Our favorite time to visit Walt Disney World is during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. The festival runs from the end of August to early November every year and it is one of the best times to visit. We have always gone toward the end of the festival—late October or early November—so we get to enjoy the cooler weather and smaller crowds. Depending on the length of your visit, you will want to be prepared on what to expect and plan the things you’d like to do. To celebrate the August 30th start of this year’s festival, here’s my guide to the 2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
Helpful links to help you plan what you’ll eat and what you’ll do:
Official Walt Disney World page for the 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
The Disney Food Blog’s 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Page (includes menus, pricing, and photos)
Tips and a guide to the 2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival:
1. Prepare ahead of time.
There are over 35 “marketplaces” that serve food, wine, and beer samples inspired by the country’s most popular cuisines. Food prices usually range from $4-$9 and beverages vary from $3-$10. With so many choices, I recommend reading over the menus ahead of time and planning what you want to try. The marketplaces are located throughout Epcot, although most are located in the World Showcase, and you definitely don’t want to get full before you know all your options. You’ll also want to set a budget ahead of time, $6 glasses of wine and $7 food dishes add up fast.
While I’m not the best food critic due to my strict dietary preferences, I compiled a list of marketplaces and menu items that are my husband’s top five recommendations. I also marked the ones that are gluten-free (GF)!
Marketplace: Canada
Menu Item: Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce (GF) ($8.00)
Marketplace: Brazil
Menu Item: Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread (GF) ($4.25)
Marketplace: France
Menu Item: Carbonade de Boeuf, Purée de Pommes de Terre: Beer-braised Beef with Bacon, Onion and Mashed Potatoes ($6.25)
Marketplace: Australia
Menu Item: Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies (GF) ($7.75)
Marketplace: New Zealand
Menu Item: Steamed Green Lip Mussels with Garlic Butter and Toasted Breadcrumbs ($4.50), paired with the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough ($6.00)
The Disney Food Blog is a great resource that lists each marketplace menu item along with the prices and pictures. The blog’s Food and Wine Festival page can be found here.
2. Go during the week.
If you can visit Epcot mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday), you’ll spend a lot less time waiting in the food lines than you would on the weekends. During the week, we like to walk around for lunch and dinner and most of the time we’ve been able to order food with little to no wait. Fast forward to a Friday or Saturday night, lines can be 15-30 minutes and there are a limited number of tables to eat at. If you are visiting on a weekend, the earlier you go the better, because the crowds get heavier the later it gets.
3. Enjoy a free concert.
Every evening during the festival, a free concert takes place at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM in the American Garden Theatre at the World Showcase. The Eat to the Beat Concert Series are 35-minute shows from major recording artists. I recommend arriving 20-30 minutes ahead of time and attending the earliest show if you want to avoid the crowds.
Growing up as a 90’s child, I have to say I’m most excited about Hanson (who I have seen before and loved), 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men.
The 2018 schedule of performances is listed below.
- August 30 to 31: Blue October
- September 1 to 3: Tiffany
- September 4 to 5: MercyMe
- September 6 to 7: Glass Tiger
- September 8 to 9: Tauren Wells
- September 10 to 11: Postmodern Jukebox
- September 12 to 13: Vertical Horizon
- September 14 to 16: Baha Men
- September 17 to 19: Plain White T’s
- September 20 to 21: Living Colour
- September 22 to 23: Sheila E
- September 24 to 26: Sugar Ray
- September 27 to 28: David Cook
- September 29 to 30: Jeffrey Osborne
- October 1 to 2: Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts
- October 3 to 4: Everclear
- October 5 to 7: Mark Wills
- October 8 to 10: Air Supply
- October 11 to 12: Anderson East
- October 13 to 14: Smash Mouth
- October 15 to 16: 98 Degrees
- October 17 to 18: 38 Special
- October 19 to 21: The Devon Allman Project
- October 22 to 23: Kenny G
- October 24 to 25: Billy Ocean
- October 26 to 28: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
- October 29 to 31: Hanson
- November 1 to 2: High Valley
- November 3 to 4: Taylor Dayne
- November 5 to 7: Boyz II Men
- November 8 to 9: The Hooters
- November 10 to 12: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
4. Visit the Festival Center.
Depending on the weather when you visit, you may want to find some AC and take a break from walking around. Located to the left of Mission SPACE in Future World, the Festival Center is the hub of all festival activities and a great place to cool off and browse special edition merchandise. From Mickey cookbooks and wine glasses, to art and apparel, every year new merchandise is sold commemorating the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. The center is home to several food and beverage seminars (available for an additional fee) and a Ghirardelli chocolate exhibit that displays Disney’s most popular movie themes with chocolate.
2Ready to attend this year’s Epcot International Food and Wine Festival? Check out how I got a free Disney World 7-Day Park Hopper Ticket using credit card points. You can also read my Top 10 list of things to do at Epcot to help plan other activities to do throughout the park!
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