When you think of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you likely think of winding paths, lush greenery, and rich experiences based in the history, culture, and beauty of Africa and Asia.

Unless, of course, you’re HERE…

Welcome to Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!

This street carnival smack-dab in the middle of Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland, U.S.A. is… well, it’s like nothing else in Disney World, that’s for sure. A brightly-colored and whimsical fair of carnival games and rides with over-the-top roadside-stop flair!

It’s also where you can find some traditional carnival treats, like cotton candy and snow cones at Dino Diner, and popcorn at Corn-Ivores Popcorn Cart.

In fact, it was while stopping by Corn-Ivores that I spotted this sign for a Carnival Cocktail: a blend of lemonade, blue cotton candy, and Bacardi Black Razz Rum.

This, I had to try!

Upon placing my order, I was expecting a cotton candy-topped beverage akin to the Cotton Candy Lemonade that you can occasionally find at the Everything Pop Food Court. Nope! Here the cotton candy is blended into the mix prior to pouring. Sad face.

But at least it’s BEAUTIFUL! Don’t you just want to jump in?

You can spy the vivid blue hue coming from the drink machines.

But just because I couldn’t see the cotton candy, doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Because, was it ever! I mean, look at it… this thing is a perfect cotton candy blue.

But where the cotton candy was most noticeable was the taste. For whatever reason, my first sip tasted strongly of the lemonade. But from the second sip on, it was ALL. COTTON. CANDY.

Now, some of my favorite adult beverages at Disney Word are plenty sweet, including the Grand Marnier Orange Slush in Epcot’s France, the Blue Glow-tini found in bars and lounges all over Disney World, and Heavenly Clouds at Epcot’s Nine Dragons.

But the Carnival Cocktail takes “sweet” to the nth degree. While I honestly couldn’t taste much of the rum due to the strength of the cotton candy, that was definitely present, too (though not a ton, I don’t think), judging by the way I felt after the drink, more than the flavor.

I can’t say I would get this again – it’s a one-time only gig, for me. But it’s a fun drink that certainly fits right in at Dino-Rama… an unexpected cocktail in an unexpected section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

So, for now, we’re signing off from Dino-Rama! In the words of Chester & Hester…

We’ll “see Y’all Real Soon!”

Would you like to try the Carnival Cocktail? Please let us know with a comment!