Summary
West Coast Disney foodie fans always look forward to the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival's return. In 2023, the Food and Wine Festival has kicked off March 3 and runs through April 25. Reservations are open for special tasting seminars and winemaker receptions. We can't wait to try out new foods this year — yes, we are looking at you, Elote Paleta! The extra yummy news is that the Mickey-shaped Snickers macaron is back! We love our returning favorites too.
As an epicurean amphibian, I always look forward to attending the West Coast version of the popular EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. If you're a foodie like me, you definitely don't want to miss out on all of the yummy cuisines. But everyone can bask in the beautiful springtime scenery at the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival! The pink Tabebuia trees are in bloom, making Disneyland Resort especially beautiful this time of year. The festival is included with regular park admission (though some offerings are an additional charge and require reservations).
The biggest thing to know this year is that you need to make a theme park reservation to visit. If park hopping, you can choose Disney California Adventure as your starting park. If you select Disneyland as your starting park, you can hop to California Adventure at 11 a.m. or later. (Yes, park hopping changed to 11 a.m. as of Feb. 4, which makes it easier to get eating sooner!)
There's a lot hoppening at Disneyland resort this spring, so you may want to expand your visit by an extra day or two to do it all! The Disney 100 Years of Wonder anniversary celebration with special nighttime spectaculars is going on. The "Magic Happens" parade returned to Disneyland. A newly refurbished Toontown reopens March 19, 2023. A new Toontown ride — Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway — opened in January!
What's Included at Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival
Let's hop to it and go over what we know so far about the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival.
We have an uplifting surprise for 2023! Soarin' Over California returns for a limited time during the festival. It replaces Soarin' Around the World during this time. Mmmmm ... I can still smell the orange groves just thinking about it!
Each Food and Wine Festival brings new menus and events. You'll find plenty of fun for the whole family. In fact, "Alice's Wonderland Bakery," a Disney Junior show, is the inspiration for a fun Hollywood Backlot Experience! It's toadally cute, plus it's short and sweet — and free! We love hopping about the festival and using up our Sip and Savor Pass while trying all the yummy food and drinks. There are culinary demonstrations with local and celebrity chefs, as well as special signature events. Here’s the scoop on when, where and how to attend one of these seminars, tastings or free experiences.
Free Experiences & Festival Kiosks (Included with Disney Park Pass Reservation & Admission)
- Access to festival marketplace kiosks and restaurant menu items (though food and drinks are an additional charge)
- Culinary demonstrations (Saturdays and Sundays usually at 3:30 and 4:45 p.m.)
- Family-friendly cooking demonstrations
- "Alice's Wonderland Bakery" Unbirthday Party (cupcake decorating for ages 3-11, usually at 12:50, 1:40 and 2:30 p.m.)
- Character experiences such as Chef Goofy and Jammin' Chefs (usually at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., and 12:45, 1:45, 2:45 and 3:45 p.m.)
- Musical entertainment
- Crafts and special activity zones
- An expanded menu of cocktails, craft brews, savory snacks and more at Sonoma Terrace hosted by CORKCICLE (additional fee for food and beverage, but look for a free photo-op!)
Additional Reservations Needed
- Signature events, such as Carthay Circle Winemaker Receptions, Disneyland Hotel Food and Wine Experiences, Trader Sam's Mixology and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Food and Wine Experiences
- Beverage education & tasting seminars for beer, wine and mixology
You can buy 2023 tickets now at the events page. Purchase as soon as possible, as some dates are filling up quickly (and some are already sold out).
When you visit Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, be sure to grab a Tasting Passport and Festival Guide to help you find all of the foods and events you'd like to get your fill of. The Tasting Passport has a map of the Marketplaces, photos of foods and an index that breaks up the food into categories such as vegetarian, plant-based, tadpole-friendly and gluten-friendly. We're always looking out for our friends with special dietary needs. The Festival Guide covers entertainment, such as demonstrations, music and shows too! All this information is in the Disneyland app.
