2020 Taste of EPCOT Festival of Holidays Entertainment & Food
Walt Disney World has released more details for the 2021 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, including a full list of food booths, character cavalcades, Olaf’s scavenger hunt, and more. In this post, we’ll share everything we know thus far about the Christmas-time event, and thoughts on whether it’s worth doing.
For starters, the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will run from November 27 until December 30, 2020. There was not previously an end date, but this potentially bodes well for New Year’s Eve at EPCOT. Normally, this event ends before that, clearing space for NYE. It remains to be seen what, if anything, Walt Disney World will do for New Year’s, but Festival of the Holidays ending on December 30 at least leaves that door open.
As a brief recap, we already know Festival of the Holidays is going to be scaled back this year, along with pretty much everything else this year. Full details are covered in 2020 Christmas Cancellations & Entertainment at Walt Disney World. For EPCOT, the big losses are Candlelight Processional and the World Showcase Holiday Storytellers (Santas).
This announcement basically fleshes out what is happening during the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. The big thing is the Holiday Kitchen booths. With less than a week between the end of the Taste of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival and this, this is unsurprising. Many of those booths will simply have their facades and marquee altered, changing from Global Marketplaces to Holiday Kitchens overnight.
Here’s the full lineup of Holiday Kitchens:
American Holiday Table (American Adventure)
Enjoy a seasonal salute–dig into traditional dishes reminiscent of grandma’s cooking at the American Adventure Pavilion.
Bavaria Holiday Kitchen (Germany)
Willkommen–help yourself to heartwarming holiday dishes and refreshing beverages at the Germany Pavilion.
Citrus Blossom (Showcase Plaza)
Toast the holidays with breathtaking beverages that include the Orange Cream Shake in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper Cup (non-alcoholic).
Festival Favorites (World Showplace)
From blackened bass to duck confit, from frozen s’mores to tropical eggnog–come and get your very own favorites!
Holiday Hearth (World Showplace)
Discover the hearth you’ll call home, with special desserts, milkshakes, hot cocoa and so much more.
Holiday Sweets & Treats
Rock around the Christmas tree with goodies sure to top the “nice” list–at Promenade Refreshments.
L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen (Between Morocco and France)
Propose a toast to life–sink your teeth into classic deli noshes with a side of New York flair.
Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen (France)
Feast on très magnifique fare, wine and specialty cocktails from the France Pavilion.
Mele Kalikimaka (Showcase Plaza)
Savor the flavor of fabulous, festive food and beverages from the islands of Hawaii.
Posadas Holiday Kitchen (Mexico)
Feliz Navidad–celebrate with mariachi dancing and south-of-the-border fare at the Mexican Pavilion!
Prost! (World Showplace)
Spread some holiday cheer with a cool brew from some of the finest regional breweries.
Sapphire Holiday Kitchen (Morocco)
Spice up your life with the exotic flavors of North Africa–visit the Morocco Pavilion for intriguing cuisine!
Shanghai Holiday Kitchen (China)
Have yourself a merry little meal–tempt taste buds with popular plates and potables from the China Pavilion!
Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen (Japan)
Please your palate with an array of festive dishes and drinks served at the Japan Pavilion.
Tuscany Holiday Kitchen (Italy)
Mangiare–savor a seasonal take on some of the world’s best-loved food and beverages at the Italy Pavilion!
Yukon Holiday Kitchen (Canada)
Jingle your bells with delightful dishes and libations from the Great White North–at the Canada Pavilion.
Funnel Cake
Satisfy your sweet tooth with a new holiday classic: Sweet Potato Casserole Funnel Cake.
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
Salute the season with the usual selection of coffees, plus the tasty Caramel Tinsel Latte and Donut for the holidays.
Refreshment Port (Showcase Plaza)
Savor the flavor of holiday poutine and toast the season with specials like T.G. Lee Eggnog with Spiced Rum.
Refreshment Outpost
Chow down on this year’s holiday surprise: Warm Brown Sugar Stuffed Pretzel with Soft-Serve Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce.
