Market House Starbucks Review

Finally, after much ado, I've made some time to visit the park during this busy school semester. The first thing I wanted to visit was the brand new Starbucks that just opened on Main Street, USA.

As expected, they've gone with a vintage look, just like the location on Buena Vista Street. But the quaint, old-town exterior doesn't quite reflect the cafeteria-like setting indoors.

As you can probably tell, the Starbucks is much more popular than the coffee shop that used to be here, with a queue set up that snakes around the entire building. There are several cash registers and only one pickup counter, which is a total nightmare. While waiting for our drinks I saw at least four people return their orders. I was amazed at how friendly the staff was amid so much heavy traffic.

Although I didn't expect much at all, I was pretty underwhelmed by how poorly the place was set up. If you really need coffee in the morning (which many of us do), I recommend that you pick some up outside the park. I personally detest Starbucks coffee, but it's convenient enough that I'll get some once in a while from the DCA location. Go there instead if you have an annual pass or parkhopper. On the other hand, the coffee cart outside Frontierland makes fantastic coffee. All I know is, I'll probably stay away from this Starbucks at least until the hype dies down.

Mickey-Shaped Pretzel

We've previously covered the Mickey Mouse-shaped frozen desserts sold around the park, but a more filling snack would be the Mickey-shaped pretzels. They are classic salted pretzels, baked on location and delivered fresh out of the oven. Seriously, grab a wad of paper napkins unless you want your hand to be scorched.

The novelty of biting into Mickey's face is a nice touch, but the real selling point of these pretzels is how fresh they are. The jalapeño cheese and cream cheese pretzels aren't bad, but the standard Mickey pretzel is my personal favorite. Ask them to throw in a cup of cheese dipping sauce if you're looking for a richer flavor.

Price: $4.00 (+$1.00 for cheese sauce)
Location: Anywhere

Caramel Kettle Corn

If you've ever stepped outside the park and taken a stroll through Downtown Disney, it is likely that the sweet aroma of this delicious snack has permeated your nostrils. The little stand sells both regular and caramel popcorn in large portions. If you're a fan of kettle corn, then this is a must-try. For a large bag, you are given a ridiculous amount of fresh, hot popcorn that smells and tastes fantastic.

And, if the amount is just too much for you -which it likely will be- just seal the bag up and save it for later. I promise you it will still taste great.



Price: $7-$9

Location: Downtown Disney

Cozy Cone: "Route" Beer Float

The "Route" Beer Float is perhaps one of the better ice cream options in all of Disneyland. It isn't your standard root beer float either. It's a tall, hollow spiral of soft-serve over a rather proportional serving of root beer. Quite a contrast from the typical scoop on top of a glass of root beer. As the soda rises to the top, it blends with the ice cream to make an even layer of root beer and ice cream.

Be warned however, as the "Route" Beer Float is only available in one size option, and is sold for nearly 10 bucks. But the best part is that it comes in a souvenir soda fountain-style glass (plastic), that can only be purchased here. They're really awesome and I still use them to serve drinks at home. It may not be as unique as the Dole Pineapple Float, but it's just as rich and refreshing.

Price: $9.59
Location: Cars Land

Macaroni and Cheese Dog

Welcome to America. Yes, they have actually created a hot dog covered in macaroni and cheese. I've been wanting to try this for a long time, but never really brought myself to do it. As strange as it may seem, the two things go together very nicely. The mac & cheese is buttery and adds a great texture to the spicy hot dog. And I don't think they skimped out on either ingredient, as there is enough mac & cheese to be served proportionally with each bite of the hot dog. On top, there is a layer of bacon bits. Personally, I think the bacon was a bit much. It makes it really salty and kind of adds too much intensity to what is already an insanely hearty meal. I would love to try this with bread crumbs instead of bacon bits. But all in all, it's a really unique experience, and something I wish I had thought of. I hope I'm not crazy and that you all enjoy it too, if you managed to survive it. If a meteor is ever hurdling toward earth, I will spend my final hours at Disneyland, knocking these back until the inevitable heart attack.

Price: 7.19
Location: Refreshment Corner, Main Street USA

Cream Cheese Pretzel

Finally we'll be reviewing the second of the Disneyland pretzels. It's sort of like the jalapeño cheese pretzel, only instead of being filled with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers, it's filled with sweet cream cheese. To be perfectly honest, I would have preferred regular cream cheese to the frosting-like stuff they fill these pretzels with, but I understand that they want to expand their variety of pretzels. Still, they're pretty good, and more of a dessert than anything. The tartness of the cream cheese filling makes them less enjoyable with mustard, but good enough on their own. Also, the pretzel is crispier and less smooth than the jalapeño one, which is a bonus. Looking for an affordable treat that isn't too spicy or salty? Look no further.

