EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival: The Complete 2026 Guide
If there is one event at Walt Disney World that I have been dying to experience as a self-proclaimed Disney foodie, it is the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. I have been to EPCOT during other festivals and absolutely loved the atmosphere, the food booths, the live music, and the energy of it all. But Food and Wine is the one that every Disney fan talks about, and after years of visiting at other times of year, I finally have a trip booked during the festival this fall. I cannot wait.
If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World this fall, or even just starting to think about it, this guide covers everything you need to know about the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival in 2026, including dates, what to expect, the activities and entertainment, and tips for making the most of your visit.
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Planning a Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to check out my guides to Walt Disney World in 2026 and Walt Disney World in 2027!
What Is the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival?
The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is Walt Disney World’s signature fall celebration of global cuisine, culture, and live music. It has been a beloved EPCOT tradition since 1996, and it has only grown in size and popularity over the decades. What started as a 30-day event has expanded into a nearly three-month celebration that draws Disney fans and food lovers from all over the world.
The centerpiece of the festival is the Global Marketplaces, a collection of food and beverage booths spread throughout World Showcase and beyond. Each booth is themed to a different country or concept and serves exclusive menu items you will not find anywhere else in the park at any other time of year. Think lamb chops, dumplings, raclette, bratwurst, crab cakes, creative cocktails, wine flights, and so much more. The full menus change from year to year, which is part of what keeps longtime fans coming back.
Beyond the food, the festival features live concerts, family-friendly scavenger hunts, a cheesy food stroll, and exclusive merchandise. And the best part? The festival is included with regular EPCOT park admission. There is no separate ticket required to access the booths, the concerts, or most of the activities.
2026 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival Dates
The 2026 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival runs from August 27 through November 21, 2026, giving you an 87-day window to plan your visit. That is a lot of fall, which means whether you are a back-to-school family sneaking in a September trip or a couple looking for a November getaway, there is likely a window that works for you.
As with all EPCOT festivals, some Global Marketplace booths open on a phased schedule throughout the season rather than all at once on opening day. Disney will release a full Foodie Guide closer to opening day with the complete booth lineup, menus, and opening dates for each location.
What to Expect at the Global Marketplaces
The Global Marketplaces are the heart of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. When the festival is in full swing, you can expect upward of 30 booths scattered throughout the park, each offering a small but carefully curated menu of bites and sips. The portions are intentionally small and priced individually, so you can graze your way around the world without committing to a full sit-down meal at every stop.
Disney has already confirmed three returning dishes for 2026, giving us a little preview of what is coming. The Street Corn-style Chicken Dumplings with Tomatillo Salsa Verde, Street Corn Salad, Cotija, Lime Crema, and Cilantro from Gyozas of the Galaxy are back. So is the Grilled Bushberry-Spiced Shrimp Skewer with Sweet-and-Sour Vegetables and Coconut-Chili Sauce from the Australia booth. And the Kirschwasser Torte with Cherry-Brandy Buttercream, Fondant, Sugared Almonds, and Cherry Compote from The Alps booth is returning as well. Full menus for all booths will be released closer to opening day, and I will update this post as soon as they are available!
A few tips for navigating the booths: bring a Disney gift card to make purchasing quick and easy as you hop from booth to booth. The digital Festival Passport is also available in the My Disney Experience app, so you can track your progress and plan your route without carrying around a paper map.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series
One of the most beloved parts of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, and it is returning for 2026. Concerts take place nightly at the America Gardens Theatre, the outdoor amphitheater located in the American Adventure Pavilion at the heart of World Showcase. Shows typically run three times each evening, generally at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM.
The lineup typically features popular artists from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s on Fridays through Mondays, while local Central Florida bands take the stage Tuesday through Thursday evenings. Past performers have included Hanson, Boyz II Men, Sheila E., The Fray, The Beach Boys, Jordin Sparks, Smash Mouth, Hoobastank, and many more. The 2026 artist lineup has not yet been announced, but I will update this post the moment it is released!
Concerts are included with EPCOT park admission, and general seating is first-come, first-served. If you want a guaranteed seat, you can book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package at select restaurants around EPCOT. Dining package guests are seated in a dedicated section and can enter the theatre through a separate queue. Dining package details and pricing for 2026 have not yet been announced, so check back here for updates.
A tip for concert-goers without a dining package: arrive at the theatre 30 to 40 minutes before showtime for popular performers, especially on weekend nights. The concerts fill up quickly, and the atmosphere of watching live music in World Showcase on a warm Florida evening with a drink from a nearby booth is genuinely one of the best experiences at Walt Disney World. I am already looking forward to this part of my trip the most.
