I feel that Epcot deserves its own separate #Adulting post. There are multiple things to do in Epcot that are either not kid-friendly or are easier and maybe even more fun when traveling without children.
Epcot has four great seasonal celebrations. There is rarely a time when there is not a Festival going on. These festivals are immersive and teach us about ours and other cultures. There is themed entertainment, merchandise, performances, food & beverages, and more. Admission to these festivals are included with your park admission!
The four Festivals are:
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Many couples and groups love to travel to Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival. It is a great time and a perfect #Adulting opportunity. However, here is a little secret – all of these festivals have delicious bites & sips from around the world and often they are far less crowded than the Food & Wine Festival – especially on the weekends!!
In addition to the festivals, Epcot has some great restaurants that I personally find more for #Adulting. Within each country are table service restaurants. Each restaurant will serve delicious food from their native country and I find the menus and decor much more appealing for adults.
Epcot has the Wine Walk that we spoke about in #Adulting at Disney Parks. Guests can purchase a passport and have it stamped around the countries as they sample wine.
The shops in the World Showcase have beautiful merchandise from the native countries. If you enjoy shopping, shopping here is almost like a treasure hunt!
And Ohhhhh the entertainment! I love listening to the British Revolution (British Rock Band) in the United Kingdom, listening to the Rose & Crown Pub Musicians, or watching the Serveur Amusant in France – a French acrobat with some amazing talent!
There are also several tours that are geared for adults and have a minimum age requirement. Some of these look really great, especially the tour of The UnDISCOVERed Future World Tour. You get to go behind the scenes, head into cast lounges, hear about Walt’s original vision for EPCOT and even go “backstage” – like under the outside portion of test track where the SIM cars whiz by! What an amazing and informative adventure!
Regardless of how much time I have in a given trip to Walt Disney World, I go to Epcot. There are so many wonderful things to see, do, eat, and drink! This park is the perfect balance of #Adulting with Disney Magic and for that is one of my favorites!
Recently when I was there I saw them in operation. Those things move!! They will service Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and 4 of Disney’s Resorts:
Pop Century
Art of Animation
Riviera Resort
Caribbean Beach Resort
This new mode of transportation makes these four resorts even more desirable! Planning a fall trip to Disney World for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival? Get your group together and stay at one of these resorts – the Skyliner will drop you off right at the back of World Showcase. Hoping to take the kids during their fall break and enjoy all the new offerings? Staying at one of these resorts will be even more fun and exciting for them now that this is a form of transportation! Contact me to start putting a package together and Let’s turn your Dreams into Memories!
After two decades, we are sadly saying goodbye to the Epcot Nighttime Spectacular Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. September 30th will be its last show. If this was a favorite of yours, be sure to catch it one more time this Summer!
Coming October 1st, “Epcot Forever” will make its debut. While I am sad to see Illuminations go, I am super excited for this new show. I hold a special place in my heart for a lot of the past attractions of Epcot (Horizons & Kitchen Cabaret!!!) and that is exactly what this new show will celebrate. It will focus on the past, present, and future of Epcot. Our favorite Epcot tunes will be played through the show as well.
Epcot Forever will run into 2020 and then the new, more permanent Nighttime Spectacular will begin. Not much has been announced about it but stay tuned for details.
Wanting to go see Illuminations one last time? Contact me for a no obligation quote and lets turn your dreams into memories!
Disney has announced the dates and details for the 2019 International Food & Wine Festival as well as the International Festival of the Holidays.
This year, the Food & Wine Festival will run the longest it ever has; starting August 29th and running through November 23rd. The Eat to the Beat Concert will offer artists from August 29th to November 19th.
The festival will continue to offer culinary delights from countries all around the world. You can also expect to see the return of top celebrity chefs as well special events and dining packages.
The International Festival of the holidays will return again this year. It will run November 29th to December 30th. We experienced this event last year and we really loved it. It was similar to the Food and Wine festival with an emphasis on the holidays each country celebrates. We loved it! It was a great way to get in the holiday spirit. We traveled the first and second week of December so we experienced low crowds which made it easier to tour!
Several countries will return with their holiday specialties. There will be special entertainment, storytellers, kid’s events, and of course, the return of The Candlelight Processional.
I will update as more details are released, including the Eat to the Beat schedule as well as the schedule for Candlelight Processional Celebrity Narrators.
These are great events that guests rave about and return each year to take advantage of. If you are interested in visiting during one of the wonderful Epcot Festivals, contact me and we can get a vacation package set up for you and turn you Dreams into Memories! Ask about the Minnie Box!
Later this year, Illuminations will be retired and Epcot will be getting a whole new Nighttime Spectacular. It is very exciting but I know that many will miss Illuminations, myself included! As a treat and to celebrate this long time running show, Disney is going to stream Illuminations live.
