Opening Bites

Location: CommuniCore Plaza

• Soft Shell Crab Slider: Green papaya slaw and mango ketchup on a sweet roll – $7.49
• Enchanted Rose: Dark chocolate mousse rose – $6.49
• Crooked Can Brewing Company Fantasia Fusion IPA – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• von Trapp Brewing Bohemian Pilsner – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕Southern Tier Brewing Co. Caramel Cookie Bar Imperial Stout – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• Beer Flight – $12.75
• Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Champagne – $12

Soft Shell Crab Slider – $7.49

Although we reviewed this item at last year’s festival, this year it is now served on a sweet roll instead of a brioche roll. The crab is decent with a little bit of spice. This is way better than last year with a tangy flavor from the slaw. The brioche roll is also an improvement. 

Rating out of 7: 6 

Enchanted Rose – $6.49

This year, the dessert has dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. However, we could not tell a difference. It has bitterness, but we definitely think it is milk chocolate. This dish is still not good. The presentation is great, though. 

Rating out of 7: 2 

Connections Eatery

• 🆕BBQ Chicken Pizza: Two slices of freshly baked pizza topped with smoked chicken, sweet barbecue sauce, cheese blend, peppers, and red onions – $12.29
• 🆕Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich: Spicy hand-breaded chicken, roasted garlic aïoli, and southern slaw on a toasted brioche bun – $13.19
• 🆕Classic Mojito with mint foam – $16.50

BBQ Chicken Pizza – $12.29

Our first thought was “that’s okay.” The slices are very thin, and the peppers are a nice touch. The cheese was decent. Overall, this is just an average slice of pizza that might be a good choice for pickier eaters. 

Rating out of 7: 4

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich – $13.19

This was hard t out into, but you may not need to share it with anyone else. There is actually some spice to this, the chicken is thick-cut, and the slaw is crunchy. Despite the nice spice and buttery bun, something felt off about the quality of the chicken patty. 

Rating out of 7: 2 

Classic Mojito – $16.50

This is very good. The mint foam adds some great flavor, and the drink itself is strong enough that you can taste the liquor. Even if you do not typically like mojitos, we think that you will enjoy this refreshing take on the drink. We would get this again. 

Rating out of 7: 7

The Deconstructed Dish

Location: Near Test Track

• 🆕Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Key lime curd, key lime gelée, toasted meringue, and graham cracker crumbs with waffle cone triangles – $5.29

Deconstructed Key Lime Pie – $5.29

This is very tasty. We prefer the old version, and there needs to be more waffle cone chips. However, the key lime tart flavor is still very good. It is a solid offering.

Rating out of 7: 5

Figment’s Inspiration Station at The Odyssey

Location: The Odyssey

• 🆕Popcorn, Popcorn Chicken and Waffles with rainbow popcorn, popcorn chicken, mini mozzarella, and maple syrup – $6.79
• 🆕Figment Fantasy Cake: Sponge cake filled with strawberry whipped cream topped with a white chocolate ganache, orange icing, and white chocolate Figment wings – $5.79
• 🆕Color Scheme Cake: Fruit-flavored rainbow-hued cake topped with SKITTLES POP’d Sour and Original Freeze Dried Candy – $5.29
• 🆕Figment Artist Bucket with Rainbow Popcorn (Available while supplies last via mobile order only, limit two per person, per transaction) – $29
• 🆕3 Daughters Brewing Orange Cream Hard Cider  – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕3 Daughters Brewing Strawberry Banana Hard Cider – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕Brouwerij Huyghe Floris Cactus Belgian Wheat Ale  – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕Playalinda Brewing Co. Port of Blue Stout – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕The Bruery Enticing Boysenberry Sour Blonde Ale – $6 for 6 oz., $9.75 for 12 oz.

Popcorn, Popcorn Chicken and Waffles – $6.79

The presentation is great on this, but it is hard to eat. We suggest grabbing a plate or opening it on some napkins to get everything in one bite. We only received one piece of mini mozzarella, but we actually enjoyed this. There aren’t a ton of stand-out flavors, but ultimately this is a crowd-pleasing unique offering that kids will love. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Figment Fantasy Cake – $5.79

This was fine. We wish it were slightly softer, but the orange icing was tasty. It is great for pictures, though!

