Sunday, May 4, 2014

Dole Whip

This post was extensively updated on February 25, 2016

I am continuing my Gluten Free Disney Snacks Series with a look at Dole Whip, one of my favorite Disney snacks.  I have been eating Pineapple Dole Whip at Aloha Isle in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom since my family started going to Disney World over 30 years ago.  On a hot day, there is no better snack.  

Pineapple Dole Whip from Aloha Isle at the Magic Kingdom #glutenfree

At Aloha Isle, you can order a Pineapple Dole Whip float, Pineapple Dole Whip in a cup, or a fresh-cut pineapple spear.  You can view Aloha Isle's menu here.  All Dole Whip fruit flavors are vegan, and gluten, dairy, and fat free.  You can view a complete ingredients list here.


I really like the vanilla & orange Dole Whip twist, because it reminds me of a Creamsicle.   February 25, 2016 Update - Vanilla and orange Dole Whip are no longer on the menu at Aloha Isle.  


Dole Whip is available at Disneyland Park in Adventureland at the Tiki Juice Bar.  At Disney World, you can find Dole Whip in the Magic Kingdom at Aloha Isle, at the Pineapple Lanai at the Polynesian Village Resort, and at Tamu Tamu Refreshments in the Animal Kingdom.  In 2015, Aloha Isle switched places with Sunshine Tree Terrace, so it is now located next to the Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland.


The Pineapple Lanai is selling pineapple and vanilla soft serve, and a pineapple float with pineapple juice, and pineapple or vanilla soft serve.  I tried the pineapple and vanilla Dole Whip soft serve swirl at the Pineapple Lanai.  I loved the combination so much, I will probably order my Dole Whip this way from now on, though I have yet to try a pineapple float with soft serve.  The vanilla soft serve is not dairy free.  


Tamu Tamu Refreshments in Disney's Animal Kingdom sells pineapple whip soft-serve, which is available on its own, or with dark or coconut rum.  


I stopped at the allergy kiosk to confirm its gluten free status in their allergy binders.  The pineapple whip soft-serve at Tamu Tamu is Dole Soft Serve, and the only allergy warning is coconut.


My husband and I were disappointed by the pineapple Dole Whip at Tamu Tamu.  We both thought that it tasted a little fake, and agreed that we would not order it there anymore.  A long time ago (maybe 15 to 20 years), my aunt was told that Dole Whip was dairy free and sugar free, but now sugar is the first ingredient, and the only ingredient that contains pineapple (pineapple juice powder) is way down the ingredients list.  During our honeymoon in Hawaii, my husband and I ate Dole Whip almost every day, because we loved it so much, but the pineapple Dole Whip we enjoyed 15 years ago seems to taste very different from what is being served at Disney World now.

Oddly enough, I was told that the Dole Whip at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival was not gluten free.  Maybe there was an issue with cross contamination, because it most certainly arrives gluten free from the manufacturer.



5 comments:

  1. Hello! Thank you for featuring DOLE® Soft Serve on your blog. We would like to inform you that Disney doesn't purchase their soft serve mix from Unified Enterprises. They purchase their mix from a large foodservice distributor. Also, DOLE Soft Serve is manufactured by Kent Precision Foods Group®, http://www.precisionfoods.com/foodservice/brands/Dole-Soft-Serve. DOLE is a registered trademark of Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, used under license. DOLE Soft Serve fruit flavor formulas have not changed since the mid 1990's, since we began manufacturing the product, except for us replacing artificial colors, which wouldn't affect the taste. You might enjoy reading one of our recent blog posts, "Sunshine in a Cup" http://dolesoftserveblog.com/2014/06/03/sunshine-in-a-cup-the-tale-of-the-legendary-dole-whip/.Feel free to visit our website, http://dolesoftserve.com/, or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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  2. We loved dole whip as well and in September when we went to the new location it tasted completely different. Have you heard anything recently that Dole Whip is no longer gluten free? I ask because we were watching the Disneyland 60 anniversary special on tv the other day and at one point they mentioned Dole Whips but added the comment "and for our gluten free guests there is a Dole Whip Air Freshener". Just made it sound like they are not advertising it as gluten free. Also on the upcoming passport card for the Flower and Garden Festival it has Pineapple Softserve but it does not have the GF symbol that they are using to indicate GF items.. Was hoping you might have some insider info.

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    1. Meghan - As far as I know, and I just checked their website (link in post), Dole Whip is still GF. For reasons unknown, the pineapple softserve in the passport is never labeled GF. I have asked in previous years, and never gotten a good explanation.

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  3. I went to WDW to Aloha Isle and when I asked if the Dole Whip had milk in it they said yes. I thought it was dairy free? Ironically my first dole whip ended up in Ocean City NJ. that was dairy free. Going to WDW in a couple of months, anyone else know a place I can get the Dole Whip dairy free. I have ulcerative colitis and I had to go Gluten free and lactose free. thank you

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    1. Pineapple Dole Whip is and has always been dairy free. Whoever told you it was not is mistaken.

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