It’s always risky planning a trip to Florida during the winter months, because you never know what the weather is going to do (both where you’re coming from and where you’re going to, honestly!) And you’d think I would have learned my lesson after last year’s January debacle where I sat on the plane for almost two hours before we were able to take off! But apparently I’m a glutton for punishment (or snacks, whatevs haha) and I booked us a short weekend trip to the house of the mouse.
The purpose for this visit was three-fold, really… one last ride on Rock ‘n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith in Hollywood Studios before it transitions to Muppets (reopening this summer), visiting Dinoland and experiencing Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom before they both close permanently for Tropical Americas (reopening sometime in 2027), and attending the Festival of the Arts at EPCOT (or FARTS, as many have come to call it🤣). Two of our group decided not to make the trip (boo), so I left most of the decisions up to Ricky so he wouldn’t be as exhausted by my golden retriever energy. 🫣
I get a lot of questions about Disney World and the biggest one is probably, “What is your favorite park?” And while my answer may change based on what your group wants to focus on (rides, food, experiences, shows, character interactions, etc.), EPCOT is the all-around winner for me. And I think it’s because you really get the most bang for your buck. There are rides appropriate for little ones as well as thrill seekers, sooooo many food and beverage options in the various countries represented, shows and experiences that not only entertain but might help you learn a thing or two, and so many popular characters both stationed and walking around. And EPCOT offers up FOUR different festivals throughout the year (Arts, Flower & Garden, Food & Wine, Holidays), all with super delicious treats and drinks plus unique merchandise options, and most feature FREE concerts or events, and scavenger hunts!
Since festival information was shared on multiple blogs and sites before we arrived, I did a little research in advance. I had a few treats and drinks I wanted to try, a couple of artists I wanted to check out, and Disney was also featuring their Lorcana card game this year. Though I don’t usually get caught up in stuff like that, I do like unique opportunities that haven’t been offered before, especially when it’s FREE haha. And since Ricky and I ended up “stranded” (oh, no, not more time at the parks 🤪), we were able to make time for all the things we wanted PLUS some relaxation and down-time (shocking, I know, but you can even confirm with him, promise!). Many of our trips are super short and focused, so having the extra unplanned/unscheduled time was welcomed for sure.
It was 8 degrees, with a real feel of -8 when we left, but it was supposed to be EIGHTY degrees mid-day. SCORE! Now I will be the first to admit that EPCOT can feel like the surface of the sun during certain times of the year. Especially if you aren’t strategic and have to walk all the way around the world to get to something else you want to see haha. But winter time in Florida brings in a lot of breeziness (which is great when the temps are high, not so much when the temps are low…). It did end up with a real feel of 30 on our last night, so don’t think it can’t get cold in central Florida!! And I know many of you won’t be making it to this festival before it ends (it only lasts 6 weeks!), but here’s some of what you can expect from FARTS if you decide to go in the future!
SNACKS!
By the time we got to EPCOT the first day, it was right after noon, so lines were NUTSO. Food booths don’t even open until 11 a.m. but most are open until close, so sometimes you just need to be strategic! The Artist’s Table in The American Adventure, though the line looked long, only took about 11 minutes. We got the Steakhouse Lobster Caesar Salad to share and each our own Peppercorn-crusted Striploin (with asparagus and au gratin potatoes). Holy yum! Lots of flavor, good portion sizes, and decently priced as well.
Later, I wanted something sweet so we stopped at Deco Delights near the Port of Entry. The Sparkling Spectacle Gâteau was smooth and creamy, with a delicious caramel center. We also decided to try the Keel Farms Strawberry Shortcake Hard Cider, which was super sweet but better than we expected! And I love when you get a large glass of booze for a small price haha.
We went over to Animal Kingdom for a few rides and to catch the newly touched up bioluminescent paint in Pandora, but I love me a good fireworks show. So back to EPCOT we went, and, thankfully, the lines were much, much shorter closer to park close! We snagged the highly anticipated Croque Monsieur-inspired Grilled Cheese with tomato soup from Pop Eats between World Showcase and the Imagination! Pavilion. Not only was it delicious but now we have a cute souvenir to put things in back at home 😛
Before we called it a night, we again needed something sweet to balance everything out. I am a sucker for all things orange chocolate, so we stopped through France at L’Art de la Cuisine Française for their Éclair au Chocolat et à l’Orange. It certainly did not disappoint and Ricky loved the candied oranges! We caught the fireworks on our walk out, though I highly recommend sticking around for Luminous: The Symphony of Us if you’ve never seen it!
We returned to EPCOT Monday, after our flights got pushed, so we were able to try more snacks!! We stopped at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway, and though we didn’t try the festival exclusive item (though I now regret it haha), we did enjoy a cold brew and frozen coffee offering, as well as their Rice Cream. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend their School Bread!
Next, we visited Pastoral Palate in Germany for their Red Wine-braised Beef Short Rib, since it was also highly recommended. It was good, but it fell a bit in comparison to the tenderness and huge portion of our striploin dish from earlier that weekend. We did opt to try the Black Forest Cake, which was sooooo much yum, especially with the morello cherries, so I’m glad we did!
