Disney has dropped the full Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 lineup, giving EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival guests more than 50 nights of music to pair with global flavors. From August 28 through November 22, the America Gardens Theatre will host chart-toppers such as Boyz II Men, smash-mouth nostalgia acts like Smash Mouth, and six first-time performers, all included with park admission. Here is everything you need to plan the perfect night of tunes, tasting, and-if you book smart-guaranteed seats.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Reserved-seat dining packages open July 16, 2025.
- Six debut acts, including The Beach Boys and Jordin Sparks.
- Three nightly shows at 530 p.m., 645 p.m., and 8 p.m.
- Concerts run Fridays-Mondays, Aug. 29-Nov. 22.
- Dining package includes entrée, dessert, drink, and saved seat.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 Snapshot - How It Works
Shows run on Festival Fridays through Mondays, giving travelers 54 chances to catch a set without sacrificing ride time. Seating is first-come unless you hold a Festival Concert Series Dining Package: book breakfast, lunch, or dinner at select EPCOT restaurants and receive a paper ticket reserving a same-day seat in one of the first sections. Packages start at one table-service credit on the Disney Dining Plan or a cash price that varies by restaurant. Showtimes-530, 645, and 8 p.m.-let you wrap a meal and still claim a spot for the opening chords.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 Background - Why It Matters
Launched in 1999, Eat to the Beat adds a live-music dimension to EPCOT's flagship food Festival, drawing both day guests and Orlando locals who treat the series like a mini amphitheater season. In 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 cut the roster to local cover bands. Disney reinstated national acts in 2022 and has expanded the slate yearly since. With capacity hovering around 1,000 seats, popular nights can see standby lines form two hours early, pushing guests to the dining package for peace of mind. Florida Blue again sponsors the series, funding upgraded lighting and sound introduced in 2024.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 - Latest Developments
A bigger calendar and a more eclectic mix headline 2025.
New Acts Bring Fresh Sound
Six artists make their EPCOT debut. Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famers The Beach Boys surf in on November 16, Bowing for Soup drops pop-punk on November 14, while Jordin Sparks and Ben Rector add contemporary pop appeal. U.K. boy-band revival The Wanted 2.0 lands October 10-11, and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall opens the new-artist run September 5-6.
Fan Favorites Return
Expect packed bleachers for Hanson's four-night stint, Boyz II Men's soulful harmonies, and MercyMe's chart-topping Christian rock. Joey Fatone & Friends kick off the first weekend, a tradition since 2023. Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy brings swing on Halloween weekend, while Smash Mouth delivers "All Star" energy October 26-27.
Planning Your Visit
Park reservations are no longer required, but you will need an EPCOT dated ticket or Park Hopper entry after 2 p.m. Dining packages open on the My Disney Experience app and by phone at 7 a.m. ET on July 16. Regular standby guests should enter the theatre from the Japan side for the shortest late-afternoon queues, then enjoy global marketplaces between sets. For extra strategy, see our guide to the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival.
Analysis
The expanded Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 pushes EPCOT's Festival well beyond its culinary roots, effectively turning the America Gardens Theatre into an 87-day residency. For travelers, that means live entertainment value surpassing the cost of a one-day ticket-especially when compared with Orlando arena prices. The dining package remains the smartest spend: its fixed price shields visitors from surge-day Genie+ fluctuations and doubles as a guaranteed seat during typically packed fall break weeks. Families should target early shows, leaving later sets to adult night-owls. Concerts also ease pressure on evening ride queues; when the lights come up at 830 p.m., Remy's Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After often dip under 45 minutes. If you plan to "rope-drop" Canada's beer-cheese soup or Japan's sake ice cream, aim for weekend mornings when locals sleep in after late concerts. Bottom line this year's lineup blends nostalgia, contemporary pop, and Latin flair better than any prior roster, rewarding guests who build a concert-and-culinary game plan in advance.
Final Thoughts
Lock in a dining package when bookings open, arrive 30 minutes before showtime, and use the breaks to sample nearby marketplaces. Mix-and-match concert nights with EPCOT's extended evening hours for deluxe-resort guests, and don't forget ear protection for kids under six. With smart timing, you will leave the Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2025 humming hits-not lamenting missed meals or long lines.