A Disney World food festival costs $235: Here’s what you get for it

At $235 per person, the 2026 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is one of the pricier culinary experiences at Walt Disney World. But with more than 50 dishes, 220 beverage options and four hours of unlimited tastings, is it worth the splurge? We sampled 10 dishes ahead of this year’s event to find out.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is back for its 17th year, and we got an early taste. On Thursday, Nov. 5, the resort hosted an exclusive media and creator preview inside Peninsula, the Dolphin’s brand-new event space expansion, ahead of the public event on Nov. 20 and 21.

The official 2026 menu lists over 50 food items across restaurant stations and themed areas, from Wagyu short rib and striped bass to a Dubai Strawberry Shot. Below is the full food lineup for both nights, our review and tasting notes of the ten food items we enjoyed at the preview, and things you need to know before you go.

Food & Wine Classic 2026 at a glance

• Dates: Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026
• Time: 5 to 9 p.m. each night, four full hours of tastings
• Where: Outdoors on the causeway at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
• Tickets: For current ticket options and pricing, visit the official Food & Wine Classic ticket site.
• Included: Unlimited food and beverage tastings, live entertainment, and fireworks viewing

The short video below will give you a general idea of the ambiance at the Food & Wine Classic.

Full 2026 food menu by night

We’ve organized every dish from the official 2026 menu by availability. Some dishes are served both nights, while others are exclusive to Friday or Saturday. If there’s something you especially want to try, check the lineup before choosing your night.

Served both nights (Friday and Saturday)

Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak

• Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib: Celery root espuma, shallot marmalade

Todd English’s bluezoo

• Oyster Espuma: Gruyère panna cotta, Champagne sphere, sea beans, crispy Parmesan, tobiko caviar
• Striped Bass: White bean cassoulet, andouille sausage, pickled pearl onion, nduja crumble, demi glace

Rosa Mexicano

• Flautas de Pollo: Crispy chicken taquitos, crema, queso Cotija
• Tacos de Cochinita Pibil: Roasted pork marinated in achiote and spices, fresh corn tortillas, pickled cabbage, slaw, onions, cilantro
• Chips and Salsa Bar: Fresh fried corn tortilla chips, salsa ranchera, pico de gallo, tomatillo árbol, agua mole, habanero, pickled onions, pineapple pico

Bubble Lounge

• Herbed Goat Cheese Crostini: Fig jam, pistachio
• Blue Cheese Tart: Marcona almond, grape gel
• Spicy Tuna: Avocado purée, sesame, wonton cup
• Smoked Salmon Mousse: Toasted brioche, mango chutney
• Beet Cured Deviled Eggs: Pickled mustard seeds, chives
• Parmesan Cream: Crispy prosciutto, pumpernickel

For the Love of Florida

• Ropa Vieja: Tomato braised chuck roast, tomato, green olives, pimentos, Cuban black beans, rice pilaf
• Red Grouper: Blackened cedar plank grouper, coconut rice, ginger black beans, green onion, chili mango pineapple pico
• Florida Citrus: Avocado, hearts of palm, jicama, heirloom tomato, baby arugula and mustard greens, lemon ricotta, white Forum vinaigrette
• Fried Green Tomatoes: Pimiento cheese, watercress salad

Chinatown

• Pan Fried Shrimp & Pork Dumplings: Ginger and black vinegar dipping sauce, house made chili oil
• Shu Mein: Shanghai noodle, braised tofu, shiitake mushroom, bamboo, vegan broth
• Taro Puff: Bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, ginger, wood ear mushrooms, plum sauce, Chinese hot mustard aioli
• Turnip Cake: Ginger tamari glaze, pickled beech mushrooms, lotus root chips, house made chili oil

The Beer Garden

• Crispy Fried Chicken Wings: Rickey’s Own Wing Sauce, tempura crunch, buttermilk ranch dressing
• Grilled Beef Brats: Traditional roll, house fermented sauerkraut, selection of mustards
• Fresh Baked Bavarian Pretzel: Flaky salt, aged Vermont cheddar cheese sauce