On a final food note, the Holiday Cookie Stroll also returns this year, with a cookie as reward for completing the confectionary collection from five different locations throughout the park. (Pro tip: you’re better off going to Publix…or literally any grocery store in Central Florida…or anywhere else in the parks…and just buying cookies.)
In terms of entertainment, Disney characters will appear dressed in their holiday finery traveling through World Showcase to spread holiday cheer. Character cavalcades will include Queen Anna and Elsa in the “Frozen Holiday Promenade” and Mickey Mouse and his pals making merry on the “Mickey and Friends Holiday World Tour.”
Santa Claus will also pay visits to EPCOT for the Christmas season, taking a grand horse-drawn carriage tour around World Showcase, calling out happy holiday wishes to all.
America Gardens Theatre will host the sounds of the season from Voices of Liberty, who will return to share favorite carols through their incredible harmonies. Mariachi Cobre will bring to life Las Posadas, a celebration of Mexican holiday customs through music and dance.
Over at the Canada pavilion, JAMMitors will grace the Mill Stage with their playful percussion. Inside World ShowPlace, fan-favorite JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season will present an uplifting journey through R&B, gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music.
Finally, everyone’s favorite snowman from Frozen (also the *only* snowman from Frozen) invites kids of all ages on the new “Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition,” a festive scavenger hunt around World Showcase to round up holiday traditions that Olaf misplaces.
You can purchase the expedition map at Mouse Gear, Disney Traders or World Traveler at International Gateway, then look for hidden Olafs throughout the World Showcase pavilions. Once you find them all, you’ll receive a gift worth melting for (while supplies last).
Regular readers are probably getting sick of this warning, but we’d implore you to avoid EPCOT on weekends. They are already busy and that’s only going to get worse in November and December. Seriously, if you’re thinking about doing EPCOT on a Saturday or Sunday, our EPCOT Photo Report: Stay Away on Weekends is essential reading. It’s arguably the most important piece of advice for families visiting in the next few months.
That’s probably on the mild side of the ‘feels like’ crowds at Walt Disney World in November and December. If our experiences in the parks this week have been any indication, the Christmas season could be uncomfortably congested.
Ultimately, the lineup for the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays doesn’t do a ton for us, quite honestly. The Holiday Kitchens were a given, and it’ll be nice to see the Voices of Liberty, but that’s about it. EPCOT has been getting progressively weak during the Christmas season the last several years, and losing both Candlelight Processional and the Holiday Storytellers is another big blow.
However, this isn’t to say Christmas-time at EPCOT will be weak. A lot depends upon the extent of the decorating, the surprise menu items, and more. On paper, last year’s Festival of the Holidays didn’t sound great, either. Then there was the surprise debut of Living with the Land: Merry and Bright Nights, some unexpected decor in Future World, special menu items at some of our favorite bakeries and ice cream shops, and the return of beloved background music. Whether the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays ends up being good or bad will truly come down to execution and ambition level.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited to experience the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays or will you be sitting this one out? Looking forward to the Holiday Kitchens, Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition, the live music, or the character cavalcades? Think there will be any pleasant surprises? Any tips you want to share to make the most of the experience? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Do you know what date Olaf’s scavenger hunt will begin? Will that be at the same time as the others or will they start that Nov 6 like the other parks? Or would it be Remy’s until the Holiday festival begins?
Tom, so you know if the Christmas cavalcade, entertainment, etcetera, will start before the food booths open? We will be there the week of Thanksgiving, Leaving the 27th…
I think it’s more likely that the food booths would open early than that the entertainment and cavalcades would start running early.
I was so excited when I saw the gingerbread Capitol in Epcot. Then they said it does not start in Epcot until the 27. I so wish they would start Christmas there on Nov 6 like every other place in WDW. If only to see the gingerbread.
Food & Wine goes until Nov 22.
