Food & Wine FestivalOrlando Dining

Our Preview of the 2021 Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic

Denise ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Hi everyone!

We were invited to preview this year’s Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, which returns on Friday, October 29th and Saturday, October 30th, 2021 from 5:30-9:00 pm. The popular event is in its 12th year! We have attended (usually as media) 10 of the years. The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is absolutely my favorite food and wine event each year. There is a nice selection of food samples with 20+ food stations – including from highly well regarded restaurants Shula’s and Todd English’s bluezoo. The event also boasts over 100 beverage selections, including champagne, beer and wine. The cost is $165.00 plus service fee and tickets can be found here. Here is a look at our experience!

It was a beautiful day for the preview.

There are some very nice brands of Champagne, wine, prosecco and more to try at the Classic. I discovered the G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Rosé during the preview and it is a wonderful champagne from Reims, France. I liked it enough to look up the champagne house for a possible visit during a future trip to Paris. Sparkling beverage samples will be found in the Bubbles Lounge.

Some of the food booths at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic serve different items on Friday and Saturday – so you will want to check the website for that before buying tickets. Poutine from the Beer Garden is being served both nights, as are all the Beer Garden items. When the resort first debuted the Beer Garden at the event, it cost extra. Now the ticket is all-inclusive. I prefer it this way.

Poutine – Yukon Gold Fries, House Gravy, Cheddar Cheese Curds. The dish isn’t fancy but it is worth a stop for.

Phins & Feathers is the exclusive beer of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, brewed at the Brew Hub in Lakeland. This is a special IPA that was created for the event, a limited time item that currently you can find also for sale at the resort. When the Classic first debuted, there may have been a few beers but there are a lot more overall now.

Smokin D’s BBQ is back, and offers a different item Friday than Saturday. The Black Pepper Smoked Beef Brisket is very good and I really enjoyed the spoon bread with the brisket. This is one of the food booths that does not have a location in either of the resorts.

Friday – Hand Crafted Smoked Pork Belly – Apple Butter-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, Buttered Grits, Shaved Radish, Roasted Chestnut Puree.

Saturday – Black Pepper Smoked Beef Brisket – Braised Greens, White Corn Spoon Bread, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, Smoked Tomato Barbecue Sauce.

Brandade Black Pepper Agnolotti – Wilted Sweet Onion, Eggplant, Tomato Petals, Crispy Pancetta, Nduja Vinaigrette is presented by Il Mulino New York Trattoria Friday.

Beef Slider – Hand Formed Angus Beef Patty, Truffle Aioli, Hobb’s Bacon, Roma Tomato Chutney presented by The Fountain Saturday. It was a nice slider and the bacon was a standout for me here.

Of the food items I tried, this was my personal favorite – but at any Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic, whatever Shula’s is serving is always my favorite food item at the event.  This year it will be Shula’s Steak House’s Roasted Linz heritage black angus beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and hollandaise sauce. So enjoy the slider, but also make room for that amazing steak.

The Vegetarian Rice Bowl with Roasted Organic Vegetables, Seasoned Sushi Rice, Curry Sauce, Tempura Crunch is presented by Cabana Bar & Beach Club on Friday.

Croquetas – Fried Smoked Ham & Cheese Dumpling, with Cilantro Crema is presented by Frida’s Kitchen on Saturday. Frida’s Kitchen is a new food location for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin event.

The Lemon Pepper Seared Salmon includes Charred Broccoli, Quinoa, Meyer Lemon Sauce and is presented by Picabu on Friday. This was one of Jeff’s favorite samples at the event.

Desserts are always extremely popular at the Food & Wine Classic. Go to the booth relatively early to make sure you have your choice of items.

German Chocolate Cake – Warm Chocolate Pecan Brownie, Coconut Cream, Caramelized Pecans, Toasted Coconut, Fudge Icing is presented by the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin pastry chefs on Friday. This is a creamy take on German chocolate cake.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort offers hotel packages that include event tickets. These tend to be a good deal and often sell out quickly. And you can indulge a bit and just walk up to your room. Seminars are not taking place this year – they are always a good time so hopefully they will return for 2022.

We were invited to preview the event, all views are ours. We recommend the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic to friends, some of whom have made it a yearly event. This is a fantastic evening that is normally outdoors on the causeway unless there is rain. The event also includes musical performers.