Credit: DisneyFall at Walt Disney World does not just mean Halloween taking over Magic Kingdom.
It also means EPCOT finally gets a festival again. And if you have visited EPCOT during one of the rare gaps between festivals, you know how different the park feels without one. The booths are gone, World Showcase is quieter, and a big part of what makes a full day at EPCOT worth it simply is not there.
That gap closes on August 27, 2026, when the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival begins.
Fans have been waiting on one specific thing before they could actually plan around it, and it landed today. The full menus are out.
This is the piece people need to build a day around, because Food & Wine is not a festival you can wing. There are dozens of booths, hundreds of items, and a real risk of filling up on something mediocre before you reach the thing you actually wanted.
Here is what you need to know.
The EPCOT Festival Runs August 27 Through November 21
That is a long window, and this year it carries extra weight.
- The 2026 festival marks 30 years of Food & Wine
- 30 items have returned or been reimagined from across festival history
- Those items are marked with a special 30th icon in the official Foodie Guide
If you have been going to this festival for years, that anniversary lineup is the reason to pay closer attention than usual. Several of the returns date back to the very first festivals, including the Potato Pierogi from 1996 at Poland and the Dumplings Trio introduced in 1996 at China.
Not Every EPCOT Booth Opens on Day One
This is the detail most guests miss, and it will absolutely affect your planning. Six booths will be missing at the start of the festival.
Several locations open later in the festival run:
- Festival Favorites: starting September 9
- The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More: September 18 through November 8
- Coastal Eats: starting October 2
- Earth Eats: starting October 2
- India: starting October 2
- The Alps: starting October 2
If a specific item on one of those menus is why you are going, do not book an August trip and expect to find it.
Emile’s Fromage Montage Is Back
The cheese-focused food stroll returns, and it is one of the better structured challenges the festival offers.
Here is how it works:
- Purchase five eligible cheese items from Global Marketplaces
- Collect stamps in your Festival Passport
- Head to Shimmering Sips once complete for a festival treat
Eligible items are marked with a cheese icon in the Foodie Guide, and they are spread across the park, so this doubles as a reason to walk World Showcase rather than camping in one area.
Cheers to Cheese Is a New EPCOT Exhibit
Running September 18 through November 8 in CommuniCore Hall.
The interactive exhibit celebrates cheese with fun facts and history, and The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More is the food component. Highlights include:
- Cannoli Milk Shake topped with chocolate shavings, cannoli shell, and a maraschino cherry
- Selection of Cheeses with accompaniments featuring Proudly Wisconsin Cheese
- Crab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese with smoked cheddar sauce, bacon, crab seasoning, roasted corn, and jalapeños
- Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with smoked cheddar sauce and herbed panko
- A new Wine and Cheese Pairing
New Items Worth Prioritizing
A handful of the new additions stand out on paper.
- Basil Pesto Chicken Dumplings at Gyozas of the Galaxy, with fonduta, tomato confit, and balsamic
- Smoked Brisket and Cheddar Melt at Hops & Barley, on a potato roll with caramelized onions and tangy barbecue
- Wiener Schnitzel at Germany, with warm Yukon Gold potato salad, bacon, and watercress-radish salad
- Tostada de Osso Buco at Mexico, with chipotle black beans, salsa verde, and queso fresco
- Beef Wagyu Temaki Hand Roll at Japan, with pickled ginger and spicy mayonnaise
- Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese at The Alps, on a baguette with jambon and apple-mustard relish
- Croquetas de Jamón at Spain, with saffron aïoli and shaved Jamón Serrano
- Moqueca de Camarão at Brazil, seared shrimp in a coconut milk broth
Returning EPCOT Favorites Fans Already Love
Some things do not need improving.
- Pumpkin-Mascarpone Ravioli at Forest & Field, with brown butter vinaigrette and hazelnut praline
- Grilled Bushberry-spiced Shrimp Skewer at Australia, with coconut-chili sauce
- Cheddar and Bacon Soup at Canada, served with a pretzel roll
- Chicken Tikka Masala at India, with fennel-spiced yogurt and naan
- Frozen S’mores at Festival Favorites
- Pickle Milk Shake at Brew-Wing Lab, still confusing people since 2023
The Sweets Are Doing a Lot This Year at EPCOT
Dessert is unusually strong across the lineup.
- Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake between America and Japan
- Smoked Chocolate Bread Pudding at Flavors from Fire
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Trifle at Festival Favorites
- Mickey-shaped Celebration Macaron at Sunshine Seasons
- Pistachio-Chocolate Mochi Doughnut at Connections Café
- Almond Panna Cotta at Italy
- Paleta de Moras at Mexico, a berry ice pop with chili-lime seasoning
A Practical Payment Tip
Disney Gift Card wristlets return this year, featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
- Minimum $15 activation
- Available at merchandise locations throughout EPCOT
- Usable at Global Marketplaces and anywhere Disney Gift Card is accepted
For a festival where you are making a dozen small purchases across a full day, a wearable payment method beats digging out your phone at every booth.
How to Actually Plan This EPCOT Festival
Two pieces of advice before you go.
Check which booths are open on your specific dates, since roughly six locations open after the festival begins.
And if the 30th anniversary items matter to you, look for the 30th icon in the Foodie Guide rather than trying to remember which dish debuted in which year.
The festival runs through November 21, so there is time. There is just a lot of it to get through.
