2021 Guide to Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival
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2021 Guide to Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival There are several special events held throughout the year at Disney World. Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival is 1 of those. In this guide, we’ve got details on when it’s held, what takes place, and thoughts on whether or not it’s worth it. Let’s get started… What is it? The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is an event held at Epcot every spring that focuses on special exhibits related to gardening (hence the name). During the festival, nearly all of Epcot is decked out with gorgeous flowers and vegetation and all things garden. If you find yourself visiting Epcot while the festival is taking place, you’re in luck, because, in our opinion, the park is at its most beautiful then.
In addition to the beautiful flowers and topiaries, there are other activities that occur including unique food. More details on that below.
How much does it cost? There is no special ticket required to attend the Flower and Garden Festival. Your park ticket to get into Epcot will allow you to enjoy all of the Flower and Garden Festival events. When is it? The Flower and Garden Festival typically takes place from the first part of March through the end of May or early June. However, things are going to go a bit longer in 2021.
In 2021, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival dates are March 3 – July 5, 2021. That’s about 120 days to take in all of the gorgeous displays. What exactly takes place during the festival? There are several different things that take place at Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival. Here’s what you can expect for 2021:
Topiaries
One of the best parts is that the whole park has lots of
topiaries (over 100!) that have been created in the shapes of
Disney characters.
Here’s the list for 2021:
Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, Broom, Ostriches, Hippo and
Mushroom – Main Entrance
Woody, Bo Peep and her sheep – Future World West
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy – Between Future
World & World Showcase
Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale – Between Future World and World Showcase Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey and Louie – Showcase Plaza Buzz Lightyear – Future World East near Mission: SPACE Figment – Future World West near Imagination! Topiary Butterflies – Future World West The Three Caballeros (Jose, Donald and Panchito) – Mexico Pavilion Anna and Elsa – Norway Pavilion
Troll – Norway Pavilion Dragon Topiary – Japan Pavilion near Torii Gate Pandas – China Pavilion China Zodiac Topiary Garden – China Pavilion in front of Nine Dragons Simba and Friends (Rafiki, Simba, Mufasa and Sarabi) – Future World West
Snow White and Dopey – Germany Pavilion Lady and the Tramp – Italy Pavilion Beauty and the Beast – France Pavilion
Remy – France Pavilion Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy – Between United Kingdom and Canada Pavilions
Peter Pan and Captain Hook – United Kingdom Pavilion
Winnie the Pooh and Friends (Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet and
Tigger) – United Kingdom Pavilion
Tinker Bell and Fairy Houses – United Kingdom Pavilion
Bambi and Friends – Future World East near Mouse Gear
Every year Disney changes up the displays just a bit and
typically adds at least a couple of new ones to the mix.
Outdoor kitchens
Due to the popularity of the Food and Wine Festival, Disney
started offering food and beverage options in special kiosks
throughout the World Showcase at all of its festivals.This year there will be more than 20 kitchens to grab
festival-themed food and beverages.
You can get the complete list of Flower and Garden food menus
here or, browse through the list below for the highlights:
Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market: Venture to Germany for
Bavarian bites
Cider House (Located in World Showplace): Ciders and
artisanal provisions
The Citrus Blossom: Lemon, orange and lime-themed dishes
Festival Favorites (Located in World Showplace): Guest-
favorite dishes, microbrews and other beverages
Flavor Full Kitchen Hosted by AdventHealth: Healthy
cuisine featuring vegetables straight from the garden
Fleur de Lys: Haute cuisine and boissons
Hanami: Find innovative plates crafted with culinary Zen
in Japan
Jardin de Fiestas: A food-tastic tour filled with spice
in the Mexico Pavilion
The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board: Menu
of all-natural food and drink infused with honey
La Isla Fresca: Caribbean-seasoned dishes
Lotus House: Authentic Chinese eats
Magnolia Terrace: Comfort food inspired by the Gulf
region
Northern Bloom: Fare from Canada
Pineapple Promenade: Tropical fruit fix, from tart ‘n’
tangy to the sweetest frozen treats
Primavera Kitchen: Hearty helpings of Old-Country dishes
served with a glass of vino
Taste of Marrakesh: Exotic flavors of Morocco
Trowel & Trellis Hosted by Impossible Foods: Dishes
inspired by Impossible foods (plant-based)Additional Locations:
Refreshment Port
Refreshment Outpost
Cool Wash
Funnel Cake
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
Popular food items from 2020
While we wait to test out some of the tasty treats for 2021,
here are some of the most popular food items from 2020:Violet Lemonade Location in 2020: Pineapple Promenade outdoor kitchen at Showcase Plaza (area that separates Future World and World Showcase) Frushi
A post shared by Victoria – Disney In Detail (@disneyindetail) on Feb 23, 2019
at 4:59am PST
Location in 2020: Hanami outdoor kitchen in JapanCotton Candy Location in 2020: Lotus House outdoor kitchen in China Though it’s not listed in the festival passport, the cotton candy in China is worth checking out. In the same building as the Lotus House outdoor kitchen, you’ll find these intricate cotton candy designs which are as pretty as they are fun to eat.
