9 Mistakes To Avoid At Epcot Festivals

Not Going to the Festivals

The first mistake you can make with any of the Epcot Festivals is simply not going to the festivals or ignoring them. The majority of the year there is a festival going on. 

The beginning of the year has Festival of the Arts, spring has Flower and Garden Festival, the fall has Food and Wine Festival, and end of the year has Festival of the Holidays. The odds are in your favor of there being a festival during your trip. 

Whether you knew about it or not, you would be missing out on a lot of great things that Disney has to offer by ignoring them. We always plan extra time for the festivals because there is so much to see and do for each one. 

Disney does not do any theme small. They are a go big or go home type of company, so avoiding the festivals is definitely a big mistake. 

Thinking They Are Just For Adults

One of the big reasons people avoid the festivals or do not plan time for them is because they think they are only for adults. This is completely untrue. Epcot has a reputation for being a more adult-friendly park, which can be true to an extent, but only because the kid stuff is a bit more hidden than the adult things. 

 All of the festivals of different activities for kids to enjoy. One thing that all of the festivals have in common is the food booths. As you read through the menus you will notice different labels like G for Gluten-free or V for Vegetarian, but you might also notice another one labeled KA which stands for Kid Approved. These are dishes that even the pickiest eaters can enjoy.

The festivals themselves also have so many activities to enjoy for children. There are interactive play areas are typically themed after some Disney character in relation to the festival that is going on. 

All of the festivals also have scavenger hunts of some kind to keep kids entertained as you explore the World Showcase. During Festival of the Arts, for example, you search for Figment hidden in famous paintings. Food and Wine Festival you find Remy taking different items from kitchens. Personally, I play myself too because they are really fun and change each year! 

Disney is a place that wants every family member enjoying in a magical time and festivals are no different. They always list kid-friendly activities on their site before a festival so be sure to check out some of the highlights! 

Not Picking Up The Guide Book

It is easy to get excited and overwhelmed when you enter Epcot. You hear the music and see Spaceship Earth and immediately are eager to start your day. However, don’t be so excited you miss grabbing a guide book or festival passport when you get into the park.

These are located throughout the park as well, but regardless of where you get one, it is important to get them as soon as you can. Those guide books are going to be your key to making the most of every festival. 

They contain all of the information about the festival. The concert times, food offerings, activities, seminars, and more! It is a great way to see all that the festival has to offer and helps decide what you want to see and do.

Not Picking Up A Schedule

Typically right next to the guide books for each festival, you will find a schedule for all of the activities that week. This means you can see what is being offered at what times and where to go. 

Disney festivals offer a lot of entertainment for free. There are so many things to see and do each day this helps you plan your day. The concert times are in there, the seminars, and more! 

It is a simple thing to grab, but incredibly helpful. It helps make your day a little more magical when you see an activity you would have otherwise missed! 

Skipping the Free Activities

The festivals are always included in your admission to Epcot. While there are activities like certain dinners, seminars, and such, can cost more money, there are plenty of activities that are free once you are inside Epcot. 

This is where your guide book and schedule come in handy. You can see everything there is to do! While some people think the free activities are probably not worth going to, those people would be wrong. 

Festival of the Arts had Animation Academy classes that you could learn to draw your favorite Disney characters. Food and Wine Festival offers free seminars on various topics daily. Festival of the Holidays has live music and Storytellers throughout the World Showcase to experience holiday magic throughout the world. 

There are also free photo ops throughout the park as well! If you have Memory Maker these are great places to stop. If you don’t, simply ask a photographer to use your phone or camera instead. They are great little things that are included and are awesome keepsakes. 

Ignoring the Concerts and Festival Entertainment

Concerts and other festival entertainment are another free thing that people can easily overlook. Personally, I grew up on Broadway so making listening to my favorite Disney Broadway music performed live is one of my favorite things at Festival of the Arts. 

The World Showcase always have entertainment built into the magic, but sometimes with the festivals, they team up to make something even more special. 

All of the festivals of concerts held by the American Adventure pavilion except Festival of the Holidays. During Festival of the Holidays this area is used for the Candlelight Procession which is probably the #1 favorite thing at that festival. There is something truly breathtaking and inspiring that still rings true no matter how many times you have seen it.

You’d be surprised some of the acts that come each year. Food and Wine Festival hosted 98 Degrees in 2018 making 90s babies everywhere relive their childhood all over again. Be sure to look at the entire line-up for each day you are there to ensure you are not missing someone amazing! 

The concerts and entertainment bring the park to life and keep the spirit of each festival alive and engaging. There are usually multiple chances to catch the acts each evening, just be sure to check your schedule! 

Not Researching Ahead of Time

If you are reading this, there is a good chance you have already begun doing this one. Each festival offers so many unique things it can get overwhelming once you are in the parks. It is always a good idea to research the festivals ahead of time. 

You don’t have to plan out your day completely, in fact, I highly suggest you don’t, but this helps to make sure you don’t miss anything. You can get an idea of what each festival has at what is most important to you. 

I like to research the food before I go because the food booths at the festivals are one of my favorite things. They are always unique and different from the typical park offerings. The booths can sometimes be hard to spot or locate which makes them easy to walk past. If you research them ahead of time you won’t miss out on a potential favorite dish! 

Planning on Using Extra Magic Hours

Extra Magic Hours are helpful for resort guests if they are used properly. The one thing you cannot use them for, however, are festivals. Epcot closes the outdoor booths and festival activities when regular park hours are over. 

This can be disappointing for some who are trying to maximize their time during a festival and think staying for late night magic hours will help. Once the fireworks start, the booths shut down and there are not more activities scheduled. 

Early morning magic hours will also not help. The World Showcase does not open until 11 am and neither do the festival booths. Occasionally, but rarely, are there activities that take place before this as well. This is a good time to visit the rest of the theme park so you can dedicate your time to the festival later. 

Going Only Over the Weekend

I want to start off by saying that sometimes this mistake is unavoidable. If you are only visiting for a long weekend, there isn’t much you can do. However, if you are going for a longer period of time, do yourself a favor and head to Epcot during the weekdays. 

Festivals are incredibly popular amongst the locals and because of that the weekends and even after work are much more crowded. 

We have gone over the weekends before partly because we had to and partly to compare. While the lines tend to move quickly the difference is ordering immediately vs waiting 10 minutes in line. This can definitely add up over your day at the park. 

The other issue with the more popular days is the simple fact of crowds. It takes much longer to get from one area to another. Seating areas and shaded areas are usually packed so if you are looking for a brief break it will be harder to find somewhere to rest for a bit. 

Some days can get so crowded the frustration and stress might ruin parts of your trip. This is obviously true at all parks, not just Epcot during festivals, however, if you can avoid crowds in any scenario, your vacation will be much more magical. 

There you have it! The top 9 mistakes to avoid when you are attending an Epcot festival. Want to learn more about the festivals? Check out the guides for each below. You will find everything you need to know to help start planning your magical trip! 

• Guide to Festival of the Arts
• Guide to Flower and Garden Festival
• Guide to Food and Wine Festival 
• Guide to Festival of the Holidays

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