We will be there from Dec 24th to the 30th so very happy to see there will be some booths for the Festival of the Holiday, that, decorations and music and we will be content. We know this is an off year so we will take what we can get. Looking forward to seeing what will be on the menu’s of the booths to plan on which ones to try and hit. Thanks Tom for your reports…I look forward to them! Almost 60 days out and my group of 11 is getting excited!
We will be there Nov 15-22. I see the festival starts the 27th. Will there be no Holiday activity at EPCOT prior to the 27th?
Do we have any details on the actual holiday food fo Epcot and the rest of Disney? Like we got for the fall?
Not yet. They should release specific menus within the next week or so.
Our original plan was to do Epcot for NYE. Is there going to be NYE celebration at Epcot? Or should I rearrange our park days for our trip and be there while it is still decorated for Christmas? We are doing the parks Dec29-Jan2
Is the food and wine in the taste of Epcot? A little confusing keeping them straight. I’m planning on coming February 8 thru the 14th for the taste of Epcot. Any suggestions?
John
The “Taste of Epcot” refers to the lite version of the usual festivals. “Food and Wine” became “Taste of Epcot: Food and Wine”. The festival you’re referring to in Jan-Feb is usually Festival of the Arts which this year will be called “Taste of Epcot: Festival of the Arts.”
Looking forward to this!!! We are coming the most insane weeks of the year. We did this five years ago on the week between Christmas and New Years and said I would never do that again. Well…we have purchased flights, air bnb and tickets for the crazy week. We are doing Epcot and magic kingdom on the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas stuff is done and then Thursday Hollywood and Friday animal. Call us crazy but hoping crowds won’t be as insane as normal. We were at magic kingdom when they closed the park!
Oooo … holidays at “The World”. Oh how I love Christmas and Disney! I must go!! 😉
Cheryl, thanks for the warning. I’ll prepare myself! The music is wonderful all by itself, so fingers crossed there…
I adore the background seasonal music at EPCOT! Also the synchronized water fountains in Future World – especially at night with the lights. If I walk into the park to discover they’ve changed it THIS particular Christmas, it just might send me over the edge!
I may be wrong, but I think they tore that wonderful fountain down.
The fountain you’re referring too has been demolished, along with the majority of the center area of what was Future World.
Ok so I read this blog every time I get a email and love reading the articles! So I do have a question. We go to Disney World every year for thanksgiving week! So my question is this year we aren’t staying as long, only doing 4 days a park for each day. We will be doing our first day on November 25th and last day that Saturday on November 28th. What day would you do what park?!! I need answers! With no park hopping right now we can’t just go park to park like we normally would. Thanks in advance!
Nov 25 – Magic Kingdom
The rest in any order–doesn’t much matter. All of those dates will likely end up being “sold out” of Park Passes.
I’m really starting to get excited for our Christmas trip! I’m sure it will be crowded and lines will be long- but the festive atmosphere and just “being there” and having a few snacks is going to feel amazing after all 2020 has brought down upon us.
Absolutely.
Even with the growing crowds, we’ve been having a better time on weekend nights at Magic Kingdom thanks to the atmosphere and cooler weather. We’re relatively unique since we don’t really care if we do anything, but I’ll take that anytime over the miserable summer weather and low crowds.
It doesn’t look like any less than last year. Not as good as Food & Wine, but still some good items.
I assume you’re talking about only the Holiday Kitchens? I think the jury is out on that until we see the menus.
My expectation is scaled back, but not *as* scaled back as Food & Wine was.
“That’s probably on the mild side of the ‘feels like’ crowds at Walt Disney World in November and December. If our experiences in the parks this week have been any indication, the Christmas season could be uncomfortably congested.”
I feel like you dropped a massive teaser in there. Is it getting bad midweek now as well? I guess maybe the early December week won’t be the good week/balance of holidays and crowds we were hoping for…
“Is it getting bad midweek now as well?”
It’s getting worse. “Bad” might be an overstatement at this point, but given the current trajectory…
Thank you for the info.
No Holiday Storytellers at Epcot?! Nooooooo! That was my favorite Holiday activity at WDW, (other than the parade).