The Essential Epcot Food and Wine Festival Tips
Surprise, surprise, I’m writing about food.
You guys, I just can’t help it. I love food. It’s probably the main reason I studied nutrition in school. Sure, I’m not completely obsessed with organic diets. But I love talking about food.
And you know what else I love? Disney. That’s right. I don’t talk about it too much on The Adventuring Millennial, but I’m a huge Disney fan. So years ago when I first learned about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, I knew I had to go.
It’s like this event was made for me. Disney, food, and traveling around the world. Yes, I know it’s not the same as actually traveling around the world. But you’ve got to admit, World Showcase is a pretty fun place for us wanderlusters.
Alright, it’s almost time for the 2018 food and wine festival. So today I want to share my best Epcot Food and Wine Festival tips. Let’s dive in!
The Deets
Ok, let’s start with the basics.
Wait What Are We Talking About?
If you’re not familiar with the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, you’re in for a treat. This annual festival has taken place at Epcot in Walt Disney World since 1995. It is a showcase of international cuisine, celebrity chefs, music, and more.
In Epcot’s World Showcase, you will find 30+ food booths specifically made for the festival. Honestly, these look more like permanent food huts. But these booths offer culinary dishes from many different countries, including those not represented in World Showcase. Each booth sells an assortment of appetizer-sized dishes and drinks.
The festival also includes cooking classes, demonstrations, and a concert series.
When
The 2018 festival runs from August 30-November 12.
Where
This takes place in Walt Disney World’s Epcot park. The main food booths are located in World Showcase. But, you can also find some booths in Future World.
Cost
There is not an additional ticket to attend the festival. But, you will need to pay the normal Epcot entrance fee. This varies, but a standard ticket is around $102.
Each food item ranges from $3-$15. The cooking classes and demonstrations are an additional fee ($50-$350). The Eat to the Beat concert series is included in your admission ticket.
Tip 1: Make a Plan
This festival is overwhelming.
Not necessarily in a bad way. But there are 35+ booths with at least 3 items each. So you have a lot of options. And it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement while you are walking around Epcot. And you should have fun (after all, that’s the entire point!)
But if you want my suggestion, make a plan. And let it fit your vacay style. If you are a serious planner, look at the booth menus online before your trip. Or, if you are a more relaxed planner, plan as you enter the park. At Epcot’s entrance, you will notice the Food and Wine Festival passports. Grab one!
These free passports detail all of the festival’s food and entertainment options. Flip through the passport and circle the items you want to try before venturing into World Showcase.
And hey, these are a fun souvenir. Each booth is detailed in the booklet. You can check off the food and drink items you tried. Make sure you place a sticker on the pages of the countries you visited.
Tip 2: Spend Wisely
As a budget traveler, I have to tell you, the Food and Wine festival gets expensive.
It can be hard to travel to Disney as a budget traveler. But it is possible. Just make a plan and stick to it.
So, the food and drink items range from $3-$15. These are small appetizer-sized portions. And you could quickly get out of control with these. I mean, all of the options are so tempting.
But if you are on a budget, try to spend wisely. Create a spending limit for the festival. I suggest using a Disney gift card for the festival. Load it with the amount you are planning to spend and try not to spend anything over the gift card. This is a great way to keep yourself accountable.
3: Splurge For an Extra Experience
I know, my last tip was all about budgeting. But if you are a big foodie, there are some splurge-worthy experiences at this festival.
You might not realize that this festival also includes food tours, seminars, and cooking classes. Yes, these are additional ticketed events. But there are some fun options for the food-obsessed home chefs.
If you are interested in celebrity chefs, consider signing up for Sunday Brunch with a Chef. This 2-hour cooking demonstration includes a breakfast buffet and meet-and-greet opportunity. Check the schedule and sign up here. Just be aware that the ticket costs $129 per person.
Or, consider the cheaper Food and Beverage Pairing experience. For $25, you can spend 45 minutes learning about pairings with a famous chef.
For a full list of experiences, check out the official website.
Tip 4: Venture out of World Showcase
Yes, most of the festival takes place in World Showcase. But don’t miss the festivities in the rest of the park.
Since there are so many food booths, some are located in Future World. Check the festival map for details. But don’t skip the future world booths. These usually offer inventive modern dishes.
And don’t forget about the Festival Center in Future World East. Here, you will find the festival’s souvenirs. You know you at least want to look. Also, this is where most of the ticketed demonstrations take place.
Tip 5: Consider Sharing
Sure, sharing sounds like the perfect way to experience the festival. I mean, you probably want to try as many food items as possible.
But keep in mind that the portions are already very small. It can be challenging to cut and share the small samples. I’m not saying you can’t make it work. But it might not be as easy as it sounds.
You do you. Maybe you can make sharing work. But when I visited the festival, my group tried to split the food items 3-ways. And this ended up being very difficult. Just food for thought (ha, see what I did there.)
Tip 6: Attend a Concert
So, in addition to food booths and cooking demonstrations, the festival includes the Eat to the Beat concert series.
And these concerts are free! Well, they are included in the price of your admission. Sure, they might not be today’s Top 40 artists, but these concerts are a fun way to end your day in Epcot.
Check the 2018 line up here. Artists include Smash Mouth, 98 Degrees, and Hansen. These nightly shows start at 5, 6:45, and 8 pm. People will line up early. But with 3 shows a day, you have plenty of opportunities to snag a seat.
If you are a die-hard fan, consider signing up for a dining package. You have to make a reservation at a select Epcot restaurant, but this will give you a guaranteed spot at the concert. My take, it’s probably not worth it. You would have to eat at a restaurant (instead of the food booths). And you really shouldn’t have any trouble getting a spot at one of these shows.
Tip 7: Stay for Multiple Days
If you can, try to visit Epcot for a few days during your vacation.
Usually, I try to visit every park on a Disney trip. But with the Food and Wine Festival, I like to devote multiple days to Epcot. This gives me the opportunity to experience more of the festival.
Keep the passport you collected on your first day. Bring it back each day and fill it up! This is a fun way to keep track of all the treats you enjoyed.
Tip 8: Make the Most of it
I probably don’t need to tell you this. But you are at Disney. At the Food and Wine Festival! Live it up.
I know we talked all about making a plan. But if you get there and something catches your attention, switch up your plan. Seriously, be flexible and have fun.
And try to relax. A lot of people have a fast-paced attitude at Disney. But the Food and Wine Festival is all about relaxing and enjoying. Take your time enjoying the food and drinks. Sit back and relax. Soak up the atmosphere. This isn’t about rushing from one thing to the next.
If you into it, dress for the occasion. Many boutique shops sell Food and Wine Festival merch. Check out a few of my favs:
Ok guys, are you ready to plan a trip to the Food and Wine Festival now? If you are going, let me know in the comments!
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