The Best Food and Experiences at the EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts
Author: Greg Gately, FantasylandNews.com
EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts is a vibrant celebration that exceeds traditional art appreciation. While showcasing incredible artwork and talented artists is undoubtedly a highlight, the festival offers a multi-sensory experience. Culinary delights are meticulously crafted into edible masterpieces, while chalk art, which may only last a day or two, adorns the walkways, transforming them into ever-changing canvases. The stage comes alive with the art of music through Disney on Broadway performances. And, of course, the whimsical presence of Figment infuses the entire festival with a playful, artistic spirit.
We visited EPCOT® to experience the first festival of the new year, and these are our top food and experiential highlights:
Treat your senses to delectable bites and sips—made with a creative twist!While the chefs at Disney Culinary present these items beautifully, the real treat is in the flavors. Returning menu items like the Deconstructed Key Lime Pie at The Deconstructed Dish, and Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese at Pop Eats! are staples at Festival of the Arts, but we chose to focus on new dishes. After trying every new menu item, we have come up with our favorites, and they are:
The Craftsman’s Courtyard is located on the Rose Walkway, between the World Showcase and the path closest to the Imagination! pavilion. We stopped by when the weather had turned wet and cold, so a good warm and filling option was needed. The Beef Wellington was such a tender bite of food, and while we wouldn't call it a croissant because it was more like a popover, the flavors worked very well together with large pieces of mushrooms, red wine sauce, and pickled mustard seeds.
When we were handling the bowl of P.E.I Mussels, the smell of garlic and seafood got our mouths watering. The steam off the dish was needed as it truly warmed us up. There is a bit of salt in this one, so if you are watching your salt intake, you may want to take it easy here. What makes this the best dish is the crostini bread and the soup-like liquid at the bottom of the mussels.
Beef Wellington-inspired Croissant Supreme - with Creamed Spinach Croissant Pinwheel, Mushroom-Gorgonzola Ragout, Mustard-grilled Flank Steak, Red Wine Sauce, and Pickled Mustard Seeds.
Cast Iron-roasted P.E.I. Mussels - with Sautéed Tomatoes, Garlic, and Fresh Herb
Enchanted Rose - Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine can be found at Opening Bites in the CommuniCore Plaza. A Milk Chocolate Rose with Raspberry and Rose Center, even the cookie it sits on tastes good. The mousse texture and raspberry center, if you like raspberry, make such a delightful bite.
Enchanted Rose - Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine: Milk Chocolate Rose with Raspberry and Rose Center
The Artist's Table (American Adventure): Treat your senses to American comfort foods—elevated with artful flair. In American Adventure they have a deconstructed Chicken “Pot Pie”, which we cut up like a pizza. Sherry-chicken jus on the open face of a flaky pie crust with roasted veggies is wonderful and the wasabi peas add a spice that lifts this dish to one of the best we had at EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts 2025.
While the Deviled Egg Trio was a hot-button topic of conversation, with some people adamantly against these well-presented eggs, the rest of us thought each one had a unique, good flavor. We finished off our American Adventure with the returning Hummingbird Cake, which is always a great bite of food.
Deviled Egg Trio: Pimento Cheese, Green Goddess, and BLT
Chicken “Pot Pie”: with Smoked Cheddar Mornay Sauce, Roasted Vegetables, Pickled Mushrooms, Wasabi Peas, and Sherry-Chicken Jus served Open-faced on flaky Pie Crust
Hummingbird Cake: Banana and Pecan Cake dipped in Cream Cheese Icing with Caramel Sauce and Warm Pineapple Compote
While this may not sound appetizing on paper, when we tried it, this dish became a favorite. At Refreshment Port near the Canada pavilion, the Caprese Poutine had us 'yumming' the whole time we were eating. Mozzarella pearls take the place of cheese curd in this version of poutine, with tomatoes, pesto, and balsamic glaze all working so well together.
Caprese Poutine: with Tuscan-spiced French Fries, Confit Tomatoes, Slivered Garlic, Mozzarella Pearls, Basil Pesto, Shaved Pecorino, and Balsamic Glaze
Finally, the hot item this year is the new "Lightbulb Moment" Figment Popcorn Bucket at Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey It can be mobile ordered any time on the My Disney Experience App.
While food may be a major draw, the experiences are just as important to enjoy with your park ticket. Here are our favorite things to do to get the most out of your visit to festival.
Disney on Broadway returns to Epcot® International Festival of the Arts 2025, but new this year at CommuniCore Hall, experience the magic of Broadway both on and off the stage in this walkthrough exhibit celebrating three decades of Disney on Broadway. Discover costumes and props from your favorite stage musicals, then venture behind the scenes to see how the classic animated films “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” were reimagined for the Broadway stage. The only ticket you’ll need to see these iconic props and costumes is your ticket to EPCOT®! This is such a great addition and truly shows off the flex space of CommuniCore Hall.
4 Imagineers Paint 1 Purple Dragon is a tribute to a Walt Disney original short film called "4 Artists Paint 1 Tree" which aired as part of 'Adventure in Art' on April 30, 1958. At the 2024 EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts, Walt Disney Imagineers paid tribute to the original short Drawing on Inspiration: 4 Imagineers Paint Spaceship Earth. This year the tribute is to Figment - Drawing on Inspiration: 4 Imagineers Paint 1 Purple Dragon! This is located outside Connections Eatery and Cafe on the Spaceship Earth side.
While walking around the World Showcase, Disney figured out the best way to bring guests into each pavilion. Exploring each country is great, but add in a scavenger hunt, and some chalk art and it just adds to the fun for the entire family. Set the kids on a hunt to find Figment in a work of art, tell the little ones to look for a frame featuring Figment's head, or have them look for Disney characters drawn in chalk. They will love these and become excited when they find one.
Figment once again finds himself reimagined into Masterpiece Works of Art. Including a rework of Emily Carr's "Deep Woods", "The Blue Boy" by Thomas Gainsborough, and of course the most famous painting ever by Leonardo de Vinci, "Mona Lisa". All of these paintings are part of the "Scavenger Hunt: Figment’s Brush with the Masters."
Chalk Full of Character - Look for charming chalk drawings of Disney characters around the World Showcase. From Abu to Jiminy Cricket, an array of familiar faces wait to be discovered. How many can you find?
Delight your creative side! Discover vibrant artwork, dazzling entertainment, palate-pleasing cuisine, and more. EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts continues daily from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM until February 24, 2025. Whether you want to experience food as art, meet your favorite Disney artists, or take a walk around the World Showcase there is something for everyone in your family.
Lifelong Disney enthusiast Greg Gately isn't just about the thrills. It's the immersive atmosphere, the captivating music, and the sentimental pull that keeps him coming back for more. He's particularly fascinated by the artistry and dedication of Walt Disney Imagineering. In 2019, after retiring from his career as a tour manager and audio engineer for bands that even graced EPCOT's Flower Power Festival, Greg made the natural choice to move to Central Florida and be closer to the magic. Recognizing a need for a fresh perspective on Disney news, Greg and Holly launched FantasylandNews.com in 2023, bringing a fun and engaging approach to the world of Disney
FantasylandNews.com
Fantasyland News Blog Instagram
Fantasyland News Youtube