The Disney California Adventures Food & Wine Festival is back for 2026, bringing with it an array of delicious food and drink. If you're like me and a trip to the Disneyland Resort is as much about the attractions as it is the food, this festival is one you can't miss.
This year's Food & Wine Festival kicked off this past weekend and runs until April 27, 2026. For those who may be in the know, the focal point of Food & Wine is a selection of booths offering unique savory appetizers and snacks, some desserts, and plenty of alcoholic and some non-alcoholic beverages. You could easily spend an entire day at California Adventure and try everything the festival has to offer, but I would recommend bringing stretchy pants or planning to do a bunch of laps around Pixar Pier.
Try the food at the California Adventures Food & Wine Festival
The range at this year's Food & Wine Festival contains a good mix of new dishes and recurring favourites. I tried as many as my stomach could handle, as well as some other food in the park, and this is another successful season for DCA. There's a little something for every culinary palette, provided you're at least a little adventurous.
The key to the Food & Wine Festival is the Sip & Savor Pass, which is like a bundle for the various booths. You can buy a pass of 4 or 8 items for a cheaper price than buying just that many items individually. However, the pass does not work for alcoholic beverages, but it does work for everything else at the booths, as well as select items from fast food restaurants around the park. If you are going to take advantage of the Food & Wine Festival, I highly recommend picking up the Sip & Savor Pass.
Of the new foods I tried, quite a few were instant hits for me. Food & Wine always has some form of Mac & Cheese and this year's iteration was a Ramen Mac & Cheese that, despite the recognizable cheese flavor, had that unmistakable hint of Ramen flavor. For a little extra punch, the dish comes with a side of Chili Crunch, which has been all the rage lately and adds some extra spice to the Mac & Cheese.
There were also quite a few dishes with a bit of a kick, from Tajín Habanero Seasoned Wings to Chicharron Nachos. I'm not crazy about spicy food but I enjoyed the taste of these two dishes. The nachos packed a lot of flavor, while the wings had that signature Tajin flavor that you see a lot in Disneyland resort food.
Last year my absolute favorite item at Food & Wine was Musubi Fried Rice and it's back again (at the Golden Dream stand). The combination of the salty Spam with a sweet glaze is addictive, and the rice and eggs balance out the intense flavor combination.
And you can't go wrong with the Mickey-shaped Macaron made with Snickers bar bits. There is no other way to describe this dessert than decadent. If you're a fan of the Snickers bar, or just the flavors of a Snickers bar (chocolate, caramel, peanut), this will knock your socks off.
Avengers Campus has one of my favorite dishes this season
Outside of the food stands, many of the vendors and quick service restaurants around Disney California Adventure have some new seasonal items to coincide with the Food & Wine Festival. Pym's Test Kitchen on Avengers Campus has a Grilled Spinach and Artichoke Cheese that's phenomenal, Aunt Cass' Cafe has a Banana Carmel Bread Pudding that's divine, and I'm a huge fan of the Asian Burrito at Studio Catering Co.
There's honestly so much food around the park that you'll need at least a few days to try everything that catches your eye, and you can't go wrong with many of the items available during the Food & Wine Festival. I'm not much of a drinker, so I tend to budget on food but I tried the Bourbon Peach Tea Lemonade and it was dangerously good. Hope you understand what I mean by that.
Soarin' Over California returns again
Alongside the Food & Wine Festival, Soarin' returns to its original Soarin' Over California form throughout the season. Soarin' Around the World is a nice motion simulator, but I just love how Soarin' Over California captures the vibes of being in the state. Patrick Warburton's opening safety video is among my favorite pieces of Disneyland media (right next to the Buh Bye robot from Star Tours), and being immersed in the sights and smells of California is a real treat.
On the entertainment front, Food & Wine brings the Jammin Chefs show to the farm next to The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Underwater Adventure. Think of it as Stomp but using kitchen utensils to make the music. It plays a few times throughout the day and is a great show to watch while you enjoy your food or a nice cold drink. Disney usually likes to use tons of characters that add magic to their shows, but I like how simple this is with just Chip and Dale and a few performers. It's very funny.
Of course, Disney California Adventure still has a lot to offer besides the Food & Wine Festival – great rides, fun characters to meet, and some excellent design elements. It's also still the 70th anniversary celebration, so you can get those bonus points in Toy Story Midway Mania and end the night by watching the World of Color: Happiness water show.
The Food and Wine Festival may not have the spectacular spectacle or trappings of a Halloween or holiday event, but it has plenty of good food and that always means a great time in the parks. And with new Avengers rides in the works, as well as a Coco ride and an Avatar-themed expansion all planned for California Adventure, there will be even more bonuses surrounding the annual event over the next few years.
The Disney California Adventures Food & Wine Festival runs through April 27, 2026. GameRant was invited to a special media preview for this coverage.
