UPDATED May 27, 2026

A dedicated Festival area has come to Disney World’s EPCOT to serve as the new “home base” for EPCOT’s seasonal Festivals and live events! CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza are housed in EPCOT’s World Celebration, bringing EPCOT International Festivals “to the center of Walt Disney World,” as Disney states. This new area opened on June 10th, 2024.

EPCOT hosts four seasonal Festivals throughout the year: the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (the first Festival of the calendar year), Spring’s EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, the original EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. The new spaces play an integral part in these events, which are highlights for Walt Disney World guests throughout the year!

WHAT’S NEW at CommuniCore Hall and Plaza!

Goofy has taken over CommuniCore Hall as part of Cool Kids’ Summer once again… At GoofyCore, you can dance and play along with the Goof Troop, DJ Dance Pants, and Goofy himself in tons of fun activities.

It’s open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. This family-friendly experience is aimed at younger kids and preschoolers, but we find that it’s just as fun for the grown-ups and kids-at-heart, too!

Goofy’s Game Machine presents playtime favorites such as Goofy Says, Balloon Bonanza, and Parachutes ‘n’ Pipsqueaks. Stop in for some A/C and some FUN!!

Guests can also find a bite to eat (or a drink to sip) at GRAB ‘N’ GOOF hosted at CommuniCore’s outdoor counter throughout the summer.

CommuniCore Plaza

CommuniCore Plaza provides an outdoor space where you can relax and experience all that the Festivals have to offer… such as enjoying some of your chosen Festival foods in a seated area with some shade.

The (literal!) spotlight is on an area that hosts large-scale concerts or intimate performances, which extends into the nearby gardens.

There is additional space behind the stage that further expands CommuniCore Plaza.

Even outside of Festival seasons, the stage is put into use year-round! For instance…

CommuniCore Plaza Stage

On stage, see an Encanto stage show — Celebración Encanto! It’s a sing-along that features beloved songs — and characters! — from the film.

¡Celebración Encanto! is a 20-30 minute family-friendly show that features 2 hosts and four dancers telling the story of Disney’s popular animated film Encanto through the film’s songs.

It’s interactive, not only encouraging audience members to dance and sing along where they stand, but the performers also invite kids and adults alike up to the stage during certain numbers. And the whole show finishes with a dance party featuring Mirabel and Bruno, where everyone is encouraged to participate.

The show is running several times a day and takes place on the CommuniCore Plaza stage.

Communicore Hall

CommuniCore Hall is housed within the plaza and is the first fully-purpose built structure in Festival programming!

Designed with flexibility in mind, this hall hosts a wide variety of experiences with food, art, live music, and more.

Ultimately, it will also help extend the festival experience and give presenting chefs new ways to connect and experiment.

Mickey and Friends Meet-and-Greet

Along with providing dedicated spaces for EPCOT’s seasonal Festivals, CommuniCore Hall also showcases a year-round Mickey & Friends Meet-and-Greet!

So, who are the “& Friends” that hang out with Mickey in this space?

Well, we initially saw Minnie and Goofy greeting with Mickey, but be aware that the “& Friends” in the space may vary, so be ready for a surprise!

And rest assured that Mickey himself will always be present to SEE YA, PAL!!!

P.S. While you’re waiting to see Mickey, make sure you take a good look around the greeting space.

It is POSITIVELY PACKED with nods to the earliest days of EPCOT Center (and current favorites, too)!

Disney has decorated the queue space with artwork to commemorate the various stages of EPCOT, and you can see 11 HIDDEN SECRETS in the area here!

Check out Mickey’s Meet-and-Greet Spot HERE!

Festival Area Gardens

As the seasonal Festivals change throughout the year, the seasons are further reflected in the World Celebration hub, divided into several different gardens. In early December 2023, these areas started to open for guests!

The planter above is based on the five-ring EPCOT logo. The gardens evolve with the seasons! They offer plenty of shade and seating for guests, and each one has its own identity.

At night, lighting immerses guests in an evening experience that also changes through the seasons.

Plus, the gardens offer exciting views of Spaceship Earth!

Not only do we cover every aspect of each and every seasonal EPCOT Festival here at DFB… we also happen to be HUGE Festival fans, right along with you! We can’t wait to share this area with all of you as it grows to play a role in EPCOT’s Festivals.