August 2019

Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: General Info. The 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will be held from August 29, 2019 to November 23, 2019. This will be the longest Food & Wine Festival (ever!) spanning over 87 days! The Eat to the Beat concert series that runs along with the Festival will be occurring from August 29, 2019 to November 19, 2019 (it closes earlier to prepare for the Candlelight Processional starting shortly after). The starting date of this years Food & Wine Festival shares the same date as the opening of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. Follow along this post for your guide to the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival! If you have never been to Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, it is a special event included as a part of your admission to Epcot. You will be able to eat and drink your way around the World Showcase (none of the food and drinks are included- these are all extra costs) and into Future World. There are tasting booths, culinary demonstrations with chefs, an entire concert series, and much more at this food lover's paradise. The food items usually cost $4-8 for a small portion and drinks start around $5 and can average up to $11. Disney has not released any information on prices for this year, but those averages are based off 2018 Food & Wine Festival. Disney has already released the full menus for this year's festival, and they can be found here. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Global Marketplaces. The Global Marketplaces at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival are always the highlight of the entire event. This year there will be 30 different booths located throughout World Showcase and Future World. Disney has already released the full menus for this year's festival, and they can be found here. Some of the new booths that will be offered this year include the Alps Marketplace and the Appleseed Orchard Market. Some of my favorite dishes and beverages that were available last year and that will be a part of this year's festival include: Canadian Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a Pretzel Roll from Canada Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce (GF) from Canada Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles from China Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Red, Piedmont from The Chocolate Studio La Passion Martini Slushy: Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, Cranberry and Passion Fruit Juice from France Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt (GF) from Islands of Caribbean Florida Orange Groves Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL from Hawai'i. Teriyaki Chicken Bun: Steamed Bun filled with Chicken, Vegetables and a Sweet Teriyaki Sauce (KA) from Japan Tropical Mimosa with Sparkling Wine and Passion Fruit, Orange, and Guava Juices from Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Vinaigrette, Parmesan Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds (V) (KA) from The Wine & Dine Studio For a look back on last year's festival and to see pictures of some of these incredible dishes, click here to read my blog post about last year's Food & Wine Festival. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Eat the Beat 2019 Concert Series. As with most of the festivals at Epcot, Food & Wine Festival has a special concert series that runs with the festival. The concert series will take place in the American Gardens Theatre at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM Sundays through Thursdays and 6:30 PM, 7:45 PM, and 9:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays. There will be concerts daily from August 29th to November 19th, and this event is completely free! A great way to enjoy the concert series is to book a dining package, where you will have guaranteed seating for an evening show that day. The meal can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the qualifying locations. You can book a dining package through the website or by calling (407)-939-7463. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Premium Experiences. Disney offers several extra-cost events including seminars, tastings, and workshops with chefs. These events are very popular, so if you are interested in reserving any of these events, go ahead and call (407) WDW-FEST. Party for the Senses Disney describes this event as a "sophisticated" event celebrating the sensory arts. Featuring tastings from over 20 chefs and live music, this event takes place on September 21st, October 5th, 12th, and 19th, and November 9th. For seating in the wine view lounge, tickets cost $229 per person plus tax, gratuity included and lasts from 6:30 PM-9:30 PM. For reserved seating, tickets cost $359 per person plus tax, gratuity included and lasts from 7:00 PM-9:30 PM. Sunday Brunch with a Celebrity Chef Sunday Brunch features a full breakfast buffet, Q&A with the celebrity chef, and a meet and greet where you can take photos with the featured chef! This event is $139 per person plus tax, gratuity included, and occurs on select Sundays from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. All the dates that are available and which celebrity will be at the select date can be found here on Disney's website. Beverage Seminars Cicerones, sommeliers, and other knowledgeable experts will assist you in sampling adult beverages from around the world at this popular event. The experience lasts 45 minutes and occurs on select Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 4:30 PM. This event costs $19 per person, plus tax, and you can find a schedule of all the days this event will be offered here. Cheese Seminars During this 90-minute event, you will be able to taste curated cheeses from around the world, while a fromager teaches you everything you need to know about the cheeses. The cheese selections will also be paired with complimentary wine or craft beers for a complete experience. The cheese seminars will be held on select Saturdays (Sep. 14 and 28, Oct. 5, 12, 19, and 26, and Nov. 9) from 9:45 AM to 11:15 AM, and they cost $95 per person, plus tax, gratuity included. Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! This event has you working with chefs and beverage experts as you are taught a specific culinary or beverage skill. This experience lasts 75 minutes and occurs on select Mondays and Thursdays at 12:00 PM. This experience costs $45 per person, plus tax. Information on specific dates and what lessons will be taught at each experience can be found here. Food & Beverage Pairings During the 45-minute long session, you will be taught all the basics of food and beverage pairings from industry experts. This event is $29 per person, plus tax, and it will occur on select Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 2:30 PM. Click here for a full schedule of all the food and beverage pairing sessions offered and which chefs will be in attendance. Culinary Demonstrations During this 45-minute long demonstration, you will be taught from renowned chefs as they cook a special dish and teach you tips and tricks to improve your culinary skills. This experience costs $19 per person, plus tax, and it will occur on select Fridays and Saturdays at 12:30 PM. For a full schedule and a list of all the chefs that will be participating, click here. Specialty Dining & Pairings. Master chefs from select countries around the World Showcase will be creating dishes inspired by their nations. These dishes will include complimentary wine or craft beer that has been chosen by the chef. Each experience will highlight one specific nation, and there will be almost ten options to choose from: Tour of Japan. French Family Meals. Italian Meals. Regional Italian Food and Wine. Mediterranean Food and Wine. Mexican Tequila Meal. French Breakfast. Afternoon in France with Macarons, Bubbles, and Sandwiches. Japanese Hibachi. For more information on these experiences, head over to Disney's website for specific details. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Family Activities. Disney Du Jour Dance Party will be returning this year, and it will be occurring daily in Future World. On Sunday through Thursday, a DJ will be performing as a part of this experience, and on Fridays and Saturdays a Radio Disney personality will be doing a live performance. Celebrity headliners will be attending the dance party on select dates. Remy's Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt (where you search for Remy throughout the World Showcase) and the Family Zone (themed play area) will both be returning this year. Another fun experience returning this year is the Candy Sushi interactive experience, where guests can learn how to roll sushi treats with a chef in the Land pavilion at 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM daily. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. This yearly race weekend brings runDisney participants together for the race of their dreams through Epcot and surrounding areas. For 2019, race weekend will be happening October 31st through November 3rd. Click here for more information on this fun experience! While tickets are sold out for the 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon, there are still spots left for the Kids Dashes and the Kids One Mile Run. Guide to 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: Tips & Tricks. Plan to go as late in the year as possible (November), but do not go closing weekend! While the event starts in August, crowds are still high from summertime vacations ending, and it's undoubtedly the hottest time of the year in Orlando. The later in the year you go, the cooler it will be, and the less people that will be there. Try to go on a weekday! All of the Epcot festivals are locals' favorites so the weekends (especially in the evenings) get crazy packed. To get the best bang for your buck, try to share as many of the snacks as possible and split the cost! Read through the menus before you go and make a game plan of what you have to try. Go as early in the day as possible. The international showcase does not open up until 11 AM, but...

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