Taste the World! Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2019
Every fall Epcot hosts the International Food and Wine Festival. During this time, Epcot features food and beverages from 35 different countries at kiosks around the park. This year’s festival runs from August 29th- November 23rd. These food booths offer a fun way to sample lots of small plates and drink samples instead of a sit-down meal. If you are on the Disney Dining plan the food plates all count as snack credits - and lots of people end up with Snack credits to burn at the end of their stay - this is a great use for these!
The Basics:
There are 41 booths spread out over all of Future World and the World Showcase. Each country with a permanent pavilion has a booth, but there are so many more! Epcot is a big park so it requires a lot of walking to try everything. Most booths feature two or three food items and specialty drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and/or beer and wine selections. The plates are small, and so are the glasses, so don’t be surprised! The booths are inspired by the local cuisine of a country or region, or revolve around a central theme. For example, when you visit the Greece booth you can try some Spanakopita, or, if you stop by Flavors from Fire you should definitely try the Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak on a Smoked Corn Cake.
The Strategy:
If you are planning to attend, ARRIVE HUNGRY! Seriously, I started my first day with just breakfast before my flight, then skipped lunch and was at Epcot by 3pm ready to dig in! And if you want to try a lot of things be willing to share, this way you can try a bite or two of even more dishes! Make a plan before you arrive and pick a few booths you want to try - you really can’t try them all in one trip (or even two) so choose wisely! After spending 2 afternoons there, I would suggest maybe staying in Future World once, then doing the World Showcase a different time. Also, it can hot walking around Epcot - so be sure to hydrate.
If you want to avoid crowds, the World Showcase has much lighter crowds the earlier you go, and try to avoid Friday and Saturday nights at all costs. This is when the locals stream in for a rowdy night “around the world”. If you are bringing the kids along the drinking themed princess shirts are clever, but their antics and language are really adult-only. Fortunately, when I was there from 1-5pm it was almost empty.
Cost:
If you are on the Meal plan you can use it in a few ways during the festival. You can either buy individual food items or non-alcoholic drinks for a snack credit. This can be a good value for the snacks that are over $5. Another option is to use a Quick Serve credit. Each Quick serve credit is worth 3 snacks. The catch is that you need to use them all in one transaction. While you may not want all 3 items at one booth, there were many where we wanted to try two items. If you add on a water (you can never drink too much water at Disney) or a specialty drink for the kids you are all set. If you do this at a few booths this could be “lunch” for the whole family, but you got to try 8-10 different food items. And when these dishes can be $5-6 each, waters are $3 and specialty drinks can be $4-6 you are getting a pretty good value for your Quick Serve meal at $13-15. For comparison, a quick serve at the Magic Kingdom usually costs around $10-15, and I would argue this easily beat my Grilled Chicken Sandwich over at Cosmic Rays!
My Food Tour:
Earth Eats
The Impossible Burger Slider with wasabi cream and spicy asian slaw on a sesame seed bun
This could really fool any beef lover - the burger is even a little pink inside! It was delicious and the slaw added just the right amount of kick. If I had one critique I would say the bun was a little too much for the burger, so maybe just eat the bottom of the bun.
The Wine and Dine Studio
Butternut Squash Ravioli with brown butter vinaigrette, parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds
We got 2 very large raviolis and these did not disappoint. The brown butter was a perfect compliment to the butternut squash, and the large parmesan shaving completed the dish wonderfully.
Hawaii
Kalua Pork Slider with sweet and sour DOLE pineapple chutney and spicy mayonnaise
This might have been the overall winner of the festival. (I was so excited to try it I forgot to snap a pic) The pork was tender and sauce was just the perfect combo of sweet and spicy. I could have eaten 3 but knew I needed to keep walking and try more booths.
Shimmering Sips
Mimosa Flight
Tropical Mimosa with Sparkling Wine and Passion Fruit, Orange, and Guava Juices
Key Lime Mimosa with Key Lime Sparkling Wine and Cranberry Juice
Blood Orange Mimosa with Sparkling Wine and Blood Orange Juice
These were refreshing on a hot day but probably a little sweet for my palette, though the Blood Orange was a stand out winner.
The Alps
Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with Baby Potatoes, Cornichons and Baguette
I’ve had raclette many times, and this did not disappoint. The only issue I had was that while hot melted cheese over boiled potatoes is perfect on a ski vacation in a toasty ski lodge, it’s not the best in Orlando in early September. I recommend this for people visiting later in the festival (ideally late Oct/Nov). This is why I skipped the cheese soups in Canada and Ireland this year.
India
Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa and Coriander Pesto Dips
If you love naan bread and dips or have eaten at Sanaa and enjoy the bread service this is a great snack option. A crowd pleaser for sure, but perhaps skip the garlic dip unless you are real garlic lover. The garlic is raw and will be a little overpowering for many people. I asked for double mango salsa instead!
Japan
Frothy Ramen Chilled Noodles and Dashi Broth with a Light Foam Topping
An unexpected twist on ramen - but perfect for a hot Orlando afternoon! It was a little strange because it resembled a latte at first glance, but if you love a rich ramen broth give this one a try - a surprising favorite!
Brazil
Pão de Queijo Brazilian Cheese Bread
Carbs and cheese? Yes please. This little bun somehow tastes like the dough and cheese are one and the same. I don’t know how they do this but I want more. Now. This is not like a stuffed crust, the cheese and dough are somehow fused together? Hard to explain but easy to enjoy.
Appleseed Orchard
Charcuterie and Cheese Plate featuring Burton’s Maplewood Farm Applejack Brandy Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
This is a nice spot to soak up some AC and enjoy and drink with some delicious cheese. This board is inspired by the tastes of fall and will not disappoint.
For help planning a trip to WDW for Food and Wine Festival, or any other time, contact me for no-fee concierge service!