Theme parks love food festivals, which help drive attendance as well as food and beverage sales. Walt Disney World has pretty much filled Epcot's operating schedule with festivals, so now it's turning to Disney Springs for the next themed food event on its calendar.
Flavors of Florida starts tomorrow at Walt Disney World's shopping and dining district and runs through August 12. More than two dozen locations in Disney Springs are offering special Florida-themed items during the event. Taking a look at the menu highlights below, I would say to get ready for a lot of orange and Key lime-flavored selections.
Disney first went with a state-themed food festival at the Disneyland Resort for its Disney California Adventure food and wine event, which serves a variety of dishes inspired by the state of California, in contrast to Disney World's original Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, which serves tastes and drinks from around the world. So I suppose it was inevitable that Disney eventually would find a way to stage an entire event themed to Florida in Orlando.
Here are some of the items guests will find at Disney Springs' Flavors of Florida:
Amorette’s Patisserie: Florida Sunset Éclair
Chef’s Art Smith’s Homecomin’: Tender Fried Gator Bites and Floradora Cocktail (gin, raspberries, lime juice, simple syrup, and ginger beer)
City Works Eatery & Pour House: Grouper Tacos, Golden Honey Margarita
Coca-Cola Rooftop Beverage Bar: Coca-Cola Orange Cream Float
Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC: Orange Blossom Cupcake
Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew: Key Lime Pie Donut
Frontera Cocina: Shrimp Ajillo Tostada, Watermelon Pink Flamingo (watermelon and lime juice with tequila and orange liqueur with a chili powder rim)
Gideon’s Bakehouse: Chocolate Chip Key Lime Pie Cookie, Key Lime Pie Cake
Goofy’s Candy Co. & Disney’s Candy Cauldron: Key Lime and Strawberry Cupcakes, Marshmallow Pops, and Crisped Rice Treats
House of Blues Restaurant & Bar: Key Lime Pie, Green Gator (toasted coconut rum mixed with melon liqueur, simple syrup, and pineapple juice)
Jaleo by José Andrés: Pancetta de Valencia, Agua de Valencia (orange juice, gin, vodka, and Spanish cava)
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar: Florida Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Salsa
Marketplace Snacks: Dole Whip Watermelon
Morimoto Asia: Florida Frog Leg 'Lollipop' Tempura
Paddlefish: Florida Shrimp Feast
Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas: Florida Sunshine Orange Cake, Blood Orange Margarita
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant: Florida Key Lime Salmon
Splitsville’s Bamboo Bar: Golden Spider Roll (Tempura-fried softshell crab, cucumber, and avocado wrapped in soy paper and sushi rice topped with diced mango, honey wasabi, eel sauce, and micro greens), Hemingway Daiquiri (Dark rum, maraschino liqueur, fresh lime and grapefruit juices, and splash of grenadine)
STK Orlando: Ceviche with passion fruit, lime, and chilies; The Florida Sunset (rum, passion fruit syrup, strawberry purée, and orange and pineapple juices)
Terralina Crafted Italian: Creamsicle Panna Cotta, Summer Sangria (serves 4)
The Boathouse: Key West Peel and Eat Shrimp
The Ganachery: Key Lime Ganache Pop
The Polite Pig: Shrimp and Grits, Bees Knees (lemon juice, honey syrup, and gin with a splash of soda)
Vivoli il Gelato: Lemon Blueberry Cookie Sandwich, Key Lime Cheesecake Shake
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill: Local Tomato & Burrata Salad, Strawberry Basil Margarita
YeSake: Watermelon Boba Slushie
* * *
We wanted you to read this article before we make our newsletter pitch, unlike so many other websites. If you appreciate that - and our approach to covering theme park news - please sign up for our free, twice-a-week email newsletter. Thank you.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
I’d be lying to myself if I said that a Watermelon flavored Dole Whip didn’t have me drooling audibly like Homer Simpson as I type this…
The shrimp tacos with Watermelon Salsa at Jock Lindsey’s and the Tempura Frog Leg at Morimotos also would lighten my wallet for a taste test too