Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
Get those taste buds ready for some incredibly delicious and unique flavors of food and beverages that will be available at the 23rd Epcot International Food and Wine Festival from August 30 – November 12, 2018. As if eating and drinking from marketplaces around the globe isn’t enough, the Food and Wine Festival offers memorable experiences for the whole family along with special festival merchandise.
We were fortunate to learn about exciting festival experiences, taste several food and beverages that will be available at the festival, and take a sneak peek at new merchandise at a recent Media Event. We’re excited to share what’s about to be unveiled when the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival begins August 30!
#TasteEpcot
NEW Entertainment For Kids of All Ages
One of the most exciting announcements made at the Media Event was the addition of new activities for kids of all ages! There are four new events included in park admission and will appeal to kiddos at this year’s festival including:
- Festival Play Area: Located near Test Track and featuring “Ralph Breaks the Internet”, this will be an excellent place to let the kids stretch their legs for some much needed play time.
- Disney Du Jour Dance Party: Dance along with Disney Friends (possibly Remy & Amile from Ratatouille)! Keep in mind the dance party is only available on Friday and Saturdays from 5:30pm-9:30pm at the Fountain View Stage.
- Candy Sushi: Kids will learn how to roll their own sweet sushi treats with a Disney Chef. This activity is sponsored by Skittles and Adventures by Disney so you know it’ll be good! Candy Sushi is available daily at 3:30pm and 5:30pm at Sunshine Seasons. Be sure to sign up in advance at TasteEpcot.com.
- Junior Chef Kitchen: Children become chefs! Held on Sundays at 11:00am, sign up for this one in the Festival Center on Saturdays or Sundays as space is limited.
Plus, back again this year is Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak! This is a fun scavenger hunt for young and old alike as you search for Remy around Epcot. There is a cost for the map and stickers for this activity.
NEW Performers – Eat to the Beat Concert Series
Head over to the America Gardens Theatre to catch an incredible concert series that takes place every night of the festival. Different live performers take stage from an array of music genres. NEW artists to the stage this year include: MercyMe, Glass Tiger, Tauren Wells, Vertical Horizon, Sheila E, Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts, Anderson East, 98 Degrees, and High Valley. CLICK HERE for the full 2018 concert schedule.
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Quick-Service Eat to the Beat Dining Package is available!
While the standard, table-service Eat to the Beat Dining Package is available again this year, a NEW option is available as well! If you aren’t able to snag a table service restaurant for a dining package, you may want to try the quick-service location, Liberty Inn. This quick service spot in the American Adventure Pavilion will be a first-come, first-serve Eat to the Beat Dining Package. No reservation – just a day of package. The cost is $29.99 plus tax and includes a non-alcoholic beverage, entree, and dessert. You will then have a reserved seat for that evening’s Eat to the Beat Concert. Arrive to the Liberty Inn early as we suspect these quick-service packages will go fast! CLICK HERE for more table-service Dining Package details.
Festival Food & Beverage Highlights
Each year Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival allows guests to explore the park for all it already offers, plus adds 40+ unique Global Marketplaces situated primarily around the World Showcase but also travels into Future World. Here are a few tastes we were able to check out for ourselves during the Media Event:
Steakhouse Blended Burger at Earth Eats: Blended beef and wild mushroom slider with brie cheese fondue, arugula, truffle and blue cheese potato chip on a brioche bun. Earth Eats is also offering the Impossible Burger for our vegetarian friends!
Jerk Spiced Chicken Lollipop at Islands of the Caribbean: Jerk spiced chicken lollipop with roasted sweet plantain salad and mango chutney yogurt. This will be an easy one to snack on while strolling as it is bone-in and easy to hold.
Energy Bar Bites at Active Eats: A mixture of chocolate, nuts, dried fruits and dates. Need an energy boost? Drop by for one of these!
Moqueca at Brazil: Brazilian seafood stew featuring scallops, shrimps and white fish with coconut-lime sauces and steamed rice. A favorite! But be advised – it definitely has a kick.
New Brunswick Slider at Hops & Barley: Slow-braised beef brisket “pot roast style” with horseradish cream and crispy fried onions on a potato roll with picked vegetables on the side.
Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak at Flavors from Fire: On a smoked corn cake with pickled vegetable slaw and cilantro aioli. Pairs well with the dessert below.
Chocolate Picante at Flavors from Fire: Dark chocolate mousse with cayenne pepper, chili powder and mango. This was delicious!
Butternut Squash Ravioli at The Wine & Dine Studio: with brown butter vinaigrette, parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds. Not a huge squash fan, but really liked this.
Maple Bourbon Boursin Cheesecake at The Cheese Studio: with maple bourbon cream, caramel and pecan crunch. The Cheese Studio wouldn’t be complete without this tasty treat!
Madras Mimosa at Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar. As good at it looks!
(Left) Pancake Milkshake at Taste Track. A non-alcoholic option. Literally tastes like pancake batter.
(Right) Guinness Bailey Shake at Ireland. Hands down, my favorite at the Media Event. There’s no doubt this will be a popular item this year!
RGB Beer Flight at Light Lab: Playalinda Brewing Co. Red Cherry Tart from Titusville, FL. GrassLands Brewing Company Green Kiwi Blonde, Tallahassee, FL. M.I.A. Beer Company Blue-berry Golden Ale, Doral, FL.
Specialty Wines at The Festival Center Wine Shop: Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines “Goldie” Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills; Silverado Vineyards Fantasia Sangiovese Blend, Napa Valley
Don’t forget to pick up your Festival Passport upon arrival as a great guide! CLICK HERE for a full list of the 2018 menus.
Festival Merchandise
Check out the images of this year’s Festival Merchandise! This year’s merchandise features five themes including: Taste Your Way Around the World, Chef Mickey, Brews around the World, Foodie Figment, and Chef Remy. We absolutely love the details in all the merchandise, including the overall merlot color theme that pops throughout the items… especially in the new Mickey ear headband!
CLICK HERE for more merchandise details!
4R Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck (and the TACO CONE!)
Last but not least, during the Media Event we heard from Celebrity Chef John Rivers who will be among the celebrity chefs you can find making an appearance during the festival. Chef Rivers was excited to talk about his Food Truck arrival to Disney Springs which is scheduled to open August 21 in the Marketplace near Ghirardelli’s. CLICK HERE for more details and what’s on the menu.
A huge thank you to the excellent Media Event team at Disney that put together this event! For more 2018 Epcot International Food and Wine details including specialty dining, events, and seminar bookings CLICK HERE.
