Walkabout The World - A Disney Podcast - Epcot's Festival of the Arts with Host Ivonne

Episode Date: January 25, 2026

Hello Travelers! This week, join Host Ivonne as she takes you on a walk and talk around Epcot's International Festival of the Arts. You'll walk through Communicore Hall which is hosting 'Once upon A Stage: Celebrating the Magic of Disney on Broadway' exhibit before traversing World Showcase to check out the artwork, food, and musical performances the festival has to offer. To wrap it up, spend some relaxing time aboard the greatest Epcot attraction of all time, Living with the Land.    Walkabout the World is now on TikTok! Come follow our visual companion to the audio podcast at Walkabout.the.world.pod on TikTok   Visit us at walkabouttheworld.com - find links to all the things - attraction episodes, Insta accounts of all the hosts, and even how to buy your own Walkabout shirt!     Look us up at @WalkaboutWDW on Instagram and drop us a note to say hi.

Hello, travelers. If you recognize this music, I'm sure you know where I am. I am, of course, at Epcot, my favorite place to be. And it's my favorite place right now, especially because right now, my very, very most favorite festivals running right now, which is Festival of the Arts. But unfortunately, it is the shortest running festival. So every time this one comes around,

I always try to get out here as many times as I can because it only runs through the second week of February, something like that. And then right after it's flower and garden, which feels like it runs for six months. But anyways, I'm here to enjoy a lovely evening at the festival. I was here with my friend Alicia. We did the opening day, which was crazy and busy, but a lot of fun. We tried some of the food.

We looked at some of the exhibit. It was fantastic. So I thought I would just walk around with you, show you some of my favorite things. And yeah. So right now we just crossed under Spaceship Earth, the first Spaceship Earth show literally just started as I walked through the gate.

I was trying to get here earlier, but we know how it is, best laid the plans and all. So I thought we would start out going to one of my favorite things in the festival, which is the exhibit that they've been putting up in Communicore Hall, which is actually an excellent use of that space. This time when I walked in there, it did not look like Communicor Hall at all. It looked completely different. And it's the same exhibit as last time.

It's all about the Disney Broadway shows that they put on. And it's a lot of the stuff that they have, and there are some of the same stuff from Lerner, last year, but they did plus it up. There's a few more costumes. There's a really cool exhibit about stage managers and stuff like that. So I will show you that in the minute. Actually, what I'm going to do first is there's also a Loricana tie-in this year where you get like a booster pack of cards and there's a scavenger hunt. I'm going to see if it's still available real quick and we'll see if they're still giving out the card. Not for me. I have a friend who really wants

him. So I'm going to go and take a peek and see if they're still giving them out. If not, I'll come back another day. But I will explain it. It's basically, like I said, a little scavenger hunt. You get a booster pack of cards, and this is all for free, which is really nice. But you get a booster pack of cards when you get your scavenger hunt, and then you go around World Showcase, and they have giant versions of the cards around World Showcase, and you mark off where you find them.

And then at the end, you get a special edition. I think it's like a Rapunzel card, and there's another one. I'm passing by Computer Corps Hall in the dance party. going on so like the kids are going crazy so I'm coming through here I'm actually passing by one of the lurkana cards right now there is the Mickey Mouse one right there so in the Lorcana stand is where like they used to give out the scavenger hunt for uh what was it like him possible and stuff like that so I'm just going to take a quick look because it said wild supplies latch each day so I don't know if they've already run out for the day or not yeah

It looks like they're all gone for the day because I don't see any cast members there at all or anything. So, all right, so since the Lurcana thing is out, we are going to walk back to Cuner Corps Hall and see the exhibit in there. So Lurcana thing, it doesn't have like a set time when it ends. I think they just have like a set number of quests that they give out each day and a set number of like those booster packs. And I think once they give those out, then it's done. So it definitely seems like something you have to come a lot. dollar to get, which is going to be difficult to me because I'm not an early person. I'm not sure how popular or unpopular of an opinion is this, but I really don't like the dance

party. It just totally ruins like the chill vibe and ambiance of like future world at night. And it's disappointing. It's very sad. Like they have this beautiful, you know, music, new Epcot sort of background music playing and you can barely hear it over the dance party. So we are almost to Communicor Hall, like right in front, and the land is right in front of me. And it looks gorgeous. The sun's going down. It looks absolutely beautiful. I'm going to take a quick picture here.

