Crowd Levels Rise Drastically at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

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EPCOT Food and Wine Crowds

Credit: Inside the Magic

The EPCOT 2022 International Food & Wine Festival recently kicked off with its famous Global Marketplaces, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak, merchandise, and more! The event will run through November 19, 2022.

Related: The Hidden Food Item You Didn’t Know Existed at EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival

joffreys epcot food and wine
Credit: Disney

Yesterday, July 23, 2022, we visited EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival and the crowd levels were definitely higher than past days.

In the photos below, you can see the number of Guests in the United Kingdom pavilion. Guests were walking wall to wall, taking up the entire sidewalk as they strolled through World Showcase to see everything the Park has to offer.

epcot food and wine crowds
Credit: Inside the Magic
epcot food and wine crowds
Credit: Inside the Magic
epcot food and wine crowds
Credit: Inside the Magic

Keep in mind, if you plan on visiting Walt Disney World, you will need a valid Park ticket as well as a Park Pass reservation. The new Disney Park Pass reservation system was introduced when the theme parks reopened after temporarily closing due to the ongoing pandemic. The reasoning behind this new system is to help Disney monitor and control the crowd levels and capacity on any given day.

In 2020, Chairman of Parks, Experiences and Products Josh D’Amaro indicated that the newly implemented Park Pass system is a “new normal” that isn’t going away anytime soon, if ever, so Guests should get accustomed to utilizing the Disney Park Pass system if they are planning a trip to Walt Disney World.

As we approach the remainder of summer, we expect to see the Park Pass availability continue to sell out so if you are planning on visiting Walt Disney World and its four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom — be sure to secure your Park Passes as soon as possible.

Additionally, we do want to note that recently, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy stated that Park’s capacity would never return to normal as they are “managing things differently now”. This sparked quite the conversation amongst Disney fans as many can’t imagine what “full capacity” would look like considering how packed the Parks are now.

More on the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

mac and eats epcot food and wine
Credit: Disney

Disney recently shared information regarding the 2022 Food and Wine Festival, writing:

Our teams of Disney chefs, mixologists and sommeliers have been testing, tasting and collaborating to create a smorgasbord of culinary delights. Prepare your taste buds to go on an epicurean journey and discover new concepts and menu items at more than 25 Global Marketplaces located throughout EPCOT. Returning favorites will include The Swanky Saucy Swine, Appleseed Orchard, Hops & Barley, Earth Eats hosted by Impossible and Shimmering Sips hosted by CORKCICLE. Some Global Marketplaces will open a few weeks later, as well, to keep the 129-day event spicy.

The EPCOT 2022 International Food & Wine Festival recently kicked off on July 14 and will run through November 19, 2022.

Have you visited the EPCOT 2022 International Food & Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments below.

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