Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2024

By James | Last updated January 3, 2024

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In 2024 the “Epcot International Festival of the Arts” dates are every day of the week for 39 days, from January 12 to February 19, 2024.

First introduced in 2017, the new festival ran from mid February to late March. In the first year it ran for 24 days, over six four-day weekends but it has gradually matured over the following few years and in 2020 it ran for 39 consecutive days.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021 it was renamed “A Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts” to reflect the changes in structure with some events being cancelled due to social distancing and safety protocols.

Disney are yet to release details of many of the events for 2024 so some information still relates to earlier years where noted

Now in its seventh year, it celebrates art, performance, food and drink from around the world with live musical performances and stage productions, art displays and like all Epcot festivals these days, gourmet food and special merchandise.

Like other Epcot festivals, a theme park admission ticket is required but there is no separate admission charge to attend the festival or view the music concerts. There are additional fees for the workshops.

Do not forget to pickup the Festival of the Arts passport when you enter Epcot for details of all the events especially the food and drink offerings. Collect stamps when you purchase festival food and drink samplers and if you fill your “palette” you could take home a special culinary prize

Epcot International Festival of the Arts Highlights

Highlights of the festival include:

  • art exhibitions plus artist seminars and workshops from top Disney artists as well as local and nationally acclaimed artists. Topics include animation drawing, photography and making topiaries
  • special food studios themed on gourmet food and drinks that are works of art in their own right
  • performance artists
  • Disney on Broadway concert series featuring some of Disney’s best theatrical productions
  • Disney on Broadway Dining Packages combining a three course meal at selected restaurants with priority seating for the Disney on Broadway concert series

All Disney firework displays are back on and there are three character cavalcades running throughout the day:

  • Frozen Promenade with Queen Anna and Elsa
  • Mickey and Friends
  • Princess Promenade

Art Exhibitions, Seminars and Workshops

Throughout the park you will be able to admire beautiful works of art, everything from jewellery making to photography, paper sculpting, t-shirt screen printing and painting. Watch over 100 artists working on new projects and even buy some of their work. You can even get some of them to customise the work for you.

Of course there is also a load of Disney Art Festival themed merchandise for sale including MagicBands, apparel, masks, trading pins and event posters.

Animation Academy

The Animation Academy is a complimentary workshop at the America Gardens Theatre where an Animation Artist shows guest how to draw some of their favourite Disney characters. It takes place at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily and an artist board, paper and pencil are provided.

Artists will include:

  • Will Gay
  • Lon Smart
  • Matthew Dewater
  • Brian Blackmore
  • Sarah Schmidt
  • David Holbrook
  • Michael Montgomery
  • Alex Maher
  • Andy Quiles
  • Hannah Loflin
  • Luke Consolo
  • Justin Dring

Expression Section: Paint by Number Mural

There is a complimentary “painting-by-numbers” Expression Section: Paint by Number Mural at World Showcase Plaza where anyone can grab a paintbrush and take part in creating a larger than life artwork. It has been re-configured to cope with social distancing. This is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt

Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt is inspired by Figment the dragon. You can buy a World Showcase map and stickers for $9.99 plus tax at Pin Central, Disney Traders or World Traveler.

Then you can visit each of the World Showcase pavilions and search for famous pieces of artwork in a Figment-themed frame . Stick the appropriate location sticker on your map and when you have found them all return to Disney Traders for a souvenir gift.

Also there are a number of Kidcot Fun Stop craft stations located around the World Showcase where kids can collect stamps and create a complimentary personalised souvenir.

Chalk Full of Character

You can even make your own game by seeing how many chalk drawings featuring Disney characters you can find throughout the park.

Chalk Art

Marvel at some of the sidewalk chalk artwork in Future World East to World Showcase. Look out for foot print symbols showing you where to stand to get some amazing 3D photo effects with some of the chalk art. This is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Artful Photo Opportunities

A big hit with all the guests are the “Artful Photo Opportunities” life-sized walk-in paintings where you can get photographs of yourself and your family in famous works of art like:

  • International Gateway: Luncheon of the Boating Party – Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  • The American Adventure: Washington Crossing the Delaware – Emanuel Leutze
  • Between Italy Pavilion and Germany Pavilion: Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci
  • Between Italy Pavilion and Germany Pavilion: The Scream – Edvard Munch
  • Mexico Pavilion: An Homage to Frida Kahlo
  • Bridge to World Showcase: Wish Storybook
  • Italy Pavilion Courtyard: Teatime with Penguins
  • Bridge to World Showcase: Forest Scene from Sleeping Beauty

Disney’s PhotoPass members are on hand to capture the moment.

