Walt Disney World Food and Wine Festival 2021

Walt Disney World Food and Wine Festival 2021

Updated January 2021: As  you know Disney held a modified version of the popular EPCOT Food and Wine Festival last year. Although the exact details for the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival have not been released yet, we have updated this post based on previous years.

Based on previous festivals the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival will offer over 30 signature global marketplaces like Hawaii, Hops & Barley, and Islands of the Caribbean. Be sure to check back as we continue to update this page on the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival seminars, EAT to the Beat Concert Series, and merchandise for you! We will also be watching for other free activities such as Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak scavenger hunt!

And the BEST PART is, this festival is included absolutely free with your entry to EPCOT. We hope you find this post helpful, and if you are planning a trip to Disney in the fall be sure to check out our other FREE vacation planning tools. Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time on your next vacation and find the cheapest Walt Disney World tickets!

SPECIAL NOTE: The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is typically held between the end of August and middle of November. If you need help picking the best time to visit Disney World for the festival be sure to check out our 2021 Disney crowd calendar below! 

 Disney World Crowd Calendar 2021

 

Guide to the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival 2021

It’s important to note that information for the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival has not been released yet. We have created the below guide based on previous EPCOT Food & Wine Festivals we have attended. 

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World this fall? Be sure to immerse yourself in the culinary arts at this years 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. Taste your way around World Showcase and sample foods and drinks from over 30 unique booths. Be sure to check out the popular 2021 Eat to the Beat Concert Series with acts including Sugar Ray, Boys II Men, Hanson and many more!

This festival has been one of our favorites in Walt Disney World for as long as we can remember. In this post we will break down our 2021 Food and Wine Festival tips including the best time to visit, menus, special seminars and so much more.

It’s important to note that 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine classes and seminars do fill up quickly so advanced reservations are strongly recommended. Be sure to book mark this page so you can come back as soon as new information has been released!

For the complete guide to EPCOT Food and Wine Festival 2021 read on!

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Dates 2021

The dates for the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT have not been released yet! Historically they have been the end of August until the third week of November!

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Dates?

• (Expected) End of August 2021 until third week of November

We love this time of year at Walt Disney World for a few reasons. The first being Disney typically attracts lower crowds at the end of August and September. The second being guests can attend either Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! 

The Best Time to Visit EPCOT Food & Wine Festival 2021

As noted above the best time to visit the 2021 Disney World Food and Wine Festival is the entire month of September. If you are in the process of booking your trip or plan to visit during another month be sure to check out our Disney Crowd Calendar. We break down crowd levels, ticket prices, and average temperatures for each month.

When is the Best Time to Visit EPCOT Food and Wine Festival?

• Aug. 10-31
• All of September
• Oct 1-21 (Keep in mind Disney World will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary)
• Nov. 16-21 (avoid Thanksgiving week)

It’s important to note that the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival will be extremely crowded on the weekends. This is true regardless of which month you visit as it’s extremely popular among the Florida locals. One benefit of visiting on the weekend is the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine hours will be extended as the park closes later. This will allow you to take advantage of lower crowds late in the evening.

The Best Disney Resorts for the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

With the addition of the Disney Skyliner there have never been more Disney hotel options for guests visiting EPCOT. Below are our recommendations when visiting the 2021 WDW Food and Wine Festival:

Hotels in Walking Distance to 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
• The Disney Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club
• Swan & Dolphin (friendly neighbor resorts)

Disney Skyliner Access to 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Art of Animation Resort

What’s Included With Your 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Tickets?

Access to the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival at World Showcase is included with your regular Walt Disney World ticket. It’s important to note that food and drink tastings are NOT included in the cost of your ticket.

With over 30 booths and 3-4 pairings per booth this can be one of the more expensive days you spend at Disney. For the most part, tastings at each booth will run you between $5.00-$9.00 for food and $4.00-$10.00 for drinks. Disney also offers special tasting and seminars which we will cover later in this post.

With that being said there are a ton of free things to do at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. These include unique character meet-and-greets, cook book signings, and a family play zone for the kids.

Some of the other free entertainment options at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival include the Disney Du Jour Dance Party in future world, Radio Disney Djs on the weekend, and the Eat to the Beat series.

Other Notable 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Activities

Emile’s Fromage Montage

This family friendly event invites guests to purchase any five cheese dishes from the marketplace booths. Once guests collect a stamp for each cheese dish purchased they win a complimentary bite size cheese cake!

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeek scavenger hunt

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeek scavenger hunt is available for purchase at the major gift shops for $6.99 plus tax. Match the 15 stickers of Remy and a food item of the locations on the map and earn  a prize!

Navigating the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Booths

With over 30 booths to taste from a great game plan is a must to see all that EPCOT food and Wine has to offer. Luckily Disney has provided us with tools to tackle this event.