Rating out of 7: 4

Color Scheme Cake – $5.29

We enjoyed this. The cake was not super flavorful, but it was soft and moist. Again, the orange icing is a great addition. If you get a little of it with each bite, it is a solid offering. The Skittles are also a nice addition. 

Rating out of 7: 5

El Artista Hambriento

Location: Mexico

• 🆕Chile Relleno Taco: Flour tortilla filled with seared beef tenderloin, poblano pepper, black beans, and salsa roja  – $8.75
• 🆕Tostada de Cangrejo: Crispy corn tortilla topped with guacamole, lump crab, mango, crispy onions, and hot sauce – $9.50
• 🆕Passion Fruit Paleta: Tropical passion fruit ice pop filled with sweetened condensed milk and topped with chili-lime seasoning – $6.50
• 🆕Matcharita: Contraluz Reposado Cristalino Tequila, matcha tea, strawberry liqueur, and sweet cream – $15.75
• 🆕Pear-fect Margarita: Calenda Mezcal Joven, prickly pear purée, passion fruit purée, and LeJay Crème de Cassis with a potpourri salt rim – $16.75

Chile Relleno Taco – $8.75

The pepper is the most flavorful part of this dish. Both the tortilla and beef are chewy (not in a good way). It was almost as if we could not decipher between the two. Overall, for Mexico booth dish, this was disappointing and not worth the cost. 

Rating out of 7: 2

Tostada de Cangrejo – $9.50

This was like night and day compared to the taco. All of the flavors work well together. The crab is delicious and not too fishy. The hot sauce also added a nice spice without being too hot. 

Rating out of 7: 6 

Passion Fruit Paleta – $6.50

This is at the wrong festival. It belongs at Flower and Garden or Food and Wine when the temperatures are warmer. It was shockingly cold, but the flavors were great. The passion fruit was not overly sweet or citrusy, offering a balanced flavor. It is also refreshing with a kick from the seasoning. 

Rating out of 7: 6

Matcharita – $15.75

This is so strange. It starts out as a milky match drink and transitions to a typical festival margarita. It isn’t necessarily bad, but it isn’t great. If you think it is interesting, we think you should give it a try. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Pear-fect Margarita – $16.75

Again, this is a drink that belongs at another festival. It is watery and medicinal with a potpourri taste from the pear. The mezcal offers a smoky taste that some might enjoy, but we would not get this again. 

Rating out of 7: 2

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

Location: Norway

• 🆕Hazelnut Praline Boller: Cardamom bun with hazelnut cream – $5.49

Hazelnut Praline Boller – $5.49

This reminded us of a bagel with loads of hazelnut cream. It was an interesting dish that is a nice addition to the festival. The cardamom and hazelnut combined offer a flavor profile that we were not used to but really enjoyed. 

Rating out of 7: 5

The Painted Panda

Location: China

• 🆕General Tso’s Chicken Shumai: Dumplings filled with chicken, asparagus, onion, and water chestnut topped with General Tso’s sauce – $10.75
• 🆕Char Siu Pork Bun: Sweet-and-savory Cantonese-style BBQ pork in a steamed bun – $8.75

General Tso’s Chicken Shumai – $10.75

The potato that was in previous versions of this dish has been replaced with asparagus. These have a nice crunch from the veggies with a little bit of sweetness and spice from the sauce. Depending on your typical taste, we think this is definitely worth the try. 

Rating out of 7: 6

Char Siu Pork Bun – $8.75

The pork is dry and tough. The sauce is also weird, similar to a bad sweet-n-sour sauce. This is definitely not the best offering at the booth. 

Rating out of 7: 2

L’Arte di Mangiare

Location: Italy

• 🆕Polenta Pasticciata: Polenta, bolognese, Parmesan, mozzarella, and tomato sauce – $9.50
• 🆕Raspberry Spuma: Vanilla sauce, mint whipped cream, and puffed rice – $5.50
• 🆕Italian-inspired Margarita with Tequila and Fabrizia Blood Orange Liqueur – $13
• 🆕Sicilian Sunrise: Canella Granriviera Mimosa and Luxardo Aperitivo – $16

Polenta Pasticciata – $9.50

This is incredibly hard and hard to cut. The texture is awful. The polenta has an odd film on it and feels similar to a block of cheese. The sauce is the only saving quality because it isn’t terrible. 

