BEWARE of This HUGE Problem at EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2026

When we head into Disney World, we go in thinking that the longest line we’ll wait in that day is probably for one of the park’s most popular rides. That’s especially true in EPCOT, because multiple rides in the park can get some LONG lines.

Rope Drop Crowds

However, yesterday was opening day for one of EPCOT’s most POPULAR festivals, Festival of the Arts, and while we were expecting things to be crowded, we didn’t think they’d be THIS intense. If you’re heading to the festival opening weekend (especially since Monday is a holiday), you’ve gotta pack your patience when it comes to waiting in line for your food.

Throughout our day at the festival, especially as it got further into the afternoon and it wasn’t as chilly, we noticed that crowds ramped up exponentially, especially around festival booths. Things started out bit by bit — we noticed that at The Craftsman’s Courtyard, it took us five minutes to get to the booth to order, then another eight minutes to get our food.

The Craftsman’s Courtyard Food Studio

Over at Gourmet Landscapes in Canada, things took a bit longer — it took us 18 minutes to order, then 25 minutes to get our food!

Gourmet Landscapes

Then, over at The Artist’s Table in The American Adventure pavilion, there was only one cashier to take orders, as all other Cast Members were working hard to get the food out, which was taking up the most time. It took us 33 MINUTES to get to the cashier to order!

WOW

At the exact same time in the park, there were numerous experiences that would have taken less time, including Soarin’ (a 25-minute wait), Meeting Mickey and Friends at CommuniCore Hall (a 25-minute wait), Mission: SPACE (a 25-minute wait), and even meeting Anna and Elsa (a 35-minute wait)!

Full Spread at The Artist’s Table

This goes to show that, with lines like these, it’s very important to know what you REALLY would like to try at the festival, so you don’t wait in line for something you end up knowing you’ll dislike. We’ve got reviews now of EVERY booth here on our blog that you can look through to make an informed decision, and we highly recommend reading through them before you make your buy list!

More Recent Festival of the Arts News!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO EAT AND DRINK AT THE 2026 EPCOT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

MAKE THE MOST
OF YOUR FESTIVAL DAYS

DFB's guide to the Festival of the Arts details everything you need to know to maximize your time, budget, and stomach space! Know what's worth it and what to skip with our full-photo menus of each booth, complete with DFB's Best of the Fest.

It includes all the must-have information for navigating this colorful festival at Disney World, including:

🍭 Booth & food photos, maps, and crawls with DFB's exclusive recommendations!
🖌 The COMPLETE schedule of events (so you don't have to go hunting for all the dates!)
🎨 All the details on special events, artist meet-n-greets, festival-exclusive merchandise, and more!