EPCOT Food and Wine Map 2021

Each map during the festival has a separate section numbering all of the food booths.

Food and Wine EPCOT Map

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Times Guide

Disney releases their times guides weekly and this will fill you in on all of the special events going on that day.

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Passport 2021

These passport booklets are available for FREE throughout the park. They include all food and beverage options at each booth. They also allow you to stamp and track which booths you have visited.

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Booths

Every booth at the 2021 Disney World Food and Wine Festival has a different theme. Some of the themes are a specific country, including a booth for all eleven World Showcase countries. Other booths are broader regions from around the globe, and many booths up front are unique food types.

Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2021 Booths

( If booths are similar to 2019)

• Active Eats
• Africa
• The Almond Orchard
• Appleseed Orchade
• The Alps
• Australia
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Brewer’s Collection
• Canada
• The Cheese Studio
• China
• Chocolate Studio
• Coastal Eats
• Craft Drafts
• Earth Eats
• Flavors From Fire
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hawai’i
• Hops & Barley
• India
• Ireland
• Islands of the Caribbean
• Italy
• Japan
• Light Lab
• Mexico
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Refreshment Outpost
• Refreshment Port
• Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar
• Spain
• Thailand
• Wine and Dine Studio

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Events

It’s important to note we are still waiting on official word from Disney if special events at the food and wine festival will still be held in 2021. 

As discussed Disney also offers special events throughout the entire food and wine festival. Some of these events are basic low cost experiences such as food and beverage pairings or a tailgate tasting. While premium special events allow guests to learn from celebrity chefs.

Free Disney Food and Wine Festival Events

• Meet & Greets and Book Signings
  •  Guest’s have the opportunity to meet their favorite cook book authors and celebrity chefs.
• Bottle Signings
  • Meet your favorite winemaker and have your purchased bottle of wine autographed.
• The Chocolate Experience
  • Learn about the history of chocolate and how your favorite treat is made at this free exhibit. We specifically enjoy the chocolate Disney sculptures.
• Low Cost Special Events

EPCOT offers a variety of low cost food and beverage seminars which take place in World Show Place Events Pavilion. The costs of these events typically range from $19.00 and up and we find these tastings to be the best overall value at the festival. These seminars include:

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Pairing Events

• Guest’s will participate in a 45 minute food and beverage pairing event sampling some of the best that EPCOT has to offer.

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Culinary Demonstrations

• Guest’s will enjoy a 45 minute demonstration which renowned gourmets whip up special dishes.

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Beverage Seminars

• Guest’s will sample select adult beverages during a 45 minute demonstration. Sample the best beers, wine, and spirits EPCOT has to offer.

Mix it, Make it, Celebrate it!

• Guest’s will become experts in the art of ingredient mixing which will include everything from cakes to cocktails.

Tailgate Tasting Event at EPCOT Food & Wine Festival 2021 

• Enjoy three favorite tailgate snacks along with your favorite adult beverage. The coolest part of this event is the food items are all inspired by the home team playing that week.

Premium Special Events at EPCOT Food and Wine 2021 

Sunday Brunch with a Chef at Disney World Food and Wine Festival 

• This event allows guests the opportunity to dine with their favorite celebrity chef. Enjoy a 2 hour brunch buffet, along with an interactive Q&A session.

Celebrity Chefs at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

• TBD, please check back soon!

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Cheese Seminar

• Guest’s can sample a variety of cheese and wine pairings from the culinary experts. This event is held on select nights.

Food And Wine Party For The Senses

• This event is definitely on the pricey side and is held on select weekend nights during the festival. Party for the Senses costs $229.00 to $359.00 per person and includes 20+ tasting stations and unique entertainment.

EPCOT Parisian Breakfast

• Guest’s can enjoy authentic french breakfast items including croissants, brioches and baguettes. Each guest will receive their choice of a welcoming mimosa and unlimited coffee, tea, and juices.

French Family Meal Traditions

• This event is held by different chefs from the France Pavilion in EPCOT World Showcase. Enjoy authentic french dishes along with a french wine pairing.

EPCOT Parisian Afternoon

• Guest’s will enjoy a Parisian style lunch including finger sandwiches and assorted pastries including macarons. All while enjoying unlimited mimosas.

The Hibachi Experience

• Hosted by Japanese chefs this special event includes a 5 course meal. Enjoy your favorite hibachi dishes such as Wagyu beef, chicken, and seafood with a sake pairing.

Culinary Tour of Japan

• Enjoy three traditional Japanese courses including Lobster, Wagyu beef, and sushi. Each course is complemented with a pairing of sake.

Mediterranean Food and Wine Pairing

• Guests can experience the flavors of Morocco with this unique dining experience. Each mediterranean food course is accompanied by a wine pairing.

Italian Regional Food and Wine Pairing Luncheon

• Guest’s will experience five courses along with a pairing of regional italian wines.

