Walt Disney World has been busy announcing news for EPCOT as some of the park’s most popular seasonal events approach and as Walt Disney Imagineers prepare permanent changes for favorite attractions. If you’re among the many fans of this unique Disney theme park, there’s a lot to look forward to.
In this story, we’ll map out the 9 announcements that Disney just made about EPCOT. See also big news for Disney’s holiday season. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the return of Disney World’s $89 water park season pass and the end of a single rider line for one of Disney World’s most popular rides.
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Festival of the Arts 2027 Dates
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts will return in 2027. This special event includes complimentary concerts with Disney On Broadway performers included with park admission, art displays throughout the whole park, and Disney Lorcana scavenger hunts. This is also the event where Disney typically debuts a new Figment popcorn bucket each year!
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In 2027, the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts will take place from January 15 to March 1.
Permanent Changes at EPCOT’s Ratatouille Ride
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has been a guest favorite at EPCOT since the attraction opened in 2021. However, a common criticism of the family-friendly ride has been the lack of effort to integrate the attraction’s huge screens into the scenery. Guests noted the distinctly un-Disney way the screens unceremoniously met the floor, distracting from the experience.
Disney recently installed set pieces to better blend the large screens of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure with the scenes around them. These are all in scale with the ride story, like a giant mousetrap or a huge charcuterie board. See more here.
Behind the Scenes Christmas Lights Tour
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will return to the park from November 27 to December 30, 2026. Disney confirmed that during those dates, the park will once again offer an after-dark version of its Behind the Seeds guided tour showcasing the array of twinkling lights inside Living With The Land – Glimmering Greenhouses, the holiday overlay of EPCOT’s educational boat ride about agriculture.
Tours will be offered at 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:00 PM daily. Reservations will open on September 24.
1-Day-Only Guardians of the Galaxy Celebration
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is EPCOT’s signature roller coaster. Riders typically hear one of six randomized songs as they careen across the stars, but on one day only, everyone will hear the same song on every ride cycle, all day.
On September 21, 2026, Cosmic Rewind will play “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire for all riders, in honor of the song’s opening lyric, “Do you remember the 21st night of September?”
Disney will also serve a specialty drink, the Supernova Sip, at Connections Eatery on September 21 only.
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Candlelight Processional Narrators
The Candlelight Processional will return to EPCOT as part of the International Festival of the Holidays from November 27 through December 30, 2026. The annual Christmas pageant features a celebrity narrator reading the Nativity story accompanied by a choir and a 60-piece orchestra.
Here’s the list of the Candlelight Processional narrators announced so far for 2026:
- November 27 & 28: Auli’i Cravalho
- November 29 & 30 and December 1: Gary Sinise
- December 2 & 3: TBA
- December 4 & 5: Whoopi Goldberg
- December 6 & 7: Robin Roberts (NEW)
- December 8 & 9: Jason Kelce (NEW)
- December 10, 11, & 12: Neil Patrick Harris
- December 13 & 14: TBA
- December 15 & 16: Lauren Daigle
- December 17, 18, & 19: Ralph Macchio
- December 20 & 21: Henry Winkler
- December 22 & 23: Lacey Chabert (NEW)
- December 24 & 25: Jodi Benson
- December 26 & 27: Simu Liu
- December 28, 29, & 30: Eva Longoria
Disney After Hours 2027 Dates
Disney After Hours will return to EPCOT in 2027. Disney just announced the dates for this separately ticketed, 3-hour event:
- January 21
- February 18
- April 1, 15, and 22
- May 6 and 13
- June 3 and 12
- July 8, 22, and 29
- August 7, 12, and 19
We recently attended Disney After Hours at EPCOT. See our full report here, including timestamps of everything we were able to accomplish.
Disney After Hours events are also happening at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2027. See the full list here.
New Purpose-Built Tables
Walt Disney World has begun introducing a new style of trash can across all of its theme parks. Guests open these new trash cans with their foot rather than their hands. The cans are curved at the top, which has inadvertently left EPCOT festival patrons with far fewer makeshift tables to snack on their festival menu items.
Listening to guest feedback, EPCOT installed countertops on railings throughout the park to fill the void left by the trash can switchover.
Reopening Date for Closed Restaurant
The Coral Reef Restaurant inside The Seas With Nemo & Friends temporarily closed on September 8, 2026. Disney announced that the table service dining location will reopen on November 4.
This means the restaurant will once again join the lineup of eligible eateries for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series dining packages on that date.
Other experiences within The Seas With Nemo & Friends remain open during the closure of The Coral Reef Restaurant.
Flower & Garden Festival 2027 Dates
The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will return in 2027. This springtime event features beautiful displays park-wide, as well as specialty menu items and complimentary concerts with celebrity musicians.
In 2027, the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will take place from March 10 to May 31.
Top photo via Kent Phillips / Disney.
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