Because the daybreak of recorded historical past, the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant has been the best choice for redeeming Eating Plan snack credit at Walt Disney World. Effectively, perhaps not that far again…however at the least for the final 18 years, once we first began utilizing the DDP.
So let’s journey again in time collectively. I’ll present you ways our ancestors navigated the Walt Disney World we all know immediately, after which it is going to be your flip to eat around the globe of discovery.
Right here on this hostile world (Orlando in late summer time) is the place our story begins. We’re not-so-alone, struggling to outlive till we study to speak with each other redeem snack credit on the Disney Eating Plan. Now we will hunt as a staff and survive take pleasure in scrumptious dishes and maximize our value-for-money on the Disney Eating Plan collectively.
The wheels are falling off this Spaceship Earth parody (one thing which may quickly be mentioned for the experience autos themselves if a refurbishment doesn’t occur quickly!), so let’s minimize to the chase. For so long as I can keep in mind, which isn’t fairly for the reason that daybreak of recorded historical past, there was expensive lobster on the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant. These dishes had been at all times among the many greatest makes use of of Disney Eating Plan snack credit.
I keep in mind one yr when Sarah and I virtually lived on the Hops & Barley sales space, having a half-dozen orders of Linda Bean’s Good Maine Lobster Roll and the Griddled Lobster Tail (together with the enduring Pumpkin Mousse–however we at all times paid out of pocket for that). If I recall accurately, that Lobster Roll was the primary dish ever at Meals & Wine to interrupt the $10 barrier.
Then got here the phased reopening and a few wonderful additions, such because the Lobster Touchdown sales space a number of years again. We didn’t take pleasure in that Lobster Tail fairly as typically, what with its $14 price ticket and all. However the Lobster Chowder and Lobster Dip (particularly the latter) had been implausible and extra budget-friendly.
Nonetheless, the Lobster Touchdown sales space was one and carried out, and hasn’t been seen for the final two years. One principle for that is that lobster costs have skyrocketed since. If a Lobster Tail was $14 in 2021, it stands to cause that it could be almost $20 on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant given actual world and Walt Disney World inflation since.
The opposite is Disney’s company partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, which now charges American Lobster with its “Keep away from” standing, advising that you simply “take a cross on this red-rated seafood for now as a result of it poses a excessive danger to the setting.” (Learn in regards to the rationale for this ranking right here should you so need.)
Regardless of the cause, and my guess is that it’s a little bit of each, with the ranking serving as a handy excuse within the face of upper prices, the very fact is that we’ve seen lobster disappear from lots of menus round Walt Disney World within the final couple of years (RIP Lobster Thermidor Burger). This additionally explains why Lobster Touchdown vanished so rapidly and different cubicles haven’t carried out lobster.
Effectively, it seems our lengthy nationwide lobster nightmare is over, because the seafood is again on the Coastal Eats sales space throughout the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant. Right here’s a take a look at the menu:
- Roasted Heat Water Lobster Tail with garlic butter
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with cocktail sauce
- Wildly Brut Cuvée
- Boyd & Blair Pomegranate Codder
- CORKCICLE Stemless Flute
Now for our critiques of the meals gadgets on the Coastal Eats International Market throughout the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant…
Roasted Heat Water Lobster Tail ($13) – Irrespective of what number of EPCOT festivals I do, the sticker shock by no means absolutely wears off. Within the case of this lobster tail, it most likely ought to. That is $1 much less costly than the final time lobster tail was served in 2021, and if the DTB Archives are any indication, that is really a bigger portion.
After all, portion sizes on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant will be luck of the draw. Whereas I used to be ready on the window, I noticed a pair lobster tails in entrance of mine that had been smaller, so it seems that I gained the “Lobster Lottery.” Typically talking, seafood can also be luck of the draw at EPCOT festivals. As you may most likely think about, ‘quick meals’ seafood is a bet–and it relies upon upon whether or not you get one thing freshly-prepared or one which’s been slow-cooking beneath a warmth lamp.
My lobster tail was good in each conceivable method. There was a beneficiant quantity of meat, which was flavorful and tender. The butter and lemon introduced out the pure taste of the seafood much more, enhancing what was already there somewhat than masking subpar seafood or making rubbery meat manageable.
With that mentioned, that is heat water lobster—thus explaining each the bigger portion and decrease pricing. Mainelanders, Maineganders, or the less-cool however technically-correct Mainers would possibly scoff at something however chilly water lobster, however I’ve zero complaints in regards to the taste or high quality right here…and respect that it wasn’t $20.
This lobster tail was implausible–one of many highlights of the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant for me. It’s an absolute no-brainer use of a Disney Eating Plan snack credit score. Actually, I’m tempted to order this once more even paying out of pocket, as $13 appeared completely honest for what I acquired. My solely hesitation being that final half (“what I acquired”) as that might not be what I get subsequent time. In that regard, it’s much like the Filet Mignon on the Canada International Market–value rolling the cube on the DDP, however riskier when paying out of pocket.
Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($13) – That is new to Coastal Eats, however the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail dish has been floating across the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant for some time. I’m really form of disillusioned to see it land right here, because it replaces two wonderful and extra ingenious entrees–together with the Oysters Rockefeller—that had been amongst my favorites.
As at all times, the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail is a strong possibility. The shrimp are sizable and engaging, with the correct amount of chill (which means they’re neither nonetheless frozen within the heart nor room temperature), which makes for a refreshing dish on sizzling days. My downside with that is that the cocktail sauce may be very delicate, which makes the entire thing forgettable. (After residing in Indianapolis for some time, I can’t do any shrimp cocktail that isn’t within the model of St. Elmo Steakhouse.)
Once more, that is an objectively implausible use of a Disney Eating Plan snack credit score. When you have extras to burn and are a fan of shrimp cocktails, by all means, go for it. That is completely positive–and has each a better ground and decrease ceiling than the Lobster Tail. Nonetheless, we will’t actively advocate it to anybody paying out of pocket. ”High quality” isn’t ok for one thing you may simply replicate at dwelling for lots lower than $13.
Total, Coastal Eats is a superb sales space on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant for anybody with a surplus of Disney Eating Plan snack credit to make use of. You’ll get roughly double what’s in any other case thought of good value-for-money out of them, which is much better than some other International Market.
With that mentioned, our robust recommendation to anybody–and this contains these on the Disney Eating Plan–is sticking to the Lobster Tail. Get a number of if “crucial.” Despite the fact that it’s most likely the upper danger dish, it’s additionally the upper reward one. The Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail is okay, however there’s nothing that really makes it “value” $13. Against this, the Lobster Tail will be method higher than you’d count on from a theme park meals sales space, whereas additionally providing robust bang-for-buck (or credit score). It earns our excessive suggestion consequently.
Take a look at our EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant Sales space Menus submit if you wish to see and skim extra about each menu this yr. You’ll additionally wish to learn our full 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Pageant 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? Study resorts 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 kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Coastal Eats market? Have you ever tried the Lobster Tail or Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail? Did you will have as a lot success with the Lobster Tail, or was your danger not met with the identical reward? Questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!