Over the last several decades, festivals have become a bigger and bigger part of EPCOT’s year. From the Festival of the Arts and Flower & Garden through Food & Wine and the Festival of the Holidays, the times of year when there isn’t a fest on the calendar are becoming few and far between.
2025 Food and Wine Signs!
Over my years covering Walt Disney World, I’ve seen EPCOT’s festivals evolve into the massive events they are now, which guests annually visit and plan for all year round. Over time, that planning has evolved into hacks, all of which are helpful… until they become overused, to the point where they potentially impact other guests.
Tables, Tables, Tables
Anyone who’s visited EPCOT during one of the park’s festivals, especially on busy days, knows that getting a table near one of the food booths can be difficult… to say the least. Given that, it’s no surprise that many guests have taken to splitting their parties, with some grabbing a table while others go and get the food.
Festival of the Holidays lines
The issue here is that, given the usual length of lines and prep time, there’s probably enough time for a person who already has their food to use a table, eat, and leave before the other members of the party who have claimed the table get back with the food.
Full Spread 2025
We would definitely advise doing your best to grab a table after you’ve got your food. Or, at the very least, if you split your party, those in charge of looking for a table shouldn’t start looking for one until the person getting food has ordered.
Too Much Focus on Pre-Planning
The day that festival menus come out is always a favorite of ours, and many guests as well. Often, festival-goers will plan their desired meals weeks or months before their visit. However, there is a danger in looking at the menu beforehand and zeroing in on a certain item from each booth.
Hawai’i Menu
Occasionally, items run out or are unavailable (especially near the start of the festival), meaning that having some backup thoughts in mind, or at least being flexible, is very important. We’d advise finding multiple items on each booth’s menu that you’d be willing to try; that way, if your top choice is unavailable, your flexible backup is already in your mind.
Packing the International Gateway
In recent years, especially since the opening of the Walt Disney World Skyliner, many EPCOT festival guests have been entering through the International Gateway to get to World Showcase (especially France)’s booths faster.
Disney Skyliner
However, the more people who use the entrance, the more crowded — and less of a “hack” — it becomes. So, if you plan on entering the park that way during your next visit during a festival season, don’t count on getting in any faster.
2025 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Passport
These EPCOT festival hacks can definitely be helpful at times… if they’re not being done by everyone! Stay tuned to DFB for more on EPCOT’s festivals.
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A suggestion to you and any one else that reads this for the “table” “problem” Splitting your party is a good thing. Specially if your traveling with a wheelchair or ECV. Getting a table is very hard, because your restricted to the tables that are around the edge. So Courtesy is the hack. Get your table then watch as people with food come by and get there attention. Offer your table to them. By the time they are done the rest of you party has arrived. We have met so many friendly people that way and we get a table for my ECV and others get to use the table. A lot of time my family comes back and the others are not done we just all use the table and have a great time with new friends. I can tell you from experience that taking that wheelchair or ECV in the food line is more of rude thing to do than splitting you party. Table holder be polite and share, it is a lot of fun and that is what Disney is all about. P.S. I have never been turn down when inviting other to use our table.