Disney World Festival of the Arts Top 10 Things to Do

The Disney World Festival of the Arts at EPCOT welcomes artists, food designers, and Broadway performers to Walt Disney World every winter. With the Festival of the Arts dates running January 17- February 24, 2025, there are plenty of artsy things to do! But how can you fit it all in? With so much to do, see, eat, and hear it’s important to have a plan. If you haven’t yet had a chance to visit, here are 10 Disney World Festival of the Arts Must Dos you can do to make the most of it!

If you’ve been wondering about the Festival of the Arts at Epcot, Walt Disney World, consider this your quick guide. We’re going to break down some Must-do’s so you can get the most out of the festival. As THE festival happens in winter at EPCOT Park in Walt Disney World, you can look forward to better weather, lower crowds, and an easier experience than you would find in the busiest times at Walt Disney World.  The Disney World Festival of the Arts happens from mid-January to late February every year and it’s the perfect excuse to escape to Florida for the winter months.

Disney World Festival of Arts Details

As we’ve shared before, the Festival of the Arts at Disney World is all about art! While we’ll be sharing just 10 things here that you should fit into the day, check out our Festival of the Arts Beginners Guide for a complete look at everything there is to do at this Disney World winter festival. 

What is the Festival of the Arts at EPCOT Walt Disney World?

The Epcot International Festival of the Arts is an arts festival featuring culinary, visual, and performing artists. Festival of the Arts can be done in one day since it’s a smaller festival, but we’d recommend spreading it over 2 days to really experience all the things offered. If you’ve never been to the festival before, here’s everything that should be included in your itinerary. 

• Artists and Galleries
• Food Studios; Open 11am- 9pm
• The Broadway Concert Series
• Complimentary Seminars & Workshops
• The Figment Scavenger Hunt Game
• Special Event Merchandise
• Unique Photo Ops

When is the EPCOT Festival of the Arts?

The International Festival of Arts at EPCOT runs January 17- February 24, 2025. As Disney’s winter festival, this one honors the visual, culinary, and performing arts. Check out our Disney Events Calendar for 2025 for everything else that may be happening during your trip. 

See the Chalk Art

Did you know that there is art all over EPCOT during this festival? And we mean everywhere. From cute characters painted on the walls, to chalk art painted on the ground, all of it is worth seeing. The Chalk Art at the Festival of the Arts is done by artists and changes every time it rains! There is always a featured 3-D chalk art picture too that allows you snap an awesome picture. Chalk Art can be seen all day, but you can get involved yourself just by checking the times in the My Disney Experience App! 

Join in on the Community Art Paint By Number

A Disney Must-Do on our Festival of the Arts Top 10 taking the 15 minutes to help paint the massive community mural, which is mainly just a paint-by-number, color. It is a great way to be involved and play your part without too much pressure! As part of the Festival of the Arts experience, you can make your mark as an artist while at Epcot. It’s a fun and free way to get involved and you often get a special souvenir freebie, usually a postcard,  just for helping out! We do this every time we visit the festival, and it’s always fun to see the new design each year. 

Try the Festival of the Arts Food

Get ready to feast your eyes on the most beautiful culinary creations. From painted pop tarts to crystal mooncakes these pieces of edible art take a little bit longer to create than your regular Disney snacks. The festival includes Food Studios in the World Showcase. Some studios are specific to each country while others are found throughout Epcot. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, load the day’s food budget onto a  ( discounted) Disney Gift Card. This will help you keep track of your spending and make getting through the food lines a little easier. No matter what your tastes you’re sure to find something delicious and beautiful. Check out the Epcot Festival of the Arts Menus.

See the Disney on Broadway Concert Series

In addition to the performers that will be out and about in the World Showcase, you can also head over to the American Gardens Theater to see the Broadway Concert Series. This concert series is offered Daily at 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm, and 8 pm. Sing along to songs from Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, and more. See the festival site for a full lineup of performers. For an extra special night out you can grab the Broadway Concert Series Dining package, ensuring you’ll have the best seats in the house.

