These Snacks Are Somebody’s Favorites at 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition, We Guess?

Technically talking, one of the best sales space on the 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Competition must be the one which roughly proclaims as a lot in its title, proper? Walt Disney World would by no means misinform us. In spite of everything, CommuniCore Corridor actually is “restricted solely by the boundaries of creativeness,” right?

Clearly, I’m kidding. Our overview of World Celebration was removed from glowing. Ditto our big-picture overview of the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition (the half specializing in the occasion as an entire, not the person World Marketplaces). However on this case, sarcasm apart, I feel Disney would possibly truly be right.

The dishes, desserts and drinks on the ‘Competition Favorites’ sales space truly are among the many most beloved gadgets from Meals & Wines of years previous. This Walt Disney World eating overview will resolve that, whereas additionally sharing menu costs, meals images, and our ideas on what’s value your cash or Disney Eating Plan snack credit at Competition Favorites, one of many two new ‘cubicles’ in CommuniCore Corridor.

Competition Favorites isn’t model new neither is it a sales space, per se. As a substitute, it’s a everlasting new quick-service meals and beverage window on the skin of CommuniCore Corridor, proper subsequent to the CommuniCore Plaza Stage. Competition Favorites opened earlier this summer time, debuting throughout Food plan EPCOT with menu impressed by Encanto together with dishes from Flower & Backyard.

As astute readers will most likely already understand given the title, Competition Favorites serves up fan-favorite menu gadgets from EPCOT Festivals through the years. So principally, it’s sales space a brand new sales space and a returning one, within the sense that nothing right here is new–it’s solely dishes which have migrated over from different World Marketplaces, all of that are ‘extinct’ for the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition.

From a sensible perspective, I’d add that Competition Favorites truly serves two functions. First, it allowed Walt Disney World to retire a few World Marketplaces. The explanations for this are unclear, as I don’t suppose they had been essentially underperformers. It might be a easy matter of wanting a higher distribution of cubicles within the former Future World and one thing needing to go. 

Second and equally, it permits CommuniCore Corridor–as an entire–to turn out to be a de facto secondary counter service restaurant servicing the entrance of the park. Connections Cafe & Eatery is actually busy–even throughout pageant season–and this turns into overflow for that. Truthfully, that is considerably unhappy from my perspective, as I like Sunshine Seasons and would like to see that make extra of a comeback. However that’s one other matter for one more day.

In any case, I strongly suspect that the 2 cubicles inside and outdoors CommuniCore Corridor had been purposefully picked to be crowdpleasers in order that they might, collectively, function a makeshift counter service restaurant. And if present crowds are any indication, they’re fulfilling this position admirably. However I digress.

Right here’s the menu for the Competition Favorites sales space on the 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Competition:

Listed below are our meals evaluations from the Competition Favorites World Market quick-service window:

Kielbasa and Potato Pierogi with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Cream ($6) – This dish was beforehand obtainable on the Poland World Market, which isn’t showing on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition. Truly, it’s been a very long time because the Poland sales space final appeared–a couple of decade if reminiscence serves me appropriately.

Truthfully, I don’t bear in mind the Pierogis in any respect. Digging into the DTB Archives, I discovered this as our final ‘overview’ of them: “After poor experiences with this dish up to now, the consensus amongst our group was that it was not value even bothering with this. Perhaps you’ll get fortunate and this received’t be minuscule and frozen-food high quality, although?”

Uh, okay. Not precisely an actual overview. That was again within the day earlier than we ate every part (besides the Italy sales space), although. In any case, the Kielbasa and Potato Pierogis had been fairly good! The sausage was wonderful, and the pierogis had been fairly good–thick wrappers that had been good and chewy. The caramelized onion and bitter cream introduced all of it house, making for a wealthy and creamy indulgence with the proper medley of flavors and textures.

Truthfully, the Kielbasa and Potato Pierogis wouldn’t make my private record of ‘Competition Favorites,’ however I can definitely see why others love them. They’re a pleasant consolation meals that’s satisfying and engaging. I additionally recognize Disney bringing again one thing after such an extended absence. It provides me hope. This can be a fairly good choice if paying out of pocket, however not a lot on the Disney Eating Plan.

BBQ Pork Rinds with Pimento Cheese ($5) – This dish was beforehand discovered on the Swanky Saucy Swine World Market, which additionally isn’t showing at this yr’s occasion. In case you stated “what?” to that sales space title, you’re most likely not alone. Swanky Saucy Swine was solely round two years–they usually had been throughout the phased reopening when lots of people weren’t doing Disney.

We had been, and the Swanky Saucy Swine was considered one of my favourite cubicles these years. I described it as Flavors from Fireplace meets Trowel & Trellis, which is pretty excessive reward. With that stated, the BBQ Pork Rinds with Pimento Cheese had been good, however not the spotlight of that menu.