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Marketplace Kiosks
The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival offers small plates of special California-inspired menu items and beverages at the Festival Marketplaces, and various Disney California Adventure quick-service and table-service restaurants in the park. Take a culinary trip through the Golden State without ever leaving the park! (Although you may find some special festival items in Downtown Disney this year.) Festival Marketplace kiosks are usually open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily during the festival.
Everything is fresh and rooted in the California lifestyle. Follow the path through the festival booths, leading from Hollywood Land toward the Golden Zephyr.
Sip and Savor Pass
You’ll definitely want to leap for a Sip and Savor Pass, good for eight tastings of food or nonalcoholic beverages while you're at the festival. It's good at festival booths and participating restaurants. You can pick up a Sip and Savor Pass at any of the food booths, merchandise locations and a few other locations in California Adventure. This year, the pass is $59 ($54 for Magic Key holders). You can look at the back of the tasting passport to find a list of plant-based and kid-friendly options.
Because most tastes run about $8 to $9 (some desserts or treats are about $6.50), you’ll save money if you use it for items that are in the higher price range. For Two people can share one pass, and if you go through it too quickly, get another! The pass is good for items at the Festival Marketplaces and for tasting-size portions (or for nonalcoholic beverages) at participating restaurants. You cannot mobile order using the Sip and Savor at the restaurants though. We are toadally drooling just thinking about all of the foods we tried (and are still left to try)!
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Booths for 2023
The 2023 menus are fun and creative. There are so many items we moved the menus to a separate post with hopful downloadable menus you can use in the park. The Festival Marketplace booths each offer tasty tidbits and libations. The kiosks have exciting signs that light up at night (some even move)! Some booths have colorful art on the side, which can make for excellent photo opportunities and backdrops for your most Insta-worthy eats. Be sure to check them out!
Without further ado, here are the 2023 Festival Marketplace names:
- Nuts About Cheese
- Avocado Time
- Berry Patch
- California Craft Brews
- Cluck-a-Doodle-Moo
- D•Lish
- Garlic Kissed
- Golden Dreams
- I Heart Artichokes
- LA Style
- Peppers Cali-ente
- Uncork California
Save some room after you eat your way through the festival booths because, after you pass by the Golden Zephyr, you’ll find yourself in the Paradise Garden Grill Beer Garden area, which offers a whole lot more than just beer. (I am thinking I will feel a lot like a Zephyr by this point.)
Enjoy a cold one from California and beyond at the Paradise Garden Grill Beer Garden. This year, Paradise Garden Grill only offers plant-based food options.
Food and Wine Dishes at Disney California Adventure Restaurants
Aside from the Paradise Garden Grill, which always serves up special foods during the festival, many other restaurants in Disney California Adventure have created special tastes and drinks for the festival this year. One of our frog favorites this year is the Impossible Nacho Mac & Cheese, from the Avocado Time booth!
Be sure to ask about special menu items when dining in Downtown Disney, too!
The following locations offer some tasting portions and special beverages on the Sip and Savor Pass. Keep in mind that you cannot use the Sip and Savor Pass if you use mobile ordering.
- Cappuccino Cart
- Churros near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
- Cocina Cucamonga
- Hollywood Lounge
- Studio Catering Co.
- Churros near Hollywood Land
- Festival Food and Beverage Cart
- Pacific Wharf Café
- Paradise Garden Grill
- Sonoma Terrace
- Terran Treats
- Willie’s Churro
Table-Service Restaurants with Food and Wine Dishes (not on the Sip and Savor Pass):
- Lamplight Lounge — Boardwalk Dining
- Lamplight Lounge
Downtown Disney
Keep an eye out for tasty offerings from Friends of the Festival at Downtown Disney restaurants. These are not on the Sip and Savor Pass:
- Ballast Point Brewing Co.
