Epcot is my favorite park. I love daydreaming that I've traveled to a far-off country in the World Showcase. I set my silly fears aside to ride Soarin' and Frozen (no, I don't have the guts to ride Test Track or Mission:Space!) And EVERYONE should ride Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land at least once in their life!
There are several great times throughout the year to be in Epcot - especially during their annual festivals. After all, no one knows how to throw a party like Disney!
There are several great times throughout the year to be in Epcot - especially during their annual festivals. After all, no one knows how to throw a party like Disney!
International Festival of the Arts (mid January-mid February)
In January and February, the newest festival that offers a lot of fun is the International Festival of the Arts. Statues come alive. Paint a picture along the water. Catch a Disney Broadway music stage show. Plus there are Disney animators and artists on hand to discuss, sell, and autograph their work for you to take home.
A big hit are the (FREE!) paint-by-numbers murals that get recreated every day with a fresh canvas and guest artists - you!
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Grab a paintbrush and find your numbers in the grid to be a part of the creation. Brushes up!
The murals start to come to life - can you imagine what the picture will be in the end?
| Even the samplers from the Food Studio kiosks around the park are a work of art - a beautiful and tasty palette for your palate! Be sure to check out this winter art festival as Epcot expands its offerings every year! |  |
International Flower & Garden Festival (March-May)
One of the most beautiful - and best-smelling! - times to go to Epcot is during the Spring when the whole park is full of gorgeous gardens and topiary plants trimmed into the shape of your favorite Disney characters. My first trip to Walt Disney World was during the International Flower & Garden Festival so it will always hold a special place in my heart!
Stop by the flower-filled butterfly tent to see all the stages of a butterfly's life! This is located right behind the building for Club Cool and the Character Spot. On your way to the World Showcase, check out the colorful landscaping around the ponds below the Monorail.
Wander around the World Showcase and throughout Future World to see all the creative topiaries and fragrant floral displays.
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And let's not forget the fresh-grown garden food to sample - after all, it wouldn't be an Epcot festival without it!
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International Food & Wine Festival (late August-mid November)
Personally, this is where I spend most of my fall weekends and look forward to it every year! The International Food & Wine Festival is a fabulous way to eat and drink your way around the world, without flying across an ocean. World Showcase is home to 11 countries year-round, but during the fall, this grows to represent delicious food, wine, beer, and other delights from 30 countries!
Samples are served tapas style, perfect portions to share with a friend. Food bites typically cost between $4-8 each, alcoholic beverages run $4-14 each, and nonalcoholic beverages are about $3-6 each. I'm a fairly cheap date... usually after 3 kiosks, I'm full!
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One of my first stops is usually in Future World West, where you'll find some lick-the-plate-clean farm fresh delicacies. I also love to swing by the Islands of the Caribbean... they're Jamaican me hungry for a bite, mon!
 Gluten free? You must grab some pao de queijo (cheese bread) and crispy pork belly in Brazil, which you can get with or without black beans! |  |
 | Canada is my #1 favorite with their steak! Every time I go, I savor this fork-tender filet mignon with wild mushrooms and truffle butter, paired with a sweet ice wine, if you care to drink your dessert. Enjoy every morsel while relaxing in Canada's hidden gem - my favorite gardens, designed after the real thing in British Columbia's Butchart Gardens. |
Candlelight Processional & International Festival of the Holidays (mid November-late December)
For years, Disney fans have flocked to Epcot for the Christmas season to see all the countries decked out in their holiday best! The main attraction - Candlelight Processional - has been a crowd favorite for decades! It has been one of the most popular performances in the park throughout the holidays. Running from Thanksgiving to New Year's, you will find the American Adventure pavilion bursting at the seams with holiday classics at the America Gardens Theatre.
With three performances every evening, the air is filled with beloved Christmas carols and hymns by a 50+ piece orchestra and 300+ person choir, including the Voices of Liberty representing a shining Christmas Tree, topped with a star.
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 | The Christmas story is woven throughout the Processional, narrated by dozens of celebrities who love Disney. Over the years, I've had the pleasure to see readings by the two most popular narrators, Whoopi Goldberg (left) and Neil Patrick Harris, as well as first-timer Matt Bomer (below) and others. |
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I even passed Whoopi Goldberg while she was shopping in Disney Springs and on her way to Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom, where she was seated in the VIP section.
The warm weather in Florida isn't as noticeable with the Christmas decorations around the World Showcase, decked out in all the finest traditional trimmings of the holidays for each country. There are also a number of Epcot's famous food kiosks to fill you with the Christmas spirit and a few holiday treats from around the world.
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Which Epcot festival is your favorite? Drop your comments below to share your best Disney memories!
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