• Home
  • Destinations
    • Canada
    • Caribbean
    • USA
  • Travel Tips
  • What to Pack
  • Theme Park Travel
    • Disney World
    • Universal Orlando
  • Disney Travel
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney Cruise Line
    • Email
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Practical Tips for Traveling with Babies, Toddlers & Kids |

Kids On A Plane

  • About
  • Work With Us
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

How to Make the Most of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Post last updated May 25, 2015

Spring is here! Well, that’s what it says on the calendar even though the temperatures in Toronto don’t really reflect it. I’m glad though that the snow is almost all melted and there’s a bit of green on trees and the ground. Last year I visited Epcot on my own and shared a few tips for visitors heading to the International Flower & Garden Festival. I’ve updated the post below with new tips for the 2015’s event. Enjoy!

*****

Walt Disney World Resort is celebrating the start of spring with their annual International Flower & Garden Festival which runs from March 4 to May 17, 2015 this year. There’s over 100 topiaries on display, interactive play zones for the kids, Garden Rocks Concerts every weekend and Disney horticulturists and gardening experts offering tips and advice on how to spruce up your home this season.

Travel and Park Touring Tips for Epcot's International Flower & Garden Festival - How to make the most of your time at EPCOT

Having been to the festival twice (once with my family, once without), I can say it’s tons of fun with or without kids.

This year, Frozen‘s Anna and Elsa topiaries make an appearance at World Showcase Plaza and a new outdoor kitchen between France and Morocco (called Botanos Botanico) will be serving up seafood with fresh vegetables and fruit (scallops and grouper with mango and avocado, for example).

If you’re planning on visiting this year’s Flower & Garden Festival, here’s a few tips from last year’s visit on how to make the most of your time at Epcot:

1. Download the Festival Guide

There is lots to see and do during this time of year at Epcot and before you head to the park you might want to take a look at the festival guide on Disney’s website.

If your plan is to make it through the entire park and get on some of the rides, the guide will help your travel group plan out your day at Epcot. Last year’s visit during the festival left me too stuffed and exhausted to make it outside of the World Showcase. I spent 4 hours walking, eating and taking photos, I didn’t even make it to other parts of the park (nor did I get on any rides).

2. Visit the Play Gardens

If you have young children with you, be sure to check out the play gardens where little ones can burn off some energy and pose for pictures with their favorite characters – topiary style.

Mike and Sulley’s Monstrous Garden in Future World features a tunnels, slides, a net climber and a shaded area for parents to relax while the kids play. Cactus Road Rally located near Test Track is a Cars-themed area featuring Mater and Lightening McQueen. Butterflies on the Go gives kids the opportunity to see several different species of butterflies up close.

3. Catch a Garden Rocks Concert

Famous artists and bands put on a show at Epcot’s America Gardens Theatre (an outdoor theatre) every weekend (Friday – Sunday) of the festival. There are 3 shows each night (5:15PM, 6:30PM. 7:45PM) and some of the bands in the lineup include Taylor Dane, The Guess Who, En Vogue and Village People.

The weekend I visited last year, there was a fairly long lineup more than an hour before show time – about 200 people deep when we walked by American Adventure. You can find out more about weekend events here.

Flower & Garden Festival Tips Outdoor Kitchen Food Photos | KidsOnAPlane.com #epcot #disney #flowergardenfestival

4. Have a Food Budget & Pace Yourself

This is where I ended up spending all of my time and money the weekend I visited without my children.

The outdoor kitchens had so much to choose from and I ended up dropping close to $40 sampling signature foods from around the world.

Here’s what I sampled last year: taco from Mexico, potato and cheddar biscuit with smoked salmon tartare from United Kingdom, duck confit and an orange blossom macaron from France, frushi (fruit sushi) from Japan and a Piggylicious bacon cupcake from America were some of the things I filled my belly with. Thank goodness I also did a ton of walking that weekend!

Favorite Dishes – Duck Confit and the macaron from Fleur de Lys (outdoor kitchen near the France pavilion). This year they’ve replaced the Orange Blossom Macaron with Macaron Guimauve a la Fraise (strawberry marshmallow macaron) which sounds just as delicious!

The duck was juicy and flavorful. The sweet and cold macaron was a refreshing way to balance out the richness and heaviness of the confit dish before it.

Travel Tips Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival - these were a few of the dishes and drinks offered at Fleur de Lys - France pavilion outdoor kitchen -  in 2014

Least Favorite Dishes – Piggylicious Bacon Cupcake and Frushi.

The bacon maple cupcake didn’t turn out the way I had imagined it would taste. It was very salty and very sweet at the same time and I couldn’t handle two competing strong flavors.

It could also have been that it was the last thing I ate before leaving the park and I was so stuffed my taste buds and stomach couldn’t handle any more food.

I’m a sushi fanatic so I’m not sure what made me to choose the fruit sushi over the fish sushi (maybe it was the colors and the presentation?) — it wasn’t too memorable and I probably should have spent that money on Pineapple Soft-serve at the Pineapple Promenade outdoor kitchen.

