One of Walt Disney World's biggest annual events is back — and this year it's a milestone. The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival returns August 27 through November 21, 2026, running nearly three months and, as always, included with regular EPCOT admission (the food and drink are pay-as-you-go). Disney has now released the full Global Marketplace menus, so here's what's new, what's worth planning around, and how to do the festival without the overwhelm.

When it runs

The festival runs August 27 to November 21 — about 87 days across late summer and fall, one day earlier on each end than last year as the event continues its return to pre-2020 length. Entry is included with any EPCOT ticket; you only pay for the small plates, drinks, and merchandise you pick up along the way.

30 years, 30 returning dishes

The festival debuted in 1996, and Disney is marking three decades with a nod to its own history: 30 dishes from festivals past are returning this year. Some come back exactly as fans remember them; others get a 2026 refresh. It's a rare chance to try bites that haven't been on the promenade in years.

Nearly 100 new bites

Alongside the throwbacks, this year brings roughly 99 brand-new food and drink items. There's a new marketplace — The Wedge (Hosted by Dairy Does More) — leaning hard into cheese with dishes like Crab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese. La Poutinerie joins as a new stand, and the ever-experimental Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey returns with wings (including a Buffalo-Dill Pickle version) alongside its infamous Pickle Milk Shake. Most items land in the $5–13 range, and many beers come in two pour sizes.

Booths open in phases

Not every marketplace opens on day one. As in recent years, several booths phase in over the first few weeks, so if there's a specific stand you're targeting early in the run, check its current status before you go.

New this year: "Cheers to Cheese!"

CommuniCore Hall gets a cheese-themed makeover from September 18 through November 8 with "Cheers to Cheese!", a new interactive exhibit on the history and lore of one of the world's favorite foods — with some of the festival's newest cheesy offerings on hand to sample.

The cheese challenge: Emile's Fromage Montage

A festival tradition returns: Emile's Fromage Montage. Buy qualifying cheese-inspired dishes around the park, collect stamps on your Festival Passport, and complete the challenge to earn a special treat — a natural fit with this year's 30th-anniversary cheese theme.

For the kids: Remy's Hide & Squeak

Families can pick up Remy's Hide & Squeak, the Ratatouille-themed scavenger hunt that sends little ones around World Showcase searching for the hidden chef and his ingredients. Maps are sold at festival merchandise locations and redeemed for a prize once complete.

Eat to the Beat concerts

The Eat to the Beat concert series returns to the America Gardens Theatre, running nightly from August 27 through November 16 with three shows each evening (5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 PM). It's included with admission on a first-come, first-served basis, with dining packages available for guaranteed seating. This year's lineup adds eight new acts, including The War and Treaty and Fitz and the Tantrums.

How to do it without the overwhelm

With nearly 200 bites and sips across the marketplaces, a plan helps. Graze in small plates, share, and pace yourself; a flight is usually the best value when you want variety; and hydrate between stops. Prices add up fast, so knowing what's worth it — and where the deals are — saves both money and stomach space.

Free festival printables

To help you plan, we built a full set of free Food & Wine printables — a Festival Passport to check off all 28 marketplaces, a complete menu with every item and price, a value guide, a plant-based guide, a Sip & Stroll drinks guide, and a neighborhood route planner. Grab them all on our Printables page.