Epcot Food and Wine Festival | the disney food blog

Dos (and a Few Don’ts) for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

We wait all year for the start of it. Yep — the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is underway!

If you haven’t been, be sure to put the event on your Disney Bucket List. At this time of year, Epcot is transformed into a food lover’s paradise. With Festival Marketplace Booths throughout both Future World and World Showcase, the opportunity to Eat Your Way Around the World(s) is even more exciting!

But then there are also so many events to attend. From free options like book signings and Back to Basics Seminars, to Low Cost Seminars and Demonstrations, there are lots of less expensive options.

But there are also some choices if you’d like to splurge a little. Party for the Senses draws big crowds every year, as do pairing events and signature dining options at restaurants throughout the resort.

Booths Are Going Up! It’s Almost Time!

It’s a lot to plan for! So we’d love to offer you advice on a few Dos and Don’ts for navigating the Epcot Food and Wine Festival like a pro. Consider these pointers as you make plans to attend this year’s event. [Read more…]

New Video: The Epcot Food and Wine Festival Best of the Fest!

By Brooke 1 Comment

Yay! It’s finally HERE! I’m talking about the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! We’ve been busy at Epcot, checking out every single one of the 35 booths that are part of this year’s festival, and in today’s DFB Video, we’re bringing you a closer look at our picks for the 2017 Best of the Fest!

Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. ;-D And YOUR DFB team has been touring both World Showcase and Future World to take photos and sample every single dish so that we can tell you what you simply can’t miss when you hit the festival.

[Read more…]

New Video: Our Top Tips for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

By Brooke 1 Comment

OMGeeeeeeee! It’s almost here! The Epcot Food and Wine Festival is just around the corner. Like, it starts this week! So there’s no better time than RIGHT NOW to share our Top Tips for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival in our latest DFB Video!

If you’re truly a fan of Disney, Food, and Disney Food, then this really is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The festival has grown to mammoth proportions — 75 days in 2017! — with tons of great eats and drinks to sample. [Read more…]

News! 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Menu UPDATES and CHANGES, Plus New FOOD PICS

By AJ 10 Comments

There is just never a dull moment when it comes to bringing you the latest 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival news.

Today, we’ve learned that there have been major updates to three of the festival’s Marketplace Booth Menus.

If you’re not familiar with the way that the festival works, the Marketplace Booths are the small kiosks that serve the special food and drink items throughout Epcot during the festival.

For many folks, these booths ARE the festival — and in 2017, you’ll be able to make stops at 35 booths total, to mark the 35th anniversary of Epcot.

So, what’s changing? Let’s take a closer look. And then check out some new FOOD PHOTOS that we’re also sharing!

Mexico

One of the festival’s most popular booths, Mexico has rolled out an entirely updated beverage menu.

Mexico Marketplace Booth

Previously, they had planned to serve the following: [Read more…]

2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival News! New FOOD PHOTOS, Merch, Booking Details, and More

By AJ 20 Comments

Update on Saturday, July 15: — We are LIVE again today for a second Epcot Food and Wine Festival Preview Event, and we’re updating this post with even more NEW Food Photos! Photos include dishes from brand new booths as well as super exciting updates to old favorites, like Ireland. Scroll through to see the very latest!

We’re LIVE today from Walt Disney World with some new details for the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Earlier this week, we shared the full list of Booths and Menus, Special Events, and Booking Dates.

Since then, we’ve been gathering additional information about early booking opportunities and just who can call when.

Today, Disney has filled in a few more of the gaps.

Let’s go!

2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booth and Menu Details, and NEW Food Photos

This year, we’re excited to see five brand new booths: Active Eats, The Almond Orchard, Coastal Eats, Light Lab, and Flavors From Fire!

Returning after a period away from the booth lineup, we welcome back Spain, India, Thailand, and The Cheese Studio. That means there are more booths than ever this year — 35 to mark the 35 years of Epcot.

Spain booth is back!

But of course, this means that we have to say goodbye to a few to make room. Gone from the booth line-up in 2017 are the Desserts and Champagne, Poland, and South Korea booths.

As always, you can visit our Epcot Food and Wine Festival Menu Index page for ALL the menus and links to individual booth pages showing food photos. We’ll be updating these pages throughout the festival with photos of every single food item!

But today, we’re sharing MENU and BOOTH Details as well as FOOD PHOTOS from both World Showcase and Future World booths! Start Your Planning NOW!

[Read more…]

News: Win a Trip to Disney World with The Chew’s Magical Adventure Culinary Sweepstakes

By AJ 10 Comments

Did you hear the news? It’s official: the cast of ABC’s daytime cooking show, The Chew, will be returning to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival this fall.

And just like last year, YOU have a chance to join them!

The Chew’s Magical Culinary Adventure Sweepstakes is once again running for the 2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival!

