It's been fun spending summer time with the tadpoles, but I'm glad the calendar is flipping toward fall. Why? First, the Lily and Tad are back in school. YAY. Second, this seasonal change brings one of my favorite Disney World events—the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival! With new flavors and tastes debuting at the global marketplaces, the 2018 festival is sure to have delectable items for everyone.

As many of you past attendees know, Epcot Food and Wine can get quite busy, especially in the evenings and on weekends. It's important to have a plan and be in the know. You can find our top tips at the end of this festival guide. However, feel free to hop straight to them!

Since we like to stay in the know—especially when it comes to dining and drinking— we'll be hopping down to the festival for some in-person, ahem, research. Beware that the dates, times and celebrity guests listed in Talks, Demonstrations & More and Premium Events may change.  Prices are subject to change as well.

Epcot Food and Wine Dates & Overview | Map |Global Marketplaces | Talks, Demonstrations & More! | Premium Events | Eat to the Beat | Tips

Epcot Food and Wine 2018 Dates & Overview

One of Epcot's most popular events, this daily festival runs Aug. 30 through Nov. 12, 2018. That's 75 days, just as many as last year!  This festival keeps getting bigger. Last year, the event ventured beyond Epcot by adding experiences to select on-site resorts. To borrow a phrase from Tad, we thought last year was toadally awesome, and we can't wait for this year!

Now, you'll be able to experience the bulk of the festival with your regular Disney World tickets, but you will need to foot the bill for your eats and drinks. Food kiosk prices vary between $4-$9 with beverages running between $3-$8. There is an additional charge for some of the talks, demonstrations and premium events. Reservations are strongly recommended for those experiences. There are plenty of free things to do though, including book and bottle signings, meet-and-greets and more. You'll find more about that at the Festival Welcome Center, which also offers plenty of foodie merchandise and delicious wines! This year's festival mascot is Remy from "Ratatouille." Yes, anyone can cook. Except for Leap.

Before you dive in, let us tempt your tastebuds with this video that showcases the sights and sounds of the 2017 festival. Please refrain from licking the screen.

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2017 Map

Here is the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival map. Click here for larger version.

Epcot Food and Wine 2017 Global Marketplaces

The global marketplaces take center stage at the event. Focusing largely on different cuisines from around the world, the marketplaces feature small-portioned dishes and drinks. To celebrate Epcot's 35th anniversary, there will be 35 global marketplace kiosks in 2017!

New for Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2017 are these delicious debuts :

• Avocados of Mexico
• Cheese – Hosted by Boursin
• Beer (in the former Segway room of Innoventions)
• Flavored by Fire
• Active Eats
• Spain

All of these marketplaces take credit and debit cards, but we find it's easier to use our MagicBands if we're staying on-site. You can currently save on your Disney World hotel room by booking with us! We're also fans of purchasing an official festival gift card for the day. These mini-sized gift cards include a wearable plastic band so that you can swipe and go! Set your limit at the outset, and these gift cards keep you on a budget. They also make a fun souvenir and let you enjoy all the food and drinks you want until reach the end. Magic band indeed!

Full list of Epcot Food and Wine 2017 Global Marketplaces

• Active Eats - NEW
• Africa
• The Almond Orchard Hosted by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze
• Australia
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Brewer's Collection
• Canada
• The Cheese Studio, Hosted by Boursin Cheese  - NEW
• China
• Chocolate Studio
• Coastal Eats - NEW
• Craft Beers
• Earth Eats, Inspired by The Chew
• Farm Fresh
• Flavors from Fire - NEW
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hawai'i
• Hops & Barley
• India
• Ireland
• Islands of the Caribbean
• Italy
• Japan
• Light Lab - NEW
• Mexico
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Patagonia
• Scotland
• Spain
• Thailand
• Wine & Dine Studio

Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2017 Talks, Demonstrations & More!

Don't you want to be as happy as the guy in the photo above? YES, YOU DO. The festival allows your inner chef or aspiring sommelier shine. You can fine-tune your kitchen skills at a number of cooking demonstrations; wine and beverage, mixology and cheese seminars; and food and wine pairings. Many of these events require reservations (call 407-939-3378). Some are an additional fee. You can see the full list here, but here are some 2017 highlights:

Epcot Food & Wine 2017 - Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!

