Fall at Walt Disney World does not just mean Halloween taking over Magic Kingdom.It also means EPCOT finally gets a festival again. And if you have visited EPCOT during one of the rare gaps between festivals, you know how different the park feels without one. The booths are gone, World Showcase is quieter, and a big part of what makes a full day at EPCOT worth it simply is not there.That gap closes on August 27, 2026, when the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival begins.Fans have been waiting on one specific thing before they could actually plan around it, and it landed today. The full menus are out.This is the piece people need to build a day around, because Food & Wine is not a festival you can wing. There are dozens of booths, hundreds of items, and a real risk of filling up on something mediocre before you reach the thing you actually wanted.Here is what you need to know.Credit: DisneyThe EPCOT Festival Runs August 27 Through November 21That is a long window, and this year it carries extra weight.The 2026 festival marks 30 years of Food & Wine30 items have returned or been reimagined from across festival historyThose items are marked with a special 30th icon in the official Foodie GuideIf you have been going to this festival for years, that anniversary lineup is the reason to pay closer attention than usual. Several of the returns date back to the very first festivals, including the Potato Pierogi from 1996 at Poland and the Dumplings Trio introduced in 1996 at China. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disney Eats (@disneyeats)Not Every EPCOT Booth Opens on Day OneThis is the detail most guests miss, and it will absolutely affect your planning. Six booths will be missing at the start of the festival.Several locations open later in the festival run:Festival Favorites: starting September 9The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More: September 18 through November 8Coastal Eats: starting October 2Earth Eats: starting October 2India: starting October 2The Alps: starting October 2If a specific item on one of those menus is why you are going, do not book an August trip and expect to find it.Emile’s Fromage Montage Is BackThe cheese-focused food stroll returns, and it is one of the better structured challenges the festival offers.Here is how it works:Purchase five eligible cheese items from Global MarketplacesCollect stamps in your Festival PassportHead to Shimmering Sips once complete for a festival treatEligible items are marked with a cheese icon in the Foodie Guide, and they are spread across the park, so this doubles as a reason to walk World Showcase rather than camping in one area.Cheers to Cheese Is a New EPCOT ExhibitRunning September 18 through November 8 in CommuniCore Hall.The interactive exhibit celebrates cheese with fun facts and history, and The Wedge Hosted by Dairy Does More is the food component. Highlights include:Cannoli Milk Shake topped with chocolate shavings, cannoli shell, and a maraschino cherrySelection of Cheeses with accompaniments featuring Proudly Wisconsin CheeseCrab and Corn Macaroni and Cheese with smoked cheddar sauce, bacon, crab seasoning, roasted corn, and jalapeñosThree-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with smoked cheddar sauce and herbed pankoA new Wine and Cheese PairingCredit: DisneyNew Items Worth PrioritizingA handful of the new additions stand out on paper.Basil Pesto Chicken Dumplings at Gyozas of the Galaxy, with fonduta, tomato confit, and balsamicSmoked Brisket and Cheddar Melt at Hops & Barley, on a potato roll with caramelized onions and tangy barbecueWiener Schnitzel at Germany, with warm Yukon Gold potato salad, bacon, and watercress-radish saladTostada de Osso Buco at Mexico, with chipotle black beans, salsa verde, and queso frescoBeef Wagyu Temaki Hand Roll at Japan, with pickled ginger and spicy mayonnaiseWarm Raclette Swiss Cheese at The Alps, on a baguette with jambon and apple-mustard relishCroquetas de Jamón at Spain, with saffron aïoli and shaved Jamón SerranoMoqueca de Camarão at Brazil, seared shrimp in a coconut milk brothCredit: DisneyReturning EPCOT Favorites Fans Already LoveSome things do not need improving.Pumpkin-Mascarpone Ravioli at Forest & Field, with brown butter vinaigrette and hazelnut pralineGrilled Bushberry-spiced Shrimp Skewer at Australia, with coconut-chili sauceCheddar and Bacon Soup at Canada, served with a pretzel rollChicken Tikka Masala at India, with fennel-spiced yogurt and naanFrozen S’mores at Festival FavoritesPickle Milk Shake at Brew-Wing Lab, still confusing people since 2023Credit: DisneyThe Sweets Are Doing a Lot This Year at EPCOTDessert is unusually strong across the lineup.Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake between America and JapanSmoked Chocolate Bread Pudding at Flavors from FirePumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Trifle at Festival FavoritesMickey-shaped Celebration Macaron at Sunshine SeasonsPistachio-Chocolate Mochi Doughnut at Connections CaféAlmond Panna Cotta at ItalyPaleta de Moras at Mexico, a berry ice pop with chili-lime seasoningCredit: DisneyA Practical Payment TipDisney Gift Card wristlets return this year, featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.Minimum $15 activationAvailable at merchandise locations throughout EPCOTUsable at Global Marketplaces and anywhere Disney Gift Card is acceptedFor a festival where you are making a dozen small purchases across a full day, a wearable payment method beats digging out your phone at every booth.How to Actually Plan This EPCOT FestivalTwo pieces of advice before you go.Check which booths are open on your specific dates, since roughly six locations open after the festival begins.And if the 30th anniversary items matter to you, look for the 30th icon in the Foodie Guide rather than trying to remember which dish debuted in which year.The festival runs through November 21, so there is time. There is just a lot of it to get through.The post Disney Released EPCOT Food & Wine Menus Are Out, but Something is Missing appeared first on Inside the Magic.