The Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is a two-day event held in late-October or early-November for the past ten years. We love this little-food-festival-that-could — and compared to Epcot’s much larger and more famous International Food and Wine Festival, the Classic feels more manageable and subdued.
That’s not to say it isn’t fun and energetic, though. There are live bands, lots of people (though tickets are limited in number so things don’t get overwhelming), and plenty of delicious items to munch on and sip. And that’s what we’re talking about today!
We’re bringing your our five favorite food items from the Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic!
Kentuckyaki Chicken Wings
One of the biggest stand-outs of the night were the Kentuckyaki Chicken Wings on the Beer Garden Terrace. This off-the-Causeway spot might be missed by those not looking for a brew, but the food here was terrific!
The Kentuckyaki Chicken Wings were a standout. The coating was crunchy and perfectly fried, and the glaze was tangy and sweet. We loved the slight cooling and acid from the Cilantro-Lime Dipping Sauce, too. Definitely a dish worth going off the Causeway for!
Another jaunt off the Causeway to Chinatown is a delicious detour — and it’s here we found our number one fave of the night! First up, though, in a close second: Yu Chen’s Crispy Duck.
This is fantastic crispy duck served in a Steamed Bun and garnished with Cucumber and Hoisin. It’s phenomenal.
The duck was just edged out by the Shanghai Dumpling for the top of our list. But the Dumpling was so incredible, we ate it twice (even though we were stuffed to the gills!).
This is a Pan-Roasted Pork in a beautifully pleated dumpling wrapper served with Spicy Sauce. The dumplings here are always terrific; year after year, we love them. So if you attend the Classic in 2020, don’t miss them!
For something sweet on our best of the Classic list, we’ve got Funfetti Fried Oreos from Carnival Corner.
These are as indulgent a fair food as you’re likely to find, and here they are irresistible. They’re served up with Dark Chocolate Ganache, in case the deep-fried Oreo wasn’t enough for you!
Finally, one dish from the Classic preview we attended last month really deserves to be on the list. The Organic Kabocha Squash Filled Ravioli is from Il Mulino, located on the Causeway.
This is such a great seasonal flavor, and it’s crafted impeccably. We hope some kind of fall-inspired pasta returns next year (this one would be welcome to return!), but we know we’ll be back for whatever Il Mulino creates in 2020!
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is an awesome event. The two-night affair is worth the trip to Walt Disney World for foodies, whether you step foot in a park or not. And in early-2020 we expect dates and tickets for next year’s event to be released, so check back with AllEars for that info as soon as it drops!
Have you attended the Food & Wine Classic at the Swan and Dolphin? Plan to attend in the future? Let us know in the comments!
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I’ve never attended but am very curious about this event. How does the food and drink distribution work? Is it all free after you pay the “event admission” price? I also noticed that some of the food signs indicated a number of tickets? Does this mean it is not actually a totally all you can eat or drink but rather as much as you care for so many tickets?
Jim, the event offers a Causeway ticket that’s unlimited and also a la carte tickets. So the tickets listed on signs are for the a la carte option.