NEWS: Disney Announces Record Setting Expansion of Food & Wine Festival

Fall is one of the best times to visit Disney World. Better weather, Halloween decorations, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party all make these few months a fantastic time to experience some of the best events at Disney World. But our favorite part of fall at Disney World is the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. What could be better than Food & Wine Festival? MORE Food & Wine Festival. With a newly expanded schedule and more booths than ever before, the 22nd annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival is set to be better than ever. Read all the details below!

Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member, Pam Brandon:

There are many special numbers to celebrate as we announce the 22nd annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, opening Aug. 31 and running through Nov. 13 – that’s 75 days to sip, savor and enjoy one of America’s top food festivals (13 more than last year).

And to celebrate the park’s opening 35 years ago in 1982, there will be a record number of Marketplaces – 35 in all – stretching around World Showcase and into Future World.

While the Marketplaces play a starring role, we recommend planning ahead so you don’t miss your favorite celebrity chefs, hands-on culinary workshops and demonstrations at the Festival Center, Party for the Senses, or your favorite artists at one of the nightly Eat to the Beat concerts. Stay tuned. We’ll let you know when schedules are in place and bookings for specialty festival events open this summer.

Chefs are busy at work on new dishes for the Marketplaces, paired with wines, beers and ciders. We got a taste of the new crispy chicken with griddled cornbread and red-eye gravy for the Farm Fresh Marketplace and the spicy Korma Chicken with cucumber-tomato salad, almonds, cashews and warm naan bread from the India Marketplace– just two of the intriguing and delectable new tastes that will be in the 2017 cookbook. Another favorite was the charcuterie in a cone from the Spain Marketplace, perfect for strolling and tasting. For a favorite sweet, it’s back to India with the pistachio cardamom cake with a dollop of chocolate coconut mousse. And these are just a sampling of dozens of new tastes.

This year there are more family favorites, too, with the Ratatouille-inspired scavenger hunt back for another year as well as culinary demos and dishes geared toward kids’ palates.

Along with Party for the Senses, the festival includes specialty dining and pairing events at World Showcase restaurants and events at the resort hotels such as Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

We can’t wait! Will you be visiting the Food & Wine Festival this year?

RELATED ARTICLE BELOW: 9 Reasons Why We Love the Epcot Food & Wine Festival

RELATED ARTICLE: 9 Reasons Why We Love the Epcot Food & Wine Festival

by Mike and Jamie Sylvester

When we see the month of September appear on the calendar it’s not because of our anniversary, birthdays, or any other big family celebration… it’s simply because that means the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is about to begin! Count down with us for our top 9 reasons why we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and why we are sure you will too!

9 – Fall in Florida

Disney World Imagineers surely had all of us in mind when they planned for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival because they picked the most amazing time of year – the Florida fall season. With the festival taking place from September 14 – November 14 this year, we all have an opportunity to leisurely explore Epcot and the many festival happenings without the humid summer heat. 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!

8 – Beautiful Scenery

Other than 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 there are so many more countries represented. As you travel around the World Showcase, you’ll spot the usual 11 countries – but take a look at the special kiosks that represent diverse countries from all around the world. Get that camera ready to snap photos!

7 – 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. Don’t forget to head to the Festival Center to explore the merchandise available there! 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!

6 – Scavenger Hunt

The inner child in us has great love for 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 the Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak. Purchase a special map and stickers and let the scavenger hunt begin.

5 – Celebrity Spotting

Did you know the Food and Wine Festival is an excellent place to spot celebrities from all over?! We aren’t just talking about our favorites like Mickey and Minnie, but celebrity artists like Blues Travelers, Dennis DeYoung, Chaka Khan, Hanson, Boyz II Men… and so much more! But – wait, that’s not all. The festival also has TV celebrities from ABC’s “The Chew”, world-renowned Chefs, authors, and even the world’s top beverage experts. This is one trip where you might end up with some autographs besides the usual Disney characters!

4 – Festival Center

Mistakenly overlooked at times is the Festival Center which located near Ellen’s Universe of Energy. Different demonstrations, seminars, taste testing, culinary masterpieces at work, and even beginner’s sessions are available in the Festival Center. Be sure to check the activities calendar for what is to come on the Festival Center Stage. Some of these special events are an extra ticket cost so be sure to check this out in advance so you can plan for it.

3 – 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.

2 – The Music

Have you heard about the Eat to the Beat Concert Series? Well, it’s just more to add to your experience with your standard park admission! Eat and drink with musicians performing in a concert setting in the American Gardens Theater. This live music isn’t performed by just anyone – but instead, they are well known artists that most of us have downloaded their songs at one point in time or another (some named above). Don’t forget to check out the Eat to the Beat Dining Packages for reserved seating.

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 of the roughly 30 kiosks as possible. The different flavors of wine are out of this world and fun to delight in the small (or large) tastings. It’s ok, you’re at a festival – have another!

These are our top 9 reasons why we love the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Why do you love this incredible festival? We’d love to hear from you!