Oh Disney… you’ve done it again. You’ve dangled a creative, colorful festival in front of us — and then snatched it away before we’ve even finished our Figment-inspired latte. Yep, EPCOT has dropped the official 2026 Festival of the Arts dates, and let’s just say you guys have big feelings about them.
Spaceship Earth at Night during the EPCOT Festival of the Arts
If you’ve ever found yourself comparing your vacation calendar to EPCOT’s festival lineup and feeling a tiny bit of panic (“Wait… it’s only running for HOW long?!”), you’re not alone. The Festival of the Arts is one of EPCOT’s most beloved events — all that food, the Broadway concerts, the jaw-dropping art — and next year, it’s back for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it run.
So what has Disney fans fired up? Well, Disney World recently announced the dates for next year’s festival — January 16th to February 23rd, 2026. We shared the news on Facebook, and DFB readers immediately started to take issue with the news. It’s not that they don’t love this festival (it’s one of EPCOT’s best!), the main complaint is that it’s not long enough! In 2026, you’ll have just 38 days to see the returning Disney on Broadway Concert Series at the America Gardens Theater. Also, over 20 food booths will be serving art-inspired eats and drinks. The fan-favorite scavenger hunt is BACK as well, letting you search World Showcase for the mischievous dragon hiding in famous works of art. Got all that? In short, it’s gonna be GOOD — good and short.
Cara Lindsey from “Newsies” at Disney On Broadway
Contrast that with the Food and Wine Festival, which runs 86 days this year, and many of you feel like this colorful festival needs more time at the park! The first comment we saw came from reader @Kelly Hoffman, who said, “The best festival!! Disney Parks please make it longer!!!”
Festival of the Arts
Another fan, @Jamie Lee Hagan, totally agreed — “This is by far the best festival! I wish it was a little longer“. Then we really started to see a trend, because again, “Love the Festival of the Arts! Wish it was longer!” was said by @Do at Disney and Beyond.
Figment
Oh, and @Wendi H Wilcox said the EXACT same thing — “This is the best festival! Needs to be longer.” Take notes, Disney, the people are calling for MORE Festival of the Arts!
Side walk chalk art!
A comment made by @Kimberly Kay stated, “A week after we go,” which brought to our attention that some people are juuust missing the Festival. It’s a short window, after all!
Figment’s Liege Waffle with ube filling
Interestingly, quite a few readers brought up a good point about the Festival and how one of the runDisney Marathons happens right after the Festival. One reader, @Bethany Bro, commented, “My favorite festival! I wish they’d stretch it to run during Marathon Weekend and Princess Weekend!” @Erica Himes was on the same wavelength — “Why would they end it three days before a race weekend?”
Color Craze Latte and Donut
We wanted to mention that we love the timeline @Tabia Cotton recommended — “I wish the festival was longer and could run till at least mid March“. We totally agree — we wish the festival went all the way into March; it just feels right!
EPCOT!
The Festival of the Arts takes place during the “slower seasons” at Disney World. The crowds are typically lower and wait times are shorter — it’s that post-holiday vacation slump. Not a lot of people go to Disney World during this time of year! One reader expressed that they have never come to Disney World during that slow season, but will be for the first time. It sounds like @Amelia Weatherford Stansberry is THRILLED, “In 10 years of going to Disney multiple times a year, I have never once been to this festival. August, January, and February are the only 3 months I’ve never been to Orlando. I’m so excited to go for the first time in January!!!” Have so much fun, Amelia! You’re gonna LOVE it.
Fun… and delicious
Thank you to EVERYONE who commented on Facebook! If you want to chime in on the next Disney discussion, make sure you’re following us on social media. (Pssst. We have an Instagram account, too!)
Alright Disney, the fans have spoken — Festival of the Arts needs to get MORE love! For all Disney news and updates, make sure to follow us at Disney Food Blog.
NEWS: Spaceship Earth OPENS at EPCOT After Two-Month Refurbishment
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All the festivals should be shorter rather than it always being festival time in Epcot. Having periods of time without a festival makes the festivals more exciting.
i thought Flower and Garden was the most loved. Oh, No the Food and Wine is the most Loved. Wait maybe it is the Holiday Festival that is best loved, why is Holiday Festival so short that one needs more time. Art Festival is OK, on the list of most loved on the bottom. A lot of high priced pictures and broken up food to look “pretty”. Even the searches are the same and inside the building were it is very crowded. Disney could take some days from Art and give them Holiday that would be great. Art Festival you can do in one day the rest take 2-4 days to do. One good thing about Art is that there are not many crowds so you can get around fast.
You know, I went to the first festival of the arts and went 2 years ago. I mush preferred the first one as you could buy prints of the characters you loved. I walked out of there with nothing, and I mean nothing, so I went to disney springs to shop after. It was the first time that’s ever happened to me.