Price: $3.75

Location: Anywhere

Corn Dogs

One of the best and quickest food experiences you will find at Disneyland is the famous Main Street corn dog truck. Served out of a traditional 1920's-era catering truck, for 6.19 you can get a large hand-dipped corn dog and a choice of either chips or apples. That price might seem hefty, and, well it is. But if you enjoy corn dogs, prepare to take a bite out of one of the best corn dogs of your life.

The sweet, crispy layer of batter and the salty, flavorful hot dog inside are a deliciously contrasting blend. One of my favorite things about these corn dogs is that the stick only goes about an inch deep, so you can cut the dog with a knife, or bite into it without worrying about eating around the stick.

As mentioned before, the price is pretty steep, but you do get a snack with it. If you're looking for a cost-efficient lunch, you may want to find a pretzel stand or something else. But the amount of food you're getting is quite filling, and certainly worth a try.

Price: 6.19
Location: Next to the Plaza Inn

Clarabelle's Ice Cream

There are so many places to get ice cream at Disneyland, it really just depends on your personal preference. Do you like pineapple ice cream? Head over to the Dole Whip Stand. Like soft-serve? Try Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. Prefer hand-scooped? There's the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor.
And then you have this place.

Clarabelle's is a good old-fashioned ice cream parlor, like something you would imagine came out of the 1920's. Seriously, look at the freaking place.

It's so elegant!

This is really the only place in the California Disney parks where you can have whatever kind of ice cream you want. They have sprinkles, cherries, mountains of whipped cream... you can get your ice cream in a crispy waffle cup or a crunchy cone. The flavors are all your standard ice cream flavors: chocolate, mint, vanilla... You can even get your ice cream in a little plastic model of the streetcars that are right outside on Buena Vista Street. If you're looking for a wholesome, old-fashioned ice cream experience like maybe your grandparents had at the soda fountain, try it out. Nothing says traditional like Clarabelle's.

Pickle

These pickles are pretty awesome. I'm personally not a fan of pickles, but just look at these behemoth pickles. Oh my God. I don't know who in Disney's marketing department decided they should just sell individual pickles, but it's surely a unique experience. I mean seriously, these things must be pumped with hormones. I've never seen a pickle this large anywhere.

And they're surprisingly satisfying. They're pretty crunchy and juicy and always kept in ice. There's something about biting into a pickle the size of a corn dog that I can't really describe. Like, you can buy this pickle as a meal. Not as a little snack but a legitimate meal. Only at Disneyland.

Price: $2.00
Location: Anywhere (fruit vendors)

Turkey Leg

Don't underestimate this beast of a meal; it isn't your average piece of poultry. The Disneyland turkey legs are ginormous, and aren't exactly light as a feather. We recommend you find a place to sit before chowing down -- and more importantly, find a few other people to share it with.

What can I say? They're deliciously salty, but they don't go overboard with the salt. The outer layer is extra juicy, so make sure you pick up some napkins, but once you get past the skin, the meat around the bone isn't so greasy. Each layer that you tear through gets more and more tender, and if you've braved one of these on your own, you will no doubt need a large bottle of water to wash it down. It makes for a great lunch, especially if you have your family with you, but with tax included you'll need quite a big budget to afford them. Of course, don't be intimidated by the price; you'll get just as much meat as you paid for. They're available at numerous locations throughout both parks, so stop by and pick up one of these monster drumsticks. You'll feel like a Viking.

Price: $8.99

Location: Anywhere

Cozy Cone: Ramone's Pear of Dice Soda

Back to the Cozy Cone Motel. Visit the cone furthest to the left for an exotic soft drink experience known as Ramone's Pear of Dice soda (pair of dice + paradise + pear = triple pun). It's a purple-colored soda that, as the name suggests, tastes like pear.

(Spoiler: it's just Sprite with pear-flavored syrup)

As strange as the idea might seem, the pear soda is one of my personal favorite drinks at Disneyland. Why it's purple is a mystery to me, but it gives it a unique look that is sure to raise some eyebrows throughout the park. If you like strange or unusual sodas, the Pear of Dice Soda is a tasty concoction that makes a great introduction to the rest of the drinks sold at the Cozy Cone.

