The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is one of our family’s favorite Disney events, and this year is an especially fun one. The festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, with favorite dishes from festivals past returning alongside plenty of new things to try.
This year’s festival runs from August 27 through November 21, 2026, giving you nearly three months to eat and drink your way around EPCOT.
We made our way through quite a few of the Global Marketplaces during our September trip, sharing just about everything so that we could try more as we went. I’m happy to report that we chose exceptionally well this year. There were very few misses and quite a few things I would happily order again.
Here’s everything you need to know!
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Marketplaces
The Global Marketplaces are the heart of the Food & Wine Festival, with festival-exclusive kiosks located throughout EPCOT serving small plates, desserts, cocktails, wine, beer and other beverages inspired by cuisines from around the world.
The festival itself is included with your regular EPCOT admission, so you don’t need a separate festival ticket to enjoy it. Food and beverages are purchased individually as you make your way around the park.
This is one of our favorite ways to do Disney. Rather than sitting down for a big lunch, we love spending an afternoon wandering through EPCOT, sharing dishes and drinks as we go. With portions sized for tasting, everyone can order something different and pass it around. Some things become favorites we look for year after year, while others are decidedly one-and-done.
What We Tried in 2026
Swirled Showcase
Liquid Nitrogen Almond Truffle Mousse with Whiskey-Caramel Sauce
This is one of the special 30th Anniversary Legacy Items brought back for this year’s festival. I love just about anything almond flavored, and this was yummy, although probably not a must-get-again item for me.
Apple Cinnamon Soft-serve in a Waffle Cone
Whit loved this one. I didn’t try it, so you’ll have to take his word for it!
The Wedge
Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese
with Smoked Cheddar Sauce, Shaved Beef, Peppers, Onions and Herbed Panko
An absolute YES from us. I will admit that it didn’t look particularly appetizing, but don’t let appearances fool you. It tasted amazing and ended up being one of our favorites of the festival.
The Wedge is new for this year’s festival and is located in CommuniCore Hall through November 8. This dish also counts toward Emile’s Fromage Montage.
Festival Favorites
Potato Pierogi
with Kielbasa, Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream
Another 30th Anniversary Legacy Item and another winner. Simple, hearty and delicious.
Gyozas of the Galaxy
Basil Pesto Chicken Dumplings
Chicken Dumplings, Basil Pesto, Fonduta, Tomato Confit and Balsamic
Very good! We love dumplings anyway, and this was such an interesting take on one of our favorite foods. By this point in the afternoon, we were feeling pretty proud of our selections because everything had been delicious.
Flavors from Fire
Smoked Corned Beef
with House-made Potato Chips, Cheese Curds, Pickled Onions and Beer Cheese Fondue
We’ve had this one at previous festivals and it is still very good. This has become a don’t-miss item for us whenever it makes an appearance.
Shimmering Sips
Blood Orange Mimosa
Delicious and refreshing. This was a perfect drink for a hot September afternoon at EPCOT.
Japan
Beef Wagyu Temaki Hand Roll
with Savory American Wagyu Beef, Pickled Ginger and Spicy Mayonnaise Sauce
Very good and my favorite of the two things we tried in Japan. If I were choosing just one thing here again, this would be it.
Teriyaki Chicken Bun
Steamed Bun filled with Minced Chicken, Vegetables and Teriyaki Sauce
Also good, although we preferred the Wagyu Hand Roll.
France
Chilled French Cosmo
Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Grand Marnier Liqueur and Simply Cranberry Juice
Good and certainly refreshing on a hot EPCOT afternoon, but a little sweet for me. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn’t make it a repeat.
We didn’t come close to trying everything, and that is part of the fun. Menus change from year to year, and there is always something new waiting on our next visit.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series
Food isn’t the only reason to visit the festival. The Eat to the Beat Concert Series brings live music to the America Gardens Theatre throughout the season, with a combination of nationally known performers and local acts.
For 2026, concerts are scheduled nightly from August 27 through November 16, with shows at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM. Performances are included with EPCOT admission, although seating is limited. Dining Packages are also available on select dates if there is a particular performer you really want to see.
Check Disney’s current Eat to the Beat schedule before your trip since performers and appearances are subject to change.
Fun for All Ages
Food & Wine isn’t just for adults. Some of our favorite festival traditions are the activities scattered throughout EPCOT, and they are an easy way to keep kids engaged while the grown-ups sip and snack their way around World Showcase.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak is always one of my favorite festival activities for families.
Purchase a scavenger hunt map and stickers, then search for Remy statuettes hiding around World Showcase and the Global Marketplaces. Each Remy has an ingredient with him, and you match the corresponding ingredient sticker to the location on your map.
When you’re finished, turn in your map at one of the designated redemption locations and receive a festival keepsake. And here’s my longtime tip: you do not actually have to complete the hunt to receive your prize, so I like to collect ours when we purchase the map. That way there is no need to remember to circle all the way back later.
The hunt is available throughout the 2026 Food & Wine Festival, while supplies last.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit
If you’re visiting during the Halloween season, you can also take part in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit.
This scavenger hunt sends you searching around EPCOT for decorative pumpkins inspired by Disney characters. Purchase the game board and stickers, mark your finds as you go and redeem your board for a spooky festival keepsake.
For 2026, Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit runs September 25 through November 2, while supplies last.
And the same tip applies here: you don’t have to complete the entire hunt to receive the keepsake.
Emile’s Fromage Montage
This one is for the cheese lovers!
Pick up a Festival Passport and look for the designated Emile’s Fromage Montage dishes throughout the Global Marketplaces. Purchase five qualifying cheese dishes and collect a stamp for each one.
Once you have five stamps, take your Festival Passport to Shimmering Sips to receive a special festival treat.
You don’t have to complete the challenge in one day, either. You can keep your passport and continue collecting stamps on another visit during the festival.
Our Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese from The Wedge was one of this year’s qualifying dishes, which seems only appropriate considering how much we loved it.
Cheers to Cheese!
New for this year’s festival is even more love for cheese in CommuniCore Hall. Cheers to Cheese! is an interactive exhibit celebrating the history and deliciousness of cheese and is available through November 8.
The Wedge marketplace is part of this special area, making CommuniCore Hall worth a stop even if you normally head straight for World Showcase when you arrive at Food & Wine.
My Tips for EPCOT Food & Wine Festival
After many years of eating and drinking our way around this festival, I do have a few tried-and-true strategies.
- Share everything. We almost always split dishes so that we can taste far more things without getting full after the first few stops.
- Don’t order everything that sounds good at the first marketplace you reach. There is a LOT of food ahead of you.
- Pick up a Festival Passport when you arrive. Even if you aren’t doing Emile’s Fromage Montage, it makes it much easier to see what is available and keep track of things you want to try.
- Take your time. We prefer to make Food & Wine the plan rather than trying to squeeze it between a packed morning of attractions and a big dinner reservation.
- And don’t judge festival food by its looks. Our Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese was hardly the prettiest thing we ate all day and ended up being one of our absolute favorites.
- Most importantly, don’t feel like you have to try everything. We certainly don’t. Pick the things that sound best to your family, share them and enjoy the experience.
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival runs through November 21, 2026. If you’re headed to Walt Disney World this fall, come hungry!
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