Rating out of 7: 1 

Raspberry Spuma – $5.50

This is fine. It is tart and the texture is correct. We didn’t hate this. 

Rating out of 7: 4

Italian-inspired Margarita – $13

This sort of just tastes like an icee. There wasn’t much of an alcohol taste, but the flavors were decent. 

Rating out of 7: 4

Sicilian Sunrise – $16

This is lightly carbonated and not bad. While not as good as the margarita, we thought this was okay. 

Rating out of 7: 3

The Artist’s Table

Location: The American Adventure

• 🆕Steakhouse Lobster Caesar Salad with romaine and red oak lettuces, warmwater lobster, radish, herbed breadcrumbs, and house-made Caesar dressing- $8.99
• 🆕Peppercorn-crusted Striploin with grilled asparagus, potatoes au gratin, and au poivre butter  – $9.29
• 🆕Dark Chocolate Torte: Flourless chocolate cake, whipped cream, and raspberries – $6.49
• 🆕Playalinda Brewing Co. Old Fashioned Playa Ale – $6 for 6 oz, $9.75 for 12 oz

Steakhouse Lobster Caesar Salad – $8.99

This was pretty good for a quick service lobster dish. While nothing astounding, this was a good value for the price and a nice offering for the festival. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Peppercorn-crusted Striploin – $9.29

The steak is perfectly prepared with the perfect amount of salt. The potatoes are also fresh with a lot of flavor. We would get this again.

Rating out of 7: 7

Dark Chocolate Torte – $6.49

The steak is perfectly prepared with the perfect amount of salt. The potatoes are also fresh with a lot of flavor. We would get this again. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Funnel Cake

Location: The American Adventure

• 🆕Wild Berry Funnel Cake: Funnel cake sandwich with vanilla ice cream and powdered sugar topped with brown sugar brandy-wild berry compote, whipped cream, and dark chocolate sauce $12.50

Wild Berry Funnel Cake – $12.50

This is excellent. The sweet berry mix is so pleasant and the funnel cake is cooked perfectly. We do wish there was a little more ice cream, but that does not take away from this dish deserving a 7/7. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Goshiki

Location: Japan

• 🆕Taiyaki: Crisp, flaky fish-shaped chocolate-flavored pastry filled with custard and served with whipped topping – $7.75
• 🆕Tokyo Kawaii Roll: Crispy shrimp tempura wrapped in multicolor sushi rice and topped with refreshing yellow yuzu sauce and tangy plum sauce – $9.75
• 🆕Wagyu Bun: Steamed bun filled with sweet-and-savory minced American wagyu beef – $10.75
• 🆕Grapey Apple Boba: Crafted black grape beverage with green apple popping boba (Non-alcoholic beverage) – $6.75
• 🆕Crooked Can Brewing Company Wasabi IPA – $5.75 for 6 oz, $9.75 for 12 oz.
• 🆕Sake Flight: Peach, mango, and strawberry-flavored Nigori sake – $19.75
• 🆕Yuzu-Pineapple Punch: Shochu-based cocktail with refreshing yuzu and pineapple flavors – $8.75

Taiyaki – $7.75

This is not traditional taiyaki. We did not expect much from this, but it is actually great. The flaky chocolate pastry is nice and the sweetness of the cream was good. The whipped cream also worked well with the rest of the dish. This might be the best festival offering in Japan. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Tokyo Kawaii Roll – $9.75

The presentation is cute, but the texture is very chewy. We were torn on this one. Some of us really enjoyed this and some thought it was terrible. There was not much flavor aside from the sauce. We will combine ratings of 1 and 5 to give it a 3. 

Rating out of 7: 3

Waygu Bun – $10.75

The bun for this year’s festival is now purple. Just like with previous versions, the bun is never bad. The beef is well seasoned and the bun is cooked well. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Grapey Apple Boba – $6.75

This tastes like a Hi-Chew, a Japanese chewing candy. It isn’t anything special, but kids may really like this. 

