Dining news for park foodies
Amy Drew: Guests can now book Disney reopening reservations.
The big news this week for theme park foodies is that as part of Disney’s phased reopening, guests can now book additional dining reservations via the website.
Select table-service hotel restaurants, in-park options and specialty experiences (like dining inside the Beast’s castle at Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom) are included in the mix.
For in-park dining, guests are required to have valid park admission and a reservation for entry through the new Disney Park Pass system, as well as a dining reservation for in-park, table-service
restaurants for the same park on the same date. Dining reservations will not guarantee park admission.
At hotels, day guests will need a confirmed dining reservation; reservations for hotel guests are also highly recommended.
Select Disney Springs restaurants are also accepting reservations. Visit the Disney Springs website for schedules and availability.
“But what about Food &
Wine!?” you may be asking. Disney was mum on the 2020 International Food & Wine Festival this week, save the news on its official Disney Parks Blog — but here’s what we know so far:
For now, it’s “A Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.” Makes sense. As Disney continues to navigate concerns about COVID-19 and adherence to best practices recommended or mandated by health and government officials, a responsible operation is front-ofmind alongside the health and safety of guests and cast members.
That said, beginning July 15, guests will find more than 20 global marketplaces — familiar kiosks from Hawaii to Hops &
Barley — to navigate. And they’ll be spaced around the park, along with some color from this year’s mostly missed International Flower & Garden Festival.
The brand-new Remy topiary will be on display in the France Pavilion, along with merch from the floral fest — and Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt for fans of the rodent gourmand’s extracurricular activity. Early visitors in search of swag for Food & Wine will be gratified, but they’ll have to wait a little longer; merch for this festival will be released a little later on into the celebration.
Alas, “Eat to the Beat” concert fans will be without this part of the festival in 2020, as reported last month, but Disney’s own musical offerings — Mariachi Cobre, the JAMMitors and more — will be doing regular performances at the America Gardens Theater.
As of now, no end-date has been set, but more information is expected to drop soon.
Over at SeaWorld, the annual Craft Beer Festival is still on the calendar, set to open on select weekends beginning Aug. 14 and to feature more than 100 craft brews — domestic, international and even Florida-local. Food is on deck, as well. Details are scarce, though the website promises more soon.
Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com.