The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival returns in 2026 for one of the biggest culinary celebrations at Walt Disney World, and this year carries a little extra significance: it has now been 30 years since the festival first debuted at EPCOT in 1996.
Over those three decades, what began as a relatively short fall food-and-wine event around World Showcase has evolved into one of EPCOT’s defining annual traditions. Today, the festival combines dozens of Global Marketplaces and seasonal menus with live concerts, scavenger hunts, limited-time dining experiences, merchandise, PhotoPass opportunities, and dishes inspired by cuisines from six continents.
The 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival runs from August 27 through November 21, 2026, giving guests 87 days to eat, drink, explore, and discover the event. Festival activities are included with valid admission to EPCOT, although food, drinks, scavenger-hunt maps, dining packages, and other premium experiences cost extra.
Disney is leaning heavily into the festival’s history for 2026. Thirty dishes from previous years are returning or being reimagined for the anniversary celebration, while longtime favorites such as Emile’s Fromage Montage, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, and the Global Marketplaces return alongside new offerings at CommuniCore Hall.
Whether you are visiting primarily to work your way around the marketplaces, see a favorite band, hunt for Remy with the kids, or simply add a few festival dishes to a normal EPCOT day, here is our complete guide to the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
The History of the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
The Food & Wine Festival may seem inseparable from modern EPCOT, but it did not arrive until almost 14 years after the park opened.
The Origins of Food & Wine at Walt Disney World
The roots of the festival stretch back to Walt Disney World’s earlier culinary events. During the 1980s, the Walt Disney World Village—the shopping and entertainment complex that eventually evolved into Disney Springs—hosted a smaller Walt Disney World Village Wine Festival.
As Disney’s food-and-beverage operation became more ambitious during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company also developed its Disney Food & Wine Society and began experimenting with increasingly sophisticated culinary experiences around the resort.
EPCOT was a natural place to expand those ideas. World Showcase had been built around international culture from the beginning, with restaurants, shops, architecture, entertainment, and Cast Members representing countries from around the world. George Kalogridis, then a vice president at EPCOT, championed the idea of creating a larger food-and-wine event inside the park.
The First Festival in 1996
The first EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival began on September 28, 1996. Unlike the nearly three-month festival guests know today, the original event lasted only about 30 days.
The basic concept, however, would still be recognizable to a modern festival visitor: World Showcase became the setting for a culinary tour featuring international food, beverages, chefs, and cultural experiences that extended beyond EPCOT’s permanent restaurants.
Disney quickly discovered that guests were interested in far more than traditional theme-park food. The festival arrived just as food television, celebrity chefs, wine culture, and culinary tourism were becoming much more prominent in American popular culture.
Celebrity Chefs and Expanding Culinary Events
The event began expanding almost immediately. Legendary chef Julia Child was among the prominent culinary personalities to participate in 1997, establishing a tradition of celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations, tastings, seminars, book signings, and premium dining experiences that would become central to the festival for many years.
During the 2000s, events such as Party for the Senses elevated Food & Wine into something closer to a major culinary convention inside a theme park. Guests could attend elaborate tasting events, meet chefs and beverage experts, learn cooking techniques, and participate in wine and food seminars in addition to visiting the outdoor marketplaces.
Many of those premium seminars and demonstrations have disappeared from the modern version of the festival, but they remain an important part of its history.
Eat to the Beat Arrives
Food was joined by another major ingredient in 2002, when the America Gardens Theatre began hosting the Eat to the Beat Concert Series.
The concert series brought nationally known performers to World Showcase during the festival and eventually became one of Food & Wine’s signature attractions. Over the years, artists including Boyz II Men, Hanson, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Taylor Dayne, The Beach Boys, Sheila E., and dozens of others have performed as part of the series.
Today, three concerts are generally presented each evening during most of the festival, and the performances remain included with regular EPCOT admission.
The Global Marketplaces Take Over EPCOT
As the festival grew, so did the number of food booths. What began primarily as an extension of World Showcase expanded into the front half of EPCOT as well, with dozens of temporary marketplaces, specialty menus at permanent restaurants, beverage locations, and festival kitchens.
Certain dishes became traditions in their own right. Canada’s cheddar and bacon soup, Australia’s lamb dishes, Belgian waffles, German apple strudel, Brazilian pão de queijo, and various incarnations of filet mignon, pierogies, escargot, and raclette developed loyal followings.
