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Controversial Pickle Offering Returns to EPCOT

Three women seated around an outdoor table, toasting with drinks and smiling. They are wearing sunglasses and casual clothes, with a background featuring a sign and a clear, sunny sky. They appear to be enjoying a pleasant day out together. — Credit: Disney

Over the years, EPCOT has become the hot spot for festivals at Walt Disney World Resort. There is rarely a time when there is not a festival taking place. Beginning in January, four festivals occur over the course of the year: the International Festival of the Arts, the International Flower & Garden Festival, the International Food & Wine Festival, and the International Festival of the Holidays.

While all the festivals are incredible in their own right, there is one that has been taking place for the longest time and that guests tend to look forward to most: the International Food & Wine Festival.

festival of the arts at epcot — Credit: Disney Parks

Typically, the International Food & Wine Festival starts in July and runs through late November. However, this year, Disney decided to give guests a festival break, and the festival did not kick off until August 29.

Every year, Disney chefs introduce a ton of mouthwatering new options to the Food & Wine Festival, and this year is no exception. Guests can enjoy dishes like Truffle Mac & Cheese, Carolina Reaper Curry Chicken Wings, Crispy Duck Bao Buns, Mango Peach Bubble Tea, and more. A ton of beloved dishes are also making their return, including Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies, Roasted Lobster Tail, the French Fry Flight, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, and Chicken Tikka Masala.

Side-by-side images of a cheeseburger and a dish of loaded nachos. The cheeseburger has a sesame seed bun, lettuce, tomato, melted cheese, bacon, and an EPCOT Pickle Milkshake. The loaded nachos are topped with shredded meat, melted cheese, and diced onions, served on a blue plate. — Credit: Disney

One very controversial dish is also making its Food & Wine Festival return, and guests are doing a double take.

This year, the Brew-Wing Lab will return, offering guests a variety of specialty chicken wings and drink pairings. Guests can choose from Traditional Buffalo Wings, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sticky Wings, Garlic-Parmesan Wings, IMPOSSIBLE Buffalo Chicken wings that are plant-based, Fried Pickle Spears, and the new offering — Unnecessarily Spicy Yet Extremely Tasty Carolina Reaper Pepper Curry Wings with creamy cucumber raita.

The image shows two plates of chicken wings. The left plate contains traditional buffalo wings with a glossy, reddish-brown sauce. The right plate features chicken wings drizzled with creamy sauce and topped with chopped nuts and a red sauce, reminiscent of flavors you'd find in an EPCOT Pickle Milkshake. — Credit: Disney

However, it is not the chicken wings (even the peanut butter and jelly ones) that have guests hesitating. It is the return of the Pickle Milk Shake, which made its Food & Wine Festival debut in 2023.

The Pickle Milk Shake is made with vanilla ice cream, green food coloring, and dill pickle flavoring. A lot of people were surprised to see the Pickle Milk Shake back on the menu, since the overall opinion last year seemed to be that it was not very good. Tons of videos went viral of guests trying the Pickle Milk Shake, making a face, and then throwing it in the garbage.

The Pickle Milk Shake at the Brew-Wing Lab at the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival — Credit: Disney

Over the past few years, Disney has gotten really creative with its pickle game and expanded its offerings of the salty snack.

Blue Ribbon Corn Dog — located in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort — made quite the name for itself when it began offering the Pickle Corn Dog in 2021. A large dill pickle is hollowed out, stuffed with a hot dog, and then deep-fried, like a corn dog. The Pickle Corn Dog was so popular that Blue Ribbon Corn Dog expanded.

Blue Ribbon Corn Dog is now open at Disney’s BoardWalk at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Pickle Corn Dog — Credit: Blue Ribbon Corn Dog

Over the summer, during Pixar Fest, Disneyland’s Refreshment Corner also began offering a Sparkling Pickle Lemonade — made with Sprite, Minute Made Lemonade, and pickle juice. The drink was surprisingly light and refreshing and went over much better than the thick and heavy Pickle Milk Shake.

Halloween season recently kicked off at Disneyland Resort and guests wanting to enjoy the Sparkling Pickle Lemonade can head over to Carnation Café, where Disney has added a kick to the new drink. The Spiked Pickle Lemonade is now made with Tito’s Homemade Vodka, Minute Maid Lemonade, pickle juice, and sweet and sour topped with Sprite and a pickle spear.

Sparkling Pickle Lemonade Refreshment Corner Disneyland — Credit: Disney

If guests are interested in trying something truly unique — and controversial — the Pickle Milk Shake will be available throughout the International Food and Wine Festival, which runs through November 23.

Do you think Disney should get rid of the Pickle Milk Shake? Should Disney keep making pickle-flavored drinks? Let us know in the comments!