Carnival Corner

• Texas Red Chili: Black Angus beef, brisket sausage, fire roasted tomato, guajillo ancho chili, Vermont cheddar
• “Char Siu” Pulled Pork Slider: Fermented red bean and cherry marinade, shiso coriander aioli, charred scallion slaw
• Tornado Potatoes: Spicy dill pickle dressing, applewood smoked bacon, Grafton cheddar, green onions
• Old Bay Spiced Nitro Popcorn: Caramel, honey roasted peanuts, flaky sea salt

Desserts

• Cinnamon Roll Waffle: Spiced anglaise, dulce de leche ice cream
• Campfire Mocha: Chocolate coffee mousse, toasted marshmallow
• The Peach: White peach mousse, peach compote
• Snickerdoodle Banana Profiterole: Snickerdoodle profiterole, caramelized banana crémeux
• Coffee Crème Brûlée: Malt crumble
• Rocher Chocolate
• Dubai Strawberry Shot
• Apple & Beet Financier

Friday, Nov. 20 only

Smokin’ D’s BBQ

• Slow Cooked Berkshire Pork Belly: Hickory smoked cane sugar “cloud,” carrot ginger purée, chai apricot glaze, crunchy garlic

Il Mulino New York Trattoria

• Lasagna: House made pasta, eggplant, fresh pomodoro, béchamel, roasted mushrooms, caper crumbles

Lagoon Games, Lanes & Eats

• Hand Dipped Mozzarella Sticks: Roasted garlic marinara

The Fountain

• Mini Smash Burger: American Wagyu beef, American cheese, caramelized onion, Roma tomato, garlic aioli, cheddar jalapeño slider roll

Cabana

• Tuna Rice Bowl: Seasoned sushi rice, marinated sushi grade tuna, avocado, edamame, wakame, sriracha aioli, crispy vermicelli noodles

Kimonos

• Cured Salmon, Blue Crab: Takuan, avocado, mentaiko sauce, yuzu tobiko, micro radish

Amare

• Crispy Fried Eggplant: Tzatziki, cardamom apricots, toasted sesame seeds

Garden Grove

• Roasted Figs & Maitake Mushrooms: Cannellini bean purée, fall vegetables, preserved lemon, aged goat cheese, brown butter miso vinaigrette

Saturday, Nov. 21 only

Smokin’ D’s BBQ

• Poor Man’s Burnt Ends: Mesquite smoked Black Angus beef chuck, fried shallots, edamame daikon yuzu relish, fermented black bean BBQ sauce

Il Mulino New York Trattoria

• Chestnut Agnolotti: Roasted pumpkin, citrus butter, toasted black walnuts, crispy sage, shaved Parmesan

Lagoon Games, Lanes & Eats

• Loaded Potato Barrels: Cheese sauce, beef short rib, buttermilk ranch dressing, scallions

The Fountain

• French Dip Grilled Cheese: Shaved roasted prime rib, Gruyère and provolone, buttery toasted brioche, “French onion” jus

Cabana

• Grilled & Marinated Gulf Shrimp: Green papaya, herb salad, hothouse cucumber

Kimonos

• Bluefin Tuna Hamachi: Cucumber, fried shallots, sweet soy glaze, dynamite sauce, bubu arare

Amare

• Watermelon Feta Salad: Sumac onions, red wine vinaigrette, grilled halloumi, fresh mint

Garden Grove

• Vegan Banh Mi: Eggplant pâté, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, roasted mushrooms, cilantro, garlic aioli

Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic preview: Our tasting notes

We sampled 10 items from the 2026 Food & Wine Classic menu during the media preview, including seven savory dishes and three desserts.

Here’s what we tried, followed by our favorites and a few that didn’t quite live up to expectations.

• Slow Cooked Berkshire Pork Belly with Hickory Smoked Cane Sugar “Cloud,” Carrot Ginger Puree, Chai Apricot Glaze, Crunchy Garlic (GF) (from Smokin’ D’s BBQ – Friday)
• Crispy Fried Eggplant with Tzatziki, Cardamom Apricots, Toasted Sesame Seeds (V) (from Amare – Friday)
• Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib with Celery Root Espuma, Shallot Marmalade (GF) (from Bourbon Steak – Friday & Saturday)
• Oyster Espuma with Gruyère Panna Cotta, Champagne Sphere, Sea Beans, Crispy Parmesan, Tobiko Caviar (contains shellfish) (from Todd English’s bluezoo – Friday & Saturday)
• Chestnut Agnolotti with Roasted Pumpkin, Citrus Butter, Toasted Black Walnuts, Crispy Sage, Shaved Parmesan (V, contains nuts) (from Il Mulino – Saturday)
• Bluefin Tuna Hamachi with Cucumber, Fried Shallots, Sweet Soy Glaze, Dynamite Sauce, Bubu Arare (GF, DF) (from Kimonos – Saturday)
• “Char Siu” Pulled Pork Slider with Fermented Red Bean and Cherry Marinade, Shiso Coriander Aioli, Charred Scallion Slaw (DF) (from Carnival Corner – Friday & Saturday)
• Cinnamon Roll Waffle with Spiced Anglaise and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
• Rocher Chocolate: Rich chocolate dessert inspired by Ferrero Rocher, with a smooth, molten chocolate center.
• Dubai Strawberry Shot: Strawberry, pistachio and rich chocolate layered into a dessert shot inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate trend.

What stood out

• Slow-cooked Berkshire Pork Belly: Sweet, smoky, and a little showy thanks to the cotton candy-style cloud. One of the most memorable bites. This presents guests with a unique twist on a classic. While it may not be the most photogenic item of the event, the flavor was there. The vegetable and fruit components enhance the pork belly without feeling like something the chefs threw in for color. Yes, chefs do that sometimes! This makes a great festival item since few people will make this at home.
• “Char Siu” Pulled Pork Slider: Another Food & Wine Classic offering that few will make at home, this slider is sweet and sticky, with a fresh slaw. We were surprised by this innocent-looking festival item. While we’re concerned about how messy this slider could be, the flavors are there. The marinade gives the pork an Asian touch. The bun worked well, which can be very challenging with well-filled sliders. You’ll need a fork for this one, but it makes a wonderful festival item.

Definitely worth a try

• Chestnut Agnolotti: This brings peak fall flavors. The citrus butter works really well in this dish, helping balance the flavors. However, the flavors are understated. Yes, they are well prepared and make an excellent vegetarian dish. Still, while we enjoyed this dish, we expected something more robust. In this case, the problem may be us, and we are okay with that in this case.
• Bluefin Tuna Hamachi: Great fish with the quality we would expect from sushi at Kimonos. Those looking to sample sushi will find this to be a good option. Guests who tend to avoid sushi should also find this approachable.
• Rocher Chocolate: Rich and nutty, exactly what the name promises.

• Cinnamon Roll Waffle: Do you like cinnamon? If you do, then you need to try this. Its aroma occasionally filled the event space. Does significant cinnamon and some dulce de leche ice cream sound like just too much of a good thing? Then, we suggest trying one of other sweet treats at the 2026 Food & Wine Classic.
• Dubai Strawberry Shot: Does this live up to the viral standard of Dubai chocolate? In fairness, it does not. Still, that sweet-treat trend has a life of its own. Even festival desserts that are similar to Dubai chocolate, like the Pistachio-Chocolate Cookie at this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, deserve praise for tasting so good. This Dubai Strawberry Shot may not be at that level, but it is well worth your time.
• Crispy Fried Eggplant: The Crispy Fried Eggplant is one of those small plates that looks simple on paper, and then surprisingly wins you over. A golden, crunchy cube of eggplant sits on a swoosh of tzatziki, joined by a cardamom apricot and a scattering of toasted sesame seeds. The contrast is the whole point here. While it may not work for some guests, a hot, crispy bite against cool, tangy yogurt, with the apricot adding a warm, gently spiced sweetness, makes a solid combination by the chefs.

