Have you packed your stretchy pants? Yes? GOOD! Then get ready because EPCOT’s 2022 International Food & Wine Festival is officially HERE!

From new and returning food booths to the returning Eat to the Beat Concert series, there is a whole bunch to explore at this year’s Festival, and we’re taking you with us to see it ALL!

Festival Dates

EPCOT’s 2022 Food & Wine Festival started on July 14th and will run all the way through November 19th, 2022. 

That gives you a LOT of time to stop by and see everything it has to offer.

Now, let’s get started with our day in EPCOT!

Getting Started

We arrived at EPCOT very early in the morning on opening day (gotta get to all the fun A.S.A.P.!). We arrived at EPCOT around 8:30AM (the park officially opened at 8:30AM). We opted to go through the main entrance and we weren’t alone.

Just us and some of our closest friends waiting to enjoy the park! 😂

As we walked in through the main entrance, we found the Food & Wine Festival signage in the main planters right before Spaceship Earth.

This is a popular spot to stop for a photo so don’t be surprised if you see quite a few people standing around, waiting for their perfect shot!

To start your time at the Festival the right way, be sure to pick up a Festival Passport.

This handy dandy passport contains details about the food booths, entertainment, and merchandise you’ll find at the Festival.

And don’t forget you can get a head start on your planning by checking out our page with the FULL menus for the 2022 Food & Wine Festival!

You can also download our DFB-exclusive Food & Wine Festival map, and download our FREE DFB-exclusive Food & Wine Festival printable with all the booth details!

Crowds

As we mentioned above, we weren’t exactly alone in EPCOT during the start of the Festival. The opening day of an EPCOT festival can be a huge draw for crowds. You’ll also generally find some hefty crowds at EPCOT festivals during the weekends (when the locals come out to play). So just keep that in mind when planning your trips!

On the Festival’s opening day, we saw some crowds in the front of the park, but there were still gaps and spaces for walking about.

Big crowds can equal big lines at the food booths, so be sure to keep an eye on those lines throughout the day.

And watch for lines at the popular merchandise spots in EPCOT (Creations Shop being one of them), especially for that limited-release Food & Wine Festival merchandise.

We saw long lines at some booths on opening day, with shorter lines at others. Things can definitely vary!

For a full look at the crowd levels on the opening day at the Food & Wine Festival click here!

Complications!

While this is the Most Magical Place on Earth, days aren’t without their issues, especially opening days. During our time in EPCOT, the Greece booth didn’t open on time due to “technical difficulties.” The Cast Members did not share when the booth would be open, but they did say that they hoped it would be resolved soon and the booth would be open. And around 5PM, the booth opened and has been operating normally since.

Another booth seems to have also found itself in a bit of a difficult situation. EPCOT’s only NEW booth for the Food & Wine Festival — The Fry Basket — actually ran out of its signature item…fries!

At the time we checked, the only fries that seemed to be missing were the Adobo Yuca Fries. They later received a new shipment. But supply shortages can be an issue during the festival, so just keep that in mind.

This serves as a good reminder that things can throw off your EPCOT Food & Wine Festival plans so be sure to build in a bit of flexibility there to help you accomplish your goals — perhaps an extra day planned to eat at the Festival or at least a full day to conquer it all.

Click here to see more about the fry situation!

Food and Drinks

Of course, the main attraction at the Food & Wine Festival is…well, the food and wine!

Right now you can click here to see a full list of the booths and menus for the Food & Wine Festival, and click here to see our page where we’ll be posting our full booth reviews!

We spotted some fairly lengthy lines at spots with folks trying to get their fill of treats and drinks.

Generally, booths can open a bit later in the day (around 11AM or so), but things can vary! On its opening date, we saw some booths opening around 10:30AM, so be sure to check and see what the situation is like during your visit.

Let’s check out what we ate!

Shimmering Sips

Alright, let’s get eating! First up, we made our way over to the Shimmering Sips booth, Hosted by CORKCICLE!

This spot is home to a variety of mimosas (YUMMM) and a sweet treat.

If you LOVE mimosas, THIS is the booth to visit! Click here for our FULL review

Mexico

Then it was time to tackle a classic — the ever-popular Mexico booth! Here you’ll find margaritas (of course) along with a taco, tostada, and even a chocolate bread pudding.

Is this booth still a reliable choice? Or is it one you should SKIP?

Click here for our FULL review to find out!

Flavors from Fire

Next up we have the Flavors From Fire booth! Here you’ll find the returning Smoked Corn Beef, a NEW Banh Mi Bao, and a NEW Rocky Road Chocolate Cake.

