for grabbing a sweet snack as you take a moment to enjoy a beautiful Florida sunset, which you can watch right from the bridge.

At Epcot, one of Walt Disney World's theme parks, you can take a trip around the world and venture to various country's pavilions. Each of these pavilions offers specialty cuisine and experiences that celebrate the flavors of each country. 

In the France pavilion, a little ice cream shop called L'Artisan des Glaces racks up quite the line each day. Here, you have a choice from an incredible variety of hard-scooped ice cream that cast members present in several unique ways. For example, you can order a simple scoop of ice cream in a dish, or you can also order an ice cream martini with two scoops of ice cream and a shot of Grand Marnier topped with whipped cream vodka. One of the more popular treats is called a Croque Glacé. This snack is a scoop of ice cream or sorbet of your choice with a sauce, pressed with a brioche bun. 

Many visitors find their way to Fantasyland, in Magic Kingdom, by mid-day. Here, you'll find great places to stop for lunch — or a snack that acts as lunch. But, there's also a great ice cream spot that's worth visiting.

Storybook Treats is located right next to The Friar's Nook, one of my favorite quick lunch locations. Like Swirls on the Water, Sunshine Terrace, and Aloha Isle, the menu here does seem to change quite often, but you're always bound to spot themed treats throughout the year. Many of the options celebrate fantasy characters, like the Rapunzel Sundae. This is a slice of shortcake topped with wild berry soft serve ice cream and lemon-flavored Dole Whip. You'll also get a berry compote with sugar flowers on top to celebrate the princess with long, golden hair.

Chocolate lovers will absolutely fall in love with the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop.Here, you'll find classic sundaes like a Golden Gate Banana Split or the classic hot fudge sundae, all served with a twist of Disney magic.

For example, the Magical Hot Fudge Sundae includes scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with Ghirardelli's own hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, and, to make it Disney-ified, two circular dipped waffle cone ears. You can also order a non-dairy version of this sundae made with dairy-free chocolate chips and vanilla-flavored coconut ice cream. Ghirardelli tends to get pretty busy, so you'll want to keep an eye out for times that may be a little less congested, like when Disney Springs opens. I like ordering my ice cream here and then going to sit out by the water. 

When vacationing at Walt Disney World, it could be tempting to spend all of your time exploring the theme parks. After all, this is where a majority of the excitement is. However, don't forget to spend some time perusing the resorts. For a more low-key day, take a Disney transportation to one of Walt Disney World's many resorts and properties and enjoy a peaceful, off-park day that will help you see Disney in a whole different light.

If you happen to be going to the Yacht and Beach Club, which is accessible via a short walk from Epcot, stop at Beaches & Cream Soda Shop. It offers plenty of different sundaes, but the biggest and most incredible of them all is the Kitchen Sink. This one includes five scoops of different ice cream flavors and all toppings the restaurant has for ice cream. Plus, you can augment the recipe for more of a chocolate-forward experience or even one of a more Neapolitan persuasion. Also, quite famously, there's a whole can of whipped cream in this massive dessert. It serves four people, and it's definitely Disney bucket-list worthy.

If visiting a more tropical hotel is more to your liking, hop on the monorail or a boat from Magic Kingdom and go on over to the Polynesian Village Resort. You'll find Pineapple Lanai located just outside the lobby of the Ceremonial House. 

Pineapple Lanai is definitely one of the more chill spots to grab a Dole Whip, thanks to its ultra-relaxing, paradise-forward feel and great views of the resort. Many of the offerings here are similar to the ones found in Magic Kingdom, but it is comparatively less busy. It has seating nearby, which makes it an excellent option for families with young children or folks who simply want to step away from the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom for a few moments. You'll find basic ice cream flavors at Pineapple Lanai, but you might find even more delicious specialty sundaes during the holidays or special times of year.

The Orange Bird has a special place in the heart of many Disney fans. The bright orange character was originally created in the 1970s to market Florida's citrus industry. Today, Sunshine Tree Terrace, located just off the bridge between Main Street and Adventureland, features orange-flavored treats.

Here, you can order orange, strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate soft serve. You can also get orange and vanilla soft serve swirl in a cup, and there are plenty of floats available as well. This is also one of the locations that features specialty drinks and sundaes. At the time of writing, Sunshine Tree Terrace offers an I Lava You Float, which is made with orange Dole Whip with strawberry and passion fruit Fanta. It also comes with popping candy as a nod to the volcano it's named after. If you are a big fan of Orange Bird, this is also the perfect place to pick up an adorable Orange Bird sipper souvenir to take home.

Vivoli il Gelato is a gelato shop with an incredible range of flavors to choose from. There's a brick-and-mortar store in Disney Springs, as well as a cart in Town Center.

The larger store has plenty of gelato and sorbetto flavors to choose from, but the cart is limited to only eight popular flavors. The brick-and-mortar shop also offers milkshakes and floats, as well as cocktails that elevate gelato even further. This is also the perfect place to grab an affogato for a sweet, caffeine boost.

