7 Dates To AVOID the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

Avoid these dates if you can. 

EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival is one of the most popular — and often one of the busiest — events of the year at Walt Disney World. That said, certain days are busier, more crowded, and even more expensive than others.

The First Saturday — August 31st

While the 2024 Food & Wine Festival officially kicks off on Thursday the 29th, the following Saturday marks a jump in ticket price to $164 and the first big weekend crowds to sample this year’s festival. 

Labor Day Weekend  —  August 30th through September 1st

Just after it opens, the 2024 Food & Wine Festival will see its first major holiday, as Labor Day Weekend falls Friday, August 30th through Sunday, September 1st, with the holiday on September 2nd. Given that, unlike in years passed when the festival started earlier, this three-day weekend will be the first chance many have to visit the festival. In turn that likely means the already large usual Labor Day crowds will be even larger. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend tickets cost $164, while Labor Day itself is $169.

Every Saturday in September 

Overall, Saturdays in September look to be some of the busiest at the festival. Each of them (September 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th) has ticket prices in the $164 tier and promises to be heavy on crowds, and vacationers and locals alike make weekend visits to the 2024 festival. 

Indigenous People’s Day Weekend — October 11th through October 14th

The 2024 Food & Wine Festival’s second major holiday weekend is Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day Weekend, October 11th through the 14th. Being that the weather should skew more towards fall temperatures, combined with school closure up and down the eastern seaboard, the weekend should prove to be a big draw for crowds. This is despite comparatively high dynamic prices on tickets, with the 11th coming in at $164, the 12th and 13th coming in at $174, and the Monday holiday itself being $169. 

Hanson Saturday — October 26th

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series is one of the most popular parts of the Food & Wine Festival, with multiple performances each day from popular acts included in park admission. While many big names play the America Gardens theater each year, none draw quite like Hanson. The band has been drawing their cult following to the festival for years, and their popularity has only grown. In fact, this year they are the ONLY act with 4 days of performances scheduled: October 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th. However, of those four days, the busiest will likely be the 27th. This Saturday, with a ticket cost of $174, is likely to be packed, especially later in the day during the band’s showtimes.

Veteran’s Day Weekend – November 8th through November 11th

The final holiday of the festival, Veteran’s Day offer the final three-day weekend chance for guests to experience the festival. Therefore, we can tell you from experience that the often there are often packed crowds trying to get “everything in” as time ticks down on the festival. This year, the 8th costs $164, the 9th is $174, and the 10th and 11th come in at $169.

The Last Day – November 23rd

The final busy day of the festival is its literal final day, Saturday, November 23rd. Whether because people want to get in last minute things, try their festival favorites one last time, or simply for the “historical significance” of “closing” the festival, this final day tends to be quite busy. That’s backed up by the dynamically priced ticket, which comes in at $174. 

At this point, there are arguably no light or uncrowded days to enjoy the Food & Wine Festival, but there are some that are definitely better to avoid than others. Stay tuned to DFB for further Food & Wine tips. 

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Which days do you try to avoid visiting the Food & Wine Festival? Let us know in the comments below. 

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