Snack Gauntlet Smackdown!

Who doesn't love a snack? When I'm at home I am known to snack on whatever the kids didn't eat for their lunch (c'mon mamas, you eat things off high chair trays, you know you do) or I may even snack on a bite here or there of what I am making for the kids. And while at Disney it's pretty much the same- the kids decide on the snacks, I eat the leftovers. 

But this past February I was able to visit Walt Disney World completely alone for the first time ever. And after I was done feeling guilty about it (for 5 minutes), I was able to have a total blast! I was down there to volunteer at the Princess Half Marathon and cheer on some other Ears of Experience agents, but naturally I went a few days early to conduct some 'research'. Part of my research was enjoying some snacks! Some snacks that I didn't have to share. Whoo hoo! Well, towards the end I did because my kids and hubby did join me after the half marathon. But I was happy to see them and have some help with my 'research'. 

When listening to one of my favorite podcasts last year, 2 Men and the Mouse, the hosts talked about completing a 'Snack Gauntlet', or a challenge to eat ten Disney snacks during one trip. Once I started to plan this solo trip I knew I wanted to take on this challenge! I got the quick-service dining plan so I knew I would be hungry enough to enjoy the amount of snacks I was taking on. With the amount of walking I did during this trip I had no trouble keeping a hearty appetite the entire time! 

Here's the challenge that was laid out before me:
1. Turkey Leg
2. Dole Whip
3. Funnel Cake
4. Popcorn
5. Churro
6. Cronut (officially named a croissant donut)
7. Kaki Gori (shaved ice)
8. Mickey Pretzel
9. Premium Mickey Ice Cream Bar
10. Wild Card (your choice)

Substitutions allowed:
Pork shank for Turkey Leg
Citrus Swirl for Dole Whip
Kettle Corn for Popcorn
German Pretzel for Mickey Pretzel
Ice Cream Sandwich for Mickey Bar
Fresh Fruit for any snack listed (so this is an allergy friendly/ health conscious challenge, if you want it to be)

I spent my first evening walking through Epcot. As a solo guest I think Epcot may be my favorite park. Strolling through the world showcase with no plan or agenda and just people watching was a great evening alone. My husband and I always loved Epcot the most before kids, but after having kids you can't beat the pixie dust that surrounds the Magic Kingdom and seeing their eyes light up walking down Main Street. But this night I had snacks on my mind and headed into the world showcase with an empty belly. 

1.) Cronut: My first stop was at the Refreshment Port which is just outside the Canada Pavilion. It's official Disney name is a croissant doughnut. It's flakey like a coissant, but in the shape of a doughnut and coated in cinnamon and brown sugar. In fact, it had so much sugar that I had to peel off the top and bottom layers and enjoy the inside. So when you stop here I would suggest requesting- 'lightly sugared'. 

2.) Kaki Gori (shaved ice): The irony here is that it was a very chilly February evening for Orlando, That morning there were actual freezing temps and that evening was in the 40s (this is artic weather for Floridians). So the gloves I am wearing here are not for show! Kaki Gori was available at the Kabuki Cafe in the Japan Pavilion. I opted for the optional sweet milk topping which made this treat absolutely delightful! This would be a perfect treat during the summer months, but even the cold temps didn't take away from my first experience with Kaki Gori. 

3) WILDCARD! I know you're thinking it's a little lazy to start off the first day and play my wild card right away, but this was planned. I have heard so many people rave about the school bread at the Norway Pavilion that I just had to try it for myself. It's a custard filled roll with coconut on top. I think I expected the roll to be more pastry-like, but it's really similar to a french roll so it threw me for a loop. You can find this treat being guarded by a two-headed troll (!?!?) at the Kringla Bakery. Didn't quite live up to hype, but it was a good dessert to finish off the evening. 

4.) Turkey Leg: The next morning started off EARLY with a 7am start in the Magic Kingdom. If you ever are there when they have extra magic hours that early it is well worth the wake up call. The park was my oyster with hardly anyone there. After meeting ALL the princesses I ventured over to Hollywood Studios to ride my very favorite rides- Rock n Rollercoaster featuring Aerosmith (best coaster ever) and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. I did these on a mostly empty stomach (which is the suggested way to do them, FYI) but then I enjoyed lunch with a turkey leg from Toluca Legs Turkey Co. With a side, drink and dessert this qualifies for a quick-service meal from the dining plan. And you won't be missing any protein from your diet, that's for sure! 

5.) German Pretzel: After a little rest at the hotel I met up with another Ears of Experience agent and we headed back to Epcot for a tour around the World Showcase. We ventured into Germany where the line for beer and pretzels and Sommerfest was dozens deep. I don't drink beer but handed off $5 to someone in line (sneaky, right? I make friends easily) to get me a German pretzel to check it off my list. I'm not sure what made it German. Tasted just like an American pretzel to me. 

6.) Funnel Cake: Then we finished off the World Showcase and headed outside of Epcot via the International Gateway to tour the Epcot area Deluxe resorts. We got hungry along the way and naturally needed to grab a funnel cake on the Boardwalk. As we meandered through the Boardwalk Inn courtyard, they were showing a movie on the lawn so we sat down and enjoy some time off our feet. We finished off the night at Hollywood Studios to ride Rock n' Rollercoaster once more before the park closed, then it was off to bed to rest up for the half marathon. I had to be there at 2:30am, so I didn't actually sleep much, but being off my feet was good!

7.) Dole Whip: After a long morning of handing out medals to princesses I met back up with my colleague and friend Carolyn to tour the Magic Kingdom area Deluxe Resorts and you simply can't leave the Polynesian Village resort without grabbing a Dole Whip on the Pineapple Lanai. See how we don't have coats anymore? Yeah, in typical Florida fashion the next couple of days were in the 80's. More my speed. I didn't plan to eat the whole thing ("I'll just have a few bites") but before I realized it, it was gone. Whoops!

After I bid Carolyn farewell my family came into town and we enjoyed some down time before heading to Magic Kingdom the next day for a full day of fun. 

8.) Popcorn: My son and I grabbed some popcorn in Frontierland and then jumped in line to meet some of our favorites- Woody and Jesse. He is the biggest Toy Story fan around and his love for the movies has turned me into a fan as well. We can't pass a character and not stop to meet them. Toy Story forever! 

9.) Mickey Ice Cream Bar: This is a classic snack. Even if you aren't doing the snack challenge you can't possibly go to Disney World and not enjoy one of these delightful treats. But eat quickly when the heat is on- they melt fast! Here's a little tip for you: you can grab a drink lid at a quick-service location or food court and slip it on upside down to keep the messiness to minimum. I like to keep a few in my purse during a trip for such an occasion!

10.) Churro: At Walt Disney World I have only ever seen the standard cinnamon and sugar churro, but I have heard all about the many different flavored churros at Disneyland and hope to compare them some day. And even though I already checked the pretzel off my list a few days prior in Epcot I decided to go for extra credit and get a Mickey Pretzel as well! 

So I challenge you take on the Snack Gauntlet Smackdown during your next Walt Disney World trip! If you do, please tag me in your social media pics so I can follow along! @mamaknowsmickey on Instagram and Twitter. Happy snacking!

XOXO
Mama