It’s mid-August, and you know what that means: the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is just around the corner (can you smell it?!). And we. are. ready to dig into some great eats and tip back some flavorful drinks.

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival

But with the Festival spanning 87 days and featuring 30+ food booths, there are some things you MUST do before you hit the World Showcase.

1. Review booths, menus, and the DFB exclusive map!

With a Festival this big, you benefit from a little advance planning. That starts with reviewing food booths and scouring menus and familiarizing yourself with the DFB-exclusive Festival map!

Epcot Food and Wine Festival Map — Disney Food Blog Edition / CLICK TO ENLARGE OR PRINT

Once you’ve pored over all those details (like which food items you’ve gotta try and where to find them!), you can start to formulate a plan to get all that food in your belly!

See ALL the FULL BOOTH MENUS and Lots of Food Photos by Clicking HERE!

2. Set a budget — and be realistic about how much you can and want to spend.

As soon as the Festival food booth menus go up when the festival begins, DFB updates our food booth menu pages with prices, and you’ll want to be sure you take time to calculate just how much your list of eats and drinks will realistically cost.

If it’s more than you want to spend or more than you had budgeted, take some time to decide if you’re willing to break the bank, or if you need to cut back.

Trio of Artisan Cheese

And keep in mind: last year, Festival prices actually increased during the Festival, throwing a lot of guests for a monetary loop. Stick with DFB (and sign up for our Newsletter!!) so you’ll know if things change between opening weekend and your visit.

3. Schedule your FP and ADRs thoughtfully.

Attending the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival takes some thoughtful planning, not the least of which is how to plan your time around the Festival. For example,  if you know you want to hit the food booths right as they open at 11AM (you can avoid some crowds this way!), don’t make a Soarin’ FastPass+ for 10:45.

Soarin’ Around the World at Epcot

Likewise, think about when to schedule your Advance Dining Reservations. If you know you’re going to snack around the World Showcase from late-morning ’til night, don’t schedule a table service breakfast that’ll take up valuable stomach space. We recommend making ADRs on days when you’re not planning to eat at the Festival, or enjoy a big table service breakfast on a day when you won’t be hitting Food & Wine Festival until the evening.

4. Get the DFB Guide the 2019 to Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Wanna be really well-prepared? Order the DFB Guide to the 2019 Epcot Food & Wine Festival. In it, you’ll find touring strategies, every food booth menu item, an exclusive FULL daily schedule, and way more. It’s a time-saver, a fun-increaser, and a life-preserver all in one! 😉

Get the 2019 DFB Guide to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival today!

Seriously, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is a fantastic event, but it can be fantastically stressful, too, if you’re not prepared. We’ve been tasting our way through the Festival for decades, and we’ve gathered our best tips and all the info you need into the DFB Guide. What are you waiting for — click here to get one for yourself!

Ready to Plan for Your 2020 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip?

Pre-order the DFB Guide to the 2020 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book today! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World!

Pre-order your 2020 edition today, and get the 2019 edition FREE as an immediate download! Don't miss a moment of the fun!

Use code Chefs at check-out for a 20% off the cover price!

Check Out Our 2019 Epcot Food and Wine Festival BEST OF THE FEST List HERE!

What’s your favorite part of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival? The food booths? The celebrity chefs? The Eat to the Beat concert series? Let us know in the comments!