Anyone visiting EPCOT this month may spot an unexpected sign that one of the park’s biggest annual events is getting closer. Even though the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is still weeks away, Disney has already started bringing pieces of the festival into the park.
The additions are easy to overlook, but they mark the beginning of the annual transformation that longtime fans look forward to every summer. While many festival details remain to be announced, these first changes show that preparations have officially moved from planning to reality.
Why the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Draws Huge Crowds
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has grown into one of Walt Disney World’s most popular seasonal events. Every year, guests visit EPCOT to sample food and beverages inspired by countries from around the world while exploring dozens of Global Marketplace booths scattered throughout the park.
The festival also gives visitors plenty to do beyond eating. Exclusive merchandise, family-friendly activities, and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series all return each year, giving guests more reasons to spend an entire day exploring EPCOT. Returning favorites like Emile’s Fromage Montage and Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak have also become traditions that many visitors include in every festival trip.
Because the event requires so much planning and temporary infrastructure, Disney begins setting everything up well before opening day.
The First Festival Booths Have Arrived
That setup is now visible throughout EPCOT.
Crews have started installing Global Marketplace kiosks ahead of this year’s festival, and guests can already spot them around World Showcase. Additional kiosks have also appeared in other parts of the park as Disney continues preparing for the event.
These temporary booths are among the earliest signs that the Food & Wine Festival season is approaching. However, they don’t yet feature menus or decorations; their arrival signals that Disney’s annual festival build has officially begun.
The process follows a familiar pattern every year. First, the kiosks appear throughout the park. After that, Disney gradually adds decorative elements, menu boards, festival signs, and themed displays as opening day gets closer.
Even longtime EPCOT visitors may be surprised by how early the work has started. Guests visiting during July can already watch the festival slowly take shape before the crowds arrive later this summer.
Disney Has Already Confirmed Several Festival Favorites
The early construction matches the festival schedule Disney announced earlier this year.
The 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will run from August 27 through November 21, giving guests nearly three months to experience this year’s celebration.
Disney has already revealed several returning experiences. Emile’s Fromage Montage will once again reward guests who sample qualifying cheese-inspired dishes. At the same time, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt will send visitors searching for the famous little chef throughout World Showcase.
The company has also released the complete Eat to the Beat Concert Series lineup, allowing fans to plan their vacations around the performers they want to see.
More announcements are still expected before opening day, including additional food booth menus, merchandise collections, and other festival details. Disney typically rolls out those updates gradually as the event draws closer.
More Changes Will Continue Throughout the Summer
The newly installed kiosks may look plain today, but they won’t stay that way for long.
Over the coming weeks, Disney will continue dressing the booths with themed decorations, menu signage, and festival branding that complete the Food & Wine Festival atmosphere. As more structures appear around EPCOT, the park will steadily shift into one of its signature seasonal celebrations.
For regular visitors, watching this transformation has become part of the excitement. Each new kiosk, sign, and decorative element serves as another reminder that one of Disney World’s biggest festivals is almost here.
EPCOT’s Festival Season Is Getting Closer
Although opening day is still several weeks away, Disney has already begun laying the groundwork for another Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT. The arrival of Global Marketplace kiosks confirms that preparations are well underway, even if many of the finishing touches have yet to arrive.
Guests visiting EPCOT before the festival officially begins will have the chance to catch an early look at the ongoing transformation. With the event scheduled to run from August 27 through November 21 and several popular offerings already confirmed, the countdown to one of Walt Disney World’s favorite annual traditions has officially begun.
