8 Reasons Why We Love the Epcot Food & Wine Festival

When August appears on the calendar, it’s not because of our anniversary, birthdays, or any other big family celebration… it’s simply because that means it’s time for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival! Countdown with us for our top eight reasons why we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and why we are sure you will, too!

8 – Plenty of Time to Enjoy the Festival

Unlike the Festival of the Holidays (4 weeks) and the Festival of the Arts (6 weeks), the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is over three months long, giving guests plenty of time to enjoy the festival. The festival includes new flavors and sips, live entertainment, family activities, and more. And if you visit the festival in October-November, you’ll be able to enjoy the most amazing time of year – the Florida fall season. This fall time really is perfect because it’s not chilly, but it’s not typically steaming hot, especially in late October and November festival days. Yay for enjoying the festivities without melting!

7 – Beautiful Scenery

Besides Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival, the Food and Wine Festival is one of our favorite times to catch Epcot’s scenery at its’ best. Among the specially shaped shrubs, romantic lighting, and unique artworks displayed, we also enjoy that many more countries are represented. As you travel around the World Showcase, you’ll spot the usual eleven countries – but take a look at the special kiosks that represent diverse countries worldwide. Get that camera ready to snap photos!

6 – Special Merchandise

Let’s go shopping! Food and Wine Festival merchandise is available throughout many of the typical Epcot gift shops, especially around the World Showcase. They have many more unique items to select from, including specialty gift shops such as the Wine Shop and the Stockpot Shop. Maybe it’s a good thing they don’t have shopping carts!

5 – Emile’s Fromage Montage

Love cheese? Families can take part in Emile’s Fromage Montage, where they purchase five participating cheese dishes from select Global Marketplaces. Those who collect all five stamps – including a passionfruit cheesecake with toasted macadamia nuts – can scurry back to Shimmering Sips to claim a prize.

4 – Scavenger Hunt

The inner child in us greatly loves the Epcot Food and Wine Festival Passport. This baby gives you the location of where all the different kiosks are and provides you with the ability to sort of “check off” where you’ve been. It’s a fun way to be sure you are hitting all the booths you want to and to look back a few months down the road and retrace your steps down memory lane. Kids in tow? Get them involved! Better yet – check out Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak. Purchase a special map and stickers, and let the scavenger hunt begin.

3 – Eat to the Beat Concert Series

2 – More Bang for Your Buck

So, you’ve always wanted to visit Epcot, but you think the park admission might be a little steep? The Food and Wine Festival is the perfect way to get more bang for your buck. Most of the festival activities are included in your park ticket. Plus, you have to eat anyway – so why not pick and choose what you’d like to eat around the World Showcase? Make it easy on yourself and purchase a gift card upon arrival so you can go around the world cash-free! Visiting Epcot during the Food and Wine Festival is the perfect way to get more of an “experience” out of your park admission.

1 – FOOD and WINE

Well, of course – one of our favorite reasons why we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is because of just that – the food and the wine! The FOOD… oh my goodness, the food is unbelievable. Known as the “celebration of global cuisines,” it’s hard not to try a little bit of something from as many than thirty marketplaces as possible. The different flavors of wine are out of this world, and it is fun to delight in the small (or large) tastings. It’s ok, and you’re at a festival – have another!

These are our top eight reasons why we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Why do you love this incredible festival? We’d love to hear from you!