Your Complete Guide to Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival

Foodies, mark your calendars: Disney's widely-celebrated International Food & Wine Festival will run this year from August 30 through November 12. The festival is a park-wide affair at Epcot, involving themed events, shows, and tastings spread throughout Future World and the World Showcase pavilions. Here's a rundown of what you can expect if you attend this year's festival.

Unsurprisingly, food takes center-stage during the Food & Wine Festival. In keeping with Epcot's theme, Disney takes the chance to highlight a dizzying array of global cuisine. You'll find food booths spread in every section of the park, each offering authentic, themed snacks. Although menu specifics change year-to-year, many offerings remain similar between festivals, allowing us to make some suggestions of fan-favorite booths that will be returning this year:

Flavors From Fire- Introduced in 2017, this Future World stand became an instant classic with its eclectic menu of bold flavors. This year, consider trying the new charred chimichurri steak and corn cake, which are already featured on Disney's blog.

Canada- Mentioned in almost every top-ten list written about Food & Wine, Canada's booth is always a crowd-pleaser. Expect offerings such as filet mignon and the wildly-popular cheddar broccoli soup.

Chocolate Studio- Requiring little explanation, the Chocolate Studio booth delivers decadent desserts to follow the savory snacks you'll have been eating all day.

With over 30 booths confirmed for 2018, there are far too many to list. Expect a booth for each showcase country, of course, but also non-featured countries including Greece, India, and Brazil.

Epcot is the only Disney park to serve alcoholic beverages, a policy you'll be grateful for if you visit during the festival. The headquarters for wine in the park is the Wine and Dine Studio, which typically has a diverse selection of reds, whites, and rosés alongside a menu of complementary food options. In addition, most of the other booths' menus will include suggested wine pairings, served in small portions to ensure you get to sample a wide variety.

In addition to Epcot's year-round entertainment offerings, you'll also have the opportunity to attend the Eat to the Beat free concert series. Shows are offered three times a night in the America Gardens Theatre and feature headlining artists representing a wide range of genres. Some of the acts in 2018's lineup include:

Plain White T's- September 17-19

Sugar Ray- September 24-25

Smash Mouth- October 13-14

Kenny G- October 22-23

Of course, this is only a sampling of the artists slated to perform, so be sure to check the full lineup before you finalize travel dates.

For a more interactive experience, consider attending one of the many educational events. You can choose from culinary demonstrations, food preparation workshops, and even expert seminars on proper food and wine pairings.

Most of the festivities are accessible to every guest with a valid Epcot park admission, though you should be prepared to fork over some extra money for your snacks.

Some events, such as those featuring celebrity guests or curated menus will cost extra. Expect to set aside between $15 and $200 per person for these premium events, for which you'll need advance reservations. A number of the free demonstrations require reservations as well, so make a note of any events you're really excited for and book them in advance.

If all of this has whetted your appetite for an Orlando vacation, be sure to consider Jeeves Florida Rentals for luxury rentals convenient to the Disney parks. After all, what could be nicer after a day of fine dining than coming home to your own mansion?