Did you know Disney World has TWO food and wine festivals?! The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is a very well-known and popular experience for foodies, families, tourists, and locals, but there is actually ANOTHER food and wine festival that is a little less known but just as exciting.
2024 Food and Wine Classic
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts host the annual Food & Wine Classic. This year, the event takes place on November 14th and 15th and will feature gourmet cuisine, fine wines, beers, and cocktails, and live entertainment, including seminars and fireworks! The Food & Wine Classic is a fun event that we love visiting every year. If you plan to go in 2025, here are two rules you’ll want to follow to make your time there even more memorable!
Be Flexible with Your Seating Arrangements (and Be Willing To Share!)
There are a lot of people who visit the Food and Wine Classic, so sometimes finding a place to set your plate down can be challenging. That’s why we recommend being flexible with where you sit or stand to eat. You may have to wait for a table to open up.
Crowds at the 2024 Food and Wine Classic
An even better idea is to be willing to share a table if you’re not using the whole thing! Be friendly and invite people to share with you if you see someone with a plate of food and nowhere to set it. And if you see someone only using a portion of their table, ask nicely if you can share with them (and if someone asks you to share your table, consider making a new friend!).
Consider sharing your table!
We did this last year, and it worked out great for us and those we shared our tables with! It’s a great way to be friendly and to even meet others from around the world.
Start with the New Restaurant’s Booths
Just as there is a huge debate about where to start at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, you’ll likely run into the same problem here. We recommend trying the new restaurant’s booths first!
Bourbon Steak
There are so many great restaurants showcased at the event, such as Cabana Bar & Beach Club, The Fountain, Il Mulino New York Trattoria, and Amare, but when we tried the Bourbon Steak samples at a preview recently, we were floored. This food was incredible. The Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib with Celery Root Espuma and Shallot Marmalade was incredible.
Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib
The beef was so tender that it fell apart like butter. It had a rich, deep, and buttery flavor, and the pairings were perfect. We loved this new restaurant when we reviewed it for its opening this past summer, so it’s not surprising how great its samples are at the Food and Wine Classic. There will be over 150 vendors at the event, but we recommend starting with Bourbon Steak!
BONUS TIP: Bring Layers!
You might think that since you’re in Florida, it doesn’t get cold, but that is not necessarily the case! By November, the evenings can get quite crisp. When the sun goes down, the party lights come on, but the air gets chilly. We definitely suggest packing a few light layers for your evening at the Classic. These can be a light scarf, a light shawl, and/or a light jacket.
When the sun goes down, it gets chilly!
The Food and Wine Classic takes place from 5-9 PM on both November 14th and 15th. Unlimited samples, entertainment, and seminars are included in the price of your ticket. So once you’ve paid for your entrance into the event, you can eat and drink endlessly and enjoy the fun. Tickets cost $205 per person ($224.01 after taxes and fees) for one night or $369 per person ($403.30 after taxes and fees) for both nights.
2024 food booth setup
Trust us, this is an event you do not want to miss! If you’re visiting Disney World for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival around the 14th or 15th of November, swing by the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic, as well. And stay tuned to DFB for coverage of the first day of the event!
FIRST LOOK (And Reviews!) at Disney World’s Other Food & Wine Festival
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