It’s an age-old topic. Disney adults love to politely debate whether certain aspects of Disney World or Disneyland are superior. There’s one thing, though, that everyone seems to agree on.
Let’s talk CHURROS.
Disneyland churros are better. It’s just a known fact among Disney fans. We’ve tried many churros in BOTH parks, and we must say that we agree. Disney World churros totally aren’t bad, and they’re a great option while you visit. However, they just tend to be a little lackluster if you’ve ever had one from Disneyland. (This could also be your sign to not try Disneyland churros because it will forever ruin every other churro. It’s a risk that many are willing to take.) This whole ordeal really had us thinking… What IS IT about Disney World churros that has them paling in comparison? Let’s find out!
So, before we begin, we need to make one thing clear. Both Disneyland and Disney World churros pop up with all sorts of different toppings and flavors. That is NOT what the debate is about. Take all the toppings and flavors away, and focus on the ✨ essence✨ of the churro itself.
Peach Cobbler Churro
A churro is meant to be a light, airy, stick of fried dough. These bad boys originated from Spanish and Portuguese cultures, and they’re traditionally served with some crunchy cinnamon sugar that really adds to the airy texture. This is something that Disneyland does well. Disneyland churros are perfectly crispy on the outside with a light, fluffy interior that always has us wanting more, more, MORE.
Lemon Blueberry Churro
Disney World churros, on the other hand, just don’t give us that CRISPY CRUNCH that we so desperately crave. The outside is only moderately crispy, and the inside has more of a cake-like texture. They’re dense and chewy, and they just aren’t what churros are meant to be. Why is this?
Dulce de Leche Churro sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar
Well, let’s consider the location of the two parks — the geography — in itself. California is in a drier climate, while Florida is like, rainforest-level humid. (Just kidding, but it really feels that way sometimes.) Humidity impacts a LOT of things. It impacts your skin and hair, your allergies, how quickly things rust outdoors, and you know what else? COOKING.
Not-So-Poison Apple Churros
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, “dry baking ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda actually soak up moisture from the surrounding air. If you’ve ever seen your flour clumped or “caked” together, this is the reason why. And this tiny amount of extra moisture is enough to alter the quality of your cookies, cakes, candies, and breads in not-so-good ways.”
Orange Creamsicle Churro
Equally as important is the fact that humidity can drastically impact how well and how LONG baked goods keep. Just imagine all those poor, chewy churros just getting chewier and chewier with each passing hour it sits in humid ol’ Florida. We know that churros are fried and not baked, but the same rules apply to the ingredients inside. It’s still flour!
Bit of a churro!
Moral of the story: it’s probably not the churro’s fault. It’s probably just Florida. (That’s a recurring theme: “It’s probably just Florida.”)
Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle
But, of course, it really could be the churro. The brands could be totally different, they could be stored differently, and the ones at Disneyland could just be more fresh. Disneyland churros seem to be much more popular, and so they might have to make them more frequently. The poor Disney World churros could just be like the sad, forgotten fries at the bottom of the McDonald’s bag. Who knows?! Let us know YOUR theories in the comments below.
We’re in the Disney Parks every day, and we’re always here to solve your Disney food mysteries and debates. 😉 Speaking of debates, be sure to check out our reviews of the Pongo Lumpia and the EPCOT School Bread in the Norway Pavilion — two other debated snacks. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney news, so follow along for more right here at DFB.
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Are they using the very same recipe and cooking it the same way on both coasts?
You show the photo of one of the Sunshine Churros carts but never tell readers/viewers how great they are. Sunshine churros and churros in lounges (Nomad & Three Bridges with open-air seating) in WDW are fantastic despite the humidity, so I think the humidity is not the culprit. The churros in the parks are just lousy quality served stale. They could figure out a way to prevent them from getting chewy.
Sunahine Churros are well worth the trip to Disney Springs! I wish All Ears and the dfb would tell readers and viewers about them.
Hi Kim! Possibly, but we also know that they are cooked fresh in Disneyland and they’re cooked and brought over to the carts to keep in a warmer in Walt Disney World.
I’ve tried both and had many “bad” churros at Disneyland. If they are sitting all day drying out (in the dry southern California climate) then they will be hard and stale-tasting. The variety of flavors is obviously better at Disneyland (peach cobbler, milk and cookies, maple bacon, froot loops, etc.)