Epcot’s “Eat to the Beat” Concerts: Know Before You Go

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Ahh fall in Orlando – when the weather doesn’t routinely hit 90 degrees, the summer tourist traffic has died off, and then of course there is Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival. Besides the fantastic food and beverage section there is a solid concert lineup that is included with park admission. Here’s what you need to know before you head out to the festival.

The Artists

While the artist list isn’t full of big names, the intimate atmosphere and fast pace shows truly lend itself to making for very memorable performances. It’s impossible not to have fun – especially if you’ve been enjoying a few beverages. (Trust us – we’ve seen some artists that calling them a one hit wonder would be stretch).

The artists play three sets nightly – lasting around 35 minutes each – 5:30pm, 6:45pm, 8:00pm.

  • David Cook – September 25-27, 2015
  • Wilson Phillips – September 28-29, 2015
  • Christopher Cross – September 30-October 1, 2015
  • Starship – October 2-4, 2015
  • Smash Mouth – October 5-7, 2015
  • The Pointer Sisters – October 8-9, 2015
  • 38 Special – October 10-11, 2015
  • Rick Springfield – October 12-13, 2015
  • Sugar Ray – October 14-16, 2015
  • The S.O.S. Band – October 17-18, 2015
  • Air Supply – October 19-21, 2015
  • Fuel – October 22-23, 2015
  • Tiffany – October 24-25, 2015
  • Dennis DeYoung – October 26-28, 2015
  • Jo Dee Messina – October 29-30, 2015
  • Everclear  – October 31-November 1, 2015
  • Boyz II Men – November 2-4, 2015
  • Sister Hazel – November 5-6, 2015
  • Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – November 7-9, 2015
  • Hanson – November 10-12, 2015
  • Maxi Priest  – November 13-14, 2015
  • Chaka Khan  – November 15-16, 2015


Tips and Tricks

      • Want a (good) seat? Arrive early or pay up. Dedicated fans of the acts can be seen lining up hours in advance (namely for the bigger names) – usually while the first show is going on a group is already lining up for the second. Regardless, seating is limited – if you are really interested in seeing someone be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early (even earlier for bigger names such as Boyz II Men and Hanson). Or you can pay up – Disney offers several dining packages with reserved seats. The prices are fairly reasonable (as in not much more than paying for a meal separately) and the seats they reserve are up close.
      • See more than one set – as previously mentioned each artist plays three times each night. While you can expect their biggest hits to be repeated at each of the shows, the artists with a larger collection of hits tend to mix up the setlist from show to show. The 6:45 pm show may have 3 out of 5 different songs than the 5:30 set. Not all bands go this route – they need to have enough hits to do it.
      • Boyz II Men and Hanson are crowd favorites and are known to put on entertaining shows (we’ve never seem them, only heard good thing). Starship always shows up with very energetic rock and roll shows that makes them our favorite band each year. And while this is Everclear’s first year performing at the festive, we’ve seen them before and they put on a great show making them a “must-see” when they perform in late Oct.

Grab a beverage, feast on some food and enjoy some great shows in between.

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About Author

Living among the too-many-to-count theme parks of Orlando, FL, Andrew is always looking for an excuse to check out a show, buy some vinyl, modify (instead of play) his guitars, and eat food your mom would consider unhealthy.

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