We’re coming up on the BIGGEST EPCOT festival of the year — EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival! The festival runs from July 14th to November 19th and will feature over 30 food booths!
2021 Food and Wine
Between all of the eating and drinking and other festival offerings (like shopping and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series!), there will be a LOT to see at Food and Wine. So, if you’re prepping to get your wine and dine on, you’ll want to make sure you remember (and plan for!) these seven simple truths!
1. The festival is HUGE.
EPCOT Food and Wine is the BIGGEST festival of the whole year. With over 30 booths for the last few years AND the 2022 festival, there is a LOT to eat and drink! Each booth serves up a number of dishes which means there are over 100 possible things to try. To try everything, you’d likely have to drop around $1,000!
2021 Food and Wine!
The food booths are located all around World Showcase AND the neighborhoods at the front of the park too. That’s almost three miles if you do a simple walk around the park that begins and ends at the gate — and that’s not including back-tracking.
Click here for some Food and Wine insider TIPS!
2. Food and Wine isn’t ALL about the food and wine.
If you think everything you need to know about EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is in the name, you might be shocked to discover that it’s not JUST about the food and wine. You can also see live music, specialty theming, and exclusive merchandise!
2021 Apple Orchard Minnie Ears
In the past, the festival has also featured special events and seminars plus wine pairings, displays, chef meets, and more. Many of these offerings have been paused since the 2020 park closures, but we’re on the lookout for a return! Keep an eye on DFB to make sure you don’t miss any updates.
Want to see more about the LIVE MUSIC? Click here!
3. You don’t have to do it all at once!
Unless you absolutely only have one day at EPCOT during the festival, know that you don’t have to do it all at once. In fact, you can’t do it all at once — period. It’s just too big. But if you’ve done some advance planning and know what you want to eat, you CAN accomplish everything that you want to do. Just don’t skip that planning step!
2021 Food and Wine Festival Passport
We highly recommend making a list of priority items that you want to try so that you don’t miss any of your favorites. If you have time, money, and stomach space for extras — GREAT! But, if not, then at least you got to get your must-try items.
2021 Food and Wine
That said, if you can spread the festival over multiple days during your trip, you’ll be in a much better position to enjoy yourself. For starters, you’ll need to pace your eating. And then, of course, there’s the stress of dealing with higher-than-normal crowds.
To learn more about festival BUDGETS, click here!
4. It can get too crowded.
This might not surprise you but the crowds at Food and Wine can be overwhelming. Add to that exhaustion, seemingly endless lines, a little booze, and the heat; and you’ve got a recipe for some frustration. But you can mitigate the stress of crowds by aiming to visit the festival when there are typically fewer people attending. That means hitting the booths right when they open (usually 11AM), avoiding the first and last weeks of the festival, and sticking to weekdays rather than weekends.
2021 Festival Crowds
But if you can’t avoid the crowds, be mindful of your own needs. Take a break in the shade somewhere, or retreat to World Celebration for some air conditioning and a cup of water. Don’t underestimate the simple things that can give you a second wind!
Click here to see some Food and Wine MISTAKES!
5. There’s something for everyone!
Food and Wine attracts all types of guests and the good news is there’s something for everyone! Not only is there a MASSIVE variety of food, but there are accommodations for those with dietary restrictions too. The festival will have allergen binders (and on-menu notations) to help you find what works for you.
Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with Herbed Panko
Plus, if tiny plates of food aren’t your thing, regular dining is open too! Stop by Connections Cafe and Eatery for a waffle or make a reservation at Garden Grill for some quality time with Mickey. Get out of the heat for a bit while you eat and then take advantage of the festival merchandise; it’s the best of both worlds!
Want to see the BEST Food and Wine tips? Click here!
6. Kids can have a great time too.
And when we say everyone, we mean kiddos, too! Little ones (and their grown-ups) might have a blast searching for Remy in the Remy’s Ratatouille Hide ‘n’ Squeak Scavenger Hunt. Complete your map, and you get a prize!
2021 Remy’s Hide ‘n’ Squeak Scavenger Hunt
And there are certain food items that kids tend to love. Keep an eye out for our Best of the Fest post on the festival’s opening day to see what we declare the Best of the Fest For Kids!
To see more about heading to the fest with kids, click here!
7. The DFB Guide can make the fest a breeze!
The DB Guide to the 2022 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival e-Book is simply a must for everyone from casual to hardcore Festival attendees. We pack the Guide with everything you need to know — literally everything — including full indexes of Festival offerings (including food, wine, cocktails, beer, and extra events)! Psst…don’t forget to look for a promo code below!
2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival
We hope you have SO MUCH FUN when EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival kicks off. And, remember, you can always stop by DFB for all the latest updates, reviews, and tips!
Want to learn more about Food and Wine? Click here!
IT'S WINE & DINE TIME!
Food & Wine Festival can be a bummer. You stand in line waiting for what looks like the perfect treat, and it's a bust. But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE EPCOT Food & Wine Festival experience.
If you're planning a day or a week at the festival, we've got every performance, activity, and tasty nosh detailed out so you can make the most of your time and money. Listen, it's a tough job eating and documenting the nearly 200 bites and sips, but we do it all for YOU!
Learn More About the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival!
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Get More Updates, Tips, and Tricks to Help You Conquer the Food & Wine Festival
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We did Food & Wine last year & my 2 biggest complaints were: we did it during the week & there were several booths that were only opened on the weekends, so we missed trying some dishes. My biggest complaint is lack of shaded, sitting areas – it was way too hot to stand at a bar height table in full sun. Loved when they had the special events building near Canada opened – tables, chairs & air conditioning.