- Learn about how to celebrate Bastille Day at Disney World.
- Discover fun things to do at the France Pavilion at Epcot.
- Download your Bastille Day Walt Disney World itinerary and planner pages for your Disney Planner.
Bonjour, friends! July is a historic month for fireworks and freedom, not just here in the States, but also across the Atlantic. July 14th marks La Fête Nationale—better known to us as Bastille Day!
You don’t need a passport to experience French culture on Bastille Day. You can explore the gorgeously designed France Pavilion at Epcot. I have a plan all set for experiencing French culture and treats.
We can’t talk about France without talking about the food. At Les Halles, you can buy a traditional, fresh French baguette and some French cheese. At Vins de France, you can enjoy a flight of champagne, but they have many more items, including chocolates from Maxim’s in Paris. But since it will be a hot day, you’ll probably want to sample the ice cream from L’Artisan des Glaces.
As you walk around this part of Epcot, you’ll notice that the Disney Imagineers really put their heart into the design. The France pavilion features buildings that are representative of architecture found in France. There are garden displays, fountains, a true replica of the Eiffel Tower and a bridge that evokes the bridges where artists sell their works over the Seine river in Paris.
A fun thing to do is to chat with the cultural representatives from France, who you will find at the Kidcot Stop inside Souvenirs de France. Bastille Day is the perfect opportunity to ask them how they celebrate this national holiday back home.
You can also get a free postcard and stamp for your Epcot World Showcase passport. Do you have one? They are $20 but they really make a trip through World Showcase so fun and meaningful and are a great souvenir. Plenty of adults do this fun activity so don’t feel shy about it.
Have you explored the Palais du Cinéma? The air-conditioned lobby serves as a gallery displaying exhibits on French storytelling through costumes and cinema. This is where you can experience Impressions de France. This 18-minute, 200-degree widescreen film runs in the evenings from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. The soundtrack includes works by French composers Debussy and Ravel as the film takes you on a whirlwind tour through France. And guess what? The film features a Bastille Day celebration!
Learning about the culture and history of France at Epcot is one of the most unique ways to celebrate Bastille Day in the United States. You can download the Disney Planner Page for Bastille Day right here. It’s free and it fits into your 4” x 6” Disney planner.
Here is the Bastille Day planner….PDF and Google Doc you can customize…
And here is the link to the set of core planning pages and an explanation of how to create your own Disney Planner.
Now, if you don’t feel like going to Epcot, you can also enjoy a taste of France (and Italy) at the Riviera resort where you can have a French-inspired meal at Primo Piatto, the quick service restaurant, or relax with coffee and pastries — or maybe some macarons? — at Le Petit Cafe.
However you choose to celebrate Bastille Day, whether you are at home or at Disney World, I hope you have a wonderful time!
