Best Disney Restaurants for Waffles
“Today is a big day…an important holiday that we’ve gotta celebrate. Are you ready?!? IT’S NATIONAL WAFFLE DAY!!!” That was my first interaction with a very enthusiastic Sarah this morning, as I was still in a groggy haze before the caffeine kicked in.
It wasn’t until about 45 minutes later–after we had already planned a day of waffle-filled fun and I had my second cup of coffee–that we realized National Waffle Day was actually yesterday. Being a staunch proponent of flexibility in fake holidays, I suggested we continue the charade and celebrate the momentous occasion a day late.
Plus, we had already assembled part of this list and really wanted to eat waffles today. It’s not like the calendar has any meaning anymore, anyway. As such, it seemed like celebrating this high holiday with a rundown of the best Disney restaurants for waffles was simply the right thing to do…
It’s actually somewhat surprising we haven’t already put together such a list. Regular readers of the blog likely know Sarah as the healthy one of us because, well, she is. However, she’s also a sucker for snacks and an absolute waffle fiend. In fact, after the little green men mochi, Mickey waffles are her favorite Disney snacks, and she has extensive experience on the topic.
Accordingly, here’s our list of the best spots for waffles at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond…
Main Street Waffles (Various Parks & Locations) – There’s an option for waffles on every Main Street (or its equivalent) at every castle park in the world. Disneyland has Carnation Cafe and Plaza Inn, Magic Kingdom has Plaza Restaurant and Crystal Palace, Disneyland Paris has Victoria’s Home-Style Restaurant, Hong Kong Disneyland has Main Street Market, and Shanghai Disneyland has Il Paperino.
Several of these could make the list on their own merits, but then there wouldn’t be much room for anything else (besides, one already tops the list). There’s truly something special about taking a mid-morning break to savor both a freshly-cooked waffle and a wonderful view of the castle. Now, if only Plaza Inn at Disneyland would pair its glorious fried chicken with Mickey waffles again!
Roaring Forks (Wilderness Lodge, Walt Disney World) – It’s downright concerning how few Disney establishments serve chicken & waffles. Perhaps there’s concern about no other menu items selling and widespread chicken and waffle shortages if Disney were to offer such a logical pairing?
In any case, the counter service restaurant at Wilderness Lodge does offer this dish as part of its “All Day Breakfast” menu. The excellent fried chicken plus the delightfully sweet pecan butter further elevates this into a high quality dish that we strongly recommend.
Goofy’s Kitchen (Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland) – The Mickey Mouse waffles at Goofy’s Kitchen just hit different. We do not know how to explain this or account for the difference–as they’re almost certainly made from the same recipe and ingredients as Mickey waffles at countless other locations.
When it comes to Disney foods, we all have sentimental reasons for preferring the same things in different places. In this case, that’s probably part of the story. Another part is being able to take the Mickey waffles to the dessert bar, coating them in syrup, soft serve, and other decadent toppings!
AristoCrepes (Disney Springs, Walt Disney World) – In addition to a variety of tasty crepes, this stand at Disney Springs serves two varieties of bubble waffles topped with ice cream and loaded with other stuff.
My pick here is the Salted Caramel Bubble Waffle with Chocolate Ice Cream, Pretzel Pieces, Whipped Cream, Crispy Pearls and Caramel Sauce. Sometimes it’s a bit heavy on the whipped cream (heresy!), but you can always scoop off some of that if necessary. Better to have too much whipped cream than not enough!
Sleepy Hollow (Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World) – Right now, this is arguably the best counter service restaurant (if it can even be called that) in Magic Kingdom. There are a variety of waffles on the menu–and often added seasonal options for Halloween and Christmas.
We love them all. The waffles are freshly cooked in a waffle iron, giving them a certain fresh, homemade taste that is otherwise lacking from even the best counter service options elsewhere in the park. Other places are mass-producing food to cycle through hundreds of guests per hour, but Sleepy Hollow serves fewer guests these sandwiches that are all prepared after they’re ordered.
Topolino’s Terrace (Riviera Resort, Walt Disney World) – Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends serves up the Sour Cream Waffle with Roasted Apple, Chantilly, Orange-Maple Syrup, and served with choice of Smoked Bacon, Ham, Sausage, or Plant-based Sausage.
At the time she ordered this, Sarah said it’s the best Mickey waffle she’s ever had at Walt Disney World. In fairness, that was our first meal back at Walt Disney World after the multi-month closure, and the excitement and high of being back might’ve played a part there.(Note that the normal version of this dish is not Mickey-shaped, but apparently they can prepare it that way upon request.
Great American Waffle Co. (World Bazaar, Tokyo Disneyland) – If we could have any waffles today, these gems from Tokyo Disneyland would be the chosen ones. Not just because that means we’d be in Japan, but because there’s just something downright divine about Great American Waffle Co.
It’s the full experience–waiting in line after a satisfying rope drop at Tokyo Disneyland, watching the lone Cast Member through the show kitchen window masterfully operate 15 waffle irons, seeing the precise-but-fast-action syrup drizzle, and then enjoying the Strawberry & Custard Sauce Mickey Waffle with a view of Cinderella Castle. Perfection.
