EPCOT guests who love poutine are in for a disappointment. Refreshment Port, the popular snack stand located near the Canada Pavilion, will close for refurbishment starting January 12, 2026, and is expected to reopen by March 3, 2026, at the latest.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The closure means this fan-favorite location will be closed during nearly the entire EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, which runs January 16 through February 23, 2026.
What Refreshment Port Offers to EPCOT
Refreshment Port has built a loyal following among EPCOT regulars for its specialty poutines, soft-serve ice cream, and fountain beverages. The location is situated near the Canada Pavilion at the entrance to World Showcase, making it a convenient stop for guests transitioning from Future World or starting their journey around the lagoon.
The poutine offerings are particularly popular. This Quebec specialty features french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, and Refreshment Port creates variations with additional ingredients and flavor profiles that elevate the dish beyond basic comfort food.
For guests who make Refreshment Port a regular stop during EPCOT visits, whether for poutine, soft-serve, or just a quick beverage, the multi-month closure disrupts established touring patterns and eliminates anticipated experiences.
The EPCOT Festival of the Arts Issue
The closure creates particular frustration due of its overlap with the Festival of the Arts. During last year’s festival, Refreshment Port offered special items including Caprese Poutine, Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Blood Orange Cosmo.
These festival-exclusive offerings gave guests specific reasons to visit Refreshment Port during the celebration. With the location closed during this year’s festival, these specialty items may not be available at all or might be relocated to other booths.
Full festival menus haven’t been released yet, so there’s uncertainty about whether Refreshment Port’s typical festival offerings will appear elsewhere or simply disappear from this year’s event.
This matters because EPCOT festivals are heavily food-focused. Many guests plan their visits around trying specific items at specific booths. They create lists, map out routes through World Showcase, and strategically navigate the festival to sample everything on their itinerary.
Losing Refreshment Port from the available options means one less food booth and one less set of specialty items to try. For people who specifically looked forward to the poutine offerings or other Refreshment Port festival items, this disrupts carefully constructed plans.
Will It Reopen for Flower & Garden?
According to the Walt Disney World refurbishment calendar, Refreshment Port is scheduled to remain closed through March 3, 2026. That’s currently the farthest the calendar extends, not necessarily a confirmed reopening date.
The timing raises questions because EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival begins March 4, 2026, just one day after the current scheduled refurbishment end date.
This extremely tight timeline creates uncertainty about whether Refreshment Port will actually be operational when Flower & Garden starts. Disney refurbishments frequently extend beyond initially posted dates. If work takes longer than currently scheduled, the closure could affect a second consecutive major festival.
Flower & Garden typically features its own unique Refreshment Port offerings with fresh ingredients, seasonal flavors, and garden-inspired dishes that complement the festival’s horticultural theming. If the location remains closed into that festival, it compounds the disappointment for guests visiting during festival season specifically for expanded food options.
What Disney Has Said
Disney has not issued an official statement regarding the closure of the Refreshment Port. The only information available comes from the refurbishment calendar showing the January 12 start date and the March 3 current end date.
This lack of detailed communication leaves guests without answers about several important questions:
- What is the scope of the refurbishment?
- Will the menu remain the same when it reopens?
- Will the specialty poutines return?
- Is the March 3 date firm or likely to extend?
- What happens to typical Refreshment Port festival items?
Without official information, guests can only speculate and adjust their plans based on the assumption that the location will be unavailable during the Festival of the Arts and potentially into the Flower & Garden Festival.
Why This Matters
Refurbishments are necessary for maintaining Disney parks and keeping locations up to current standards. However, the timing of this particular closure demonstrates the tension between operational needs and guest experience.
EPCOT has evolved into a primarily food-focused park where culinary offerings and festivals define how many people experience the property. Individual food locations develop devoted followings. Seasonal festival menus create anticipation for specific items at specific booths.
When a popular location like Refreshment Port closes during major festival season, it affects guests who built their plans around those offerings. The disruption feels more significant at EPCOT than it might at other parks because food has become a central part of the EPCOT experience.
What Happens Next
The hope among Refreshment Port fans is that the refurbishment concludes on schedule by March 3, allowing the location to reopen in time for the Flower & Garden Festival and limiting the impact to just the Festival of the Arts.
However, until Disney provides more information about the refurbishment timeline and scope, guests planning EPCOT visits during festival season should prepare for Refreshment Port to be unavailable and adjust their food plans accordingly.
For poutine lovers and Refreshment Port regulars, it’s going to be a long couple of months.
