The Best Ice Cream At Universal Orlando, According To Reddit

While visiting the world-famous theme parks in Orlando, Florida usually means getting flipped upside-down on thrill rides and collecting autographs from cute mascots, dashing superheroes, and elegant princesses, let's face it: eating your way around the property is also a big part of the appeal. Walt Disney World is known for signature snacks like Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzels and Dole Whip soft-serve (to say nothing of the divisive Beverly soda at Club Cool in Epcot), but let's give credit to Universal Orlando for having its fair share of noshes that will justify all the miles you walk in the steaming Sunshine State heat. What do you need when you are sweating to death in August while pushing a stroller or taking selfies with your #girlgang? Ice cream, obviously.

According to Reddit, butterbeer might be the epitome of UO munchies, and the butterbeer ice cream is especially noteworthy. "Arguably the best tasting ice cream I've ever had tbh," said one Redditor, encapsulating the popular sentiment. "Butterbeer 100%," confirmed another. Per internet anecdotes, butterbeer flavoring is available in multiple areas of UO as part of its tie-in with the "Harry Potter" franchise. You can get it in various formats, including potted cream, a drinkable version, and even fudge. The ice cream, however, seems to scratch an especial itch for those who frequent the Universal Orlando resort, which consists of three unique theme parks and a water park. We previously covered one Foodie writer's opinion that butterbeer was the best Hershey's Kisses flavor; now it seems that, if you're in Orlando, you gotta get the ice cream to match.

We've heard of some genuinely wacky ice cream flavors, like Salt & Straw's seasonal flavor based on comfort food, but butterbeer ice cream actually makes a lot of sense. According to "Harry Potter" lore, the young wizards at Hogwarts enjoy drinking this butterscotch-y drink when they visit the village of Hogsmeade. According to those who have had butterbeer ice cream in the real world, it tastes a lot like butterscotch crossed with toasted marshmallow. This sounds perfect for ice cream lovers who enjoy caramel, vanilla, or butter pecan, all of which are beloved classic flavors. In the "Harry Potter" books, the wizarding trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron only drank butterbeer, but we bet they would have been down for an ice cream version of this literary treat.

As of this writing, you can find butterbeer ice cream at Florian Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour inside Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando. Redditors fiending for some butterbeer ice cream have wondered if they might find the frozen treat at CityWalk, Universal Orlando's shopping and entertainment district outside the parks proper, but that is apparently a no-go. At Florian Fortescue's, you can get your ice cream in a cone (waffle or cake) or a souvenir glass, depending on what appeals to your taste. After you get your butterbeer ice cream fix, you might be interested in some of the other adventurous flavors on offer, like Chocolate Chili or Earl Grey and Lavender.