Guest Exposed to Unhygienic Hazard at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is a beloved annual event at Walt Disney World Resort, drawing guests eager to sample international cuisines and festive drinks. Disney’s reputation for keeping the parks pristine is part of what makes this dining-focused event so enjoyable, but a recent incident has some visitors rethinking their footing.

A Disney Park guest recently shared an unfortunate experience on Reddit after they discovered an unwelcome souvenir on their way out of EPCOT.

Reddit user u/ThisTastesFunnie detected a strange smell while returning to their car at night. Their day took a gross turn when they looked down and saw the source of the odor: they had stepped in another guest’s fecal matter.

“[I] look down and yup, my right Nike was covered in it, a thick coating of butt gravy,” they wrote. “Whoever this was, please eat some more fiber; your GI tract will [thank] you.”

This unexpected encounter has sparked a wave of reactions from fellow Disney Parks fans. Many expressed sympathy, wondering how the guest arrived at their car before realizing what had happened. The theme park guest explained that, in some areas, the lighting around EPCOT and its parking lots is dim at night, making it easy to miss such biohazards on the ground.

While a culinary highlight, the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival does bring larger-than-usual crowds to the Disney park, often filling designated dining areas and even encouraging creative use of trash cans as tables. Although Disney’s custodial teams are known for keeping the park spotless, incidents like this can occasionally happen in high-traffic spaces. Walt Disney World Resort encourages guests to report any hygiene or cleanliness concerns to the nearest cast member.

Have you witnessed inappropriate behavior from another Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort guest? Share your story with Disney Fanatic in the comments. 

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks guest experience. No two guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Disney Fanatic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.