So we are in Welcome to Once Upon a Stage, celebrating the magic of Disney on Broadway. And this is in Communicor Hall. So as you come in, they have some beautiful costumes from different productions of Beaconanee. and the Beast. And they're all very different, but all of them very beautiful. But I think my personal favorite is the third one, which has this beautiful embroidery and very intricate beadwork, and it looks like branches with like a bird on it. It's very, very pretty. They have Bell's opening dress too, like the blue dress. Of course, the Broadway version with like the flowers on it and everything. So right here is actually my favorite part of this.

exhibit is they have a little mock-up of like what the stage manager's calling desk looks like and there's four monitors that are showing what's happening on the stage and then what's going on the monitors actually syncs up with the stage as well and you can actually hear him calling all the cues for the stage it's 473 go it's 473.5 it's 0.7 go lights 40 go Stimbyrail 35 on red and auto 135 on red. Lights 41. Go.

Lights 41.5. Go. Lights 42. Go. So yeah, that's really cool. And then they also have, you know, showing you how they do, like, the stage makeup, like, for Beauty and the Beast. And so, like, they have a screen that looks like, you know, sort of like those vanity mirrors which you always see backstage with all the lights around it.

And you see the actor getting in the seat, and then you watch them, like, put the makeup on him and transform him into Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Of course, they have a lot of costumes from The Lion King, and they have a lot of costumes that they did have at the previous on-Broadway exhibit. They had here last year, but there's a ton more that are brand new this year. There's also, like, mock-ups. of sort of props they use on stage.

There's also mock-ups of the stages themselves and how they look. And they also have little photo-off. So they have the rose from Beauty and the Beast. They have the lamp from Aladdin. And you can go ahead and just like take pictures with them. All right. So let's keep going. I'm going to start making my way partially around World Showcase.

So of course, like every festival, there is tons of food here to eat. and Festival of Arts has, doesn't have as many booths as other festivals, but they do have some really, really, really good things. So when I was here with my friend Alicia, we did have, like, the brazed beef that they have in Germany, which she told me is the only one that they've had at every single festival. So, and that one's delicious.

That's always a safe bet. We also had, like, the flourless chocolate cake in America. we had the they have like a steak dish also in America with potatoes which can't go wrong with steak of potatoes. It's delicious. So. And then we also try, they have a

it's like a, they called it a croquemonseur-inspired grill cheese. So like a fancy grilled cheese. And it comes with, you know, just like a little can of tomato soup that you can dip it in. And that was also pretty delicious as well. And nice to eat on an actual cold day because it actually was cold on Friday. And it actually is quite chilly tonight, which is nice.

So I don't know if I'll try any more food today, honestly. But I think I might have that flourless chocolate cake in America again, because that was actually really good. It was just like a, it's like a very fudgy, almost like lava cake type of thing. So I'm on that walkway. That kind of runs from Imagination of World Showcase. and here is where they have the paint by the numbers area, which they have done this, I think, every single year of the festival.

And it's always very popular. But basically, there's a huge mural and all the squares are numbered. You get in line. They give you a color of paint and a little brush, and they say, you know, number four. And then they tell usually they paint five squares. And you paint five squares. And as time goes on, the mural,

will be completed and also at the end, once you finish coloring your squares, at the end, there will be a cast member. And they give you a cute little bookmark that shows you what the mural is going to look like. So don't worry, you aren't going to be like, what is it actually supposed to be? You get to see what it looks like. So Pop-Biz is on my left. That's where I told you, that's where the Cro-Foncier inspired grilled cheese is. So if that's something that's interesting to you, that's where it is. So I think I'm going to go right because, that is closest to where my favorite booths are for the art festival. I love all the booths here.

But my favorite one is actually... They have, usually the booths between Morocco and France have all these sort of parks-inspired art. So when I was here on Friday, I bought a food rocks-inspired piece of art. And I also bought a four-pack of postcards by Dave Perrello and one's living with the land, of course. One's Tron, Lights, I go run.

One was Haunted Mansion. And then the other one was... Oh, wow, I can't remember what the other one is. But if it's over there, I'll let you know. But yeah. I usually buy a couple things every year. Like, not too... I don't go too crazy.

I wish I could, but I don't. It is such a beautiful evening. The moon looks... Address. I feel like every time that I say, no, I'm not going to bring my camera. That's when I wish I had brought my camera, but we're just going to go with it. I have my phone at least, so not all is lost. I'm going by Canada right now.

And all around World Showcase, there are booths that sell all types of different art. And some of them aren't even necessarily Disney inspired. So if you just want a really cool piece of art, you can find that here. Actually, you know what? Before I keep going, I'm going to stop for some coffee. So I will see you in a couple minutes once I'm fully caffeinated. I am caffeinated. And now I'm ready to fully look at art.

