One of the reasons most people like to visit EPCOT is to see what’s new at the seasonal festivals. The theme park has four annual festivals, which are very popular. EPCOT International Festival of the Arts starts in late Winter of each year. The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival starts in Spring. Next up is the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival starting in late Summer. Finally, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays starts in late fall just after Thanksgiving. Each festival has its own unique identity, with festival food kiosks and activities highlighting festivities from around the world. There’s no question that EPCOT stays busy during the festivals.
However, there are times when there is no active festival at the park. How does the lack of a festival impact crowds at EPCOT? If this past week is any indication, there is quite a bit of an impact.
While walking through World Showcase, the area where most of the festival activities are usually found, it was not lost on our team that the area was quieter than usual. The video above shows how things looked in the China pavilion around noon on a Thursday afternoon. The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival wrapped up at the beginning of last week, June 2nd to be exact. This is very apparent by the empty festival food kiosks and the lower crowd sizes. While the empty kiosks seemed a little weird, the lower crowd size was very refreshing!
It isn’t often that you get to stroll around World Showcase without being shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other people. However, it was quiet enough to actually absorb all of your surroundings. Even more important, there were even places to eat… actual tables, not just on the tops of trash cans! Honestly, there seems to be a good trade-off during this time in between festivals. While there may not be as many activities or food spots to eat from, the quieter vibes are a good thing as well.
The crowds may be lighter and the festival food kiosks may be closed, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do in EPCOT’s World Showcase. You will still find that there is plenty of entertainment to see. For instance, you can take in the interactive show put on in the Italy pavilion from the mime/juggler named Sergio!
Or, over in the Japan pavilion, you won’t want to miss the Japanese drummers and their show Matsuriza.
Passholders have plenty of reasons to visit EPCOT before the next festival begins as well. There’s plenty of Passholder exclusives to be had including a new magnet, a tumbler designed by Joey Chou, exclusive character greetings, and a Passholder Lounge in the Morocco pavilion. This is all part of this year’s V.I.Passholder Summer Days.
Of course, who would want to sleep on the character meet and greets?
So, if you are looking for a more laid-back experience at Walt Disney World and you are visiting during a time when EPCOT does not have a festival, don’t skip this park! It may be just what you need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the crowds over at Magic Kingdom. Besides, you’ll still get to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Soarin’ Around The World, and Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros. Test Track will also re-open in late Summer. If you are nearby, you can actually hear them testing the cars on the track now!
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