Non-Foodie’s Guide to 2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival

I spent last weekend exploring the 2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival with friends. We planned a fun girl’s weekend to coincide with the opening weekend of the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival, it’s just one of the awesome things happening at Disneyland in 2018. It was a whirlwind trip that involved yummy food, a little rain, and ALL the rides.

Disney kindly provided us media tickets and a gift card to experience the Food and Wine Festival.

Non-Foodie’s Guide to Disneyland Food and Wine Festival

So here’s the reality. I am not a foodie. Not. At. All. I prefer tasty food to meh food but I am not the type of person that goes out of my way to stand in line at the trendy new restaurants or spend lots of extra cash on the latest food trend. Give me something yummy, easy, and let’s move on to something else.

So I’m not a foodie, nor do I drink alcohol. I know, how can someone be so fun and not drink, I am definitely an anomaly. 😉 So keep in mind that my opinions are only my own and represent regular people only.

2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival Dates and Hours

You’ll have to hurry if you want to check out the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival, it’s a limited time offering at Disney California Adventure. The 2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival runs from March 2nd to April 12th. The Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces are open from 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM daily. Check the schedule for cooking demonstrations and live entertainment.

2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival Prices

Admission to the Food and Wine Festival is included in your ticket to Disney California Adventure. Food offerings and select events are available for an additional fee, like celebrity chef demonstrations.

We were there to taste unique California food items and ride all the rides, so we skipped the extra ticket offerings on this trip. This year the two Celebrity Chef Live! at the Hyperion, demonstrations are Guy Fieri and Robert Irvine. My boys enjoy Guy’s Grocery Games, so seeing Guy cook would be fun.

Food prices at the 14 Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces vary from $4.50 to $15.00. The desserts were priced at the lower end, alcohol at the upper end and regular food items were in the $6-8 range.

Should you bring kids to the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival?

Maybe. If you have a kiddo that is a foodie or loves the watching chefs in action, then this event would totally be up their alley. My kids aren’t much for waiting in lines and can be kind of picky eaters too.

While I wouldn’t plan a family trip just to attend the Disney Food and Wine Festival with kids, I would consider it a bonus if we happened to be there during the event. It would give me the opportunity to snag a few fun bites to eat and I know my kids would love to participate in the Jr. Chef event.

Disney Food and Wine Festival Jr. Chef Events

Jr. Chef is a hands-on cooking event for kids up to age 12. Kids will help mix a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies with the help of cast members and Chef Goofy. At the end of the show, Disney magic allows each kiddo to go home with their own packaged treat at the end of the event.

Jr. Chef is scheduled several times a day during the festival in the Hollywood Backlot. There is no sign up for the even, so it is first come, first served. Plan on arriving 30-45 minutes before the scheduled show. There are tables set aside for kids to color at while they wait. The cast member said they can accommodate 50 – 55 kids during each show and that participants should not have food allergies for anything that might be in oatmeal raisin cookies.

Tasty Food Options at 2018 Disney Food and Wine Festival

There are 14 Food and Wine booths located along the Festival Corridor and in Hollywood Land. Each one offering fresh, California-centric cuisine. I’ve listed the kid-friendly food and drink options at each stand below.

• Nuts About Cheese – Discover wine’s best friends.
  • Brie Toast with Fig, Mint and Almond Crumble
  • Goat Cheese Fromage Blanc Tartine with Rosemary and Hazelnuts
  • Selection of 3 California Cheeses: Point Reyes Blue, Vella Jack, Fiscalini Cheddar.
• Uncork California – Sip wine by the glass or try a flight.
  • No food options or non-alcoholic drinks available
• I Heart Artichokes – Partake in the thistle—prepared 3 ways.
  • Grilled & Chilled Artichoke Hearts with Romesco
  • Fried Artichoke Carbonara
  • Bourbon Chocolate Whoopie Pie

• Garlic Kissed – Savor food and drinks featuring the stinking rose.
  • Creamy Mac & Cheese with Garlic Bread Crumble
  • Black Garlic Soy-Braised Pork Belly Banh Mi
• California Craft Brews – Cheers to around from California’s best local breweries.
  • White Cheddar Lager Soup in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Boule
• Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo – Rally for these sliders, wings ‘n’ beer—a sports fan’s dream!
  • Grilled Harris Ranch Beef Tenderloin Slider with Chimichurri Sauce
  • Salt & Beer Vinegar Parmesan Chicken Wings
  • Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt Panna Cotta with Red Raspberry Compote
  • Orange-Vanilla Cream Float with Whipped Cream
• Eat Your Greens – Tickle your taste buds with healthy fare.
  • Grilled Asparagus Caesar Salad
  • Compressed Asian Cucumbers with Green Sauce, Toasted Almonds, and Sea Beans
  • Health-Ade Beet Kombucha with Wild Berry FOMZ

