With the reopening of Disney parks in July, the regularly scheduled Epcot International Food and Wine Festival started early, as opposed to a typical Fall start date. This year’s Food and Wine Festival, while scaled down, is unique in other ways such as the integration of the Flower and Garden Festival topiaries and booths!

The Citrus Blossom, a Flower and Garden Festival Marketplace, is one of the first stops available when entering World Showcase. The Orange Sunshine Wine Slushie, pictured above, was extremely refreshing in the Florida heat! We visited this marketplace back in early March 2020 prior to the park’s closing, and we were excited to see this booth again!

During our visit, we found the park to be extremely empty. We visited on a weekday afternoon, which likely contributed to this. Either way, I found it to be a relaxing experience overall, as I didn’t feel crowded or overwhelmed at any point during our visit.

I was happy to see the Frothy Ramen as a repeat this year at the Japan Marketplace! I thoroughly enjoyed the chilled noodles and Dashi broth, a great spin on a foodie favorite! I don’t think I could have eaten a hot ramen dish this time of year.

Another repeat favorite was the Impossible Burger Slider from Earth Eats Marketplace, hosted by Impossible. All items at this booth are vegetarian friendly and are vibrant in color. The Impossible Burger Slider is topped with wasabi cream and spicy Asian slaw. Yum! We paired this slider with a Violet Lemonade Ale from local brewery, Playalinda Brewing Company, which is based in Titusville, Florida.

With the exception of feeling overheated by the end of our trip around world showcase, we had a great time, and enjoyed the short lines across the park! Our next visit to Epcot will not be until later in the year, but we can’t wait to return during the cooler weather!