Held during the festival from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! ($49) teaches guests hands-on lessons to improve culinary and beverage skills. The daily workshops are at the Festival Center in the Chef's Showcase. Each lesson offers instruction by a hands-on chef and other kitchen experts. Guests can learn everything from cooking with stouts to rolling their own sushi. Spots are limited, and reservations are strongly encouraged.

Epcot Food & Wine 2017 - Wine, Beer and Spirit Tastings

Sip, sample and drink in amazing adult beverages at a seminar that's full of flavor. Held each day during the festival, sommeliers and other beverage experts will share their extensive knowledge at these insightful and delicious presentations. Drink in the full list of experiences and sign up at the Festival Center, Vineyard Stage. Each session is $17 plus tax.

Epcot Food & Wine 2017 - Culinary Demonstrations

Feed your mind and fill your stomach. During these special 45-minute demonstrations, renowned gourmets will impart years of kitchen wisdom, while they whip up an amazing dish. These delicious demos are $17 per Guest, plus tax, and take place in the  Festival Center, Chef’s Showcase. Check out the demos and times here.

Epcot Food and Wine 2017 - Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

Enjoy South Pacific cuisine along with exotic cocktails at this Polynesian event at the beautiful Disney's Polynesian Village Resort on select Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. for $129 per guest. The dining event will teach guests about the history of the restaurant, as well as how to blend cocktails from a variety of spirits.

Epcot Food and Wine 2017 - What's Cookin' With ... Series

Guests also have the chance to share a meal with a celebrity chef during brunches Fridays and Sundays for $129 (plus tax, gratuity included) per guest. Guests will have a cooking demonstration, as well as Q&A session. The premium event always has a stellar lineup! Scheduled celebrity chefs for 2017 include:

September 3 – Shaun O'Neale

September 10 – Alex Guarnaschelli

September 15 – Stuart O'Keeffe

September 17 – Jet Tila

September 24 – Art Smith

September 29 – Graham Elliot

October 6 – Jamie Deen

October 8 – Geoffrey Zakarian

October 15 – Bryan Voltaggio

October 20 – Robert Irvine

October 22 – Robert Irvine

October 27 – Cat Cora

October 29 – Cat Cora

November 3 – Carla Hall

November 10 – Sarah Fioroni

November 12 – Buddy Valastro

Call (407) 939-3378 to make a reservation.

Epcot Food & Wine 2017 - Premium Events

The festival holds premium events that offer guests the chance to explore even more fabulous cuisine. Can you tell your Asiago from your Roquefort? Fromage lovers will enjoy the Wine and Cheese Pairing Seminars, held on select Saturdays. The annual Party for the Senses, held on select dates in October, is a grand tasting event featuring bites from chefs of the Disney Parks.

Epcot Food and Wine 2017 Eat to the Beat Concert Series

On every evening of the festival, a classic American band from the last 40 years takes the stage at the America Gardens Theater at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. The concerts are free and the perfect place to kick back and let loose! Listed below are the dates and performers for the 2017 slate, with first-time Epcot Food and Wine Festival performers noted.

We've never felt the need to stake out spots too early for these concerts, and typically recommend getting there 20-30 minutes ahead of time and attending the earliest show.

Full Eat to the Beat 2017 Lineup

• 8/31 – 9/1 – Delta Rae
• 9/2 – 9/3 – The Hooters - NEW
• 9/4 – 9/5 – Baha Men - NEW Who let the frogs out? Who. Who. 
• 9/6 – 9/7 – Fuel
• 9/8 -9/20 – STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas
• 9/11 – 9/12 – Lauren Alaina - NEW
• 9/13 – 9/15 – Plain White T’s
• 9/16 – 9/17 – Sister Hazel
• 9/18 – 9/20 -  Air Supply
• 9/21 – 9/22 – David Cook
• 9/23 – 9/24 – Everclear
• 9/25 – 9/27 – Sugar Ray
• 9/28 – 9/29 – .38 Special
• 9/30 – 10/1 – Mark Wills - NEW
• 10/2 – 10/3 – American Authors - NEW
• 10/4 – 10/5 – Christopher Cross
• 10/6 – 10/8 – Devon Allman - NEW
• 10/9 – 10/11 – Dennis DeYoung: The music of STYX
• 10/12 – 10/13 – Taylor Dayne
• 10/14 – 10/15 – Jeffrey Osborne
• 10/16 – 10/17 – Postmodern Jukebox - NEW
• 10/18 – 10/20 – 10,000 Maniacs - NEW
• 10/21 – 10/22 – Toad The Wet Sprocket - Ummm, yes! 
• 10/23 – 10/24 – Kenny G - NEW
• 10/25 – 10/26 – Billy Ocean
• 10/27 – 10/29 – Tiffany
• 10/30 – 11/1 – Hanson
• 11/2 – 11/3 – Blue October - NEW
• 11/4 – 11/5 – Living Colour
• 11/6 – 11/8 – Boyz II Men
• 11/9 – 11/11 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
• 11/12 – 11/13 – Squeeze - NEW

