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Greetings fellow Rope Droppers,
We’re heading into a holiday weekend for some folks, which also means the beginning of Epcot Festival of the Arts.
We’re sharing festival highlights, plus some interesting news from the other coast that has our brains stewing…
Gabe
Tomorrow, Epcot swaps post-holiday whiplash for paintbrushes and plated snacks: the International Festival of the Arts kicks off January 16 and runs through February 23.
If you’ve never done Arts, here’s the quick version: it’s Epcot’s “small-but-mighty” festival: shorter than the big marathon events like Flower & Garden and Food & Wine, but packed with reasons to linger.
Disney Parks Blog
What is it, really?
Three tracks, one park day:
Eat: Disney says the festival features 20+ Food Studios, and the official Foodie Guide is already live
Watch: The DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series returns with multiple shows per day; standard seating is first-come, first-served, and there’s also a dining package option if you want to lock it in.
Wander: Festival art, galleries, and working artists around the park (Disney’s “Meet the Artists” list is the best way to sanity-check who’s scheduled).
Who is this for?
Not just art people. If your group likes to:
snack their way around World Showcase,
grab a few photos that look “planned” even if your day wasn’t,
or catch a live set between rides,
Arts is the easiest “yes” festival on the Epcot calendar.
If you’re on the fence, here’s the RDR take
Arts is worth a visit when you want an Epcot day that feels curated without needing a spreadsheet. Start with the Food Studios you actually care about, pick one Broadway set time, and treat everything else as a bonus.
Crowd wise, we often see some quieter weekends than some Food & Wine days, but in my experience I’ve also seen the first Arts weekend to be one of the most unmanageable to walk around World Showcase.
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We’re a Walt Disney World-first newsletter, so let’s say this plainly: yesterday’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge news is Disneyland-only, and nothing announced here changes your next lap around Batuu at Hollywood Studios. But it’s still worth your time…because Batuu East and Batuu West are basically twins right now, and Disneyland is about to test-drive a big creative choice Disney has avoided since the land opened: loosening the timeline.
The official move: starting April 29, 2026, Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge will “expand its timeline” to include multiple Star Wars eras. That means classic-era characters (Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo) will join the roaming roster on Batuu, while Rey and the Resistance still remain part of the land’s existing story beats. Disney also says John Williams selections will start playing throughout the land, and a few in-land businesses will get updated theming tied to the era shifts.
Disney Tourist Blog framed the promise (and the high bar):
“Every new detail, no matter how small, will be meticulously recreated to ensure an authentic experience.”
So why should WDW readers care?
RDR’s hot take: The Star Wars purists will disagree and say this answer isn’t magical, but here goes anyways. Guests visit themed lands because they want to interact with the story as a construct, not a specific point in time. They want to live everything Star Wars, and that means seeing the characters they know across the many films and franchises.
When kids go to Fantasyland, most don’t complain that their favorite princesses shouldn’t exist in the same room together. The magic is the real life encounter, not the preservation of who should and shouldn’t exist in the same time and space.
But what do you think...which is more important?
Refurb Radar: Beach Club’s Tidal leisure pool is closed mid-January through early May 2026, and Old Key West’s Turtle Pond pool (plus spa, playground, BBQ) is closed early January–early February 2026. Stormalong Bay stays open at Beach/Yacht, and OKW’s Sandcastle, South Point, and Miller’s Road pools remain available; you may see/hear daytime work. (WDWNT)
5K Expansion: runDisney is adding more 5K spots across all four Walt Disney World race weekends starting with Wine & Dine, October 15–25, so more of us can snag a bib before they vanish. Club runDisney opens Feb 3; general public Feb 10…set those reminders.. (AllEars)
Showtime Shift: Fantasmic! moves to 8:30 PM nightly at Hollywood Studios starting March 8, so tweak those evening plans if you were banking on a 9:30 show. Expect spring break adjustments and double-check MDE; arrive early or snag a dining package for seats. (AllEars)
WiFi Hike: If you’re one of those who needs internet at sea, budget a few extra bucks for your next Disney Cruise Line voyage. (Don’t feel bad, I’m with you on this.) Daily internet package prices have gone up by a few bucks, some $4-7 depending on the tier. (DCL Fan)
Finally, the Disney Adventure met two sisters this week as she makes her way towards Florida for the first time. Adventure, Destiny and Fantasy all made a rendezvous in the Bahamas, and a horn battle was had!
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