Disneyland’s Food and Wine Festival: Our Top Tips Leave a comment
On behalf of Collider, and thanks to a very kind invite from the Disneyland Resort, I attended the opening of the Food & Wine Festival, being held at Disney California Adventure until April 26th, and yes, I tried the peanut butter and jelly mac . . . but more on that in a bit. After getting cut short in March 2020 and replaced with A Touch of Disney in March 2021, food, art and entertainment have come together once again to highlight the diverse foods and flavors fo the Golden State, always adding a bit of that Disney magic. Not only did I try a bunch of the offerings that were available, but I also have some tips to share to make the most of your experience.
Tip #1: Go hungry.
With almost entirely new food and beverage items this year, there is such a wide variety to choose from, according to whatever might happen to strike your fancy. Whether that be plant-based, allergy-friendly, gluten-friendly, kid-friendly or completely unrestricted, you will find selections that entice you. And you’ll probably want to try more than what you’d planned to, which brings us to the Sip and Savor Pass. If you’re heading to Food & Wine with the goal of trying multiple items, then the Pass, which is $57 for day guests and $52 for Magic Key holders, is the best value as it comes with eight redeemable tabs that can be used for select food and nonalcoholic beverages at Festival Marketplaces and tasting-size portions at participating dining locations.
Of the fan favorites making a comeback, I highly recommend the Snickers chocolate Mickey macaron filled with caramel ganache and Snickers pieces, as it’s both very tasty and really cute, and the carbonara-garlic mac and cheese with peppered bacon. As a mac and cheese fan, I typically always have that available offering on my list, even if it’s a repeat from a previous year. That also means that I was willing to be a little adventurous and give the peanut butter and jelly mac, which also came with brown sugar streusel and strawberry crackle, aka pop rocks, on top. Not surprisingly, it tastes exactly like you think it would taste and, even though it is a tasting portion, it’s still a lot to take on at once so if you do want to try it, I recommend sharing it. Another adventurous item, which I did not try, is the frozen guacamole, which was like avocado ice cream, but with lime crema, pico de gallo and chile-lime seasoning on top. While the PB&J mac was really more of a dessert item, the frozen guacamole is a cross between sweet and savory.
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Tip #2: Familiarize yourself with the offerings and make a list of what you want to try, so that you can place an order at a booth with a shorter line, for selections that you can then go from booth to booth to pick up. You do not have to order at each of the booths you want to try food and beverage items at.
To locate the options, there are a dozen Festival Marketplaces throughout DCA that offer small plates and beverages inspired by California-grown ingredients like avocados, citrus, strawberries, peppers and artisanal cheeses. There are also various dining locations, including Smokejumpers Grill, Sonoma Terrace and Pym Tasting Lab, and outdoor carts, including Terran Treats.
I found that the easiest plan was to pick two or three things at a time and order them from one booth (whichever had the shortest line at the time), and then go around to the pickup window for each item. That allowed me to take breaks between trying some items, in order to never feel overly stuffed. The Pass doesn’t expire until April 26th, so if you’re a local who makes return visits and can’t use all of your tabs at one time, you can use it until the last day of the festival.
Tip #3: Pace yourself, and save room for dessert.
There are a lot of options available and even though the selections are in tasting sizes rather than full portions, it still ends up being a lot of food. Each of the booths are themed, so you can plan out the order you want to eat the food in, in order to avoid mixing all the wrong flavors together at once. Along with the Snickers Mickey macaron, I also tried the chocolate-hazelnut mousse, the strawberry cheesecake with lemon chantilly, and the blueberry buttermilk pie (yes, I admit, I’m totally a dessert girl), all of which I found to be delicious and would absolutely have again.
Tip #4: Be aware that alcohol is not included.
If you want to make the most of the value of your Sip and Savor Pass, keep an eye on the pricing for the items. You can use the tabs for the highest priced items, to make sure that you get to try all of those, and save the leftover tabs for the more inexpensive dessert items or nonalcoholic drinks. For those 21 and over, there is a wide variety of specialty alcoholic drinks, cocktails, wines, spirits and craft beers available for purchase. You can order something more on the spicy side or more on the fruity sweet side, depending on your taste and what compliments your food selections.
Tip #5: Take some time to check out the entertainment offerings.
If you’re looking to make the Food & Wine Festival more of a family affair, there are also live musical performances, art displays, and craft stations for kids. The Hollywood Backlot in Hollywood Land features the adorably sweet “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Unbirthday Party,” inspired by Disney Junior’s animated series Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, where Rolly Pin, Alice and Princess Rosa are joined by Minnie Mouse as guests ages 3 through 11 are encouraged to express their creativity through cupcake decorating. (Space is limited and you can sign up 45 minutes before each show time.) You can also check out a fun Jammin’ Chefs performance, where chefs become the rhythm section by using pots and pans as Chip ‘n’ Dale and their friends dance along, or you can greet and get a photo of Chef Goofy.
Tip #6: Make sure you take a ride on Soarin’ Over California.
At some point during your day, you’ll want to experience Soarin’ Over California, which is currently at DCA for a limited time. Whether you’ve never been on the aerial adventure, or it’s just been a while since Soarin’ Over the World took over, gliding over the Golden State in front of an immersive 80-feet projection dome simulating the motion of flight is a calming feeling that culminates over a very familiar location. It’s my favorite ride at DCA and the iconic orange scent made me very nostalgic.
All in all, this year’s Food & Wine Festival offers such a wide array of food and beverages that there should be enough selections to accommodate everyone, from the pickiest of eaters to the more adventurous. And if you still have an extra tab at the end of your day, consider taking home a spare Snickers Mickey macaroon. You won’t regret it.
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