Gideon's Bakehouse vs. The Cake Bake Shop: Disney's Best Bakery for Cake and Cookies?

[LSLS]

I doubt I will either. It certainly looks better than the Gideon's cookies, though.

I mean, to you they do. Lots of people love Gideon cookies. But the important thing on that is while Gideons might not look appealing to you, they look different. You can identify it right away, and it feels like you are paying for something (they are massive, and loaded with stuff). This looks like an every day cookie you can find at a grocery or farmer's market, but at $7 instead of $2 or even $4 at fancier shops. You are charging $7, what is setting it apart when you walk into that shop? Just the atmosphere makes it feel like it should cost more?

 

[UNCgolf]

I mean, to you they do. Lots of people love Gideon cookies. But the important thing on that is while Gideons might not look appealing to you, they look different. You can identify it right away, and it feels like you are paying for something (they are massive, and loaded with stuff). This looks like an every day cookie you can find at a grocery or farmer's market, but at $7 instead of $2 or even $4 at fancier shops. You are charging $7, what is setting it apart when you walk into that shop? Just the atmosphere makes it feel like it should cost more?

I'm not arguing in favor of the pricing -- nearly everything at Cake Bake is overpriced, and I don't have any plans to visit it or buy a $7 chocolate chip cookie -- but I don't see why looks should matter. It's pretty easy to find cookies that look fancy but are actually made pretty cheaply and are terrible.

The important thing is how it tastes.

And let's be honest, Gideon's cookies are priced the way they are due to location/atmosphere too.

 

[MarvelCharacterNerd]

I've never been to Gideon's. I've only had their cookies when friends went on trips and brought them back with them or mailed them to me. This means I've never had them fresh. Closest was maybe a one day turnaround. But I've had them take at least a week to be shipped to me. Pop 'em in the freezer and they're good for months.

And they're delicious. But definitely the best was when I had them only day old instead of week old. lol

So nope, nothing to do with atmosphere or theming. I just love their cookies.

By comparison, the only other ones I think taste rich and really good are the Costco food court chocolate chip cookies. Totally different composition, but also yum.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I'm not arguing in favor of the pricing -- nearly everything at Cake Bake is overpriced, and I don't have any plans to visit it or buy a $7 chocolate chip cookie -- but I don't see why looks should matter. It's pretty easy to find cookies that look fancy but are actually made pretty cheaply and are terrible.

The important thing is how it tastes.

And let's be honest, Gideon's cookies are priced the way they are due to location/atmosphere too.

To be fair, we locals still buy them at East End Market here in town for the same price. It's not the insane line (which I would never wait in). Rather a small stand in something akin to a smaller Krog Street Market here in Orlando. They are iconic and lots of people do enjoy them. But, they really are their own thing vs. a traditional cookie. They are meant to be a crazy confection with an insane amount of somewhat expensive ingredients (i.e. chocolate). I actually much prefer the dark chocolate pistachio version or their old cookies and cream version. I think, as others have said, that's the difference. Dole Whip isn't just soft serve. A giant milkshake from Black Tap, Toothsome, etc. isn't just a regular milkshake. Gideon's are usual cookies. They are insanely indulgent, maybe way too much for some/many, etc. But there is a reason they are popular, even outside of the Disney bubble (though the Instagram posts help...).

The cookies at Summer House and Gideon's just don't feel special. I've had equally good cookies at many bakeries for much less the price, let alone much better cookies at amazing bakeries in places like Atlanta, Chicago, NYC, etc. To say the Gideon's cookies aren't for everyone is a very fair statement. To say these Summer House/Cake Bake cookies ARE for everyone, but just way overpriced is also a very fair statement, IMHO.

 

[Ayla]

To be fair, we locals still buy them at East End Market here in town for the same price. It's not the insane line (which I would never wait in). Rather a small stand in something akin to a smaller Krog Street Market here in Orlando. They are iconic and lots of people do enjoy them. But, they really are their own thing vs. a traditional cookie. They are meant to be a crazy confection with an insane amount of somewhat expensive ingredients (i.e. chocolate). I actually much prefer the dark chocolate pistachio version or their old cookies and cream version. I think, as others have said, that's the difference. Dole Whip isn't just soft serve. A giant milkshake from Black Tap, Toothsome, etc. isn't just a regular milkshake. Gideon's are usual cookies. They are insanely indulgent, maybe way too much for some/many, etc. But there is a reason they are popular, even outside of the Disney bubble (though the Instagram posts help...).

The cookies at Summer House and Gideon's just don't feel special. I've had equally good cookies at many bakeries for much less the price, let alone much better cookies at amazing bakeries in places like Atlanta, Chicago, NYC, etc. To say the Gideon's cookies aren't for everyone is a very fair statement. To say these Summer House/Cake Bake cookies ARE for everyone, but just way overpriced is also a very fair statement, IMHO.

Regarding Dole Whips, there are many, many places you can get them. I can find them 30 minutes from me, in rural Wisconsin. I also had one in Lahaina, on Maui.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Regarding Dole Whips, there are many, many places you can get them. I can find them 30 minutes from me, in rural Wisconsin. I also had one in Lahaina, on Maui.

There is an ice cream place called Magnifico's in East Brunswick, NJ that has Dole Whips. Im not terribly far from there so I can get over there fairly easily for my fix when I want to!! Marie

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Neither of the cookies or cake slices in post #1 look all that appealing to me. One cookie doesn't have enough chocolate chips, and the other is a mess. I agree it looks underbaked. The Gideon's cake also looks a bit off, like there is too much and something wrong with the frosting.

Among WDW's best offerings right now are some of the treats offered at Amorette's.

MK also has had pretty good options at Storybook Treats. The seasonal offerings change frequently though, and I don't know what the current offerings are like.