Whether you pick just one performance or try to see them all through your vacation, know that you are in the presence of greatness! The performers that visit Walt Disney World for this event are the best of the best and have played beloved Disney Characters on Broadway and across the world. Be sure to stop by for a performance! 

Take an Animation Class

Want to be an artist or just nurture your inner Disney animator? These extra special classes run daily and are worth a look. Even if you’re not bent on learning a new art skill, part of the allure of this festival is that you get air time with the professionals. So head to the America Gardens Theatre and sit in on a class. You may only learn how to draw Donald Duck, but chances are you’ll learn something new! Complimentary classes and seminars are part of the experience, so embrace them.

You can learn to draw your favorite characters, get tips on better photography, or how to do lettering. There are so many classes throughout the festival. Be sure to check the Animation Academy schedule to see what’s happening during your vacation. 

Find Figment in Each Country

To be honest, the Disney Games are a big reason why we go to the festivals at Walt Disney World. We absolutely LOVE them! Since these games are fun for kids and grown-ups alike grabbing the game board is usually the first thing we do when we arrive at the festival. Our favorite mascot of imagination, Figment the dragon, is hidden in artworks of all kinds around the World Showcase. Some are easy to find, and some are not.

Figment’s Brush with the Master’s scavenger hunt includes a game board, stickers, and when you complete the game, a prize! As you visit each world Showcase country, just search for the paintings on the walls, and see if you can find Figment hiding in them! We love all the Epcot festival scavenger hunts and always make sure to take time to play. It’s a great way to have some fun and get a budget-friendly souvenir. This is one of our favorite games to play if you’re visiting the Festival of the Arts with Kids.

Find all the Hidden Character Art

Every World Showcase country in EPCOT has a Disney character painted on the wall, somewhere. Our hint for you is that these characters generally match the country. So Pascal is in Germany, the Aristocats in France, Mushu in China…you get the idea. See if you can find them all! 

Visit the Art Studios

The BEST part about the Festival of the Arts is the artists. So be sure to check out all the pop-up galleries, and art booths around the World Showcase. Artists with all sorts of styles paint Disney castles, characters, quotes and landscapes that you are sure to love! Also, take time to chat with the artists! Many are available to talk about the art and sign their work! Such a bonus you don’t find too many places.  

While this isn’t a sales pitch, we will take this part of the post to mention that all the artists are independent and make the trip to go to Walt Disney World specifically to show their work. It’s an honor for them to be part of the event and an amazing opportunity for you to see their art in person! So if you see something that catches your eye take note! Many artists offer both small and large prints, originals and even cards for purchase. Something at every price range. As this festival helps to showcase artists and their work, we love being able to support those talents with a purchase. Of course, there are other ways to support the artists as well. Stopping to watch a show, engaging in conversation, and sharing something on socials means more than you know.

Check out the Merchandise

Every year Disney reveals special themed merchandise, made specifically for the festival, with many items only available in the parks. We always spend some time browsing the shops and festival kiosks to see all the new items made specifically for the event. You can get themed gift cards, pins, apparel, accessories, and more.

Snap a Picture at a Photo Op

Are you ready to become part of an art piece? With fun photo ops that put you inside the art, the backdrops at the festival are sure to be hit for your next Instagram post or family photo. You can find these unique backdrops throughout the World Showcase for the Festival of the Arts Photo Ops during the festival. These feature popular paintings and Disney scenes, and you can see them all around the park. 

Disney World Festival of the Arts

There you have it! Our top 10 things to do at the Festival of the Arts. If you’re looking for a great way to take advantage of Florida’s mild winter months, visiting Walt Disney World in January or February should be part of your travel plans. The Walt Disney World Parks during the early part of the year have lower crowds, better weather, and amazing events like the International Festival of the Arts to help keep everyone entertained. It’s a perfect event for couples, families, kids, everyone! We hope you enjoy these Festival of the Arts Must Dos as much as we do. Read more in our Epcot Festival of the Arts Beginners Guide for tips and details.