EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2027: Everything You Need to Know
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts returns for 2027, running January 15 through March 1. This year it's presented by the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game, and it's one of the best reasons to plan a January or February trip to Walt Disney World. If you're staying in one of the resort communities around Kissimmee or Davenport, EPCOT is a straightforward drive or a quick hop on the monorail from the park entrance.
Here's what to expect and how to make the most of it.
What Is the Festival of the Arts?
It's EPCOT's winter festival, and it covers three things: visual art, performing arts, and food presented as a creative medium. The park fills with galleries, live artists at work, Broadway-calibre performances, and food studios where the plating is as considered as the flavour. It's included with standard EPCOT admission, though a park reservation may be required depending on your ticket type.
Disney on Broadway Concert Series
The headline entertainment is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series at the America Gardens Theatre. Broadway performers sing songs from productions like The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Shows run multiple times daily, and dining packages are available if you want guaranteed seating alongside a meal. Book those early — they go fast.
Art Around the Park
Visual art is woven through the whole park, not just one corner of it. As you walk through World Showcase and beyond, you'll find:
- Live artists painting and sculpting in real time, including the Visual Art in Performance sessions where a Disney character portrait goes from blank canvas to finished piece in minutes
- Chalk Art Galleries with large-scale works inspired by classical paintings and Disney imagery
- Chalk Full of Characters, chalk drawings of Disney characters placed around World Showcase for guests to find
- Artful Photo Ops where you step into an illustrated backdrop for a picture worth keeping
- Art for sale, with many works available to purchase and take home
Interactive Activities
The festival is hands-on if you want it to be. The Expression Section is a giant community Paint by Numbers mural that guests add to throughout the run of the festival. The Animation Academy runs short sessions where a Disney animator teaches you to draw a character step by step. Kids can try chalk art at dedicated stations, and the Figment's Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt takes families on a trail around World Showcase.
For 2027, the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game is integrated into the festival experience. Details are still being confirmed, but expect activations tied to the card game throughout the park.
Food Studios
The food studios are a genuine highlight. Scattered around the park, each one offers a short menu of dishes and drinks with a creative, art-inspired presentation. The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine connects the studios into a loose trail you can follow at your own pace. Go hungry, share plates, and don't try to hit every booth in one visit — there are too many.
Dining packages that include a meal and guaranteed Broadway concert seats are worth considering if the show is a priority for you. Book through the Disney website as soon as they're available.
Planning Your Visit
- Dates: January 15 – March 1, 2027. Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends.
- Admission: Included with valid EPCOT admission. A park reservation may be required — check the Disney website when booking.
- Arrive early: Food studios and Broadway dining packages sell out. Getting in at rope drop gives you the best run of the park before crowds build.
- Wear comfortable shoes: World Showcase is 1.2 miles around the lagoon. You'll cover a lot of ground.
- Check the schedule: Disney typically releases the full entertainment lineup a few weeks before the festival opens. Bookmark the official festival page and check back in late 2026 for confirmed details.
Staying Near EPCOT
The resort communities around Kissimmee and Davenport put you 20 to 30 minutes from EPCOT's main entrance, with easy highway access and no need to pay for on-site Disney hotel rates. A private villa gives you a full kitchen to come home to after a long day on your feet, a pool to decompress in, and enough space that the whole group isn't on top of each other.
If you're planning a trip around the festival, browse our homes and get in touch — we can point you toward the right property for your group size and dates.