Festival Season is alive and well at Disney Parks, including Disneyland Resort for the Food & Wine Festival.
And this year was packed!! BUT, was it worth the hype?
We know that Disney loves to get us with seasonal events, and food festival season is no different.
From new performances to tasty treats, and a few changes – here’s my full review of the 2025 Food and Wine Festival.
2025 Food & Wine Festival Review at the Disneyland Resort
I have to start by saying that I’ve noticed over the past few years how much Disney has simplified this festival, and not for the better.
We used to have 12-14 booths for each festival, and now the past few years, we’ve seen 8 booths consistently.
This drastically cuts down on the food and drink options and increases the lines, congestion and confusion in the parks.
They cram all 8 booths in one area, and it makes it pretty daunting to walk through – and trying to find a place to sit or stand to enjoy your festival bites is a whole other issue.
I love Disney, but the quality of the events at the parks in recent years has started to decline and it shows. We can feel it and taste it – literally.
So, for the festival flow and options, I think Disney needs to step it up. It isn’t impressive anymore.
Let’s get into the details below.
Tips for the 2025 Food & Wine Festival
Start Early
The booths officially open at 11 AM, and trust me—things get busy fast. Popular items tend to sell out, and the lines only get longer as the day goes on. This year, it took me 45 minutes from the time I bought my tasting card to when I finally picked up my first dish. So if you want to avoid the wait (and the hangry mood that comes with it), try to arrive right at opening.
Buy Your Tasting Card at the Second Booth
Skip the main tasting card booth at the start of the festival route—it always has a long line. Instead, grab your tasting card from the merchandise booth across from the entrance to Cars Land. No wait, same exact cards, way less stress.
Order Everything at Once
If you’re doing all your tastings in one visit, order everything at once at any booth. You don’t have to stick to that booth’s menu—they can ring up items from any of the marketplaces. Just be sure to hang onto your receipt, because you’ll need it to pick up each item later.
Spread It Out If You Want
Not planning to use all your tastings in one day? No problem. The card is valid for the entire festival run, so you can spread your tastings out over multiple visits.
Food & Wine Festival: Food & Drink Review
I showed up so excited to spend the whole day eating and drinking—but honestly, once I got there, the vibe was kind of off.
The lines were overwhelming, the crowds felt unmanageable, and the whole setup just seemed a little chaotic. Nothing felt super organized, and everything felt kind of rushed.
And then… the food didn’t really make up for it.
Let’s get into what I tried:
California Cooler
This drink was a total 10/10 for me. I’m a sucker for mango anything, and this tasted just like a mango margarita—only non-alcoholic. It was refreshing, super flavorful, and something I wish I could get all year long. Loved it.
@julia.vaness The California Cooler is a 10/10 from me ✨🙌🎉 It’s a non-alcoholic drink. It tastes like a mango margarita. I wish they added a chamoy and tajin rim but the lollipop was great!! #disneyland @Disney Parks #disneyfood #disneydrinks #foodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival2025 #disneyfoodsociety ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Spam Musubi Bowl
This was probably my favorite out of the booth items, but even then, it didn’t blow me away. I remember past years feeling way more exciting food-wise. This one felt… fine. The rice was overcooked, and the spam-to-rice ratio was off. Tasty? Sure. Memorable? Not really.
@julia.vaness This one was good because you can’t go wrong with spam and rice. Was it the best spam and rice I’ve ever had? No. But I still devoured the entire thing!! #disney #disneyparks #disneyfood #disneyfoodie #disneyfoodsociety #disneyfoodgram #disneylandfood #disneyfoodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival2025 ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Shrimp Papas Locas
I wanted to love this, but the texture threw me off. That’s more of a me thing, so I won’t fault the dish for it. Flavor-wise, it was great. But I wish they’d used diced potatoes instead of hashbrowns—it made the dish feel kind of cheap, which is frustrating when these aren’t exactly budget bites. I’d still consider getting it again, but only if they upgraded it a bit.
@julia.vaness As someone that gets icked out by certain textures, this dish didn’t do it for me. It tasted great and I loved the potatoes and shrimp separately but together I couldn’t get past the texture. Yes, I would get it again but I think I’d try something new next time. #Disneyland #disneyparks #disneyfood #disneyfoodie #disneylandfood #disneyfoodsociety #disneyfoodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival2025 #disneycaliforniaadventure #disneyfoodreview ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Dos Asados
This was hands down the worst thing I tried. I was excited because it looked hearty and protein-heavy, but wow—so disappointing. The meat was dry and tough, and the whole dish wasn’t even warm. I literally almost choked on a piece of meat and a green onion because they wouldn’t break down no matter how much I chewed. Not exaggerating. The whole experience was just bad.
@julia.vaness Y’all! This one is a skip for me. The meat was so tough and that’s half the meal! The chicken was good but I wouldn’t purchase this again. #disneyland #disneyfood #disneyfoodie #disneyfoodsociety #disneylandfoodreview #disneyfoodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival2025 #disneycaliforniaadventure ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Mango Sticky Rice Churro
Redemption!! This churro was the star of the day. If you’re a mango sticky rice fan like me, this is your dream. Sweet, soft, crispy, gooey—it was perfect. 10/10, no notes. I really hope they bring this back next year.
@julia.vaness Another 10/10 item from Disneyland this weekend. This is the mango sticky rice churro from the Food and Wine Festival. I could eat this every day ❤️😍 #disneyland #disney #disneyfood #disneylandfood #disneyfoodsociety #disneyfoodclub #disneyfoodie #disneylandsnacks #foodandwinefestival #disneyfoodandwinefestival #2025disneyfoodandwinefestival #disneylandfoodreview #disneychurros #disneylandchurros @Disney Parks @Visit Anaheim @Eater ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Bonus: Pepperoni Pizza Pocket
This item wasn’t part of the Food & Wine Festival but I thought it deserved a mention. This pizza pocket was 10/10, perfection! It was hearty, cheesy, and the dough was super buttery. It was served with a spiced ranch sauce for dipping, and that was also a 10/10. I found this item in Avengers Campus at the food cart between Guardians and the Theater.
@julia.vaness A little late to trying this pepperoni pizza pocket but that’s okay! I give it a 10/10🙌✨ It was buttery, flakey and cheesy. And whatever sauce it came with was so flipping good. I will definitely be ordering this again. #disneyland #disneyfood #disneylandfood #foodatdisneyland #disneyfoodsociety #avengerscampus #avengerscampusfood #disneyfoodie #disneyfoodreview ♬ original sound – Julia Vaness
Should You Go to the Food & Wine Festival?
While I still love the idea of the Food & Wine Festival, the quality—especially at the actual booths—just isn’t what it used to be. And let’s be honest, the booths are the fun part! I do appreciate the specialty items popping up at the sit-down spots and quick service locations, but I wish we’d see that same attention to detail carried through to the festival marketplace itself.
With fewer booths this year, the area felt more crowded and way less exciting. What used to take me multiple visits to taste my way through, I finished in just one afternoon. It’s a bummer.
Disney has been trimming back across the parks for a while, but this year it really started to feel noticeable here. I hope next year we see a return of the energy and creativity that made this festival one of my favorite events of the year.
What about you? Did you enjoy the food? Was your experience better than mine? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear how it went for you.
See you at the parks!
XOXO,
Julia
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About the author: Hey there! I’m Julia, a passionate theme park and travel writer. My love for theme parks has fueled my obsession with sharing tips and adventures for years. Join me as I uncover the magic of Disneyland and beyond!
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