Dining Through Disney Part 4
I have arguably saved the best “eating” park for last of this series. In case you didn’t know, Epcot is notorious for eating, and drinking, around the world. Epcot was the second park to open in Disney World in 1982, and was actually meant to be an “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” planned by the big man Walt Disney himself. After his passing in the late sixties, the idea was rehashed in the seventies and ended up becoming an “educational entertainment” park. The original park featured the world showcase and future world. Now, Disney is continuing its renovations of the park and have added more attractions including Ratatouille in France, Frozen in Norway, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind which personally ranks as one of my top rides in the parks. The park is currently under construction for a Moana area as well which I am sure many people are excited to experience.
Besides the major upgrades in rides and attractions, this park has also risen to fame among bachelorette parties for drinking around the world. While I haven’t completed the full challenge myself, and don’t think I will, I have eaten around the world while attending some of the park’s famous festivals. The Epcot Food and Wine Festival started in 1996, and has become well known by bringing in celebrity chefs, country themed booths, and wine or beer flights. I was able to attend this festival in 2022 celebrating a friend’s birthday and had a blast using my “festival passport” to find the best eats. However, even if you can’t attend July through November while the festival runs, there are still plenty of options for dining.
As a reminder, Disney has different levels of dining experiences that come at varying levels of price points. For the cheapest and quickest options there are quick service restaurants and food stands. These stands may or may not have seating and you can also mobile order your food for pick up on the app. If you want to guarantee a seat or have a nicer meal then table service would be the way to go. You will need reservations for these sit down options and you can make them online or on the My Disney Experience app up to 60 days out from visiting the parks.
Epcot Quick Service:
People can get pretty finicky on which way they like to start their circular journey through the world showcase, but I personally like to start with the Canada side of the showcase. Many people prefer, and will argue, Mexico is the best to start. However, if you are drinking through all eleven countries in one day I don’t think you will make it if you start with tequila. That being said, I've just so happened to start my journey in Canada, and I really like the aesthetic of the Canada and United Kingdom area.
One of my first go to stops is the Yorkshire Country Fish Shop beer batter fish and chips in the United Kingdom. It is such a classic dish, and I didn’t find it crazy heavy on my stomach. Another must for me is the Le Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in France. There are so many sweet and savory options here, but I prefer the sweets. It is also a nice place to sit inside the air conditioning if it isn’t too crowded. If you are feeling adventurous, I would highly recommend trying a Japanese shaved ice or Sake slushy at the Kabuki Cafe. The Joy of Tea stand in China also has boba tea and a wonderful cocktail called Tipsy Ducks of Love. If you haven’t had enough to eat and drink by the time you hit Mexico, the blood orange margarita at Choza de Margarita pairs perfectly with tostadas de pollo.
The avocado margarita in the Mexico pavilion was an unexpected and refreshing treat.
Epcot Table Service- Casual:
There are an abundance of dining options in Epcot to the point it can become a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there to help you make the right decision for you and your party. Personally, I love following Disney Food Blog because they have an entire team of people who consistently give their honest reviews of the restaurants. While I tend to stick to the quick service options in Epcot, there are some incredible casual table service options as well. Rose and Crown Dining Room in the United Kingdom pavilion is a highly rated option with traditional English options like scotch eggs, bangers and mash, and sticky toffee pudding. Reservations are pretty much a necessity for the dining room but the Rose and Crown Pub is a first come first serve basis to get your beer flights.
While there are many options at this restaurant, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria is best known for the wood fired pizza. These are plenty large and can be split amongst a group. You can go for a classic margherita pizza, or if you are feeling adventurous try the pizza with prosciutto and melon. Mexico also has a great restaurant named La Hacienda de San Angel. Get your queso or guacamole fix with a waterfront view, and don’t forget to try the empanada de manzana.
Epcot Table Service- Fancy:
During our family trip to Disney World in 2019, one of our first stops was the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway. While the food was very good, it wasn’t anything crazy to write home about. However, we were able to see so many characters off the bat including Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Princess Aurora, Mulan, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins. For a little less pricey but still fantastic character option, the Garden Grill is a great family style option for even the picky eaters. The location is also unique because you are in a rotating dining room and get see characters like Farmer Mickey, Pluto, Chip, and Dale.
Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada has arguably one of the best steaks in the entire park. Make sure you come ready to eat though because you can’t skip out on the Canadian cheddar cheese soup or bourguignon poutine. If you thought steak was the fanciest you could get in Epcot, Takumi-Tei in Japan is about as expensive as you can get with the$150-$250 per adult fixed menu price tags. While I have heard this is quite the artistic experience, it is probably not for children.
If you are feeling adventurous, the Croissant aux Escargots is a savory pastry that was delightful in my opinion.
Budget Bites:
There are an incredible amount of on-the-go budget byte options in this park, so I did my best to limit them to my favorites. The Kabuki Cafe in Japan has a snack version of a California Roll or a Spicy Tuna roll for $6. Joy of Tea in China also has pork egg rolls for $4.95 along with the delicious boba drinks. Regal Eagle Smokehouse in America is also a crowd favorite where you can get a hefty portion of food. While these plates are still an average of $14-16, you can get a half chicken or rack of ribs with sides like baked beans or mac n cheese. Finally to end on a sweet note, the Kringla Bakeri school bread for $4.49 or Verden’s Beste Kake for $4.59 are unique dessert options for my budget conscious friends.
Special Events:
I could not end an Epcot eating extravaganza without discussing the crown jewel that is the Food and Wine Festival. Like I stated earlier, I was able to attend this festival in 2022 and a lot of my favorites are still options this year. There are plenty of resources online to find the full menus, but it was also so fun for me to go in blind last year and receive a paper passport with all the options. The Ratatouille theme was adorable, and I loved flipping through the pages as we were walking through the park. The Brew-Wing station is a must stop for park visitors with the traditional garlic parmesan wings, or the more adventurous option of peanut butter and jelly sticky wings. I was personally adventurous at the France stand last year and tried the Croissant aux Escargots which is, yes you guessed it, a snail pastry. I actually really enjoyed the savory treat.
The fry flight at The Fry Basket was equally liked among the group of friends I went with last year, and we did our best to share. The Hawai’i stand was also a pit stop for our bunch to try the pork sliders and the Spam sushi. Honestly, don’t knock it until you try it. The India stand also pleasantly surprised me when I tried the curry-spiced crispy cheese with mango-curry ketchup. Let's be real though- when is fried cheese not delicious. These options barely scratch the surface of the options at the festival, so make sure you have plenty of friends if you go so you can take a bite of all of your friends’ food.
If you stuck around this long, we made it through what to eat in our favorite theme parks! We dined through the dazzling Magic Kingdom, sipped and saw the stars in Hollywood Studios, went wild and chowed down in Animal Kingdom, and explored festivals galore in Epcot. Thank you for letting me show my true Disney adult side and until then may you “Leave Today And Enter The World Of Yesterday, Tomorrow And Fantasy.”
A basket of fries from the Fry Basket during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is a must try dish.