Best and worst new food items at the 2024 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is back, and we found the best and worst new food options for 2024.
For Walt Disney World fans, the day after Thanksgiving means the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays begins. Instead of going Black Friday shopping, Orlando locals and vacationers alike flock to Epcot to enjoy the festive performances, holiday storytellers, decorations, and, of course, holiday food and beverages. The 2024 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays runs through Dec. 30.
CommuniCore Hall
For the 2024 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, CommuniCore Hall receives a makeover, complete with an eight-foot-tall gingerbread display inspired by the classic attraction Spaceship Earth. This creation consists of a geodesic sphere made of handcrafted gingerbread triangles. As a bonus, this display lights up periodically, just like the actual Spaceship Earth attraction.
Guests can purchase a new “cookie” item this year at CommuniCore Hall, as well: Spaceship Earth Tile Gingerbread Triangles that resemble the pieces that make up the Spaceship Earth gingerbread design.
All the new food at Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2024
In addition to the Spaceship Earth Tile Gingerbread Triangles, nine more new food options appear on the 2024 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays menus:
- Empanada de Pollo
- Tamal de Puerco con Mole
- XO Fried Rice
- Panettone
- Gingerbread Funnel Cake
- Mochi Donut Wrap
- Roasted ham with mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon, white wine mustard sauce, and darphin roasted herb potatoes
- Chocolate Fudge Christmas Log
- Coffee Mocha Cookie
Two new food items appear at the Mexico booth, and guests will also find two new food items at the France booth. The other items come from Italy, China, Japan, The American Adventure Pavilion, and the “Hawaii” Holiday Kitchen (between World Showcase and the Imagination! Pavilion). As mentioned, the Spaceship Earth Tile Gingerbread Triangles reside at CommuniCore Hall.
Two of these new food options qualify as part of the cookie stroll. Since guests only need five “cookie” purchases to earn the “completer” treat, trying some new items gets guests part of the way there.
Guests should expect to see a higher percentage of sweet options during the Festival of the Holidays compared to other times of the year. Of course, our visit to Universal Orlando Resort for its holiday celebration reinforced that winter holidays equate to sweet treats in Florida theme parks.
Best new food at Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2024
We tried all 10 new food options for this year’s event on Opening Day, Nov. 29. As a result, we found some winners. Of course, not every new item stands out. This year, the new items we expected to be able to recommend lived up to our expectations. A few we expected to be “just okay” were just as expected. Still, we found some surprises.
Empanada de Pollo at Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen ($8.00)
Over the years, our experience with the festival food booths in the Mexico area of World Showcase has been feast or famine. In most cases, we either love the new food items or find them disappointing.
For 2024, the Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen created a new food option: Empanada de Pollo. Empanadas work like stuffed dough pockets. They resemble a mini calzone. However, they are filled with savory or sweet items instead of being folded over pizza. This booth accomplished that very well on Opening Day.
The menu description for this new Epcot Festival of the Holidays item reads, “Fried Corn Tortilla filled with Chipotle Chicken and Potatoes topped with Chile Rojo Salsa, Crema Mexicana, and Queso Fresco.” That menu description promised a variety of robust flavors.
Though the empanada does not deliver all those flavors, it brings a solid quality to one’s taste buds. The texture also works well with this item. Our group found this one of the most enjoyable items we tried on the Opening Day of the Festival of the Holidays. We expect most guests will enjoy this savory item.
Additionally, this Holiday Kitchen has a new tamale this year, Tamal de Puerco, which might be a great option if you enjoy mole sauce. It consists of shredded pork in corn masa topped with mole negro, queso fresco, crema mexicana, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds.
XO Fried Rice at Shanghai Holiday Kitchen ($9.75)
One of the surprises we found during our food tour of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2024 was at the Shanghai Holiday Kitchen in the China Pavilion. This year, it unveiled a brand-new item, XO Fried Rice, that sounded fairly standard. However, we were alarmed by the price, which was almost $10.
