Thanks to Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph, I still have lingering dreams of immersing myself in a 1980s video game world surrounded by candy. What, just me? Well, now fans with the same wish are able to live out their Sugar Rush fantasy in the form of a Disney Cruise. The studio invited us aboard the ship to see the new space and check out all the sweet details of a Wreck-It Ralph-themed dessert buffet.
The Disney Dream is home to Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats, an ethereal candy palace floating along the sea. It’s fitting that the space reserved for this feature was formerly occupied by the ship’s arcade. The room has been transformed so that the moment you step through the doors you are transported into Candy Kingdom. Just like when she was first spotted by Ralph in their big screen outing, Vanellope can be seen hanging from the branches of the Candy Cane Forest, high above the Laffy Taffy Swamp. Does that make us the Disney Dream’s equivalent of Ralph? We better get to wrecking some candy.
The interiors of the store mimic the Sugar Rush game, featuring walls lined in bulk with candy and treats. Many of the candies are individually wrapped, which makes them easier to carry with you as you travail the fun-filled schedule of the cruise or duck into the movie theater on board.
Signature Ralph and Vanellope wrapped krispy treats are the perfect souvenirs to take back to sweet-toothed loved ones. Gas-pump style dispensers serve up packaged treats, and treat visitors to intermittent appearances by Sour Bill. The sullen character himself pops out of the gumballs every few minutes or so to regale you with an existential thought, delivered in his signature monotonous tone. It’s captivating. I stood there for as long as I could trying to catch all 30 of his different sayings.
Bright-colored handmade gelato and ice cream fill the cold cases, while candies and homemade sweets—doubling as aesthetic homages to the movie—are created right before your eyes. The pastries are ever changing, so I had to go back several times to make sure I saw each one. For science, of course. Cookies and brownies are embellished with edible character faces, like those of Ralph and Taffyta. Marshmallows and cupcakes live up to the Sugar Rush name, as they’re laden with candy and chocolate. Caramel apples, macarons, fudge…any kind of sweet treat you can think of, you’ll find within these display cases.
My heart almost broke in two when I saw the You’re My Hero Cupcake, designed to look just like the medal that Vanellope created for Ralph onscreen. It made for a sweet moment in the movie and an even sweeter dessert tribute.
The details of the space fully transport you into Vanellope’s world. The familiar leaderboard from the movie is actually tied to the Point of Sale station so that you can see what the most popular treats have been for the day. Always at number one: the Vanellope’s Go-Kart Sundae.
Served in a replica kart as created by old ham-hands himself, this plastic version actually moves, and doubles as a vehicle for getting as much ice cream into your mouth as possible. Each sundae is customized where you pick three ice cream flavors and up to five toppings. It makes you feel just like Vanellope and Ralph when they created their own custom kart in the movie. Yes, I ate the whole kart myself. No, I do not recommend you do the same. Grab a friend and share the ice cream love.
This specialty store is located next to the pool on Deck 11 with two entrances—one inside Cabana’s restaurant and the other outside by the deck. Vanellope’s is an additional charge to your meal plan but well worth it considering the spectacular levels of detail and care that go into each and every dessert. A worthy indulgence for any Disney fan.
Check out all the photos in the gallery and let us know in the comments which treat wins the medal!
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Disclosure: Disney provided travel and items for review with no compensation. All opinions are my own.
Images: Jenn Fujikawa
