The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook

60+ Nostalgic Recipes and Stories of Yesteryear

Julie Tremaine author Carly Caramanna author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:HarperCollins Focus

Publishing:31st Dec '26

£16.99

This title is due to be published on 31st December, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook cover

Relish the retro flavors from the Disney Parks’ past.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook is a passport back to the golden days of park hopping, nostalgia-filled summer vacations, and the taste of real adventure from the Disney restaurants you thought were gone forever.  

Inside, you’ll find 60+ recipes inspired by legendary Disney dining spots—from opening day originals to ’90s gems to recent snacks and sips that left too soon. Each dish comes with a slice of untold Disney history from authors Carly Caramanna and Julie Tremaine, who are both theme park journalists obsessed with all things Disney history.

Craving the legendary Handwich from the Eisner Era? The monorail cocktails you never got to try from the Monorail Club Car at Disney’s Contemporary Resort? Some of Walt Disney’s personal favorites, like his legendary chili or his cocktail of choice, the Scotch Mist? Learn the stories behind long-gone restaurants and the dishes they served—and relive your own delicious memories of recently-closed restaurants like Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel or Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano in the Muppets Courtyard.

Whether an entree, a snack, a dessert, or a drink, all of these recipes come straight from the nostalgic heart of the Disney Parks to your kitchen.  

Recipes include:  

  • Lamb Chops with Mint Jelly, from Disneyland’s fine dining Red Wagon Inn, closed in 1964
  • Taco Salad in a Ta-Cup, from Disneyland’s Casa de Fritos (where Doritos were invented), closed in 1982
  • The cult-favorite Carrot Cake Cookie, from Writer’s Stop (back when Hollywood Studios was called MGM!), closed in 2016
  • Goat Cheese Dip from EPCOT’s Restaurant Marrakesh, closed in 2020
  • The original and “new” Kungaloosh cocktails from Pleasure Island’s Adventurers Club, closed in 2008
  • The famous Iced Felucian Blue Shrimp Cocktail from Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, open for only one year from 2022–2023
  • And so much more!

This cookbook is the perfect gift (or self-gift) for every Disney fan who wants to revisit those magical moments from the past, get a taste of places they always wanted to be able to try, and allow these vintage-inspired flavors transport them back in time. So let The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook take you on a memory-filled trip down Main Street, U.S.A. as you welcome the nostalgia of your favorite Disney flavors into your kitchen and whip up some magical sips...

'A delicious time machine for Disney fans, this book revives the flavors and stories of long-gone park restaurants with real care and affection. Part history, part comfort food, it's nostalgia you can actually cook. I devoured both the history and the recipes.' * Dusty Sage, Disney historian, preservationist, and founder of MiceChat *
'Carly and Julie are true theme park food connoisseurs. If you've ever wished you could eat your way through a Disney day at home, this is the book!' * Peter Sciretta & Kitra Remick, Ordinary Adventures *
'Disney Park guests yearn for restaurants that no longer exist, even ones they never personally experienced. Julie Tremaine and Carly Caramanna have done something wonderful with this book, bringing many of these 'Yestaurants' back to life through evocative descriptions and enticing recipes. Jog not only your memories but your tastebuds, too.' * Werner Weiss, publisher of the theme park history website Yesterland *
'Disney restaurant menus change pretty much daily, which can be devastating for those of us with an emotional attachment to Dole Whip flavors-- but thankfully now we have this book! Carly and Julie are two of America's foremost theme park scholars, and no one is better equipped to take us on this nostalgic and kitschy culinary journey of gone-but-not-forgotten Disney foods through the decades.' * Shay Spence, food and travel writer, author of Meals You Can’t Mess Up *
'Having worked alongside both Carly and Julie for years, I can tell you they are the real deal! They know their Disney history, which is baked into each recipe. The real magic of the Disney Parks is in the details, and that includes the food, which this book has perfectly captured!' * Molly McCormack, co-founder of Mammoth Club *
'Julie and Carly invitingly take us on a vital tour through the culinary and cultural history of Disney's theme parks. These two understand that food is storytelling--the core ingredient for how we connect, gather, and communicate. And here, their pairing of tales and recipes captures how some of America's most recognizable icons have alternately reflected and defined our tastes.' * Todd Martens, theme park journalist *
'Longtime Disney fans turned theme park experts, Carly and Julie know exactly what to ride, watch, and--most importantly--eat and drink at Disney Parks. If you've ever wondered what those early days at Disneyland tasted like--or simply want to revisit a favorite discontinued Disney World snack from the last decade--this cookbook has the deliciously nostalgic recipes and magic-filled history you crave.' * Elizabeth Rhodes, travel writer and editor *
'We couldn't think of two more perfect people to trust with this kind of magic in a cookbook. While we never had the chance to experience these now-defunct dining spots ourselves, this book lets us bring those beloved recipes back to life. It's a beautiful blend of history, comfort, and nostalgia. This is complete with everything you need to create a little Disney magic in your own kitchen.' * Ashley and Nick, Mouse Vibes *
'What a glorious gift it is to travel back in time and taste Disney's most iconic dishes! Oh, to revisit the flavors of my memories once again--'The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook' has made the impossible possible!' * Carlye Wisel, host of Very Amusing podcast *
A love letter to Disney's past, 'The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook' proves that food isn't just nostalgic--it's transportive. Julie and Carly thoughtfully blend the flavors of the parks with the stories that made them iconic. Each recipe feels like stepping through a turnstile into another era, with flavors that truly transport you. You'll not only discover Disney history--you'll taste it, bringing a little of that magic to your own table.' * Bethany Vinton, content creator and host of The Main St Dish *

ISBN: 9781400256266

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

272 pages