Despite that, the XO Fried Rice offers intense flavors. It contains a variety of items to enhance the festival food item. The menu description reads, “Chinese sausage, onion, green onion, mushroom, egg, and house-made Hong Kong XO Chili Sauce.” This does contain, in spots, more than the usual amount of theme park spice. Those who are averse to spicy food should be careful with this one. Nonetheless, we found this to be one of the best items we tried on the festival’s Opening Day, including some of the returning items. This new food item shows signs that it will be prepared well throughout the festival, which is another reason we classify the XO Fried Rice as one of the best new food items at the 2024 Epcot Festival of the Holidays.
Two honorable mentions
Though our group did not give the following two items as high marks as the “best” items, we felt the need to mention them. The Coffee Mocha Cookie (available at the Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen for $3.25) and the Gingerbread Funnel Cake (located at The American Adventure for $12.00) earned high marks from several colleagues. We tried both items. Our experiences with both were just okay. Still, based on chatting with colleagues, we think these should be considered for dining enjoyment when attending the Epcot Festival of the Holidays.
Worst new food at Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2024
Not every new food item at a theme park food festival will be outstanding. We found new food on Opening Day of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2024 that was good, but which we wouldn’t recommend prioritizing over other better food listed above.
In fairness, the food quality as events like this can change as the weeks continue. The quality and preparation can improve or degrade. In other words, our experience reflects Opening Day. If you visit later in the year, these items that qualify as “worst” might improve. Restaurants of every type have good and bad days.
Panettone at the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen ($7.00)
The new item at the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen is a sweet treat of Panettone bread pudding and vanilla cream. Panettone (pronounced “pah-net-taw-nee”) is an Italian yeast-leavened bread that usually contains raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy. This sweet treat is sometimes called “Christmas Cake.”
It would be impressive if the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen at Epcot created a version of this. We knew what to expect, since we have enjoyed this treat style before in other settings and celebrations. The quality of Epcot’s version was decent, but did not live up to the value and flavor of other sweet treats at this event. The vanilla cream used for this holiday dessert did not impress our group.
Our biggest disappointment related to the small portion size for an item costing $7. We expected a more robust flavor for this dessert style and price point. The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays has some better desserts for guests to select.
Spaceship Earth Tile Gingerbread Triangle at Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow ($10.00)
CommuniCore Hall contains an eight-foot-tall Spaceship Earth made of gingerbread triangles. This location also offers some Spaceship Earth-inspired gingerbread triangles. These are on the Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow menu and are part of the cookie stroll.
While we appreciate that display, on the festival’s Opening Day, the gingerbread-inspired treats that are part of the cookie stroll did not impress our group. The gingerbread was far too dense, and the chocolate and white coating failed to pair well with it. At $10, we would suggest some of the other sweet treats featured at the Festival of the Holidays, especially since many of those cost $4 or less.
We understand that almost everything in life costs more now. Still, our group would recommend instead several of the treats at the Odyssey building, like the Mint Chocolate Mousse Wreath and Apple Caramel Crumbs Cake.
Returning food from years past
Many food offerings from years past returned for the 2024 Festival of the Holidays at Epcot. Walt Disney World guests can once again purchase and enjoy the holiday cookies as part of the “cookie stroll.” Two sweets that made our “best of” list last year, the Mint Chocolate Mousse Wreath and Apple Caramel Crumb Cake, can be enjoyed again in 2024.
In the CommuniCore Hall area of Epcot, the Favorites of Festivals Past Holiday Kitchen provides some classic favorites of Festival of the Holidays that are no longer at the Epcot main Holiday Kitchens:
- Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream
- BBQ Pork Rinds served with Pimento Cheese
- Key Lime Tart
Some other returning favorite Festival of the Holidays food offerings are:
- Slow-roasted Turkey (at American Holiday Table)
- Blackened Catfish (at American Holiday Table)
- Seared Salmon (at Yukon Holiday Kitchen)
- Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl (at Bavaria Holiday Kitchen)
Ready to visit the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays?
We enjoyed our opening trip around Epcot. This event offers so much for guests to do in addition to the food and beverage. Visit the Walt Disney World website for more information.
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