Cozy Cone: Fillmore's Fuelin' Groovy Ades

As I've previously mentioned, one of the best additions to Cars Land is the Cozy Cone Motel. Inspired by the Wigwam Motels of the 1950's, it's a motel run by Sally Carrera, the blue Porsche from Pixar's Cars movie franchise. Guests can line up at any one of the cone-shaped motel rooms, each serving a unique snack or beverage. These drinks are typically not found anywhere else in the park, and range from grape to pear on the flavor scale. We will be reviewing these individual beverages, starting with Fillmore's Fuelin' Groovy Ades.

Remember Fillmore, the hippie VW Bus voiced by George Carlin? He's got his own shop toward the front of Cars Land. But stop by his cone at the Cozy Cone and you can check out his "groovy ades". Okay, let me rephrase that.

It's just lemonade!

The regular lemonade is just that; a sweet and tangy lemon refreshment with crushed ice. But Fillmore's real claim to Disneyland fame is the pomegranate limeade. Pomegranate-lime flavored lemonade? That's quite a mouthful. But what it really is, is a pomegranate-ade with lime-flavored white foam on the top. The foam is really sour in contrast to the tart pomegranate at the bottom. You can also purchase a Skyy Vodka variant of this drink (given that you're 21 or older). It's a delectable blend of opposing flavors that make the Cozy Cone Motel another must-see attraction at Disney's California Adventure.

Price: $3.75
Location: Cars Land

Mickey-Shaped Confections

Mickey Mouse can be seen all over the park; on memorabilia, balloons, even hidden on rides. But what mascot-obsessive amusement park would be complete without Mickey-shaped ice cream?

It's fun to bite the ears off

That's right, you can purchase these from pretty much any ice cream vendor around the park. If you've ever been to a Disney Park, chances are you've seen these all over the place. Why? Because they're great, that's why. These frozen treats are made by Nestlé, and come in two varieties. First, there's the chocolate-dipped ice cream bar shaped like the famous minimalist Mickey Mouse head.

Mickey-shaped ice cream sandwich

Then you have my personal favorite, the Mickey ice cream sandwich. It's like a regular old Klondike Bar, except it's in the shape of Mickey Mouse. What are you waiting for? Next time you're planning to wait outside for the upcoming parade or It's A Small World, grab yourself a Nestlé Mickey-shaped ice cream.

Price: $4.25
Location: Anywhere

Churro

Ah yes, the famous Disneyland churro. Churros are a traditional Mexican favorite - a stick of fried dough rolled in sugar and cinnamon. Next to the enormous lollipops, they're the most iconic treat at Disneyland. When you make your way through the park, you won't be able to resist the enticing aroma of the fried dough and sweet, spicy cinnamon. They measure over a foot across and come wrapped in a thin sleeve of paper. The churros are crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. They're light and convenient to carry, and easy to break if you want to share it with someone else. The Disneyland churros are quite close to perfection, but a little pricey at almost 4 bucks each. If it's your first visit to Disney, it's a must-have treat. With each successive visit to the park, the scent and taste of these nostalgic sweets will be sure to bring you back to your first one.

Price: $3.75
Location: Anywhere

Jalapeño Cheese Pretzel

Due to the popularity of this item, I decided I'd give my own two cents on it. It's the famous jalapeño cheese pretzel, available wherever pretzels are sold. Imagine a pretzel filled with cheese and sliced jalapeño peppers. That's really all the description I need to give. This pretzel is truly awesome, and for its price I highly recommend it. Personally I enjoy these, like all pretzels, with a packet of

Heinz mustard, which are complementary at the many pretzel vendors throughout Disneyland. Of course, the pretzel is just as good on its own. Just take a bite of one of these hot baked pretzels with oozing cheese and spicy jalapeño and you'll see what I mean. Of course, if you don't like Disneyland pretzels (preposterous), you can always go to Wetzels Pretzels, located in Downtown Disney.

Price: $3.75

Location: Anywhere

Dole Whip Stand

Left to right: the Tiki Room and the Dole Whip Stand

Right through the entrance to Adventureland, adjacent to the well-known Enchanted Tiki Room sits a discreet little stand with lines as long as the Indiana Jones queue. Rain or shine, there is a constant flood of customers at this otherwise inconspicuous hut. Seriously, this line can stretch all the way down to Jungle Cruise even on the gloomiest days. If ever you find a fellow Disneyland visitor with a pineapple juice or familiar swirls of yellow ice cream, this is where they got it.

Yes, this stand offers one of the best and most popular snacks in the park: Dole Whip pineapple soft-serve. This delicious snack can be ordered at the top of a glass of cool pineapple juice in float-form or on its own, but either way you're in for a treat. At only five bucks, it's worth the (relatively long) wait to find out what everyone's talking about.

 A delicious Dole Whip float with a customary umbrella

Price: $2.79 - $4.79

Location: Adventureland