- Naples Ristorante e Bar (available March 3 through April 25)
- Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen (available March 3 through April 25)
- Splitsville Luxury Lanes (available March 3 through April 25)
Free Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Culinary Demonstrations
You can take cooking lessons and gather insider tips for creating new recipes from Disney and visiting chefs. Sorry, no samples at these free demonstrations. You can generally find culinary demonstrations at the Backlot Stage in Hollywood Land on select weekend dates at various times in the afternoon (the demonstrations at the Backlot Stage usually start at 3:15 p.m. or 4:45 p.m.) Search for "Culinary Demonstrations" in the Disneyland app to see the scheduled chef lineup for the entire festival, or visit the Disneyland website. In the past, we have also hopped by the stage when no demonstrations were scheduled and still caught one in action, so check it out. Grab some food from a nearby booth and take a seat to enjoy your food, learn how to prepare some recipes and even hear some stories.
We were able to catch the first demonstration of the festival this year with Disney Pastry Chef, Christina Orejel, who brought out a surprise guest — Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort! They prepared a cheesecake, which he revealed is a special family recipe from his family's bakery and restaurant businesses. You can even taste this delicious treat at the Berry Patch kiosk (written as Kenny's Family Cheesecake)!
These are the 2023 Culinary Demonstrations with Disney chefs (Friday through Sunday):
- Friday, March 3: Christina Orejel
- Sunday, March 5: Jeremiah Balogh
- Friday, March 10: Lauren Low
- Sunday, March 12: Ashley Parris & Albert Esparza
- Friday, March 17: Joanna Aguayo
- Friday, March 31: Lorenzo Belloso
- Sunday, April 2: Jeremiah Balogh & Natalie Willingham
- Friday, April 7: Pablito Bertulfo
- Friday, April 14: Daniel Duke Brown
- Friday, April 21: Andrew Zibble
- Saturday, April 22: Juan Mendoza
These are the Culinary Demonstrations with visiting chefs for 2023:
- Saturday, March 4: Wing Lam (Wahoo’s Fish Taco) & Jamie Gwen
- Sunday, March 5: Ray Hayashi & Cynthia Hetlinger (RYLA)
- Friday, March 10: Ernie Alvarado (URBANA)
- Saturday, March 11: David Kuo (Little Fatty) & Winne Yee-Lakhani (Smoke Queen Barbecue)
- Friday, March 17: Josh Frias (Naples Ristorante e Bar)
- Saturday, March 18: David Kuo (Little Fatty) & Claudia Sandoval ("MasterChef")
- Sunday, March 19: Michael Reed (Poppy & Seed) & Shachi Mehra (ADYA)
- Friday, March 24: Darrin Finkel (Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen)
- Saturday, March 25: Paul Cao (Burnt Crumbs) & Isaias Hernandez (Craft by Smoke and Fire)
- Sunday, March 26: Duff Goldman
- Saturday, April 1: Daniel Castillo & Nicholas Echaore (Heritage Barbecue) & Jamie Gwen
- Friday, April 7: Bret Thompson (PEZ CANTINA)
- Saturday, April 8: Stuart O’Keeffe & Shaun O’Neale ("MasterChef")
- Sunday, April 9: Jet Tila & Shaun O’Neale ("MasterChe")
- Saturday, April 15: Henry Pineda (Lola’s by MFK) & Ross Pangilinan (TERRACE by Mix Mix)
- Sunday, April 16: Nika Shoemaker-Machado (Georgia’s Restaurant) & Brian Huskey
- Friday, April 21: Carlos Gaytan (Paseo)
- Sunday, April 23: Brian Malarkey
These are the Culinary Demonstrations with festival sponsors in 2023:
- Friday, March 3: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co.®
- Friday, March 24: Marin French Cheese Co. presented by California Milk Advisory Board
- Friday, March 3: Ethel M® Chocolates
- Friday, April 14: Impossible™
- Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23: Focus on Earth Month presented by National Geographic
Free Entertainment and Experiences for the Whole Family
Besides the culinary demonstrations and the return of Soarin' Over California, here are some more free experiences the whole family can enjoy.
See the Jammin' Chefs (at the obelisk in Paradise Gardens in 2023)
The Jammin’ Chefs are a highlight for us at the California Adventure Food and Wine Festival (Chip, Dale, hooray!). Be sure to hop over to see them. Spoiler alert: Daisy Duck and Clarabelle Cow join in the fun! You can find them at the obelisk at Paradise Gardens, near The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure. Add a cute musical interlude to your dining and drinking plans by watching this spectacular show! The Jammin' Chefs show — featuring Chip 'n' Dale — is a fun show of drumming, music and dancing (but no kid interactions this year). The Jammin' Chefs usually appear each hour from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., but times are subject to change as the festival continues. Check the Disneyland app for the most up-to-date showtimes.
Meet Chef Goofy
You can meet Chef Goofy in the Hollywood Backlot!
Decorate Cupcakes at "Alice's Wonderland Bakery" Unbirthday Party
Tadpoles and froglets ages 3 to 11 will enjoy FREE hands-on Jr. Chef cooking experiences that give them the opportunity to express their creativity through hands-on cupcake decorating. Participants can sign up beginning 45 minutes before each showtime. However, we recommend signing up as soon as you enter the park in the morning, as these spaces go quickly. Space is limited to the first 32 kids who sign up. Make sure your tadpole is comfortable leaving your side for a bit. Kids can take their kit, cupcake and chef hat home!
There are typically three opportunities each day and showtimes can vary, so you'll want to double-check the entertainment guide on the Disneyland app for your visit. Its showtimes are usually at 1:05 p.m., 2:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m. Our tip is to aim for the first party as demand can build later in the day.
Cook Up Some Crafts
You need a chef hat to look like a pro while you stir up some fun. Your tadpoles can color their own free chef hat (or placemat with games) and decorate them with food stickers. This year, you'll find the crafts to the left of The Little Mermaid.
Enjoy Musical Entertainment
Be sure to check the entertainment calendar for live festival music. Talented bands and musicians, such as Phat Cat Swinger, take the Palisades Stage at Paradise Park (in front of the water) with some groovy beats to enjoy while you dine. You can also find some smaller musical entertainment at the Paradise Garden Bandstand.
In the afternoons, catch the Standard Mel Quartet at Paradise Gardens Bandstand, near Paradise Garden Grill, for some smooth tunes!
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Seminars and Tastings
The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival 2023 offers many opportunities for exclusive and exquisite culinary adventures. There are a number of seminars, receptions and tastings that you can reserve if you are over 21. Each course has a fee in addition to the cost of park admission for the day. (You do not need a theme park ticket for events at hotels.) Tickets are on sale for 2023 events!
In 2023, you can sign up for new hotel-themed events:
- Trader Sam’s Mixology Seminars (March 6 & April 10) - Learn how to make the Hippopoto Mai-Tai and sample sweet and spicy snacks around the outdoor fireplace. Tickets cost $159 per person, plus tax and gratuities.
- Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Food and Wine Experience (April 21, 2023, at Hearthstone Lounge) - Meet the chefs, sommeliers and art historians from Grand Californian, as you sip wines paired with crafted plates, featuring selections and experts from Laurent-Perrier, Stag's Leap Winery, Miner Family Wines, Darioush, Clos Du Val, Heitz Cellars and ZD Wines. Tickets cost $225 per person, plus tax and gratuities.
Enjoy Beer, Wine and Mixology Seminars
Do you have a thirst for knowledge on wine, beer or spirits? You can quench it at one of these 45-minute seminars. The price includes sample tastings. You must reserve in advance through the online reservation system. You can click on each date and time to get more information when you go to reserve.
Wine Seminars:
- Friday, March 3: Testarossa Winery
- Saturday, March 4: Testarossa Winery
- Sunday, March 5: Testarossa Winery
- Friday, March 10: GoGi Wines
- Saturday, March 11: GoGi Wines
- Sunday, March 12: GoGi Wines
- Friday, March 17: Wiens Family Cellars
- Saturday, March 18: Wiens Family Cellars
- Sunday, March 19: Wiens Family Cellars
- Friday, March 24: BEV Wines
- Saturday, March 25: BEV Wines
- Sunday, March 26: BEV Wines
- Friday, March 31: Disney Sommelier Arielle Harris
- Saturday, April 1: McBride Sisters Wine Co.
