6 Things You Need To Know Before Going to the 2023 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is upon us, and we couldn’t be more excited!

You’ve seen the full menus for the event and a sneak peek at the merchandise, not to mention those stellar concerts you can check out.  And now to help you get completely ready, we’re sharing some information that you need to know so you can enjoy the festival to the max!

The 2023 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival runs from July 27th, 2023 through November 18th, 2023! We’ve been to countless EPCOT festivals, so trust us when we say this is what you need to know before your visit.

1. Find out What’s New and What’s Returning

As always, the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival brings a mix of both new and returning menu items.

To help with that, check out our list of all of the menu items for this year’s festival, so you can know what’s new and what’s returning. That will be a time-saver for you as you make your own list of must-try items!

2. You Can’t Eat Everything Right at Park Open

This is important to keep in mind. EPCOT opens earlier in the morning than when the festival starts. So, when you see EPCOT with a park opening time of 8:30 AM, just know that the festival booths do not open at that same time.

The booths have a tendency to open between 10:30AM and 11AM. Stay tuned, however, as we have seen certain booths open for breakfast each occasionally.

3. You Won’t Be Able to Try Everything on Day One

There will be several booths at this year’s festival that will be opening late. These booths are Hawai’i, The Noodle Exchange, Char & Chop, Wine & Wedge, Bubbles & Brine, and Swirled Showcase.

Hawai’i and The Noodle Exchange will be available beginning on August 15th. The other four are just listed as opening sometime “later this fall.” So, you may want to plan your trip for when all the booths will be open — or just go to the festival multiple times (we certainly wouldn’t blame you.)

4. There’s More To Do Than Just Eating and Drinking

While you’re eating and drinking around the world, make sure you take some time to enjoy things like Remy’s Hide and Squeak, which is a fun scavenger hunt all around World Showcase!

Also, there’s the Eat to the Beat Concert Series and all kinds of exclusive merchandise collections you can check out. Emile’s Fromage Montage is returning which rewards folks with a prize for eating a bunch of cheese. No, we’re not kidding.

5. There Will Be Crowds!

There’s no way around this one. The Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT is super popular, so expect it to get very crowded quickly! If you’re planning on being at the festival on a weekend, be sure to double up on your patience, and don’t forget about those nights when popular bands are performing.

Check out the full lineup of artists coming so you have a good idea of how to plan your upcoming trip, and prepare yourself for potentially long lines at the food booths and more.

6. It Will Be Hot!

Last up, and arguably the most important: It will be HOT! Florida isn’t known for cold weather in the summer, so you’ll want to make sure you have your hydration game plan on lock. That goes double if you’re planning on enjoying the alcoholic offerings of the festival. Here’s a pro tip — Disney World quick service locations give out free cups of water!

Also, plan accordingly what kind of food you will be eating during the festival. Let’s just say that thick and hot soups might not be the best options for the 100-degree Florida weather, and eating a lot of heavy food can seriously impact how you’re feeling throughout the day.

One More Thing!

There’s so much to do at the festival. So much so that you most likely can’t do it all in one trip. It’s always best to have your game plan ready so that you can efficiently check off all the must-do and must-have things like a pro.

Also, the festival goes on for a really long time — five months to be exact. So, if you’re able to pace yourself and go multiple times, you’ll really be able to get the most out of this festival.

If you’re heading to the festival this year, stay safe, have a great game plan, and as always, make sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Food and Wine Festival news!

Click here to see which booths will be opening late at the 2023 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival!

Are you heading to the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments!