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Spring in Florida, ah, there’s nothing better. At Walt Disney World spring means the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival comes to town. Or, if you want to be technical, The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival comes to Walt Disney World.
Take a Monorail ride over the floating gardens. Photo by Matthew Cooper
Disney has some of the most interesting flora on the planet. Disney gardeners can take a normal everyday bush and turn it into a work of art. 365 days a year, you’ll find manicured lawns, elaborate garden beds, and interesting foilage in all the parks and resorts. But in the spring, EPCOT flowers really come to life.
The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival isn’t just about pretty flowers (but there are lots of those). You’ll learn about growing, planting, and eating sustainable flowers, herbs, fruits and veggies, explore interative play areas and educational exhibits, eat fresh food and enjoy some music that Dad really likes.
Dates
The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival starts around the first of March each year and lasts until late in May or into early June. In 2020 the dates are March 4 to June 1. That gives you plenty of time to explore EPCOT’s second-biggest festival!
Aren’t the flowers beautiful? Photo by Matthew Cooper
Flowers, Gardens, and More
There are lots of extra flowers and gardens installed at EPCOT during the festival. You’ll see things like floating gardens on the waterways, small gardens that showcase things like colors or chili peppers or prehistoric plants, and of course the stars of the show – Disney topiaries.
For the festival, Disney creates dozens of amazing topiaries of Disney characters unlike any you’ve ever seen. It’s really incredible, and that’s coming from me – Mr. Flowers… just kidding!
The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival also has many displays and exhibits to help educate you and your kids on how things are grown, how to attract wildlife like bunnies or hummingbirds to your backyard, and more.
Seminars
Just like some of the other festivals at EPCOT, you can bet there will be seminars, demonstrations and workshops happening at the Festival Center. In the past some topics have included insects, planting tips, and the role of horticulture in bringing Walt’s vision for the parks to life.
Details usually come out a few weeks before the festival starts so click here to see Disney’s page for information and to book!
Garden Rocks Concert Series
Every weekend during the show, a different musical group comes to the American Gardens Theater and brings back memories of happier times … or at least memories of long ago. Think bands like STARSHIP, The Guess Who, and the Village People.
In 2016 the Flower and Garden Festival concerts got a new name. It’s now called the Garden Rocks Concert Series (formerly the Flower Power Concert Series).
Click the link below for details on performers and dates in 2018:
Garden Rocks Concert Series Details
These old rockers still know how to put on a show.
There are 3 shows each night at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00.
A little Frushi looks yummy – photo by Disney Photo Snapper
Outdoor Kitchens
In 2013, Disney added food booths (like the Food and Wine Festival) to the Flower and Garden Fesitval. They are called Outdoor Kitchens, and they feature a lot of fresh, local ingredients, produce, and “lighter” fare than you might find at the other festivals, like the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. It’s pretty yummy.
Crowds
March, April and May are big crowd months at Disney World. Dad’s Disney World crowds page will give you all the information you need to avoid the throngs.
The topiaries are incredible. Photo by Matthew Cooper
Make your plan today
Would you like to see the Flower and Garden Festival for yourself? Good idea. Go over and let Dad’s partners at Destinations to Travel a ring and let them help you get started.
Dad’s Bottom Line
If you visit EPCOT in the spring, you won’t be able to miss the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival. While you don’t have to listen to the presentations at the Festival Center, you might learn something. And there are so many great things to see and eat that even Dad has to say, “Wow!”
PS. The music is really, really good.