Rating out of 7: 3

Crooked Can Brewing Company Wasabi IPA – $5.75 for 6 oz, $9.75 for 12 oz.

This is good for an IPA, although it did not have much wasabi flavor. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Sake Flight – $19.75

These cannot be purchased separately. The flavors are mango, strawberry, and peach. The peach is bitter and tart with a bad aftertaste. The mango is better but not by much. The strawberry is the most drinkable but still not great. All three are oddly thick. 

Rating out of 7: 2

Yuzu-Pineapple Punch – $8.75

This is a little bitter, but it isn’t bad. It is basically juice with alcohol. 

Rating out of 7: 3

Vibrante & Vívido: Encanto Cocina

Location: Between Morocco and France

• Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie: Wild berry, piña colada, and strawberry (Non-alcoholic beverage) – $4.99

Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie – $4.99

This gets bonus points for being served in a souvenir plastic cup. For the price, it makes it a great value and allows those who don’t drink to get a nice drink souvenir. The piña colada flavors are. a little more subtle than we’d prefer, but the various berries come through nicely. It’s a slushy so it’s cold and refreshing.

Rating out of 7: 6

Layered Berry-Piña Colada Smoothie with Rum – $14.75

This is the exact same drink but with rum. However, we could not taste the rum. Maybe they forgot to actually put the rum in it, though it does taste watered down in comparison to the non-alcoholic version. When spending an extra $10 to add a splash of rum, we’d like to be able to taste it.

Rating out of 7: 1

L’Art de la Cuisine Française

Location: France

• 🆕Gâteau de Crabe, Bisque de Homard, Crème Citron et Aneth: Crab cake, lobster bisque, and lemon-dill sour cream – $11.95
• 🆕Éclair au Chocolat et à l’Orange, Crème à l’Orange, Ganache au Chocolat, Croustillant de Noisettes et Oranges Confites: Chocolate-orange éclair, orange cream, chocolate ganache, crispy hazelnut, and candied oranges – $8.95
• 🆕Chardonnay, Laroque, Cite de Carcassonne – $6.95

Gâteau de Crabe, Bisque de Homard, Crème Citron et Aneth – $11.95

This is fantastic. The lemon-dill sour cream is perfect on the back end. The crab cake and lobster bisque are also delicious, offering a hearty dish for the festival. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Éclair au Chocolat et à l’Orange, Crème à l’Orange, Ganache au Chocolat, Croustillant de Noisettes et Oranges Confites – $8.95

This sounds and looks good. The orange is nice, and the pastry is very flaky. The flavors are all very good, but they disappear as you chew. The chocolate crunch is also nice.

Rating out of 7: 6

Gourmet Landscapes

Location: Canada

• 🆕Frozen Scotch Cocktail: Scotch and Twinings Chai Tea garnished with a chocolate nail – $15.50

Frozen Scotch Cocktail – $15.50

This year, the Scotch Cocktail is now made with a chai tea, instead of an herbal tea. We think this is better and really enjoyed it. Be sure to drink it frozen. Once melted, it is not as good.

Rating out of 7: 7

Fictional Victuals

Location: Near Disney Traders

• 🆕Chapter 1: Beach Oysters: Grilled oysters, mustard seed-peppercorn sabayon, and creamed spinach – $7.99
• 🆕Chapter 2: Plate of Impossible Bites: Roasted turkey breast, onion and bacon custard tart, cherry gel, brown butter toast milk foam, and pineapple-toffee butter – $7.49
• 🆕Chapter 3: Tea Treat: Twinings Earl Grey Tea Treat Chocolate Pot de Crème, lemon madeleine, rose and raspberry jam, and a tea biscuit crumble – $5.99
• 🆕Upside Down Shake: Yellow cake soft-serve featuring Twinings English Breakfast Tea (Non-alcoholic beverage) – $5.29
• 🆕Central 28 Beer Company Rose Garden Red Ale – $6 for 6 oz, $9.75 for 12 oz
• 🆕Upside Down Shake: Yellow cake soft-serve with Twinings English Breakfast Tea and whipped cream vodka – $12.50

Chapter 1: Beach Oysters – $7.99

These are not bad. There is a ton of spinach and not much flavor from the oyster. 

Rating out of 7: 5

Chapter 2: Plate of Impossible Bites – $7.49

These are not plant based as the name might imply. This is an interesting concept. The turkey is excellent with lots of flavor and moisture. The seasonings, gels, and foams all work well together to create a unique dish that we enjoy. It is also a very large portion. 

Rating out of 7: 6 

Chapter 3: Tea Treat – $5.99

This was also very good, although the Madeleine tastes store-bought. The mouse tastes exactly like Earl Grey tea with a hint of chocolate. We only wish there were a little more. 

Rating out of 7: 6

Upside Down Shake – $5.29

This shake is crazy. The soft-serve tastes just like cake, and the presentation is great. We loved this. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Upside Down Shake with Vodka – $12.50

This is the same shake but with vodka. We prefer the non-alcoholic, but this is still delicious. The vodka is just not necessary. 

Rating out of 7: 6

Deco Delights

Location: Near Port of Entry

• 🆕Sparkling Spectacle Gâteau: Vanilla bean mousse with a golden caramel center and apricot jam on a hazelnut cookie – $5.99
• 🆕Crooked Can Brewing Company Buttercream Fresco – $12.50

Sparkling Spectacle Gâteau – $5.99

This has a horrible texture and tasted a bit like paper. We had to dig for the apricot, but it was still bad even with the fruit flavor. 

Rating out of 7: 1

Pop Eats

Location: Walkway between World Showcase and Imagination! Pavilion

• 🆕Croque Monsieur-inspired Grilled Cheese with Black Forest ham, Gruyère, and béchamel sauce served with tomato soup – $6.79
• 🆕Gulf Stream Brewing Company Pixel Perfect Pilsner $6 for 6 oz, $9.75 for 12 oz

Grilled Cheese – $5.99

While not technically new, this year the tomato soup is served in a Figment tin, instead of the Pop Eats tin. This was basically a homemade grilled cheese, made with white and yellow cheddar cheese on white bread. It comes with tomato soup, which isn’t too tomato-y or watery. It’s more like a bisque, with a thick layer of cream on top to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes.

This is another offering that is fine. The ham is a nice addition, but we prefer the plain grilled cheese. 

Rating out of 7: 4

Swirled Showcase

Location: Walkway between World Showcase and Imagination! Pavilion

• 🆕Pink Vanilla Soft-serve in a Cone – $6.29
• 🆕Liquid Nitrogen Minnie Cake Pop with cotton candy sponge cake, white chocolate ganache, and colorful chocolate splats – $4.79

Pink Vanilla Soft-serve in a Cone (or Cup) – $6.29

This is the same ice cream from the Imagination Cone. It just tastes like standard vanilla incense cream. 

Rating out of 7: 3

Liquid Nitrogen Minnie Cake Pop – $4.79

Although we have seen this cake pop at previous festivals, the berry sponge cake has now been replaced with cotton candy cake. It is really good. We think there are two separate flavors of cotton candy in the mix. The pink is standard cotton candy, and the green reminds us of green apple. There are also pop rocks inside. 

Rating out of 7:5

Sunshine Seasons

• 🆕The Architecture of Drip: Blueberry-flavored gelato topped with scoops of banana and berry whipped cream, a waffle cone, and sprinkles – $10.99

The Architecture of Drip – $10.99

This is one of the best things we have ever had at a festival. The Land milkshakes have been hits the last three festivals, but this might be the best. The blueberry-flavored gelato is excellent and does not taste artificial at all. The banana and berry whipped cream is also delicious and fresh. 

Rating out of 7: 7

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company

Locations: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company throughout the park

• 🆕Pop Art Latte: Espresso with choice of milk and vanilla syrup topped with lavender whipped cream and SKITTLES POP’d Original Freeze Dried Candy (Non-alcoholic beverage) (Spirited version available with Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur) – $7.19

Pop Art Latte – $7.19

This can be purchased without alcohol. It tastes exactly like you’d expect. The lavender is nice and the coffee is strong. 

Rating out of 7: 5