• Citrus Grove – Zing it up with zesty refreshment!
  • Citrus-Brined Pork Roast with Tany Barbecue Sauce and Lemon Pepper Slaw
  • Crispy Orange Chicken & Rice with a Garlic Cracker
  • Meyer Lemon Macaron
• Strawberry Patch – Hail the big red berry for top billing!
  • Strawberry & Coconut Rice “Frushi” with Sweet Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt Wasabi Sauce
  • Watsonville Strawberry Pie
  • Strawberry Pineapple Float with Strawberry Popping Pearls
• Avocado Time – Indulge in flavorful medleys that make your mouth sing.
  • Avocado & Pepper Jack Petite Guacamole Burger
  • Spiced Oumph on Pita with Avocado Hummus and Garlic Sauce
  • Avocado Ice Cream Bar
• Off the Cob – Celebrate the essence of summer’s sweetness.
  • Sweet Corn Nuggets with Beef Chili
  • Shrimp Boil Tacos with Andouille Sausage and Fresh Corn
  • Caramel Popcorn Crispy Treat
  • Popcorn Lemonade with Whipped Cream and Candy Corn Garnish
• Peppers Cali-Ente – Snack on hot ‘n’ spicy fare with a Cali twist!
  • Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese with Bacon
  • Verlasso Sustainable Salmon Peruvian Poke with Cucumber-lime Salad and Aji Verde Salsa
  • Watermelon Lemonade
• LAstyle – Feast on favorite southland food truck flavors.
  • Korean BBQ Beef Short Rib Tacos
  • Chicken Teriyaki Slider with Spicy Dole Pineapple Jam
  • Mexican Chocolate Custard
  • Mango Agua Fresca
• The Brewhouse – Wet your whistle with craft beers and beer cocktails.
  • No food options or non-alcoholic drinks available

Favorite Food at the 2018 Disney Food and Wine Festival

So this is my very official, non-foodie opinion of the best food options at the 2018 Disney Food and Wine Festival! 🙂

1. White Cheddar Lager Soup in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Boule from California Craft Brews.

I love soup. I love cheese. I love Boudin Sourdough bread bowls. I ate this soup twice. Not surprisingly, we found out that this soup (with slight variations) is the one staple they’ve had at every Disneyland Food and Wine Festival they’ve had since they started in 2006. I can’t wait to see it return again next year for the 2019 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival. I wish I could order a full-size version of it, it’s delicious.

2. Korean BBQ Beef Short Rib Tacos from LAstyle.

I love tacos and these are the perfect mix of sweet and savory with a little crunch. They were fresh and yummy. I would have eaten these twice if given the chance.

3. Salt & Beer Vinegar Parmesan Chicken Wings from Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo.

I was a little nervous these would be too vinegary, sort of how salt and vinegar chips can be overpowering but these were amazing. The flavor was baked in and not overpowering. I know my whole family would have loved these and we could have eaten several orders of them.

4. Bourbon Chocolate Whoopie Pie from I Heart Artichokes.

How could you go wrong with a Chocolate Whoopie Pie? You can’t and they didn’t. It was very good.

5. Strawberry Pineapple Float with Strawberry Popping Pearls from Strawberry Patch. The strawberry pineapple juice was amazing. The strawberry popping pearls were fun. The only improvement I’d love to see is Dole Whip instead of vanilla soft serve for the float. I think that would be amazing!

Honorable Mention: Citrus-Brined Pork Roast with Tany Barbecue Sauce and Lemon Pepper Slaw from Citrus Grove.

I enjoyed this dish as well. I wasn’t dying to eat another one the same day but wouldn’t hesitate to order it on another trip.

Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Tips

• Grab a free chefs hat as you walk into California Adventure, cast members hand them out just under the bridge on Buena Vista Street
• Lines at the food booths can be long. If you are attending with friends, split up to try cover more ground and spend less time in line.
• Seating is very limited. There are standing tables in most areas but they can go fast. Grab one when you see one!
• The best seating options are in the Festival Beer Garden near Goofy’s Sky School. There is a lot of seating back there including some covered tables which could be important if it’s raining or you need shade from the sun.

• AP holders can purchase a Sip And Savor Pass that includes 8 coupons good for food or non-alcoholic drinks at the Festival Marketplaces. It was $45 to buy, so as long as you are using the coupons on things priced $6 or higher, then you are saving money!
• Disney does an excellent job with food allergy concerns. The Tasting Passport lists The Gluten-Friendly, Vegetarian and Vegan options. You can also check with cast members about ingredients for other food allergies.

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