Plus, it’s home to some alcoholic drinks and the oh-so-adorable Remy spork!

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the Flavors from Fire booth!

Germany

We (of course) had to head to the Germany booth as well!

This spot is home to some returning treats that’ll fill up your tummy with cheese, carbs, and beer!

Click here to see our FULL review for the Germany booth!

Earth Eats

Thinking about stopping by Earth Eats? At this booth, you’ll find an IMPOSSIBLE Burger Slider and IMPOSSIBLE Meatball, as well as some drinks.

But are any of those items worth your time? Should you make a point to try this booth?

Check out our FULL REVIEW of the Earth Eats booth to find out!

Hops and Barley

Then it was time for some carrot cake, a crab slider, and a hot beef sandwich over at Hops and Barley!

The carrot cake is a returning favorite, but would that new Crab slider disappoint or delight?

Click here to see our FULL review for Hops & Barley to find out!

Funnel Cake Stand

Then it was time to hit one of our favorite spots — the Funnel Cake stand in The American Adventure. This year, the Funnel Cake spot is home to a very special Mini Piña Colada Funnel Cake served with piña colada ice cream, whipped cream, toasted coconut, and maraschino cherry, and was drizzled with coconut-rum sauce! It was $9.50.

Y’ALL. THIS…THIS WAS INCREDIBLE. Refreshing, sweet, creamy, served warm — it was everything we hoped it would be!

Click here for our FULL review of the Funnel Cake booth!

The Swanky Saucy Swine

Looking for BBQ and pork? The Swanky Saucy Swine is where you’ll want to go!

Pork rinds, sticky ribs, lettuce wraps, and a bloody mary — this booth has it all.

Bourbon Bloody Mary, anyone? 🥓 We got a SPECIAL souvenir cup at Swanky Saucy Swine 🐷🥃

📍: EPCOT Food and Wine Festival pic.twitter.com/QQRrGBnNuI

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) July 14, 2022

 

 

But there’s something you should be WARNED about before you stop here.

Click here for our FULL review of The Swanky Saucy Swine to find out!

The Fry Basket

The Fry Basket is EPCOT’s only new Festival food booth this year and it features…you guessed it…FRIES!

Though they had some complications (running out of one of your signature items isn’t exactly ideal!) we were very excited to give this booth a try!

There are Adobo Yuca Fries, as well as a fry flight and some drinks and we got to try them all!

Click here to see our FULL BOOTH review!

Belgium

Looking for a booth that’ll please the whole family? Belgium may be the way to go!

There are beer selections and a solid beer-braised beef dish here for the older crew, plus some tasty waffles for the little ones. It’s a booth that can easily satisfy the whole gang!

Click here to see our FULL review of the Belgium booth!

France

Our next adventure takes us to a booth we keep coming back to time and time again — FRANCE!

There’s a lot to enjoy here this year including the returning Beignet aux Trois Fromages and the Parmentier de Boeuf Braisé au Cabernet, as well as the current versions of the Brioche aux Escargots, Sauce Crème à l’ail et Persil and Crème Brûlée Vanille à la Confiture de Framboises. Is this a spot that delivers or falls flat?

Click here to read our FULL France review and find out!

Appleseed Orchard

EPCOT can get HOT during the Food & Wine Festival (or really during most times — it is Florida after all 😂 ). So if you’re looking for a booth that can help you cool down, Appleseed Orchard is where you’ll want to go!

Tucked away inside the Canada Theater, you’ll find an apple crumble tart and a variety of drinks (both alcoholic and not). Curious to know what you should get or avoid from here?

Click here for our full review of the Appleseed Orchard booth!

Australia

Things were…complicated…at the Australia booth. While there were some delicious eats, there was also a beer option that was undrinkable…literally. We ordered a beer from here but it was frozen over!

We grabbed some wines instead, and we’ve got some thoughts to share!

Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Australia booth!

Canada

Elsewhere in EPCOT, you can find the Canada booth — a true staple!

Between the cheddar cheese and bacon soup and the wild mushroom filet, it’s a spot that the pros know not to skip!

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the Canada booth!

Italy

But what about the Italy pavilion? In years past, this spot has unfortunately sometimes disappointed us, but this year we were impressed by some of the new dishes!

The NEW gnocchi dishes here are no joke! And the Orange Blossom Panna Cotta delivered some seriously delicious and citrusy flavors. Alright Italy, we see you!

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the Italy booth!

India

Next up we have the India booth! This booth featured a whole bunch of new items this year, so if you’re all about checking out the new additions to the Festival, this is where you’ll want to go.

