Category: EPCOT

EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2026

Epcot Festival of the Arts

Happy New Year!

It’s crazy that we’re already halfway into January and the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts has started!

This year, the festival runs from January 16 – February 23, 2026 at Disney World. This festival will showcase the fine arts, performance arts, and culinary arts.

One of the exciting new features of this year’s festival is an exhibit called Once Upon A Stage: The Magic of DISNEY ON BROADWAY. Discover authentic props, costumes and behind-the-scenes insights as you explore the artistry of beloved stage productions—like The Lion King, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.

A returning favorite from past festivals is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series where major Broadway stars perform songs from Disney Broadway musicals. Shows take place on select days at 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8:00pm at the America Gardens Theatre in the America pavilion. The list of performers is listed on the concert series page above. Check it often for the latest updates.

If you want to guarantee yourself a seat, you may want to book a dining package. Some shows will fill up fast.

Throughout the day around the park, other musical acts will also be performing.

Another key component will be the unique food booths showcasing dishes with a more artistic flair. Some look almost too pretty to eat!

One of the most unique features of this festival will be the many opportunities to see and participate in artistic activities yourself.

Artists will be showcasing their paintings and even painting live during the day. You can also join your fellow park-goers in painting a giant paint-by-numbers type wall mural.

Other artists will be drawing the most amazing 3D chalk art images on the sidewalks that you can then take pictures with. You really look like you’re inside that drawing. They’re incredible!

There will also be new photo ops, PhotoPass Magic Shots, plenty of merch, and many other fun activities. This is a short but unique festival and is included with your valid EPCOT admission. Try to catch it.

For more details, visit the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts page.

artistic opportunities

We’ve attended this festival in past years and it was one of our favorites. As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your Disney trip. We hope to see you there!

Pics ©Disney

2025 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Starts Today

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival starts today, August 28, 2025, and runs through November 22, 2025. This is one of our favorite Disney World events!

Take a taste tour around the world at appetizing marketplaces featuring authentic global cuisine and beverages. This is foodie heaven with delicious dishes, fine wine, craft beer, spirits, and other beverages sure to satisfy every palate.

For a full list of the numerous marketplace menus, check out the festival page below:

Hear live musical performances from renowned artists and fresh, local talent at the Eat to the Beat concert series with performances nightly starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM at the America Gardens Theatre.

For a full performance schedule, see below:

Eat to the Beat Concert

Participate in the Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak or Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunts. Commemorate your trip with special photo ops. And of course, there will be plenty of merchandise if you want to go souvenir shopping.

Feel free to contact me to chat about this festival or planning a Disney trip in general. We love going to Disney World during these festivals!

Pics ©Disney

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2025

EPCOT Food & Wine Festival topiaries

The 2025 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival at Disney World has started! It will be held March 5th – June 2nd this year!

We love this festival! Its most unique feature is the amazing topiaries. There are so many incredibly detailed and lifelike floral topiaries of Disney characters and various other objects all around the park. If you go, definitely go around to find them all.

Another favorite is the different food kiosks with creative foods and drinks to try. It’s fun to go with others so you can share something from each kiosk. There’s no way you can eat everything yourself, at least not in one day. Check out this Food Kitchen page for a complete list of the food offerings this year.

Garden Rocks Concert Series

The Garden Rocks Concert Series also returns to the America Pavilion Theater with a long lineup of artists. View the concert lineup here often, as the performers can change. Some popular performers can fill up fast, so line up early.

If you want to guarantee yourself a seat, you can also reserve a dining package, which will get you a meal during that day and guaranteed entry to the concert show of your choice. The concerts occur at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM on select nights and are included with your EPCOT admission ticket. You can listen and watch from the back of the open-air theater as you walk by the America Pavilion, but if you want to go in and sit down, you’ll need to line up early or book a dining package.

Butterfly Pavilion

There will also be scavenger hunts, a butterfly house, themed garden areas around the World Showcase countries, play areas and other activities for the little ones, photo ops, and plenty of merchandise. For more details, view this page for the festival:

There’s no shortage of things to do at EPCOT for the next few months. Hopefully, you can make it to Orlando to check it out. 

Please contact me if I can help you plan your next Disney trip.

Festival merchandise

Pics ©Disney

No More Virtual Queues

Virtual Queue

Beginning February 25, 2025, Disney World guests can experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT through a standby queue or as a Lightning Lane experience. The Virtual Queue will no longer be used for these or any other rides.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure ride

Virtual queues are helpful with the launch of new attractions and experiences, so they may use them again in the future. 

Please visit my Lightning Lane page for more information on using Lightning Lanes during your trip.

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your next trip.

Guardians of the Galaxy ride

EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2025

Epcot Festival of the Arts

This year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is about to start on Friday and will run from January 17 – February 24, 2025 at Disney World. This festival will showcase the fine arts, performance arts, and culinary arts.

Disney on Broadway concerts

A highlight of this festival is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series where major Broadway stars perform songs from Disney Broadway musicals. Shows take place on select days at 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8:00pm at the America Gardens Theatre in the America pavilion. The list of performers is listed on the concert series page above. Check it often for the latest updates.

If you want to guarantee yourself a seat, you may want to book a dining package. Some shows will fill up fast.

Throughout the day around the World Showcase, other musical acts will also be performing.

Food booths

Another key component will be the unique food booths showcasing dishes with a more artistic flair. Some look almost too pretty to eat!

One of the most unique features of this festival will be the many opportunities to see and participate in artistic activities yourself.

Wall mural

Artists will be showcasing their paintings and even painting live during the day. You can also join your fellow park-goers in painting a giant paint-by-numbers type wall mural.

Other artists will be drawing the most amazing 3D chalk art images on the sidewalks that you can then take pictures with. You really look like you’re inside that drawing. They’re incredible!

Photo ops

There will also be new photo ops, PhotoPass Magic Shots, plenty of merch, and many other fun activities. This is a short but unique festival and is included with your valid EPCOT admission. Try to catch it.

For more details, visit the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts page.

artistic opportunities

We’ve attended this festival in past years and it was one of our favorites. As always, feel free to contact me if you want to chat about planning your Disney trip.

Pics ©Disney

2024 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Starts Tomorrow

The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will start tomorrow, July 29th, and run through November 23, 2024, this year. This is one of our favorite Disney World events!

Take a taste tour around the world at appetizing marketplaces featuring authentic global cuisine and beverages. This is foodie heaven with delicious 2 dishes, fine wine, craft beer, spirits, and other beverages sure to satisfy every palate.

For a full list of the numerous marketplace menus, check out the festival page below:


Hear live musical performances from renowned artists and fresh, local talent at the Eat to the Beat concert series with performances nightly starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM, and 8:00 PM at the America Gardens Theatre.

For a full performance schedule, see below:

Eat to the Beat Comcert

Participate in the Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak or Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunts. Commemorate your trip with special photo ops. And of course, there will be plenty of merch if you want to do some souvenir shopping.

Don’t skip EPCOT on your next Disney World trip!

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about this festival or planning a Disney trip in general. We love going to Disney World during these festivals!

Remy