Because the daybreak of recorded historical past, the EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition has been the most suitable choice for redeeming Eating Plan snack credit at Walt Disney World. Effectively, perhaps not that far again…however not less than for the final 18 years, after we first began utilizing the DDP.
So let’s journey again in time collectively. I’ll present you the way our ancestors navigated the Walt Disney World we all know immediately, after which it is going to be your flip to eat world wide of discovery.
Right here on this hostile world (Orlando in late summer season) is the place our story begins. We’re not-so-alone, struggling to outlive till we be taught to speak with each other redeem snack credit on the Disney Eating Plan. Now we will hunt as a group 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 that may quickly be stated for the trip autos themselves if a refurbishment doesn’t occur quickly!), so let’s lower to the chase. For so long as I can bear in mind, which isn’t fairly for the reason that daybreak of recorded historical past, there was dear lobster on the EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition. These dishes had been all the time among the many greatest makes use of of Disney Eating Plan snack credit.
I bear in mind one 12 months when Sarah and I virtually lived on the Hops & Barley sales space, having a half-dozen orders of Linda Bean’s Excellent Maine Lobster Roll and the Griddled Lobster Tail (together with the long-lasting Pumpkin Mousse–however we all the time 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 just a few years again. We didn’t take pleasure in that Lobster Tail fairly as usually, what with its $14 price ticket and all. However the Lobster Chowder and Lobster Dip (particularly the latter) had been incredible and extra budget-friendly.
Nonetheless, the Lobster Touchdown sales space was one and executed, and hasn’t been seen for the final two years. One idea for that is that lobster costs have skyrocketed since. If a Lobster Tail was $14 in 2021, it stands to motive that it might be almost $20 on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition 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 just “take a go on this red-rated seafood for now as a result of it poses a excessive threat to the setting.” (Learn in regards to the rationale for this score right here in the event you so want.)
Regardless of the motive, and my guess is that it’s a little bit of each, with the score serving as a handy excuse within the face of upper prices, the very fact is that we’ve seen lobster disappear from plenty 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 executed lobster.
Effectively, it seems our lengthy nationwide lobster nightmare is over, because the seafood is again on the Coastal Eats sales space through the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition. Right here’s a have 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 evaluations of the meals gadgets on the Coastal Eats International Market through the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition…
Roasted Heat Water Lobster Tail ($13) – Irrespective of what number of EPCOT festivals I do, the sticker shock by no means totally wears off. Within the case of this lobster tail, it in all probability 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.
In fact, portion sizes on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition 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 be luck of the draw at EPCOT festivals. As you possibly can in all probability think about, ‘quick meals’ seafood is a raffle–and it relies upon upon whether or not you get one thing freshly-prepared or one which’s been slow-cooking underneath a warmth lamp.
My lobster tail was good in each conceivable approach. 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 relatively than masking subpar seafood or making rubbery meat manageable.
With that stated, 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 incredible–one of many highlights of the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition for me. It’s an absolute no-brainer use of a Disney Eating Plan snack credit score. Truthfully, 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 will 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 Competition for some time. I’m really form of dissatisfied to see it land right here, because it replaces two glorious and extra creative entrees–together with the Oysters Rockefeller—that had been amongst my favorites.
As all the time, the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail is a strong choice. The shrimp are sizable and attractive, with the correct quantity of chill (that means they’re neither nonetheless frozen within the heart nor room temperature), which makes for a refreshing dish on scorching days. My downside with that is that the cocktail sauce may be very delicate, which makes the entire thing forgettable. (After dwelling in Indianapolis for some time, I can’t do any shrimp cocktail that isn’t within the type of St. Elmo Steakhouse.)
Once more, that is an objectively incredible use of a Disney Eating Plan snack credit score. In case you have extras to burn and are a fan of shrimp cocktails, by all means, go for it. That is completely high-quality–and has each a better flooring 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 can simply replicate at residence for lots lower than $13.
General, Coastal Eats is a superb sales space on the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition 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-about good value-for-money out of them, which is much better than some other International Market.
With that stated, our sturdy recommendation to anybody–and this contains these on the Disney Eating Plan–is sticking to the Lobster Tail. Get a number of if “vital.” Regardless that it’s in all probability the upper threat dish, it’s additionally the upper reward one. The Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail is ok, however there’s nothing that truly makes it “value” $13. In contrast, the Lobster Tail will be approach higher than you’d count on from a theme park meals sales space, whereas additionally providing sturdy bang-for-buck (or credit score). It earns our excessive suggestion in consequence.
Take a look at our EPCOT Meals & Wine Competition Sales space Menus publish if you wish to see and browse extra about each menu this 12 months. You’ll additionally wish 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 competition (sure, you will want a method), and rather more!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Coastal Eats market? Have you ever tried the Lobster Tail or Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail? Did you’ve got as a lot success with the Lobster Tail, or was your threat not met with the identical reward? Questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!