Ale & Compass Restaurant (Yacht Club Resort, Walt Disney World) – While we’d rather be enjoying the experience at Great American Waffle Co., the undisputed king of Disney waffles is at Ale & Compass Restaurant. This is the reason we named this the Best Value Breakfast at Walt Disney World.
These Dark Chocolate Waffles with Dried Cherry Compote, Espresso-Mascarpone Cream and Chocolate Shavings were a fan-favorite at the old Captain’s Grille, and their legacy is carried forward at Ale & Compass. Everything about these waffles is perfect—just the right amount of chocolate flavor, a rich and creamy espresso mascarpone to balance them out, and tart dried cherry compote as the literal cherry on top. Forget Mickey waffles—these are the absolute best waffles at Walt Disney World, bar none. (Okay, but maybe they’d taste even better if shaped as Mickey Mouse?!)
Over the last few months, our Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker has been working overtime as we have made a ton of different flavored waffles, from matcha to mochi–and that’s just the m’s!
It’s probably an odd thing to plug here (not like this blog is any stranger to weird tangents), but we highly recommend Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi Waffle & Pancake Mix. (Skip the ice cream version–it’s not great.) We may or may not have bought a healthy stockpile of this mix, and plan on celebrating a belated National Waffle Day with a half-dozen or so of these sweet treats shaped like Mickey Mouse later today!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Which Disney restaurant serves your favorite waffles? Do you think Mickey waffles just taste better than their circular counterparts? Have your own Mickey Mouse waffle maker for a dose of Disney at home? Do you agree or disagree with our picks? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Hi Tom and Sarah,
I have so much work to do but who can resist reading your blog on waffles.
May I suggest you spend part of that $15,000 on a mickey waffle maker. When you do that I will reveal the name of the official company that supplies all the Disney Parks their malted waffle mix.
$15,000?
I mean, we have a Mickey waffle maker, and it was like $15…so…
$15? Mine cost around $65. It makes three MM waffles.
Well good now you can spend some of your Pulitzer prize ($15,000) money on
Golden Malted Waffle mix.
The Belgian waffle at Whispering Canyon was delicious. It is served with fresh berries and hand whipped cream. One of the best waffles I’ve had on property. Being at the Wilderness Lodge is a plus also.
For me, it is simply not a Disney vacation until I have a Mickey Waffle. However, I must know where that Donald waffle may be found!
That’s from Il Paperino at Shanghai Disneyland.
The AristoCrepes Salted Caramel Bubble Waffle is so good.
Also, I must know where I can get those Donald waffles!
We are just back from a quick visit to MK and the waffles at Sleepy Hollow were definitely a highlight. My mom said she thinks it’s the best thing she’s ever eaten in a theme park. Thank goodness it’s open- with so much else closed it makes them that much more special.
Agreed. Definitely the culinary MVP of Magic Kingdom right now. Here’s hoping for a pumpkin version at Halloween!
At the risk of being That Guy … thank you for walking us through all the good waffles that aren’t based on the generic Mickey Waffle. (I look forward to trying the full size “secret menu” Topolino’s Terrace one, as that’s clearly fresh and full-sized.) I look forward to the Waffle Milkshakes making their way from the Disney Cruise Line to land; highly recommended!
Bonus points for the Donald Waffle; is that only available overseas?
I am in absolute agreement that the dark chocolate waffles are best in the world. Even better with chocolate syrup. No such thing as too much chocolate. I’m counting down the days till I can make my December ADR. Happy Belated Waffle Day!
Sleepy Hollow makes up for the lack of Chicken and Waffles at other places! That’s my favorite QS meal in WDW. When DHS had the Star Wars popup restaurant during SWW, they had a Darth Chicken and Waffles (really just normal chicken fingers, but with syrup). I still enjoyed it.
We love the waffles at Sleepy Hollow. Another favorite for me is Cha Cha’s Wild Waffle at AK’s Rainforest Cafe, with a picture of a frog on it, and served with fresh fruit and your choice of meat.
Never tried that one–thanks for the heads up!
I unknowingly also belatedly celebrated waffles today by eating a…well, pancake. At least it’s in the same spirit?
Reading entries like this makes me realize how easy it is to miss the simple, relaxed experiences at Disney. I loved the trip we took in late July, but I think the next trip needs to be ridiculously long and hit two days per park so I can really stroll and savor the ambiance. It’s great to be able to hit every ride quickly, but just going for rides is missing out and…now I want a waffle.
Two days in Magic Kingdom should be plenty of time to eat every waffle on the menu at Sleepy Hollow. Might want to plan 3 just to be safe! 😉
As I somehow booked a Disney vacation right after this post and am now about to order a Sleepy Hollow waffle…I blame you.
This is the hard-hitting journalism that I expect in these uncertain times. Thank you for your sacrifice to the cause, good sir.
After this article, that Pulitzer is finally in the bag!