The 21st Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World is now nine days longer!

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

If there’s one event I love throughout the entirety of the year at the Walt Disney World resort, it’s the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The food is always incredible, it’s a great way to connect with friends over awesome drinks, and Disney magic is ever present the entire time. Now it looks like guests will be in for a real treat, as the event will now be nine days longer!

Guests can enjoy delectable delights from all over the world, check out special workshops, and still indulge in all of the incredible attractions that Epcot has to offer! The event will now run from Sept. 14-Nov. 14, 2016.

What’s included this year, you may ask? Let’s break it down:

New marketplace menus debut and festival favorites return – Hard soda float, anyone? Guests can choose a favorite hard soda to mix with vanilla ice cream for a sweet treat at Desserts & Champagne marketplace. A savory vegan dish will debut at the Greece marketplace, and the popular Farm Fresh marketplace will showcase Florida’s bounty with new savory dishes.

Multiple new Eat to the Beat concert acts debut; fan favorites return to play 186 festival concerts, in all –Wang Chung (Everybody Have Fun Tonight!) will open the Eat to the Beat concert series Sept. 14-15. More new acts in the concert series lineup, including Delta Rae and Toad The Wet Sprocket – will rock their chart-topping tunes. Other popular acts, including Wilson Phillips, Boyz II Men and Jeffrey Osbourne, will return to the America Gardens Theatre stage this fall.

Celebrity chefs, wine experts and mixologists join the fun – Celebrities ranging from Rock Harper to master sommelier Andrea Robinson will share their food and beverage know-how during demos and premium events. At the new “Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!” workshops, guests will put expert advice to use whether mixing cocktails, decorating cakes or using herbs to kick up a dish’s flavor.

The popular Festival Private Label California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are back and available by the bottle or by the glass.

Ratatouille returns — Chef Remy of “Ratatouille” returns with his fun-for-the-family culinary scavenger hunt.

Festival Center cooks on all burners –Festival Center highlights will include the complimentary Back to Basics weekend series featuring epicurean tips and tricks from the pros, book and bottle signings and The Chocolate Experience: From Bean to the Bar, hosted by Ghirardelli and offering guest samples.

Rest and recharge at the Chase Lounge – Chase debit and credit card members – including Disney Visa card members — will find complimentary non-alcoholic refreshments, a charging station and comfortable seating for a relaxing break at the Chase Lounge at American Adventure.

As always, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is included with the price of admission — you just need to shell out the dough for the food and drinks. Trust me, if you haven’t been before, you’ve never experienced anything quite like it.

Are you guys excited for the massive festival this year? Let me know what you think in the comments below, and as always, stick with ITM for all of your Disney news!

in Disney, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World

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