Animation Academy

The Animation Academy is a complimentary workshop at the America Gardens Theatre where an Animation Artist shows guest how to draw some of their favourite Disney characters. It takes place at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily and an artist board, paper and pencil are provided.

Expression Section: Paint by Number Mural

There is a complimentary “painting-by-numbers” Expression Section: Paint by Number Mural at World Showcase Plaza where anyone can grab a paintbrush and take part in creating a larger than life artwork. This takes place between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

Chalk Full of Character

You can even make your own game by seeing how many chalk drawings featuring Disney characters you can find throughout the park.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts Food Studios

In 2023 there were 16 themed food studios dotted around the World Showcase Promenade and in 2024 they are planning another 16.

Each has amazing works of culinary art that you can purchase and try sampler-sized portions for yourself. Prices are similar to other Epcot festival food but what sets them apart is the sheer artistry and presentation. Expect to pay around $5 to $9 for entrees and $4 to $7 for desserts.

The names of some of the studios give a clue to the style of cuisine:

  • The Artist’s Table — The American Adventure
  • Cuisine Classique (Near Test Track Presented by Chevrolet) – NEW!
  • The Craftsman’s Courtyard — near Disney Traders
  • Deco Delights — near Port of Entry
  • The Deconstructed Dish — near Port of Entry
  • El Artista Hambriento (The Hungry Artist) — Mexico
  • Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food and Little Sparks of Magic (NEW)
  • Goshiki (Five Colours) — Japan
  • Gourmet Landscapes — Canada
  • L’Art de la Cuisine Française (The Art of French Cuisine) — France
  • L’Arte di Mangiare (The Art of Eating) — Italy
  • The Painted Panda — China
  • Pastoral Palate — Germany
  • Pop Eats — near Port of Entry
  • Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina — Morocco
  • Vibrante & Vívido (Vibrant & Vivid) — between Morocco & France

In addition to the Festival of the Arts Food Studios, several of the regular food outlets offer special festival treats including Refreshment Port, Refreshment Outpost and Funnel Cake.

If you are coffee fan and you also like chocolate bars then the four Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company stands each gave a very special Festival of the Arts coffee offering:

Disney has not yet released the 2024 menus so below are some of the items from the last couple of years

  • Caramel Canvas Latte — with peanut butter syrup, caramel, and dark chocolate sauce topped with Snickers® bar pieces at Showcase Plaza (Odyssey)
  • Color-Me-Latte — with espresso, swiss chocolate syrup, and dark chocolate sauce sprinkled with M&M’s® candies at The American Adventure
  • Starry Night Latte — with espresso, dulce de leche, white chocolate, and dark chocolate sauce topped with Milky Way® bar pieces at Future World East
  • Creative Twist Latte — with brown butter toffee syrup and swiss chocolate syrup topped with Twix® bar pieces at the Canada pavillion

Check the festival passport for all the food and drink offerings and look out for the menu boards at each food studio. Note that to purchase and drink alcoholic beverages you must be 21 or older and you may need to show ID.

To wet your appetite, these are just a few of the new dishes and beverages:

  • Lobster Poutine — lobster, lobster bisque cheese sauce, pickled jalapeños, and citrus cream
  • Chilled Seafood Cocktail — octopus, scallops, shrimp, black garlic aïoli, tomato-coconut sauce, and Serrano-lime oil
  • Prime Steak Tartare — pickled vegetables, parsley salad, béarnaise anglaise, and sous vide quail egg
  • Pork Belly Pastor — pastor-marinated pork belly atop boniato purée with charred pineapple and crispy cilantro
  • Moelleux à la Framboise et aux Chocolats Valrhona — molten chocolate and raspberry cake with pure origin Valrhona chocolates
  • Bomboloni — cream-filled Italian doughnut with raspberry sauce and powdered sugar
  • Red Velvet Funnel Cake — topped with cream cheese icing and pixie dust
  • Barrel of Monks Brewing Raspberry Beret from Boca Raton, Florida
  • Playalinda Brewing Co. Blue Raspberry Blonde from Titusville, Florida
  • 1906 Reserva Especial Dark Amber Lager
  • Frozen Piña Colada

Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine

In your Disney passport you will see a group of seven specific colour coded artistic dishes. In 2023 they were:

