Epcot has always been my favorite Disney park. I especially love walking around the Epcot World Showcase, checking out the food, entertainment, and shops from the countries that are represented. Although I love visiting EPCOT any time of year, I especially enjoy visiting in the fall, during the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
The festival, which is included with your admission ticket to Epcot, is a perfect way to easily sample delicious foods from around the world. Thinking of attending the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival? Here’s what you need to know about your visit.
Note: I am a former member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel, and purchased my own ticket, hotel, and airfare for the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no cost to you.
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EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Dates
This year, the festival is taking place from July 27th through November 18th, 2023. For dates in the future, keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog which usually releases the dates well in advance. Each year, it seems that the festival starts earlier and earlier in the summer, but always ends before the holiday season.
The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is a popular time to visit the parks, especially for locals. Midweek seems to be best to avoid crowds, but it always seems to be busy, especially in the evenings. In my experience, Friday evenings are especially busy.
Our recent visit was on a Friday, and it was definitely less crowded earlier in the day. Once you are at the park, grab a complimentary festival passport, which includes a schedule of events as well as a listing of booths and food options.
It’s always a good idea to know which options are available before you start sampling because unfortunately, your eyes will be bigger than your stomach. The passport also indicates kid-friendly food options. Use it to make a plan so you don’t get halfway through the festival and realize you can’t eat anymore!
Epcot Food and Wine Festival Prices
Admission to the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is included with a park ticket to EPCOT, but you will need a park reservation. If you have the park hopper option on your ticket, you can visit a different park on the same day that you attend the festival. Just remember at the current time, park hopping starts at 2pm.
During the festival, everything else at EPCOT is open so you can experience the rides and attractions, as well as the Food and Wine Festival.
You do need to pay for the individual food and wine tastings. I find the easiest way to pay for my food is to purchase one of the Food & Wine gift cards if I don’t have a MagicBand to charge purchases to.
They sell special wristlet-style Food and Wine branded gift cards that are extremely convenient to use. While the gift cards do have a festival-specific design, they are general Disney gift cards that you can use throughout the theme parks.
There are other special events (see below) that you’ll need to pay separately for.
Epcot Food and Wine Food Tastings
The tastings, called the Global Marketplaces, are definitely the highlight of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Throughout the park, you’ll find various kiosks featuring different cuisines.
In the World Showcase, the kiosks are associated with various countries, many of which aren’t typically represented in the World Showcase. Each kiosk has just a small menu with a few items so you can definitely try several different foods, and can even share if visiting with others.
There are other food kiosks in EPCOT beyond the World Showcase. Keep in mind that due to ongoing construction, some of the paths around the front of the park aren’t available. Check the festival passport to find all of the specifics of the various booths.
There are very limited seating options available at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. So keep in mind that you may need to eat standing up. There are several high-top tables located throughout the festival, but most of these don’t have chairs.
The booths open at 11 am and stay open until the parks close. So, while you won’t be able to have breakfast there, you could have lunch, dinner, or a snack.
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival Special Events
When I visit the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, I limit myself to just the food tastings. But there are definitely lots of other great special events and packages that are offered as part of the food and wine festival. Packages include a tasting sampler and an Eat to the Beat Dinner Package.
You’ll want to make reservations for the dinner package in advance, as availability is limited. It offers guaranteed seating for the show and is a good option if there’s an artist performing that you absolutely want to see.
Food and Wine Concerts
In addition to the food, there’s also the Eat to the Beat concert series that is offered as part of the festival. Admission to the shows is free, but dinner packages are offered for better seating options. With the dinner package, you’ll have access to priority, guaranteed seating. You can see the full schedule of performers for the festival on this webpage – performers for the festival this year include Boyz II Men and Hanson.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
If you want to do a little scavenger hunt while you are at the festival, purchase a map and stickers from one of the festival shops. Then, you can use the map to find the hidden Remy figures in the theme park. Place the matching sticker on the map, and when you find all of them, you can bring the map in for a Food and Wine Festival prize.
Emile’s Fromage Montage
Love cheese? Purchase any 5 cheese dishes that are specifically listed in the festival passport, and get a sticker at each location. Once you’ve finished your ambitious tastings, you can show your passport at the Shimmering Sips marketplace. You’ll receive a special dessert as a reward.
Quick Tips for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World
- Make advance reservations if you’d like to do any of the special events including the Eat to the Beat dinner packages
- Skip lunch or dinner and eat food samples at the kiosks. But be prepared to eat standing up, because tables and seating are very limited throughout the festival
- Don’t forget to make your park reservation and have your park ticket. If you are park hopping from a different theme park, you can do that after 2 pm
- Look at the free festival passport and develop a game plan before buying anything so you can pace yourself
- Consider going to the festival midweek and early in the day to limit crowds
- In the past, you could use a Disney Dining Plan snack credit for most food tastings, but the Disney Dining Plan has been suspended in 2023.
Where to Stay for the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
The EPCOT area hotels, including the Beach and Yacht Club, as well as the Boardwalk Inn, are great options if you are planning to spend a lot of time at the festival. You can also check out this map below to find some lodging options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Much of the festival is included in your regular park ticket. You will have to purchase individual food and wine tastings, as well as special events.
The festival will run from July 27th through November 18th, 2023.
This concert series takes place on Fridays through Mondays throughout the festival. Local bands play on Tuesdays through Thursdays during the festival.
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