Another EPCOT festival is on the way!
Festival days are BIG here at DFB!
We’ve been enjoying the Flower and Garden Festival for the last couple of months, from the tasty eats to the fun activities to — of course — the flowers. But EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival is coming up soon, and we’re getting excited. This event kicks off on July 15th, and if you’re visiting, you’ll want to be prepared. Since it can get pretty pricey, we’ve got some tips on budgeting for ya right here!
1. Look at Menus and Prices in Advance
If you’re trying to budget for the Festival, you’ll need to know what, exactly, you want to spend! Once the Festival menus are released, we’ll have ALL the details on menus and prices for ya. Most dishes run from $5-$10 — and the booze can get a little pricier. You can take a peek at our 2020 menus to get a good idea of how much things cost.
2020 The Donut Box Festival Menu
Take a glance at the menus and get a ballpark estimate of how much you’re willing to spend on all of these eats. That’ll be your maximum budget! If you’re visiting over several days, you can split this up further by allocating a certain amount of funds for each day. It can be as easy-breezy or as complex as YOU want it to be!
Dear Disney, please bring back the Donut Box 
Our DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival is a 250+ page guide to the festival that will give you insider tips and advice, as well as ways to save on your visit. You can pre-order it today for even MORE help planning!
2. Make a List of What You Want to Try
The 2020 Food and Wine Festival featured over 20 different booths and locations, with plenty of eats and sips to try at each! More likely than not, you’ll be unable to try everything at the festival. So you’ll want to sit down and make a list beforehand!
2020 Spain Food Booth
Once you have your budget, dive back into those menus and make a list of your must-eats. These are food options that you can’t pass up on, and they’ll be your priority once you get to the Festival. Then, list a few items that you want to try, but could pass on if needed. Write out a few more of these than your budget allows so you have the flexibility to decide what you’re in the mood to munch on when the day arrives! But be sure to specify exactly how many of these items you can actually squeeze in.
Bananas Foster Waffle
When you’re all finished, you’ll have a list of your festival MUSTS, and some other eats that you could take or leave. Bring that with you to the festival and enjoy! The menu hasn’t been released for the 2021 festival yet! But add this to your list of must-dos for when those menus are released.
3. Buy Disney Gift Cards
Disney gift cards are one of our top tips for budgeting at festivals because they serve a few purposes. First of all, they let you put your allocated budget in one spot so you can keep track of exactly how much you’ve spent and how much you have left at any given time.
Wearable gift cards!
Gift cards also allow you to SAVE money, in a roundabout way! If you buy these gift cards with a Target RedCard or another promotion, you can save 5% on the gift cards themselves. That’s like getting a 5% discount at the festival! You can also buy discounted gift cards at places like Sam’s.
Don’t forget these!
So you heard it here, folks. Stock up on those gift cards and load ’em up with exactly what your Festival budget is. Then feast without worries that you’re overspending!
4. Split Food Items
Eager to try a TON of what the Festival has to offer, but not sure if your budget allows it? Split some if not all of those eats with a friend or family member! You’ll be able to try double the items without spending double the cash. And remember, you can always go back for seconds if ya want more. 
Flavors From Fire
The portions at the Festival are pretty small as-is, as they’re meant to be tasting size, but you can still pretty effectively split ’em up. And if you’re trying a lot of different things, you’ll still fill up pretty fast! If you’re looking to really get the most out of the Festival’s offerings, this is one of our main tips.
5. Don’t Make Table Service Reservations
Like we mentioned, you can fill up pretty fast on Festival food. And if you’re committing to trying a bunch of menu items in 1 day, you may want to skip any other dining options.
All these little eats can really add up!
If you’re really wanting to eat your way through the festival, we suggest that you don’t bother making a reservation for a Table Service restaurant on the day you’re attending the festival. Not only is this a BIG sink of your money, but you might not have the space in your stomach after all those festival eats!
Carrot Cake at Hops & Barley
Instead, save the money you would have spent on that sit-down meal to chow down on some more festival food instead.
6. Use the DFB Festival Guide
At the end of the day, you’ll find your one-stop-shop for your festival planning and budgeting in our DFB Guide to the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. It’s got ALL of our insider tips and tricks from years of experience visiting every EPCOT Festival out there!
Cheers to a great Festival!
This guide is currently available for pre-order, and you can save 20% off the cover price by using the code CHEFS at checkout.
This book can be your festival lifesaver.
Well, there ya have it! By using these money-saving tips, you’ve got a great plan for saving at the festival while still having a good time. Have fun out there, friends! And stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news.
Ready to Plan for Your 2021 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Trip?
Preorder the DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival e-Book today! This 250+-page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever.
Your purchase includes several bonus items as well — including a full daily schedule of events at the Festival and a printable World Showcase Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World!
Preorder your 2021 edition today! Don’t miss a moment of the fun!
Are you visiting the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments!
The post Our TOP Tips for Budgeting for the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival first appeared on the disney food blog.
