Maximizing Your Time at EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival
It might seem strange that this “fall” festival starts in mid-July, but there’s a good reason. Walt Disney World’s International Food & Wine Festival is just too good to only run for 2 months.
The original festival runtime simply did not provide enough time for the thousands of visitors to make their foodie pilgrimage trips.
Whether you’re an annual visitor or a first-time attendee, we’d love to share some “must know” tips for making the most out of this event. With so many booths to visit and menus to scour, every Food & Wine Festival guest needs a game plan.
Let’s all make Remy proud with our ability to seize the day at EPCOT’s most delicious festival. Allons-y!
Skip the ADRs
Having Advance Dining Reservations is usually a Disney World non-negotiable. With reservations becoming harder and harder to snag, you may have a hard time believing this advice.
Trust us. You’ll want to save time, money, and your appetite.
With over 20 booths to sample, you will have more than enough to choose from. Filling up at a restaurant you can visit any time of the year, may not be ideal.
If you can’t give up the chance to rest your feet and sit in air-conditioning, consider ordering an appetizer to split or a small salad. You’ll thank us.
Credit: Disney
Set a Budget in Advance
The International Food & Wine Festival is great, but it isn’t cheap. Your bill can add up quickly visiting multiple stands.
Some of the more expensive snacks can cost over $10 for a small portion or almost $15 for a beverage. (Admittedly, this festival isn’t always cost-effective.)
However, you can still have a wonderful time treating yourself. We’d just recommend you set your max budget in advance.
Consider splitting items/drinks if you want to try more treats. Remember, spending wisely on your trip only makes it easier to come back sooner.
Figure Out Your “Must Visit” Booths
The festival boasts over two dozen booths with brand new spots and old favorites. The food varieties cover everything from exotic selections to health-conscious choices.
Keeping that aforementioned budget in mind, you might not visit every booth. Limits on time and money could factor in.
In that case, scope out the booths (and menus!) in advance via the internet. That way, you’ll have an idea of how to rank your choices.
For example, are you a carnivore that appreciates the finer things in life? Then, don’t miss out on the Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon at Canada’s booth.
If you can’t resist cheesy goodness then the Mac and Eats booth is for you.
Are you a vegetarian who prefers the lighter side of cuisine? You must check out the Earth Eats booth for their “Impossible” meatballs.
Every booth won’t tickle your food fancy and that’s ok. This is the time to indulge in your favorites.
Visit During the Week. Visit Early. Return Often.
If you can swing it, try to visit the festival during the week. Lines can get crazy on weekends thanks to locals, college students, and bachelor/bachelorette parties.
Additionally, start your festival snacking as early in the day as possible. Lines are always longer in the evenings.
No one wants to wait in a 30-minute line for a small portion of food, no matter how delicious it is.
And finally, if you can spread your visit over a couple of days, we highly recommend it. The festival can be overwhelming to tackle in one go.
Spread out your enjoyment for your wallet, your waistline, and your sanity. Like a fine wine, your experience at the Food & Wine Festival should also be savored.
Hydrate, Hydrate, and Hydrate Again
If you enjoy the alcoholic beverages as much as the snacks, you’re in the right place! Many visitors can’t get enough of the imported beer, wine, and cocktails.
If this is you, we want you to have an amazing (and responsible) time! We don’t want the tasty drinks to ruin your trip with a hangover.
Credit: Disney
If you’re going to try several drinks, space them out over the day and hydrate between each beverage. Don’t forget that most Quick-Service restaurants provide complimentary cups of water.
You can also bring water into the park. Fill up your favorite bottle to ensure the hydration never stops.
You’ll need extra bathroom breaks, but you’ll also be sober, fit, and able to enjoy the festival.
From all of us at MickeyBlog, we hope that your next International Food & Wine visit is productive, memorable, and delicious. Savor your time and you’ll even make Anton Ego proud.
Credit: Disney
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Feature Photo: Disney