- Sunday, April 2: McBride Sisters Wine Co.
- Friday, April 7: Hill Family Estates
- Saturday, April 8: Hill Family Estates
- Sunday, April 9: Hill Family Estates
- Friday, April 14: Disney Sommelier Eri Horii
- Saturday, April 15: Fess Parker Winery
- Sunday, April 16: Fess Parker Winery
- Friday, April 21: Canvasback Winery
- Saturday, April 22: Canvasback Winery
- Sunday, April 23: Canvasback Winery
*Additional dates to be announced. Please check back here for more updates.
Beer Seminars:
- Friday, March 3: Crowns & Hops Brewing Co.
- Saturday, March 4: Crowns & Hops Brewing Co.
- Friday, March 10: Honey Pot Meadery
- Saturday, March 11: Honey Pot Meadery
- Friday, March 17: Unsung Brewing Company
- Saturday, March 18: Unsung Brewing Company
- Friday, March 24: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Saturday, March 25: Bottle Logic Brewing
- Friday, March 31: Golden Road Brewing
- Saturday, April 1: Golden Road Brewing
- Friday, April 7: Stone Brewing
- Saturday, April 8: Stone Brewing
- Friday, April 14: Three Weavers Brewing Co.
- Saturday, April 15: Three Weavers Brewing Co.
- Friday, April 21: Pizza Port Brewing Co.
- Saturday, April 22: Pizza Port Brewing Co.
Mixology Seminars:
- Saturday, March 4: Bad Birdy of Kuduowl
- Sunday, March 5: Bad Birdy of Kuduowl
- Saturday, March 11: Disney Mixology featuring the Lamplight Lounge
- Sunday, March 12: Disney Mixology featuring the Lamplight Lounge
- Saturday, March 18: Disney Mixology featuring Carthay Circle Lounge
- Sunday, March 19: Disney Mixology featuring Carthay Circle Lounge
- Saturday, March 25: Disney Mixology featuring the Festival Marketplaces
- Sunday, March 26: Disney Mixology featuring the Festival Marketplaces
- Saturday, April 1: The Blind Rabbit
- Sunday, April 2: The Blind Rabbit
- Saturday, April 8: 818 Tequila
- Sunday, April 9: 818 Tequila
- Saturday, April 15: Disney Mixology featuring the Hollywood Lounge
- Sunday, April 16: Disney Mixology featuring the Hollywood Lounge
- Saturday, April 22: Disney Mixology featuring Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar
- Sunday, April 23: Disney Mixology featuring Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar
Reserve a Winemaker’s Reception at Carthay Circle Restaurant
This popular event returns in 2023 with three Friday nights of gourmet, wine-focused pairings with hors-d'oeuvres. The Winemaker Reception costs $150 plus tax and gratuity, with no cancellations or exchanges. (These events are currently sold out for 2023.) Events take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., with check-in beginning 15 minutes before it begins. The dates in 2023 are:
- March 10: Kurt Russell's GoGi Wines
- March 31: McBride Sisters Wine Co.
- April 14: Fess Parker Winery
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Merchandise
Hold onto your ears! There is new headwear, apparel, home decor, kitchen gadgets and more. The 2023 spirit jersey says, "Amazingly Sweet!" There are also adorable festival-themed chef ears! You can find them (and more) in front of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure, with a smaller selection of apparel sold across the entrance to Cars Land. Toadally cute pins are also available for those of you frogs who love to collect!
The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival is just one of many events hoppening at the Disneyland Resort. Will you be hopping in for this festive celebration? Have you attended in the past? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: Full Schedule of Disneyland Events
Hoppy planning!
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