Sunday Brunch: Aloha, Tastebuds, Welcome to the Islands!

by Reuben Gutierrez

14 April 2013

Authors' Note: From Screen to Theme dot com Days of the Week readers know that throughout the year we have special themed weeks to celebrate the latest and greatest with the Walt Disney Company. This year we are celebrating the latest and greatest of the Days of the Week writers, or rather all of them! The celebration begins this week as we celebrate Alexandra M, Hidden Mickey Monday's mouse silhouette hunting expert.

A plump and juicy hot dog at a ballpark, buttery corn on the cob at a country hoedown, foie gras at an elegant French restaurant, warm and toasty poutine in a Canadian moose lodge'food seems to taste the best when it has a setting to match. With those thoughts in mind, I bring you a dining experience that our good friend Alex believes to be one of the best Disney has to offer. I've had many a Dole Whip in my lifetime, and while my first Dole Whip was at Disneyland four years ago, I did not fully enjoy it until my trip to the land with my sister and Alex this past winter. One has not truly had the ultimate Dole Whip experience until the pineapple frozen treat is enjoyed in the shelter of a tropical thatched roof hut while relaxing with the lulling melodies of a troupe of Polynesian parrots.

While most theme park attractions prohibit guests from having any food or drink, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland does not only allow such things but actually encourages it. The tiki garden pre-show area to the attraction serves not only an exciting tropical atmosphere, but also access to the park's most popular snack stand ' the Tiki Juice Bar. Thankfully, this means a treat enjoyed outside the show can also be brought inside.

From the Tiki Garden side, there is an additional counter to order Dole Whips

Having stayed long term at the Walt Disney World resort, Alex, my sister, and I have all frequently journeyed to Adventureland under the hot Florida sun for a refreshing Dole Whip, but no experience can compare to enjoying one amidst the tropical settings of the Enchanted Tiki Room. Our trip was in winter for crying out loud, but the Tiki Room Dole Whip experience is so perfect that we still made sure to have the treat on that cold February day. The shady palm trees and Pacific Islands themed atmosphere paired with a distinctly tropical fruit dessert can make anyone forget about the reality of a cold winter's day.

Alex relaxes under a tiki tree, contemplating whether or not to get a second Dole Whip for the day

Once inside the Enchanted Tiki Room, guests totally forget the winter weather since crossing the threshold fully immerses them in the tropical escape of the Tiki birds. The melodic pounding of the tribal drums, the rhythm of the rainstorm, and the music resonating from the Polynesian flora and fauna, all make a terrific attraction but the experience is enhanced with a Dole Whip in hand. The same could be said for the Dole Whip, which at Disneyland is decorated with a tiny paper umbrella for further thematic snacking. The creamy goodness of a frozen dessert paired with the flavorful bursts of sunshine and ocean breeze tastes of the pineapple make the Dole Whip a terrific treat, but tasting it in the Tiki Room completely transports you to the islands.

I can go on and on, but words can only do so much to describe this rite of passage for any Dole Whip fan. Snacks and treats are always a pleasure when viewing any kind of show, be it live in a theater, on television, at the movies, etc. So Disneyland's Tiki Room already wins for allowing snacks to be eaten while the show goes on. Though the experience is made even better when the snacks offered right outside by its tropical lanai is appropriately themed to the setting the attraction already so successfully thrusts you in. The Tiki Room Dole Whip experience is a prime example of the immersive experiences Disney theme parks are known for, but also a perfect presentation of how the food taste experience is ultimately enhanced by the setting it is enjoyed in.