It’s finally time, the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival has begun!

That’s right, folks, we were at the very first day of the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the biggest festival of the year in Disney World. For people who cover Disney food, this is like our Olympics, and we’re here to bring you all the reviews of eats and drinks, as well as cover the rest of the fun that Food & Wine has to offer. Here’s everything you need to know!

Festival Passport

Before you start your day at the festival, you’ve got to grab a festival passport! We snagged ours from the stands near the front entrance, but you can also grab them at many of the food booths around the park. Inside, you’ll find all the booth menus, the entertainment schedule, information for Emile’s Fromage Montage, and more.

This year’s passport also has a showcase of the 30th Anniversary legacy menu items at the festival, noting which decades they come from. These are marked on the menus, so you can make it a challenge to try all 30 items if you’d like!

To see the full passport, check out the link below.

Click Here to See the Passport!

Crowds

When we arrived at the park, the crowds were already in full swing! At the entrance, folks were eagerly anticipating rope drop.

Surprisingly, the crowds inside Creations Shop for the merchandise were not bad at all! We had plenty of space to move around inside the store and check out the new collections.

Honestly, the crowds weren’t too bad throughout the day. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, it was fairly empty, especially toward the back of World Showcase. We didn’t have very long waits at the food booths, if at all.

We noticed that crowds were picking up a little bit as we headed into the evening, which is par for the course with EPCOT festivals. World Showcase is usually busiest at dinnertime.

We’ll keep you updated if this changes.

Merchandise

Now it’s time to do some shopping! You can find the festival merchandise at Creations Shop, but it’s also scattered throughout several other locations around the park.

This year’s collection has everything from kitchen essentials to Minnie ears to Spirit Jerseys to Loungefly bags. Being the festival that it is, there are lots of chef motifs throughout the collection.

To see the full list of merchandise (being updated throughout the day!) check out the link below.

Here’s All the Food & Wine Merchandise!

Festival Marketplaces

This year, there are more than 30 food booths to check out around the festival, and across those booths, there are more than 100 new items. On top of that, Disney is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the festival with 30 items that are either returning or reimagined from previous years.

One of our favorite places to stop is the Mexico booth, which is back again this year with some delicious treats! We were particular fans of the new Paleta de Moras ice pop, and the Taco de Camaron is one of the 30th Anniversary legacy food items.

Check Out Our Review Here!

We had some shockingly good eats at the Italy booth this year, which is usually…umm…not exactly a fan favorite stop. However, in 2026, they knocked it out of the park with three good food items and some refreshing drinks!

Check Out Our Review Here!

The France booth has some new eats this year, but like years past, it was a major hit. Cheesy, savory goodness abounds at this booth! (Even though it can get really long lines, it’s worth it…trust us!)

See the France Review Here!

Of course, some of the fun eats at the festival aren’t even at festival booths specifically! We stopped by La Poutinerie to snag the Bo Ssam Pork Poutine. We were big fans of this dish, but it’s not the only festival item you’ll find at the snack stand.

See Everything at La Poutinerie Here!

Of course, if you’re hoping to snag some of the most classic treats at Food & Wine, you’ll want to stop by the Canada booth. Here, they’ve had the Filet Mignon and Cheddar Cheese Soup for YEARS, and they’re a match made in festival heaven. Plus, they make it on our Best of the Fest list pretty much every year.

See Our Canada Review Here!

Hoping to absolutely smother yourself in cheese? If so, the Germany booth is a great stop. This spot has favorites like pasta gratin and apple strudel, and it’s a hit every year. This year was no exception! (While you’re there, don’t forget to visit Tiny Train Town for a fun festival surprise!)

Check Out Our Germany Review Here!

But wait…there’s MORE! We’ve got reviews for EVERY SINGLE booth at the Food & Wine Festival!

Click HERE for FULL REVIEWS of ALL the 2026 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival FOOD BOOTHS

What are some of the BEST food and drink items to try? What should YOU consider spending your money on?

We’ve got a helpful post for that too!

Click HERE to See EVERYTHING You Need To Eat and Drink at the 2026 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

And if all you’re after is a look at the menus, we’ve got you covered with that too!

See the Menus for ALL the Food Booths Here!

Eat to the Beat

Throughout the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, popular bands across all genres from the 80s, 90s, and even the 00s take the stage at the American Gardens Theater in The American Adventure Pavilion in EPCOT to share some of their greatest hits with the crowds!

These concerts are free with EPCOT admission, and take place three times nightly. Iconic bands and artists perform Fridays through Mondays, while local bands perform Tuesday through Thursday evenings. Showtimes are 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8 PM nightly.

Check Out the FULL ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP for the 2026 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

Emile’s Fromage Montage

If you’re a cheese fanatic, you simply HAVE to check out Emile’s Fromage Montage! This food crawl features a handful of cheese dishes, and you can pick and choose which you’d like to try. As you order one, you get your festival passport stamped — once you collect five stamps, you’ll be able to pick up a prize!

Once you finish the crawl by ordering five of the fourteen dishes and getting the corresponding stamps, head to Shimmering Sips to pick up your redemption prize. This year’s prize is a Key Lime DOLE Whip Swirled with Cheesecake Soft Serve, and it might be one of the best prizes for the cheese crawl ever!

The lime mixed with the cheesecake makes this taste like key lime pie, and we’re BIG fans.

Read More Here: I Was Forced To Eat a BUNCH of Cheese To Get the Best DOLE Whip of My Life at EPCOT

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak

Another great activity to check out is Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak scavenger hunt. To participate, you can purchase a map from one of the gift shops, then go around the World Showcase to find the hidden Remy statues.

When you’re done with your hunt, simply return to one of the redemption locations to pick up your prize. This year, the prizes are these little game boards that double as magnets! You can choose between Mickey, Minnie, Remy, and Figment for your character theme. 

This is a great way to explore EPCOT a little more during your visit.

Learn More About the Scavenger Hunt (and How to Play!) Here

The EPCOT Food & Wine Festival is taking place now through November 21st, so you’ve got nearly three months to experience it! We’ll be on the lookout for even more Food & Wine Festival news you need to know about. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

Learn All About the Festival Here!

Are you going to the Food & Wine Festival this year? Tell us in the comments!