Fun Facts about Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

Spring has arrived in Florida! Whilst visiting Epcot throughout the spring, you’ll notice how colourful and full of bloom the Disney Park is, as during this season every year the Taste of Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival takes place. In 2021 the Epcot festival will carry on into the summer season as well, as it runs from 3rd March to 5th July 2021!

This year’s Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot will be the 28th annual event at Disney World and will be the longest ever running, ending over a full month later than usual. It is also the longest ever running Flower and Garden Festival in the United States.

The wonderful Disney character topiaries are usually the highlight of the event, along with the glorious garden displays, which are so vibrant and perfectly manicured!

How Many Topiaries are on Display at Epcot?

During the festival, there are nearly 100 individual topiaries to discover all around the Disney park, with many of these a Disney character. The highlight topiary for 2021 can be found at the newly re-imagined Epcot entrance, which features a display with Sorcerer Mickey.

• At nearly 20ft long, the dragon topiary at the Japan Pavilion is the longest topiary at Walt Disney World. It is composed roughly of 650 plants, and over 400 of them are bromeliads.
• There are some topiaries that light-up at night, so be sure to stay into the evening to look out for these and admire the creativity of the flowers as the sun sets.

Facts About the Gardens at Epcot

There are 20 different expert-designed garden areas to enjoy a leisurely walk through at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival.

• The English Tea Garden at the United Kingdom Pavilion features plants used in some of Twinings’ finest tea blends.
• More than 100 floating flower planters drift on the waters of the Floating Gardens between Future World and World Showcase. Some of the floating gardens have LED lights, which creates a beautiful display at night.
• Visit the Bamboo Garden at the China Pavilion to see bamboo in a variety of colours, patterns and sizes.
• Garden Italiano at the Italy Pavilion features all the produce and herbs needed to create a classic Italian feast.
• Learn about the ancient art of bonsai at the Japan Pavilion, as bonsai masters carefully shape and tend to these miniature works of art.
• The Goodness Garden Butterfly House combines butterflies and fairy topiaries. Over 600 native butterflies can be found in here, which makes it a magical experience watching them fly all around you and sometimes even land on guests.
• This year’s newest garden is the Prehistoric Garden at Future World East, featuring astounding plant life that has thrived since the age of the dinosaurs.

Gardens Tip: You can get an excellent overview of the festival from the Epcot monorail. Many of the flower beds, gardens and topiaries are illuminated at night and can look quite spectacular from above. Take a ride on the monorail for a unique view, day or night.

The Outdoor Kitchens at Disney’s Epcot

This year’s event has been given the name “Taste of Epcot”, as it’s not just about the horticulture on display. The specialty menus at the festival are an incredibly popular element for guests, as they get to taste their way around the event, whilst appreciating the floral views.

At the festival this year, there are more than 20 Outdoor Kitchen locations around Epcot offering delicious food and drink options.

Food Tip: If you would like to enjoy some of the food available at the event, be sure to put some money aside, as the dishes can be fairly pricey. A list of the food and drink available can be found on the Disney World website, if you wish to plan ahead with the offerings you want to taste. ID is required to purchase alcoholic beverages.

Other Fun Facts about the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot

• It takes a full year to prepare and 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists to install the festival landscape.
• 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, including 48 varieties of bedding plants
• There are more than 300 acres of the festival and more than a mile and a half of gardens.
• Come across 60 different species of trees and 47 types of palms
• The flowers are maintained throughout the festival, so it’s always a beautiful event – you won’t have to worry about seeing a bunch of wilted flowers when you visit.

Do I Have to Pay to Enter Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival?

There is no additional charge to enter Epcot during the festival; just regular theme park admission applies. The only thing you would have to pay for is the delicious food that is available during the event.

Festival Tip: Grab a complimentary Flower and Garden Passport when you arrive at Epcot. These are available to guide you when you visit, to ensure you see and do everything the festival has to offer.

This festival at Epcot is a wonderful way to welcome spring and you don’t have to be an avid gardener to appreciate the beauty of the flowers and gardens on display. This is an annual event, so if you can’t make it this year, there’s always the chance to visit in the future. Next year’s event could be a special one, as it will be during Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations, so we’re excited to find out what’s involved!

If you’re looking to stay close to the famous mouse on your future holiday to Florida, be sure to take a look our villas near Disney World. For help with your Orlando villa search, then do get in contact with our knowledgeable team.

Image credit: Festival Passport - DisneyFoodBlog.com