EPCOT might look like extra of an grownup park from the skin, nevertheless it’s actually a lot enjoyable for the entire household. In addition to the Epcot rides and sights for the entire household and the nations of the World Showcase, EPCOT can be house to a number of annual occasions and festivals in the course of the yr. We love visiting EPCOT throughout all of those festivals – there’s a lot to take pleasure in.
If you might be planning a visit to Walt Disney World this yr, chances are you’ll be focused on studying in regards to the numerous EPCOT occasions. With a bit advance planning, you possibly can expertise considered one of these festivals throughout your loved ones trip.
I’m a former member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel and have been on some complimentary press journeys at Walt Disney World, however all opinions are my very own. I’ve additionally paid my very own manner many occasions. This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks and a purchase order/click on by way of considered one of these hyperlinks might lead to a fee paid to us.
Save cash in your Walt Disney World theme park tickets by reserving by way of Get Away Today. They supply trip packages in addition to particular person ticket gross sales and may help you discover offers.
Fun EPCOT Events To Enjoy Throughout the Year
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
Typically held initially of the yr (in previous years it was mid-January to the tip of February), the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is the most recent EPCOT occasion. It contains a lot of actions, kiosks, workshops, meals tastings, and extra.
If you’d love to do some superior planning on your expertise on the Festival, you’ll wish to have a look at the varied workshops provided. These can be found at an extra charge and must be reserved prematurely (name 407-WDW-TOUR). Be positive to e-book as quickly as you possibly can, as a result of they will refill.
There are additionally a wide range of leisure choices that happen all through the pageant. These embody residing statues, artists that paint in entrance of you, a performing arts showcase for native faculty bands, and a neighborhood arts showcase.
There’s additionally the Disney on Broadway Concert Series on the America Gardens Theatre, which is positioned proper within the middle of the World Showcase within the America pavilion. It options totally different Disney on Broadway stars who carry out common songs from Broadway reveals.
Shows are held on an everyday schedule, and you may both sit within the open-air theater or take heed to the music as you might be strolling by.
There’s additionally the choice to e-book a Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Package. With this bundle, you’ll dine at one of many taking part eating places after which obtain a voucher for precedence seating on the theater.
In the previous, there have been 4 or 5 taking part eating places. Keep in thoughts that you’ll want to e-book this bundle particularly when getting your eating reservation. These packages have set costs which can be usually costlier than the common eating choices.
One of my favourite elements of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is the gathering of meals cubicles positioned all through the World Showcase. These meals cubicles supply issues like alcoholic drinks, appetizers, and desserts. Choose just a few of your favorites and make a meal out of them!
You’ll additionally discover different experiences on the Festival of the Arts together with an artwork stroll, “artful photo ops”, kiosks, and retailers promoting art work (with among the artists on web site to autograph or meet with followers).
EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival
The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival takes place within the spring, usually from early March to early June. If you’re a flower or plant lover, you’ll undoubtedly wish to verify this pageant out. Mid-May is my favourite time to go to as a result of faculty continues to be in session so the parks aren’t too crowded (or too scorching).
Special occasions and excursions can be found to company on the pageant. These require advance reserving, and a few are provided for an extra charge. Some have age restrictions and could also be extra applicable for adults or older youngsters.
There are additionally, as you’d anticipate, backyard and topiary displays positioned all through EPCOT, in each Future World and the World Showcase. These could be visited at your individual tempo. When we go to in the course of the pageant, we often cease on the totally different displays as we stroll across the park using the sights.
Like the opposite festivals, there are meals cubicles, known as “outdoor kitchens”. These outside kitchens supply totally different meals choices in addition to drinks. A pageant passport is out there freed from cost that may function your information and map to the meals choices.
The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival additionally provides dwell music with the Garden Rocks Concert Series. This music collection options throwback music artists day-after-day of the week in the course of the pageant on the America Gardens Theatre in entrance of the American Adventure pavilion.
Dining packages are additionally provided for the Garden Rocks Concert collection. With these eating packages, you’ll dine at one of many taking part eating places after which have the ability to see the present in a reserved seating space.
These packages need to be particularly reserved prematurely, and also you’ll pay a prix fixe price. Participating eating places range. You received’t must dine proper earlier than the present, since you’ll obtain a voucher to go to the theater for a particular present.
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
Want to pattern meals and wine from all over the world? The EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is my favourite of the EPCOT occasions as a result of it provides so many scrumptious meals choices. It’s much like the California Adventure Food and Wine Festival at Disneyland Resort and Le Rendez-vous Gourmand de Disneyland® Paris (the Disneyland Paris Food and Wine Festival)
Before strolling across the pageant, you’ll wish to choose up a complimentary pageant passport. It features a itemizing of cubicles and meals choices, in addition to a map and a schedule of occasions. With the passport, you’ll have the ability to have a look at the varied choices so you can also make a sport plan. The pageant additionally provides kid-friendly meals choices.
