How to Get A Dole Whip Outside of the Disney Parks

Yay! DOLE WHIPS!! *Does Happy Dance*  I love me some Dole Whips. The frozen. The pineapple.  The scarcity of it all.   Because what happens if you’re not in Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or you’re at Epcot sans Festival (Food & Wine or Flower & Garden)? You cry a little.  Because you’re thinking that there are no Dole Whips for You.  But you’d be WRONG!  You can get yourself a Dole Whip, spiked or plain, without buying a ticket to the Walt Disney World Resort parks.  (Yes, it can be done!)

Last month during our Girls Trip, I requested a special trek to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, where Trader Sam’s Grotto awaited.  Just after disembarking the Monorail, the three of us walked into the Great Ceremonial House and walked downstairs to the great back door.  Check out the map below… you’ll see the white “You Are Here” sticker… that’s where you’ll find the Pineapple Lanai walk-up window.  The great key to all things Dole-Whip.  

These lovely ladies were waiting to serve us and I was beyond excited. I almost order two; one for each hand.  This is a great spot for the entire family, especially the kids to have a cold, dairy-free beverage.  But there was more to my mission this evening.  I wanted the elusive spiked Dole Whip.  

The cast member in the solid blue shirt showed us around the corner to see… Trader Sam’s Grotto, Patio Edition (The small inside bar had a 90-minute wait!).  If you take another look at that Polynesian Resort Map above, you’ll see the Golden Mickey Head; that’s where the outdoor walk-up window is.  You can wait for a table or lounge area if you’d like to have a server, and get the fancy porcelain, take-home edition cups… but we were gunnin’ for the to-go cups! (You can sip the Spikey Dole Whip anywhere on Property… save Magic Kingdom)

I snagged a full bar menu to see the various offerings, and they were very beautiful.  The menu itself made me want to sit a spell!  Check out all the Jungle Cruise style jokes in the welcoming paragraph.  This. Is. Everything.

The menu inside is fully illustrated and offers many drinks, both alcoholic and those for the under-age crowd.  The Nautilus was huge; you’d have to hold it with two hands! Crowd favorites around us included the Hippopotomai-tai (which I just like to say) and the Zombie Head.  Most everyone else had the Spikey Pineapple, which is code for the Spiked Dole Whip!

Unlike Pineapple Lanai, Trader Sam’s Grotto Dole Whip machine has alcohol MIXED IN (Rum).  It’s a light rum, so the flavor is mild and compliments the pineapple nicely.  You can have a dark, spiced rum floater, which I opted for, making it “extra spikey!”  You can see the dark rum in the photos, but I preferred to mix thoroughly before imbibing.  

We finished in Trader Sam’s Grotto line just as the sun was setting, around 5:55pm, and walked just a few feet to a green space in front of Pineapple Lanai.  There was to be a Hawaiian torch lighting ceremony on the lawn in just a few minutes, so we snatched a seat and waited.  A man, dressed in custom arrived to announce the ceremony, along with the chosen family-of-honor and the music began.  The fire swirled for a few minutes before the cast member finished his fiery feat and lit the torch behind him. 

If the wind hadn’t been just so, I know he could have lit all of the torches in the area.  Nevertheless, it was beautiful.  Flames danced high overhead around the green space, safe from touch, and we had the sun setting with a peek at the tops of Cinderella Castle. 

If you’re on property, drive over and tell the cast member in parking you’re there for Trader Sam’s Grotto.  Or, if you’re on the monorail lines, pop on over to the Polynesian Resort and check out the TWO ways to get a Dole Whip Outside of the Disney Parks, no ticket required.