Erin takes us on a journey into the world of one of the most beloved Disney treats . . . the Dole Whip.
A day spent at the Disneyland Resort, for many of us, induces excitement at the thought of indulging in our favorite magical treat(s). The churros, the character candy apples, the popcorn, the mint julep, the Mickey-‐Mouse-‐shaped ice cream bars, the corn dogs…I’m salivating at the very thought of such guilty pleasures. However, my sugary salvation lies just beyond the Adventureland threshold marked by its wooden arched sign, flanked on either side by thatched huts, with its thematic décor completed by a tribal mask raised above the signage letters. There, just inside the Land of Adventure, resides the most essential thatched hut of them all, the Tiki Juice Bar, which shelters the ever-‐popular Dole Whip. This refreshing, tropical delight brings me joy, especially on a brutally hot summer’s day, and at just $3.79 + tax it’s an affordable delight. Throughout my childhood, I preferred soft-‐serve frozen yogurt to ice cream, so Dole Whip finds a special place in my heart. I love the hint of pineapple sweetness encased in the delicious dairy-‐free swirl. I tend to savor my Disney treat at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, as I can enjoy the attraction while singing along to the catchy songs, pretending I am on a tropical island with my pineapple delicacy.
Ten years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to this soft-‐serve delight, and I have enjoyed its fruitful bliss ever since. One night at Downtown Disney several years ago, I pleaded with a friend, a Disney Premium Annual Passport holder, to trek through the park in order to fetch me a cup of golden Dole Whip. Gratefully for me, he complied, returning with a Dole Whip cup in each hand, the sweet, sticky contents dripping down his flesh. All the more reason for me to consume my “happiness in a cup” immediately!
Since you know I love Dole Whip, I decided to investigate and discover other Disneyland-‐goers’ feelings towards my Disneyland treat. With my Darkwing Duck attire and my Kronk-‐style theme song playing in the background, I ventured out to conduct my research.
Like me, I came across other Dole Whip fanatics who also MUST have a Dole Whip during their visit. One young female in her 20s mentioned to me that she would endure the line no matter the wait, even if it stretches far back inside the depths of Adventureland and she has to spend more than thirty minutes in the human lineation.
“A Dole Whip feels like a special occasion,” she explained. It just makes her day that more memorable.
A slightly less die-‐hard fan informed me, he will not stand in a line with a similar wait time to Peter Pan’s Flight, but will enjoy the aptly named Dole Whip Float (consisting of Dole Whip soft-‐serve atop a sea of sweet pineapple juice all contained in a plastic cup) as often as he can due to its “great, pure flavor” as he continues to wander the park.
Deeper into my investigation, I miraculously came across several people of various ages who have never tried Dole Whip (gasp) despite their many trips to Disneyland (and Walt Disney World)! I even met three people who absolutely detest Dole Whip, deeming the concoction “too sweet”. One of these skeptics noted his ideal Disney treat resides at the notorious Trader Sam’s, known as the mixed beverage Krakatoa. (And I cannot say I blame him.)
“I’m simply too impatient to wait for a Dole Whip of any kind,” this young adult elaborated.
