REVIEW: Empanadas and Pina Coladas in EPCOT? What’s Not To Love?

REVIEW: Empanadas and Pina Coladas in EPCOT? What’s Not To Love?

The Vibrante and Vívido food studio is a popular stop at the EPCOT Festival of the Arts, especially if you’re looking for some heat in your festival snacks.

Did someone say cheesecake?

We’re live at the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts, checking out the food studios, artistic performances, merchandise, and more. There’s a LOT going on, but don’t let it overwhelm you. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know before your visit. Let’s go to the Vibrante and Vívido to check out this year’s menu.

Menu

This year Vibrante and Vívido is serving up several returning items, including a Chorizo and Potato Empanada with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli, Spicy Ajiaco Soup, and Passion Fruit-filled Mango Cheesecake.

The drinks for this year are also all returning and include a non-boozy Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie, a boozy version of the smoothie, and Collective Arts Brewing Guava Dream Blonde Ale.

2026 Vibrante & Vívido Menu

Now that we’ve taken a look at the menu, let’s dive into the food itself!

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Eats

First up, we grabbed the returning Chorizo and Potato Empanada with turmeric aïoli and annatto aïoli for $6.79. This item is also a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. Last year, we said this was one of the spicier dishes in Disney World! How does this year stack up? At first, we thought this might be dry on the inside, but in the end, it wasn’t, and the chorizo and potato had a really hearty, balanced flavor. It’s also very filling, and that slight spicy kick is still there, but we thought it was Disney spicy and not spicy-spicy, ‘ya know?

Chorizo and Potato Empanada

Our empanada, though, was a little overcooked, but it made it nice and crumbly, so we have no real complaints there. The two aiolis are what saved it from the dryness, and they were heavy on the mayo. Also, bring wet wipes because the turmeric on these babies will stain your hands.

It’s a pretty decent-sized empanada

Next, we ordered the returning Passion Fruit-filled Mango Cheesecake with coconut-pineapple cake, dragon fruit gelée, and dragon fruit-strawberry sauce for $5.29 (also a snack on the Dining Plan). The cake is a little dry, but you don’t notice that with everything else going on with it. We loved how interesting all the flavors were, but it was still light and easy to eat. There’s also a thin sort of casing on the outside that gives it some crunch, and the cheesecake on the inside is more mousse-like than cheesecake-like, but that’s not a deal breaker. Overall, it’s a very fruity, balanced, and slightly elevated dessert that isn’t too sweet. 

Passion Fruit-filled Mango Cheesecake

The other savory dish this year is the Spicy Ajiaco Soup with guajillo and árbol chili-spiced chicken, potato, avocado, corn, and crème fraîche for $5.99, or a snack credit on the Dining Plan.

Spicy Ajiaco Soup

When we last checked out this dish, we said, “This soup is not for the faint of heart!” due to the spice level.

You want to talk about SPICE? This soup was super spicy but in the best way possible. You don’t often get a lot of spice from Disney food, so we were happy to taste a dish that wasn’t afraid to really pack a punch. The corn was surprisingly one of the best parts!

Drinks

The Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie is returning from 2024 with an updated name. This drink is available as a non-alcoholic drink for $4.99 or a snack credit on the Dining Plan. If you want to kick it up with some spiced rum, it’ll cost you $14.75. Last year, the non-boozy version was more of a slush than a smoothie, and we found it to be super sweet. This year, we loved it. We didn’t have huge expectations, but it delivered. The flavor is heavy on the coconut, with the other fruits balancing that out. It’s easy to sip on, and it’s nice to have a non-alcoholic option that feels more adult. It’s really got those great pina colada flavors.

Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie

In addition to the fruity smoothies, you can also order the returning  Collective Arts Brewing Guava Dream Blonde Ale. A 6-oz pour is $6.00, and a 12-oz pour is priced at $9.75

OVERALL

So several of the food items here still have some spice to them, but we didn’t think the empanada was SUPER spicy, so if you want something with a bit of a kick that won’t set your head on fire, it’s a great option with wonderful flavors. We also highly recommend the smoothie because it’s great even without the alcohol and feels like a nice mocktail option that isn’t just a flavored lemonade.

Full Spread

That’s it for this booth, but there’s a LOT more where that came from!

Click here to see FULL reviews of EVERY. SINGLE. BOOTH. at the Festival of the Arts!

Trying to plan the PERFECT trip to the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts? We’ll be keeping you updated on all of the latest. Click our links below for the information you need to know:

And don’t forget to pick up our 2026 Festival of the Arts Guide e-book! See more details about the book below.

MAKE THE MOST
OF YOUR FESTIVAL DAYS


DFB’s guide to the Festival of the Arts details everything you need to know to maximize your time, budget, and stomach space! Know what’s worth it and what to skip with our full-photo menus of each booth, complete with DFB’s Best of the Fest.

It includes all the must-have information for navigating this colorful festival at Disney World, including:

  • 🍭 Booth & food photos, maps, and crawls with DFB’s exclusive recommendations!
  • 🖌 The COMPLETE schedule of events (so you don’t have to go hunting for all the dates!)
  • 🎨 All the details on special events, artist meet-n-greets, festival-exclusive merchandise, and more!

What items from this booth would you most want to try? Tell us in the comments!

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