Adults Trying Sangria Class in Disney World for $240 — Worth It

I've held an annual pass at Disney World for the last seven years and visit several times a month with friends, family, and sometimes even solo.

No matter how often I visit the parks, I never feel like I'm experiencing the same thing repeatedly, probably because I'm constantly stumbling upon events and experiences I never knew existed. One such unique experience, Sangria University, takes place at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort.

Here's what the sangria-making course was like and why my party of four found the $240 price tag to be well worth it.

Sangria University is a $59 ticketed class at Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Coronado Springs led by a professional with vast knowledge of sangria, a wine-based mixed drink with Spanish roots.

During the 90-minute class, we get to learn the recipes for the four in-house varieties and make one ourselves.

Although the under-21 crowd and anyone who doesn't drink can attend Sangria University while accompanying someone of legal drinking age, they'll be charged the full price of the class and served a nonalcoholic beverage flight that substitutes the wine.

Since the course is only offered on select Saturday and Sunday afternoons, space is limited, so the experience is preferably kid-free.

We booked a room for that night at Coronado Springs, so our teenagers spent the afternoon by the pool while we did the course.

We snacked on chips, salsa, and guacamole and relaxed outdoors while we carefully considered which sangria we wanted to craft.

After a history lesson about the origin of sangria, we were treated to a tasting of all four sangrias served at the waterfront restaurant: sparkling, rosé, red, and white.

As part of the class, guests can also make their own variety of sangria, choosing details like which wine to use, which fruit to include, and which type of alcohol to add to the mix.

Tinto (red) sangria is made with Spanish red wine, orange liqueur, orange juice, and simple syrup. The blanco (white) variety contains Spanish white wine, elderflower and liqueurs, lemon juice, and passion-fruit puree. And the rosado (rosé) contains Spanish rosé wine, strawberry gin, apricot liqueur, raspberry puree, and apple juice.

The restaurant also serves a sparkling variety made with Spanish sparkling wine, peach liqueur, and fresh lemonade.

After selecting the type of wine we wanted for our base, we got to experiment with adding different fresh fruits, fruit purees, and spirits.

I attempted to make a red sangria with orange peel, blackberry puree, and bourbon.

It was delicious, but the real stars of the class were the four expertly crafted varieties from Three Bridges we sipped on during the course.

After the class, we also received recipe cards revealing how to make the restaurant's cocktails at home. I've duplicated them in my own kitchen with great success and each time it transports me back to my afternoon at Coronado Springs.

A fun perk of Sangria University, other than sipping lots of delicious sangria in a beautiful location, was the diploma we got at the end of the course.

The paper, emblazoned with each of our names, proclaimed us "sangria sommeliers" and confirmed that we mastered the art of making a good glass of sangria.

There's also a sweet photo opportunity once the class ends.

Our teacher snapped a picture of us against the beautiful backdrop of Coronado Springs while we held a wooden photo frame.

The restaurant sits amid beautiful scenery, so the photo immediately became a beloved keepsake of our afternoon with friends.

Though we went into the class with a basic understanding of how to make sangria at home, we left with much greater knowledge about the drink.

Until Sangria University, I'd never considered how adding different types of spirits or fruits could drastically change the flavor profile of my at-home cocktails.

The strawberry gin in the rosé sangria was a favorite add-in of mine. I definitely wouldn't have thought to put gin in sangria before, but the course expanded my horizons and taught me some new tricks behind the bar.

At $59 a person, Sangria University wasn't the most expensive experience I've had at Disney World. The course seemed like an incredible value for what we received, especially considering a flight of all four sangrias at Three Bridges costs $22 on its own.

We were treated to a unique experience where we learned a great deal, snacked through the afternoon, tasted delicious sangria, and made our own blend of the wine-based drink.

I'd attend Sangria University again and can see it being a great afternoon activity with a partner, a group of friends, or even alone while the rest of your family burns off energy at the resort pool.

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