One of my favorite times of the year at EPCOT is when the park is taken over by its signature Food and Wine Festival. Every time I walk into the park it feels like it’s vibrating with good energy, fantastic smells from the outdoor kitchens, and exciting live music from the America pavilion stage.
This year the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival kicks off on August 29 and runs until November 23, 2024. And while there’s plenty for parents to do at this year’s festival, there’s also a ton of activities for kids to enjoy while exploring EPCOT. Even if you’re like me and don’t have kids, some of the child-friendly activities are great for adults too.
Games and activities at the 2024 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
All around EPCOT, there are plenty of activities and snacks to try that coincide with the Food and Wine Festival. There will be over 30 different Global Marketplaces showcasing cuisine from around the world, a fantastic self-guided cheese tour, a scavenger hunt, and more for kids and parents to do together.
Emile’s Fromage Montage
Kids and kids at heart love gooey melty cheese on just about anything. If your kid, or you for that matter, loves cheese and enjoys trying it in a variety of ways, don’t miss Emile’s Fromage Montage. The self-guided cheese tour takes you around World Showcase—and some of the nearby areas of EPCOT—to enjoy five different cheesy dishes.
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After you purchase an item on the curated list, you will get a stamp from the food booth for the back of your festival booklet. When you get five stamps, you can turn your booklet in at the Shimmering Sips booth for another edible prize.
Pro tip: Don’t worry if you forget to get your booklet stamped—just ask the cast member at the next booth that has a participating item if they can stamp it for you from your previous purchase. They will likely ask you if you have a receipt to prove you bought an item. Once you provide proof, you’ll get the stamp for the previous snack and a stamp for the item you just bought.
The dishes and participating booths are listed below. It’s not necessary to purchase one of each, just a combination of these dishes that add up to five stamps. For example, if you want two of one item and three of another, that works as well.
Dishes and participating booths:
- Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with herbed panko from the Macatizers Menu at CommuniCore Hall
- Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese with shaved beef, peppers and onions, and breadcrumbs from the Macatizers Menu at CommuniCore Hall
- Truffle Macaroni and Cheese from the Macatizers Menu at CommuniCore Hall
- IMPOSSIBLE Chili Macaroni and Cheese with sour cream and cheddar from the Macatizers Menu at CommuniCore Hall
- BBQ Pork Rinds served with pimento cheese from the Festival Favorites Menu at Communicore Hall
- Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with alpine ham, baby potatoes, cornichons, and baguette from The Alps
- Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with baby potatoes, cornichons, and baguette from The Alps
- Schinkennudeln: Pasta gratin with ham, onions, and cheese from Germany
- Spanish Charcuterie: Jamón, Manchego, and pan con tomate from Spain
- Griddled Cheese with pistachios and honey from Greece
- Pão de Queijo: Brazilian cheese bread from Brazil
- Passion Fruit Cheesecake with toasted macadamia nuts from Hawaii
- Boursin Fig & Balsamic Cheesecake with fig jam and pomegranate from Milled & Mulled
- Pumpkin Mascarpone Ravioli with sage-brown butter, pecorino cheese, and hazelnut praline from Forest & Field
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Scavenger Hunt
If you’re looking to add even more fun to your day exploring the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival pick up a game board and stickers to take part in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit. You can get the kit at three spots at EPCOT: Port of Entry, World Traveler, or Creations Shop. While walking around the park be on the lookout for pumpkins and match the corresponding sticker to the game board.
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Once you’ve found all of the pumpkins and completed your board, you can return to Port of Entry or World Traveler to get a fun prize. Prizes and maps are limited and often run out just before the end of the festival, so if this is an activity you plan on doing then consider doing it early on in the festival season rather than waiting.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
Another fun scavenger hunt around the park is Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak. Just like the Pluto Pumpkin hunt, you’ll need to pick up a game board and stickers from Creations Shop, Disney Traders, World Traveler, or any of the festival merchandise kiosks. After getting your supplies look out for little statuettes of Remy around World Showcase.
After you match all of the stickers to their corresponding spot on the map you can collect your prize. Redemption is held at Creations Shop, Disney Traders, and World Traveler. Even if you don’t finish your scavenger hunt, you can show your map to a Cast Member at any of these three spots to get your prize.
Entertainment at the 2024 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
At the America Gardens Theatre, you’ll be able to see nightly concerts by bands of yesteryear. The concerts, known as the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, are included in the price of admission to EPCOT. There are two ways to get seats to the show. The first is to book a dining package. With the package, you can book lunch or dinner at select restaurants at EPCOT and have a guaranteed seat inside the theater.
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If you don’t want to book a dining package to get guaranteed seats at a show there is a standby line. Depending on which artist is performing on the night you’re at EPCOT the line can be very long or very short.
Pro-tip: Concerts take place at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM. The last show of the night is usually the least crowded since people are starting to get their spot for EPCOT’s nighttime spectacular Luminous.
This year, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series lineup includes Yellowcard, The Fray, Switchfoot, Hanson, Smashmouth, and more.
Top tips for making the most of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
Know when the Global Marketplaces open at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
Even though EPCOT may open at 9:00 a.m., don’t expect the Global Marketplaces to be open when the park opens. The outdoor kitchens don’t open until 11:00 a.m. each day. If you want to skip some of the lines be back at World Showcase and near the first Marketplace you want to try just a few minutes before 11. This makes getting multiple booths done before the park gets too crowded easy.
Pace yourself and take a group with you
I promise that you’re eyes are going to be bigger than your stomach once you start making your way to all of the Global Marketplaces and munching on delicious food. To ensure you can try the most dishes, take a group of family or friends with you to the Food and Wine Festival and share a few things from each stop. Also, be sure to pace yourself and take breaks from eating. No one likes being on transportation back to the hotel room so stuffed they can barely move.
Know who’s playing at Eat to the Beat
Some days at EPCOT are going to be busier than others depending on who’s playing at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Acts like Joey Fatone and Friends, Hanson, and 98 Dgrees bring in more people than others. If you don’t care about who’s playing, you may want to plan your visit on days when some of the less popular acts are playing.
