Family Traditions

Welcome to those of you joining me from the Unknown Magic Within Walt Disney World and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

Mmm..mmm..mmm...tasty!

My family tradition comes from a tradition of my youth, and that is paying homage to the delicious and ever-popular Citrus Swirl/Dole Whip.  If you’ve never experienced this tasty delight, you can find them at the Aloha Island and Sunshine Tree Terrace (seasonally) in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom Park, or at Captain Cook’s at the Polynesian Resort.  The Citrus Swirl is the original soft-served orange sherbet concoction sold in the Magic Kingdom when the sponsor of the Sunshine Tree Terrace was the Florida Citrus Growers.  As the sponsorship changed over the years, Dole took over and added the Dole Whip, a soft-served pineapple sherbet, to it’s menu line-up.


Throughout the 70s and 80s, whenever my family vacation at Disney World, we had to get our Citrus Swirls.  We looked forward to the tasty treat on every trip.  Back then, it was sold at the Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland.  Over the years, getting our Citrus Swirls developed into a tradition.  It was something we all looked forward to.  It also represented a nice break mid-day, to get off our feet and relax in Adventureland.  Before the Magic Carpets of Alladin ride was placed smack dab in the middle of Adventureland, the area in front of Sunshine Tree Terrace and the Enchanted Tiki Room was a scenic, quiet, peaceful space to rest.  Prior to 1991, this area was filled with planters, benches and table seating.  There was scenic terraced pool that fed out of the Tiki Room’s eastern wall that provided a soothing backdrop.  With the incorporation of the Magic Carpet ride in the early 90's, the open seating adjacent to the Sunshine Tree Terrace was removed, and the architecture of the Adventureland Bazaar was transformed into the Agrabah Bazaar.  Now it’s noisy and crowded…I just don’t like the space taken up with that ride.   The atmosphere is lost.


We’d spend time cooling off with our frozen citrus swirls, listening to the tiki drums and the barker bird out front of the Tiki Room.  “Come to the Tiki Room…Fly to the Tiki Room”, he would call out.  If I hear the barker bird on one of the online Disney radio stations, it brings back so many great memories!

I think there's a sugar 
rush coming soon!

Now that I’m older, I gravitate toward the Dole Whip more than the Citrus Swirls because I like pineapples, but I think the tradition is the same.  I introduced my daughter to her first Dole Whip Float in 2009 and she loved it!  Now every time, we are in the Magic Kingdom, stopping by Aloha Island and picking up our Citrus Swirl, Dole Whip or Dole Whip Float is, as Stacy from the Disney resort channel would say, “a Disney must-do” and a family tradition!


Because we love the Cirtus Swirls so much, we managed to photo-document the numerous trips to get the treats.  Why?  I have no idea!

You've got to try this! 

Dad, bring me a Citrus Swirl!

Mom, smile with your Citrus Swirl!

More Citrus Swirls coming up!

Mom, don't trip in that puddle and spill the swirls!

Mom, could you smile just once?  

Bringing home the Citrus Swirls!

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is TThe Disney Chick.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:


1st Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer
2nd Stop ~ Unknown Magic Within Walt Disney World
3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad
4th Stop ~ The Disney Chick
Final Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog