Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival 2018

kicks off on August 30 and runs through November 12! That’s 75 days of demos, drinks, and delicious eats! And you know the DFB: we’re on pins and needles waiting for food booth info — and menus, menus, menus!

Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich

If you want to maximize your fun — and your funds — you’ll want to do some advance planning.

So while we really just want to focus on the food and daydream about Loaded Mac-n-Cheese, it’s time to start thinking about the budget. Here are some tips for making the most of your Food and Wine Festival moolah!

Loaded mac and cheese with Nueske’s pepper bacon

Check Out Epcot Food and Wine Festival Low-Cost Seminars and Demonstrations

The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is much more than tasty eats in little cardboard boats, and one way to enhance your experience at the festival without breaking the bank is to check out Low-Cost Seminars and Demonstrations.

We have especially enjoyed Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! Hands-On Workshops which guide guests through a recipe and impart tips and suggestions that you can use beyond the festival! Hopefully it’ll return in 2018!

My Place Setting at Mix It, Make It

There are also a few events that are included in the cost of Epcot admission — and we expect to see more of these in 2018! The Chocolate Experience, Back to Basics Seminars, Book Signings and Meet-and-Greets, and Bottle Signings have been included in the past.

The Chocolate Experience: From the Bean to the Bar

So when you’re taking a break from the food booths, fill your time with these budget-friendly experiences!

Review Epcot Food and Wine Menus Before You Go

One of the most exciting parts of Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival is reviewing all the menu options before you go — and this is a vital step to establishing your F&W budget! You’ll be able to see all the menus — and all the food pics! — right here on DFB! (We’ll update this as soon as info is released!)

Banana Almond Soft-serve Sundae with Fresh Berries and Crunchy Chocolate Oats

After taking a good, long look at the menus, determine your must-eats (and some wanna-eats!). Then, tally up those costs to figure out just how much of your overall food budget you’ll need to allocate to the Festival. This way you don’t have to miss any of the dishes you’re most interested in trying (like this spam hash from 2017 that was AH-MAZING)!

Teriyaki-Glazed Spam Hash

Stock Up on Gift Cards

If you’re like us and count Target as your second home, use your Target RedCard to score Disney Gift Cards for 5% off. Then, when you’re sipping on your wine flights, you can rest easy knowing you’ve saved money on every single thing you’ve tried.

Wine Flight

We love this tip because we can spend money over time before we even step foot in the World — and then, all we have to do is enjoy the Festival!

Get the DFB Guide to the 2018 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book

And if you really want to be prepared from every angle, you’ve got to pick up the DFB Guide to the 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival e-Book! This detailed take-along book is packed with tips and advice about food booths, planning, and making the most of your Festival visit!

What’s your favorite tip for enjoying Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival? Tell us in the comments!