It’s finally here, EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts is officially back! The festival begins today, on January 16th and continues through February 23rd. We’re so excited to dive into all the art, snacks, entertainment, events, and more.

Once Upon a Stage Exhibit
One thing in particular we were super stoked about was the Once Upon A Stage: The Magic of DISNEY ON BROADWAY exhibit. This exhibit is a celebration of Disney’s Broadway shows, bringing guests up close and personal with real props and costumes. It’s also a cool opportunity to learn about things happening behind the curtain!
You can find the Once Upon A Stage: The Magic of DISNEY ON BROADWAY exhibit at Communicore Hall, happening from 9 AM to 9 PM each festival day. You know we weren’t waiting past the first festival day! We got to explore the exhibit, and instantly fell in love with it.

Disney on Broadway exhibit
There are TONS of displays featuring different costumes and props — like the costumes and props from “Frozen.”

Frozen costumes and Sven!
Or, “The Lion King.”

“The Lion King” puppets!
“Beauty and the Beast” costumes were there, and so much more!

“Beauty and the Beast” costumes!
The exhibit wasn’t just about the magic happening on stage; it was also about the magic happening backstage. We were geeking out when we saw a portion of the exhibit dedicated to the craft that happens to make sure the show runs smoothly. This included a whole section with a Stage Manager station…

Stage Manager set
…as well as a dressing room for costumes, wigs, and make-up!

Dressing Room Station
There was also a cool shot to give you a POV of what it would be like to be off-stage during a performance. Further adding to the cool and immersive experience.

Shot of what it looks like to be off-stage
Of course, there were boards up that you could read to learn more about the productions — yes, we were here for a LONG time, and we enjoyed every second of it!

Information about the production
There were a lot more props and costumes up from different shows!

More props!
We especially enjoyed looking at the masks from “The Lion King”!

Masks from “The Lion King”
We were fortunate enough to get to attend a media event about the exhibit. The event was located at the Living Seas pavilion. Unfortunately, it’s not available for guests, but that isn’t stopping us from sharing a couple of photos with you.

Actors at the media event!
We got to join a special panel hosted by Disney Ambassador Phelicia Blake, where Disney on Broadway performers shared their journey on the Broadway stage. They also reflected on what it means to be a part of the festival.

Performers speaking!
It was an awesome experience! We can’t recommend enough that you NEED to check out the exhibit — maybe even a couple times before the festival is over. Make sure you’re following the Disney Food Blog so you can get all the latest news and updates around the festival.
You Won’t BELIEVE the Crowds at the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Are you going to check out the exhibit? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of EPCOT Festival of the Arts. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ


Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.

TRENDING NOW
These Disney World 55th Anniversary stickers won't last long!
Our baby Bakso is all grown up, and not only does he celebrate his second...
Heat and rain are on the way to Disney World this weekend!
There's a NEW Annual Passholder magnet coming soon, but there's a special way to snag...
Disney Parks around the world are changing up Christmas for 2026, with brand-new parades, holiday...
Disney just announced the lineup for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series!
The Turf Club Bar and Grill just reopened at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort!
Gear up for Halloween with a new Disney-inspired spooky Loungefly backpack!
Several stores have closed permanently in Disney Springs this year!
Buy these things on Amazon instead of in the Disney World parks.
Here's what we know about the six new restaurants that are scheduled to open in...
Even more new ornaments have arrived at The Disney Store.
A lot has changed with airport security in recent months.
Can't decide between the different All-Star Resorts at Disney World? We're breaking them down and...
We got the chance to visit Epic Universe, and this is our list of the...
We’ve got a BUNCH of easy Disney World Dining tricks comin’ YOUR way!
The holiday dates and info are out for these Disneyland restaurants!
It's time to celebrate Daisy Duck's birthday, and what better way to do it than...
Disney World perks to be on the lookout for in October!
Reservations are already filling up for the Diamond Horseshoe Lounge opening in Magic Kingdom!