Eat to the Beat Dining Package

If you're a die-hard fan and can't miss your favorite band, check out the dining packages at some of our favorite Epcot restaurants for guaranteed seating. While we're usually huge fans of the convenient dining packages, this isn't our favorite option for Epcot Food and Wine since we're too busy stuffing our faces with the quick bites at limited edition booths. For the Eat to the Beat Dining Package, guests can book a 3-course meal (breakfast and lunch prices vary from $43-$60 and dinner $51-$80 per person, adult prices listed.)

These are the restaurants you may dine at in 2017.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Biergarten Restaurant

Coral Reef Restaurant

The Garden Grill

La Hacienda de San Angel (dinner only)

Chefs de France

Nine Dragons

Restaurant Marrakesh

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room

San Angel Inn Restaurante

Spice Road Table

Teppan Edo

Tokyo Dining

Tutto Italia Ristorante

Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria

Epcot Food and Wine 2017 Tips

With so many visitors to Epcot during the festival, especially in the evenings and weekends, it helps to have a few insider tips. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Make a plan before heading out

If you take your food as seriously as I do, you'll want to identify a few must-try items in advance. It's a great way to whet your appetite, and it can help you budget. I make a list of the things I want to try and which global marketplaces I can find them. It's not meant to be exhaustive because I want to leave a little room for discovery, but it helps me plan which foods (OK, desserts) I don't want to miss. With 35 booths to celebrate Epcot's 35th anniversary, planning is more important than ever!

You can also do this when you get to the festival. Use your Food and Wine Passport to note the dishes you're most interested in sampling. Be sure to check the Eat to the Beat concert series, calendar of demonstrations and chef appearances as well. You never know who might be coming to town while you're visiting or what new skills you can learn at a cooking demo!

2. Have a budget and stick to it

As we mentioned earlier, setting a spending limit at the outset is the best way not to go overboard. You can use cash, credit, debit, cards, MagicBands (if you're staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel), and quick-service meal and snack credits (if you're using the Disney dining plan). We prefer the miniature-sized festival gift cards because they are convenient with their little wrist strap and also make nice souvenirs.

3. Don't limit yourself to World Showcase

The concept of eating and drinking "around the world" has become so common that many people forget about the Epcot Food and Wine Festival offerings outside of World Showcase. Some of our favorite items this year appear in Future World. Many of the newer booths are in the "Next Eats" passage just past Club Cool. You'll find tons of fresh, delicious and unique options here.

Just beyond this area, a bit closer to World Showcase is where you'll find some of the more classic—and always amazing—booths such as the Chocolate and Cheese Studios, and Wine & Dine. If I were limited to only visiting three booths at the entire festival, these would be it! The wine and cheese flight at Wine & Dine is a delectable deal, and we all know I can't pass up chocolate creations. These areas also have prime dining stops, with plenty of tables for all of your snacks. And for the beer lover in your family, don't miss the Craft Beer pavilion right behind Test Track—a great place for yummy food and snacks, and to cool off!

4. Visit the Festival Center

While technically speaking a majority of the Food and Wine Festival takes place in fall, Florida weather tends to stay on the hot and humid side later into the year. If you're looking to cool off, we highly recommend taking a stroll through the Festival Center. You'll find this hub of festival activity to the right of the (now closed) Universe of Energy in Future World.

Aside from being a great place to enjoy some AC, the Festival Center is also home to the many food and beverage seminars. There is also a wine-centric film showing on a loop that you can sit down and enjoy. Grab a bite at a couple of the food stations inside, including one dedicated to Ghirardelli chocolate. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Not to mention, the Festival Center is a hub for all of the special edition merchandise available during the festival—Mickey-themed kitchen art, cookbooks, apparel and more. While you can find much of this merchandise in smaller booths around World Showcase, this is the best place to scout out all items in one spot.

5. Annual Passholders — get your goods!

If you visit the Festival Center with your Disney Annual Pass and photo ID in tow, you'll be given a special edition Epcot Food and Wine button. Don't limit yourself to just one trip—there will be different button designs for each month of the festival! You can retrieve your souvenir toward the back of the Festival Center, to the left of the Ghirardelli area.

