Flowers, topiaries and outdoor kitchens are much better than ice, snow and cold. So, every year we leave the Chicago winter and head too sunny Walt Disney World for the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival.
Disney extended the festival from 75 to 90 days this year. We were there on opening day, March 2, 2016. The last day of the festival is May 30, 2016. When entering the park grab one of the Epcot maps (Flower & Garden edition) and Garden Passport. Both will come in handy when touring the park. You can also use the map in the My Disney Experience app.
The first topiary you see when entering the park is Donald and Daisy with Huey, Dewey and Louie. Over 100 topiaries are on display throughout Epcot. The park map lists all the topiary locations.
Some of my favorites topiaries: Anna and Elsa, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast and Minnie Mouse. If you wan to get good pictures of the topiaries, I recommend getting to the park before rope drop. As soon as you enter the park, head to the back of Future World. Most guests will stop at the front and take pictures. Then later in the day stop back at the front and get pictures.
Epcot has 13 outdoor kitchens that are open during the festival. Each kitchen has several unique food and drink offerings. For example: Pineapple Promenade has a fantastic Spicy Hot Dog. Each item is a small portion so it’s easy to share and try many different things. Pricing was around $6.00 per item. The Disney Dining Plan is accepted at the outdoor kitchens. At each kitchen you can get your Garden Passport stamped. Check out the Garden Passport for each kitchens menu.
My favorite was the Onion Tart and Macaron Chocolat Framboise from France. Honorable mention goes to the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapenos.
For those traveling with younger children, there are two really nice play areas. The first is Cactus Road Rally and is located near Test Track. The other located on the walkway near Imagination is Music Garden Melodies. We saw lots of kids having a good time playing.
On the weekend, there is special live entertainment at America Gardens Theatre. Little River Band, Village People and Night Ranger are included in this year’s lineup. It’s a great way to enjoy the nice weather!
Attending the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is a great way to spend a spring day.