The pimento cheese dip is completely unbelievable. Wealthy, creamy, and with a taste that’s concurrently semi-sweet, savory, and a bit spicy. The pork rinds had been a blended bag, fairly actually. Some had been unbelievable–gentle, ethereal, and letting the cheese dip shine. Others had been overcooked and/or stale. Nonetheless, the BBQ Pork Rinds with Pimento Cheese are ‘adequate’ to suggest, particularly contemplating the portion dimension vs. worth. Simply pay out of pocket fairly than utilizing Disney Eating Plan credit.

Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue ($4.75) – If the DTB Archives are correct, that is not a former Meals & Wine Competition dish. Moderately, it’s from EPCOT Flower & Backyard Competition. Whether it is from Meals & Wine, it’s a really deep lower that predates us doing the occasion yearly in 2011. (It strikes me as extra of a spring dessert, although.)

This dessert is healthier than you’d anticipate from considered one of Disney’s template tarts. The important thing lime taste is surprisingly wealthy, with the toasted meringue having a much better consistency and high quality than anticipated. The crust is lackluster and low high quality, however that’s actually our solely quibble. This can be a adequate dessert that ought to fulfill a key lime craving.

With that stated, it’s solely a mid-tier dessert on the 2024 EPCOT Flower & Backyard Competition, so we are able to’t strongly suggest it. Frankly, I even have a tough time believing anybody was clamoring for this to make a comeback. Perhaps Disney management, as a result of it’s high-margin?

Frozen S’mores ($4.75) – This can be a Chocolate Milk Shake with marshmallow syrup topped with mini marshmallows and a graham cracker. If the DTB Archives are correct (at all times a giant if), it hasn’t been seen because the Desserts & Champagne sales space on the 2020 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition. Related shakes have appeared at different, newer occasions.

All of us have our responsible pleasures, and that is mine. Look, there’s nothing particular concerning the Frozen S’mores Shake. It’s precisely what you’d anticipate. However for no matter purpose, I discovered it actually satisfying (that “purpose” most likely being triple-digit appears like temperatures). It additionally labored effectively for me in approximating s’mores, proper right down to an ever-so-slight trace of campfire taste (that I presumably imagined since there’s nothing to recommend it truly had this).

In any case, I can’t supply any goal purpose for loving the Frozen S’mores Shake, however I do–and I did up to now, even when ordering it across the cooler holidays. Do with this data what you’ll. (Both manner, don’t use a DDP credit score on it.)

Irish Milk Shake ($12.50) –  The fan-favorite Irish Milk Shake consists of Guinness Stout, Baileys Authentic Irish Cream Liqueur, and Vanilla Ice Cream. It was beforehand discovered, as you may most likely guess, on the Eire sales space. (Be aware that the beloved Chocolate Pudding Cake has been migrated over to America’s Salute to Sizzling Canine.)

This web site would go bankrupt if we reviewed booze (see that worth!) and I’d seemingly die of alcohol poisoning (or maybe extra seemingly, diabetes). Regardless, I had this picture from a number of years again and figured I’d embody it. Additionally, it’s value acknowledging that that is most undoubtedly a fan-favorite drink. Individuals completely adore it.

In the end, there’s nothing at this sales space that we’d think about our favorites of the pageant. In actual fact, if all of these things had been misplaced to the sands of time, I most likely wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Don’t get me flawed, the stuff right here is generally effective…however ‘effective’ is a far cry from ‘favorites.’

None of those dishes are in my private prime 10 from the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition neither is the sales space as an entire (not precisely excessive reward). Nonetheless, I can acknowledge that different Walt Disney World diehards have totally different tastes than me, and I also can recognize what Disney is making an attempt to perform with this sales space. Even because the world’s largest CommuniCore Corridor hater, I’ll readily admit that I like this idea and am glad it exists. Largely as a result of it leaves the door open for a few of my private, long-forgotten favorites to make a comeback. Disney, should you’re listening, I’ll by no means say one other adverse phrase about CommuniCore if my beloved Pumpkin Mousse is introduced again!

Take a look at our World Market Sales space Menus & Images for the EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition Sales space Menus submit if you wish to see and browse extra about each menu this yr! You’ll additionally need to learn our full 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Competition Information earlier than you go to get an concept of what to do, technique for the pageant (sure, you will want a method), and way more!

Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Inns Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part it’s good to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you consider the Competition Favorites sales space? Have you ever tried any of the dishes, drinks or desserts right here? Any ideas on these things? Portion-size or quality-wise, did you’ve gotten higher or worse luck than us with what you ordered? Questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!