Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort will launch its annual celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts beginning Jan. 18. The popular event will continue for 39 days through Feb. 25, 2019, with more live music than ever before, along with fresh tastes to savor and new artwork to admire and bring home.
New this year, the Disney on Broadway Concert Series expands to seven days a week during the festival, providing more opportunities than ever before to bask in live Disney magic. Each week, different pairs of Disney on Broadway stars will take the America Gardens Theatre stage to sing favorite songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway productions. The lineup will rotate regularly, featuring music from shows such as “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Performers this year include:
- Kerry Butler (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
- Meredith Inglesby (“The Little Mermaid”) and Steve Blanchard (“Beauty and the Beast”)
- Arielle Jacobs and Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)
- Heidi Blickenstaff (“Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)
- Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) and Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)
- Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)
The concert series is included with park admission; showtimes are 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. nightly. The Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Package is available at participating Epcot restaurants and guarantees show seating; package bookings are available at Disneyworld.com. Reservations can also be made by calling (407) WDW-DINE.
In addition to the concert series, the Epcot International Festival of the Arts will feature 13 Food Studios, plus additional creative food and beverage offerings around Epcot with an expanded selection of delicious new tastes to savor:
- The Artist’s Table will feature beef wellington with mushroom bordelaise, fennel cream and roasted baby vegetables
- Smoked salmon and cream gâteau with egg yolk cream, paddlefish caviar and micro-herbs is sure to be a new favorite at The Painter’s Palate
- Pop Eats! will serve up almond frangipane cake with raspberry and chocolate
- Red wine-braised short rib with parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes and aged balsamic will be available at Cuisine Classique
Guests may fan their inspirational flames by bringing a piece of the festival home with them. Art collectors and Disney enthusiasts alike will find artwork for sale throughout the entire park, from the Art of Disney store to Festival Markets. In addition, special merchandise will be available at Mouse Gear and other Epcot locations featuring the festival’s logo adorning shirts, mugs, totes and other charming items.
The 2019 event provides fun every day for the whole family, including mesmerizing performance art, complimentary seminars, hands-on activities and much more:
- Everyone’s invited to grab a paintbrush and help create a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza.
- Guests of all ages will have the opportunity to literally step inside works of art and take fun photos, such as the “Washington Crossing the Delaware” Artful Photo Opportunity.
- The Paint with a Disney Artist program invites guests to learn under the tutelage of a professional (offered select Fridays and Sundays, including continental breakfast, for an additional fee).
- A variety of workshops led by professionals will teach different artistic techniques, such as floral design, ink and paint, mixed-media art and more (offered Friday-Monday for an additional fee). As a memento of what they learned, guests will take their creations home with them.
- Complimentary 30-minute seminars will give guests helpful instruction for producing their own artwork at home.
- More than 50 visiting artists participating in the festival will be available to meet with guests and share insights on their work.
- Disney artists’ work will be exhibited across Epcot.
- Gravity-defying feats of strength, acrobatics and many performing artists are scheduled throughout the festival.
- International musical and variety acts will share their talents with guests, including the return of Bodh’aktan to the Canada stage and Delta Q, a new group performing in Germany.
- Guests can join in the fun of Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt by purchasing a map at select merchandise locations.
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