A brand new seasonal festival at Disney’s Epcot kicked off this past weekend – the International Festival of the Arts! This new festival celebrates art in its many forms, and features live performances, various displays of artwork, and even the culinary arts which guests can indulge in around World Showcase. The event runs Fridays through Mondays until February 20th.
This new festival really is a feast for both the eyes and taste buds. Even if you don’t purchase any pieces from the large number of artists’ work in tents around World Showcase, just browsing is fun in its own right. And because the presentation matters, the food choices are not only meant to taste good, but look good too. This does have one drawback, though – the focus on presentation means lines at the food kiosks can move a bit more slowly.
There are eight food kiosks set up around the World Showcase walkway, and several additional permanent concession locations offer one or two festival themed items as well. See the menus for the eight kiosks below, along with images and thoughts on a few of the offerings.
Pop Eats!
Combining modern art with modern cooking techniques, Pop Eats! Has some of the most eye appealing culinary creations at the festival, including the Almond Frangipane Cake ($4.25).
We tried the Sous Vide Venison ($7.50) and were impressed with the flavors. The portion size is a bit on the smaller side, but the chance to try something made with the unique cooking method was worth it.
There is slightly different version of the Pop’t Art ($4.00) available at The Painter’s Palate (located inside Odyssey). A Snack Credit on the Disney Dining Plan can be used on all of the food options here.
Decadent Delights
As the name suggests, Decadent Delights is all about sweet dessert items. We chose to sample the Dark Chocolate S’mores ($6.50), which is served as a dome with all the traditional components of the campfire treat. The little marshmallow puffs on the side look soft, but are actually light and crispy.
You’ll find Decadent Delights along World Showcase Plaza before the Canada Pavilion. Disney Dining Plan Snack Credits are valid on all of the dishes here.
The Masterpiece Kitchen
Fine ingredients and artistic presentation are the themes at The Masterpiece Kitchen, located near the Canada pavilion. While we didn’t stop to sample from this kiosk due to a very long line, we look forward to stopping here on a future visit and giving it a shot. The Mushroom Risotto ($9.00) smelled amazing, although the portion size looks small versus the price.
The menu here also includes the two most expensive food offerings at the kiosks – The Charcuterie Palette at $14.00, and Smoked Salmon Tartare at $12.00. Only the White Chocolate Puzzle and Painting are included on the Disney Dining Plan as a Snack Credit.
The Artist’s Table
Located on the right side of the American Adventure, The Artist’s Table features roast pork, scallops and a flight of sipping chocolates. We grabbed the Roasted Pork Roulade ($6.50), and found it to be moist and flavorful.
All three food options here, along with the sipping chocolate flight, count as a Snack Credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
Cuisine Classique
With a classic French flare, this kiosk serves up beef, fish and two dessert options and is located near the France pavilion. The Braised Beef Short Rib ($7.50) had excellent flavors, and was fall-apart tender. The portion size was also a bit bigger compared to many of the dishes we tried.
The four food choices here are available as a Snack Credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
E=AT^2
Using the currently popular deconstructed theme, E=AT^2 takes some classic American dishes and puts an artistic twist on them. All items on the menu, with the exception of the alcohol version of Deconstructed Breakfast, can be purchased with a Snack Credit on the Disney Dining Plan. You’ll find this kiosk along World Showcase Plaza heading towards Mexico pavilion.
El Arista Hambriento (The Hungry Artist)
Out on the main walkway just before the Mexico Pavilion is El Arista Hambriento, or The Hungry Artist, serving up Disney’s take on two classic Mexican dishes.
The food items at this location are not available on the Disney Dining Plan
The Painter’s Palate
Our last stop takes us inside the Odyssey, which serves as the festival center for the event.The Painter’s Palate has several sweet and savory items to choose from, including The Trio of Savory Croissant Doughnuts ($9.50). The trio actually combines both in one dish with three different tastes. Out of the three miniature creations, we felt the Chicken Mousse had the best flavor. While the Sriracha Mayonnaise had a bit of a kick, the Spicy Tuna option seemed to lack flavor. The Herb Cream Cheese doughnut combined both salty and sweet, but both tastes seemed to compete to overpower one another and was a miss for us.
The Margherita Flatbread ($5.25) was tasty, and for less adventurous eaters – like kids – it’s a good non-sugary option.
All of the food options here are available as a Snack Credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
The Epcot International Festival of the Arts runs Fridays through Mondays until February 20th, 2017. Access to concerts, art displays, and many of the seminars and demonstrations is included with any admission. Food, beverage, souvenirs and additional special events are an additional charge.
Special thanks to photographer Matt Hopkins for the use of several images in this article.
Join in on the conversation about the Festival of the Arts using #ArtfulEpcot. For the latest on Walt Disney World and other theme parks, attractions, dining venues and more across the region, be sure to follow Touring Central Florida on twitter @TourCentralFL & @androckb, and give our facebook page a like.