Disney also began experimenting with food trails and interactive activities, making the festival more appealing to guests who were not necessarily interested in wine or premium dining.
Remy Joins the Festival
One of the most successful family additions arrived in 2015 with the debut of Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak.
The scavenger hunt sent guests around World Showcase looking for small Remy statuettes while placing corresponding stickers on a purchased map. What began as a limited festival activity proved popular enough to become an annual tradition and helped establish the scavenger-hunt format now used throughout EPCOT’s festival calendar.
The Festival During the COVID-19 Era
Like nearly everything at Walt Disney World, Food & Wine changed dramatically in 2020.
When EPCOT reopened following the resort’s pandemic closure, Disney introduced the modified Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. More than 20 marketplaces operated with distancing and other health measures, while large concerts, culinary demonstrations, and many traditional special events were absent.
The scaled-back event nevertheless allowed Food & Wine to continue during an extraordinary period in Walt Disney World history.
Thirty Years of EPCOT Food & Wine
By the 2020s, EPCOT had evolved into an almost year-round festival park, with Festival of the Arts, Flower & Garden, Food & Wine, and Festival of the Holidays dividing much of the calendar.
Food & Wine remains the longest-running of EPCOT’s major culinary-focused festivals and arguably the event that established the template for the park’s modern marketplace model.
For 2026, Disney is marking 30 years since that original 1996 festival by bringing back or reimagining 30 dishes from previous festivals. Returning recipes span several decades, including items originally served during the earliest years of Food & Wine.
The result is a festival that looks forward while deliberately reconnecting with its past—a fitting way to celebrate three decades of eating and drinking around EPCOT.
When Is the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival 2026?
The 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival runs from August 27 through November 21, 2026, for a total of 87 days.
The festival is held throughout EPCOT, with Global Marketplaces and festival menus located in World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery, World Showcase, CommuniCore Hall, and the walkways connecting the different areas of the park.
Many festival food locations begin serving around lunchtime and continue into the evening, although individual operating hours vary. Several 2026 marketplaces also have phased opening dates, so guests visiting early in the festival will not have access to every location that will eventually be available later in the fall.
Admission to the festival itself is included with valid EPCOT admission. Food, alcoholic beverages, scavenger hunts, merchandise, premium dining experiences, and other add-ons are additional purchases.
What’s Special About the 2026 Festival?
The defining theme of the 2026 event is the festival’s 30-year history.
Disney chefs have selected 30 dishes that have either returned directly from previous festivals or been reimagined for 2026. Some date all the way back to the festival’s earliest years.
Examples include:
- Potato Pierogi with kielbasa, caramelized onions, and sour cream — originally introduced at Poland in 1996
- Trio of Escargot Bites in croissant dough with garlic-parsley dip — tracing its roots to 1996
- German Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce — first served at the festival in 1996
- Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese — inspired by a festival offering introduced in 1997
- Paella Caldoso — based on a 1997 festival dish
- Chicken Souvlaki Gyro — another dish dating to 1997
- Canadian Cheddar and Bacon Soup — a festival favorite dating to 2000
- Potato-Pea Samosas — inspired by an India offering introduced in 2005
- Australian Roasted Lamb Chop — dating to 2006
- Rodizio-style Grilled Beef Skewer — originally served at Argentina in 2009
- Bo Ssam Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps — inspired by the former South Korea marketplace in 2010
- Belgian Waffle — first introduced in 2010
- Slow-roasted Hawaiian Pork Slider — dating to 2012
- Freshly Baked Carrot Cake — introduced at Hops & Barley in 2014
- Crab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese — originally introduced at Farm Fresh in 2015
Disney identifies the anniversary dishes in its 2026 Foodie Guide, making it possible to intentionally build a tasting tour through Food & Wine history.
Emile’s Fromage Montage
Emile’s Fromage Montage returns in 2026 as the festival’s cheese-focused food stroll.
Pick up a complimentary Festival Passport and look for the designated cheese dishes at participating Global Marketplaces. Purchase five qualifying items and receive a stamp for each one.
After collecting five stamps, bring the completed passport to Shimmering Sips near Port of Entry to receive the festival’s completion treat.
The eligible dishes range from savory cheese-heavy entrées to desserts, allowing guests to complete the challenge over one visit or spread it across multiple EPCOT days.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak returns for the entire 2026 Food & Wine Festival.