Love Guinness? Try the Guinness gelato flavor and fall in love with a whole new way to enjoy this stout. Disney Springs certainly has many ice cream options, but the gelato flavors at this shop certainly bring something different.

You can find Mickey Premium Bars in nearly every one of the Walt Disney World Parks. However, it's rare to stumble across a dipped Mickey bar. Over at Drinkwallah in Disney's Animal Kingdom, right across from Yak & Yeti and just past the bridge into Asia, there is a treat that's definitely worth a taste.

This is a blueberry raspberry dipped Mickey-shaped ice cream bar coated in sprinkles. It's like taking your favorite Mickey classic ice cream treat and making it more Instagram-worthy and delicious all at the same time. Not to mention, there are plenty of places to grab some shade in this area of the park, so you shouldn't be searching for long for a place to sit down and enjoy your ice cream. Alternatively, if you hang out on the bridge, you'll be able to wave down to the Discovery Island Drummers who float by frequently on a boat.

After hopping off Expedition Everest, walk along the pathway a bit to find one of the most decorated ice cream trucks you've ever seen. At the Anandapur Ice Cream Truck, you can order a soft serve waffle cone, float with your chosen bubbly fountain beverage, or, my favorite, a Yeti Sundae.

This sundae celebrates the theme of the area and features both chocolate and vanilla soft serve, chocolate sauce, and a cake crumble topping, complete with sugar, snowflakes, and a Yeti image made from chocolate. It's the perfect way to celebrate conquering Mount Everest and cooling down in one of the hottest places at Walt Disney World. This spot also offers a few beer varieties, so there's something at this stop for all in your adventuring party.

Nothing goes better with a day at the water park than ice cream. The next time your party decides to take a trip over to Typhoon Lagoon for a day in the sun and sand, be sure to find your way over to Happy Landings Ice Cream.

In addition to the ice cream bars you can find throughout the parks, as well as a fruit bar and frozen lemonade cup, you'll also find the Sand Pail Sundae at this ice cream destination. You'll need to recruit a few friends to devour this colossal treat, made with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, sprinkles, a cherry, and more. Plus, it comes in a sand pail that you can use to build sand castles on future trips and on your next day at the beach. Don't try to conquer this one on your own in the sun because you'll probably end up with a soupy, melty mess.

In the shadow of the Hollywood Tower of Terror, you can order some super fun sundaes at Hollywood Scoops to enjoy before or after the big drop. As the time of writing, there is an annual pass holder offering inspired by Lightning McQueen.

The Annual Passholder Exclusive Lightning McQueen Ice Cream Sundae includes the ice cream flavor of your choice, hot fudge, whipped cream, red and yellow sprinkles to represent the racecar, and a chocolate-coconut cake donut. Alternatively, you can get a brownie sundae with a Mickey-shaped brownie, vanilla ice cream, classic hot fudge, and whipped cream. This is the perfect stop for cooling off while you're playing amongst the stars, and it's definitely an ice cream spot you'll want to have on your radar during those hot days in Hollywood Studios.

You'll find a small café called the Scat Cat's Club located in the Port Orleans French Quarter. And if you're lucky enough to visit in the evenings, you may be able to take in some jazz music along with your sweet treat. 

You can walk up to the café and order a delicious beignet treat. While these Mickey-shaped beignets are absolutely outstanding all on their own, you can make them better by ordering a beignet sundae with your choice of ice cream, sauce, and whipped cream. The warm beignet with the cold ice cream makes for a delicious combination and is definitely one you'll enjoy each time you order it. I would recommend topping your sundae with sweet strawberry sauce; it's my favorite. 

Bowling and ice cream are a perfect match. If you have a hankering for a game and a few scoops, check out Splitsville. It has great drinks, surprisingly tasty sushi, and, my personal favorite: decadent desserts.

Even the classic sundae at Splitsville is something impressive; it comes with chocolate and vanilla ice cream topped with your favorite syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry. There's also a Ghirardelli option, which comes with a chocolate brownie, ice cream, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry. If cookies are more up your alley, consider a Cookies & Cream Sundae with cookies and cream ice cream and a topping of hot fudge, cookies, whipped cream, and, of course, a cherry. If a float sounds better, you can also order a classic root beer one to sip on as you bowl the night away. 

There are plenty of places to pick from when it comes to getting great ice cream at Walt Disney World. But when it comes to the best of the best, I'm looking for places that offer unique options, have an especially enjoyable atmosphere, and ones that really capture that Disney Magic. I have personally visited each of these locations and can attest to each stop's spin on the classic ice cream or Dole Whip. 

Aside from the ice cream, I considered the scenery, theming, and general feel of each spot. All of these spots offer a special atmosphere that's filled with Disney magic. It's an intangible feeling of being somewhere that feels different from everyday life, and somewhere you can escape to. I am so lucky to live in Mickey's backyard, and it's certainly given me plenty of opportunity to parse out the best places to help make your next visit extra special (and that much more delicious).