So I'm coming up to my favorite booths, which are the Disney Gallery Artist Boots. And like I said, they're right between Morocco and France. So if you're looking for all the fun sort of park-inspired art, this is a little bit of a park-inspired art. this is where it is. So, like I said, this is where I got the Dave Perillo four pack of postcards. Oh, the other one was Runaway Railway. That's the other one I was talking about.

But you can get a four-pack, you can get like the full sizes, you can get the smaller prints. If you are looking for figment art, there is plenty of that here. Figment is basically the mascot of all of these festivals. So it's also a really cute orange bird print. Which reminds me there wasn't another orange bird print that I really liked, but I don't know if I remember seeing it last time. I'm going to have to look at the other side too. Let's see.

So the other booth is where I ended up getting my food rocks print. And I'm going to look for the orange bird print that I was talking about before. There's also a really, really cute Muppet Christmas Carol print. and also a Dreamfinder print. They're both done by the same artist, David Buckley. But I don't see the orange bird one, so I'm going to have to keep looking for that one in the other booth. But...

Oh, okay. Yeah, I don't see the orange bird one, so I'm going to have to keep looking. But there were still lots to see. Oh, there's the original. of the food rocks one. The food rocks one is so cute. Like I was, admittedly, was not even the cutest food rocks fan,

but the art that this artist, as Kaylee Hicks did for this, was so cute. I just had to get it. Like, the characters looked so, so adorable, that I just had to pick it up. All right. Let's move on to see more art. So I looked again at that living with the art,

or living with the land art that Dave Perillo did, and the girl in the front of that boat looks like me. I swear to God. She even has hoop earrings on. I always wear hoop earrings. She has bruntet hair. She's got sunglasses on her head, which I usually do have.

So in my mind, that's me. I don't know who else it could be. It's obviously me. So, anyways, I just wanted to say that. So I'm walking over to Japan now. my most favoriteest country in World Showcase and my most favoriteest country that I want to go to someday, hopefully. I've never been there before, but I'm pretty sure it will be my favorite.

There's another art booth here that also has some art by what's the same, Jared Murama. He does like the really, really cutie art. It's very cute. And I want to see if maybe that orange bird print I would. talking about is here maybe let's take a quick look here hmm do not see it here either but it is they have some really cute stuff oh also this next booth that I'm passing by they also have a very very cute spaceship earth print and let's see the artist is Larissa Brown still on the hunt for the orange bird print.

Let's see if I can find it. That'll be my quest for tonight. I think it might be towards the front, possibly, maybe. We'll see. I'm not going to sweat it. I've bought enough art over the years from here, from conventions, from online to probably wallpaper at my house. So if I don't find this orange bird print,

It's not a big deal. It's not the end of the world. It's fine. So we are, as you can hear, in Japan. And because it's me, I have to quickly check out the Gashapon machine situation and see if anything new has popped up. I was just here on Friday, but you never know. I always like to make sure. Because the one day that I don't check will be the day that I'll hear something cool straight up here and then I'll miss it. So I'm going to take a quick bit. peak and then we can move on to America and get a piece of delicious flowerless chocolate cake. They also recently redid the alcohol stand that's here in Japan. It's very, very pretty now.

So the place you know we can get the violet sake and beer and all that kind of good stuff. Two sides of the gashapon machines are closed now. What is happening? Yeah, I don't see anything different, unfortunately. But we always check. We always have to stay vigilant when it comes to the gashions. So let's move on to America. And we might be able to hear,

they have the shows going on with the Broadway singers every night here at Epcot. And my friend Alicia, she was actually invited by Disney to come and experience food and wine. that first day and they actually got to ask some of the singers questions and they talked about coming here to Epcot and they said that usually what it is is when they come here they're part of the national sort of the touring groups and so they'll take like one night off and come over here and sing at Epcot and they say they enjoy it because they get to sing songs they don't usually do because

you know as much as they love performing and being on stage you know sometimes it can get a little tiresome performing the same songs every night. So they like coming here and doing something a little different. So, and if you ever do get the chance to check it out, they're all fantastic, of course, and they sing a really good mix of songs from all types of Disney musicals, animated ones, on stage ones, live action ones. So, oh, actually, I think it's starting. I don't know what time it is. Oh, it's actually about to start. So let's sit here for a minute and listen to it for a little bit. King Sierra Bogus and Gilmani Remy. Don't you cry.

