Disney has officially announced the 2027 dates for two of EPCOT’s most popular seasonal festivals, giving families planning winter and spring Walt Disney World trips a much clearer picture of what will be happening in the park.
The 2027 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts will run from January 15 through March 1, 2027, while the 2027 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will run from March 10 through May 31, 2027. (Disney Parks Blog)
Both festivals are included with valid EPCOT admission, although food, drinks, merchandise and certain premium experiences cost extra. (Walt Disney World)
So what does that actually mean if you are planning a Disney World trip with kids? The two festivals have very different personalities, and while we definitely have a favorite, we would not build an entire vacation around the festival calendar alone.
EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2027
Festival of the Arts is the smaller and shorter of the two festivals, running for about a month and a half during January and February.
It is also one of the most unique EPCOT festivals.
Rather than flowers or a huge collection of food booths being the main attraction, Festival of the Arts focuses on visual art, performing arts and culinary art. In 2027, Disney has confirmed 19 Food Studios, the return of the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series, Disney Lorcana experiences, Animation Academy, the giant paint by number mural, Artful Photo Ops and artists creating work throughout EPCOT. (Disney Parks Blog)
One of our favorite parts is actually one of the simplest: the chalk art.
The Chalk Art Galleries feature incredibly talented artists creating elaborate pieces right on the pavement. It is one of those things that is easy to walk past if you are rushing from attraction to attraction, but it is worth slowing down and watching for a few minutes. Disney has confirmed that the Chalk Art Galleries are returning in 2027. (Disney Parks Blog)
Families who enjoy drawing, painting, theater or Disney artwork will probably appreciate this festival more than families who are primarily interested in rides.
Collectors should also pay attention. Festival of the Arts brings Disney artists into EPCOT, giving guests opportunities to see their work and, depending on the artist and schedule, meet some of the people behind it.
Festival of the Arts Can Be a Great Time to Visit Disney World
There is another reason we like Festival of the Arts for families: the time of year.
January and February can be a very nice window for a Walt Disney World vacation. Florida weather is generally more comfortable than during the summer months, and outside of holiday weekends and other busy periods, this part of the calendar can feel calmer than peak spring break or summer travel.
There are still dates to watch.
The federal holiday commonly called Presidents Day falls on Monday, February 15, 2027, right in the middle of Festival of the Arts. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, just a few days after the festival begins. Holiday weekends can change the crowd picture quickly, so we would not assume every January or February date automatically means light crowds. (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)
Still, if January or February already works well for your family’s schedule, Festival of the Arts is a really fun bonus.
We probably would not move an entire Disney vacation just to attend it, but we would absolutely be happy to find it waiting for us when we arrived.
EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival 2027
Flower & Garden is a different animal.
The 2027 festival runs from March 10 through May 31, covering much of the spring travel season and lasting significantly longer than Festival of the Arts. (Disney Parks Blog)
And it feels bigger.
The gardens, flowers and elaborate Disney character topiaries transform EPCOT. Disney has already confirmed that the topiaries and gardens will return, along with the Garden Rocks Concert Series and the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens. The full concert lineup, dining packages and food menus will be announced later. (Disney Parks Blog)
For us, the landscaping is really the star.
EPCOT is beautiful throughout the year, but during Flower & Garden it feels completely different. There are flowers everywhere, incredibly detailed character topiaries and gardens tucked throughout the park. You do not have to be particularly interested in gardening to enjoy it.
Kids certainly do not need to be.
It simply makes EPCOT more colorful and interesting to explore.
One of Our Favorite Flower & Garden Stops
In recent years, one of our favorite family experiences has been the butterfly garden.
Walking through a garden filled with butterflies is exactly the kind of EPCOT experience that works surprisingly well with kids because it gives everyone a break from rides, lines and schedules.
Disney has not yet announced the complete lineup of 2027 gardens and family activities, so we are waiting for confirmation that the butterfly experience will return before putting it on the official 2027 must do list.
That is an important distinction with these early festival announcements. Disney has given us the dates and several major returning experiences, but not every detail yet.
Flower & Garden Is Also About the Food
The Outdoor Kitchens are another big part of Flower & Garden.
Instead of sitting down for one big meal, families can make their way around EPCOT trying smaller seasonal dishes from different locations. Disney says both returning favorites and new dishes will be part of the 2027 festival, with a full Foodie Guide coming later. (Disney Parks Blog)
This is one place where having kids can either make the festival more fun or significantly more expensive, depending on how adventurous your children become when confronted with tiny plates of interesting food.
Ask us how we know.
The Weather Can Be Fantastic Early in Flower & Garden
We especially like the earlier part of Flower & Garden.
March and early spring can bring some really pleasant park weather before Central Florida settles into its much hotter pattern later in the season.
There is a tradeoff, though. Flower & Garden overlaps with spring break travel, Easter season and Memorial Day weekend. In fact, the festival’s final day in 2027 is Memorial Day, May 31. (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)
That means Flower & Garden may be the larger festival, but the surrounding travel calendar matters just as much.
Festival of the Arts vs. Flower & Garden: Which Should Families Choose?
If you told us that your family could travel during either festival and every other factor was equal, we would choose Flower & Garden.
It is larger, there is more to see throughout the park, the landscaping is spectacular and we think it has broader appeal for families with kids.
But that would not be our first consideration when choosing Disney World dates.
Our advice is to pick the best travel dates for your family first. Look at school schedules, airfare, hotel prices, expected crowds, weather and how much time you can actually spend at Walt Disney World.
Then look at the festival.
If the best week for your family falls during Festival of the Arts, great. You will get a creative, colorful festival during one of our favorite seasons to visit Walt Disney World.
If your trip falls during Flower & Garden, even better. EPCOT will be covered in flowers, gardens and character topiaries with plenty of seasonal food to work into your day.
We just would not choose a significantly worse travel week solely because one EPCOT festival sounds better than the other.
2027 EPCOT Festival Dates at a Glance
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts: January 15 through March 1, 2027
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: March 10 through May 31, 2027
That leaves only a short break between the two festivals, meaning EPCOT will spend a large portion of the first five months of 2027 in festival mode.
Disney will release additional information about artists, menus, concerts, dining packages and family activities as the festivals get closer, and we will continue updating our 2027 Disney World planning coverage as those details are announced. (Disney Parks Blog)
Sources: Walt Disney World and Disney Parks Blog. Disney Parks Blog Festival of the Arts announcement Disney Parks Blog Flower & Garden announcement