The scavenger hunt costs $11.99 plus tax. Guests receive a map and stickers and then search World Showcase and the Global Marketplaces for hidden Remy statuettes.
Maps are available while supplies last at locations including Disney Traders, Creations Shop, festival merchandise locations, and other select EPCOT shops.
When you find a Remy, place the appropriate sticker on the corresponding location on the map.
Once you are finished, bring the map to Disney Traders, Creations Shop, or World Traveler at International Gateway to receive a festival keepsake. Disney allows guests to redeem the map even if they do not find every Remy, which is useful for families who run out of time—or patience—before completing the entire hunt.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit
The festival overlaps most of Walt Disney World’s Halloween season, and Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit returns for another limited run in 2026.
The Halloween scavenger hunt is available from September 25 through November 2, 2026, while supplies last.
Game boards cost $11.99 plus tax and are sold at select locations including Creations Shop, Disney Traders, festival merchandise kiosks, Gateway Gifts, and World Traveler at International Gateway.
Instead of looking for Remy, participants search EPCOT for decorative pumpkins inspired by Disney characters. Place the corresponding stickers on the game board as each pumpkin is located.
Completed—or partially completed—boards can be redeemed at Creations Shop, Disney Traders, Gateway Gifts, or World Traveler for a keepsake while supplies last.
Cheers to Cheese! at CommuniCore Hall
One of the notable additions for 2026 arrives several weeks after the festival begins.
From September 18 through November 8, CommuniCore Hall hosts Cheers to Cheese!, an interactive exhibit exploring the history and culture of one of the festival’s favorite ingredients.
The experience includes food-related displays and educational elements, while the nearby new marketplace The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More leans fully into the theme.
The Wedge menu includes selections such as a cheese tasting, Crab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese, Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese, Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese, wine-and-cheese pairings, and a Cannoli Milk Shake.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2026
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series returns to America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion and is presented by Enterprise in 2026.
Concerts run nightly from August 27 through November 16. That means the Food & Wine Festival itself continues for five additional days after the final Eat to the Beat performances.
Shows are scheduled at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM. Regular seating is included with EPCOT admission and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The complete 2026 schedule is:
- August 27: Evolution: Motown
- August 28–31: Hanson
- September 1–3: Evolution: Motown
- September 4–5: The War and Treaty — new for 2026
- September 6–7: Yellowcard
- September 8–10: Fly Guys
- September 11–12: Couch — new for 2026
- September 13–14: Fitz and the Tantrums — new for 2026
- September 15–17: Latin Ambition
- September 18–19: MercyMe
- September 20–21: Grupo Manía — new for 2026
- September 22–24: Metro Latino Band
- September 25–27: Element
- September 28–29: New Found Glory
- September 30–October 1: Smash Mouth
- October 2–4: Champagne Orchestra
- October 5–6: Rey Ruiz — new for 2026
- October 7–8: Tiffany
- October 9–11: Viva Latina
- October 12–13: The Fray
- October 14–15: STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas
- October 16–18: Jaclyn Hayden
- October 19–20: Ben Rector
- October 21–22: Allen Stone — new for 2026
- October 23–25: SoundUp
- October 26–27: Lauren Alaina — new for 2026
- October 28–29: Bowling For Soup
- October 30–November 1: Southbound
- November 2–3: Boyz II Men
- November 4–5: Big Head Todd and The Monsters — new for 2026
- November 6–8: M-80’s
- November 9–10: Grace Potter — new for 2026
- November 11–12: The Beach Boys
- November 13–16: The Hooligans
Eat to the Beat Dining Packages
Guests who consider a particular performer a must-see can reserve an Eat to the Beat Concert Series Dining Package.
Packages combine a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with a guaranteed seat at one Eat to the Beat performance later that day. Participating restaurants in 2026 include Biergarten Restaurant, Chefs de France, Garden Grill Restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, La Hacienda de San Angel, Le Cellier Steakhouse, Nine Dragons Restaurant, Rose & Crown Dining Room, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, Spice Road Table, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia Ristorante, and Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, among others.
Same-day packages may also be available at Regal Eagle Smokehouse on a limited basis.
A dining package guarantees seating, but guests are still seated within the reserved section on a first-come, first-served basis.