Tune into Disney Parks Blog on April 9th to see this stream. Stay tuned for more details, including the time. I will update here once it is posted. If you are a big fan of this show, be sure to head over to Epcot before the show is gone forever!
Disney World & Disneyland will celebrate Spring’s arrival with the return of the Eggstravaganza!
From April 5-21, these fun eggs will be hidden through Epcot in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District. Get your map and stickers and join in the hunt! These can be purchased at select merchandise locations for $6.99.
Search for eggs designed as some of your Disney Favorites and then place the corresponding sticker on the map to show where you found it. Show your completed map to Cast Members at select locations and receive a prize!
We found this so entertaining for our littles and it allowed us some extra adult time when walking “around the world”. It may buy the adults a little extra time to enjoy the Flower & Garden Festival.
The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is just around the corner. This year, it will run March 6th through June 3rd. This Limited Time Magic is not something you want to miss. The flowers are stunning and we love walking through all of the gardens, but now let’s talk about the food offerings!
This year, 17 Outdoor Kitchens will be serving as well as other areas for tastings throughout Epcot. The food will all be inspired by fresh ingredients that you can find in gardens. They do have vegetarian and gluten free options if that is something someone in your party prefers or requires. Don’t miss out on all the delicious offerings and fun beverages!
2019 Menu’s:
ARBOR (Located at The Gardeners Terrace in The Odyssey Center) Food:
Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Crab-Fennel Salad, Remoulade, and Smoked Paprika Oil
Smoked Salmon Stack with Avocados, Tomatoes, Sour Cream, Caviar, and Focaccia Crostino
Mixed Berry Buttermilk Cake with Apple Cider Sorbet (GF, V)
Beverages:
Original Sin Brewery Black Widow Hard Cider, New York, NY
Florida Beer Company Caribé Strawberry Rose Hard Cider, Cape Canaveral, FL
3 Daughters Brewing Key Lime Apple Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
Karbach Brewing Lemon and Ginger Radler Houston, TX
Seadog Brewing Company Sunfish Ale, Clearwater, FL
Shipyard Brewing Company Grind the Rind Watermelon IPA, Portland, ME
Cider Flight
Beer Flight
LA ISLA FRESCA (Located in Showcase Plaza East) Food:
Jamaican-braised Beef with Pigeon Pea Rice and Micro Cilantro
Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut-Lime Sauc
Tropical Mousse Cake: Layers of Passion Fruit Cake, Coconut Mousse, and a Tropical Fruit Glaze with Fresh Pineapple
Beverages:
Tropical Freeze (non-alcoholic)
Golden Road Brewing Tart Mango Cart Wheat Ale, Los Angeles, CA
Tropical Freeze with Mango Rum
THE CITRUS BLOSSOM (Located near Refreshment Port) Food:
Lobster Tail with Meyer Lemon Emulsion and Grilled Lemon (GF)
Tuna Tataki with Spicy Yuzu Glaze, Mango, Avocado, and Pappadam Crisp
Crispy Citrus Chicken with Orange Aïoli and Baby Greens (GF)
Orange Cream Slushy in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper (sipper only available while supplies last) (non-alcoholic)
Islamorada Beer Company Coconut Key Lime Ale, Fort Pierce, FL
First Magnitude Brewing Lemon Hefeweizen, Gainesville, FL
Heavy Seas Brewery TropiCannon Citrus IPA, Halethorpe, MD
Orange Sunshine Wine Slushy
Beer Flight
PINEAPPLE PROMENADE (Located near Refreshment Port) Food:
Spicy Hot Dog with Pineapple Chutney and Plantain Chips
Pineapple Soft-serve Ice Cream (V)
Beverages:
Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
Pineapple Soft-serve Ice Cream with Fanta (non-alcoholic)
Coastal Empire Beer Co. Coco Piña Gose, Savannah, GA
Maui Brewing Co. Pineapple Mana Wheat, Kihei, HI
SweetWater Brewing Company Goin’ Coastal IPA with Pineapple, Atlanta, GA
Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale, Titusville, FL
Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL
Pineapple Soft-serve Ice Cream with Coconut Rum
Pineapple Beer Flight
THE HONEY BEE-STRO Hosted by National Honey Board (Located near Refreshment Port) Food:
Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Purée, Wild Rice
Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey-blistered Grapes, Sunflower Brittle, and
Coriander Flowers (GF, V)
Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese, Charred Vegetables, Clover Honey Sour Cream, and Micro Citrus Greens
Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange Blossom
Honey Ice Cream garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses and Petite
Lavender Shoots (V)
Beverages:
Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze (non-alcoholic)
