One Disney World Restaurant Trend Is Winning Over Fans — So Why Isn't It Everywhere?

You know, here at DFB we love talking about Disney food — it’s kind of our thing! So that’s why we are constantly in the parks trying new food and drinks, so we can report it back to you.

Hand-dipped Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar with Chopped Peanut Butter Cups

In doing so, we get to learn a lot of Disney food and spot trends that are developing across Disney World. If you’ve been visiting Disney World over the last few years, you’ve probably noticed dining trends come and go. We’ve seen a big push toward atmospheric lounges, endless variations of the same comfort foods (looking at you, specialty chicken tenders), and premium glow-ups of classic treats like the classic Mickey ice cream bar. There is a new trend starting to develop, and for those of us who love small details, this is big!

There is a quiet trend bubbling up in a glass across Disney World: custom ice. We’re talking fully themed ice designed specifically for a location’s identity. Ice feels like the most forgettable part of a drink. It’s functional by keeping it cold, and we just don’t think about it. Disney is doing what they do best, putting attention into the smallest details. There are three locations right now that have introduced them, and we want more.

Strawberry and Coconut ‘Right Hand’

At the new lounge inside EPCOT, GEO-82, guests ordering the Brown Butter Old Fashioned don’t just receive a cocktail. The drink features an ice cube stamped with the geometric pattern inspired by Spaceship Earth itself. It sounds small, but it instantly changes the experience. It’s subtle, sophisticated, and very EPCOT.

Spaceship Earth ice cube in the Brown Butter Old Fashioned

Over at The Cake Bake Shop, guests who order the Pirouette Negroni, featuring Aviation Gin and finished with Pixie Shimmer, receive a delicate rose-shaped ice cube. This feels whimsical, romantic, and very “tea party for grown-ups.”

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At Eight Spoon Café inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a kid-friendly Club Soda (Sprite with blueberry syrup) includes a paw-print-inspired ice cube. We love the tiny detail, and kids will too!

Cub Soda at Eight Spoon Cafe

So Why Isn’t It Everywhere?

If guests love it and it photographs beautifully, why don’t all Disney restaurants do this? There are a few practical reasons. Custom molds require storage, freezing time, and staff. During peak service, standard ice is fast; specialty ice is slow. Quick-service locations serve hundreds of drinks per hour. Themed cubes work best where drinks are crafted individually, like at lounges and signature dining. All to say, we would love to see a glass slipper ice cube at Cinderella’s Royal Table or a Monorail-shaped cube at Steakhouse 71!

Manhattan at Steakhouse 71

We’re always tracking details like these at Disney World because the details matter. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World dining trends, hidden details, and the things you didn’t know you needed to look for.

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