Festival of Arts - Epcot 2018

Question - i'll be at Epcot in a few weeks during the festival. First time at Disney World as an adult. Do you just go around to the different booths and pay for the food/beverage items that you are wanting? I have lunch reservations at Biergarten but i'm wondering if I should cancel those and just eat the different booth offerings...
 
Question - i'll be at Epcot in a few weeks during the festival. First time at Disney World as an adult. Do you just go around to the different booths and pay for the food/beverage items that you are wanting? I have lunch reservations at Biergarten but i'm wondering if I should cancel those and just eat the different booth offerings...

Yes. There is a menu and a queue at each booth. It's pricier to do it this way but the variety is fun. That's what we'll do in a couple of weeks! Check in to see reviews of the offerings to get an idea of what you'd like to try :thumbsup2 You'll see some on the "Restaurant" board and "Dining Reviews" sub-forum, along with various blogs...Disney food blog, easywdw, etc.
 
Yes. There is a menu and a queue at each booth. It's pricier to do it this way but the variety is fun. That's what we'll do in a couple of weeks! Check in to see reviews of the offerings to get an idea of what you'd like to try :thumbsup2 You'll see some on the "Restaurant" board and "Dining Reviews" sub-forum, along with various blogs...Disney food blog, easywdw, etc.

Thank you!!!
 
Someone posted this to Facebook

Hmmm.... Now this is making me reconsider the dining package I have reserved for Feb 18. I'm 99.5% decided that I am upgrading to an AP when I get there before entering Epcot on the 18th... It would just mean hoofing it back to WS and then back to FW for my FP+ but it would give me more flexibility for a different ADR and place to eat...
 


Any live reports? Love to hear how the seminars, crowds, etc....

Also Broadway shows, is a walk up possible?
 
Does anyone know the best way to register for the free seminars? We are going in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
 
I'm assuming the plates/portions are bigger since the prices appear to be $1 - $2 more than the average price of F&W
 


So, I have been reading the food reviews that are all slowly coming out... It doesn't sound like the food it getting a ton of positive reviews. I mean there sounds like some good ones... What does everyone want to try?

Chirashi Sushi and Haupia Pearl: Salmon, Tuna and Yuzu Miso with Coconut Tapioca Pudding from Japan and Frosé: Frozen Côtes de Provence Rosé Wine with Grey Goose Vodka and Peach Purée from France!

But I need some suggestions for other things to try!?!
 
I will write a short (eta: not short at all) review. I visited yesterday and arrived a little before 11am. I went straight to the American Adventure to get my AP print and wristband for the 5:30 show. By the time I got there it was probably 10 after 11 and there was maybe 10 people in line. When I was done, no one was in line.

I had a FEA FP to get to (that I snagged on the bus that morning, btw) but my husband and I were hungry so we stopped and got food at Cuisine Classique. We got the braised beef short rib and the Saint Honore tart. Both were yummy! It was maybe 11:30 at this point and there was only a few people ahead of me in line.

Did our FP then went to the Painted Panda. Got the crispy shrimp, panda rice cake, and bubble tea. Once again everything tasted very good. I’ve never had bubble tea and expecting the balls to be like popping boba balls and they weren’t so that threw me off.

Next we went to El Artista Hambriento and got the tacos and the bread with strawberry drink. I thought the bread was a little weird but my husband enjoyed it. We both liked the tacos but they were very messy.

Next we hit up the Painters Palette. We got both the croissant donut trio and the trio of hors dourves. I liked everything I tasted, didn’t try the spicy tuna donut but my husband did and it was the only thing he disliked.

At this point we used our FP for Figment and it was about 1:40 when we got out. We went over to the drawing class and the first class of the day was supposed to start at 2 but it was more like 2:20 once the previous speaker was done and cleaned up. We drew Mickey which was fun but like last year I felt they went way too fast. I know it’s a free class and I can’t expect too much but I’m a bit of a perfectionist and the animator just speeds through the instructions. (Forgot to mention by the time the class started the line was long but I think only 5 people didn’t make it into the class)

Once we were done there we went through World Showcase the opposite way we started and painted our three squares at the Figment mural and got our postcards. There was no line to do this but a ton of people painting way more than three squares and just lingering around. The painting was almost finished too so it was hard to find unpainted squares for our number.

After that we stopped at Decadent Delights. I wanted to try all three desserts but decided to skip the white chocolate one. We got the s’mores tarts and chocolate caramel bar and of course they were both delicious.