The Crispy Paneer here really blew us away, and we also got to try the new samosas, Chicken Tikki Masala, and a returning drink option. Just what was so special about the Crispy Paneer, and should you make a point to visit this booth?

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the India booth to find out!

Refreshment Port

If it’s poutine you’re after, Refreshment Port is the place to go!

Feeling refreshed (duh) at Refreshment Port at the Food and Wine Festival 🌐

🍸 Frozen Mango Martini
🥩 Braised Beef Poutine
🍰 Maple cheesecake

You getting them all like we did? 😋 pic.twitter.com/EKSzqsh1qN

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) July 14, 2022

 

 

This spot is up year-round, but during Festivals it serves special items. This year, it’s got the returning Braised Beef Poutine, as well as a maple cheesecake and a Frozen Mango Martini that nearly punched us in the face!

Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Refreshment Port Festival offerings

China

Next, it was time to visit the China booth!

This booth has some returning items as well as NEW eats to try! Is it worth your time and cash?

Read our FULL REVIEW of the China booth for all the details!

Brew-Wing

Ever sat down and thought to yourself, “I’d love to eat peanut butter and jelly chicken wings right now”? Well if you have, we have good news for you!!

Over at the Brew-Wing booth, you’ll find all kinds of wings this year including sticky wings with peanut sauce and grape gel, garlic-parmesan wings, sriracha-lime wings, and some dry-rubbed jerk-spiced wings too!

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW for the Brew-Wing booth and why we think it’s one. you shouldn’t skip

Japan

Japan has a variety of dishes available this year, including a returning classic — the Teriyaki Chicken Bun!

More from Japan! 🇯🇵

Teriyaki Chicken Bun 😋 Steamed bun filled with chicken, vegetables, and teriyaki sauce. Check it out! pic.twitter.com/8ufym1lICT

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) July 14, 2022

But there are also some new things to grab here this year. There’s one new item in particular that we think you’ll either LOVE or HATE.

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the Japan pavilion!

 

 

Ireland

Next, it was time to head to Ireland to see what they had to offer!

The booth features a seafood pie, Irish sausage, and even a warm chocolate pudding cake (along with some alcoholic beverages). But be warned, you might need to lie down after eating here!

Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Ireland booth!

Brazil

Over at Brazil, we found some tasty dishes you might not want to miss out on!

The NEW Feijoada was PACKED with flavor, and the returning Pão de Queijo were as tasty as ever!

Click here for our FULL REVIEW of the Brazil booth!

Joffrey’s Coffee

Looking to grab some caffeinated drinks at the Festival? Stop by one of the Joffrey’s Coffee locations to see what they’ve got!

This year there were 4 NEW drinks available and we (of course) tried them all!

Click here to see our FULL REVIEW of the Joffrey’s spots!

Spain

If you’re a big fan of charcuterie boards, but want a portable option to enjoy as you walk around the Festival, EPCOT’s got you covered there too!

At the Spain booth, you’ll find an adorable (and tasty) charcuterie in a cup, along with some other dishes and drinks.

Click here to see our FULL THOUGHTS on the Spain booth!

Kenya

Ready to go on a flavor adventure? Head to Kenya!

Between the floral shrimp and barbecued beef tenderloin, again with a perfumed, floral note, these could be a challenge for picky eaters but perfect for those looking for more unique and exotic flavors!

Click here to check out our full review of the Kenya booth!

Greece

One of our best of the fest picks this year (and one of our controversial picks!) is from Greece!

Whether you come for the gyro or are looking for some griddled cheese, there are a few different options to pick from here, some of which you may really enjoy.

Click here for our full review of the Greece booth

The Alps

If you love cheese, The Alps is where you need to go!

They’ve got cheese with ham, cheese with baby potatoes, and cheese with figs — basically, it’s cheese, cheese, and more cheese. (And we ain’t mad about it!)

Click here to see our full review for The Alps

And that’s a full look at the booths that are open (so far). Remember that not all of the booths will be open right away. Coastal Eats, Hawai’i, Mac & Eats, and The Noodle Exchange will not be opening until August 15th so keep that in mind for your trip planning!

Wondering what the very best items are? Want to know what you absolutely MUST eat and drink at the Festival?

Click here to see our picks for what you need to eat and drink at the 2022 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival!

Entertainment

In terms of entertainment, this year the Eat to the Beat concert series is back! This year, you’ll find concerts from big-name bands and singers from Friday to Monday, with local musicians performing from Tuesday to Thursday. Click here for the FULL list of Eat to the Beat performers!

If you’re hoping to catch some of the more popular performers (like Boyz II Men, for example) you may want to look into booking an Eat to the Beat dining package. These are available with advance reservations at select EPCOT restaurants, and you can also get some limited day-of dining packages at certain places (if available).

Reservations for these dining packages are now available for dates within 60 days.

Click here to see more details about the Eat to the Beat concerts and dining packages

In terms of other entertainment, we also spotted the JAMMitors…

…as well as some more standard EPCOT performers.

Click here to check out all of the entertainment you’ll find at the Food & Wine Festival

As part of the festivities, Spaceship Earth will be transformed to have a Beauty and the Beast-inspired look!

Be sure to stick around until after it gets dark to see this limited-time look!

Click here to see more about this effect!

Activities

The Food & Wine Festival might focus a lot on the food and wine (of course), but there are plenty of other things to do too! If you want to participate in a food challenge of sorts, you can check out Emile’s Fromage Montage, which has returned to the Festival this year with some CHANGES.

With this activity, you pick up a Festival Passport, which will list some of the cheeeeesy dishes you need to buy to get a stamp.

Get the required 5 stamps and you can turn in your Passport to get a special prize.

This year things are a bit different though. Rather than listing just 5 cheesy options or booths you have to buy from, Disney has listed 10(!) cheesy dishes you can pick from.

So get ready to get your cheese on! Once you’ve gotten all 5 stamps, you can head over to Shimmering Sips to pick up your completer prize. This year, the prize consisted of a strawberry cheesecake soft serve with a piece of cheesecake on top served in a souvenir cup.

It’s the same prize as last year, but still fun and delicious.

Click here to see full details about how to get this exclusive dessert!

Also returning this year is Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak. In this activity, kids of all ages can search for Remy figures that have been hidden throughout EPCOT. You can pick up a map to complete this activity.

Once you get the map, you can begin your quest to find the figures.

Match the figures to the stickers, place the stickers on the map to mark where you found each Remy, and turn in your completed map for a prize. This year the prizes were little cups with different characters!

You could pick the cup of your choice.

Click here to see our COMPLETE GUIDE to this year’s scavenger hunt!

Another detail you’ll want to search for at the Festival is the adorable decor placed in EPCOT’s tiniest town! 

If you’ve never noticed before, the tiny train town near the Germany pavilion typically joins in on the Festival fun with some special decorations. It’s a little detail you won’t want to miss!

Click here to learn more!

And NEW to this year is the upcoming Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit! This scavenger hunt will run from September 29th through October 31st. We’re still some weeks away from the start of this experience, but we wanted to mention it here to give you a heads up about it! With this special event, you’ll purchase a game board and stickers at participating locations, hunt for pumpkins (decorated to have looks inspired by Disney characters) around the park, and then return your game board for a prize! This is new to the festival this year but is similar to an activity we’ve seen at Disneyland.

Merchandise

If you’re all about merchandise, there is plenty to check out at the Food & Wine Festival.

You’ll find Minnie ears, spirit jerseys, all kinds of cups and tumblers, and much more!

This year, there are 5 main collections of merchandise. There’s the Festival Event Logo Collection…

…the Chef Mickey and Minnie Mouse collection…

…the Princess Tiana collection…

…the Chef Figment collection…

…and the Chef Remy Annual Passholder Collection!

From pins…

…to EARS(!!!)…

…to MagicBands…

…to cups…

…and MORE — there’s a lot to tempt you this year. So make sure you set up those merchandise budgets accordingly! 😉

Click here for a COMPLETE look at ALL of the 2022 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival merchandise!

And don’t forget that you can pick up a fun Remy-themed SPORK at this year’s festival too.

The spork is a pretty CHEAP festival souvenir (under $3!!) AND it’s useful too, making it a pretty good buy.

Click here to learn more about the spork!

Can’t make it to the EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival? Don’t stress! You can pick up some of the Food & Wine Festival Merchandise ONLINE right now.

Click here to shop the 2022 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival merchandise collection online!

And remember that you can also pick up a fun gift card at the Festival.

It’s a great little souvenir but also a useful tool throughout your time in EPCOT. You can load the gift card with your Festival spending budget and then make sure that you stick to your set spending amount!

And that’s all we’ve got for now!

Looking for more tips to help you conquer the festival this year? Check out our posts below:

• The cheapest days to attend the 2022 Food & Wine Festival
• 4 things you MUST do before the Food & Wine Festival
• What to pack in your park bag for the 2022 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival
• DFB Exclusive: These tees are giving us all the EPCOT Food & Wine vibes!

Stay tuned for more!

What are you most looking forward to at EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival? Tell us in the comments!