Today we are going to continue our exploration down Main Street U.S.A. with a stop for a treat before we delve into the attractions. This one is not so much for my fellow vegans, but I promise you will love a visit — and you might even find something to nibble on as well.
Nothing says vacation like indulging in treats. Roaming through Disney World is no exception. No matter where you are throughout the World, you will find yourself surrounded by goodies. There’s nowhere more wonderfully magical if you are looking for a sweet treat, however, than the Confectionery. Located right on the corner of the central stretch of Main Street after the flagpole, the Confectionery is a little glimpse into the past, much like the rest of the shops and stops on the street. Take a deep breath before you head in. You’ll smell the sweet cotton candy and caramel apples wafting out at you.
Step inside and you’re surrounded by nostalgia. Pastel colors, stripes, and adorable Cast Member costumes make you feel like you really are in a candy shop of yesteryear. But this is so much more than candy. I love to look around at the packaged treats (including several types of candy that I can indulge in — I see you, cotton candy and sour powder), but my very favorite part is walking to the back of the shop and visiting the Cast Members who are creating the adorable treats and confections that will end up in the display case just a few steps away. Stand at the glass and watch them dip and decorate caramel apples, marshmallow wands, cake pops, and more. Then scoot over to the line to the display counter and pick something to savor.
For my family, there are two things that always call their names when visiting the Confectionery. One is the oh-so-old fashioned fudge. Sold in blocks and served with a cute little knife for divvying it up, this fudge comes in a variety of flavors that change with the seasons. Tutu is plain chocolate all the way, but the baby loves chocolate with walnut pieces and Bubba will go straight for the pumpkin spice when that season rolls around. If you are a fudge person, check in a few times throughout your trip — they are known to change flavors every couple of days.
The second has been a tradition since our very first trip. The little tag in the display case says “character apple” but to us, it’s the Pants Apple. There are many different characters are designs that also rotate throughout the year depending on the season and what movie might be out or popular at the time, but we always go right for the classic Mickey. Dipped first in caramel then milk chocolate, the bottom half of the apple gets a rinse of white chocolate before being coated with red sanding sugar and iconic yellow buttons made of jelly beans. The apple’s finishing touch is ears made of marshmallows dipped in chocolate. These apples will always hold a special place in my heart because one of those buttons was my baby’s first-ever jelly bean. Memories.
The Confectionery is a favorite place for us and we usually dip in a few times each visit. There’s nothing quite like the smell of the caramel apples and fudge greeting you as you enter the park for the day or start your way back to your resort for the night. There have been many times when we have snuck in to grab a late night treat to savor in our room. We’ve even gotten fudge on our last day and had it back home in Virginia for a few days after getting back. It’s like a taste of our other home to ease the transition back.
Take this tip from me — take your picture of your Pants Apple as they take it out of the case and then ask them to cut it for you. These apples are huge and rich — plenty to share with the family and even to save in the refrigerator for another day. Eating it straight off of the stick can be tricky — and sticky. Let them cut it for you so that you can grab a wedge and enjoy.
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Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. When she isn’t thinking about her next Disney adventure and trying to come up with a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costume that will beat her Oozma Kappa nerd look, she is a professional blogger and novelist, but Taryn also likes to indulge her Disney passion on her Etsy shop It’s Better in Vinyl.
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