Essential Guide to the 2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival

Who doesn’t love fun, food and friends? Theme park thrill rides, delicious food, drinks and Disney magic all in one place make the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival an awesome idea for a fun girls weekend. Here’s what you can expect at the 2018 Festival and tips to help you enjoy every course!

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Disneyland Food and Wine Festival

I am not a foodie, so I’ve never paid much attention to the Disney Parks Food and Wine Festivals. However, when I was invited to go with friends for a fun girls weekend, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try new things and have a little kid-free fun. We used the Disney MaxPass to minimize the ride queue time and spent our downtime exploring the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival.

Here are 7 reasons everyone including kids (if you bring them) will enjoy the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. 

1. Explore a World of Savory Foods
2. Satisfy your Sweet Tooth with Yummy Desserts
3. Celebrate Cocktail Hour with Alcoholic Drinks 
4. Try New Non-Alcoholic Drinks
5. Check out Cooking Demos by Celebrity Chefs
6. Enjoy Live Entertainment
7. Jr. Chef Events for Kids Under 12

Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Tips

• 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.
• The best seating options are in the Festival Beer Garden near the Paradise Garden Grill.
• Cast members pass out festival chef hats just under the bridge on Buena Vista Street as you walk into the park.
• Annual Passholders can purchase a Sip And Savor Pass that includes 8 coupons good for food or non-alcoholic drinks at the Festival Marketplaces for $45.
• Before you go, buy discounted tickets through Getaway Today.

Disneyland Food and Wine Menu

An amazing menu of options is the main reason everyone should attend the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival. Food prices at the 14 Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces vary from $4.50 to $15. The desserts are priced on the lower end and alcohol at the upper end. Small plates of food are $6-$8.

Savory Foods on the Disneyland Food and Wine Menu

You’ll find a variety of small plate options at the Disneyland Food and Wine Festival. It’s the perfect size in order to taste several different things without overeating. If you attend with friends you can share and try to sample them all. The 2018 menu includes the following:

• Brie Toast with Fig, Mint, and Almond Crumble at Nuts About Cheese
• Goat Cheese Fromage Blanc Tartine with Rosemary and Hazelnuts at Nuts About Cheese
• Selection of 3 California Cheeses: Point Reyes Blue, Vella Jack, Fiscalini Cheddar at Nuts About Cheese
• Grilled & Chilled Artichoke Hearts with Romesco at I Heart Artichokes
• Fried Artichoke Carbonara at I Heart Artichokes
• Creamy Mac & Cheese with Garlic Bread Crumble at Garlic Kissed
• Black Garlic Soy-Braised Pork Belly Banh Mi at Garlic Kissed

• White Cheddar Lager Soup in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Boule at California Craft Brews
• Grilled Harris Ranch Beef Tenderloin Slider with Chimichurri Sauce at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Salt & Beer Vinegar Parmesan Chicken Wings at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Grilled Asparagus Caesar Salad at Eat Your Greens
• Compressed Asian Cucumbers with Green Sauce, Toasted Almonds, and Sea Beans at Eat Your Greens
• Citrus-Brined Pork Roast with Tangy Barbecue Sauce and Lemon Pepper Slaw at Citrus Grove
• Crispy Orange Chicken & Rice with a Garlic Cracker at Citrus Grove

• Avocado & Pepper Jack Petite Guacamole Burger at Avocado Time
• Spiced Oumph on Pita with Avocado Hummus and Garlic Sauce at Avocado Time
• Sweet Corn Nuggets with Beef Chili at Off the Cob
• Shrimp Boil Tacos with Andouille Sausage and Fresh Corn at Off the Cob
• Jalapeno Popper Mac & Cheese with Bacon at Peppers Cali-Ente
• Verlasso Sustainable Salmon Peruvian Poke with Cucumber-lime Salad and Aji Verde Salsa at Peppers Cali-Ente
• Korean BBQ Beef Short Rib Tacos at LA Style
• Chicken Teriyaki Slider with Spicy Dole Pineapple Jam at LA Style

My favorite savory dishes were the Salt & Beer Vinegar Parmesan Chicken Wings, Korean BBQ Beef Short Rib Tacos and White Cheddar Lager Soup in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Boule. I wish I could order any of these in a full dinner size, they are so good!

Desserts on the Disneyland Food and Wine Menu

The dessert line-up for 2018 features fruit, chocolate and something I never thought I’d see as an ice cream flavor – avocado!

• Bourbon Chocolate Whoopie Pie at I Heart Artichokes
• Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt Panna Cotta with Red Raspberry Compote at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Meyer Lemon Macaron at Citrus Grove
• Strawberry & Coconut Rice “Frushi” with Sweet Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt Wasabi Sauce at Strawberry Patch
• Watsonville Strawberry Pie at Strawberry Patch
• Avocado Ice Cream Bar at Avocado Time
• Caramel Popcorn Crispy Treat at Off the Cob
• Mexican Chocolate Custard at LA Style

I am not a fruity dessert person, so I wasn’t interested in trying half of the desserts. I will say the Bourbon Chocolate Whoopie Pie was really darn good.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks on the Disneyland Food and Wine Menu

Here’s what’s available for the kiddos and for those not interested in cocktails for 2018:

• Orange-Vanilla Cream Float with Whipped Cream at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Health-Ade Beet Kombucha with Wild Berry FOMZ at Eat Your Greens
• Strawberry Pineapple Float with Strawberry Popping Pearls at Strawberry Patch
• Popcorn Lemonade with Whipped Cream and Candy Corn Garnish at Off the Cob
• Watermelon Lemonade at Peppers Cali-Ente
• Mango Agua Fresca at LA Style

The Strawberry Pineapple Float with Strawberry Popping Pearls and the Watermelon Lemonade were favorites among our group and would make great drinks to serve at pool parties this summer!

