The 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is in full swing, and we have already reported on the MUST HAVES for this year’s festival! But what if you have been missing ANOTHER major Disney World food and wine festival all these years and didn’t even realize it?

The Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic is “the other” food and wine festival in the Walt Disney World area, but unlike EPCOT, you’ll only have two nights to enjoy the food, fun, and festivities. It’s also a much more condensed space, so you’ll be able to see it all in one night. Let’s look closer at the other Food and Wine fest ’round these parts!

The Swan and Dolphin

If you aren’t familiar with the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, you can find these hotels centrally located just minutes from EPCOT‘s International Gateway entrance. Both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are within walking distance, and if one more step after a long park day is tempting fate, there is a Friendship boat that runs every 20 minutes or so.

These hotels are owned by Marriott, so you can earn reward points staying here, and you can also use your points towards free stays. They share many of the same perks as Disney resort guests, including free transportation and free parking at Walt Disney World theme parks.

Read all about the brand new Disney World hotel coming soon HERE!

All The Deets

The Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic will take place this year on October 29th and 30th. The event takes place on the Causeway that links both resorts, with the festivities running from 5:30PM until 9:00PM on each of the two nights.

Tickets for one night of the event are $165 and include unlimited food and beverage tastings throughout the evening. If you want to kick it up a notch higher, you can do a hotel and event package. This ultimate date night experience includes one-night accommodation, plus two tickets to one night at the Food and Wine Classic. Packages start at $580. But they sell out quickly! Interested in getting tickets? CLICK HERE!

Where can you eat when there isn’t a Food and Wine Classic at the Swan and Dolphin? Let’s talk about it!

What should I expect?

The festival features more than 20 food stations, and the offerings are cultivated by the chefs at the hotels’ award-winning restaurants. The highlight of the beverages is the collection of more than 100 wines from around the world, in addition to an incredible beer garden and other luscious libations.

But wait, that’s not all! There will be live entertainment at the Dolphin Clamshell Fountain on both nights of the event. This year, expect to find EPIC LIVE, the American Sirens, and the Adam Duss Experience performing throughout the event.

Looking for good sushi? Check out our review of Kimonos at the Swan!

What’s on the menu?

We’re glad you asked! We were able to get a pretty good look at what’s in store with a full list of menu options and some of the beverages you can expect to experience. There are three themed areas this year, including The Beer Garden, The Pig & The Poke, and China Town.

The menus feature some returning items from years past, like Shula’s Steak House MVP, the Roasted Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef Tenderloin. There’s a whole lot of new stuff, though, and our mouths are watering just thinking about selections like the Tacos al Pastor. Some of the items will vary over the two nights, so all menu options may not be available both nights — even more reason to think about going both nights.

Are you overlooking this steakhouse at Walt Disney World?

So, why should we go?

With all that has changed in the past year and a half, it will come as no surprise that this event was canceled last year. They have really outdone themselves this year, with even more booths, bites, and booze than ever before.

The experience this year will also include expanded entertainment. You can really make an evening of this, and for all you can eat, drink, and enjoy the entertainment, the price is right!

Our best tips from the last time we went to the Food and Wine Classic

If you’re looking for something a little different from the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, this may be just the thing. If you want a FULL Food and Wine experience in a shorter time (basically, you don’t want to walk forever around World Showcase and wait in a zillion lines to get food at each booth at EPCOT!) this is a solid option. All you can eat and drink for a night sounds pretty good, right?

You can order tickets on the Swan and Dolphin website, or call them directly at 888-828-8850 to buy your tickets or book your package. You DO NOT have to be a guest of the Swan and Dolphin in order to attend the Food and Wine Classic, so go and enjoy!

Have you been to the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Before? Tell us what you thought about it in the comments!