Credit: inazakira, FlickrWhen Disney debuts a new festival or special event, the company typically hopes for picture-perfect weather that encourages guests to stroll leisurely through the park, sampling food and beverages while soaking in the atmosphere.
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, which celebrates creativity through culinary offerings, visual art displays, and live entertainment, has enjoyed relatively mild opening weekends since its inaugural year in 2017.
Guests have generally been able to explore the festival’s colorful installations and outdoor food studios in comfortable conditions, perhaps wearing light jackets during evening hours but rarely needing serious winter gear. This Friday, January 16, 2026, that pattern breaks in dramatic fashion as the festival launches under what forecasters predict will be the coldest opening day temperatures in its entire history.
The timing proves particularly challenging given that Festival of the Arts relies heavily on outdoor experiences. Unlike Food and Wine Festival, which occurs during fall months with more predictable weather patterns, or Flower and Garden Festival’s spring timing, the winter placement of Festival of the Arts always carries weather risk.
This year, that risk materializes into a legitimate cold snap that will test both guest comfort and Disney’s operational flexibility. Understanding what these temperatures mean for your festival experience and how to prepare accordingly can make the difference between a miserable day and a memorable one, even when the thermometer refuses to cooperate with your vacation plans.
Breaking Down the Forecast
Current weather models for the Walt Disney World area predict a low temperature of 35 degrees and a high of only 56 degrees on Friday, January 16. While those numbers alone sound cold for Central Florida, the “feels-like” temperature paints an even more dramatic picture. Overnight temperatures will dip below freezing into the 20s, and by EPCOT’s 9:00 a.m. opening, the feels-like temperature will still hover in the high 30s to low 40s.
If this forecast holds through Friday, it will tie the lowest temperatures Central Florida has experienced this entire winter season. For a region where many residents consider anything below 60 degrees to be coat weather, these temperatures represent genuinely uncomfortable conditions, particularly when spending hours walking outdoors between festival booths and attractions.
The cold weather also follows the announcement that Typhoon Lagoon will be closed January 12-14 due to unseasonably low temperatures. With Blizzard Beach already closed for seasonal refurbishment, Disney World will enter the Festival of the Arts opening weekend having just navigated three days without any water park options due to this same cold front.
Festival Food in Cold Weather
One interesting aspect of Festival of the Arts is that its menu planning doesn’t typically account for genuinely cold weather. Looking through the 2026 food studio offerings, you won’t find an abundance of soups, hot chocolates, or warming comfort foods that would make perfect sense for 40-degree temperatures.
The festival celebrates culinary artistry rather than practical cold-weather dining, which means many offerings lean toward creative presentations and artistic plating rather than temperature-appropriate sustenance.
However, one menu item stands poised to become exceptionally popular on opening day: the grilled cheese with tomato soup at the Pop Eats Food Studio. This classic comfort food combination will likely see lines significantly longer than Disney might have anticipated when planning staffing levels. When temperatures struggle to reach 50 degrees, warm soup suddenly transforms from an interesting menu option to an essential purchase.
Guests planning to attend opening day should consider their food choices strategically. Items meant to be served cold or at room temperature may prove less appealing when you’re already shivering. Hot beverages, which appear throughout the festival’s drink offerings, will matter more than usual.
The various beer and wine flights that typically encourage leisurely outdoor sipping may need to be consumed more quickly or enjoyed in brief intervals between warming up indoors.
Entertainment Concerns
Festival of the Arts features less entertainment programming than some of EPCOT’s other festivals, but the offerings that do exist face potential weather-related complications. While Disney hasn’t announced any cancellations, cold temperatures can affect outdoor performances in multiple ways.
Musicians may struggle with instruments that go out of tune in cold air. Performers may need to limit set lengths to avoid extended exposure. Technical equipment can malfunction when temperatures drop significantly below normal operating ranges.
Disney typically makes entertainment decisions based on guest comfort and performer safety rather than simply pushing through regardless of conditions. If temperatures on Friday morning remain as cold as predicted, don’t be surprised if some scheduled performances get modified, shortened, or potentially cancelled.
The company would rather disappoint guests who expected specific entertainment than risk performer health or create miserable experiences that generate negative reviews.
Price Increases Add to the Chill
At Figment’s Inspiration Station, both the hard cider flight and beer flight jumped from $10.25 to $12.75, representing a 22% increase. Opening Bites saw its beer flight receive the same 22% price hike. The sake flight at Goshiki increased 16% from $16.75 to $19.75. Pastoral Palate’s Play on Rosé Flight went up 16% from $11.50 to $13.50.
While many individual drinks and cocktails maintained similar pricing or increased by minimal amounts, these flight price increases stand out as particularly aggressive. For guests planning to drink their way around the festival, the budget impact becomes noticeable quickly. A couple planning to share multiple flights throughout their day will spend considerably more in 2026 than they would have for the identical experience in 2025.
The combination of record cold temperatures and record high prices creates a challenging value proposition for opening weekend. Guests paying premium prices for festival experiences generally expect comfortable conditions that allow them to fully enjoy what they’re purchasing.
Practical Preparation Tips
For guests committed to attending Festival of the Arts opening day despite the forecast, preparation becomes essential. Florida residents and regular Disney visitors know that Central Florida cold differs from northern cold, but it still requires appropriate clothing. The key strategy involves dressing in layers that you can shed as temperatures gradually warm throughout the day.
Start with a warm base layer, add a sweater or fleece, and top with a windproof jacket. By mid-afternoon, if forecasts hold, you’ll likely be removing outer layers as temperatures climb into the mid-50s. Scarves, gloves, and hats make sense for early morning hours and will fit easily into bags once they’re no longer needed.
Remember that EPCOT offers numerous indoor spaces where you can warm up periodically. World Showcase pavilions, Future World attractions, and various shops provide climate-controlled environments. Plan your festival route to incorporate regular warming breaks rather than pushing through hours of outdoor exposure.
Check the forecast again as Friday approaches. Weather predictions this far out can change significantly, potentially bringing warmer temperatures or, conversely, even colder conditions that might warrant reconsidering your plans entirely.
If you’re planning to brave the cold and experience Festival of the Arts opening day, we want to hear from you! Drop a comment about your preparation strategy or whether you’re reconsidering your plans based on the forecast.
And if you’ve attended past Disney festivals during cold snaps, share your survival tips with fellow readers who might be figuring out how to make the best of less-than-ideal weather. Sometimes the best advice comes from people who’ve already learned these lessons the hard way.