Next we stopped at Deconstructed Dish and got the blt and cheesecake. I didn’t try the blt because I don’t care for the stuff that came on it but my husband loved it. The cheesecake was really good too.

After all that snacking we were somehow still hungry for dinner and we were in the American Adventure about an hour before the show so just got chicken nuggets at Liberty Inn. Before we went in, a line was already forming for the show, even on the side for reserved seating (AP and dining packages)

We finished eating right around 5:00 and people were already being seated. AP seating was the middle sections right after the roof stops. We got third row. Even the standby seating wasn’t full when the show started. We enjoyed the concert and headed out of the park at that time, stopping at the art booths and made a few purchases.

TL;DR (recap)- all the foods we tasted were good. Have never eaten at an EPCOT festival so can’t really compare prices but I know we spent a lot of money.

Enjoyed the entertainment and the animation academy. We showed up early for both but you could have gotten in by showing up 5 minutes early.

There was lots we didn’t do. Didn’t stop at the fountain and watch any entertainment there, didn’t get any photos in the art around the world showcase.

We are picky eaters and don’t drink alcohol and still found plenty of good stuff.
Any specific questions, let me know
 
Last edited:
Question - i'll be at Epcot in a few weeks during the festival. First time at Disney World as an adult. Do you just go around to the different booths and pay for the food/beverage items that you are wanting? I have lunch reservations at Biergarten but i'm wondering if I should cancel those and just eat the different booth offerings...

That is what we did last year. We just tried all of the different foods that interested us instead of a lunch reservation. It was expensive that way, but we loved it. Some of the food choices were really good.
 
We just got back from our week long trip and was there Friday 1/12. We got there around 11am and stayed until Illuminations.

We went with myself, wife and two adult children. We had fun and felt like it was a much more laid back food and wine due to the crowd size and pace.

almost all food items were snack credits and we blew about 12 of them or more. Loved almost all. Only real miss was the pork in America. But that was more personal taste.

We did some of the events. Liked the big wall of Figment that everyone can get a brush and paint to do. Did a free drawing class in the pavilion near Mexico. The apps there were GREAT!..

They have various paintings that you could get into and have pictures taken while in there. Was neat

Listened to the broadway singers in America. Was mostly disney show tunes and wife enjoyed it.

Only negative was you get a free passport and can do these charcoal etching at a station in each country. Good for kids or for people like me (kid at heart). 4 of the countries the charcoal part was already broken off. This is only a few hours after opening. We pointed it out to CM’s so they could fix for future guests.


We went last year, but did not know about it and was our last day of trip, so had no snack credits banked. Knowing this year, we had like 20 in reserve so was great getting the apps and a few great drinks also.
 
Do you remember what they were? I like to have an idea of what's well-received by several people so we can make a bee-line for the good ones!

Sure.. Just our personal feedback, your mileage may vary. :)

America had a great scallop. (We disliked the pork roulade
Near Canada had an amazing deconstructed BLT
Trio of crossiant donuts. Really good. That is in indoor pavilion near Mexico. Has artist doing live drawings. We loved all three choices (they come as set of 3)
Shrimp crevice with lime foam.. Booth is outside the last one. Really refreshing
S’mores Tart. Wife loved it. Not a fan of s’mores but her and daughter and loved it
Italy has this AMAZING eggplant, tomatoe and mozzeralla dish.. tomotaoe was wrapped in untried eggplant, drizzled with olive oil and topped with mozzeralla. We ended up getting a 2nd it was so good
Japan had nothing we saw to make us stop and booth had zero line.. was odd
China had a great fried shrimp (2) with wontons
Morocco had a trio of hummus that the women said was really good. Too me, they alll taste the same.. lol

There were a few others but can’t remember them all. There was some drinks mixed in so well you know!!

Honestly we have done Food and Wine and we liked this better. I know a large part was the smaller crowds, but we really enjoyed all the artists displays, the entertainment (drummers in Germany, living statues, Vikings etc) made it better for us.

Oh and while not cheap (what is in Disney), there is a custom T-shirt spot near Figment. My 17 year old daughter loved that.. She did not like the stock Festival shirts Epcot was selling and this place lets you pick from various styles, colors etc and will silk screen for you right there.. took like 15 min and she got color and logo she wanted

Hope you enjoy it!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top