2026 Global Marketplaces and Festival Menu Highlights
The Global Marketplaces remain the heart of Food & Wine. More than 30 festival kitchens, carts, restaurants, and specialty locations contribute limited-time items during the 2026 event.
Disney is using phased openings again this year, so not every location begins operating on August 27. Among the notable 2026 locations and dishes are:
- The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More — CommuniCore Hall, September 18–November 8: Cheese selections, Crab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese, Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese, Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese, wine pairings, and a Cannoli Milk Shake.
- Festival Favorites — beginning September 9: Anniversary-focused dishes including Bo Ssam Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps, Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Trifle, Potato Pierogi, and Frozen S’mores.
- Brew-Wing Lab at The Odyssey: Wing experiments including Buffalo-Dill Pickle, Garlic-Parmesan, Korean Barbecue, and the extremely spicy Carolina Reaper Pepper-Curry variety, along with plant-based chicken strips and the returning Pickle Milk Shake.
- Connections Eatery: New festival selections include BBQ Braai Chicken Pizza, Caramel-Apple Cheesecake Baumkuchen, and a Frozen Waffle Old Fashioned.
- Connections Café: A Pistachio-Chocolate Mochi Doughnut joins the festival menu.
- Gyozas of the Galaxy: The marketplace returns with Street Corn-style Dumplings alongside new Basil Pesto Chicken Dumplings with fonduta, tomato confit, and balsamic.
- Coastal Eats — beginning October 2: Seafood dishes including Crab Cake and Seafood Pot Pie with shrimp, scallops, and lobster bisque.
- The Fry Basket: Adobo Yuca Fries and a Fry Flight featuring Sea Salt-Malt Vinegar Fries, Truffle-Parmesan Fries, and Sweet Potato Casserole Fries.
- Earth Eats — beginning October 2: Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib with goat-cheese polenta and a Lemon-Almond-Olive Oil Cake.
- Sunshine Seasons: A Mickey-shaped Celebration Macaron and the over-the-top Remy Milk Shake topped with a cookie, mini cheesecake, white-chocolate Eiffel Tower, and strawberry.
- Australia: Grilled Bushberry-spiced Shrimp Skewer, Roasted Lamb Chop, Mixed Berry Pavlova, and Australian wines.
- Mexico: Tostada de Osso Buco, the returning Taco de Camaron, Paleta de Moras, Mexican beer, and tequila-based cocktails.
- Norway Cart: A Caramel Cream and Gjetost Norwegian Brown Cheese Bolle joins the festival menu.
- China: Beijing Zhajiang Noodles, Mango-Peach Bubble Tea, Chinese beer, and specialty cocktails.
- India — beginning October 2: Potato-Pea Samosas, Chicken Tikka Masala, Mango Lassi, wines, and beer.
- Refreshment Outpost: Berbere-spiced Beef Stew, plant-based Sweet Potato Mealie Pap, South African Cream Liqueur Chocolate Mousse, beer, cider, and cocktails.
- The Alps: Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese, Tartiflette, Kirschwasser Torte, and European wines.
- Germany: German specialties including Wiener Schnitzel and the returning Apple Strudel, accompanied by German beer and wine.
- Sommerfest: Zwiebelkuchen, a savory German onion cake with bacon, herbs, caramelized onions, and custard.
- Spain: Croquetas de Jamón, Paella Caldoso, Basque Cheesecake, Spanish wine, and cocktails.
- Italy: Stromboli, Pollo al Marsala, Almond Panna Cotta, Italian wines, sangria, and cocktails.
- Hops & Barley — American Adventure: New Smoked Brisket and Cheddar Melt along with seasonal beer selections.
- Funnel Cake: A Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake topped with pumpkin pie ice cream, whipped cream, dark chocolate sauce, cinnamon streusel, and powdered sugar.
- Japan: Beef Wagyu Temaki Hand Roll, Teriyaki Chicken Bun, Mango-Apple Fruit Pearl, Japanese beer, sake, and cocktails.
- Greece: Chicken Souvlaki Gyro, Spanakopita, Griddled Cheese with pistachios and honey, Greek wines, and cocktails.
- Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina: Mediterranean and North African-inspired food and beverages return to the Morocco Pavilion.
- Belgium: Belgian Waffles with cookie butter, Beer-braised Beef with smoked gouda mashed potatoes, Belgian coffee, and beer.
