5 Travel Tips to Epcot's International Flower & Garden Festival
- Oct 17
- 8 min read
The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival
It's the oldest of Epcot's Festivals and it set the tone and the bar for other theme park festivals (in this travel blogger's opinion!). Although some other theme park companies have been doing special event festivals almost as long as Disney, Epcot's festival, started in 1994, sets the bar.
PS: Universal Studios OrlandoI started their Mardi Gras Festival in 1995, complete with international themed food kiosks scattered throughout the park and check out Sea World's Seven Seas Festival.
By 2015, Epcot's spring gala was 75 days long, but that still wasn't enough. 2016 was the first year that the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival went to its current 90 days, starting somewhere in late February/early March and ending in late May/early June. During 2020, the festival shut down almost as soon as it started due to Covid-19 and for the next couple of years, it lasted long into the summer to make up for the previous yearsm but it's back to its normal length.
Epcot opened in 1982 with an educational slant to a theme park. It doesn't sound revolutionary now, with Universal Studios having Dr. Seuss story time, LegoLand, which is based on a STEM-like toy and other theme parks trying to integrate educational aspects without us knowing we are actually learning. But in 1982, it was revolutionary with different types of attractions creating a new term: edutainment. However, by the 1990s, just less than 10 years into Epcot's life, the honeymoon was over and it was a bit stale. Epcot had gotten some hardcore followers but did not gain new fans.
Disney was not afraid to reinvent itself and if it sounds coincidental that Epcot starting getting a facelift when Disney started its Renaissance period, actually, it's not a coincidence. Disney started shaking up the concept: bringing in Michael Jackson's short film Captain EO, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, reimagining Journey Into Imagination to eventually become Journey into Imagination with Figment and Universe of Energy into Ellen's Energy Adventure. Listen to the Land morphed into Living With the Land and a film about Symbiosis went through a couple of features ending with today's Awesome Planet. Kitchen Kabaret its successor, Food Rocks, two shows about nutrition actually lasted 22 years before making room for Soarin'. Food Rocks was part of the 1990s renaissance.
In the midst of reinventing itself, in 1994, Epcot started its first festival. The iconic topiaries became a symbol of the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. Like Disney, the festival has undergone many changes down through the years. The old Horizons building, located next to Mission: Space was used for some festival activities, seminars, presentations and the main merchandise center. However, this building is closed down to the public, with the old attractions dismantled. If there are any festival activities beyond the kitchens or entertainment, they might be held in the Odyssey Center or in the CommuniCore Hall.
The 11 pavilions in the World Showcase remained during Epcot's various metamorphoses but the Africa pavilion never opened, becoming an entire theme park instead (Disney's Animal Kingdom), Instead, the Outpost, which was supposed to be a placeholder for a new pavilion, has continued to function as a small pavilion in between Germany and Norway, participating in the festival with special offerings.
These pavilions became, and still are, the highlights of the Epcot festival.
Welcome to the Happiest
Flower and Garden Show on Earth!
Why should you tiptoe through the tulips at Epcot?
Here are our top 5 travel tips to tiptoe through the tulips:
Background Information: Epcot has The World Showcase, pavilions representing 11 countries that include attractions, food, beverages, entertainment and shopping that represent those cultures. Enjoy your trip around the world!
Another Epcot Festival: Epcot International Festival of the Arts
The kitchens prepare special dishes that incorporate the whole flower and garden theme: beverages with violet, elderflower, lavender or orange, edible flowers, garnishing small plates, a whole honey inspired kitchen and more.
The whole park gets into the spirit of the festival: the Swirled Showcase softserve kiosk will have special concoctions and flavors; the Refreshment Port, known for its permanent offering of poutine, will have a seasonal recipe, and Joffrey's, the coffee stands, will be sure to have festival inspired pastries and beverages.
Before you start your adventure, look at the My Disney Experience App and pick up a passport book when you get to Epcot. Inside, you'll find info about the kitchens and the menus so that you can plan your day. Now, on to the 5 travel tips to Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival:
1. What are topiaries? Shrubs in the shape of Disney characters, placed all over Epcot. Grown and shaped by Disney gardeners and landscapers, they add great decor to the flower and garden festival ambience. Look for special exhibits that explain how they're designed, developed and grown and that pay tribute to the landscapers and gardeners. It literally takes a village to grow a festival. Search for your favorite characters (who might make repeat appearances at the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays) in all of the pavilions and throughout special areas in the park. Particularly look in World Discovery near Mission: Space and in some off areas the beaten path, like in areas in World Nature. The topiaries might repeat, but their locations won't. There is a list in the Passport booklet in the front of the park (and at many kitchens and merchandising booths). Or, surprise yourself and look for them on your own.
