Once upon a time, there was a little Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT that was held each fall for a few weeks in October and November – and it was fun and delicious. So the folks at Disney who make these decisions realized that, hey, food (and drink) is HUGELY popular at EPCOT, and as the years passed, this festival grew longer until this year, it began in July and will end in November. (That’s 129 days if you don’t want to do the math.)
Of course, it was inevitable – seeing how much people LOVE to eat – that a few food booths (called “Outdoor Kitchens”) were added to the Flower and Garden Festival held each spring, and guess what? The food was a big hit, so each year more food booths were added to this festival, and it was also extended, this year until early July.
Not to be outdone – because nothing says “Holiday Season” better than eating (and drinking) – food booths (called “Holiday Kitchens”) – including desserts and COOKIES – were eventually added to EPCOT’s Festival of Holidays, allowing Guests to eat (and drink) all sorts of international holiday goodies.
With these 3 favorite festivals now featuring (lots of) food, Disney eventually realized that those post-holiday/pre-spring months in winter needed food too. And so the International Festival of the Arts in January and February, which celebrates all the arts – including the culinary arts – debuted.
With more food obviously.
So, if you’re looking at the calendar, you’ll see that you can now experience all sorts of EPCOT deliciousness, in some fashion, pretty much year-round. It’s awesome to be sure, but with all that great food, what does that mean for your wallet (and waistline)?
Happily, there is a fairly easy way to navigate your way around the World, try tons of new food options, and not bust your budget or your diet (well, sort of on that last part).
Share, my friends.
It’s really that simple. No matter which festival you attend, the strategy is the same: this is a marathon and not a sprint. If you start at the first food booth and load up on every available food option (to say nothing of the drink), you are going to spend a LOT of money in a hurry and end up super full really fast.
Instead, follow the strategy that my family has used for festivals for years. We split up and each of us choose ONE dish at a different booth, and then regroup, splitting each dish so we can all sample it. Yes, it’s just a couple of bites this way before you move on, but hey, there’s more food choices to discover!
Plus, it’s way more fun doing this! And, as a happy bonus, you spend a lot less than you would otherwise, so that’s a win/win!
Of course, there are so many other things to experience at each of EPCOT’s festivals, but there is no doubt about it that food is a highlight at them all.
As they say, at Disney, food IS a theme park too!
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