The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is ON!

This annual Epcot Festival just kicked off today and runs through December 30, 2018. And in addition to over a dozen international food booths, guests will be entertained by Holiday Storytellers and the Candlelight Processional, which share cultural traditions for the holidays around the world.

Returning this year is Chip & Dale’s Christmas Tree Spree — a festive kid-friendly Scavenger Hunt similar to Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt from the Food and Wine Festival. Only for the holidays, we’re helping Chip & Dale collect ornaments to decorate their Christmas Tree.

And this year, the expanded Peace on Earth holiday version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth carries additional significance since this is the final holiday season for the IllumiNations nighttime spectacular before it is replaced with an all-new show in 2019.

But our favorite thing about the Festival? It’s the HOLIDAY FOOD BOOTHS! Holiday Kitchens offer enhanced food offerings around Epcot, serving cuisine from around the globe reflecting various cultures and holiday traditions.

CLICK HERE for pictures of EVERY FOOD ITEM AT THE BOOTHS,
PLUS prices and menus!

We’ve been eating our way around Epcot to determine the Best of the FEST! And now we’re sharing our favorite food and drinks with you… because we’ve tried them ALL, and we want you to know what you can’t miss at the Epcot Festival of the Holidays!

Bouchée à la Reine Traditionnelle: Turkey and Mushrooms in a Veloute Cream Sauce served in a Light Puff Pastry at Le Marche De Noel Holiday Kitchen

A traditional dish at the French Booth, the Turkey and Mushrooms in a Veloute Cream Sauce served in a Light Puff Pastry should be on your tasting list! The pastry was the best part of this (you can smell it as soon as you walk up to the France booth!), but the filling was savory and delicious as well.

An amazing addition to the Epcot festival!

Whatever dish you choose, be sure to include the Spiced Rum Punch Slush in your order.

Mixed with Spiced Rum, Rhum Clement V.S.O.P., Orange and Pineapple Juice with Cinnamon, this specialty cocktail is sweet and tart at the same time. The “spiced rum” isn’t the overwhelming flavor — this is more fruity than spicy.

New Year Celebration Soba at Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen

DFB’s 2018 pick at this Japanese holiday kitchen is the Buckwheat Soba Noodles in Hot Dashi Soup with Chicken and Spinach.

You’ll want to get the Cinnamon Apple Cider made with Plum Wine, Orange Juice with Lemonade and Apples at Shi Wasu as well. We were surprised how much we enjoyed this one.

Both are solid, seasonal choices!

Potato Dumpling with Mushroom Sauce at Bavaria Holiday Kitchen

The DFB team recommends the Potato Dumpling with Mushroom Sauce at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen.

Of course, the cheese fondue is a returning favorite!

Ready for a seasonal sweet?

Dig into the Black Forest Roulade with Cherry Whipped Cream!

Hand-carved Smoked Ham at American Holiday Table Holiday Kitchen

At the American Holiday Table, we found a sweet and savory Hand-carved Smoked Ham with Green Beans and Sweet Potato Casserole.

Another returning favorite recommendation from the American Pavilion — Slow-roasted Turkey!

Served with traditional sides of Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Cranberry Sauce, this dish delicious.

Warm up with American Heritage Milk Chocolate Gourmet Hot Cocoa.

Made with Wondermade Marshmallows, this cocoa is extra creamy and we could taste what sure seemed like real cocoa!

ALL three are great options for kids, too!

Potato Knish at L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen

Look for the Potato Knish with Herb Sour Cream at L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen.

With dough resembling a cross between a bagel and a pretzel, you’ll want to grab one of these!

Another delicious option — Pastrami on Rye with House-made Pickles and Deli Mustard! This one is only for you if you’re a big deli fan, though. If you didn’t like pastrami before this, the dish won’t make you a believer.

And we can’t leave this holiday stop without mentioning the Black and White Cookie. This one was thick and cakey, which had our DFB team arguing a bit! Some members thought that a black and white should be thinner and larger, while some remembered their black and white cookie experiences being similar to this cookie — a thicker version with a more cakey texture. Which side do you fall on?

The Black and White Cookie is part of the Holiday Cookie Stroll!

Croissant Doughnut with Eggnog Pastry Cream and Gingersnap Crumbs at Taste Track

Eggnog fans will enjoy the Croissant Doughnut with its sweet and spiced Eggnog Pastry Cream at Taste Track.

A super tasty twist on traditional seasonal flavors!

Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls at Shanghai Holiday Kitchen

Serving Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls, go ahead and line up at the Shanghai Holiday Kitchen. These are super savory and flavorful — just plain yummy, even if they are pretty standard Chinese take-out egg rolls.

The Mongolian Beef Bao Bun with a Fortune Cookie was also one of our favorites this year! The sauce is excellent.

The returning Celebration Barbecue Pork gets high marks again.

You’ll definitely feel fortunate while savoring the flavors at Shanghai!

Cavatappi ai Quattro Formaggi at Tuscany Holiday Kitchen

Baked Four-Cheese Pasta, Parmesan Crumble, and Truffle Essence? Oh, yes! Stop by Tuscany for this amazing dish.

Get this holiday goodness!

Seared Salmon at Yukon Holiday Kitchen

Yukon Holiday Kitchen

serves up Seared Salmon with Crown Maple Whisky Glaze, Parsnip Silk, Apple Chutney, and Hazelnut Croquant.

Enjoy a Canadian favorite!

Returning this year, we still recommend the Traditional French Canadian Tourtiere with Canadian Ketchup.

Wash it all down with the popular Frozen Coffee with Tap 357 Whisky!

Turkey Poutine at Refreshment Port

A full meal, the Turkey poutine at Refreshment Port is served with Sweet Potato Fries, Turkey Gravy, Cranberry Relish, and Crispy Onions.

This seasonal poutine was super flavorful.

Warm Caramel Stuffed Salted Pretzel at Refreshment Outpost

The Warm Caramel Stuffed Salted Pretzel with Soft-serve Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce is a DFB 2018 favorite found at Refreshment Outpost.

A sweet and salty treat!

FESTIVAL WINNERS

Enchilada de Pollo con Mole at Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen

Serving festive Mexican cuisine, Las Posadas is our FESTIVAL WINNER for the 2018 Holiday Kitchens at Epcot’s Festival of the Holidays. While all dishes were great, the Enchilada de Pollo con Mole and La Posada Margarita were the stand-outs!

The Chipotle Chicken in a Corn Tortilla is topped with Mole Negro and garnished with Shredded Oaxaca Cheese and Sesame Seeds. Very impressive!

Your festive sips should include the La Posada Margarita.

It’s mixed with Cazadores Blanco Tequila, Horchata-Cinnamon Liqueur, and Agua de Horchata topped with Cinnamon. Christmas in a cup.

Warm Beignets at Sapphire Holiday Kitchen

Our next winner of the 2018 Festival of the Holidays is Sapphire! While all the dishes here are worthy, one of our DFB team members found the “Sfenj” – Warm Beignets — to be the best thing she ate all day.

Cream, Cinnamon Sugar, Toasted Almonds, and Chocolate Sauce add to the sweetness of these beignets.

CLICK HERE for pictures of EVERY FOOD ITEM AT THE BOOTHS,
PLUS prices and menus!

Thanks for joining us for the Most Wonderful Time of the Year at Epcot! If you’re planning to visit Epcot during the Festival of the Holidays, be sure to visit our Epcot Festival of the Holidays page for all the information you need.

See the Epcot Festival of the Holidays in action in our DFB YouTube video!

What would you most like to try at the Epcot Festival of the Holidays? Please let us know with a comment!