Goodwood Brewing Company Brandy Barrel Honey Ale, Louisville, KY
TASTE OF MARRAKESH (Located in the Morocco Pavilion) Food:
Harissa Chicken Kebab with Dried Fruit Couscous Salad
Fried Cauliflower with Capers, Garlic Parsley, and Chili-Ranch Sauce
Walnut Honey Baklava
Beverages:
Casa Beer
Larroque Chardonnay, Meknes
White Sangria
Desert Rose: Sparkling Wine topped with Pomegranate Liqueur
HANAMI (Located in the Japan Pavilion) Food:
Frushi: Fresh Pineapple, Strawberry, and Melon rolled with Coconut
Rice, sprinkled with Toasted Coconut, Whipped Cream with Raspberry Sauce
on the side (V)
Chilled Soba Noodle Salad with Pan-seared Tuna and Wasabi Dressing
Chicken Karaage with Nanban Sauce: Japanese-style Fried Chicken
served on a bed of Shredded Cabbage and topped with a Soy and
Vinegar-based Dressing
Beverages:
Kirin Draft Beer
Sayuri “Little Lilly” Nigori Sake
“Ichigo Sun” Strawberry Lemonade Cocktail with Sake, Strawberry Purée, and Lemonade
FUNNEL CAKES (Located in The American Adventure)
Key Lime Funnel Cake topped with Crumbled Graham Cracker and Whipped Cream
Lexington Brewing Company Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, Lexington, KY
Short’s Brewing Company Local’s Light Lager, Bellaire, MI
Dogfish Head Brewery American Beauty Pale Ale, Milton, DE
Brooklyn Brewery Defender IPA, Brooklyn, NY
Golden Road Brewing Pineapple Cart Wheat Ale, Los Angeles, CA
3 Daughters Brewing Hard Rosé Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
Beer Flight
THE SMOKEHOUSE: BARBECUE AND BREWS (Located in The American Adventure) Food:
Pulled Pig Slider with Coleslaw
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider with Garlic Sausage, Chorizo, Cheddar Fondue, and House-made Pickle
Shredded Beef Brisket with Smoked Potato, Chorizo Fondue, and Green Tomato Relish
Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans (V)
Beverages:
Frozen Simply Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
Central 28 Brewing Company Sunshine Greetings Orange Hibiscus Wheat Ale, DeBary, FL
3 Daughters Brewing Phantasmas Spicy Double IPA, St. Petersburg, FL
Shipyard Maple Bacon Stout, Clearwater, FL
Boneshaker Zinfandel, Lodi, CA
Frozen Simply Lemonade with Blackberry Moonshine
Beer Flight
FIFE & DRUM (Located in The American Adventure)
Short’s Brewing Company Soft Parade Shandy, Bellaire, MI
PRIMAVERA KITCHEN (Located in the Italy Pavilion) Food:
Pizza Toscana: Rustic Italian Flatbread with Sweet Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan Cheeses
Pomodori Verdi e Mozzarella: Fried Green Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese, and Balsamic Reduction
Tri-colored Cheese Tortellini, Sage Butter, and Chicken Veloute
If you would like to escape to Epcot in the next few months to experience all the Food & Garden Festival has to offer, contact me and we will get you on your way!
This new interactive Play Pavilion is coming to Epcot! Not many details have been given yet but we do know that it will be in the old Wonders of Life Pavilion. I am so glad they are finally re-purposing that area with new content. It looks like it will be a great place for families to interact and play. I got very excited when I saw the word “Wedway” (what Tomorrow Transit Authority used to be called) up above the 3 glass windows in mid-upper right quadrant. I have no idea what it means yet but I am super excited! More details to come so stay tuned!
Disney is also re-imagining the entry to Epcot. The Leave a Legacy monuments will be moved just outside the park’s gateway and can still be admired.
They are adding greenery and will update the existing fountain to closer resemble the original. It looks beautiful!
Check back for more information on all the other exciting things coming to Epcot including Guardians of the Galaxy Coaster and the space themed restaurant next to it, a limited-time night time show over the World Showcase Lagoon featuring classic Epcot music, and coming soon in 2020 a brand new nighttime spectacular.
Beginning March 6, 2019 Coco will be joining us in the Mexico Pavilion! With the help of Mariachi Cobre and Folklórico dancers, Coco’s story will be shared in a way it never has been before. The artists will tell the story of Miguel and his journey to find his family through song and dance. The Mariachi Cobre will play music and get everyone participating in this great story. Miguel will be with us through the Flower & Garden Festival.
While Ralph and Vanellope have been meeting with guests for a while now over at innoventions, it was time for a change. The imagineers at Imageworks have invited them through a portal from their dimension into ours! Guests can continue to meet with Ralph and Vanellope in the Imageworks section of Journey Into Imagination. Say hi to my friend Figment while you are there!
Turning Dreams Into Memories 