We love the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival in Disney World. We love food. We love wine. We love festivals. But that event tends to hog all the attention while its sidekick, the other Food and Wine Festival, takes place next door. Yes, today, we’re here to talk about the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic and all the unspoken rules you must follow during your visit.
As the name implies, this is a food-filled event located at The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. The event brings together small plates and special drinks from the 17+ eateries across the resort, along with local products, live entertainment, seminars, and more. Intrigued? You should be — there’s a lot to love about this Festival!
Now, unlike the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival a few steps away in Disney World, the 2025 Food & Wine Classic is held on two days only: November 14th and November 15th. The Festival kicks off at 5:30 PM each night and ends at 9 PM. That’s four hours of tasting! Get there as early as possible to really take advantage of all the event has to offer.
OK, now that we’ve covered the basics of this event, let’s get to the good stuff. We attend this Festival practically every year, so we have learned a thing or two about the best ways to experience the Food & Wine Classic. From one foodie fan to another, let’s go over the four unspoken rules of the Food & Wine Classic.
Take advantage of those ticket perks
Wanna know the best part about the Food & Wine Classic? You get UNLIMITED food and beverages! That means no ordering, paying, waiting around for your food, and scarfing down your plate, then walking to the next food booth to do it all over again. This is MUCH easier — simply stroll up to a table, grab a plate, and enjoy!
Ticket prices vary depending on how you choose to experience the Festival. You can buy a one-night Causeway Event ticket for $210.68, purchase the Two Night Causeway Event Bundle for $403.30 (save 10% this way!), or add a special Tasting Experience for $97.93–$190.18. No matter which ticket you buy, make sure to take full advantage of those unlimited plates — do NOT load up on a heavy lunch and dinner before this event. Come hungry!
Oh, and if you REALLY want to immerse yourself in the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, you can also book a hotel room at a special event rate. You’ll need to know the secret rate “FOODANDWINE” when you book your room. Call 888.828.8850 to make your reservation! Trust us — after a long night of snacking around the Swan and Dolphin and enjoying the drinks at the Beer Garden, it’s quite nice to go straight to your hotel room.
Wine Classic
The food here is known for being REALLY good. It’s not every day you have access to UNLIMITED Red Wine Braised Wagyu Short Rib and Oyster Sliders, so take FULL advantage of your ticket. Hit up alllll the food stops!
Soak in the knowledge of a celebrity chef
Speaking of really good food, we have to give credit to the chef(s)! You can find small plates directly from restaurants like Todd English’s bluezoo, Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak, and more. But to REALLY appreciate the work of these experts, you can attend a seminar!
The Food & Wine Classic offers hard-ticket seminars that instruct you on everything from wine to cheese to pasta. This year, the Swan and Dolphin boasts an exciting lineup of award-winning chefs, including Todd English, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author.
This is THE WAY to do the Food & Wine Classic. Fun fact: Waaayyy back in the day, EPCOT used to host similar food and wine seminars, but those no longer happen during the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. Luckily, the Food & Wine Classic is keeping the tradition alive right next door!
Become a “menu sleuth”
Ever heard of a “menu sleuth”? It’s basically someone who studies the menu before their dinner reservation and already knows their order when they step foot in the restaurant. For an event like the Food & Wine Classic, we recommend adopting the practices of a menu sleuth.
Why? Well, the Food & Wine Classic has a LOT of food and drinks on the menu. Like, a lot. It’s a lot easier to get everything you want out of the event if you know where to go and what to look for ahead of time. Make a list! Create a game plan! Figure out what’s a “must-get” before the event so that you don’t waste time wandering around aimlessly.
The good news is that the 2025 menus have already been released online! We recommend bookmarking our page below and making your own list of snacks and drinks. No food left behind!
See the Food & Wine Classic Menus for 2025 HERE!
DESSERT
Hot take! The desserts at the Food & Wine Classic just might be BETTER than the treats at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. Yep. We’re saying it.
First of all, these desserts were thoughtfully created by award-winning chefs. But second, just look at that presentation! GORGEOUS! These desserts are really something special. And don’t forget — UNLIMITED. That’s basically FREE FOOD if you’re using Girl Math™.
Here’s a little sample of what’s on the dessert menu this year:
- Chocolate Pecan Caramel Tart
- Green Tea, Lime Mango Mousse Dome
- The Cherry
- Blood Orange Guava Crème Brûlée
- Strawberry Mousse, Basil Lemon Olive Oil Cake Parfait
- Key Lime Pomegranate Tart
- Chocolate Cassis Mousse
- Sweet Corn Ice Cream Cone
You had us at “Chocolate Pecan Caramel Tart.” SOLD!
So, yeah, we’re super excited about the Food & Wine Classic this year. If you have tickets, HAVE FUN and eat ALLL the food! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
REVIEW: These Are The BEST Finds at the Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic in Disney World!
Have you ever attended this event? Let us know in the comments!
Perfect timing. Finally getting to experience this for the first time this year and can’t wait. I used to love Epcots Food and Wine but it’s now a shell of its former self. This sounds wonderful.