What’s Going On With EPCOT This Summer? ☀️
For the first time in years, EPCOT’s plans for this summer do NOT involve a festival.
![Disney World discounted tickets](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-wdw-epcot-monorail-spaceship-earth-stock-2-scaled.jpg)
![Disney World discounted tickets](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-wdw-epcot-monorail-spaceship-earth-stock-2-scaled.jpg)
EPCOT
While the 2024 Flower & Garden Festival ends on May 27th, the 2024 Food & Wine Festival does not open until August 29th, leaving EPCOT wide open for June, July, and most of August. So what’s going on?? Let’s talk about it.
Festival Dates of the Past
Let’s take a trip into EPCOT’s past to review festival dates. Considering the global pandemic that changed so much from 2020 on, it’s understandable that dates would change. But how do they measure up to today?
![EPCOT](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-wdw-epcot-park-map-stock-4-scaled.jpg)
![EPCOT](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-wdw-epcot-park-map-stock-4-scaled.jpg)
EPCOT
Before the global pandemic, the Flower & Garden Festival generally ran from February/March to May, while the Food & Wine Festival would follow from late August to November. This left the summer largely festival-free.
!['Wish' topiaries](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-wish-asha-valentino-topiary-topiaries-entrance13-scaled.jpg)
!['Wish' topiaries](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-wish-asha-valentino-topiary-topiaries-entrance13-scaled.jpg)
2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
In 2020, however, Disney World was closed from March to July, which meant that the Flower & Garden Festival kicked off on March 4th but closed once the resort shut down on March 15th, 2020.
EPCOT reopened on July 15th with an abridged version of the Food & Wine Festival called “Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival” with 20 booths. The smaller-scale festival ended on November 22nd.
![A Taste of Food & Wine Festival in 2020](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2020-wdw-epcot-a-taste-of-food-and-wine-festival-1-2.jpg)
![A Taste of Food & Wine Festival in 2020](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2020-wdw-epcot-a-taste-of-food-and-wine-festival-1-2.jpg)
Taste of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival in 2020
From 2021 to 2023, the Flower & Garden Festival ran from early March through July, followed swiftly by the Food & Wine Festival from July to November.
As a result, many of us wondered whether this was the new normal for EPCOT moving forward.
![EPCOT Food & Wine Festival](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-wdw-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-spaceship-earth-entrance-signs-decor-stock-4-scaled.jpg)
![EPCOT Food & Wine Festival](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-wdw-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-spaceship-earth-entrance-signs-decor-stock-4-scaled.jpg)
2023 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival
However, in 2024, it appears that things may finally be back to “normal.” The Flower & Garden Festival will last from February 28th to May 27th, while the Food & Wine Festival is scheduled from August 29th to November 23rd.
![2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-banners-signs-3-scaled.jpg)
![2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-banners-signs-3-scaled.jpg)
2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
So what’s going on?
CommuniCore Hall & Plaza
The reason behind the return to normal festival dates may be the opening of CommuniCore Hall & Plaza, EPCOT’s new spots for festivals and celebrations.
While the Hall will provide cool indoor space and a new Mickey & Friends meet-and-greet year-round, the Plaza will provide outdoor space, including a stage for special performances.
![CommuniCore Hall](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CommuniCore-HallMG_8626.jpg)
![CommuniCore Hall](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CommuniCore-HallMG_8626.jpg)
Photo: Disney
CommuniCore Hall & Plaza are scheduled to open on June 10th, with a special Encanto sing-along show, “¡Celebración Encanto!,” running several times a day on the Plaza stage between June 10th and September 6th.
So there’s one source of summer entertainment in EPCOT!
![CommuniCore Plaza](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CommuniCore-HallMG_2808.jpg)
![CommuniCore Plaza](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CommuniCore-HallMG_2808.jpg)
Photo: Disney
Disney has said there are “more food and beverages and more entertainment to come” with details coming soon, but this is most likely a hint at the Core & Plaza’s involvement in the 2024 Food & Wine Festival.
A Summer Festival?
While many of us lamented the serving of hot soup during the Food & Wine Festival in the blaring heat of July, we were left wondering what else Disney could do to fill the summer. What about a summer festival??
![Canadian Cheddar & Bacon Soup](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-wdw-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-canada-booth-canadian-cheddar-and-bacon-soup-4-scaled.jpg)
![Canadian Cheddar & Bacon Soup](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-wdw-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-canada-booth-canadian-cheddar-and-bacon-soup-4-scaled.jpg)
Canadian Cheddar & Bacon Soup at EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival
Imagine it — fresh fruit, sweet drinks, cold pasta salad…there are so many possibilities for a summer EPCOT festival!
![Elderflower Sparkling Cocktail](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-wdw-epcot-festival-of-the-arts-larte-di-mangiare-elderflower-sparkling-cocktail-2-scaled.jpg)
![Elderflower Sparkling Cocktail](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-wdw-epcot-festival-of-the-arts-larte-di-mangiare-elderflower-sparkling-cocktail-2-scaled.jpg)
Elderflower Sparkling Cocktail
However, summer is one of the busiest times in Disney World, and the company might be trying to cut down on EPCOT crowds by eliminating festival time in the summer.
They most likely also considered the costs of running a festival — new or returning — and have cut back on festival time as a way to keep costs down over the summer.
![Creations Shop crowd](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-crowds-2-scaled.jpg)
![Creations Shop crowd](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-wdw-epcot-flower-and-garden-festival-crowds-2-scaled.jpg)
2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival crowds
With the opening of CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, EPCOT is sure to draw crowds this summer regardless — so a festival isn’t really necessary anyway.
![EPCOT Transformation Construction CommuniCore Hall Sign](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/EPCOT-Transformation-Construction-CommuniCore-Hall-Sign-2.jpg)
![EPCOT Transformation Construction CommuniCore Hall Sign](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/EPCOT-Transformation-Construction-CommuniCore-Hall-Sign-2.jpg)
CommuniCore Hall in progress
Still, we can dream about a summer festival. Maybe someday!
![Cupcake Soft-Serve Ice Cream at EPCOT's 2024 Festival of the Arts](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-wdw-epcot-festival-of-the-arts-swirled-showcase-cupcake-soft-serve-ice-cream-cone6-scaled.jpg)
![Cupcake Soft-Serve Ice Cream at EPCOT's 2024 Festival of the Arts](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-wdw-epcot-festival-of-the-arts-swirled-showcase-cupcake-soft-serve-ice-cream-cone6-scaled.jpg)
Cupcake Soft-Serve Ice Cream at EPCOT’s 2024 Festival of the Arts
What would you like to see in EPCOT this summer? Keep following MickeyBlog for more Disney news!