Who one so small, you seem so strong. Folks can to have a good time tonight. Ronnie Remy and I played the role of Simba and the Lion King on Broadway. Yes, and I am the original Ariel. That it is Sierra's first time here at the Festival of the Arts at Epicon. This is Disney on Broadway royalty right here. We got Jeremy on the drums.

Got the guitar. The man with the plan are one. wonderful musical director, Mr. Jim Abbott. Guess what's back for year two? What? Me. Talking about the amazing walk-through exhibit with Disney on Broadway over at Communicore Hall. Costume pieces and there are things that we actually wore on stage, probably have our sweat still in then? I don't know, things we never thought anybody else would get to see, but you can, so go and check that out. Definitely. You know, Susan Egan said that Disney on Broadway is like

a passport to the imagination. You never know where you land next. It could be the jungle. It could be the Savannah. It could be Under the sea. Under the sea. Or it could be someplace completely made a dream. Well, as long as it's just good lighting, I'm in. Thanks, Morgan.

Now, Jolani, in the Lion King, you played... That's right. And you were telling me how you fell in love with the movie as a child. Tell the people. It's true. Okay, the Lion King was the first cassette tape I bought with my birthday money.

A cassette tape is something that people... I wore that. tape out, I would rewind it and go through the whole show as every character. Simba, Nala, even Scar. So when I landed the role of Simba, it was just, it meant so much. And some of the lessons I learned from Simba are about authenticity, but one of my favorites is to always remember who you are. This is endless night. So I chocolate flowers cake, flowerless cake, which is delicious. And I'm here with my friend Celeste, and we're still on the hunt. for the orange bird art, which I think we just found.

If I can actually afford it is another story, but we're going to go look over here. It's in the Disney Fine Arts booth that's right in between Future World and World Showcase. These are so pretty. Oh, the colors are so pretty. I don't see the orange bird, though. I feel like he's gone.

He's flown away. Hello. You have a really cute Mr. Toad one though. Yeah, I believe the orange bird has flown the coop, but that's okay. I've already spent enough money. I bought a print of the chunky figment who I absolutely love because he's so fat and he's adorable. And that's okay. But yeah, there's like a Disneyland one.

There's a figment one, of course. It's a mad tea party, Peter Pan's Flight, and the colors are, amazing, they're out of control. I love it. So we're going to keep going. So there's one little exhibit between creations and connections, which is like a really cool little exhibit about imaginering concept art. And that's where we're going to go walk and look at really quick. It's very small. I'm hoping that maybe next year when they do this festival again, I'm hoping that we get a bigger exhibit of imaginary concept art because I think it would be amazing.

And hopefully they'd be able to find the space for it. As much as I love the Broadway one, I feel like next year we could use something new. And imagining concept art would be perfect. Walking by creations, seeing all the merch. I was on the hunt for the Disney World Duck shirt, which I think probably sold out. It might have not been able to find it, so I feel like they ordered five of them and they're all gone already.

See on the Breezeway here, there's this tiny little exhibit, and I wish it was bigger, but alas. Yeah, it's called Drawing on Inspiration Once Upon a Sketch, and there's various concept art from newer attractions here in Disney World. So concert art for the beacon barrel, flight of passage, animal. Animal Kingdom, Galaxy's Edge, Remy's Ratatuit Adventure, and then the Norway Pavilion. So it's very cool, very small, so I hope in the future they do something more. And now that I'm looking up, I notice it's coming down, which is why the stanchion is there. So, yeah, very, very cute. So I am ending my life and instructive to us.

So I am ending my Epcot evening with a ride with a land, of course. I hope you enjoy this kind of little stroll around Festival of Arts. And thanks once again for listening. And hopefully we will travel around with you again on Walkabout, Walt Disney World. So I will leave you with some nice relaxing audio of living with the land. The many systems are the rain field. It's the most of the majorization of life on a train culture of nervous but they contain more than profit of its and air forest.

In the desert, nature has created a very different. no less beautiful living system. And while this arid landscape may seem lifeless, it is very much alive. The plants and animals that have learned to survive in these harsh conditions leave use of what little water they can find and avoid the scorching rays of the room of the sun.

The American prairie once appeared as desolate as the desert, but over time, rainwater and nutrients gradually penetrated the hard surface of this land. Even the hooves of the mighty buffalo Tiny Buffalo helped create the rich soil, but one day we come home to the American farm. Of all the forces at work on the land, humans have had one of the most profound effects. The need to produce food for a growing world led to the enormous use and sometimes overuse of the land. In our search for more efficient ways to grow food, we often find out of the world.

we often failed to realize the impact of