Throughout the park, you’ll discover numerous kiosks that includes totally different cuisines. In the World Showcase, the kiosks are related to numerous nations, lots of which aren’t usually represented within the World Showcase.
In the opposite lands, you’ll additionally discover kiosks that aren’t particular to a rustic. In the previous, there have been seafood and cheese kiosks in Future World. With the continued building, issues might range on this space of the park.
Food and wine tastings are provided for an extra charge, and it may be best to pay with both a present card or a MagicBand.
Those seeking to make a full meal of it might be focused on getting a tasting sampler. These embody vouchers for foods and drinks, so that you don’t have to purchase the whole lot individually. You’ll wish to be strategic utilizing these as a result of it can save you cash for those who use the vouchers for higher-priced objects.
For me, these tastings are the spotlight of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
When I go to the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, I restrict myself to simply the meals tastings, somewhat than all the different choices. But in case you are an actual foodie or Oenophiles, chances are you’ll wish to have a look at among the different occasions.
The Party for the Senses is a well-liked, separate ticketed occasion that you could e-book and buy individually. It’s often provided just a few occasions in the course of the pageant and could be reserved prematurely. See particulars right here.
During the pageant, you might also have the ability to see celeb chef demonstrations. Check the Disney web site for particular particulars.
Like the opposite EPCOT occasions, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival features a live performance collection. The Eat to the Beat Concert collection options all kinds of music genres on the America Gardens Theatre stage. Shows are held seven days per week in the course of the pageant. Seating is out there however restricted, and you may as well hear the music as you might be passing by the open-air theater.
Dining packages can be found and are an amazing concept when you’ve got a particular artist that you simply actually wish to see. You’ll must e-book the eating bundle prematurely, and it features a meal at a taking part EPCOT restaurant, in addition to a voucher for most popular seating within the theater. As with the opposite pageant eating packages, these need to be booked particularly for the eating bundle and are a hard and fast value.
Tips for Attending the EPCOT Events
You’ll want legitimate park passes, in addition to a park reservation to attend any of those EPCOT occasions. There’s no further cost for lots of the occasions, together with the concert events, however you’ll must pay for particular occasions, excursions, seminars, and meals and wine tastings.
If you may have the park hopper choice in your tickets, you possibly can go to a number of parks per day, after 2pm (all the time topic to alter, and relying on park capability limits).
Make advance reservations for the occasions that do require them, together with the particular dinner packages for VIP seating on the America Gardens Theatre. Some occasions, just like the Party for the Senses, could be very fashionable. If there’s a live performance you actually wish to see, it’s value reserving a dinner bundle if it’s out there.
I like to recommend skipping a extra conventional lunch or dinner throughout your day at EPCOT, so you possibly can pattern the number of foods and drinks samples on the kiosks. Just needless to say there actually isn’t a lot seating.
If you don’t have a MagicBand, it’s a good suggestion to buy one of many particular occasion present playing cards so you possibly can simply pay on your purchases.
The meals and beverage sampler lanyards could be a nice choice for those who’d wish to attempt a variety of various things, or in case you are touring with a number of different individuals. Just keep in mind to have a look at the costs and do the mathematics to ensure you are getting good worth on your cash.
Grab a pageant passport earlier than you get began, so you possibly can develop a plan earlier than making any purchases. I like to have a look at the e-book and select just a few issues that I undoubtedly wish to have. If you simply begin initially and purchase as you see issues, you’ll in all probability be full earlier than you even get a 3rd of the way in which by way of the choices.
Avoid crowds by visiting midweek and early within the day wherever doable. I’ve discovered that the Food and Wine Festival is particularly busy on the weekends, and evenings are the busiest.
Unless you particularly have seminars you wish to attend in the course of the pageant, sooner or later might be sufficient to go to. However, when you’ve got a park hopper and are staying close to EPCOT, it could be enjoyable to get to the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
Wondering the place to remain? There are a number of handy EPCOT-area resorts, together with Disney’s Beach Club, Disney’s Yacht Club, and the Boardwalk Inn. If you keep at considered one of these resorts, you possibly can stroll proper to the again of the park, on the International Gateway Entrance. There can be a Skyliner station proper exterior the International Gateway.
You can see extra locations to remain close to EPCOT on this interactive map (affiliate hyperlinks)
Which is your favourite of the EPCOT occasions?
