Blog Post

Horizon West Locals Love Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Nov 03, 2019

Epcot International Food & Wine Brings Dining, Drinks and Entertainment to our "Backyard"

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(Steven Diaz, photographer)

As Horizon West residents, we enjoy the unique benefit of having Walt Disney World in our backyard – quite literally for some of us! Being local visitors and Annual Passholders of Walt Disney World, we can pop over to the parks in mere minutes to enjoy world-class entertainment and dining nearly any time we choose. In fact, that is one of the key drivers in many Horizon West residents’ decisions to relocate here, right along with A-Rated Schools and the walkable lifestyle emerging in the 6 villages in our master planned community as elements are built out.

Now that the fall season is upon us, it’s a great time to get outside and enjoy our “local parks!”

(Matt Stroshane, photographer)

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival season is sometimes referred to as the “most wonderful time of the year.” Though this phrase is usually reserved for Christmastime due to the popular Andy Williams Christmas tune of the same name, for Horizon Westers, it refers to autumn at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival! That’s when our evening temperatures (finally!) become delightful and the bites and sips available at Epcot’s festival kiosks are a perfect accompaniment to an evening or weekend stroll around the theme park.

In case you aren’t familiar with the annual event, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is free with theme park admission and offers small plates and drinks from all around the world available for purchase. In addition to food, you’ll find family activities, concerts, special culinary events, and lots more.

This year’s Festival boasts over 30 individual Global Marketplaces! Sprawling through much of Epcot, from World Showcase to Future World, the marketplace kiosks highlight delicious dishes, sweet treats, fine wine, craft beer, spirits, and other beverages sure to satisfy palates of kids and adults alike. Be sure to pick up a Festival Passport on your way in because Vegetarian, Gluten/wheat friendly, and Kid Approved labels are noted for each kiosk.

The 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival runs through November 23, 2019, so there’s still plenty of time to gather your friends, family and neighbors and head over to Epcot!

Remember to Claim Your Annual Passholder Gifts

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If you are an Annual Passholder, don’t forget to pick up your very special gifts during your visit! Not one, but two complimentary, exclusive magnets are being distributed this year. And there’s a new coaster set!

A Chef Minnie themed Passholder magnet was officially available August 29 to Oct 14, 2019. But as of the time of this writing, guests were still able to collect this gift. A Chef Remy themed Passholder magnet is available for pickup through November 23, 2019.

On your fourth visit to the Festival (4 different days), claim your Passholder Chef Minnie wooden coaster set. This adorable set looks great next to last year’s Passholder Chef Mickey wooden cutting board, too!

Distribution for all Annual Passholder gifts is taking place in the breezeway outside of Mouse Gear while supplies last.

Special Festival Opportunities

Walt Disney World festivals seem to get bigger and better every year! With so much going on, it’s easy to miss fun opportunities. Here are a few that are especially great for locals like us to take advantage of:

Special Photo Ops

Disney’s PhotoPass service offers photography services in various locations in the park year-round, but the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival also has some exclusive shots. Festival-exclusive photo ops include those with props and “frames” denoting the Festival as well as “magic shots” which magically add characters like Remy and Figment to your family photos!

Emile’s Fromage Montage

Chef Remy’s brother, Emile, guides you around Epcot to discover five fabulous fromages (cheeses). When you purchase and enjoy five kinds of cheese, you can claim a complimentary specialty cheesecake at Shimmering Sips Global Marketplace! Check out your Festival Passport for the details on this culinary adventure.

Nightly Eat to the Beat Concerts

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series keeps the crowd rocking at the America Gardens Theatre stage nightly through Nov. 19. Some pretty big names are gracing the stage for shows that are free (with theme park admission) and with three shows a night, there are lots of opportunities for Horizon Westers to pop in for a show!

Upcoming shows include Boyz II Men, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Joey Fatone and Friends, featuring Chris Kirkpatrick and Ryan Cabrera, BBMak and more! Showtimes Sundays through Thursdays are 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday shows are 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m. Visit TasteEpcot.com for schedule details.

Disney du Jour Dance Party

Do kids (or adults) in your house like to get down? A dance party featuring a live DJ takes place 7 days a week in Future World near Mission Space. And live performances from Radio Disney artists and Disney Channel stars are happening on Fridays and Saturdays. Fans of AJ Mitchell, Kylie Cantrall, Erin Bowman and Tegan Marie won’t want to miss their performances! Visit TasteEpcot.com for schedule details.

Candy Sushi Presented by Adventures by Disney®

A fun experience for families with kids of all ages is the “sushi”-making experience at Sunshine Seasons in The Land pavilion. In this culinary class, attendees learn how to turn sweet treats like gummies and crisped rice into maki- or nigiri-style sushi. Classes are $10 per person and happen daily at 3:30pm and 5:30pm. It’s a cute and a fun way to introduce kids to food preparation and the concept of sushi. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made on the Walt Disney World website.

Passholder Merchandise

Shop for Passholder-exclusive Festival merchandise—and make the most of your 20% Passholder discount at Mouse Gear and Port of Entry. Be on the lookout for Festival favorites like apparel, caps, pins, tees, mugs and more! There’s even an Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Dooney & Bourke bag!

Other Epcot Happenings

While you are at Epcot, don’t forget to check out the new, temporary nighttime spectacular, Epcot Forever. The show is full of fireworks, special effects and music that celebrate the past, present and future of Epcot every night above World Showcase Lagoon. The brand new, choreographed LED/pyrotechnic kites are really something to behold!

Undoubtedly you will notice there’s a lot of construction in progress at Epcot. The park is in the midst of a historic transformation. They are developing groundbreaking attractions and other unforgettable experiences – some will debut soon, and others are years away. You can learn all about what’s in store for the future of Epcot at Walt Disney Imagineering Presents the Epcot Experience. Stop by the Odyssey Events Pavilion (between Test Track and Mexico) to check it out. The large Epcot model and 360-degree screens create an immersive and engaging experience!

Don’t Miss Out on Horizon West’s Own “Food & Wine Festival”

If you love Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, we highly recommend you check out the annual FLAVOR FEST of Horizon West happening this year on November 9, 2019!

FLAVOR FEST of Horizon West is an immersive experience fusing together local fare, art, music and entertainment for an evening of mesmerizing fun and inspiration. Dozens of microlocal eateries, artists, musicians, entertainers and businesses will convene with a thousand of your neighbors & friends to celebrate all the flavors that are coming to life in Horizon West! You don't want to miss this one of a kind event! Grab your wristbands now to guarantee entry. Pre-purchasing a Basic Bites Armband or the Ultimate Bites & Brews Experience Armbands will save you money while you taste your way through Horizon West’s best! Oh and don't forget to vote to weigh in on who you think does it best at the fest!