The schedule for the cotton candy was as follows:
You can find all of the menus and see food photos on Disney Food Blog’s Flower and Garden info page. Keep in mind that many items can be purchased with Disney Dining Plan snack credits. You can see which items are covered by looking for the DDP icon on the menus. Gardens & exhibits
Every year Disney installs several large gardens and exhibits.
Here’s the list for 2021:
Outdoor Escapes Presented by OFF! Repellents at Future
World East – Refreshing spaces that show just how easy
it is to create an outdoor escape. Closes at dusk.
Floating Gardens – More than 100 petite plots drifting
on the ponds that border the walkway between Future
World and the World Showcase.
Festival Blooms – Thousands of flowers creating living
panoramas overlooking Future World’s East and West
lakes.
The Goodness Garden Butterfly House Presented by GoGosqueeZ at Future World West – See and learn about butterflies’ lifecycles. Closes at dusk. (NEW!) Prehistoric Garden at Future World West – Check out plant life that’s thrived since the age of the dinosaurs. Bold Bromeliads at Future World West by the Land Health Full Trail Presented by AdventHealth – Learn ways to stay healthy at this Outdoor Kitchen and garden along the Imagination Walkway. Closes at dusk. The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board at Future World – Learn about honey bees’ critical role in the environment and enjoy sweet and savory treats. Located near Imagination! Pavilion.
Tropical Rainforest Garden at Mexico Pavilion – Discover the rich biodiversity of the Mexican rainforest and learn about its species. Extraordinary Orchids at Mexico Pavilion – Spectacular plants blooming in radiant color.
Bamboo Garden at China Pavilion – A garden filled with bamboo in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes. Chinese Zodiac Topiary Garden at China Pavilion – Celebrate the year of the Ox in this inspired display of Zodiac animals, made entirely from dried plant material.
Alpine Miniature Garden at Germany Pavilion – A showcase of diminutive dwellings nestled in a forest of shrubs. Growing the Future presented by Murata Electronics at Germany Pavilion – Beginning in April, join Science from Scientists in an experience that explores how cutting- edge technology from Murata, paired with agricultural science, can transform the way we seed the future. Garden Italiano at Italy Pavilion – A Tuscan kitchen garden with all the produce and herbs needed to create a classic Italian feast. Kokedama Garden at Japan Pavilion – Admire fresh expressions of an ancient Japanese art. Bonsai Collection at Japan Pavilion – Learn about the ancient art of bonsai and watch bonsai masters carefully shape and tend to these miniature works of art.
Urban Spice Garden at Morocco Pavilion – Discover how Eastern cultures flourished, trading signature spices and herb blends.
English Tea Garden Presented by Twinings of London – Learn about the history and art of tea blending in the English Tea Garden at the United Kingdom Pavilion, featuring plants used in some of Twinings’ blends.
Shakespeare Garden at United Kingdom Pavilion – Features
excerpts from some Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets and
the flowers that influenced them.
Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts have become a popular festival addition. They
are a great way for families to enjoy wandering the World
Showcase because it keeps the kids entertained and the hunts
usually take you into areas you may skip.
Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration family scavenger hunt
returns and will include new locations to discover.Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt (only available March 19 –
April 4 and while supplies last) This one will lead
guests on a scavenger hunt for eggs through Epcot.
Entertainment
Although there won’t be any of the popular Garden Rocks
concerts this year, there will still be some entertainment for
guests to see:
Jammin’ Gardeners (Canada Mill Stage)
Voices of Liberty (America Gardens Theatre)
Mariachi Cobre (America Gardens Theatre)
Pianist (World Showplace)PhotoPass pictures and Magic Shots Note: These images are from 2020. For 2021, masks are required for all photos. Throughout the park, you’ll find PhotoPass photographers available to take your picture with some of the topiaries.
There are typically a couple stationed at the front of the park, on the main walkway in Showcase Plaza between Future World and the World Showcase, in France, and on the bridge heading over to France from the United Kingdom.
Most of the photographers are able to take both regular pictures in addition to cute festival-themed Magic Shots, so be sure to ask for those if you stop for a photo.
Merchandise Fun (and CUTE!) Flower and Garden Festival merchandise can be found throughout the park. We are still waiting on details for 2021, but we absolutely loved the Orange Bird theme from 2020.
Probably one of our favorites ever. You could find other cute Orange Bird goodies, too:
You’ll find kiosks and booths located all around the World Showcase Lagoon.
For 2020 there were 5 different “themes” for merchandise: Orange Bird’s Hello Sunshine Collection, Minnie’s Flower Cart, Mickey’s Farmers Market, Spike’s Sweet as can Bee Collection, and Passholder exclusives.
Get the Flower and Garden Festival map The regular Epcot map includes Flower and Garden info during the Festival. We will update this section with the 2021 map as soon as it is available. Get a PDF of the 2020 map.
Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival Passport/Guide Disney has begun issuing these cute little passports for festivals.
Inside the Flower and Garden Festival passport, you’ll find info on every topiary, food kiosk, concert, etc. You can get them for free all over Epcot (including most food kiosks).
