Ghirardelli Soda Fountain (pronounced Gear-ar-delly) is a product of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company founded in San Francisco, CA. Downtown Disney boasts the only Ghirardelli Soda Fountain on the East Coast and features a retail shop. Some menu favorites include the Earthquake Sublime Sundae, the Mint Bliss, and the Cookie Bottom Sundae. You can view their full menu HERE.
Yes, you can get ice cream at home, but nothing compares to a Ghirardelli creation. When arriving at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain you will enter through the retail store. Here you can purchase chocolate goodies for later, or to take home. Don’t forget about the Florida heat! You will enter the line to place your order with one of several cashiers. Although the lines look long, they usually move pretty fast. After an agonizing decision, the next hardest part is finding a place to sit. There are indoor and covered patio seating but they fill up fast due to the popularity of Ghirardelli’s. The servers will deliver your sweet treats right to your table, once you find one.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain is an amazing treat. While the prices seem extreme, the quality of the product is worth it. Sharing is very easy as the portions are oversized. Ghirardelli is also a great place to grab that specialty coffee you’ve been craving since your arrival at Disney. Ghirardelli does not accept the Disney Dining Plan, but is open in the morning and late into the night for a special treat.
Overall we give this restaurant an “A-“.
There is not one time that I go to DTD and not go to Ghirardelli’s… In the winter you just have to have their Hot Chocolate.. Oh. My. God… it’s heaven! I mean honestly, what is there not to like here. The brownies, sundaes, coffee, milkshakes, I can go on and on… It’s just simply delicious!!! It does get rather busy, so please bring your Disney patience but it’s totally and 100% worth it… and if you let them know that you are an AP holder, you can get a discount. 😉
Their chocolate milkshakes are to die for! Along with their brownie sundae!
We just went to G for the first time in 2012. It was so hard to choose, but since we were still kind of full, we just did waffle bowl sundaes and ice cream cones.
I would caution anyone that if you think you are like me and choose water to be frugal (rather than getting a soda), they point you towards a tiny water dispenser and cups the size of dental spit cups. They are probably about 5oz, and the water is room temp. I was kind of bummed about that!
Every trip to Downtown Disney is highlighted by a trip to Ghirardelli’s. We all have our favorites beginning with the samples on the store side. My husband likes the coffees, DD11 likes the hot cocoa. I like the chocolate coffee, and my MIL likes the iced coffee. We’ve gotten dessert here before in the form of ice cream sundaes and treats. I don’t think you can go wrong with a single item on the menu.
Our family secret is having “lunch” in the form of the best ice cream floats at Ghirardelli’s. We love the Coke float and the strawberry soda with vanilla ice cream is a perfect treat in the middle of August. They also honor the Annual Passholder discount so we make it a point to buy a bottle of water here too.