We’re major foodies, you know this, so we’re in the loop when it comes to Disney World food festivals.

Unfortunately, this year’s Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic was canceled due to the global health crisis. In its place, the Swan and Dolphin Resort in Disney World is hosting Sip, Savor, & Stay Saturdays, inspired by the canceled fest. Well, we spent an evening at the event and we have our REVIEW!

Let’s start with a little extra info about these events. You can attend a Sip, Savor, & Stay Saturday every Saturday evening from now through October 24th. These events are available exclusively as part of an overnight package and each weekend offers a new theme! 

Most weekends, packages start at $295 including a one-night stay and two event tickets. Events are limited to guests 21 and older, and limited tickets are available for each date. If you want to snag your spot for one of these themed tastings, call 1-888-828-8850 to reserve your tickets.

We attended on September 19th for the Bubble Lounge evening described as, “A lounge experience showcasing the finest in sparkling beverages with perfectly paired small bites to complete the experience. Taste the base varietals of traditional Champagne along with various sparkling wine styles from around the world.” We were intrigued.

Arrival and Set-up

When we arrived at our Sip, Savor & Stay Saturday, we were directed to the Swan Ballroom.

All attendees are required to get their temperature checked. Once you pass, you get a small sticker to wear.

When you check-in, you’re given a wristband (ours were pink!) and a table marker with your last name on it.

The event started at 5:30PM but check-in began at 5PM. We recommend ALWAYS checking in as soon as you can so that you get your money’s worth! In the waiting area, each guest was offered a little mix of gelatin, gin, and lemon juice. These were so good we had to stop ourselves from asking for another! The combo kinda reminded us of a smoother limoncello.

When the event started, we went on into the ballroom which was decorated with fun lights and cute balloons. Get it? For the Bubble Lounge theme? Once inside, you take your marker to a table and that table becomes yours for the evening.

We noticed that there were servers throughout the space that were designated for clearing plates and glassware. The room was also filled with different stations, some for food, and some for drinks.

Every station had a bottle of hand-sanitizer which we appreciated. We would still recommend bringing your own small bottle to keep at your actual table though!

All of the stations had a plexiglass guard set up between guests and servers. Food was handed to guests underneath the plexiglass — kind of like how they hand off food in quick service locations in the parks!

But enough about the room, let’s look at that menu!

Menu

Alright, so the menu let us know what is available at each station. There were four food stations…

…and six drink stations! Looks pretty tasty, doesn’t it?

Let’s talk a little bit about how tasty the food was!

Food Reviews

We started off with the Buttered Popcorn with Sea Salt from Station 1. This was a favorite of ours. It was super simple, but it paired really well with all of the bubbly wine we were having. The kernels were light and salty — not greasy at all!

Station 1 also had the Deviled Eggs, one Traditional and one with Caviar. We’re not the biggest fans of caviar, but the helping was small enough that we didn’t seem to notice. We think it might not be enough caviar if you’re a big caviar person, but folks like us can still enjoy these eggs!

Next up, let’s talk about the Crispy Duck Confit with Frisee lettuce, duck rat dressing, and soft herbs. This was another favorite of ours! The duck was very, very crispy and the duck fat dressing was killer (so much so that we asked for a second helping!). We loved the greens too, especially the arugula which added some pepper.

We swooned when we saw the Baked House-made Ricotta Cheese with toasted pine nuts and onion puree. Such a unique eat! The cheese itself was creamy, soft, and all-around amazing. IMO, we would’ve liked it without the toppings because we didn’t think it added anything to the dish.

Alright, we’ve had several favorites but this is our ABSOLUTE favorite — the Charred Prime Angus Beef Tri-Tip with pomme puree and sauce gribiche. This was insanely tender; like, they didn’t have knives out and they weren’t even needed. The puree was super buttery and creamy. We won’t say how many times we revisited this station, but it was a lot.

And finally, we’ve got the Pan Roasted Sea Scallops with smoked bacon, aged Carnaroli, green pea, and “egg sauce.” We noticed that folks around the room were loving these little dishes. The pork belly was so crispy and fatty. Overall, it came together wonderfully.

Drink Reviews

Of course, an even called Bubble Lounge is definitely going to have some serious drink options. There were stations for Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, Sparkling Wine, and Champagne Cocktails. The employees were very helpful and knowledgeable. You could tell them what flavors you prefer and they would point you in the right direction.

We had two favorites! The first was one of the Champagne Cocktails, the Hummingbird. This drink was made with Veuve de Vernay Brut, St. Germain, soda water, and a lemon twist. The way the flavors came together was just delightful.

Our second favorite was the Domaine Chandon Rose which was just a super tasty sip.

There were so many options, it wouldn’t be hard for anyone to find some favorites!

Overall

Overall, we had SO MUCH FUN. This was a really fun and safe way to enjoy an event. They took the necessary steps to make sure that those attending could enjoy themselves while having fun.

We ate a LOT because their food is so spectacular. We really just wished we could’ve had something sweet for dessert, but otherwise, we have no complaints! Plus, they had live music playing during the event which was a real treat.

We can definitely recommend this event to anyone looking for a wonderful evening. The price is super reasonable at under $300 for a night in the hotel and dinner and drinks for two. We’d even do it again! Whether you’re traveling in for an evening or even if you’re a local, Sip, Savor, & Stay Saturdays is a great addition to your weekend plans.

The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort has really knocked it out of the park with this one. We were so pleased with our evening and it felt GREAT to get back to a foodie event. We hope this helped you decide whether to head to this event or not! ‘Til next time!

Click here to learn more about the Sip, Savor, & Stay Saturdays!

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Will you be heading to a Sip, Savor & Stay Saturday? Tell us in the comments!

The post Is 5 For This All-Inclusive Disney World Food Event Worth It? (Answer: YES.) first appeared on the disney food blog.