In addition to this excellent free gift, there are also quite a few Passholder-exclusive merchandise items available only in the Festival Center, such as pins, tumblers and shirts. They are extra awesome this year—be sure to check them out!

6. Go with a group to maximize the adventure

Another way to sample a little bit of everything is to go to the festival with a group. Even if it's just you and your bestie, a good time is guaranteed. Whether it's friends, family or even some happy folks you met in the hotel lobby, everyone is bound to have different tastes. Each person gets the dishes he or she wants and then shares with the group!

7. Scout places to eat

You don't want to dash and dine at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Don't underestimate the importance of having a place to enjoy all of the food you're about to consume. During crowded times (evenings and weekends) it can be tough to grab a place to set your food down to enjoy. Most of the dining areas are high-top tables with no chairs. However, there are hidden alleys and areas throughout Epcot to take a break and sip on that specialty drink.

We recommend scouting out a place to sit BEFORE grabbing those handfuls of food. That way, you're not left scrambling for seating. Have one member of your frog pack hold down your spot (or even a standing table) while others grab food and drinks.

8. Dress up and have fun

Whether it's just you and your bestie or a whole lot of you, you'll have more fun if you get in the wine and foodie spirit. Wear your team colors, custom trip t-shirts or matching wine glasses. It will be a blast! Get it? Their glasses look like wine glasses.

9. Pace yourself

It can be very tempting to dive into every dish (or drink) you see, but this is where your plan comes in to play. Use that handy passport to help pace yourself as you travel around World Showcase. But remember it's OK to try something that just looks too yummy to pass up.

10. Let the kids have fun

Epcot Food and Wine isn't just for adults! One of the most fun things about the festival—especially for the tadpoles—is getting your festival passport stamped. Everyone can get a passport, but if you're doing the festival as a family, we think it's easiest if you only get one. Every time we visit a new marketplace booth, Lily and Tad take turns getting it stamped.

We also love Remy's Ratatouille Hide & Squeak. For $9.95, the little ones can pick up a set of maps and stickers and then set off helping Remy collect "ingredients" around the park. You can most conveniently pick up this project at the Pin Station directly behind Spaceship Earth. When they return their maps at Port of Entry, they get one of six limited-release Remy pins.

With these programs, we've encouraged the kids to try more dishes that they might not otherwise on a normal day. It's so fun to watch Lily get excited about trying French cuisine and see Tad be curious about Japanese offerings!

11. ...And let them eat!

Sure, first impressions of Epcot food and Wine Festival cuisine may come off quite exquisite and not exactly kid-friendly. But, have no fear! The festival does a great job of combining traditional favorites with something new and exciting. What better way to get your tadpoles to experiment with veggies than with interesting Disney dishes?

There seem to be more kid-friendly options than ever before this year: L'Orange (lime + orange) Cotton Candy, Loaded Mac ‘N Cheese, Cheeseburger and Macaroni Handwich—and so much more! Options like this are delicious for the whole family, and a great way to include the kids on the exciting eating endeavor that is the Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

12. Avoid evenings and weekends if possible

Floridians love Epcot Food and Wine, so crowds tend to swell during evenings and weekends. For shorter lines, visit during the week and plan on going for lunch rather than during dinner hours. If you're going on a weekend, head for the World Showcase during the day or later in the evening as guests start to claim spots to see fireworks. It's worth going late if you go during the weekend—Epcot remains open until 10 p.m. on those festival weekend evenings.

13. Try new things you might not consider beforehand

Small plates inspired by cuisines from all around the globe could introduce you to your new favorite food! Don't be afraid to try that vegetable you've never heard of, the cheese with the funny name or interesting new drink. You might just like them! If not, I'll be hoppy to finish it for you.

14. Get dessert for a memorable finish

The savory dishes are certainly delicious, but my sweet tooth always has me coming back for dessert. Disney has some of the best in the world! From classic pairings like lemon and raspberry to unexpected combinations of strawberry and basil or innovative truffles chilled with liquid nitrogen, you're sure to have a sweet ending to your day at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!

Whew—there is a lot to chew on as you decide what to experience at Epcot Food and Wine 2017!  Do you have any questions about this year's event? Share in comments below!

Related: 5 Fantastic Quick-Service Restaurants at Epcot

Hoppy planning!