EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts got off to a memorable start on the morning of Friday, January 14, when Guests formed an unbelievably massive line to buy one thing: the apparently highly-anticipated Figment Popcorn Bucket.
Disney Fanatic obtained a video from Annual Passholder Denise Gonzalez (IG: @denisego1). Standing by the Odyssey, Gonzalez shows a line that snakes around Future World all the way back to Spaceship Earth:
Gonzalez and several other Figment fans are still in line with the timing of this article’s publication. EPCOT opened at 10 am this morning, and this video was taken at 10:25 am. One hour after the video was posted, the line is estimated to be over two hours long.
At 1:08 pm, Gonzalez reached back out to us with another video. She had moved through the line, but still a long way to go. The line is clearly pushed to the sides of the thoroughfare now to allow other Guests uninterested in the merch to access World Showcase:
After over five hours of waiting, she finally got her prize!
Disney World announced the release of this brand new popcorn bucket on DisneyParks TikTok just a few weeks ago, stating that it will be sold while supplies last and would allow Guests to only purchase two at a time (however, Guests have been reporting little enforcement on the “two per person” policy). Figment will only be sold for EPCOT’s of the Arts, and he is the latest in a series of sold throughout the parks, which offer Guests the opportunity to get refills for as low as $2 for the entirety of the trip (or several months for Annual Passholders).
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The rush to acquire the limited edition merchandise triggers flashbacks to past events and anniversary celebrations, from the Orange Bird Sippers at EPCOT’s first Flower and Garden Festival to the scramble for Brer Rabbit and his pals after the announcement of Splash Mountain’s retheming.
Beyond merchandise, The 2022 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts began today, January 14, and is expected to run through February 21, featuring the return of the DISNEY ON BROADWAY concert series and other culinary and artistic experiences such as the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, Chalk Art Galleries, and Expressions Section: A Paint by Numbers Mural.
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According to Disney Parks Blog, “The festival is extra magical since it’s taking place during The World’s Most Magical Celebration honoring the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.” We can only hope it will be a time when more and more magic continues to return to the parks.
Would you stand in this line for the new Figment Popcorn Bucket? How important are or other merchandise to you when having a complete ? What is your favorite part about the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts? Let us know in the comments!