Family-Friendly Things to Do and Eat at Epcot's Food and Wine Festival

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival is an event at Walt Disney World that many adults look forward to each year.

With all the adults-only getaways, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and couples on a date night to eat and drink around the world, you might be wondering if it’s worthwhile to bring your children along.

This is Disney World! Of course, there will be something fun for people of all ages, especially children.

Our family of five, including a 6-, 4-, and 2-year-old, recently braved the Saturday crowds and enjoyed a day of food, culture and magic at Epcot. There was more than enough to do for kids to occupy everyone in our group.

Here’s what to do and what to eat when you’re visiting Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival with kids.

What to Eat at the Food & Wine Festival with Kids

Let’s start with the main reason to visit Epcot in the fall: the food! I would highly suggest researching the different booths and menus before your trip. Once you’re inside the park, the crowds, the heat and the whining children will make it hard to sit and thoughtfully choose what sounds good.

Even if you don’t get the chance to peruse the food options ahead of time, Disney will help you out by placing a small strawberry icon next to the kid-approved choices in the festival passport. Of course, kids are welcome to try anything and everything, but if your kids are as picky as mine, the marked options are a good place to start.

We especially enjoyed the Tacos de Puerco from Mexico, the Belgian Waffle with Chocolate Ganache from Belgium and the Pao de Queijo (Cheese Bread) from Brazil. Some other fun choices we didn’t get to try this time were the Cheddar Cheese Soup and Pretzel Roll from Canada and the Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle from The Chocolate Studio.

Ultimately, do what works for your family. If your kids are adventurous eaters and interested in learning about other cultures, challenge them to sample new-to-them cuisines. If your toddler is on the verge of a meltdown, don’t be afraid to give them a burger and fries from a quick-service restaurant while the adults enjoy the fabulous fare from around the world.

Character Meet-and-Greets

One thing we were delighted to discover was that wait times to meet characters was surprisingly short during the Food and Wine Festival, even though the park was crowded. I suspect that was because everyone was busy enjoying the food!

Epcot has a variety of character meet-and-greets. Mickey, Minnie and Goofy are in Future World, while Anna and Elsa are in the Norway pavilion in the World Showcase. Keep an eye out for other characters like Princess Aurora, Aladdin and Jasmine, Snow White and Mary Poppins around the World Showcase as well.

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt

Our favorite way to pass the time while wandering around the various Global Marketplaces was participating in Remy’s Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt. You can purchase a map that comes with stickers at the Port of Entry, Pin Central or World Traveler. Then as you wander the World Showcase, search for Remy hiding in plain sight in the designated destinations.

This was the perfect activity for our first-grader, and the preschooler was even able to help a few times as well. Shuffling through a crowded World Showcase can get exhausting in the hot sun, so it was really nice to have something to occupy the kids’ attention and keep them engaged.

Once you complete your scavenger hunt, take it to Disney Traders where you’ll get to choose a fun surprise!

Disney du Jour Dance Party

There’s a party going on in Future World, and it’s a blast for kids! If you've ridden all the rides and the kids need a break from the Global Marketplace food scene, head over to the Disney du Jour Dance Party where there’s a live DJ pumping out hits you can’t help but dance to. Disney Cast Members and Ratatouille characters in costume mingle among the crowd for added fun.

My kids couldn’t get enough of this scene. My oldest learned the Hand Jive while my youngest just did that funny bouncing dance that toddlers do so well. I’m not usually one to participate in things like this, but the DJ was so engaging and the kids were having so much fun I couldn’t help myself.

If you come on a Friday or Saturday you’ll get to see Radio Disney stars perform live in the evenings.

More Fun Around the Parks

If your kids are a little older, you might really enjoy the Eat to the Beat concert series at the American Gardens Theater. Make sure to arrive early enough to get a seat so you can give your feet a rest while enjoying an entertaining live performance.

Don’t forget that the IllumiNations fireworks show ends September 30, so if you’re at the Food and Wine Festival before that date you’ll get to catch one of the final showings. Dessert parties are a fun way to experience the magic with kids. What child wouldn’t want to watch fireworks while happily noshing on sugary treats?

Finally, the Food and Wine Festival features a Family Play Zone where parents can relax in the shade while kids climb on the playground. With lots of different play equipment, little ones will find plenty to do to burn off some energy. As a bonus, it’s located near Test Track so it’s a great place to entertain younger family members who are too short to ride if you’re using the rider swap program.

With so much to do for family members of all ages, Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival is a can’t-miss family event at Disney this fall. The event runs from August 29 through November 23, so there's plenty of time to get in on the fun!