Want to experience a live show in the America Gardens Theater during an EPCOT festival, but you’re worried about logistics? We’re breaking down all of the festival dining packages and whether they are worth it.
It’s always festival season at EPCOT. Throughout the year, the park hosts various festivals, including the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, and the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays.
Each of these festivals brings an array of different activities and eats that fans can enjoy, from scavenger hunts to food booths throughout the park. Each of the festivals also hosts its own concert series or live show for guests to enjoy at the America Gardens Theatre. Featuring celebrities and professional musicians, the series are always incredibly popular, which can mean seating is not always available. However, there is one great way to guarantee your seat for one of these events — festival dining packages! For a set rate, a festival dining package offers guests priority seating along with a prix-fixe menu at one of the restaurants in EPCOT. To make it easier to plan for your trip, we’re breaking down each available option by festival!
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts: Disney on Broadway
Disney on Broadway Concert Series. Photo courtesy of Disney.
The first festival of the calendar year at EPCOT, the International Festival of the Arts takes guests on a sensory journey through different kinds of art — culinary, visual, and performing. The festival typically runs through January and February and includes the Disney on Broadway concert series. The concert brings Broadway performers to the stage of the America Gardens Theatre, with artists from Disney Broadway shows such as Tarzan, Frozen, and Aladdin. The concert series offers three nightly performances at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8 PM.
Dining packages for the event allows guests to pair either lunch or dinner with guaranteed seating for the show. In 2023, the participating Table Service restaurants included:
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at $74 for adults/$48 for children
- Biergarten Restaurant at $60for adults/$34 for children
- Coral Reef Restaurant at $69 for adults/$27 for children
- Garden Grill Restaurant at $66 for adults/$43 for children
- Rose & Crown Dining Room at $59 for adults/$25 for children
- Le Cellier at $95 for adults/$36 for children
- Spice Road Table at $47 adults/$20 for children
The Disney on Broadway Concert Series offers an additional option for festival dining. You can utilize the same-day walk-up Disney on Broadway Dining Packages. For this option, Regal Eagle Smokehouse is the sole Quick Service location included. While it is first-come, first-serve, it does include an entrée, non-alcoholic beverage, and dessert for $35.99 for both adults and children.
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: Garden Rocks
The Garden Rocks Concert at the 2022 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival. Photo by Courtney Reynolds
Running from March 1 through July 5, 2023, the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival offers guests a visual and savory overload in a blooming way. From gorgeous topiaries featuring your favorite Disney characters to garden exhibits, this festival allows guests to celebrate the spring season in EPCOT. As part of the festival, EPCOT hosts the Garden Rocks Festival concert series, which allows you to rock out to some fan-favorite artists. This year, guests will have the chance to see bands and singers such as The Pointer Sisters, Rick Springfield, Smash Mouth, and Daughtry, among others.
Similarly to the Disney on Broadway series, Garden Rocks takes place nightly at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8 PM. EPCOT guests looking to take in the show can also grab a dining package at the participating Table Service restaurants, which options including either a three-course meal or a full buffet with a non-alcoholic beverage (where applicable):
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at $74 for adults/$48 for children
- Biergarten Restaurant at $60 for adults/$34 for children
- Coral Reef Restaurant at $69 for adults/$27 for children
- Garden Grill Restaurant at $66 for adults/$43 for children
- Le Cellier at $95 for adults/$36 for children
- Rose & Crown Dining Room at $59 for adults/$25 for children
- Spice Road Table at $47 adults/$20 for children
Similar to the Disney on Broadway Series, Regal Eagle Smokehouse is the sole Quick Service location included in the walk-up, same-day packages, and it costs $35 for adults and $20 for children (3-9).
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival: Eat to the Beat
Photo courtesy of Disney
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is all about the food! With an array of food booths set up around EPCOT, guests are taken on a mouthwatering journey around the world with delicious options from a variety of countries. While the information for the 2023 festival has yet to be announced, this festival typically runs between July and November.
The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Concert series is called the Eat to the Beat concert series. Guests can see some star-studded performances by some of the most popular acts in the business. In the past, you’ve been able to catch acts such as Joey Fatone and Friends, 98 Degrees, Tiffany, American Authors, and Air Supply. In 2022, these performances occurred nightly at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8 PM.
With names like Taylor Dayne, Billy Ocean, and Hansen, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have a front-row seat for the action. The Eat to the Beat Dining Package offers priority seating in a separate section and includes either a three-course meal or a full buffet with a non-alcoholic beverage. As mentioned, the 2023 information has yet to be released but in 2022, the following packages were available.
- Biergarten Restaurant at $57 for adults/$32 for children
- Coral Reef Restaurant at $69 for adults/$22 for children
- Garden Grill Restaurant at $66 for adults/$43 for children
- Le Cellier at $79 for adults/$28 for children
- Rose & Crown Dining Room at $59 for adults/$25 for children
In 2022, both Regal Eagle Smokehouse and Spice Road Table were available as same-day-only packages. Regal Eagle was $34.99 for adults and $16.99 for kids, while Spice Road Table was $44 for adults and $16 for kids.
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays: Candlelight Processional
Candlelight Processional. Photo by Laurie Sapp
Celebrate the holidays around the world during the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. From traditional decor, storytellers, cuisine, and music, you’ll be immersed in holiday traditions. Each year, this festival runs from late-November through the end of December.
One of the most popular aspects of the Festival of the Holidays is the Candlelight Processional. Dating back to 1955 at Disneyland, the Candlelight Processional is one of the oldest and most popular traditions to grace the Disney Parks. What is the Candlelight Processional? It is a traditional way to celebrate the Christmas Story, complete with a celebrity narrator, a 50-piece orchestra, and a choir. In 2022, some of the celebrity narrators included Neil Patrick Harris, Marie Osmond, Gloria Estefan, and Simu Liu.
This amazing telling of a Christmas Story is incredibly popular, which means you should definitely consider a dining package. Candlelight Processional Dining packages include an appetizer, entree, dessert, and nonalcoholic beverage or a buffet. During the 2022 holiday season, guests could dine at the following, which included a seat for the Processional:
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at $79 for adults/$51 for children
- Biergarten Restaurant at $65 for adults/$37 for children
- Coral Reef Restaurant at $74 for adults/$30 for children
- Garden Grill Restaurant at $71 for adults/$46 for children
- Le Cellier at $100 for adults/$39 for children
- Rose & Crown Dining Room at $64 for adults/$28 for children
Like all of the other festival dining packages, Regal Eagle Smokehouse was available in 2022 as a walk-up only and was $40 for both adults and children. Spice Road Table was also available as a walk-up only and was $52 for adults and $23 for children.
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Candlelight Processional is POPULAR — Plan Accordingly
All of these series and events are popular, but because of their limited time, as well as the names attached, Candlelight Processional is going to be one of the harder seats to get. If watching the Candlelight Processional is a must-do for you, then you may want to consider picking up a dining package as soon as they go on sale to make sure that you get guaranteed seating (and a meal!) for the festive show.
Le Cellier Can Be a Great Deal
Le Cellier is an incredibly popular restaurant located in the Canada Pavilion at EPCOT. It’s one of the harder reservations to get while you’re at Disney World, so if you’ve been wanting to check it out, the dining package can be a great deal for it. The restaurant is pricey, so getting a dining package (which includes an appetizer, dinner, dessert, and non-alcoholic drink for a set price) can end up being a pretty good deal!
Consider a Same-Day Dining Package
All of these series are happening during festivals when many guests will be eating around the world. Because of this, Table Service restaurants can sometimes be a bit heavier than guests are looking for during their day. If that’s the case for you, a same-day dining package may be the better deal! This option lets you choose to pick it up day-of, giving you access to a meal at a Quick Service restaurant. The smaller meal, more affordable price, and flexibility of being able to choose it the same-day can be appealing depending on your plans!
Have you ever tried festival dining packages before? If so, which is your favorite? Let us know on social media!