- France: Anniversary dishes include escargot bites in croissant dough, joined by Red Wine-braised Short Ribs, Pistachio Crème Brûlée, French wines, and cocktails.
- Canada: The longtime Cheddar and Bacon Soup returns alongside Filet Mignon, Canadian beer, and wines.
- La Poutinerie Hosted by Air Canada: The menu includes a new Bo Ssam Pork Poutine inspired by Seoul, South Korea.
- Shimmering Sips: Strawberry Champagne Trifle and a variety of mimosas; this is also the redemption location for Emile’s Fromage Montage.
- Hawai’i: Slow-roasted Pork Slider, Hawaiian Rice Bowl with SPAM and egg, Pineapple Cheesecake, tropical drinks, beer, and sparkling pineapple wine.
- Bramblewood Bites: Brûléed Sweet Potatoes, Grilled Cider-brined Pork Tenderloin, Cast Iron-seared River Trout, and fall-inspired beverages.
- Milled & Mulled: Butternut Squash and Ginger Bisque, Freshly Baked Carrot Cake, Apple-Cinnamon and Caramel Mini Churros Sundae, and seasonal drinks.
- Forest & Field: Spicy Black Bean-Mushroom Chili and Pumpkin-Mascarpone Ravioli with brown butter vinaigrette, pecorino, pomegranate, and hazelnut praline.
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company: Festival-exclusive cold brew drinks are available at several Joffrey’s locations around EPCOT, with both non-alcoholic and spirited versions.
Full marketplace menus are available on the official Walt Disney World Food & Wine marketplace page.
Parisian Breakfast at Chefs de France
The Parisian Breakfast at Chefs de France returns during the 2026 Food & Wine Festival.
This prepaid breakfast experience is offered for a limited time on Fridays and Saturdays beginning August 28, 2026.
The buffet features assorted French pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and almond croissants; freshly baked baguettes; cheeses and charcuterie; smoked salmon; seasonal fruit; and beverages.
Advance reservations are strongly recommended. The experience requires valid EPCOT admission in addition to the cost of the breakfast.
More 2026 Festival Entertainment and Activities
Jammin’ Chefs
The Jammin’ Chefs return during the festival, combining percussion, kitchen equipment, and comedy into a rhythmic performance that turns pots, pans, and cooking tools into instruments.
Disney PhotoPass Magic Shots
Food & Wine also gets its own limited-time Disney PhotoPass opportunities in 2026.
New and returning Magic Shots include Waiter Mickey Mouse at several World Showcase locations, the Giant Empanada, the Leaning Tower of Cheeza, a Swedish Chef-themed photo, and Chef Figment.
2026 Food & Wine Festival Merchandise
Festival merchandise returns with an especially colorful collection for the 30-year celebration.
The 2026 lineup includes festival apparel, headwear, kitchen items, trading pins, and accessories. Among the featured pieces are a Food & Wine T-shirt, chef-inspired Mickey and Minnie ear headband, festival sweatshirt, baseball cap, wine glass, novelty mug, and even a churro-themed item that converts into a tote bag.
Annual Passholders also have access to a separate collection of Passholder-exclusive festival merchandise while supplies last.
Festival merchandise is available primarily at Creations Shop and festival merchandise locations around EPCOT.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival
Food & Wine can easily overwhelm a first-time visitor. With more than 30 food locations, three concerts most nights, rides, scavenger hunts, merchandise, and the rest of EPCOT still operating normally, trying to do everything in a single day is usually a recipe for exhaustion.
1. Pick Up a Festival Passport
Grab a complimentary Festival Passport when you enter EPCOT. It is one of the most useful tools at the event, particularly if you are completing Emile’s Fromage Montage or simply want to keep track of dishes that interest you.
2. Make a Short Must-Eat List Before You Arrive
Do not plan to eat everything. Review the menus and identify five or six dishes you would genuinely be disappointed to miss.
Once those are covered, let everything else be spontaneous. This prevents you from filling up on the first few items you encounter and discovering your most anticipated dish three pavilions later.
3. Share Dishes
Festival portions are designed for sampling, which makes sharing one of the best strategies for trying more food without becoming full halfway around World Showcase.
A group of two or four people can sample considerably more of the festival if everyone shares rather than ordering an individual serving of every dish.
4. Start Eating Earlier in the Day
World Showcase becomes significantly busier as afternoon turns into evening, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays.
