Hey there, Disney Fans!

     Hope everyone had an awesome Turkey Day and is already neck-deep in holiday cheer and excitement! I know we are in MY house. Our Disney themed Christmas tree is up and we've started one of the most beautiful times of the year. I was lucky enough to visit the 2017 Epcot International Festival of the Arts when it kicked off this past January and that was pretty gorgeous too!

     This popular festival will be returning to Epcot from January 12th - February 19th 2018 and Disney fans are already abuzz about all of the cool offerings and events the second year will bring. A couple of posts back, I talked about the food booths, shared their menus and showed some pictures from 2017 (If you didn't get to check out that post, you can find it HERE.) But you may be wondering, aside from the delectable food, what else is there for me to do? Should I bother attending? Well, I'm happy to share that the festival includes so much more than just food booths! Read on to see what else you have to look forward to!

There is art to enjoy and/or purchase all around the park.

Really put yourself into the art!

See how a little bit of work, by a lot of people, makes something beautiful!

Guests used to be able to enjoy the living statues in Italy and France pavilions and now they are back for the festival!

See the works of well known Disney artists!

And watch local artists at work!

Performing Arts

     Aside from the regular incredible acts that perform all around Epcot, including the JAMMitors, Voices of Liberty and TheBritish Revolution, the Festival of the Arts welcomes amazing Broadway performers to the American Gardens Theater, where they do three nightly shows of some of the biggest and best Broadway hits. The 2018 lineup is yet to be announced, but this past year's event included Ashley Brown, the original title character in "Mary Poppins" on Broadway, and Kissy Simmons from Broadway's "The Lion King". This year is bound to have some fabulous acts as well, and I can't wait to hear who will be coming!



     Just like with the Candlelight Processional and with Eat to the Beat, Guests can book dinner packages that include pre-reserved seating for the shows. Contact an agent at Kingdom Konsultant Travel for information on pricing and menus.


Culinary Arts

     As I mentioned to you at the beginning of this post, there are also food booths all around World Showcase (a la Food and Wine Festival) that show off the culinary arts. Each food item is carefully plated and created with a rainbow palate in mind. They are just as much a feast for the eyes as they are for the belly! Be sure and use the link at the top of this post to check out this year's menus!



Interactive Experiences and Demonstrations

     One of my kiddos' favorite parts of the festival was finding Figment in Figment's Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt! You can purchase a map for one of several merchandise locations, and in each country, locate the world of art that Figment is hiding. Lucky little artists who find all of them get a special prize!

• Sculpting a Mixed Media Action Figure: 11 am, $39 per person
• TBA: 1:30 pm, Free
• Artful Uses For Your Park Map: 4:30 pm, Free

• Floral Arranging: 11 am, $39 per person
• The Art of Woodcarving: 1:30 pm, Free
• TBA: 4:30 pm, Free

• TBA: 11 am, $39 per person
• From Animated Films to Theme Parks: 1:30 pm, Free
• Principals of Background Art and Matte Paintings in Animated Films: 4:30 pm, Free

• Animation 101: 11 am, $39 per person
• What Does It Take To Get the Right Shot? (Photography): 1:30 pm, Free
• Making the New Look Old (Aging Wood): 4:30 pm, Free