2. Specialty merchandise: Disney is the master of merchandising and it would take another blog article to list of the merch they've developed and sold since 1994 for the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival! Add to the fact that they are creative artists and it's difficult to resist the cute variety of items that are sold every year. If you miss the festival, for a limited time, you can buy what may be left over on Disney's website or search resales from fans. The resale is why they will limit how many of a particular item you may purchase at a time. The booths will say "festival merchandise," or something like that. For the Flower and Garden Festival, there are related garden items, like big, old lady sun hats, gardening tools, garden knee pads and even cute gardening gloves. And if you are an annual passholder, there will be special goodies offered (either for a limited time or when supplies run out).
3. Little Gardens: This is a flower and garden show, so to speak and to get in the spirit of things, look for the special Butterfly Garden, usually located in The Land area in World Nature. It's a special tent so that the little beauties won't escape chock full of flowers, information and, of course, butterflies. It's a great place for families and especially, children, to learn about how butterflies go from eggs to full-fledged adults. In fact, there will be several "birthing" stations (my word) with actual butterflies developing! Look for signs about how communities purposely plant pollinating gardens and a display about what to plant for your own garden. Around the entire park, there will be themed mini-gardens with information about them. Epcot's edutainment is in full force and although Epcot has been the Disney adulting park, it's feet is firmly set in family ground embodying Walt's original idea of a park where the whole family can participate. Let the kids teach you about how, what and where to plant flowers and/or foliage to create great gardens. Usually, there is a Shakespeare Garden in the UK Pavilion; a Spice Garden in the Morocco Pavilion, etc.
4. The Garden Rocks: Take a break from the mile walk around the World Showcase (yes, we have clocked it), grab a flower-based beverage (yes, you can bring it into the concert) and enjoy some entertainment in the American Gardens, in The American Adventure Pavilion (and yes, you can sing along). Normally, theme parks are notorious for having those "I wonder what happen too..." types of artists or one hit wonders. But, apparentlym Disney is a great gig to book and you'll be pleasantly surprised not only at who performs, but the variety of artists, in all genres, genuinely having fun right there with you. The list is long: artists are usually there for a 2-3 day run, so before you plan your trip, check the website to see if there is someone in particular that you want to see. Normally, the concerts are 2-3 times each day, starting in the late afternoon/early evening hours. Check the passport guide book or the app for performers, dates and times.
5. You can participate! In the past, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival had seminars and workshops in addition to just the food booths. Now, they have been self-teaching areas scattered around the park. We've already talked about the topiary exhibits and the mini-gardens, but look for the scent area, which is about the effects of floral and fruit smells on our emotions and color exhibits, which match shades and hues with our moods. But you never know if anything new may come out, so check out the website or passport book to see if any classes, workshops, demonstrations or special guests appearances are being offered.
One of the fun activities is the scavenger hunt. Technically, it's kind of free. There are usually two hunts: an Easter egg hunt that ends at Easter, and Spike the Bee, the festival mascot, that runs the entire festival. The map, though, is not free. After you find all of the objects, head to a redemption area to collect your prize. Special Tip for Your Trip: If you don't have time to hunt or can't find them all, you can get the prize when you buy the map. They will stamp it so that you can collect two prizes (boo), but seriously, it's a lot of fun. If you're in Disney for more than one day, head to Epcot each day and look for Spike to spread out the fun. If you have children or a newcomer with you, spread out the fun and let them hunt. Hint: Spike is a bee and there are plenty of gardens for him to pollinate. Shhh!!!!
There may or may not be a popcorn bucket, souvenir cup or other item offered at the snack stands, you never know.
Those are your basic 5 travel tips to Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival. Going to Disney World can be overwhelming and confusing. Book a virtual consultation to plan your own trip. No obligation to book through us! Book it yourself!
The NYC Traveler Presents Tips for Your Trips
Subscribe to our blog!
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
All photos and videos created and copyrighted by Marcia Crayton, unless otherwise noted.
Comments