Alcoholic Drinks on the Disneyland Food and Wine Menu

The wide variety of alcohol options makes it easy to sip your way around the park no matter what your poison is.

• Meyer Lemon Ginger Mule at Citrus Grove
• Conundrum, White Blend at Citrus Grove
• Tio Pepe, Fino Sherry at at I Hearts Artichokes
• Mumm Napa, Sparkling Wine at I Hearts Artichokes
• LVP Vanderpump, Red Sangria at LA Style
• Golden Road Brewing, Mango Cart at LA Style
• Pineapple, Raspberry & Strawberry Mimosa Flight at Nuts About Cheese
• Duckhorn Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc at Nuts About Cheese
• Baileyana, Grand Firepeak Cuvee at Nuts About Cheese
• Chandon Brut at Nuts About Cheese
• Additional Wines Available at Nuts About Cheese
• Lime Margarita with Jalapeño Garnish at Peppers Cali-Ente
• Twomey, Sauvignon Blanc at Uncork California
• Camrbria Estate Vineyard & Winery at Uncork California
• Sofia Rose at Uncork California
• La Crema Pinot Noir at Uncork California
• Ferrari-Caranoa Merlot at Uncork California
• Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon at Uncork California
• Sparkling Tropical Float at Uncork California
• Sofia Blanc de Blancs at Uncork California
• Strawberry Frose at Strawberry Patch
• Kickback Michelada with Flavors of Pineapple and Lime at Avocado Time
• Black Market Brewing Co., Deception Coconut Lime Blonde Ale at Avocado Time
• Popcorn Lemonade Cocktail at Off the Cobb
• Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company Paradise Rd. Pilsner at Off the Cobb
• Bloody Mary with Garlic-stuffed Olive at Garlic Kissed
• Estrella Damm, Lager at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Towne Park Brew Co., Pale Ale at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Bootlegger’s Brewery, Thai Tea Far Out at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Lost Coast Brewery, Downtown Brown at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Justin, Cabernet Sauvignon at Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
• Beet Kombucha Sangria at Eat Your Greens
• Backlot Michelada at The Brewhouse
• Tropical IPA Shandy at The Brewhouse
• Modela Especial at The Brewhouse
• Refuge Brewery, Blood Orange Wit, Belgian Wheat Ale at The Brewhouse
• ACE Craft Ciders, Apple Honey (seasonal) Hard Cider at The Brewhouse
• Smog City Brewing, Sabre-Tooth Squirrel, Happy Amber Ale at The Brewhouse
• Ballast Point Brewing Company, Unfiltered Sculpin, IPA at The Brewhouse
• Three Weavers Brewing Company, Seafarer at California Craft Brews
• 21st Amendment Brewery, El Sully Mexican Style Lager at California Craft Brews
• Mission Brewery, Hefeweizen at California Craft Brews
• Black Market Brewing Co., Cherry Gose at California Craft Brews at California Craft Brews
• Bottle Logic Brewing, Kingdom Common at California Craft Brews
• Aftershock Brewing Co., Red Alert Red Ale at California Craft Brews
• Stone Brewing, Scorpion Bowl at California Craft Brews
• Hangar 24 Craft Brewing, Betty American IPA at California Craft Brews
• Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Boat Shoes at California Craft Brews
• Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Barney Flats at California Craft Brews

Culinary Demonstrations by Celebrity Chefs

If you are a fan of celebrity chefs or watching chefs at work, then you won’t want to miss the culinary demonstrations. This year the Celebrity Chefs live at the Hyperion are Guy Fieri and Robert Irvine.

Festival Entertainment

Catch live bands featuring a variety of musical styles all while keeping in line with the California Vibe of the festival. Festival favorites, the Jammin’ Chefs, serve up rhythms using pots and pans and with the help of Chip ’n’ Dale.

Jr. Chef Events

If you do bring the family to the Disney Food and Wine Festival, don’t miss the Jr. Chef Events. They are held several times a day in the Hollywood Backlot. Kids (up to age 12) have the chance to help Disney Cast Members and Chef Goofy make a special batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. There is no early sign up so plan on arriving 30-45 minutes before each show if your child wants to participate. With the help of Disney Magic, each participant leaves Jr. Chef with a packaged treat at the end.

Disneyland Food and Wine 2018 Dates

The 2018 Disneyland Food and Wine Festival runs from March 2nd to April 12th at Disney California Adventure Park. Admission to the festival is included with your park ticket, although there are some events that require reservations and additional admission. You can purchase a variety of yummy food and drinks at the Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces from 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM daily.

Now I am curious how Walt Disney World’s food and wine festival at Epcot compares to the West Coast version. I need to plan another girls weekend to find out! Don’t miss all the new things headed to Disneyland in 2018 including Pixar Fest!