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Around the WorldSpecial Events & Holidays

2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays – Why You Need to Visit!

The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth brings seasonal fun from around the globe to EPCOT. Through December 31, 2020, this magical event features delicious food, activities for the whole family, a chance to see Disney characters in their holiday finest, and more. Learn more below.





 

1 – Holiday Kitchens

The main reason many of us visit an EPCOT festival is for the amazing food and beverage options, and this year’s holiday festival is no different. There are twenty Holiday Kitchens located throughout World Showcase offer tasty treats of the season. This year there are two new locations:

  • The Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen in Showcase Plaza offers Kālua Pork, Lomi Lomi Salmon and Kona Brewing Co. Big Wave Golden Ale, among other tasty bites.
  • Holiday Hearth in World Showplace features plenty of sweet treats, including a Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie and a Gingerbread Milkshake.

 

Other top tastes this year include:

  • Beef Bourguignon with Crushed Potatoes at the Yukon Holiday Kitchen.
  • Duck Confit and Dumplings with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Fig Reduction at Festival Favorites in World Showplace.
  • Pastrami on Rye with House-made Pickles and Deli Mustard at the L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen
  • Holiday Pot Pie with Jackfruit, Mushrooms, Carrots, Peas, Onions and Puff Pastry at the American Holiday Table.
  • Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake with Cranberry Whipped Cream and Candied Pumpkin Seeds, also at American Holiday Table.
  • Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce, Spätzle and Braised Red Cabbage at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen.

Click here to see photos of every Holiday Kitchen menu board with pricing for easy planning!

2 – Holiday Themed Character Cavalcades

During the phased reopening, character greetings are temporarily suspended. Thankfully, we can still see our favorite characters dressed up for the season travel through World Showcase spreading joy.

  • Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Pluto make merry on the “Mickey and Friends Holiday World Tour.”
  • Queen Anna and Elsa wave to guests along their “Frozen Holiday Promenade.”
  • Santa Claus visits EPCOT for a grand tour around World Showcase in a horse-drawn carriage.

 

I feel catching the characters around World Showcase is the most challenging compared to the other parks. The characters begin and end at different points throughout World Showcase and their schedule is more erratic. They also fit the cavalcades in between the different entertainment sets offered throughout World Showcase (see #3).

You’ll also find Pooh Bear and Joy in Future World in the grassy area near the Imagination! Pavilion throughout the afternoon. Both have added holiday accessories to their outfits. Both are fun, interact with the crowds, and pose for distanced selfies!

3 – Holiday Entertainment

Special music fills the air throughout the park:

  • Inside World Showplace at EPCOT, JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season takes guests on a magical journey of holiday music.
  • Also, inside World Showplace, an EPCOT pianist performs holiday music from around the world.
  • Voices of Liberty use their harmonies to share songs of the season at America Gardens Theatre.
  • Also, at America Gardens Theatre, Mariachi Cobre bring to life Las Posadas, a celebration of Mexican holiday customs through music and dance.
  • At the Canada pavilion, the JAMMitors grace the Mill Stage with playful percussion full of merriment.




 

4 – The Holiday Cookie Stroll

The Holiday Cookie Stroll returns with freshly baked cookies from the EPCOT bakery ovens. The Festival Passport lists the five official stroll locations, with each stop offering a cookie for purchase and a stamp in the passport. After collecting all five stamps, guests can bring their passport to the Holiday Sweets & Treats location to receive a complimentary Minnie Mouse peppermint cookie. Guests can collect their cookies in a new ceramic Cookie Stroll jar, available for purchase at the Holiday Markets throughout World Showcase, while supplies last.

5 – Gingerbread Capital City

At World Showplace, you can marvel at a realistic gingerbread city created by Disney chefs. The patriotic display pays sweet homage to some of the United States’ most iconic landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and a five-foot-tall Washington Monument.

 

6 – Holiday Merchandise

Guests wishing to take a bit of holiday magic home with them can find an assortment of festival merchandise, including spirit jerseys, t-shirts, ornaments, trading pins and drinkware. You’ll find stands throughout World Showcase and a small store inside World Showplace. Learn more about the offerings this year in the video below.

 

7 – NEW! Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt

“Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition” scavenger hunt invites children of all ages to join a festive adventure around World Showcase, where they will round up holiday traditions the lovable snowman has misplaced. See the prizes in the photo below! I can’t wait to do the scavenger hunt the next time I’m at EPCOT!

8 – The Holidays at Walt Disney World

The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth is part of the holiday magic happening all across Walt Disney World this season. Learn more about the other offerings at the links below.

Click here for our Instagram Story from Opening Day of the 2020 Taste of Festival of the Holidays with photos and video!

Click here for our Instagram Story from our visit to the 2020 Taste of Festival of the Holidays on December 1 with photos and video!

Click here for information on the holiday offerings at Magic Kingdom and what you need to know.

Click here for the 2020 Holiday Foodie Guide to Magic Kingdom Park.

Click here for what you need to know about the holiday offerings at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Click here for more information on the holiday offerings at Disney Springs.

Click here for details on the holiday food items available at Disney Springs.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.



 

Cindy E. Nykamp

After friends and family made them their go-to people for Walt Disney World advice, Cindy and Chad launched DisneyLists.com in August 2015 to share their knowledge and love of Disney. Cindy wears many hats for DisneyLists.com. As a content creator, she has written over six hundred articles providing news, tips, planning, and more, for trips to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line to our followers. She directs a team of authors to bring our fans up-to-date information so that they can have the best Disney vacation experience. Cindy manages DisneyLists.com's Instagram account, sharing photos and videos to bring some Disney magic into our followers' feeds. She is also our chief photographer and has her photos featured on the official Walt Disney World Instagram account. Finally, Cindy regularly represents DisneyLists.com at Disney media events. While attending these events, she gets an insider's view of all the new things that have come to Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line and passes this information and tips to our followers.
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