Epcot International Arts Festival returns with a wide variety of disciplines. While this remains a highly visual event, it is designed to be a feast for the ears and taste buds.
The theme park will once again feature sets from Broadway singers, walk-in artwork, behind-the-scenes exhibits, and culinary creations served at 24 locations. (I do have a Skittles product or two, and I have to admit, it’s a colorful option.)
First held at Walt Disney World in 2017, the fest is included with regular Epcot admission. The period is from January 16th to February 23rd.
Community Core Encore
Now in its second year, Once Upon a Stage: The Magic of Disney on Broadway will be located in Community Core Hall. Props and costumes from “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” and “Beauty and the Beast” will be featured.
“What we’re really focusing on is that the walk-through experience is more of a behind-the-scenes aspect of a Broadway production, kind of like actually peeking behind the curtain, so to speak,” said Christopher Levetoria, producer of Disney Live Entertainment.
“There’s a really exciting element to ‘Aladdin’ that’s actually going to take place outside rather than inside the space. I think our guests are really going to get into that,” Levetoria said, without giving away any spoilers.
There will also be music performances outside and nearby on the Community Core Plaza stage. Instruments used include violin, guitar, ukulele, sitar, and saxophone. Benoît Lajeunesse and Don Black will return, but “we’re excited to welcome new talent to that stage this year,” Levetoria said.
broadway group
More than a dozen actors are scheduled to appear in the Disney on Broadway concert series at America’s Gardens Theater. Among them are six newcomers to the event. Newcomers include Isabel McCullough (“Aladdin”), Sierra Boggess (“The Little Mermaid”), Anastasia McCleskey (“Tarzan”), Ainsley Melham (“Aladdin”), James Monroe Iglehart (“Aladdin”), and Susan Egan (“Beauty and the Beast”).
The six festival veterans include Kissy Simmons (The Lion King), Josh Strickland (Tarzan), Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), Mandy Gonzalez (Aida), Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) and Jelani Remy (The Lion King).
Jacobs and McCullough will begin the lineup on Friday. Daily show times are 5:30pm, 6:45pm and 8pm.
food front
The 2026 festival menu includes 56 edible items, 30 of which are listed as new for the festival. Some of the freshest options include the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (sold at Connections Italy) and the Steakhouse Lobster Caesar Salad (Artist Table). It’s also fun to say “Plate of Impossible Bites,” listed as roasted turkey breast, onion and bacon custard tart, cherry gel, brown butter toasted milk foam, and pineapple toffee butter. Sold at the Fictional Victuals Kiosk near the Disney Traders Store.
On the sweet side, there’s Deconstructed Key Lime Pie (from Deconstructed Dish near the test track) and Color Scheme Cake (made with Skittles Popped, a freeze-dried candy) from Figment’s Inspiration Station inside Odyssey.
The drink menu has 71 items, 27 of which are appearing for the first time at Art Fest. Among them are the Matcharita (from El Artista Hambriento in Epcot’s Mexico section) and the non-alcoholic “Grape Apple Boba” from Japan’s Goshiki.
inside the card
Trading card game Disney Lorcana will make its debut at Epcot Arts Fest.
When playing outside of the theme park, the game revolves around Illuminer, Glimmer, Inkland, Lorebook, and other buzzwords and actions that are important to players. Built on Disney characters and locations.
During the festival, participants pick up a questbook on the bridge to the World Showcase and follow the instructions to collect four specific (but “larger than life”) cards. This will generate three specific collectible cards. Rapunzel as a viewing artist, Donald Duck as a pie thrower, and Stitch in rock star mode. Their role represents art.
Cards certainly have imagination. Lorcana’s website calls these “mini masterpieces.”
Also on the bridge to World Showcase is a new photo shoot based on the Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse cards from the game’s “Fabled” set.
return engagement
Many of the Artfest staples will once again be at Epcot. Purchasable exhibits of artist work adorn the World Showcase and permeate other parts of the park. You will have the opportunity to interact with real, live human artists.
Chalk art experiences both on the ground and on buildings will also return, as well as paint-by-numbers group murals and figurine scavenger hunts. Animation Academy, where visitors learn how to draw characters from featured artists, is held at America Gardens Theater every day at 12:30pm and 1:30pm. There are seven artistic photo-ops, 3D recreations of famous artworks designed to immerse visitors in the scene.
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