The first time I visited the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival it was a total accident. I was piggy-backing on a conference and purchased tickets for a few days at Disney after the conference ended. We were expecting to enjoy a nice stroll around Epcot for a good meal and wound up spending a few hours taking pictures of the amazing topiaries. Years later, as Disney is apt to do, the Flower and Garden Festival continues to evolve and now offers food. I it worth visiting just for this Festival? Enjoy a photographic walk through to make the choice for yourself.

Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Features

There are lots of reasons to visit the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. It’s included with your admission to Epcot, and adds these great features to your trip:

• Topiaries of your favorite Disney Characters – my personal favorite
•  Garden Rocks Concert Series
• Outdoor kitchens and delicious snacks and drinks
• Guided Tours
• Special Flower and Garden themed merchandise

  

  Donald and Nephews

  

  A perfect day in Future Land

  
  

PhotoPass

There are few times at Disney that PhotoPass is more important that the Flower and Garden Festival. Full disclosure : I’m a huge fan of PhotoPass and Memory Maker in general. You can read my reasons why in Tips for Disney with Toddlers. Disney goes out of their way to make amazing photo opportunities during the Flower and Garden Festival. Whether you take advantage of the free photography or take your own shots, the PhotoPass stations result in some amazing pictures.

Mascot

We have a thing for Figment at our house. Disney likes to choose  a mascot for its events, and we were happy to see Figment presiding over the last Festival. This also means there is a lot of merchandise available with the mascot available.

Our Mascot, Figment!

World Showcase

Throughout the World Showcase, you will find classic Disney favorites represented in beautiful topiaries connected to their country of origin when possible. There is also a wonderful celebration of native plants and gardening styles, like the bonsai trees in Japan. With food now added to the festival, you also get a chance to try some delicious snacks along the World Showcase. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, then this is an excellent use of your snack credits!

I think the best way to inspire a visit to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is to share the amazing scenery, so enjoy a trip around the world!

Mexico

One of my favorite, classic rides gets a spot in the Flower and Garden Festival among a field peppers. The Gran Fiesta Tour is a must-do for me when we visit Epcot. It’s a slow moving ride that takes me back to my many trips to Mexico in school. I love showing my kids all of the places I visited.

Norway

The Epcot Flower and Garden festival brings the trolls back to Norway! They guard the Royal Akershus Banquet Hall and remind visitors of a Norway before Frozen.

Flower and Garden Festival brings a troll to guard the Banquet Hall

China

If you haven’t explored the gardens in China, I would highly recommend a trip. It has some of the most beautiful areas in all of the World Showcase. You an also catch Mulan for photo opps as well!

Outpost

The Outpost houses one of my Epcot Flower and Garden favorites, the Lion King.

The Outpost boasts one of my favorite scenes, The Lion King.

Germany

Germany houses one of my favorite photo pass opportunities. I love the care that is put into these topiaries! The angle is perfect so you can get Snow White and the dwarves all in the same shot!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Italy

We enjoyed some delicious meatballs in Italy along with Lady and the Tramp.

Lady and the Tramp

American Adventure

Who better to represent at the American Outpost than Woody!  During the food portion of the festival, we also love the BBQ appetizer here in the American Adventure.

Woody watching over the American Adventure

Japan

We really enjoyed the bonsai trees in Japan. Part of the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival wonder comes in sharing the amazing horticulture of other countries. Some the bonsai trees were well over 100 years old, and I never truly appreciated how much they resembled their larger counterparts.

Bonsai Tree in Japan

France

The natural choice for Disney-inspired topiaries in France was Beauty and the Beast. We were so excited to see not only Belle and Beast, but also Cogsworth and Lumiere.

United Kingdom

You might happen upon an epic battle between Captain Hook and Tic Toc in the United Kingdom!

Canada

The Canadian Pavilion was home to Bambi and Friends. I always love visiting the garden at the Canadian Pavilion even outside of the Flower and Garden Festival.

Bambi and Friends

Future World

The World Showcase isn’t the only home to beautiful gardens and topiaries. Future World also has several

Mission : Space

We found the other half to Toy Story next to Mission : Space.

Buzz Lightyear and Mission : Space

Summary

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is a great addition to your next trip.

1. Great for Kids : Epcot has a reputation of not being the best “kid-friendly” park. The Festival makes it more exciting to walk the World Showcase as you see your favorite Disney Characters throughout the park.
2. Photographers Dream :There are fewer times that Epcot is more beautiful than during this festival. There are countless opportunities for amazing pictures, including many staged PhotoPass locations.
3. Great use of Disney Dining Plan : If you have the Dining Plan, the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival gives you one of the best uses of your snack credits. We always have trouble using all of the allotted snack credits, but the Festival gives you ample opportunities to use them