Best time to visit The Flower and Garden Festival (like the other festivals offered at Epcot) is popular with the locals, so avoid the weekends for the lowest crowds. Also, the opening days of anything (including festivals like this one) are extremely popular so be prepared for that if you plan to visit during that time.
Is Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival worth it? The great thing about this festival is that anybody can enjoy this event. If you plan on being at Epcot during the festival dates, definitely take some time to enjoy Epcot looking its most beautiful.
Historical Flower and Garden information Even though the Flower and Garden Festival is back for 2021, because of current health and safety measures it looks a bit different than years past. Notably missing are things like the popular Garden Rocks concert, tours, and the playgrounds. We do hope that in future years we will be able to see some of those return. And in anticipation, we’re keeping that historical Flower and Garden information here.
Tours
There are typically a couple of tours that are only offered
during the Flower and Garden Festival. Here is what we saw
back in 2020:
Epcot Gardens of the World Tour – a 3 hour tour led by a
Disney horticulturist. These are offered on Mondays,
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9:00 AM to noon
and cost $85.00, plus tax. You have to be 16-years-old
or older to attend. You can book it by calling (407)
WDW-TOUR.
English Tea Garden Presented by Twinings of London Tea –
this a free tour that lasts 20 minutes and takes place
in the United Kingdom pavilion. Guests should register
by signing up in The Tea Caddy in the UK pavilion.Royal Tea Garden Tour – this 45 minute tour has guests
exploring an elegant tea garden to learn all about the
artistry and history behind growing and blending tea.
The cost is $20.00 per person and can be booked by
calling (407) WDW-TOUR.
Garden Rocks Concerts & Dining Packages
In 2020, the Garden Rocks Concert Series was scheduled to take
place daily. Of course, when the parks closed those concerts
were canceled, too.
Here’s how it was supposed to go:
General seating for the concerts is free and is included in
your price of admission to the park.
But, if you want a more up-close view of the show you canpurchase a Dining Package that will get you a seat in the first 3 rows (more on that below). These concerts are fun and feature groups whose popularity peaked a couple of decades ago, but who still sound great.
You can catch the concerts every day during the festival at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.
The lineup for 2020 was:
March 4-5 – Peabo Bryson*
March 6-9 – The Orchestra starring former members of ELO
March 10-12 – The Guess Who
March 13-16 – Simple Plan
March 17-19 – STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas
March 20-23 – Mark Wills*
March 24-26 – The Spinners
March 27-28 – Sister Hazel
March 29-30 – The Pointer Sisters
March 31-April 2 – Former Journey Lead Vocalist SteveAugeri
April 3-4 – Blood, Sweat & Tears
April 5-6 – Exposé
April 7-9 – Berlin
April 10-11 – A Flock of Seagulls
April 12-13 – Atlantic Star*
April 14-16 – Tony Orlando
April 17-18 – High Valley
April 19-20 – Rick Springfield
April 21-23 – TBD
April 24-27 – Plain White T’s
April 28-30 – Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles
May 1-2 – Don McLean*
May 3-4 – Casting Crowns*
May 5-7 – Ambrosia with Peter Beckett*
May 8-9 – Thelma Houston*
May 10-11 – The Allman Betts Band*
May 12-14 – Air Supply
May 15-18 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 19-21 – Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot*
May 22-23 – Claudia Leitte*
May 24-25 – Daughtry*
May 26-28 – Marshall Tucker Band
May 29-30 – Crowder*
May 31-June 1 – Survivor
* Acts new to the Garden Rocks Concert Series
It usually isn’t too hard to snag a seat to one of the
concerts; however, you’ll want to arrive about 30 minutes
before the show, or, if you prefer, you can avoid the line
(and wait) altogether and book one of the Garden Rocks Dining
Packages.Each dinner package includes 1 guaranteed seat to the Garden Rocks concert on that night and a meal that includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert, or if a buffet, it will include 1 full buffet. If you line up early for the dining package, you’ll be allowed to enter a bit earlier than the standby line and can choose where to sit (on an aisle in the center usually gives the best view). There’s also reserved seating for this package which is the first 3 rows of the theater, and unless you want the front- center seat, you can show up much closer to show time (even up to just a few minutes before the show starts) and still snag a good spot. On the Disney Dining Plan? The package can be booked with the
Dining Plan at a cost of 2 credits/person. 2020 Garden Rocks Dining Packages Biergarten Restaurant (World Showcase – Germany Pavilion) Lunch: $57 for adults; $32 for kids Dinner: $57 for adults; $32 for kids Coral Reef Restaurant (Future World – The Living Seas Pavilion) Lunch: $69 for adults; $22 for kids Dinner: $69 for adults; $22 for kids The Garden Grill Restaurant (Future World – Land Pavilion) Breakfast $52 for adults; $31 for kids Lunch: $65 for adults; $39 for kids Dinner: $65 for adults; $39 for kids Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room (World Showcase – U.K. Pavilion) Lunch: $57 for adults; $22 for kids Dinner: $57 for adults; $22 for kids
**************************** So, will you be attending the Flower and Garden Festival? Or do you have questions that weren’t covered here? Please share in the comments.
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