Credit: DisneyIt might feel like the long, hot summer is just beginning, but Disney is already giving fans a reason to look forward to the end of the season. The dates for the beloved EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival have been announced, and it promises to be bigger, tastier, and more vibrant than ever before.
Set to run from August 28 through November 22, 2025, the festival will take over the entire park for a full 90 days of culinary delights, entertainment, and family-friendly activities. While this event started years ago as a modest 30-day celebration that mainly focused on the World Showcase, it has grown into a park-wide phenomenon that draws foodies, Disney fans, and music lovers from all over the world.
But the festival isn’t just about food booths and snacks—though, let’s be honest, those are a big part of the draw. It’s about an immersive experience that lets guests savor flavors from around the world, catch some incredible live music, and participate in interactive adventures that turn the park into a playground for all ages.
What’s New and What’s Returning in 2025?
One of the most exciting things about the Food and Wine Festival is how it continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. For 2025, Disney is bringing back more than 35 global marketplaces, serving up everything from kid-friendly bites to decadent plant-based dishes, ensuring there’s truly something for every palate.
Returning this year is the ever-popular Emile’s Fromage Montage, a cheese-lover’s dream. Guests can sample a curated list of cheesy treats throughout the park, collecting stamps along the way. Once you’ve tasted them all, you’ll receive a complimentary surprise treat—because no cheese crawl is complete without a sweet reward at the end.
Another fan favorite returning is Remy’s Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt. This activity is perfect for families, letting kids and adults hunt for hidden Remy statues scattered around World Showcase. It’s a fun, interactive way to explore the festival, and completing the map earns you a prize—making it a rewarding adventure in more ways than one.
Of course, the Eat to the Beat Concert Series will once again take over the America Gardens Theatre, featuring a lineup of popular artists and bands across multiple genres. Whether you’re into rock, pop, country, or R&B, there’s bound to be an act that gets your feet tapping. And for those who want the best seat in the house, the Festival Concert Series Dining Package offers guaranteed seating alongside a delicious meal at select EPCOT restaurants.
Also returning this year is a charming festival-specific update to the classic Living with the Land boat ride. Guests can glide through greenhouses beautifully adorned with Food and Wine-themed displays that celebrate the journey from farm to table—a perfect tie-in to the festival’s focus on global cuisine and sustainable practices.
EPCOT Is More Than Just the Festival
While the Food and Wine Festival is the star of the show during these months, EPCOT offers so much more for guests to enjoy. The park itself is a celebration of innovation, imagination, and world cultures, and the festival only enhances these experiences.
Visitors can stroll through the World Showcase, where 11 permanent pavilions bring to life the sights, sounds, and flavors of countries like Mexico, France, Japan, and Morocco. Each pavilion offers unique dining, shopping, and entertainment options year-round, but during the festival, the addition of the global marketplaces offers an extra layer of culinary discovery.
Over in World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature, guests can explore attractions that celebrate human achievement and the wonders of the natural world. From riding Spaceship Earth, which takes you through the history of communication, to thrilling adventures like Test Track and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, EPCOT has something to appeal to thrill-seekers and curious minds alike.
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, is one of the newest experiences in World Nature, giving guests a playful and interactive way to learn about the water cycle while cooling off in the Florida heat—an especially welcome feature during the long festival season.
Perks for Annual Passholders and More
One of the best ways to experience the Food and Wine Festival (and EPCOT in general) is as a Disney Annual Passholder. Passholders often receive exclusive perks during the festival, including special merchandise, discounts, and sometimes even complimentary festival-themed magnets or treats.
The festival also offers exclusive merchandise collections, from spirit jerseys to festival-exclusive Minnie ears and kitchenware. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect souvenir or want to show off your foodie pride, the festival shops have you covered.
Plan Ahead for a Flavor-Packed Visit
The Food and Wine Festival has become a bucket-list event for many Disney fans, and for good reason. With the festival stretching into November, guests have plenty of chances to plan a visit during cooler weather—or double up with the park’s holiday offerings that start to appear in early November.
But don’t sleep on the opening weeks either. Early in the festival, crowds are often lighter, and new booths are fully stocked, giving die-hard fans the first taste of what’s on offer.
And if you’re someone who enjoys pairing food with atmosphere, there’s no better setting than EPCOT. From sunset strolls around World Showcase Lagoon to sipping on a glass of wine under Spaceship Earth’s glow, the festival is as much about ambiance as it is about food.
Whether you’re a Disney foodie, a family looking for interactive adventures, or someone who just loves to eat your way around the world, EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival is a can’t-miss event.
With the 2025 dates now on the calendar—August 28 to November 22—it’s time to start planning that trip, making those dining reservations, and prepping your taste buds for a truly global culinary adventure.