There’s a lot to do in EPCOT, whether you’re visiting for a festival or stopping by one of the many World Showcase restaurants.

Of course, there are rides too! But we all know that one of the biggest draws to EPCOT is FOOD — so what should you spend your money on, and what should you avoid? Find out right here!

Food

EPCOT Festivals

EPCOT generally hosts four festivals a year with tons of reasons to visit — and spend money! You can start the year with EPCOT Festival of the Arts, followed by the Flower & Garden Festival, then the Food & Wine Festival, and finally the Festival of the Holidays. Each festival features different decor, food booths, activities, entertainment, and more.

If you’re overwhelmed and not sure what to spend your money on, don’t stress! We have guides to the past “best of the fest” for each festival that you can use as a guide for future festivals. Take a look to get an idea of what each festival has to offer and which booths you might want to visit during your next visit!

• Best of the Fest: 2022 Food & Wine Festival
• Best of the Fest: 2022 Flower & Garden Festival
• Best of the Fest: 2022 Festival of the Arts
• Best of the Fest: 2021 Festival of Holidays

Keep in mind that some food booths don’t come back every year and new ones can also pop up, so every festival is a bit different than the previous year. Regardless, you can plan your budget and have a general idea of which booths you might want to visit!

Three budget plans for EPCOT festivals!

Eat and Drink Around the World

“Eating and drinking around the world” refers to finding places, to well, eat and drink around the World Showcase! With 11 different pavilions representing different countries, there are unique and interesting quick service and table service restaurants and kiosks nearly everywhere you turn. And if you don’t drink, no problem! There are plenty of nonalcoholic drink options too.

Some of our favorite classic drinks include the Ice Cream Martini from L’Artisan des Glaces in France…

…the El Diablo Margarita from La Cava del Tequila in Mexico…

…and the Frozen Viking Coffee from Kringa Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway.

These are just a few of our faves, though, and some of them are also offered without alcohol! Take a look at our video below for all kinds of tasty drink options.

The ONE drink you should get from each EPCOT pavilion!

And when it comes to food, it’s really up to you to decide whether you want to prioritize fast food spots or sit-down restaurants. You can get a reservation at Le Cellier in Canada to try their famous Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup…

…or you can take a trip over to the UK to get some Fish and Chips from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop.

And don’t forget to stop by Karamell-Kuche in Germany to get some classic Werther’s Caramel Popcorn. We can practically smell it from here!

Still feeling overwhelmed? Check out our video below for our ranking of EVERY EPCOT restaurant!

Ranking EVERY fast food restaurant in EPCOT!

Restaurants

Space 220

One of Disney World’s newest restaurants is Space 220, an immersive themed restaurant where guests can dine in “space.” This restaurant features a multi-course, prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner, alongside the Space 220 Lounge, where you can order select items from the main menu a la carte.

The menu is space-themed, and lunch diners pay $55 per adult for an appetizer and an entree, or $29 per child for an entree, a dessert, and a drink. For dinner, it’ll cost adults $79 for three courses (appetizer, entree, and dessert), or $29 per child for the same selections as lunch.

Unfortunately, reservations for both Space 220 and Space 220 Lounge seem to be VERY difficult to come by. Remember, dining reservations open 60 days before your visit, so this is one restaurant you definitely want to set an alarm for.

Click here for our FULL review of the dinner menu at Space 220!

Garden Grill

Garden Grill is a rotating restaurant in EPCOT where diners can actually see scenes from Living with the Land as they eat! It’s also a character dining spot — Mickey, Chip, and Dale circle around to stop by every table.

Garden Grill is located in the Land Pavilion and it’s the only character dining location in EPCOT. The menu features an all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style menu, with some dishes that even have produce grown in the Living with the Land greenhouses. Lunch and dinner cost $55 per adult or $36 per child, and you’ll typically be served eats like Barbecue-roasted Chicken (previously turkey breast), Harvest-Inspired Salad, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, Southern-Style Spoon Bread, Berry Short Cake, and more.

Reservations aren’t always difficult to get (we’ve even found same-day reservations open!) but it might be difficult for you to settle on Garden Grill considering there are SO MANY dining options in EPCOT. But if you’re in the mood for a restaurant that doubles as a ride (kind of), this is it!

Click here for our most recent review of Garden Grill!

Le Cellier Steakhouse

We’ve already mentioned Le Cellier for their delicious Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup but there’s a LOT more to this restaurant than just soup! Le Cellier is a signature restaurant (aka it’s fancy!) so it IS expensive — and you can find it tucked away in the Canada Pavilion.

Aside from steak options like Filet Mignon, you can also dine on several Poutine dishes, Loaded Boursin Mashed Potatoes, a Warm Pecan-Brown Butter Tart for dessert, and lots more tasty options.

Keep in mind that Le Cellier is PRICEY, so make sure you peruse the menu and plan your budget accordingly. Reservations are not always easy to get, so this is one of those restaurants you want to be ready to reserve 60 days before your visit!

Check out our most recent review of Le Cellier right here!

Les Halles Boulangerie

Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie is tucked away in the back of the France Pavilion and whether you’re looking for a bakery treat, a sandwich, or even a full baguette, this is the place you want to stop by. No reservations are required!

Here you can choose from a variety of French sandwiches like the DFB favorite Jambon Beurre as well as desserts like macarons and Mousse au Chocolat. You can also get a full-size baguette for just $3.50, which means it’s one of the cheapest snacks in Disney World!

You will generally find a long-ish line inside Les Halles, so make sure you plan your time wisely if you’d like to stop by for a treat. Prices can range from $3.50 for a baguette to $11.95 for a cheese plate, so it’s also not super unreasonable for a Disney restaurant!

Here are 21 reviews of items at Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie!

Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Over in the UK Pavilion, Yorkshire County Fish Shop has only one menu item and it’s fish and chips — and trust us when we say that there’s a reason why they don’t need any other menu options. We’re talking crispy, delicious fish paired with steak fries that are never soggy (at least in our experience).

You get a big piece of fish with “chips” for $12.99, and it’s not heavily breaded but it can be a little greasy. Even if you don’t like fish, this is one fish you might want to try.

Yorkshire takes both Mobile Orders and walk-up orders, but you may want to stick with mobile orders if you want to avoid a long line.

Click here for our review of Yorkshire County Fish Shop!

L’Artisan des Glaces

If you head back to France in the mood for sweets, stop by L’Artisan des Glaces for sixteen different flavors of house-made ice cream and sorbet, as well as the famous Ice Cream Martini.

You can get ice cream in a waffle cone or a cup, and there are also specialty items like Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches, Brioche Ice Cream Sandwiches, and cappuccinos too. Seasonal flavors are also available throughout the year.

This shop is pretty tiny so you’ll typically find a long line snaking outside the front door of the store, but it’s still worth a visit if you’re an ice cream fan!

Check out a recent review of L’Artisan des Glaces here!

Karamell-Kuche

If you’re in the mood for caramel, it’s time to head to Karamell-Kuche in Germany, where you can choose from a wide variety of treats. It’s convenient too — they now accept Mobile Order!

Inside Karamell-Kuche you’ll walk into the smell of buttery caramel deliciousness, which makes this store worth a visit JUST for that — but you’ll probably want to grab a treat too. We love the Salted Caramel Cupcake, the Werthers Original Caramel Flight, and of course, the seasonal Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich.

And don’t forget about grabbing a bag of Werther’s Original Caramel Corn!

Here’s a review of a DFB favorite at Karamell-Kuche!

Pizza al Taglio

When it’s open, Pizza al Taglio is one of our favorite places to grab pizza in Disney World! This window seemingly opens randomly, so it might not be open during your visit — but if it is, we HIGHLY recommend checking it out.

Pizza al Taglio is located in the Italy Pavilion next to Via Napoli, and they typically serve pepperoni pizza, plain cheese pizza, and cannoli, as well as drinks like wine and beer. You don’t need a reservation to grab a slice (or two) and it’s SUPER tasty — and under $10 per slice!

If you need a quick meal in EPCOT and this pizza window is open, you might want to consider it a sign to grab some pizza.

Click here to read more about Pizza al Taglio!

Whew! That’s a lot of restaurants we just mentioned, and it’s really only the tip of the Disney dining iceberg. With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World.

We have reviews, pictures and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2022 at checkout for 25% off!

Click here to order the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining!

Entertainment

Festival Scavenger Hunts

Part of the fun of festivals is the scavenger hunts! Each EPCOT festival typically features a themed scavenger hunt that tasks you with finding hidden icons around EPCOT. For example, at the Food & Wine Festival, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak sends you searching for Chef Remy statues hidden around the park.

For each hunt, you can search for the icon all on your own or you can buy a gameboard (including stickers you can place for each icon you find!) for around $9.99 from Creations Shop, Port of Entry, or World Traveler at the International Gateway. If you buy a board, you can also earn a prize, regardless of whether you actually complete the hunt.

Prizes usually include four different choices of small items, and in the past we’ve seen cups, bowls, containers, and even figurines you could paint!

Participating in an EPCOT festival scavenger hunt can be a fun activity combined with a unique souvenir. It might be worth your time AND money!

Check out our complete guide to the 2022 Food & Wine Festival scavenger hunt here!

Fireworks Dining Packages

If you want an excellent view of the Harmonious Nighttime Spectacular fireworks and a meal, a few EPCOT restaurants offer packages that allow you to do both. Choose from either the Rose & Crown Fireworks Dining Package or the Spice Road Table Fireworks Dining Package for different menu options and views of the show.

The Rose & Crown package includes an appetizer, entree, dessert platter, and unlimited drinks for $89 per adult and $39 per child, and you get to enjoy the fireworks while eating your meal. At Spice Road Table, the fireworks package gets you two small plates, dessert, and unlimited drinks, with fireworks views from the covered outdoor dining room at the restaurant.

Click HERE to find our review of the EPCOT Fireworks Dining Package!

Merchandise

Festival Souvenirs

Remember how we’ve talked about the four EPCOT festivals that take place every year? Each festival also typically comes with new lines of merchandise, with some festivals releasing multiple different collections.

Curious about what’s been released in the past? Click below!

• All the 2022 Food & Wine Festival merchandise
• All the 2022 Flower & Garden Festival merchandise
• All the 2022 Festival of the Arts merchandise
• All the 2021 Festival of Holidays merchandise

Click here to see the EPIC line for an EPCOT festival’s most popular item.

Mitsukoshi

Mitsukoshi in the Japan Pavilion is full of fun and unusual souvenirs that you can’t always find easily outside of EPCOT. Give them as gifts or keep some for yourself!

Whether you’re looking for plushes, accessories, clothing, food, and more — there’s plenty to choose from. In fact, we’ve seen video game-themed merchandise, animal face masks, Japanese candy, unicorn mermaids, inflatable vases — yes, seriously. And if you’re a history buff, you might also like the story behind this centuries-old store!

Mitsukoshi is the sponsor and host of the Japan Pavilion and the store has been in Disney World since EPCOT’s opening day in 1982. Stop by for some interesting souvenirs and a bit of history, too!

Learn about the history of Mitsukoshi here!

House of Good Fortune

Looking for more unique souvenirs? Head to House of Good Fortune in the China Pavilion for some surprises! Seriously, we’ve seen a $368 silver ant, a cringy Single Rider T-Shirt, and even poisonous trinket trays (??). We’re not lying when we say we’ve also seen a figure of a Frog Sitting On A Toilet.

You can also find interesting treats like the Crispy Crepes we tried in the past, made with durian filling. If you’re looking for a snack other than a Mickey pretzel, stop by House of Good Fortune for something different!

Should you be scared to try this hidden EPCOT treat?

Miscellaneous

If you can’t get in the virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (read more about that here), you might want to splurge on a Lightning Lane through Disney’s Genie+ program. The ride is too good to skip!

Individual Lightning Lanes let you purchase access to the Lightning Lanes of some of Disney World’s most popular rides — including Cosmic Rewind. If you’re staying in a Disney World hotel on the morning of your EPCOT park reservation, you can start buying your Lightning Lane at 7AM. Otherwise, you have to wait until EPCOT opens to the public for the day.

In the My Disney Experience app, you simply select the Individual Lightning Lane time of your choice (depending on what’s available), and you can expect to pay between $14 to $17 per person, depending on the day. When your time slot opens, you can enter the Lightning Lane!

Sound confusing? No worries — we suggest checking out the following guides before your visit!

• How to book and buy Individual Lightning Lanes in Disney World
• How to guarantee a ride on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Here are the prices for Disney World pay-per-ride attractions
• The rides to book FIRST with Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane

Here’s our complete guide to Genie+!

So if you’re looking for ways to spend your money in EPCOT, there are PLENTY of options for you! Keep following DFB for more Disney World news and updates!

Does food really cost MORE in Disney World? You might be surprised.

What are your favorite things to buy in EPCOT? Tell us in the comments!