Although many may feel too restless waiting for a Dole Whip, some have discovered the “secret” of acquiring the delicious dessert from the other side of the juice bar by the entrance to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room that tends to have a shorter wait. Another young lady informed me, “I don’t always go into the Enchanted Tiki Room after getting a Dole WHip, but sometimes I order from the queue area and then just enjoy siting there afterwards. I learned that trick from a former Disney [Cast Member]. “
Now, unfortunately, regardless of the side of the kiosk, there exists the single Dole Whip stand at the Disneyland Park as well as the one and only flavor. Conversely, Florida’s counterpart provides multiple locations, having Dole Whip distributors at Aloha Isle in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom as well as at Captain Cook’s at the Disney’s Polynesian Resort (which includes a self-‐serve dispenser!). In addition to the pineapple flavor, Walt Disney World also provides the Citrus Swirl, which combines orange and vanilla-‐flavored soft serve. Luckily, for those too far from either Disney Park, the beloved Dole Whip has found its way outside of the theme parks’ parameters. First off, travel to Hawaii to the Dole Plantation itself to indulge in the whipped creation, back to where it all began…
In 1950, the original Dole Pineapple Plantation existed merely as a fruit stand just three miles north of Wahiawa, Hawaii. With the popularity of James Drummond Dole and his pineapples growing significantly over the years, the plantation expanded, and now serves as a Hawaiian tourist attraction complete with a 20-‐minute Pineapple Express Train Tour. The Dole Food Company, Inc. itself has roots dating back to 1851 with the founding of Castle & Cooke by Samuel Northup Castle and Amos Starr Cooke. These Hawaiian missionaries started a general goods store, which experienced great success and profit. Castle and Cooke reinvested their profit into Hawaiian sugar, and, in 1931, began to take an interest in the Hawaiian Pineapple Company established by James Dole. Harvard educated, Dole began his pineapple company in 1901, and built a cannery to encase the exotic fruit to then sell to the mainland and, thus, gain a wider audience. Americans loved this delicious, sweet pineapple, and by 1918, Dole was packaging one million cases of canned pineapple, continuing to expand his prosperous company. However, the Great Depression caused a substantial decline in pineapple sales, and, in 1932, Castle & Cooke gained majority control of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company though still using the Dole name on the Hawaiian Pineapple Company’s pineapple products (Dole Soft Serve).
The Dole Food Company made its way to Disneyland in 1976 when it replaced United Airlines as the corporate sponsor of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Dole and Disney, who both considered themselves wholesome, family, and well-‐acclaimed brands, knew they would work well together as they realized the Tiki Room would be the perfect “tropical” attraction for the Dole Food Company to sponsor. Just a few years later in the 1980s, Dole sought to introduce a new product to the Disney parks. With a soft serve machine and Dole manufactured dry powder mix, our beloved Dole Whip was conceived (Sievers).
Despite Dole and Disney’s partnership as a company, other places outside of the Disney parks and the Hawaiian islands now carry this renowned delight. Since 1992, Precision Food Inc. has blended the Dole Whip recipe at a plant in New Sharon, Iowa, and offers a variety of flavors of including pineapple, orange, strawberry, raspberry, vanilla, and chocolate (Dole Soft Serve). With Precision Foods Inc. creating the Dole soft-‐serve mixes, other ice cream parlors and even people at home can purchase the mix to satisfy their Dole Whip cravings. In fact, one couple in their 30s confessed to me that on one of their recent anniversaries, the pair of them set off to nearby West Hollywood to celebrate their love for one another and get Dole Whip from Whipp’d LA.
“We both were craving Dole Whip and did not want to make the journey all the way down to Disneyland to satisfy our craving. Therefore, we opted for the one place we knew of outside of Disney where we could still receive our pineapple treat.”
Apparently, like Disney’s Hercules, enough people will go the distance, hurdling over any obstacle to attain their delicious dollop of pineapple, anything to enjoy that classic, refreshing tropical flavor. Although I encountered some individuals less enthusiastic towards Dole Whip, many aficionados deeply expressed their gratitude for Dole’s insight and creation of Dole Whip several decades ago. As I stick a pin in my research, I see a young mother holding her toddler, as her young daughter lovingly sips away at the succulent pineapple juice at the bottom of her Dole Whip Float—a new arrival to the Dole Whip fan base no doubt. Nearby, on a bench on Main Street U.S.A., I see a family of six, each with a Dole Whip cup in hand, silently consuming the contents from the bowl. Across the way, three friends take pride in each of their Dole Whip Floats.
Enough talk . . .time to go get a Dole Whip for myself!
Are you a Dole Whip lover? Do you like it in a cup or in a float? Do you wish Disneyland offered some of the other Dole flavors?
References:
Sievers, Heather. “Disneyland and Dole: 36 Years of Pineapple Partnership.” The Disney Food Blog. Cambrick Yard, 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
“SUNSHINE IN A CUP – THE TALE OF THE LEGENDARY DOLE WHIP.” Dole Soft Serve. WordPress.com, 3 June 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.