The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts officially kicked off today at the Walt Disney World Resort. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, this year’s festival has increased the number of photo opportunities along the park’s many progress walls while incorporating social distancing procedures. Join us for a virtual tour around the first EPCOT festival of 2021.
Figment continues to be not only the park’s mascot, but the mascot for the most imaginative of EPCOT festivals. He is celebrated this year in a new photo opportunity on your way to World Showcase.
The backside of the same photo spot offers some World Showcase icons in Festival of the Arts style.
And if you missed your chance to take a photo at the main entrance, another festival marquee is on display at the intersection of Future World and World Showcase.
As you stroll around the world, one of the new sights this year are portraits of Disney characters from around World Showcase made by their friends. One of the few stationary characters seen in the parks is Alice, next to her portrait of the White Rabbit in the United Kingdom.
The full gallery is in the courtyard of the United Kingdom, which includes Aurora painted by both Flora and Maryweather, who still can’t decide on a color for her dress.
Doc proves himself an exquisite painter of Snow White at her wishing well.
Mushu is very good at calligraphy with his portrait of Mulan.
The only self portrait, Donald Duck portrays himself as one third of the Three Caballeros.
You instantly know that Maurice drew this sketch of his daughter Belle by how inventive the easel looks.
There’s new artwork on Progress Walls by Jimmy Pickering and Morgan Lee Richardson in the “Drawing on Inspiration” outdoor gallery that celebrates EPCOT’s past. First up is the park’s icon, Spaceship Earth.
Figment celebrates not only all of the pigments, but icons from the attraction’s history.
The Living Seas focuses on the amazing sea animals that call the Future World pavilion home.
The Land looks to the imagery of the main atrium, the seasons and hot air balloons.
Gone but not forgotten, Horizons returns images from the attraction that used to be where Mission: Space now stands.
One of the most recent closures, Universe of Energy is full of the animatronic dinosaurs modeled after the ones found in Disneyland’s Primeval World.
Lastly, the World of Motion showcases how fun it was to be free, to be on the move.
Let your imagination take flight with new photo ops throughout the park that give EPCOT Guests wings. Figment wings and horns can be added to adults and children.
These wings drawn on a wall in The American Adventure look like a magnolia flower, calling to mind the imagery of Princess Tiana.
Are these wings looking back at you?
These wings remind us of the Spectromagic butterflies.
Some of the most colorful wings are low to the ground for kids.
While the grandest of them are adult-height.
Could these wings that look like water splashing be a look ahead at HarmonioUS?
Guests are still encouraged to participate in the giant mural, the “Expression Section,” and are given a souvenir at no additional charge to keep after applying a few squares.
Guests check-in through a socially distanced outdoor queue and receive their cup of paint and sponge brush.
They are then directed to a spot on the wall, with stanchions keeping parties 6-feet apart.
The bridge to World Showcase is once again home to an outdoor Chalk Art gallery.
Guests can see artists creating works of art, both Disney-themed and original.
C'est magnifique!
Shopping for and bringing home a unique piece of art is still a big part of the festival. Tents this year are clearly marked with one-way traffic in mind. Guests enter through one side and exit through another, with a Cast Member out front to keep occupancy low inside.
Food carts are also back, with similar social distancing protocols seen in Taste of EPCOT events from 2020.
While group workshops aren’t included in this year’s International Festival of the Arts, one of last year’s new experiences is back where families and work together to create their own spin art, with one member pedaling a stationary bike to spin a canvas while others squeeze paint onto it.
In addition to festival merchandise sold by Disney, Enemy Ink also returns this year with new designs that can be custom printed before your very eyes.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s new shirt designs with prices starting at $29.99 for t-shirts and going up to $79.99 for a flannel. Guests pick the design and shirt, making their creation unique.
Returning favorites include six standees ocated throughout World Showcase, each allowing Guests to step into classic works of art like “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli.
One of the six photo ops is Disney-themed from Peter Pan in the style of Mary Blair.
Figment’s Brush with the Masters scavenger hunt through World Showcase is also back. Purchase your map and be on the lookout for the mischievous dragon hidden in classic works of art throughout World Showcase to redeem your completed map for a prize.
Clark Full of Character also returns, with chalk drawings of Disney characters hidden in each country.
Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is now running daily through February 22nd, 2021. Click here for our full guide to this year’s festival.