Mexican Tequila Lunch

• Held in the Mexican pavilion guests will enjoy select authentic Mexican cuisine along with a pairing of tequila.

How to Make EPCOT Food and Wine Premium Package Reservations

To make 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Premium package reservations please call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3778). Certain events can also be booked online at www.epcotfoodfestival.com.

Given the popularity of these special events we highly recommend making advanced reservations.

2021 Eat to the Beat Concert Series

We are still waiting to recieve official word that the Eat to the Beat Concert series will return to the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. We however going to leave the below information for anyone looking to visit Disney in 2021 for the Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration! 

Enjoy your favorite bands from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s during nightly food and wine festival concerts. The Eat to the Beat series is held at the American Gardens Theater located directly across from the American Adventure in World Showcase.

The concerts are held nightly starting in September through early November and end a few days before the rest of the festival. Each artist performs three times per night starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM.

The best part about the Eat to the Beat series is it is absolutely free with your Walt Disney World park admission ticket. We do however recommend for guests to arrive early as the theater has limited seating. Disney has not released the full list of artists yet but we will be sure to update this post as soon as they do.

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Concert Artists

TBD, please check back soon!

Eat to the Beat Dining Package

Park guests can also make advanced dining reservations at one of the popular EPCOT restaurants. The Eat to the Beat Dining package will guarantee guests a reserved seat at the nightly concert.

For additional information be sure to check out the dining reservations on the My Disney Experience app.

2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Tips

As you can see there is so much to do and see at the 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. We highly recommend a few strategies to make sure you take advantage of everything you want to sample.

2021 Food and Wine Festival Merchandise

EPCOT food and wine festival merchandise has always been some of the most popular among Disney fans! Guests can pick from their favorite Disney apparel including t-shirts, shorts, and of course Mickey ears.

Not to mention the uniquely themed EPCOT Food and Wine festival kitchen merchandise. Some of our favorite items in the past have included wine glasses, custom coffee mugs, and different kitchen utensils.

The Food and Wine festival merchandise is also a must for all Figment fans. As Figment is typically the officially mascot of all things food and wine in EPCOT!  Although Disney has not released the 2021 Food and Wine Festival merchandise, be sure to check back here to stay up to dat!

What are the best Food and Wine Festival Tips?

1. Take a look  at the EPCOT food and wine festival menus before you go. This will allow you to pick out your favorite food and drink items. Knowing which booths you want to visit will save you a ton of time once you get into the parks.
2. As discussed visit on weekdays and try to avoid Friday and Saturdays when possible.
3. Stay late when possible as most of the crowds have gone home by then. We love to skip dinner and grab different bites right before the fireworks as wait times are usually minimal.
4. Share dishes when possible. We find that the EPCOT food and wine festival is a multi day event if you are trying to taste as many food and drink items as possible. Not only will sharing allow you to do so, but it will also help if you’re on a budget!
5. Florida can be extremely hot for guests visiting in September and early October. Be sure to stay hydrated and take advantage of the AC when you can. Many countries such as America and Canada have cultural films you can watch and out new fan favorite the Beauty and the Beast sing along in France!

EPCOT Food and Wine Questions and Answers

Q: How Much are Tickets to EPCOT Food and Wine Festival?

A: Access to the Food and Wine Festival is included with any valid Walt Disney World theme park ticket. Individual food and beverage items do cost extra.

Q: When Does EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Start?

A: The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival opening times are typically 11:00 AM, with EPCOT Food and Wine Festival hours of operations mirroring World Showcase.

Q: What are the Disney World Food and Wine Festival 2021 Dates?

A: Disney has not released the dates for the 2021 Food and Wine Festival. For additional information be sure to check out our EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Crowd Calendar. We can help you pick the best day to visit EPCOT food and wine. 

Q: How Much is the Food and Wine festival at EPCOT?

A: This will vary depending on how many food and beverage items you decide to sample. Generally the cost for EPCOT Food and Wine Festival items will run you between $5.00-$9.00 for food and $4.00-$10.00 for drinks.

Q: Where can I find a EPCOT Food and Wine Passport?

A: These passport booklets are available for FREE throughout the park.

Q: EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Concert Times?

A: Each artist performs three times per night starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM.

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages.

The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets.

If you’re brand new to Disney vacation planning we recommend our Walt Disney World Planning Page! Learn more about Disney hotels by reading our Walt Disney World Hotels Review page.

Last but not least if you’re also planning a trip to Universal Studios, be sure to check out the best time to visit Universal Studios and our Universal Orlando Tickets! All Park Prodigy Universal Orlando tickets come with Universal Studios Early Park Admission.

Are you planning on visiting the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival? Or have you visited in the past? Would you like to share your experiences and tips? Do you have any questions for The Park Prodigy? Hearing your feedback and helping with your questions is not only our goal but will help other readers! Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments!