What to Eat and Drink at Disney World’s EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

The 2024 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is an annual fan-favorite event at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The festival allows guests to taste and sip their way around the park’s World Showcase — and beyond — to try authentic flavors from around the world. 

The event runs through November 23, 2024, so there’s plenty of time to get to Orlando to try some of the foodie highlights of the festival. “The fact that the festival gets longer and longer each year is proof that people love it,” says Michelle Spitzer, trending reporter for the USA Today Network. “This event is a must-visit year after year for so many because there are tons of great offerings for all kinds of appetites. It’s the perfect chance to try a dish you might otherwise be hesitant to get, like grilled bison or a pickle milkshake.”

This year, the festival features more than 30 Global Marketplace food booths, all serving dishes with a designated theme or representing a region of the world. 

New Global Marketplaces For 2024

With the recent debut of CommuniCore Hall in World Celebration comes an all-new Global Marketplace themed after macaroni and cheese. Macatizers features four different macaroni and cheese dishes, ranging from Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with herbed panko to Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese that’s got shaved beef, peppers, onions, and breadcrumbs mixed in with noodles and cheese sauce. 

Also in CommuniCore Hall, Festival Favorites features some of the best dishes from years past, including Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with caramelized onions and sour cream and BBQ Pork Rinds served with creamy pimento cheese. You can also find an Irish Milkshake made with Guinness stout, Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur, and vanilla ice cream. 

A Whole Global Marketplace Dedicated to The Muppets

Just inside The Odyssey pavilion, which is located between the Test Track attraction and the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase, is the Brew-Wing Lab. This entire area is themed around Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker from The Muppets. The indoor Muppet-themed space debuted last year but continues to be popular with guests for its wacky food combinations. This year, festivalgoers can try four types of chicken wings — from Traditional Buffalo Wings served with celery and ranch to tasty Garlic-Parmesan Wings. 

Then comes some of the more interesting flavors, including the return of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sticky Wings from last year, and a new take on one of Disney’s spiciest menu items: the Unnecessarily Spicy Yet Extremely Tasty Carolina Reaper Pepper Curry Wings served with creamy cucumber raita. 

To wash it all down, order a beer flight, or for those who love pickles, try the Pickle Milkshake, which tastes like dipping a dill pickle into a vanilla shake. While it may sound weird, real pickle fans will love this one, and let’s be honest, it’s kooky and fun to say you tried it. “Of course, people seem to like it or hate it, but I happen to like the Pickle Milkshake at the Brew-Wing Lab,” says Matt Roseboom, the editor and publisher of Attractions magazine, a publication dedicated to theme parks and videos.

New and Returning Must-Try Dishes

Whether you’re looking for something new to try or looking forward to having an old favorite there’s something for every palate — from picky kids (and adults) to adventurous eaters.

“Disney caters to repeat visitors by bringing back festival favorites like the Cheddar and Bacon Soup in Canada. They also add new items every year for repeat guests to try,” says Roseboom.

One of the best returning favorites this year is The Fry Basket, located near the Refreshment Station near the Test Track attraction. The food stand features four styles of fries: Adobo Yuca Fries, Truffle-Parmesan Fries, BBQ Bacon Fries, and Sweet Potato Casserole Fries. While you can get these as separate dishes, real EPCOT pros know to order the Fry Flight where you get smaller portions of all four options. 

Another favorite near Test Track at the Flavors from Fire booth is the Smoked Corned Beef with house-made chips, cheese curds, pickled onions, and beer-cheese fondue. The savory dish is large enough to share, and you’re definitely going to want to share if you plan on trying more at the festival. 

Around World Showcase, there are plenty of opportunities to try sweets, but one must-try is the Chocolate Amarula Mousse with white chocolate from the Refreshment Outpost. The mousse is akin to the popular Zebra Dome dessert from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, which also uses the South African cream liqueur. 

Cheese lovers will want to try the Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese from the Alps booth. You can get the gooey cheese served over ham, baby potatoes, cornichons, and a baguette. Vegetarians out there will also be glad to know there’s a raclette option that does not have to be served with ham but still features all the other accompaniments. 

At the Swirled Showcase Global Marketplace near Port of Entry, try the Liquid Nitrogen Frozen Sweet Potato Mousse, which is topped with candied pecans and maple-caramel sauce. The sweet, slightly frozen, but so tasty dessert is one that you’re going to want all for yourself.

“This year, the dishes I loved the most were the Pumpkin Mascarpone Ravioli, the Curried Chicken and South African Boerewors Sausage Stew with chickpeas and potatoes served in a bread bowl and anything from the Mexico kitchen,” says Spitzer.

Cheesy Fun with Emile’s Fromage Montage

Every year, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival has a cheese stroll, dubbed Emile’s Fromage Montage, named after Remy’s brother Emile from the Pixar movie Ratatouille. To participate just pick up one of the free festival passports from the front of the park, then buy any five items that are designated as part of Emile’s Fromage Montage. After you purchase each item, have the Cast Member working the Global Marketplace stamp your passport. Once you get five stamps you can turn the passport in at the Shimmering Sips Marketplace for a specialty food item. 

The dishes that are part of this year’s cheese crawl are the Swiss Raclette Cheese from The Alps Marketplace, Pão de Queijo from the Brazil Marketplace, BBQ Pork Rinds from Festival Favorites, Pumpkin Mascarpone Ravioli from Forest & Field, Griddled Cheese from the Greece Marketplace, Passion Fruit Cheesecake from the Hawaii Marketplace, any Macaroni and Cheese from Macatizers, Boursin Fig & Balsamic Cheesecake from Milled and Mulled, and the Spanish Charcuterie from the Spain Marketplace. 

Just be sure to wear your stretchy pants if you plan on feasting around the world at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. And maybe schedule time for a nap back at the hotel after all the eating and drinking.