Yester California Adventure at Yesterland

Paradise Pier
Ice Cream Co.


Soft serve
ice cream
Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Vanilla sign on a vanilla building

Get in line next to the Coca-Cola billboard. Although the billboard promises a “delicious and refreshing” beverage, the shop just beyond the billboard serves something even more delicious and refreshing—vanilla, chocolate, or swirled soft serve ice cream.

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017

Coca-Cola billboard

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

At the left end of billboard row

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2017

Next to Treasures in Paradise

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Fancy neon

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Cups, cones, floats, and beverages

Enjoy two traditional soft serve flavors—vanilla and chocolate (and the ever-popular twist of both).

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Place your order

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Tall swirl cones

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

Does everyone order the swirl?

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. is an unexciting, “vanilla” name. But the name of the land will probably always be Paradise Pier. So it’s the perfect name for the ice cream shop, right?


Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. first appeared at Disney California Adventure in September 2010—but its story is as old as the park.

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2003

Before transformation

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013

After transformation

Catch a Flave—serving vanilla soft serve with colorful flavor gels swirled along the edge (including cotton candy flavor and bubblegum flavor)—had been a Paradise Pier favorite since Disney’s California Adventure opened in February 2001.

In April 2010, Catch a Flave switched to a menu of vanilla and chocolate. The shop’s neon sign, with color-edged ice cream, no longer matched the product. Also, the building’s paint and graphics suggested the 1970s, not the heyday of California amusement piers a half century earlier.

A short closure in September 2010 fixed all that. Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. was born.

Along with a new name, the shop was given a more appropriate look for the era that Paradise Pier was supposed to represent. It became a vanilla building with painted chocolate lettering and strawberry accents. (Strawberry was not on the menu, but it’s a good color for an ice cream shop.)

Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. lasted just over seven years.

In November 2017, Disney announced that southern shore of Paradise Bay would become Pixar Pier and the rest of Paradise Pier would become Paradise Park. Disney ditched its slow, ongoing effort to move Paradise Pier toward an authentic early-20th-century California amusement pier theme. The new plan was to represent Pixar movies—and not a particular place or time.

The ice cream shop would need a Pixar theme. Disney picked a minor character from a major film.

Catch a Flave Ice Cream at Disney California Adventure

Artist Concept Only © Disney•Pixar

ADORABLE SNOWMAN FROSTED TREATS AT PIXAR PIER (ANAHEIM, Calif.) — Pixar Pier, a newly reimagined land opening at Disney California Adventure Park on June 23, 2018, introduces four new neighborhoods representing beloved Pixar stories. This artist concept illustrates the Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats near the entrance of Pixar Pier. (Disney•Pixar) [image and caption from Disney]

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Allen Huffman, 2018

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats

The Pixar character here is the Abominable Snowman—who would rather be known as the Adorable Snowman or the Agreeable Snowman—from Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013).

There’s now decorative trim on the corners of the building. The front façade is much more memorable than Catch a Flave or Paradise Pier Ice Cream Co. The whole thing comes across as more fun than its predecessors.

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Chris Bales, 2018

Yellow snow?

The Snowman, voiced by John Ratzenberger in the English language version, greets Mike and Sulley in Monsters, Inc. with the memorable line, “Welcome to the Himalayas!”

When the Snowman offers yellow snow cones to Mike and Sulley in that movie, Mike reacts, “Yech!”

“Nuh, nuh, no,” the Snowman reassures. “Don’t worry. It’s lemon!”

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Chris Bales, 2018

Adorable menu in 2018

It’s also lemon at Disney California Adventure. Not only is it part of the sign, the three flavors in 2018 were “It’s Lemon!”, “It’s Chocolate!”, and “It’s Vanilla!” There were also a few specialties and beverages.

In 2023, the two flavors are “It’s Lemon!” and “It’s Mango!” Both are nondairy, so they’re billed as plant-based.

The menu no longer includes Coca Cola products, except for Dasani bottled water, but the Adorable Snowman now offers two frosted treats only for adults: “It’s Chile-Lime Mango Margarita!” (nondairy mango soft-serve with tequila, chamoy, chile-lime seasoning, and diced mango) and “Pixar Pier Frosty Parfait with Blue Curaçao” (nondairy lemon soft-serve with blue raspberry swirl and a splash of blue curaçao).

Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats at Disney California Adventure

Photo by Chris Bales, 2023

Frosted treats for warm nights

One ice cream shop—three names—three looks. Well, technically it’s no longer an ice cream shop; it’s a nondairy dessert shop. The 10 percent-butterfat ice cream of 2001 is just a memory.

Which shop was (or is) best?

 
If you haven’t already done so, please take a more detailed look at Catch a Flave.


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Updated July 21, 2023