Good, but not great

• Bourbon Steak’s Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib: This is rich and tender. The dish comes well prepared and presented. The slow-braised short rib preparation makes the wagyu more accessible to a broader audience. In doing so, it also loses the advantage of using higher-quality meat. Once again, it is good but will not be most guests’ favorite dish of the Food & Wine Classic.
• Oyster Espuma: The most ambitious plate of the night. Fun to eat, though some guests may find the textures a lot in one spoonful. This dish’s issue is the creative and well-done espuma. The presentation leads guests to expect significant oyster pieces underneath. They are not, since the caviar does the heavy lifting. The foam version of oysters may confuse and maybe disappoint some guests. Is it a good version of Oyster Espuma? Yes, but that may not be enough.

Is the 2026 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic worth it?

Regarding the food, we can only comment on what we had at the preview. Still, guests have many food and beverage options to enjoy across the two nights (many rotating by night), plus live entertainment for four hours. Current ticket pricing, including the two-night bundle, is on the official ticket site.

Compared with paying per plate at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, the Food & Wine Classic is all you care to enjoy, which matters!

For guests who plan to drink and want resort restaurant-quality bites in one place, it is worth the splurge. Since the menus vary some each night, guests should find several things they are interested in for the nights they want to attend. With the all-you-care-to-enjoy factor, it only takes a few items you love to make the night feel worth it.

Nonetheless, light eaters or non-drinkers will struggle to get full value. This is a food AND wine event. For those who do not consume alcohol, this splurge could end up looking bad afterward.

However, especially based on alcoholic beverage prices at Walt Disney World, those consuming alcohol and the signature-level dishes should be satisfied with their purchase. Of course, drink responsibly.

What to Know Before You Go

Tickets

• Buy causeway event tickets (and seminar tickets) through the official Food & Wine Classic ticket site, where current pricing is listed.
• A bundle for both Friday and Saturday is available; see the ticket site for details.
• The event is outdoors, with unlimited food and beverages from 5 to 9 p.m.
• This is a Rain or Shine Event – If inclement weather arises, the event will move inside to an indoor location.
• Children under the age of 5 – free entry when accompanied by an adult

Drinks

• 220 beverage options, including 67 wine booths and more than 134 wines.
• The Bubble Lounge pours Perrier Jouët, G.H. Mumm, Roederer Estate and Scharffenberger.
• Spirits include a Ketel One Espresso Martini, Flor de Caña Rum and 1800 Tequila; Florida beer comes from Florida Avenue, Crooked Can, SunCreek and Ivanhoe.
• Non alcoholic and low ABV options include Bèro NA beer, Lyre’s NA spirits, and a Rockey’s Botanical low ABV spritz.
• Certified sommeliers are on hand to help with pairings.

Food & Wine Classic: Entertainment and Seminars

• Live entertainment runs both nights, with fireworks to close the evening
• Seminars are offered and ticketed separately through the ticket site.

Food & Wine Classic: Getting There and Parking

• Walt Disney World Dolphin: 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830. Walt Disney World Swan: 1200 Epcot Resorts Blvd.
• The resort sits in the Epcot resort area, within walking distance of Disney’s BoardWalk and a short walk or boat ride from Epcot’s International Gateway.
• Parking is not included in the ticket price.

Good to Know

• Photography and video recording happen at the event, and entering means you consent to being recorded.
• Wear comfortable shoes and check the forecast. This is an outdoor event in late November.
• Questions: call 407-934-4000 or email [email protected]