Review: The Tropical Hideaway

After what seemed like an eternity, Disneyland finally opened The Tropical Hideaway in the Adventureland section of the park on December 21, 2018.  The new quick-service location replaced the under-utilized Aladdin's Oasis, which is located directly behind the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction.

A small waterfall with tiki torches and a new sign welcome
guests to the brand-new Tropical Hideaway

For thirty years, this spot was home to the Tahitian Terrace.  This Polynesian-themed restaurant served lunch and dinner.  A live stage show was also performed at the location.  Aladdin's Oasis opened in 1993, with a dinner show that only lasted two years.  After the Aladdin's Oasis show ended, the location became a seasonal operation, character meeting spot, and even a rest stop for certain guests.  

When Disney announced they were creating a new food establishment with a tropical theme in 2018, the speculation from fans on social media was that a new version of the Tahitian Terrace was coming back.  Sure. Along with the Peoplemover and Skyway rides.  

The Tropical Hideaway is nothing like the Tahitian Terrace.  It isn't even a restaurant.  This is a walk-up quick service "marketplace" with three counters offering snacks from a limited menu.  You order your items at one of the stalls, grab your bottled beverages, chips, etc., and then see a cashier to pay. 

The open-air seating area provides table and chair, along with
 shaded canopies for those bright, sunny days in the jungle

The savory item on the menu is the Bao. These Asian-inspired steamed buns are available in Lime Chicken, Bulgogi Beef, and Spiced Vegetable varieties.  I tried the chicken and the beef.  The Bulgogi Beef Bao was very tasty, and the bun was freshly steamed.  The Lime Chicken, with its butternut squash and herbs was also pretty good.  

In the sweet category The Tropical Hideaway literally offers a new "twist" on a park favorite, along with something entirely new.  Dole Whip has a big presence at this new eatery.  Swirled Dole Whips with pineapple, orange and raspberry will satisfy any fan of the famous soft serve.  They also have the Dole Whip Float, and a new Loaded Whip.  This one comes with the pineapple/orange swirl, fresh fruit and even some crystalized hibiscus.  

I'm a huge fan of the Pineapple Orange Dole Whip from my many visits to Aloha Isle at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.  So I had to have the Disneyland version.  I must admit I was a little disappointed this first time around.  I couldn't taste the orange.  I'm guessing on opening day, the machine wasn't calibrated correctly.  I'll certainly try it again, along with the raspberry pineapple one.

The other sweet offering is Sweet Lumpia.  These cream cheese and pineapple-filled treats are very tasty, and come with a side of Dole Pineapple Sauce for dipping.  Each order comes with two lumpia pieces.  These resemble egg rolls more than lumpia, but I guess they named the menu item "Sweet Lumpia" to make the place sound more exotic.  

Pictured are the new Lime Chicken Bao (right),
along with a Pineapple-Orange Dole Whip

As I mentioned earlier, the menu offering here are very limited.  There are two vegetarian items on the menu.  The aforementioned Spiced Vegetable Bao and a Chilled Ramen Shaker.  The Bao features braised veggies and chickpeas, while the ramen shaker includes vegetables, ramen noodles, cashews and an Asian vinaigrette dressing. Unfortunately I couldn't try everything here on my first visit.

The theme of The Tropical Hideaway is about as it sounds.  Located between the Jungle Cruise and Tiki Room, the area blends in.  There is a somewhat obstructed view of the Jungle River along the dockside of the seating area.  Tables and chairs are somewhat limited due to the relatively small space. I believe the lack of a full view of the river and the limited snacks-only menu were intentional, in order to prevent crowds of regular visitors from just hanging out for hours.

A view of The Tropical Hideaway from aboard the Jungle Cruise.
This dock area is not accessible to guests. 

A animatronic cockatoo from the Enchanted Tiki Room named "Rosita" was relocated from the attraction to the dock-side of the seating area.  She moves and tells corny jokes to guests.  My issue with Rosita is that her voice has no Latin, Asian, or Polynesian accent.  She sounds like an everyday Caucasian girl from Los Angeles.  Not sure what that's all about.  

Rosita has moved here from the Enchanted Tiki
Room (nextdoor) to "talk story"

Just because the menu at The Tropical Hideaway is snack-based, don't expect the prices to reflect that.  These small portions come with big prices.  All the Baos are priced at $5.99 per bun.  The Ramen Shaker is $6.49.  Sweet Lumpia will set you back $6.99.  And the Dole Whips range from $5.69 to $7.99.  Annual Passholder discounts are not offered here.  These prices seem a bit high, even for Disney standards, especially when you consider that Disneyland's local guests (about a million or so Annual Passholders) can get most of these items in larger quantities for much less at Asian restaurants throughout Southern California.  

The Tropical Hideaway addresses the need for more food options at Disneyland.  The setting is one of the best in Disneyland. The theme is nice, yet a little bit on the generic side for Disney. It's almost as if they did a rush job on the place.  The menu is exotic and simple, and the food is pretty good, but not above-average.  The Bulgogi Beef Bao and the Sweet Lumpia were my favorites.  But those prices are a little outrageous.  

Anticipation to see something new in Adventureland is going to drive lots of people to this new food spot over the next year or two.  But I believe this version of The Tropical Hideaway is just the first phase in a bigger plan for this location, and Disneyland in general.  More on that in my next post.  Stay tuned!

The Tropical Hideaway 

JVPTravelScore: B

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