Every Fall, Disney’s Epcot hosts the Food and Wine Festival! This festival usually runs from August until early November, but this year, Epcot is doing something a little different! Due to COVID-19, Disney’s parks were closed from March-July. With these unique circumstances, Disney announced that Epcot would be re-opening with a fun event called Taste of Epcot: International Food & Wine Festival! The festival has started early, yall!! Running from July 15th-Fall 2020 (End Date TBA), the 25th Anniversary of the Food & Wine Festival looks a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great! If you are wanting to attend this great event, all that is required is valid theme park admission as well as a theme park reservation in order to enter the theme park.

Taste of Epcot features 20 signature global marketplaces and are found all around the park. Not only can you find these great marketplaces, but Disney is also including part of Flower & Garden Festival all throughout Epcot as well! You’ll be able to see the Remy topiary in the France pavilion and purchase Flower & Garden Festival merchandise that you may not have been able to purchase back in March when the parks closed.

When visiting Epcot at Walt Disney World, it is important to download the My Disney Experience app. The paper passports that used to be readily available showing all the food and drink boots, merchandise locations, and entertainment has now gone virtual and can be found in the app! The Festival Passport can also be found by scanning the posted QR code with your smartphone’s camera app in order to upload onto your phone.

Entertainment

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt is back this year! Kids of all ages and search for 15 Remy statues all throughout the park! Maps and stickers are available for purchase at Port of Entry, Pin Central, and World Traveler at International Gateway. This is such a fun way for kids to spend their time around the “world” as well as gives them some entertainment while you are trying all types of food and drinks! Once the map is completed, you can take the map to Disney Traders and pick a prize!

Unfortunately, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series that usually happens every Food and Wine Festival has been canceled this year. Since Disney is trying to work with social distancing and health guidelines, the concerts are not able to take place. Local Epcot entertainment will take place at the America Garden Theatre instead and will take place throughout the day so that guests can experience and enjoy entertainment all day long at different times. The JAMMitors are a fun drum crew that makes awesome music with trash cans, brooms, and tin cans. You can also find the Mariachi Cobre as well throughout the day!

Food & Wine Festival Global Marketplaces

There are 20 signature food and drink booths to eat and drink from! Visit Africa, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hawaii, Hops & Barley, Islands of the Caribbean, Italy, Japan, Earth Eats Hosed by Impossible, Mexico, and Shimmering Sips. Don’t forget the Funnel Cake Stand, Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea, Refreshment Outpost, and Refreshment Port

World Showplace Pavilion

New this year, the World Showplace Pavilion is hosting 4 Booths! These are probably my favorite booths during this festival. I also love that inside is full of tables for you to sit or stand, air conditioning, a large bathroom, as well as entertainment! Disney is limiting the number of people allowed in the tent at once to help with lines and to avoid crowded areas, so try to get to the tent early when the park opens to enjoy it without a lot of people around. The World Showplace Pavilion can be found between England and Canada!

The 4 Booths Inside the Pavilion Include:

Wine & Dine Featuring Festival Favorites- The Potato Pierogi is AMAZING!

Mac and Cheese hosted by Boursin Cheese- Love the Gourmet Mac & Cheese

Appleseed Orchard

Desserts and Champagne- The Liquid Nitro Cake Pops are SO good!

Merchandise

I love a good theme and Disney does a great job featuring limited edition products which also include the Flower & Garden Festival since this festival was sadly shortened!

Orange Bird’s Hello Sunshine Collection

Minnie’s Flower Card

Spike’s Sweet as can BEE Collection

Disney Parks Wishable

Taste of Epcot International Food & Wine 25th Anniversary Merchandise

Cavalcades

While this isn’t specific to Epcot, the character cavalcades are one of the best things to come from Disney’s new re-opening plans!

The Epcot cavalcades take place in the World Showcase. The route goes around the World Showcase (where the countries are) clockwise. It passes all the countries but its hard to pinpoint where it actually starts and ends since there are multiple start and endpoints. Times for these cavalcades are not released to help with social distancing. They will randomly come out throughout the day and you’ll notice that one may be starting when the music in the parks dramatically changes. It’s such a fun sight to see!

Frozen Promenade: Anna & Elsa

Mickey & Friends World Tour: Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and Goofy

Princess Promenade:  Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Jasmine

Relaxation Stations

If you need a break from your mask and want to take a moment to give your face a breather, you can find the first station in the United Kingdom located near Yorkshire County Fish Shop. You will see social distancing markers as you get closer. Arrows on the ground control the flow of guests.  This outdoor area overlooks World Showcase Lagoon. There are tables and chairs for you to sit at, but if there is a table with no chairs and the umbrella is closed, you cannot use that table because of social distancing.

The second Relaxation Station is located in Future World near Test Track and Mission: Space. This area has more tables for you to stand instead of sitting, so keep that in mind if you plan to visit this location.

The third Relaxation Station is inside Akershus in Norway. This would be my favorite one because it is inside and air-conditioned! This is usually home to a princess meal but now is set up with spaced out tables and chairs.

While these times are very different when visiting Walt Disney World, now is the perfect time to visit. With low wait times and minimal crowds, it is a truly different experience, but in the best way possible. If you are thinking of planning a trip to Walt Disney World, I am here to help every step of the way! With these unprecedented times, now more than ever is the time to use a travel agent that has experienced these changes and has first-hand knowledge to help you have the best experience possible. Fill out my contact form here on my blog to be connected!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly