Skip to main content

Epcot Festivals 101


I finally achieved a lifelong goal of mine, to attend each and every one of Epcot's festivals in the same year (there are four, and I'm not local!) And now that I've successfully done each one, I wanted to give a run down of the basics of each festival to help you plan your next trip to the one that suits you best!

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Season: Winter
Focus: Art in all forms
Food: Food Studios that display food as art
Foodie stroll: Color Walk
Entertainment: Disney on Broadway
For Kids: Paint the mural and other hands-on art activities

This festival is the first of the calendar year, running from mid-January to late February but wrapping up before spring (and Spring Break crowds) really hit Florida.  The focus for this festival is art, artists and color! It is also the newest festival, so it seems like they are still really solidifying it which is exciting to see how it changes year after year.  This festival brings some of the most beautiful food, but doesn't have quite as many food booths as some of the others.  There are artist booths set up so it's great for shopping and finding a unique souvenir, and there are also places you can make or be a part of the art as well!

Selection of items from the Pop Eats booth
Read about my experience here and this year's festival here.

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Season: Spring into Summer
Focus: Gardens, Flowers and Seasonal Delights
Food: Outdoor Kitchens with seasonal and fresh offerings
Great for: Gardeners and photographers
Foodie stroll: Garden Graze
Entertainment: Garden Rocks Concert Series
For Kids: Interactive gardens and playgrounds

Epcot never looks as beautiful as it does during the Flower and Garden Festival. There are colorful flowers planted everywhere and gorgeous topiaries and gardens to explore throughout the park. This festival has really grown over the years through adding the "Outdoor Kitchens" (food booths) and just the length of it in general, it has clearly shown its popularity and staying power. If hard pressed, I think I'd have to choose this as my favorite one, but they are all amazing!

Topiary in Norway
Flatbread from the Honey Bee-stro
Vegan Street Corn
Read about my experience here.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Season: Summer into Fall
Focus: Food, Wine and International Inspiration
Food: Global Marketplaces featuring international inspired cuisine
Great for: Foodies
Foodie stroll: Emile's Fromage Montage
Entertainment: Eat to the Beat Concert Series
For Kids: Remy's Hide and Squeak and new for 2022, Pluto's Pumpkin Hunt (October)

The festival that started it all.  The "Food and Wine Festival" as it is affectionately known, is the biggest one and lasts several months.  There is even a RunDisney event during the festival.  There are tons of Global Marketplaces around World Showcase to explore and it also spills into World Discovery, World Celebration and World Nature (formerly known as Future World).  You can try all sorts of delights from escargot from the France marketplace to fried SPAM from the Hawaii marketplace. In years past, the festival also included culinary seminars, special events, and more to indulge in that we are hopeful will return in coming years!

Wine Flight from Spain
Flavors from Fire is always a hit

Read about my experience here.

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays

Season: Late November to December
Focus: Holiday Cheer
Food:  Holiday Kitchens featuring holiday favorites
Great for: Getting into the holiday spirit
Foodie stroll: Cookie Stroll
Entertainment: Candlelight Processional and Holiday Storytellers
For Kids: Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt

There's something just extra magical about Walt Disney World during the Holiday season, and Epcot has really amped up their holiday cheer in recent years.  If you have a sweet tooth, I'd say this might just be the best festival for you as so many holiday foods are sweet in nature.  Not only is the Foodie Stroll all desserts, there are many other cookies, cakes and delights to take in.  As you stroll around the World Showcase you will catch holiday storytellers and new and familiar Christmas carols.  It will put you right in the festive spirit!

Yule Log
Holiday Storyteller
Read about my experience here.

Which of the Epcot festivals is your favorite?  Let us know in the comments below!


Maci is an avid foodie and loves trying out new restaurants and seasonal food offerings in the parks.  You can email Maci at maci@kingdomkonsultant.com.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel Review

I love staying at the Disneyland Hotel so when I got the opportunity to stay at the new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel during opening weekend, I couldn’t pass it up. Because it was opening weekend, we were greeted in the entrance way of the lobby with balloons and many photo opportunities. When we arrived, there was a mural of the Haunted Mansion. I love how the seats in the main lobby were designed like the teacups in the parks. You can check in using the Disneyland app, drop your bags with bell services and head into the parks or use the amenities why you wait until your room is ready. When your room is ready, the resort will send you a text and you can use the Disneyland app on your mobile device to unlock the room. We dropped off our bags and went straight to the parks. We received a text around 1PM that our room was ready. In the new Discovery Tower (the Villas), you'll find that the lobby is very spacious with many places to sit while you read or wait for your family. Th
Post a Comment
Read more

Universal's Volcano Bay Private Cabana Review

On a recent training in Universal Orlando Resort, agents Maci, Ashley, Aubrey and Yaritza and I rented a private cabana for the day at Universal's Volcano Bay. There are multiple locations around the park along with the option to have an upper or lower level, all of which reflect in various pricing. Agent Ashley received an email the day before informing her of where to check-in the next morning. While we were personally escorted to the cabana shortly after check in, the line at the check in location is the same as those getting towels, meaning it was not short. As expressed by an additional guest checking into a different cabana, we would have greatly appreciated a separate line, since this caused our group about a half hour wait. We're all adults and made great use of our time getting some fun pictures before the park was filled with guests, but this is important to be aware of if you are traveling with children.  We had an upper level Cabana which came with a splendid view!
Post a Comment
Read more

Our Favorite Mocktails at Walt Disney World

Your resident foodie and vacation lush here to chime in on our favorite zero-proof drinks at the parks which I feel like Disney has done a much better job of recently.  Zero-proof alcohol is really having a moment so you can get a lot more mocktails that aren't just sugary sweet, and I am here for it!  Whether you are trying out "Dry January" for your visit, currently pregnant, underage, or just choose not to drink for whatever reason, I hope this list helps you find something to look forward to trying on your next trip! Let's start with a popular one from the last year, the EARidescent Sip-a-bration drink.  This delight can be found at most lounges throughout the 50th celebration at Walt Disney World. It features Minute Maid® Premium Lemonade and Fruity Strawberry Punch, and is served in a souvenir 50th Celebration Cup with a surprise character. This is definitely a kid-friendly drink but it is so fun to drop in the character and watch the drink change color and sta
Post a Comment
Read more