EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2026 Preparations & The Boathouse Birthday Celebration

EPCOT Festival of the Arts Preparations

• 🎨 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts preparations are underway, with the entrance display and signage already in place.
• 🗓️ The festival is scheduled to run from January 16th to February 23rd, 2026, and will be a daily event.
• 🖼️ Several "step-in" photo frames featuring vibrant colors and themes, including Figment, have been spotted around the park.
• 🛍️ Tents for merchandise and artists, as well as food studios, are beginning to appear, with some holiday decorations still present.
• 🎭 Activities at the festival will include Chalk Art Galleries, Disney on Broadway, Chalk full of Character scavenger hunt, the new Disney Larana trading card game, Animation Academy, and art purchases from various artists.
• 🇳🇴 A new permanent kiosk is being constructed in the Norway pavilion, intended for beverages and snacks.
• 🍽️ The Odyssey building will feature new displays, including a section themed around Alice in Wonderland and a "Fictional Viddles" area.
• 🎨 Trevor Carlton, an artist known for creating pieces quickly, will be featured.

The Boathouse Birthday Tradition

• 🎂 For Jeff's birthday, the traditional meal at The Boathouse in Disney Springs was enjoyed.
• 🌊 The restaurant, a favorite since its opening in 2015, offers a unique ambiance with its waterfront views.
• 🥖 The meal began with heavily buttered rolls with a glaze.
• 🦆 Signature drinks like the Duck Duck Razz and Duck Duck Beer were enjoyed, along with merchandise related to the "duck duck raz" theme.
• 🥗 A Caesar salad, split onto separate plates upon request, was a traditional starter.
• 🦞 The lobster roll was available hot with drawn butter or chilled, with an option to upgrade from chips to fries.
• 🍔 A burger was also ordered, with an upgrade to a baked potato.
• 🍰 The 21-layer cake was ordered for dessert, noted as being large enough to serve multiple people, though a portion was taken home.
• ⚓ The Boathouse celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and has been instrumental in utilizing the waterfront at Disney Springs.
• 🚤 The restaurant previously offered boat charter experiences, which have since been discontinued.
• 🚗 AmphiCars are available for an extra cost, offering a unique experience at Disney Springs.

Future Travel Plans

• ✈️ Upcoming travel plans include a trip to Disneyland Paris for the World of Frozen rebranding on March 29th.
• 🎃 Plans are also being made for a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim for Halloween time and an expo.
• 🗺️ MEI Travel and MouseFan Travel are highlighted as sponsors, offering no-obligation quotes for various Disney destinations.