PHOTOS – Donald Duck is Missing from Gran Fiesta Tour, Festival of the Arts is Practically Here, and EPCOT is Pretty Empty

What a day it was yesterday to visit EPCOT. Ivonne on our team park hopped from Animal Kingdom to EPCOT for the evening. Both parks had fairly quiet days, but EPCOT was practically empty compared to how it was over the holidays. But it is more interesting that the Donald Duck animatronic is gone from the finale scene aboard Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros.

It’d be one thing if Donald Duck animatronic just wasn’t there. It’s another thing entirely that he is currently replaced with a bush. It’s an entire level of hilarity that said bush is topped with a sombrero.

Now, before we journey further into EPCOT let’s go back to how the day started at Animal Kingdom. The weather was lovely and it wasn’t very busy. January right after the holidays truly is one of the best times to visit if you want to avoid crowds. Of course, you can check our Crowd Calendar to find the perfect time for your visit.

Despite the missing duck, EPCOT is nearly ready for the Festival of the Arts to begin. We spotted photo opportunities ready for socially distant guests and signage on the Studio Kitchens as they get ready to dish out colorful and creative food. The photo background at the center of Future World has a delightful neon motif this year.

And to show how empty it is in EPCOT right now let’s look a picture from yesterday, and then a picture from one week ago, December 30, 2020.

What do you think about missing Donald Duck and the sombrero wearing plant? Are you excited for Festival of the Arts?