Festival Activities and Entertainment
The food booths and concerts get most of the attention, but the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival has plenty of other activities to keep the whole family entertained throughout the day.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
This Ratatouille-inspired scavenger hunt sends guests around World Showcase in search of hidden Remy statuettes. To participate, purchase a map and sticker set at select merchandise locations, including Disney Traders, Creations Shop, and festival merchandise kiosks. As you find each hidden Remy around the park, place the corresponding sticker on your map. Once your map is complete, bring it to a participating location to claim your prize. In 2025, the prize was a character bento box. The map was $11.99 in 2025; 2026 pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit
Starting September 2, a second scavenger hunt joins the fun. Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit is a Halloween-themed adventure where guests search for hidden decorative pumpkins themed to Disney characters throughout the park. Like the Remy hunt, you purchase a map and stickers at select merchandise locations, then match the pumpkins you find to the corresponding spots on your map. Even if you do not complete the hunt, you can still turn in your map for a small surprise. This one is especially fun for kids and a great way to slow down and explore corners of the park you might otherwise walk right past. The map was also $11.99 in 2025.
Emile’s Fromage Montage
Calling all cheese lovers. Emile’s Fromage Montage is a food stroll built specifically around cheese-inspired dishes available at select Global Marketplaces. Using the Festival Passport, purchase five eligible cheese dishes from the listed booths and collect a stamp for each one. Once you have all five stamps, bring your passport to the designated redemption location to claim a specialty treat and souvenir. It is a fun way to try dishes you might not have considered otherwise, and the prize at the end makes it feel like a little bonus reward for being adventurous with your food choices.
Exclusive Festival Merchandise
Each year the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival brings a fresh collection of exclusive merchandise, from apparel and accessories to kitchen items and collectibles. Merchandise is available at various locations throughout EPCOT, including shops along the World Showcase Promenade. The 2026 merchandise collection has not yet been announced, but expect it to be revealed closer to the August opening.
Tips for Visiting the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
Visit on a weekday. The festival is enormously popular with local Florida residents, which means evenings and weekends get crowded, especially around the food booths in World Showcase. Monday through Wednesday are your best bets for lighter crowds. Avoid the first and last weekends of the festival if you can, as those tend to draw extra attention.
Pace yourself. This is genuinely good advice and something every veteran festival-goer will tell you. The booths are designed for grazing, but it is easy to overdo it early in the day and run out of steam before you have made it halfway around World Showcase. Eat a light breakfast, take breaks, and drink plenty of water between booths.
Plan your booth route ahead of time. The full Foodie Guide (released closer to opening day) lists every booth, every menu item, and which items are part of Emile’s Fromage Montage. Reading through it before your visit helps you prioritize the booths you most want to hit and build a logical walking route rather than backtracking.
Be mindful when traveling with young children. The festival is absolutely family-friendly, and the scavenger hunts are a wonderful activity for kids. That said, many of the food booths lean heavily toward adult beverages, and alcohol consumption is a visible part of the atmosphere, particularly in the evenings. It is not a problem by any means, just something to be aware of as you plan your day.
Stay for the evening. EPCOT at night during Food and Wine is genuinely magical. The World Showcase lights up, the concert is in full swing at the America Gardens Theatre, and the energy of the crowd is festive and relaxed all at once. If your schedule allows, do not leave right after dinner. Stick around, catch a concert set, and soak it in.
For the most up-to-date information on menus, entertainment, and dining packages, be sure to visit the official Walt Disney World website.
Planning your first Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step planning guide to get started!
Ready to Keep Planning?
Here are some resources to help!
- Guide to Walt Disney World in 2026
- Guide to Walt Disney World in 2027
- runDisney Races and Events Guide
- Best Day to Visit Each Disney World Park
Walt Disney World Resort Guides:
- Disney Value Resort Hotels
- Disney Moderate Resort Hotels
- Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels
- Disney Deluxe Villas
Walt Disney World Dining Guides:
- Dining in Magic Kingdom
- Dining in Epcot
- Dining in Hollywood Studios
- Dining in Animal Kingdom
- Disney World Dining Reservations Guide
Walt Disney World Attraction Guides:
- Attraction Guide for Magic Kingdom
- Attraction Guide for Epcot
- Attraction Guide for Hollywood Studios
- Attraction Guide for Animal Kingdom
