Ever wonder how HORRIBLE crowds are on the opening day of an EPCOT Festival (or whether they’re that bad at all)? Well, we’ve got the answer…

EPCOT Festival of the Arts

We’re live at the 2025 EPCOT Festival of the Arts, checking out the food studios, artistic performances, merchandise, and more. There’s a LOT going on, but don’t let it overwhelm you. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know before your visit. But you won’t be experiencing this Festival alone, so let’s take a look at those opening day crowds.

We made our way to EPCOT early this morning, and let’s just say we weren’t the only ones hoping to get into the park as early as possible. Here’s what the crowds looked like when we entered the park. That is a LOT of people.

EPCOT is hopping

Things thinned out a LITTLE as we began making our way further into the park, but it’s still pretty busy.

Festival of the Arts crowds

While crowds can impact your general experience, keep in mind that they can also lead to longer lines at the food booths, merchandise kiosks, and rides. Just check out the crowds outside Creations Shop first thing in the morning!

Crowds outside Creations Shop

The shop was pretty busy inside, too.

It’s busy!

Note that, generally speaking, EPCOT Festivals can get busier as the day goes on. While some folks may not have wanted to get up early for the Festival fun, they may decide to join a bit later in the day. Weekends can also be a really busy time at EPCOT Festivals, as locals and Annual Passholders may take that time to swing a quick trip to the parks without interrupting their work schedules.

If you want to try and AVOID Festival crowds, consider visiting during the weekdays (ideally not on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays), and no matter when you visit, consider getting there very early. If you can be at the food booths when they open (which is generally around 11AM), you could potentially knock out quite a few booths before the rest of the crowds have really arrived.

Avoiding the Festival’s opening weekend and closing weekend can also help you skip some of the larger crowds!

Trying to plan the PERFECT trip to the 2025 EPCOT Festival of the Arts? We’ll be keeping you updated on all of the latest. Click our links below for the information you need to know:

• Check out all of the food booths getting NEW items this year!
• Read all about the NEW FOOD STUDIO at this year’s festival!
• The full line up of this year’s Souvenirs and Entertainment

And don’t forget to pick up our 2025 Festival of the Arts Guide e-book! See more details about the book below.

MAKE THE MOST
OF YOUR FESTIVAL DAYS

This is the “skip the meh, eat the best stuff” plan for EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts. Get full-photo booth menus, DFB’s Best of the Fest, and a clear game plan for your time, budget, and stomach space.

• 🍭 Booth & food photos, maps, and crawls with DFB’s exclusive picks
• 🖌 The complete schedule of events (no hunting for dates)
• 🎨 Artist meet-and-greets, special events, exclusive merch, and more

GET YOUR GUIDE NOW

100% money-back guarantee. If you don’t love the guide for any reason, just email us within 30 days and we’ll send you a full refund — no questions asked.

Are you planning to visit EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts? Let us know in the comments below!