It’s time for a unique taste experience as the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is back!
One of the highlights of the Disney Parks’ seasonal events calendar, this popular festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is tempting guests with a deluge of world-inspired treats, and the chance to experience a range of unique, mouth-watering dishes and drinks. We can’t wait to sink our teeth into this one!
When is the International Food & Wine Festival 2024?
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is taking place from August 29th to November 23rd 2024.
It’s one of the many seasonal celebrations at EPCOT that happen throughout the year, celebrating a range of interests and hobbies. Head to Walt Disney World Resort at a different time of the year, and you may also experience either the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, or the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts.
What is the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival?
There’s so much to discover at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, from tantalising dishes to impressive live entertainment. Let’s take a closer look at what awaits you during your visit:
Global Marketplaces
You don’t need to travel the world to experience a taste of some of the most iconic global dishes, as the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is known for showcasing a delicious range of worldwide cuisines, housed in the Global Marketplaces.
Guests can expect a taste experience across six continents, at booths serving up taster sized portions of food, desserts and drinks from countries such as Canada, Greece and China. The Global Marketplace menus for 2024 look incredible, with delicious savoury and sweet dishes including:
- Grilled Bison with Butternut Squash Puree, Roasted Mushrooms and Huckleberry Gastrique from Bramblewood Bites (NEW)
- Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a pretzel roll from Canada
- Italian Style 'Nachos': Homemade Beef Ragu, Pasta Chips, Tomato Sauce and Dried Ricotta Cheese from Italy (NEW)
- Paella Negra: Squid Ink Rice with Shrimp, Bay Scallops and Octopus served with Garlic Aioli from Spain (NEW)
- Pan de Elote: Traditional Mexican Cornbread topped with Chocolate Sauce and Queso Fresco from Mexico (NEW)
- Dark Chocolate Fondue with Berries, Pound Cake and Meringues from The Alps
This is your chance to immerse yourself in a plethora of cultures, as innovative chefs will showcase their cooking skills with culinary demonstrations and other special events. Sip on fine wine, craft beer, spirits, and other beverages too as you browse the many food booths and festival merchandise.
Live Entertainment
Throughout the festival, you can spice up your day at EPCOT with a live concert! The Eat to the Beat concert series will be back at the America Gardens Theatre, with performances on select dates at 5:30pm, 6:45pm and 8pm. Some incredible names have already been announced, with highlights including:
- The Fray - August 30 - 31
- Tiffany - September 13 - 14
- The Wanted - September 22 - 23
- David Archuleta - October 18 - 19
- Billy Ocean - October 20 - 21
- Hanson - October 25 - 28
- Boyz II Men - November 3 - 4
- Smash Mouth - November 15 - 16
If you want to guarantee a seat at an Eat to the Beat concert, you can book a dining package at Akershus Royal Banquet, Biergarten Restaurant, Coral Reef Restaurant, Garden Grill Restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse, Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue, Rose & Crown Dining Room or Spice Road Table.
Family Fun
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is a fantastic, family-friendly event, with a range of kid-friendly activities for your little ones to enjoy.
Embark on a Ratatouille-inspired adventure, with Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt. Simply purchase your map and stickers from select Festival merchandise locations and get searching for the famous rat throughout World Showcase and the Global Marketplaces.
There’s also Emile’s Fromage Montage, where your whole family can sample a variety of cheeses in inventive ways. Collect a stamp for each of your cheese purchases, listed in your Festival Passport, and receive a prize when you’ve got five!
What’s New at EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival 2024?
Along with returning familiar festival favourites, there’s an entire new area at this year’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. For 2024, you can sit beside pumpkins and enjoy comforting dishes at three new booths within Harvest Hollow, including grilled bison, pumpkin mascarpone ravioli, and freshly-baked carrot cake. Located along the walkway between Swirled Showcase and the Imagination Pavilion, Harvest Hollow features Forest & Field, Milled & Mulled, and Bramblewood Bites.
Over at CommuniCore Hall, a new permanent booth called Festival Favourites features food that will make your tastebuds dance, including a key lime tart. This booth is located right next to a stage with live entertainment, so you can jive along with a dish in hand.
There are plenty of new food and drink options available throughout the park. Simply take a look through your festival passport to see what’s highlighted as new this year. If you’re brave, we recommend the Liquid Nitrogen Frozen Sweet Potato Mousse with candied pecans and maple-caramel sauce from Swirled Showcase. We promise that it’s memorable for the right reasons!
Allergy-Friendly Options are Available
If you have food allergies, Walt Disney World Resort is known profoundly for its care towards guests with allergy-friendly requests. At EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, you will find a specific page in your festival passport that features a QR code for the allergy-friendly food options. Scan the QR code to see every individual dish and the top allergies it's catered to, including gluten/wheat, egg, fish, milk, and more. To get ahead of the game, you can also read through the official allergy menu here.
Don’t worry if you don’t see your allergy request on the list - let a cast member know your allergy before you order and they will contact a chef for further information.
Top Tips for Your Visit to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
1. Use a Disney Gift Card
We know how easy it can be to set a budget that disappears as soon as the snacks stack up. To help you stick to a budget when eating and drinking around the world, load a set amount onto a Disney gift card. For the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, there are gift cards that securely dangle from your wrist like a bracelet. This makes it a breeze for you to keep track of your spends without having to constantly get a form of payment out of your bag. Head to a merchandise store such as Port of Entry to get your gift card!
2. Pick Specific Days
When planning your Orlando holiday, choose the best days for specific parks. For EPCOT festivals, weekdays are always quieter and have less queues for the festival booths. However, if you enjoy a lively atmosphere, Friday and Saturday evenings bring the park to life in new ways.
3. Circle Your Favourite Dishes and Drinks
Once you get your hands on a festival passport, flip through the pages to see what you fancy. After being drawn in by the delicious eats and dazzling drinks, circle your favourites. That way, you can ensure to visit the right booths and won’t miss anything during your trip. You can always split your must-try list into several days if you’re visiting the park more than once!
4. Don’t Skip the Giant Zebra Dome
If you’ve ever dined at Boma - Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you may be familiar with the insanely popular Zebra Dome dessert. We’re happy to announce that at this year’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, a GIANT version has been added to the menu at Refreshment Outpost.
The Chocolate Amarula Mousse with White Chocolate can be purchased for $6.25, and is fluffy, creamy, and sweet with a rich kick that you won’t forget. Obsessed yet? You will be!
5. Come for the Food, Stay for the Fireworks
If you haven’t seen Luminous: The Symphony of Us, you should definitely stay for the fireworks. The combination of dazzling fireworks, majestic fountains, Disney stories, music, and entrancing lights will inspire you after a long day of enjoying the festival. Performed nightly, this show brings everyone together through all walks of life. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience App for confirmed show times during your holiday.
Want to experience the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival this year? Book your 2024 Walt Disney World Resort in Florida tickets today!
