Epcot is pretty much year-round festivals now, and that isn’t a bad thing.
With different themes and entertainment options, there’s sure to be a Epcot festival or special event for nearly every guest.
Here’s what you need to know:
Seasonal festivals
Epcot seems to always have a festival going on (except for the middle of summer, there literally is a festival always taking place).
The nice thing about these festivals is that anybody can attend with their park ticket and it adds more fun and food options to the park.
Get all of the details about the festivals in the guides below.
Festival of the Arts (mid-January through late February)
The Festival of the Arts is probably the festival with the best weather, and second to only the Flower and Garden Festival for beautiful things to look at.
It has the vibe of an upscale farm and art market paired with cool and fun foodie offerings.
And, while all festivals offer merchandise, this festival has a lot more things to purchase since the World Showcase Lagoon is literally dotted with tents and kiosks of various artists sharing their wares.
Flower and Garden Festival (early March through late May)
Epcot never looks more lovely than it does for The International Flower and Garden Festival.
Dozens of topiaries, expansive plantings, and butterflies galore paint this park into a rainbow of color.
And don’t forget the food!
If you want to attend, the earlier in the season you can go you’ll find better weather (it can get pretty warm by the end).
Food and Wine Festival (late August through mid-November)
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is the one that started them all.
This is THE festival if food and wine are your thing.
And, as you can imagine, it is also the most popular.
Avoid the weekends for slightly less crowds and be prepared for waits at the food kiosks.
But go hungry … very hungry.
Festival of the Holidays (mid-November through late December)
The International Festival of the Holidays is the shortest festival of them all.
Typically running from Thanksgiving through December 31st, this festival showcases a celebration of the holidays across the entire World Showcase.
You’ll find all sorts of ways to explore international holiday customs as well as taste culinary selections from around the world.
This festival is also home to the extremely popular Candlelight Processional.
What to expect if attending a festival at Epcot
Tickets
All Epcot festivals are included with the price of your admission, however, there are select events within each festival that may require an extra ticket. The guides above will walk you through all of those.
Eating on a trashcan
Many people that attend the festivals find themselves checking out at least 1 of the dozens of food kiosks scattered throughout the park.
What they may not expect is that there aren’t a lot of places to actually sit and eat what you buy.
There is a pretty common “joke” about people eating off the tops of trashcans…which people will do.
No, it isn’t pretty, but it can be tricky to hold that fantastic flight of beers AND eat the plate of goodies all at once.
We don’t say this to scare you, but rather to prepare you. Don’t order more than you can hold and eat at once. Keep a good attitude and if you can, share your table with a stranger.
Disney Dining Plan
Lots of people want to know about how the Disney Dining Plan works with the festival kiosks.
The good news is that some items will be eligible for Snack Credits.
But, what is eligible varies from year-to-year so be sure you double check the menu before you order so you don’t wind up sad at the cash register.
Avoid the weekends
The festivals at Epcot are especially popular with locals, so for the lowest crowds whenever possible avoid the weekends and weekday holidays.
Last minute reservations can be easy to snag
If eating on a trashcan isn’t your thing, it is often fairly easy to snag last minute Advanced Dining Reservations at Epcot during the busy festival days.
So many people opt to eat at the kiosks that there is often availability at the restaurants.
You may not be able to snag Akershus or Garden Grill, but you’ll likely find openings at many of the World Showcase restaurants (especially if you are flexible with your reservation time).
Dessert party
Want fun desserts, reserved viewing for the nighttime show and a private ride on Frozen Ever After? Check out this dessert party guide for all the details.
