I attended the media preview for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival as a guest of Disneyland. All opinions are my own.
Last year, I went to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival for the very first time while I happened to be in town for a conference. I didn’t have much time to explore but what I did see what absolutely delicious and so much fun!
This year, I had the chance to attend a Media Preview of the event, which gave me the opportunity to sample quite a few more of the foods and beverages available during the festival, as well as learn even more about what to expect this year at the Food & Wine Festival, which is happening now through April 21st.
Read on for my MUST have foods, a list of FREE experiences, and the best way to save time and money at the food booths!
If you’re looking to book your next Disneyland vacation, book with my partners at Get Away Today to get a great price on your tickets and hotel. Use code NQSH to save $10 on your vacation package!
The Food
It’s not a Food & Wine Festival without some amazing food, right? This festival has no shortage of that, with special festival foods available at 13 different booths throughout California Adventure Park, as well as at Paradise Garden Grill.
A whopping 80% of the foods available are BRAND NEW this year, leaving just 20% returning {including the Impossible Slider with Guac and Pepper Jack Cheese that I tried last year}.
The eats all have a bit of California flair, and each booth has a theme. Each dish is tested for weeks- sometimes even months- beforehand to get them just right. And almost every ingredient is made fresh on site- there’s no tearing bags open or opening of freezers- these foods are made right where they’re sold.
I was intrigued by the most unique foods available during the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. One of the dishes that really stood out to me was this Brunch Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich from the Golden Dreams booth.
While they could have just combined chicken and waffles and called it a day, the Chefs wanted a dish that tasted like a whole brunch. That’s why they added a mimosa slaw on top- and garnished with Orange “bubbles”! I thought this dish was beyond unique and was not surprised to see the line for this one was really long!
Some of the food has personal touches too, including this Berry Spectacular Cookie Shake from Paradise Garden Grill. This was inspired by one of the Chef’s kids who loves the classic animal cookies!
I was so excited to see so many plant-based proteins available in many of the foods. We tried the Impossible Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese from the Nuts About Cheese booth which was delicious! It had Impossible Meat and Special Burger Sauce for a true cheeseburger taste- without the meat!
Other Impossible offerings included the Petite Impossible Burger at Avocado Time and the pictured Impossible Meatball Submarine from Paradise Garden Grill.
These Impossible products are just the beginning- Impossible Burger was just named the Preferred Plant-Based Burger of Disney Parks, whcih means it will be available as a standard menu item at many park locations soon!
What to Eat at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
My pick for the number one MUST TRY food at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival has to be the Mini Chicken Chimis from Off the Cob. These were absolutely delicious- I could have gone back for seconds or even thirds!
My favorite dessert that I tried had to be the Mickey shaped Caramel-Peanut Milk Chocolate Macaron! This was gooey and delicious and a generous helping- my kids could have shared this one for sure.
The Beverages
While the food is about 80% new this year, the beverages are 100% new this year! That includes everything from adult drinks to family friendly beverages.
What to Drink at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
My picks? The Strawberry-Rose Lemonade from Golden Dreams hit the spot and I kept hearing about the Fig & Lavender Cold Brew from there as well but didn’t have the chance to try it! {Bonus points: that cold brew is made with coconut milk so even those of us who are lactose intolerant can enjoy it!}
I don’t typically consume adult beverages so I don’t have input on those, but there was an extensive variety so I’m sure you’ll find your new favorite!
Save Time and Money with a Sip & Savor Pass
You can enjoy all the food and drinks you want with a Sip and Savor Pass! Read more about how it works here but essentially, it’s a great way to save a little bit of money on your food and beverages {non-alcoholic} from the booths- and it’ll save you time, too! Instead of having to pay for each item, you can just pay for the pass and rip off your tabs as you go.
Just MAKE SURE you don’t rip the tabs off until you’re asked for them- they can not take unattached tabs as payment!
Another time-saving tip for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival? Just look for the shortest line and make all your purchases at once. {You can do this whether you are paying cash, card, or with your Sip & Savor.} Then just go to the window at each booth, hand them your receipt, and get your food!
What to Do at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
Free Activities at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
There’s more to do than just eat! {Although you should do that, too.} Check out all the free activities available during the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival:
Craft Corner- Every day, kids of all ages can decorate their own chef hat! This activity is totally free and a lot of fun for kids.
Family Time with Daniella- Friday through Sunday, catch Chef Daniella Malfitano as she gives 30-minute demonstrations focused on family-friendly dishes. We had the chance to watch her show while we were there and picked up a couple of delicious new recipes to make at home!
Discover California- Watch cooking demos by festival sponsors as well as local farmers, ranchers, and growers. It brings farm to table to a whole new educational level! This show takes place Saturday & Sunday.
Chef Goofy and Jr. Chef- This show is perfect for kids aged 3-11 and lets kids whip up some fun with a hands-on cooking exeprience! This show takes place Fridays-Sundays on the Hollywood Backlot Stage.
Demonstrations- Catch live demos from Celebrity Chefs and Disney Chefs, including Richard Blais, David Burtka, Jet Tila and more.
Jammin’ Chefs- Check out a kitchen full of talented chefs who use their kitchen gadgets for making more than food- they make music! Catch them just outside of the Ariel’s Undersea Adventure ride, just before the bridge to Pixar Pier. They perform daily- check the Disneyland app for daily showtimes.
Artist and Cookbook Signings- on Sat and Sun, get the opportunity to meet local and visiting artists and chefs and enjoy special signing opportunities!
What to Buy at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
Take some of the memories of your vacation home with some of the special Food & Wine merch! You can find everything from these Minnie ears with a Chef’s Hat {SO cute!} to an apron to wear for your own culinary adventures to coasters, magnets, and more!
Extra Cost Experiences at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
In addition to the variety of free activities available, there are a few experiences that you’ll need a separate ticket for. Disney actually did away with a lot of their paid experiences so that they could add additional free ones, but if you’re a major foodie you might be interested in what they have!
Check out the brand NEW Disney Culinary Adventure Festival Tour {90 minutes, $99, available Wednesdays and Thursdays}, the Winemaker Receptions {Select Fridays, $110+}, or the Winemaker Dinner. These experiences are super popular and WILL sell out so if you’re interested, grab your tickets FAST on the Disneyland website!
Whether this is your first time attending the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival or you make it an annual tradition, you’ll have a fantastic time!
If you’re looking to book your next Disneyland vacation, book with my partners at Get Away Today to get a great price on your tickets and hotel. Use code NQSH to save $10 on your vacation package!
Have you ever been to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival?
The post What to Eat, Drink, and Do at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival appeared first on {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker.
![I attended the media preview for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival as a guest of Disneyland. All opinions are my own. Last year, I went to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival for the very first time while I happened to be in town for a conference. I didn’t have […]](https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1jnISV.img?w=768&h=1024&m=6 "I attended the media preview for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival as a guest of Disneyland. All opinions are my own. Last year, I went to the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival for the very first time while I happened to be in town for a conference. I didn’t have […]")
