The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is coming up soon!

While we don’t yet have the full menus for the festival, we DO have some of the confirmed entertainment and activities — as well as a hint at some of the booths. That means we’re getting EXCITED! And if you’re planning on going and don’t really know where to start…well, we’ve got you covered. After all, we’re festival pros! Today, we’re sharing some tips that’ll put you on the right track to making the most out of your day at the Food and Wine Festival.

Before we get started, we want to share that all of this info and MORE are included in our DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine Festival. This 250+ page guide has all the insider tips and advice you’ll need — and you can pre-order it today!

Now, let’s dive in. Here are some things that Disney WON’T tell you about the Festival…but we will.

It Can Get Crowded

A huge chunk of attendees at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival are Florida locals who visit EPCOT on weekends. So even with limited park capacity and the current Park Pass reservation system, you’ll find weekends at the festival are a LOT more crowded.

The trick? Visit on weekdays! For the shortest lines, schedule your Festival time for early in the day, Monday-Friday. Then, you’ll miss that group of locals visiting after work or on weekends! Plus, by visiting in the morning, you’ll avoid groups of people Park Hopping after 2PM (and all those drunk guests at night). And pro tip: avoid the crowds by going RIGHT when you head into the World Showcase. Most people turn left, towards Mexico!

Learn More About the Park Pass Reservation System!

It Can Be HOT Out

The Food and Wine Festival runs from July 15th-November 20th, 2021. That time of year in Florida can get pretty toasty! And if you’re chowing down on tasty eats and sipping on cocktails, you may forget to stay hydrated.

Remember to chug water, friends! Set reminders on your phone to hydrate if you have to. There’s nothing worse than making your way around a Festival feeling thirsty or dizzy. You can grab free cups of ice water at most Quick Service locations to quench that thirst — or bring your own reusable water bottle!

Check Out More Essentials We Bring to the Festival!

It’s Hard to Carry All That Food

If you’re tasting a LOT at the Festival, you may want to pick up a few different foods or drinks from any given booth. And as you can imagine, all that food can get pretty difficult to carry! So we’re sharing one of our favorite DFB Guide tips: bring your OWN reusable tray.

Sure, Disney sells official plastic plates with the Food and Wine Festival logo — but they only carry one meal and a glass of wine, and they’re pretty pricey. Grab a cheap one online and stow it away in your park bag, then pull it out when you need it. Trust us — it’s a lifesaver. And find out how to make your own DFB tray here! 

Check Out More Disney World Essentials!

Not Everything Is Worth the Price

There is a TON of food up for grabs at the Festival, and we’re just gonna be real with you: not everything is worth it. Sometimes a snack looks gorgeous but tastes eh, or it simply doesn’t give you enough bang for your buck.

In our DFB Guide, we have photos and reviews for EVERY single item you can buy at the Festival. And we get those up for you on day 1, so you’re ready to plan!

We’ll always be honest with you if we do or don’t recommend a dish. That can really help you plan what you want to eat and what you may want to skip. Talk about a money-saver!

Here Are Our Favorite Foods from Last Year’s Festival!

There’s a Trick to Getting Your Money’s Worth

If you want to try lots of food at the Festival, there’s a way to sample a lot of options without breaking the bank. And it’s SO simple: just bring a friend or family member! You’ll be able to try double the items for half the cash.

This is also a great way to ensure you don’t fill up before you’ve tasted everything you want. Sure, the portions are small (they’re meant to be tasting size!), but by splitting them with a festival buddy, you’ll save room in your tummy (and your wallet!) for even more eats.

Check Out More Festival Budgeting Tips!

We Did All the Planning for You

Feeling overwhelmed by all the options at the Festival? With over 20 booths and locations at the 2020 Food and Wine Festival — plus entertainment and other activities — it seemed like there was always more to eat and do. And if you need a little help planning your schedule, our DFB Guide has ya covered!

We’ve got a few handy-dandy features in our book for you. The first is a list of touring strategies, customizable for what YOU want to get out of the Festival. We have strategies for those on a budget, those with kids, those with only 1 day to enjoy the Festival…the list goes on.

If you want strategies inspired by different food options, try one of our DFB Guide Themed Crawls! We outline crawls for beer, seafood, cheese, kids’ meals, vegetarian eats, chocolate, and SO much more. Each crawl recommends booths and dishes that best serve your interests! So if you’re going into the Festival with a very specific taste, check these out.

Check Out Another Food and Wine Festival Crawl!

It Can Be Hard Finding Your Way Around

The various booths and locations that pop up for the Festival can be a bit tricky to find! After all, they aren’t labeled on the official EPCOT park map, and you won’t find a map in your Festival Passport, either.

The solution? Our exclusive map! Here’s our map from last year!

The DFB Guide includes a map of the Food and Wine Festival, with each booth or location labeled for ya. It makes it SUPER easy to find your way around — especially if you have a certain spot in mind and are trying to find your way there. Want to wander around the Festival instead? The map helps you know what you’ll run into next!

Check Out Our Other Disney World Maps!

We hope these tips help make your trip to the Food and Wine Festival a little easier! Remember, ALL of this info — plus way more — is included in our DFB Guide to the 2021 Epcot Food & Wine 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.

Enjoy the Festival, and stay tuned to DFB for more Disney news!

Click Here to Pre-Order the DFB Guide to the 2021 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

Are you visiting the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival this year? Let us know in the comments!

The post What Disney Won’t Tell You About EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival…But We Will! first appeared on the disney food blog.