The 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival is underway at the Disneyland Resort. This comes after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Two years ago, the festival was cut short after it had just started when the Disneyland Resort shut down due to COVID-19.
This year saw many familiar offerings return and also some new things. The food and beverages, found in marketplace booths and beyond, give lots of different flavors for guests to experience. Some of these are returning dishes, others are brand new. Disney highlighted the following offerings for this year’s Food and Wine Festivals:
Beverages Inspired by the Golden State
There are multiple different beverages that highlight the flavors of the Golden State, which also have a bit of Disney magic included. Notable inspirations behind these featured beverages include:
- Mezcaleros ancho sandia margarita: This cocktail was inspired by the Mexican heritage of many California residents. Additionally, watermelon is commonly grown in both California and Mexico (LA Style).
- Sake-melon ’75: California’s Japanese American community is reflected in the use of cantaloupe, which is commonly grown in both California and Japan (LA Style).
- Blackberry-lavender lemonade (nonalcoholic) celebrates the Sierra Nevada Mountains that stretch along California’s eastern border. Blackberries represent the wild berries that grow throughout the forest, and lavender represents the many wildflowers (Cluck-A-Doodle Moo).
- Orange-honey cold brew (nonalcoholic) pays homage to citrus, one of the most prominent California-grown ingredients, and the orange groves the Disneyland Resort was built upon (Golden Dreams).
Exciting New Offerings
This year’s Festival Marketplaces has more than 15 new dishes to enjoy. Highlights of these dishes include:
- Chile relleno empanada with arbol pepper salsa and Oaxaca and Cotija cheeses (Peppers Cali-Ente)
- IPA sausage dog on a soft pretzel roll with onion-pepper Jardinière, cheddar cheese sauce and malt vinegar-jalapeño crunch (California Craft Brews)
- Mango-carrot gazpacho with grilled shrimp and jalapeño crema (Golden Dreams)
- Strawberry cheesecake with lemon Chantilly (Berry Patch)
Kid-Friendly Options
There are several kid-friendly options that will delight young palates. These include:
- Cubano slider: slow-roasted mustard-crusted pork and sliced smoked ham with melted Swiss cheese and slice of pickle served on a Hawaiian roll (D•Lish)
- Peanut butter and jelly mac with brown sugar streusel and strawberry crackle; vegetarian (Nuts About Cheese)
- Frozen guacamole: avocado paleta with lime crema, pico de gallo and chile-lime seasoning; vegetarian (Avocado Time)
- Chocolate hazelnut crunch: chocolate-hazelnut mousse topped with chocolate-hazelnut glaze and a gold leaf (Uncork California)
Returning Guest Favorites
There are some returning dishes that have been favorites previously. This year’s returning favorites include:
- French onion grilled beef tenderloin slider: grilled beef tenderloin topped with a Gruyère cheese sauce and caramelized onions, served on an onion roll (Cluck-A Doodle Moo)
- Petite avocado Impossible™ burger with dairy-free pepper jack; plant-based (Avocado Time)
- Carbonara-garlic mac and cheese with peppered bacon (Garlic Kissed)
- SNICKERS caramel-peanut milk chocolate Mickey macaron: chocolate Mickey macaron filled with caramel ganache and SNICKERS pieces (Nuts About Cheese)
Outside of the food and wine, live entertainment options were offered as well. This includes a revamped version of the Jammin’ Chefs and a new show Alice’s Wonderland Bakery. Both of these shows are found in Hollywoodland. Over at the stage at Paradise Gardens Park, there will be live performers throughout the festival. This includes Phat Cat Swinger and other performing groups. Live performances can also be found at Paradise Garden Bandstand throughout the festival.
Throughout the festival, more videos will be added to the playlist below from the 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/embed?listType=playlist&list=PLZHs0Rq4kXrWXSrcIBWxvOkt4_ZsDpHLs&v=Kp_BPNxzaIQ&layout=gallery[/embedyt]There is also some festival-specific merchandise available this year as well. This includes wine glasses, spirit jerseys, and more as can be seen in the gallery below. The gallery also includes some other highlights from the opening day including food and entertainment as well!
Opening Day Photos of 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival
What do you think of the 2022 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival? What are you most excited about? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
