What to Know: 2018 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival

From March 2nd through April 12th, guests at Disney California Adventure in California can enjoy a delicious selection of food and drink, along with entertainment, at the 2018 Food and Wine Festival. Access to the festival is included with general Disney California Adventure admission, but most festival activities and food will have extra costs or admission fees. 

This will be the third season for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, and it’s even been expanded to six weeks for 2018 so guests can enjoy the delicious cuisine from California. 

Festival Marketplaces

Each year, guests can enjoy wandering through the Festival Marketplaces that serve up a variety of special dishes inspired by California-grown ingredients. These include avocado, strawberries, peppers, artisanal cheeses, and various citrus fruits. Look for specialty craft beers and local California wines to be featured at each booth as well. Food and drinks are available for purchase, and there are typically no annual passholder discounts applied. 

Demonstrations, Educational Seminars, and Entertainment 

One of the most anticipated sections of the Food and Wine festival is the varied agenda of presentations which includes popular celebrity chefs like Robert Irvine and Alex Guarnaschelli. There will be food and beverage tastings, along with beer, wine, and spirits seminars. Even if you don’t have any interest in the beer, wine, and spirits aspects of the festival, you’ll find a whole line-up of live music and other entertainment options throughout the six-week festival. 

Gourmet Dinners and Special Events

This year’s event will include a new Disney Family of Wines Dinner, and the return of popular events like Sweet Sundays and Winemaker and/or Brewmaster Dinners. Sweet Sundays gives attendees the opportunity to learn how to make a sweet dessert with instructions from a celebrity pastry chef. This event, like most others, is extremely popular and sells out quickly. Winemaker dinners are typically hosted by guest presenters from the featured winery who discusses why these wines are picked for this particular four-course dinner, as well how they pair with particular dishes to enhance their flavors. Brewmaster dinners are very similar and include a guest brewmaster who discusses how and why each beer was selected for that particular dinner. 

If you do have young ones in attendance, check out the Junior Chef experience, a special hands-on event led by Chef Goofy. This complimentary event is designed for kids between 3 and 11 years old. 

Most events and specialty dinners are available for booking 60 days in advance. 

Alcohol Disclaimer 

All events that include alcohol are restricted to guests aged 21 and over, and no alcohol will be sold to anyone under 21. Valid photo id will be required. Remember that your RoamRight Travel Insurance policy doesn’t cover alcohol related losses. Most guests plan to stay at one of the Disney Parks Resort hotels or a neighboring hotel and use the local Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) system. Guests staying in the greater Anaheim area can take advantage of ART routes to get to and from Disneyland as well as other Anaheim area attractions.

Fun is part of any travel experience, but so is staying protected. Learn more about our policies here! 

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.