Why is the Food & Wine Classic 2024 the Best of the Best at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin? We Got a Preview! Behind the Scenes, a preview of this year’s festival and we walked away knowing we have to recommend this to every foodie we know. Two nights of two completely different menu selections featuring over 45 food dishes (all-you-can-eat included with your ticket) or the 170+ wine, beer, and spirits samplings (included with ticket purchase).
I feel like I need to keep adding ‘included with the ticket’ because we know other Food & Wine Festivals that charge you an entrance fee, and then a per-dish fee. Not at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic. When you buy your ticket for Fri., Nov. 15, and/or Sat., Nov. 16 from 5:30-9:30 p.m., which is the longest running hours they have had, you get it all included. Speaking of tickets, if you wish to bundle both nights together, Swan and Dolphin are offering a 15% discount. Tickets can be purchased through this link.
Before we get into how amazing the dishes we tasted were, I would like to point out that the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin are partnering with the Wounded Warrior Project as the charitable beneficiary for 2024. Wounded Warrior Project provides special programs and services for veterans who served in the military and incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound during or after service on or after Sept. 11, 2001. WoundedWarriorProject.org.
The food we tried, and this is a major plus in my book, was all made on-site. They use the freshest ingredients, they cater to those who have dietary restrictions, and you can tell the chefs who created the dishes like to show off the effort they took into creating some amazing food. I wont go into every single dish we tried, but below you can see the images from the day.
The one dish I would like to point out is the Korean “No Mayo” Salad with rice noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, kimchi, cashews, and bibim from Cabana Bar and Beach Club. There is something about how all the flavors came together. Even the cashew shines. The noodle was perfectly cooked and felt like the texture between the bean sprouts was thought out well in advance to highlight each ingredient during each single bite.
In celebration of the event’s 15th year, guests can save 15 percent on a bundle offering tickets for both Friday and Saturday nights. The bundle gives attendees a taste of everything the Food & Wine Classic has to offer, with different menu items featured each night. Tickets and seminars are available for purchase now at FoodAndWineClassic.com.
Finally, a highlight of the desserts for this year. Last year we got to try stuff that was nitro-frozen, this year it is fire and flames! With the banana creme brule. Seriously, the banana at the bottom of the dish, and the crackle of the burnt sugar on top, are so good! like a banana’s foster creme? Either way, the dishes for dessert are worth the price alone! Just look at all these you can nibble on, or in our case gorge yourself on.
Featured food: debut dishes and festival favorites
To celebrate the event’s 15th year, the menu lineup features a whopping 45 dishes, the most in the Food & Wine Classic’s history. A tribute to the resort’s award-winning restaurants and passions of its incomparable culinary team, guests will embark on a global culinary journey without ever leaving the resort.
New dishes on the 2024 menu include:
- Baja Style Fish Taco with shaved cabbage, pico de gallo, Rosa Mexicano white sauce and corn tortilla from Rosa Mexicano
- Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib with browned butter potato gnocchi, porcini mushroom purée, pecorino romano, fennel and parsley salad from Il Mulino
- Korean “No Mayo” Salad with rice noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, kimchi, cashew and bibim from Cabana Bar and Beach Club
- Hand-Made Harissa Spiced Lamb Sausage with bulgar wheat, smoked yogurt and fennel-onion salad from Amare
- Slow Roasted Pernil with garlic and sour orange marinated crispy skinned pork, white rice, black beans, sweet plantains and fresh lime from For the Love of Florida specialty area
Returning favorites include:
- Roasted Linz Heritage Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with baked marble potatoes, caramelized onion purée, horseradish and béarnaise sauce from Shula’s Steak House
- Signature Classic Guacamole en Molcajete with fresh tortilla chips and roasted tomato salsa from Rosa Mexicano
- Butter Poached Bay Scallops with Florida corn purée, charred scallion vinaigrette, radish threads and shallot butter from For the Love of Florida specialty area
- Dragon Roll with crispy shrimp, yellowfin tuna, avocado, cream cheese, kewpie mayonnaise and eel sauce from Kimonos
- Gua Bao with sweet and spicy glazed pork belly, pickled cucumber, red chile, toasted sesame and hot sauce from Chinatown specialty area
All-new dessert options will include:
- Caramel Banana Crème Brûlée
- Nougat Rum Dark Chocolate Mousse
- Pistachio Raspberry Mousse with white chocolate foam
- Mandarin Cream Beignet
The complete 2024 Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic menu can be found at https://swandolphin.com/wp-pdf/foodandwine/FWCMENU.pdf.
New and returning educational seminars
This year’s event features three interactive seminars taught by members of the resort’s award-winning food and beverage team, allowing guests to expand their knowledge in a delicious way:
- (NEW) Beer Here! will take guests on a flavorful journey through Florida’s craft beer scene, celebrating the vibrant and diverse brews of the Sunshine State
- (NEW) Salud! A Journey Through Spain guides attendees through Spain’s rich winemaking heritage, with cuisine pairing tips and more
- Craft Cocktails, a fan favorite, breaks down the components of a great cocktail and how to make a perfect drink in your own home
All seminars will take place at the Swan Reserve on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 4:30-5:30 p.m., just prior to the outdoor festival, and are $85 per person, excluding tax. Seminars require separate tickets and space is limited. More information can be found at swandolphinfoodandwineclassic.com/seminars/.
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic offers guests unlimited tastings in a street party atmosphere, featuring culinary and beverage selections from the hotel’s award-winning restaurants amidst a festive backdrop of live entertainment on the hotel’s scenic causeway. The event runs from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.
For the latest information or to purchase tickets, guests can visit FoodAndWineClassic.com, like www.facebook.com/swandolphinfwc, or call 1-888-828-8850.
