We’re heading into one of the most popular times of year to visit EPCOT!
EPCOT
The International Food & Wine Festival is right around the corner, and it’s the time when this park’s dining SHINES. Many Disney fans plan trips simply to experience this festival! But if you’re heading to EPCOT in October, we’ve got a warning to share with you.
In late October 2026, Disney World hosts the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon in conjunction with the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. Portions of the route for those races are located inside the theme parks, which means that these events can sometimes effect park hours. That’s the case for two days during the weekend at EPCOT.
©Disney
On Friday, October 23rd and Sunday, October 25th, EPCOT will open an hour later than usual, starting at 10AM. Early Theme Park Entry for Disney Resort guests will be at 9:30AM. The park will still close at 9PM both of those days, so the park hours will be shorter than usual.
Wine & Dine Merch from 2023
If you’re visiting during that weekend, you may want to plan around this schedule change if you’re hoping for maximum park hours. However, one thing we’ve noticed is that when park hours are shortened, the park is often a little less crowded. So perhaps, this could be the key to getting low wait times on rides? It may not be as effective, since it’s still a race weekend, but it’s worth a shot if you’re willing to gamble.
World Showcase crowds during a runDisney race
We’ll keep you updated with any other park hour changes that come across the calendar, so subscribe to our newsletter for the latest. And of course, don’t forget to follow along with us on the first day of the Food & Wine Festival, which kicks off August 27th, 2026.
Learn More About the runDisney Wine & Dine Here!
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We ran into this situation with a race weekend. Parking lines were long and access to preferred parking was not available. Something to keep in mind.
We arrive on Sunday Oct 25. Hoping the racers will be heading home Monday!