If food is your priority, start sampling when the marketplaces open instead of waiting until dinner. Lines that are manageable around lunchtime can become much longer once local visitors and evening guests arrive.
5. Weekdays Are Usually Easier Than Weekends
Food & Wine is especially popular with Central Florida residents and Annual Passholders, making Friday evenings and Saturdays some of the busiest festival periods.
If your vacation schedule is flexible, a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon generally provides a more relaxed environment for working through the marketplaces.
6. Pay Attention to Phased Marketplace Openings
One unusual feature of the 2026 festival is that several locations do not open on August 27.
Festival Favorites begins September 9, The Wedge and Cheers to Cheese! arrive September 18, and locations including Coastal Eats, Earth Eats, and India do not begin serving until October 2.
If a particular marketplace is important to you, make sure it will actually be operating on the date of your visit.
7. Consider a Festival Gift Card Wristlet
Disney sells festival-themed Disney Gift Card wristlets that can be activated with at least $15.
The wristband format is convenient when repeatedly purchasing small items at marketplace registers, and loading a predetermined amount onto the card can also make it easier to keep track of your food-and-drink budget.
8. Build Air-Conditioning Breaks Into Your Route
The first half of the festival takes place during some of Central Florida’s hottest and most humid weather.
Use locations such as CommuniCore Hall, Connections Eatery, The American Adventure, and The Land pavilion as intentional cooling breaks instead of spending six straight hours walking outdoors with food in your hands.
9. Hydrate Between Alcoholic Drinks
The name may say Food & Wine, but Florida heat and alcohol are not an ideal combination.
Drink water regularly, especially during August and September, and remember that it is very easy to consume more alcohol than expected when each marketplace offers a small specialty drink or flight.
10. Use the Eat to the Beat Schedule to Your Advantage
If you simply want to see a concert and are not particular about where you sit, you may not need a dining package. Arriving early for a regular standby queue can be sufficient on many nights.
If you are visiting specifically to see a popular act such as Hanson, Boyz II Men, The Beach Boys, Yellowcard, or another favorite, a dining package removes much of the uncertainty.
11. Don’t Forget That EPCOT Still Has Rides
It sounds obvious, but festival planning can become so food-focused that guests forget they are still visiting a theme park.
Use attractions such as Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as natural breaks between rounds of food rather than trying to eat continuously around the park.
12. Use the Scavenger Hunts to Keep Kids Engaged
Food & Wine has historically been considered one of EPCOT’s more adult-oriented festivals, but Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak and Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit give children something active to do while adults explore the marketplaces.
You also do not have to finish every scavenger-hunt location to redeem the purchased map for its keepsake, which is helpful if your family is ready to move on.
13. Consider Two EPCOT Days
If Food & Wine is one of the primary reasons for your trip, splitting the festival across two EPCOT visits can dramatically improve the experience.
One day can focus on the front half of the park and one side of World Showcase, while the second can cover the remaining marketplaces and a concert. You will eat at a more comfortable pace and spend far less time rushing from booth to booth.
14. Leave Room for Returning Classics
New dishes receive most of the attention, but 2026 is specifically designed to celebrate the festival’s history.
Consider trying at least a few of the dishes that helped build Food & Wine’s reputation over the last three decades. Eating a recipe first served in 1996 or 1997 adds a historical element that is unique to this year’s festival.
15. Check Menus Again Just Before Your Visit
Disney can change marketplace menus, availability, entertainment schedules, and operating hours during the festival.
Review the current menus and the My Disney Experience app shortly before your EPCOT day rather than relying entirely on a plan created months earlier.
A 30-Year EPCOT Tradition
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has changed enormously since its 30-day debut in 1996. Celebrity-chef demonstrations and elaborate tasting events have largely given way to Global Marketplaces, scavenger hunts, live concerts, and food strolls, while the festival itself has expanded from a short fall event into one of Walt Disney World’s signature annual celebrations.
The 2026 edition provides an especially good opportunity to appreciate that history. Between 30 returning and reimagined dishes, new offerings such as Cheers to Cheese!, more than 30 festival food locations, an extensive Eat to the Beat lineup, and nearly three months of operating dates, there is far more here than anyone needs to experience in one visit.
The best approach is simple: arrive hungry, make a short list of priorities, share what you can, and leave enough flexibility to discover something you did not plan to order.
For current information, menus, and last-minute changes, visit the official EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival page.