June 25, 2026
The opening coincided with Juneteenth, adding symbolic significance to the milestone for the growing brand.
Happy Ice, a Black-owned Philadelphia-style Italian water ice company founded by entrepreneur Lemeir Mitchell, opened a permanent location at Downtown Disney District on June 19, becoming the first Black-owned dessert business with a permanent presence at the Disneyland Resort destination, Afrotech reports.
According to the company, the opening coincided with Juneteenth, adding symbolic significance to the milestone for the growing brand.
The new Anaheim location marks the latest expansion for Happy Ice, which Mitchell launched as a Los Angeles food truck in 2017 before growing the business into multiple storefronts and event-based operations across Southern California. The company specializes in Philadelphia-style water ice, a frozen dessert rooted in Philadelphia’s Italian American communities and traditionally made with fruit, water, and sugar.
The Downtown Disney cart features Happy Ice’s first fully all-natural menu, including handcrafted water ice made with real fruit and pure cane sugar. Guests can also purchase JOY-LATI, a layered dessert that combines Italian ice, vanilla sweet cream, fruit, and toppings.
“I grew up a huge Disney kid, so opening Happy Ice at Downtown Disney is truly a full-circle moment,” Mitchell said. “I started this business to bring people together and to create lasting memories through desserts that make people smile.”
Mitchell added that the company was built around “happiness, hospitality, and community,” values he said align with the family-focused atmosphere of Disney.
The opening reflects the company’s continued growth from a single food truck into a recognized frozen-dessert brand. Happy Ice first appeared at Downtown Disney through temporary activations before securing a permanent location in the shopping and entertainment district.
To celebrate the grand opening, the company offered promotional giveaways to early customers. The location is expected to operate daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For Mitchell, the Downtown Disney debut represents another step in a business journey that began with introducing a Philadelphia favorite to Southern California and has since evolved into one of the region’s fastest-growing independently owned frozen-dessert brands.
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