Hiya Pals! On our most recent Disney trip we had the opportunity to visit EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival. It is absolutely beautiful, and if you’ve never been it’s a must do! The Flower and Garden Festival encompasses a lot of different aspects of the park from outdoor food kitchens to gorgeous topiaries, to the Garden Concert series, and don’t forget the special festival merchandise!
We’ll review our experience at the Flower and Garden Festival and tell you all about what we tried from the outdoor kitchens. Come along and enjoy EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival with us!
Topiaries
Starting off the topiaries is this year’s NEW topiary display. There are two new displays and they did not disappoint. The first one is located right at the entrance to the park. Here you can find Mirabel along with her sisters Isabela and Louisa and their cousin Antonio. This is a rather large display and is truly magnificent. Equally important is the new Princess Tiana topiary. Located in the America pavilion Tiana is stunning with a beautiful backdrop.
Returning this year are lots of topiaries including Donald and Daisy, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto along with Chip and Dale. Winnie the Pooh and friends as well as Tink can be found in the England Pavillion. Lady and Tramp are found in Italy, while the Three Caballeros are found in Mexico. Beauty and Beast are located in France along with a few of their friends. Additionally, you’ll find Snow White and her seven friends in Germany.
Of course, you’ll find many more familiar faces when you explore all the nooks and crannies of EPCOT. You can also find all the topiaries listed on pages 4-5 in your festival passport.
Outdoor Kitchens
There are 21 outdoor kitchens located around World Showcase that feature specialty food and drinks just for the Flower and Garden Festival. Some selections are new, while others are returning this year. You’ll find all the kitchens on pages 12-33 in your Festival Passport. We tried things from seven different kitchens this trip and plan on visiting a few more before the festival is over.
What we tried
Near Port of Entry
Starting off our journey we tried Chicken and Waffles and Florida Orange Groves Winery Orange Blossom Honey Wine from “The Honey Bee-Stro”. We would rate this snack as 7/10 and the wine 10/10. The chicken and waffles were good, the waffle itself was on the dry side as it’s a sweet cornbread waffle. The chicken is cooked well, but I would prefer to have all white meat myself. The spicy honey glaze is what made this dish in my opinion. It offered the great sweet/spicy flavor we were looking for. The honey wine was sweet and refreshing; we’ll definitely get that one again!
Between France and Morocco
Next up we tried a Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer and a Tropical Breeze (non-alcoholic) from “La Isla Fresca”. For us the shrimp was a 6/10 and the Tropical Breeze rates 6/10 as well. The shrimp here was a little on the tough/chewy side but the mango salsa and coconut lime sauce is delicious. After the shrimp were gone we mixed the sauce and salsa into the rice. This snack is quite filling. The Tropical Breeze can be ordered with or without alcohol. We decided to order it without so we could share with our son. It is quite citrusy, and he decided it made his tongue feel funny. It is light and refreshing, but if you don’t like grapefruit juice you will not like this one.
Morocco
Without delay, we were off to our next stop, where we tried the Hummus Trio and Keel Farms Strawberry Elderflower Hard Cider from “Tangerine Cafe; Flavors of the Medina”. The hummus trio ranks 8/10 and the hard cider ranks 9/10 for us. The hummus trio is so good there’s a large scoop of each flavor which includes a red beet and garlic, avocado and herb and a traditional hummus. It is served with chips and Moroccan bread. Of the three the red beet and garlic hummus was my favorite followed closely by the avocado. If you like hummus this is a great option. The Strawberry Elderflower hard cider was sweet and refreshing. It definitely hit the spot.
The American Adventure
Next, we headed to the America Pavillion where we tried the Muffuletta Panini and a Bayou Cocktail at “Magnolia Terrace”. The panini gets a 9/10 and the cocktail gets 10/10! These were both so delicious and I would recommend them to anyone. The panini has ham and salami and was topped with Swiss cheese and olive salad for the perfect pairing of salty and savory. The cocktail had spiced rum, coconut rum, orange juice and fruit punch. I would go back just for this drink! It might be one of my all-time favorites.
Germany
Shortly after we stopped again for Toasted Pretzel Bread and Apfelschaumwein at “Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market”. The pretzel bread ranks 7/10 and the wine 8/10. The pretzel is topped with ham and cheese and is a great option for kids or pickier eaters. The wine was a mix of sparkling wine and apple liqueur. It was bubbly and sweet, and I would get this again for sure.
Odyssey
Further along our journey we stopped at “The Citrus Blossom” and tried Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp, Lemon Meringue Pie, and Orange-Lemon Smoothie. This might have been our favorite stop! We rate the tempura shrimp 10/10, the lemon pie 11/10, and the smoothie 10/10. The shrimp was crispy and delicious and the orange chile sauce was the perfect topper although a little too spicy for our little one. The lemon meringue pie was divine. It was sweet and light, and the meringue was more like toasted marshmallows. I normally scrape off meringue since I’m not a big fan of it, but this was great! Our son loved the smoothie and didn’t leave much for us to drink, but it was also refreshing and cool. We recommend this booth to everyone!
Near Test Track
Finally, our last stop was for Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites at “Brunchcot”. This was something we had tried before and knew our son would love, so we allowed him to rate this particular dish. He says it receives 12/10. These cinnamon bites are stuffed with gooey cinnamon filling and topped with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon. They are slightly messy so be sure to grab lots of napkins if you give them a try.
Ultimately there are lots of other kitchens to try food from, and we have upcoming trips planned to bring you more options to try! Stay tuned for more information.
Gardens and Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration
Obviously, as the name Flower and Garden Festival implies, there are tons of gardens around EPCOT. It is so beautiful here during this festival. During this particular festival you can go on a scavenger hunt for Spike the bee. We always do the scavenger hunts as it gives our son something to look for in each pavilion. Spike is often located in the gardens, once you find him you place the corresponding flower on the map and redeem your map at the end for a special prize. This year’s prizes are a reusable plastic plate or cup in various designs.
Merchandise
On the whole there is quite a bit of merchandise available for purchase. This year’s theme is the Orange Bird, Snow White and Figment. You can find a whole host of possible souvenirs from exclusive pins or spirit jerseys to ears and crocks. There are a few booths along World Showcase where you can shop Flower and Garden Festival exclusives.
Garden Rocks Concert Series
Additionally, there is a garden rocks series that brings bands and musicians to the stage in the outdoor America pavilion. There is a list of performers you can see as well as show times listed on Disney’s website. This concert series is completely free, but if you want to guarantee your seat you can do a dining package where you can both eat and attend the concert without waiting in line for a seat.
Tips and Tricks
As always, we try our best not to double back on ourselves. We often travel from ‘Canada’ to ‘Mexico’ and try to hit as many different food booths as possible. We stop to take in the gardens and find Spike. You can purchase a wristband gift card which is so helpful when paying individually in so many different places. Additionally, if you choose to do a scavenger hunt know that you don’t have to wait until the end to redeem your prize. You can do it right away if you choose to do so. As stated before you can find all the festival information inside your Festival Passport. Be sure to pick yours up at the front of the park and start choosing the things you want to try.
We love attending EPCOT festivals, but Flower and Garden is one of my most favorites. Overall, the park is beautiful, but the flowers, gardens and topiaries make it a true sight to behold. We love eating our way around EPCOT and this festival makes it easy! If you’re planning a trip to EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival this season what things do you want to try? Leave us a comment below. If you’re looking to book a trip, give Erica a call. She can help you plan the best vacation. Looking for more fun things to do in EPCOT? Check out our blog on our top favorite rides.