Enter To Win A Trip to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

You can enter The Chew’s Magical Culinary Adventure Sweepstakes between now and 11:59 pm on September 15th. The chosen winner (age 18 or older) will be able to bring three guests along to Disney World between October 3rd through 8th, 2017 to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival and attend a live taping of The Chew!

This year, the winner will also receive a $500 Disney Gift Card (for use at select stores in Disney Springs).

AND, after watching the live taping of “The Chew,” the winner will be able to try dishes at The Chew’s brand new Marketplace Booth this year, Earth Eats!

©Disney

Read all about The Chew’s appearance at the 2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival here! And DON’T FORGET to visit The Chew’s Magical Culinary Adventure Sweepstakes webpage to enter the contest! [Read more…]

News! 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Eat to the Beat Concert Preliminary Bands

By AJ 29 Comments

It’s that time of year again, Epcot Food and Wine Festival Fans!

You know that here at DFB we pride ourselves on reporting Epcot Food and Wine Festival Info just as soon as we have it! And today, we’re sharing with you a look at the VERY FIRST artists you can expect to return for the 2017 Eat to the Beat concert series!

Just in case you’re new to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, lemme tell you a little about what all this means. Eat to the Beat is a concert series that takes place during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, which runs this year from August 31-November 13. The series features musical acts from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s each year, and concerts take place most evenings of the Festival.

Since this partial list is preliminary, be sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for additions and/or changes to the schedule! We will bring you all the latest news first!

Eat to the Beat concerts are performed three times per evening, so you have three opportunities every night to see your favorite acts — at 5:30PM, 6:45PM, and 8:00PM.

2017 Eat to the Beat Concert Line Up…So Far

Note: this schedule is subject to change.

August 31-September 1: Delta Rae
October 4-5: Rumor: Christopher Cross
October 14-15: Jeffrey Osbourne
October 27-29: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

We’ll be updating our Eat to the Beat Schedule Page as soon as we have more bands confirmed!

All concerts take place in the American Gardens Theater at Epcot’s America Pavilion. Concerts are “free” — included in the price of your Epcot admission!

Lots of Festival goers plan their trips around which bands will be playing, so we’re pretty serious about bringing you news of bands and and dates as soon as we get our hands on them! Check back with our 2017 Eat to the Beat Concert schedule frequently to see updates.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Performing at Eat to the Beat

We can’t wait for more Food and Wine info to be released! Be sure to join our DFB Newsletter for Epcot Food and Wine Festival details!

Start Your Planning NOW!

News! The DFB Guide to the 2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book is now available for pre-order! And if you pre-order the 2017 edition, you get the 2016 edition (with TONS of great info!) for FREE!!!

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!

Order your 2017 edition today and we’ll immediately send you the 2016 edition for FREE to get started on planning right away! Don’t miss a moment of the fun!

Use code Chefs at check-out for a 20% discount!

Be sure to stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for all of the latest coverage about the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. We’ll have the details FIRST!

Now let’s hear from all of you Eat to the Beat Fans — what music acts are you hoping to catch at this year’s Festival? Leave a comment below!

DFB’s Top 10 Disney Food News Stories of 2016

By AJ 6 Comments

Happy New Year, DFB Friends!

Let’s face it: 2016 handed us some real bummers. But there were some good things that happened, too. And that’s especially true where Disney Food is concerned.

The Sun is Setting on 2016!

Today as we gather our noisemakers, funny hats, and bubbly to ring in the New Year, let’s take a few minutes to review some of the biggest Disney Food News Stories of 2016.

Are you with me? Let’s go! [Read more…]

News! Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2017 Dates!!

By AJ 10 Comments

Well, I have an early holiday present for you all this year… it’s the dates for the 2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Epcot Food and Wine Festival

And I DO mean early… because for the first time, the Festival will begin in AUGUST! It is set to run from August 31 – November 13, 2017 (that’s a RECORD 75 DAYS, my friends!). [Read more…]

Review: 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! Pastry Making Workshop

By AJ and the DFB Team 2 Comments

It’s high time for more 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival fun!

Once again, we’re going beyond the Marketplace Booths for a Special Event that is new to the Festival this year: Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! Hands-On Workshops. Similar to the Festival’s Culinary Demonstrations and Beverage Seminars, this new offering takes place daily in the Festival Center. However, the Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! sessions offer an interactive element unique to this Special Event where participants can take tips directly from leaders in the culinary industry.

The choice of topics is extensive, ranging from forming sushi rolls to pasta making and vodka tasting to pumpkin decorating (and beyond — check out the full list of options here). We attended The Art of Pastry Making with Erin McKenna.

You might be familiar with Erin McKenna as the founder of Babycakes or the owner of Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC in Disney Springs (or even her shops in New York and Los Angeles). If so, then you know that her focus is on creating tasty vegan and gluten-free goods. Since baking gluten-free items is not something I have previously attempted, I thought this would be a great opportunity to learn something new!

So join me in the Chef’s Showcase at the Festival Center to check out this new Special Event!