Walt Disney World is obviously home to some world-class entertainment, but there are also several special events that take place around the resort that you may not have heard of. And out of all of those special events, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic is without a doubt my favorite.
The event brings a wide variety of delicious dishes from some of best restaurants from the area as well as a seemingly never-ending selections of wines, beers, champagnes and more.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic truly has something for everyone. If you’re a foodie, you could find some complex dishes and the perfect wines to pair the with. If you’re looking for some great drinks, the variety would blow you away. Even kids were able to find some of their favorites, like mac and cheese, Chicken “Chips” (really just chicken fingers in a different shapes) and more in the Carnival Corner. There were even carnival games for guests to enjoy with all of the proceeds going to the Children’s Miracle Network.
But back to the topic that really matters when it comes to this event: the food! Guests who checked out the event this year found options from a bunch of great restaurants, including:
- Shula's Steak House
- IL Mulino
- Todd English's bluezoo
- Kimonos
- Garden Grove
- The Fountain
- Cabana Bar and Beach Club
- Fresh Mediterranean Market
- Picabu
Personally, I think the Angus Beef Tenderloin from Shula’s Steak House was my favorite dish of the night, but there were so many great options that it’s impossible to really choose. Some of my other favorites included the Arkansas “BLT” presented by Cabana Bar & Beach Club and the Molten Chocolate Banans Foster presented by Chef Laurent Branlard.
With this being the 10th annual Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic the Hang 10 booth was added to the event offering multiple seafood options including the Fry Basket, consisting of clams, shrimp, oysters, and fries.
Now of course, to go along with all of that delicious food, you’re going to need some tasty beverages as well. The selection of wine was so vast I can’t even begin to describe it. I’ll just say, there’s no way it is humanly possible to sample even one wine from each table.
Personally, I’m not much of a wine drinker. Luckily for me, there was also an incredible selection of beers from local and popular breweries as well as cider and hard seltzer options. There truly was something for everyone.
On top of all this, there was also plenty of entertainment. I already mentioned the games in the Carnival Corner, but there was also live music on stage just outside the Dolphin. Additionally, there were two other live music acts performing by the Hang 10 area and the Terrace Beer Garden. As the night went on, it became more and more of a party.
As for the pricing of the event, I would actually consider it a pretty great deal. Guests were able to purchase a book of 25 tickets for $65, with each item costing an assigned number of tickets. The best way to go though was the unlimited ticket which totalled $145.
I’m sure you’re thinking that’s very pricey, and it is. You’re not wrong. But if I was to compare this to a single day ticket to experience the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which would set you back roughly $110 plus what you would spend on each individual dish, the value is in another league. This way, your $145 gets you unlimited food and alcoholic beverages, so you don’t have to worry about how much you’re spending after you’ve already entered the event. And, in my opinion, the food here is actually better.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic is absolutely my favorite special event at Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, this year’s event has wrapped up but, luckily, it’s an annual event so you can start planning your trip for next year!
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