  • Blue — Orange Mousse with Lemon Cake and Raspberry Meringues at Deco Delights
  • Green — Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Flexible Key Lime Curd, “Key Lime” Mousse, Graham Cracker Cake and Meringues at The Deconstructed Dish
  • Indigo — Almond Frangipane Cake layered with Raspberry Jam and Belgian Chocolate at Pop Eats
  • Orange — Pan-Seared Scallops with Vanilla-Butternut Squash Purée, Brown Butter Cauliflower Purée and Lime Foam at Moderne
  • Red — Blood Orange-Braised Beet Tartare with Mustard Vinaigrette, Pickled Clamshell Mushrooms and Golden Beets at Gourmet Landscapes
  • Violet — Pop’t Art: Sugar Cookie with Blueberry Filling at Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food and Little Sparks of Magic
  • Yellow — Chorizo and Potato Empanada with Turmeric Aïoli, and Annatto Aïoli at Vibrante & Vivido: Encanto Cocina

If you purchase and collect stamps for at least five of them you can visit Deco Delights Food Studio to claim your reward; a The Artist Palette Cookie. You do not need to collect all the stamps on the same day if you visit more than once.

Performance Artists

You will find performance artists in both Future World and the World Showcase with singers, dancers and acrobats. They perform every day. The full list is yet to be announced but includes the following acts:

  • Nicholas Marks on guitar
  • Victor Espinola on harp
  • Don Black on saxophone
  • Dominic Gaudious on didgeridoo

Disney On Broadway

The accompanying “Disney On Broadway” musical performances used to just be on over each long weekend (Fridays through Mondays) but since 2019 there are concerts every night. The concert series feature some of the Disney on Broadway stars singing favourite songs from Broadway shows including songs from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Frozen, Newsies, Freaky Friday, Mary Poppins and The Lion King.

There are three performances per night at the America Gardens Theatre Epcot in the World Showcase, at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m. Seating is on a first-come-first-served basis unless you have booked a Disney on Broadway Dining Package in which case you are guaranteed priority seating.

The Disney On Broadway performances are effectively divided into three segments with two pairs of artists performing in each segment. Each night one of the pairs perform songs from around four Broadway shows.

On the last night, four artists perform in a special extended “grand finale” concert.

The artists rotate throughout the festival and the artists performing in 2024 are:

  • Caissie Levy (Frozen) and Patti Murin (Frozen) – January 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 22 and 23
  • Gavin Lee (Beauty and the Beast) and Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid) – January 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 24 and 25
  • Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) and L. Steven Taylor (The Lion King) – January 26, 28 and 29
  • Josh Strickland (Tarzan) and Kissy Simmons (The Lion King) – January 27, 30 and 31

Disney on Broadway Dining Packages

As part of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, you can book a special “Disney on Broadway Dining Package” that combines a three course meal or full buffet (lunch or dinner) at one of several Epcot restaurants and guaranteed priority seating at one of the three evening Disney On Broadway musical concerts.

Your package includes either an appetiser, entrée and dessert plus a non-alcoholic drink or a full buffet.

Prices range from $36 to $99 (Steakhouse) for adults and $21 to $47 for children (plus taxes and gratuities). Reservations are recommended and prices do not include taxes or gratuities.

All restaurants can be booked up to 60 days in advance with the exception of the Regal Eagle Smokehouse where only same-day dining packages are available at the restaurant.

The eight participating restaurants for 2024 are:

  • Akershus Royal Banquet (Norway Pavilion)
  • Biergarten Restaurant (Germany Pavilion)
  • Coral Reef Restaurant (The Living Seas)
  • Garden Grill Restaurant (The Land Pavilion)
  • Le Cellier Steakhouse (Canada Pavilion)
  • Regal Eagle Smokehouse (American Pavilion)
  • Rose & Crown Dining Room (United Kingdom Pavilion)
  • Spice Road Table (Morocco Pavilion)

Dining reservations must be at least two and a half hours before showtime. You can pick up your concert seating badges at the restaurant.

Disney Dining Plans are currently suspended but guests used to be able to use credits from their Magic Your Way Regular Dining Plan or Deluxe Dining Plan but it required two table service entitlements per package.

Epcot World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered

Also taking place during the Epcot International Festival of the Arts in 2020 was the “World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered Tour” in and around the eleven themed country pavilions that make up World Showcase.

The walking tour took around 4 1/2 hours and included a snack lunch. It operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from September 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020 but has not been repeated since.

Some of the tour went backstage for an added insight into the history, culture and food of the different countries.

Guest must be at least 16 years old and wear closed-toed shoes. You could make a reservation by calling (407) WDW-TOUR, price was $79 plus tax per adult.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts Information

You can get more information on the Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Disney’s Epcot International Festival of the Arts web site or by ringing 407 WDW-FEST (407 939–3378).

If you like your commemorative Epcot Festival of the Arts merchandise then you will find mugs, tee shirts, totes and much more at Art of Disney, Mouse Gear and World Traveler.

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