The Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic Is Upon Us — Here’s How to Plan Your Visit

Fall at Walt Disney World brings a lot of excitement from Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom to the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival taking over World Showcase. But just outside of the gates of EPCOT is another food and wine festival that many Disney fans don’t know about: the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic.

The two-day food festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year and will take place on Friday, November 15, and Saturday, November 16. “It’s an honor and privilege for us to have successfully hosted the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic for 15 years. This milestone year is a testament to our continued commitment to ensuring culinary excellence remains a major part of the guest experience here,” says Greg Sherman, director of food and beverage at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin.

The 2024 event will have the longest hours in the event’s history, starting at 5:30 p.m. and lasting until 9:30 p.m. In another first, the Food & Wine Classic will have an event record-setting 45 dishes to try and more than 170 beverages to taste from 85 booths set up along the causeway between the Swan and the Dolphin, reaching down to the resort’s sprawling pool area. What we love about this secret food festival is that all of your food and drink are included in the ticket cost — so there’s no whipping out your wallet each time you want to try something and there will be no fiddling with food or drink tickets, either.

The food samples and booths are all a tribute to the resort’s on-site restaurants and chefs. In addition, there are also larger themed areas that showcase regional and international cuisine, like a miniature Chinatown and an area dedicated to fresh Florida cuisine. 

“Our most important goal is to leverage our expertise and creativity to the delight of our guests and we are immensely grateful to those who come from near and far to experience what we have to offer each year,” says Sherman.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic’s culinary highlights

With more dishes than ever to try, you’re going to want to attend both nights of the Food & Wine Classic. And it’s important to note that the menus for each food station are different on Friday versus Saturday. 

“The culinary experience is a key element of that [Disney] magic. We showcase our innovation in food and beverage with constantly evolving offerings which give us an opportunity to present new flavors, styles, and approaches,” explains Sherman. “We empower our culinary team to bring forth ideas and concepts that are certain to surprise and delight our guests.” 

On Friday, guests can try some of the innovations in food such as hand-crafted smoked bacon with braised greens, carrot purée, artisanal bread purée, and shaved vinegar heirloom apple from Smokin’ D’s BBQ. Another highlight of the Friday menu is a new dish of hand-made harissa spiced lamb sausage that’s served alongside bulgar wheat, smoked yogurt, and fennel onion salad. 

Saturday brings an all-new menu to try at some stands. From The Fountain, you can try a Reuben sandwich with pickled mustard seed, Russian dressing, house-cured cabbage, and marble rye bread. An all-new dish to the festival lineup for Saturday is the Korean “No Mayo” Salad, with rice noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, kimchi, and cashews.

Some of the more popular restaurants at the resort complex will host the same menu on both nights of the festival. This is the case for Shula’s Steak House, where Roasted Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef Tenderloin served with marble potatoes, caramelized onion purée, horseradish, and béarnaise sauce will be served on Friday and Saturday. Todd English’s Bluezoo will also feature the same menu of Roasted Sablefish with black garlic miso butter and a Shaved Asparagus Salad with cured yellowfin tuna as its two dishes. Rosa Mexicano rounds out the restaurants serving the same menu. At this booth, there will be tempura-fried cauliflower tacos, fish tacos, and the restaurant’s signature guacamole. 

Food & Wine Classic will have four themed food areas that will serve the same menu on Friday and Saturday. The first is an ode to fresh Florida dishes at For The Love of Florida. Here, you’ll find dishes like Seminole Pumpkin Fry Bread and Grilled Florida Oysters with a side of house-made kumquat hot sauce. At the Beer Garden, hot buffalo wings are always a hit — along with boiled peanuts and miso butter-tossed Brussels sprouts. Adults will instantly be brought back to childhood at Carnival Corner, where corn dog bites and chipotle macaroni and cheese are on the menu. An all-new dessert zone, called Pastry, will feature sweet delights like Caramel Banana Creme Brûlée, Mandarin Cream Beignets, and Chocolate Blackberry Choux Puff. 

All-you-care-to-drink wine and more

As part of your ticket to the Food & Wine Classic, you’re privy to trying 170 different drinks from around the world. While the festival mostly focuses on wine from places like Argentina, California, France, and Spain, you can also try craft brews at the beer garden. Eagle-eyed festival goers will also notice that the Japan drink booth serves sake, which is a real treat. 

Each drink is included in your ticket price, so try as much as you wish. Just be sure to never drink and drive. If you plan on partaking in alcohol, consider booking a room at the resort for the night, getting a rideshare to and from the resort, or having a designated driver in your group. 

Learn how to create cocktails and pair wine at interactive seminars

Every year the Food & Wine Classic features educational seminars where guests can learn how to do everything from blend wine to create craft cocktails. Each of the $85 per person seminars is led by a member of the resort’s food and beverage team. This year, the event has three seminars, two of which are new. The first new option is called Beer Here!, where guests learn about and taste some of the craft beer made in Florida. The second option is Salud! A Journey Through Spain, which showcases wine from Spain, teaching people about wine regions, types of wine, and how to pair wine. The last seminar of the weekend is a fan-favorite, Craft Cocktails. With this class, you’ll learn how to make a perfect cocktail no matter where you’re at, from finding the best ingredients to learning if something should be shaken or stirred. All of the seminars take place on Saturday before the outdoor portion of the Food & Wine Classic starts.

Where to stay

To stay directly in the heart of the festival area, try getting a room at Disney’s Swan, Dolphin, or Swan Reserve. The three sister hotels are part of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin complex. They are owned by Marriott, so if you have any brand loyalty you can get your Marriott Bonvoy member perks here. After booking your ticket to the Food & Wine Classic, you can lock in your room by calling (888)-828-8850 and mentioning the Food & Wine rate for a discount. 

Alternatively, you could stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn or Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts for Disney-owned properties that are within walking distance of the Swan and Dolphin. All three of these Disney hotels are considered deluxe resorts and as such, are priced at a premium rate. If you want to stay at a Disney hotel for less, consider one of the moderate resorts like Disney’s Port Orleans — Riverside or Disney’s Coronado Springs. If you stay at one of the moderate resorts listed, you will need to find your own way to the Swan and Dolphin.

How to get tickets

Tickets for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic are currently for sale online. Tickets for Friday or Saturday night alone are $195. If you plan on going to both nights of the festival, you can save 15% by bundling your tickets for both nights, making the total cost $331.50 before taxes and fees.

Whether you decide to go for one or both nights, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is a great way to spend an evening. We love that every bite of food and sip of wine is included in the cost, too.