A Festival of Flavor

The secret? It’s the 17th year of the Food and Wine Classic held at the Swan and Dolphin hotel every November. People fly into Orlando every year from across the globe just to attend this amazing event. It sells out every year, hence the long lead time with November over half a year away. But, even then, the number of locals who buy tickets for it is way under-represented, although the numbers continue to climb steadily year after year. The biggest reason? They probably don’t know about it. Disney never really marketed this premier happening outside of regular Disney channels. Until now.

The Food and Wine Classic at the Swan and Dolphin shines a delicious spotlight on all 23 restaurants at the resort, with a few tasty surprises along the way. It’s an outdoor festival that features unlimited food and drink from some of the finest eating establishments in Walt Disney World. This is not one of those take a couple of tiny bites and move on events. This is a load up your plate, eat what you want, as much as you want, and have a blast, street party!

Tents are set up all along the causeway between the Dolphin and Swan hotels. More than 100,000 square feet of food and fun, featuring more than 200 very different, but exquisitely delicious, gastronomic delights.

A new participant this year is Bourbon Steak Orlando, which promises to completely rewrite the steakhouse landscape for Central Florida. The Swan and Dolphin had an opening for a new steakhouse and went outside of Disney to find one. They only had one mandate: It had to be the very best steakhouse in the world. Period. So, let us introduce you to Bourbon Steak Orlando. Developed by celebrity chef Michael Mina in San Francisco, Bourbon Steak Orlando is a game changer. Is it the best steakhouses in the world? All we can say is try it.

It’ll be on the menu at the Food and Wine Classic. As will tasty presentations from the other Swan and Dolphin Resort restaurants. Not enough? Festival goers will also be able to taste their way through several specially themed areas. Like Chinatown. Always a favorite, it’s literally a Kimono’s Showpiece where visitors will be treated to several “trips around Asia” to see and sample what’s cooking on the other side of the world.

For the Love of Florida is another special event within the event. It’s proven to be one of the most popular sections of the festival every year. Visitors will be treated to classic Florida food they might have eaten while growing up in the Sunshine State. There will be more than 40 food choices on the menu that change every night, with music to wash it all down from classic, to rock, to country.

The Bubble Lounge is another popular themed section and it’s just what it sounds like: a place with a very sexy lounge vibe done all in pink, pink, pink. With a million bubbles. Yep, bubbles everywhere, floating in the air.

Seriously, this is a street party like no other, with live music all night long, and where the emphasis sits squarely on having lots of great food and a night full of fun. The event is November 20-21. And the party runs both nights from 5 to 9 PM. Tickets are $215 per night—with 10% off for a two-night bundle. Rates are also discounted for those staying at the Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin hotels.