Practically any day of the year that you visit EPCOT you’re bound to do so during one of its many festivals. The 2021 Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts starts on January 8, 2021, and we’re getting excited. Disney has been using the term “Taste of” for all of EPCOT’s festivals ever since the park’s reopening in July 2020. This term is used to help illustrate that each festival is a little lighter on its normal offerings. Still, there’s lots to look forward to.

1. The 15 Food Studios
2. Browsing beautiful art on display around World Showcase
3. Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt

It wouldn’t be an EPCOT festival without food and beverage booths all along World Showcase promenade. The food and beverage at the Festival of the Arts is often the most creative of any festival. This is when the beauty of culinary art is on display as a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.

EPCOT is already a beautiful park. (Well at least World Showcase is; Future World is a bit of a wreck right now.) Throughout World Showcase during the Festival of the Arts, there will be tents featuring different artists and their works. Most of the artists are there to greet guests and answer any questions. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions.

Although it costs $7.99, Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt is a fun activity for families, and kids at heart. Each festival there is a different scavenger hunt around World Showcase and it results in a fun, themed prize. We look forward to seeing what this year’s prize will be. Any guesses?

Have you been to the EPCOT Festival of the Arts before? What’s your favorite part?

The post 3 Things We Are Looking Forward to at the 2021 Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

Our Disney community was hit hard 2020. In hard times, we look to our past and present leaders for guidance. Walt Disney, our community leader, was an optimist. He once said, “I always like to look on the optimistic side of life…”

So, what Disney silver linings can we look forward to as we look ahead with hope for 2021? Personally, I can’t wait for our Disney year ahead!

The 50th!

Of course! Let’s begin with a bang. While Walt Disney World’s 50^th anniversary will be scaled down, scaled back, and possibly not the same as intended (you get the picture), it is not being floated or cancelled and will still be celebrated by its loyal fans.

I am looking forward to visiting the parks to join in the celebration, purchasing merchandise commemorating the special anniversary and being present together sharing our common love of Walt Disney World.

WDW is open for business

We have been lucky and blessed that our beloved Florida park has been open in 2020 and I can’t wait for it to open with greater hours and capacity as we head further out into 2021.

We have options, and I have a greater appreciation for Walt Disney World in 2020 and beyond. I am crossing my fingers that our beloved cast members will have greater opportunities for more employment!

New things ahead

Walt Disney World is open, and I’m looking forward to new attractions. For those whose vacations have been sidelined, another silver lining is that the newer attractions such as Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the Disney Skyliner, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance are all experiences that many of us will be exploring for the first time.

In 2021, I am very excited for the opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Space 220 Restaurant, both in Epcot. New shows such as Harmonious, also in Epcot, are at the top of my list, in addition to Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure that I am hoping will also open this coming year.

I feel confident that President-elect Joe Biden will debut at Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents as the traditional new animatronic, and that, as well as a potential stay at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, are an additional couple of things to look forward to.  

The DIS Unplugged

My silver lining this year has been enjoying my favorite community: The DIS. They never failed us with their presence online and assisting us through Dreams Unlimited Travel. I look forward to seeing what lies ahead for our special friends and business. I look forward to a meaningful reopening of Give Kids the World and seeing the partnership and donations strengthened for this important village.

Good Health, Happiness and Safety

My final silver linings are about our community’s prioritizing balancing our vacations while safeguarding our health, safety and enjoyment. This year will be behind us, but our helping each other cope through tragedy and hard times shows us all that together, we were able find meaningful moments as well as help connect each other to our happy place.

What are your silver linings and what Disney things are you looking forward in 2021?