We finally stopped through Figment’s Inspiration Station in The Odyssey because I had been wanting to try their sour beer offering, The Bruery Enticing Boysenberry Sour Blonde Ale. While I was disappointed in the size of the glass, as compared to the drinks we already tried, the flavor definitely didn’t disappoint. We also opted for the Figment Fantasy Cake, because yes chocolate and orange together haha, and it was pretty yummy as well.
And last but not least, though I’m not big on sake or sushi, I did see that Goshiki in Japan offered a special souvenir with their Masu Sake. When ordering, I just told the cashier my name and she personalized the wooden box with it and a little cat! So cute! Ricky wanted to try the Tokyo Kawaii Roll, because who isn’t intrigued by purple and blue rice?! It was actually quite good, though I’m sure that was because it was tempura shrimp and not anything raw (which I don’t tend to enjoy), and the nori was even tender and chewable, yay!
ARTS!!
While the food options are fantastic, the art is the main focus! There are booths everywhere, sometimes with live demonstrations and signings, plus an awful lot of variety! We are obsessed with all things Nightmare Before Christmas, so you’ll see a lot of Jack & Sally in our photos haha. I feel bad that I didn’t take down everyone’s name to credit them… and since I’ve seen many of these artists before, I didn’t take as many pictures. But everyone is so talented and there’s so many options! They do hold purchases until later pickup, if you need, as well as offer shipping options!
One of my favorite sections is the Chalk Art. Especially if you can catch an artist in his/her process! The first day we were there, we saw Chris Carlson working on a Toy Story piece that changes based on your perspective. It was fully completed when we visited day 3! It’s amazing what someone can do with chalk! They also have a kid’s chalk art area, where your kiddos can go try their hand at it as well!
This year I finally bought a piece of art! Now it’s itty bitty, but I’m not a huge enthusiast haha. I noticed Jasmine Becket-Griffith the first time I ever attended Festival of the Arts a few years ago, and I was delighted to see her return. She has an amazing blend of gothic, classic literature, and Disney lore, so I picked up this piece. Can you guess what it is?! I’m so excited…now just to figure out where to put it haha.
I regret not taking home a piece in Heather French’s Whiskers & Wine collection, because who doesn’t love CATS in art?! Might have to swing over there on our last day at Epic next month hahaha. I only included “Don’t put Kitty in a Corner” in the collage above, but we also enjoyed “Tequila Tabby,” “Salvapurr Dali,” “Pretty Little Kitty,” and “Hamburger.” She’s so creative and we met her, too! We also want to pick up a Scooter piece in the future, but haven’t finalized the decision haha. Again, maybe next month? 🤔
MORE ARTS!
I had seen a post about “hidden” chalk art appearing around EPCOT during the Festival of the Arts, so since we had more time, I wanted to see if I could “catch ‘em all” haha. I think some of these are there year-round, but it was still fun to see the themes carry over through the countries! Looking for these had us exploring the back side of different areas, ones we thought we had investigated thoroughly before! So even if you don’t make it to EPCOT for a festival, just exploring the different countries and checking out all the little details is so enjoyable and doesn’t cost a thing!
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES!
This year was the first time we made it in time to participate in some group mural painting! I got color #13 and Ricky got #4. The first day we were there, it was an EPCOT-themed landscape print, and it was a new Figment-themed print the last day we were there! Mural painting runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, or until the mural is complete, and also dependent on weather… so be sure to try and catch it early if you can.
This year, Disney decided to add in another interactive experience which was mostly free, Lorcana! Every morning they were handing out booster packs to start your collection, and you could go to the Illumineer’s Lounge for trading. There were also special quests you could complete if you could make trades and earn more cards for your collection! Ricky really got into it and even purchased an extra set of cards that were exclusive to EPCOT. It was fun to see everyone interacting in the lounge… just another way to enhance your experience at the park!
There are also themed art stations you can pose in for photo ops! We rode a carousel with Mickey and Minnie and Ricky joined a party haha. Some of these you take yourselves and others are included in PhotoPass. The lines aren’t typically too long and they can do some great magic shots in other areas, too! Just another unique memory to take home after an eventful trip <3
MUSIC AND MORE!
Now we didn’t end up catching any of the live performances, the Animation Academy classes, or the Broadway Concert Series, but they all offer up additional fun at no extra charge! Especially if you’re into Disney classics and like hearing exclusive music, catching these broadway artists live is a real treat! Artists from Aladdin were there when we were, but we left before their performances each day, since we hopped to other parks.
So there you have it! Whether you like art, snacks, drinks, diverse representation, rides, characters, getting lots of steps, or all of the above…head to EPCOT! The Festival of Arts traditionally runs mid-January through the end of February. Flower & Garden typically runs March through the beginning of June, Food & Wine the end of August through early November, and Holidays between Thanksgiving and New Years. There’s still plenty going on in between festivals, with “drinking around the world” happening year round haha. But if you’re looking for additional activities and experiences, festival time is the way to go. Let’s get you there!