I was craving a Dole Whip (not sure why they call it Pineapple Soft-serve here and not Dole Whip) but was too full to fit in ice cream.

The outdoor kitchen offerings are just a small sample of what is to come at the Food & Wine Festival, so if you like it now, you’ll be in heaven in September when that starts.

5. Plan Around the Weather

Since the majority of activities for the Flower & Garden Festival takes place outdoors, dress appropriately for the weather and the walking!

The weekend I visited on my own (end of March), there were thunderstorms, rain showers and a tornado warning – very typical weather for that time of year according to local friends. Many visitors ended up purchasing ponchos while at the park (ranging from $5-12).

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Snow White Topiary | KidsOnAPlane.com #flowergardenfestival #epcot #disneyworld

When I visited with my family 2 years ago it was mid May and very hot – close to 40 C (104 F). Both kids were cranky from the heat so we spent only a few minutes taking photos of the topiaries and spent the majority of our time indoors in air conditioned spaces.

Travel Tips for the International Flower and Garden Festival at EPCOT Walt Disney World

6. Take the Twinings Tea Tour

If you or someone in your party is a tea drinker, consider signing up for the free Twinings Tea Tour in the United Kingdom pavilion.

Participants are taken on a free 20 minute tour of the garden and get to taste test freshly made samples of cold brewed teas. As participant lists fill up quickly, it’s recommend that you sign up as soon as you arrive at Epcot. Registration is at The Tea Caddy and tours run every day (Monday – Thursday 3:45PM and 6:15PM, Friday – Sunday 1:00PM, 3:45PM and 6:15PM).

It’s probably not something younger kids would enjoy  as the focus of the tour is about the history of tea and the Twinings of London company.

7. Bring Extra Memory Cards and Batteries

There are just so many photo opportunities during the Flower and Garden festival that I took 200 photos combined (SLR and iPhone) and was down to 10% on each camera after 4 hours at the park.

From topiaries, sand sculptures, illuminated gardens at night, and all the food you’ll be eating, your camera(s) will be used often.

Have you been to the International Flower & Garden Festival before?

What did you like or dislike about the festival?



About Cheryl - Kids On A Plane

Cheryl daydreams about exploring the world with her family often and will travel for good food, lattes and theme park rides that don't require her to go too high in the sky. She's afraid of heights!

Comments

  1. Mel {MamaBuzz} says

    April 9, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    We were at Epcot last year for a brief couple of hours, and it’s one place I definitely want to go back to. I’d love to just explore the entire park, ride the rides, and explore different types of food. The Flower and Garden Festival would be beautiful! Love your photos. Thanks so much for sharing on Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in next week’s issue.

  2. JEssica says

    April 15, 2014 at 11:17 pm

    This looks beautiful! I would love to wander around the food festival by myself.

  3. Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says

    April 15, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    I’ve heard of this festival but didn’t realize how fantastic it is until I read this. Now, I want to take my mom there… and leave the kids behind. I’d be sampling a lot of food, too, but I would make room for that Dole Whip.

  4. jennifer says

    April 16, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    I would love to check out the flower festival, its on my list. Thanks for sharing the great photos! – stretchingittotravel

  5. Melinda L. says

    April 28, 2014 at 10:41 am

    I absolutely loved indulging in the food places when we went to Epcot. Didn’t know they had the garden festival there. Thanks for the pictures!

  6. Deb {Focused on the Magic} says

    May 1, 2014 at 8:42 am

    I’m heading there next week on my solo trip. I cannot wait. It’s an annual favorite of mine.

    • Cheryl says

      May 1, 2014 at 10:48 pm

      Have fun Deb!

  7. Muza-chan says

    May 20, 2014 at 3:57 am

    Beautiful 🙂

  8. Kirsten says

    May 26, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    I have never been to Disney. I love the idea of going without the kids and being able to look at things that would interest me. I love going to flower gardens and looking at them, but my kids get pretty bored of that kind of thing.

  9. Lauren says

    March 26, 2015 at 5:36 pm

    I love Epcot and have been several times, but I have actually never heard of this festival. Thanks for sharing!

  10. Tonya says

    March 28, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    With the exception of one time, I’ve always visited the park during the Epcot Flower Festival & Show. I love the topiaries. I think that really is my favorite part of the park. I had no idea a tea tour was offered. If I knew I could talk the rest of the family into it, I’d plan for it on my next visit.

  11. Judy Cowan says

    April 15, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    I have never heard of the festival but it looks like it would be a great time to visit. Can’t wait until we can make another trip back to Disney.

  12. Erika E says

    April 17, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    I’ve never been to Epcot this time of year. This festival looks wonderful! Love the food at Epcot too!

  13. Anne Taylor says

    April 17, 2015 at 3:28 pm

    Everything is so beautiful! One day I’ll get there with my grandchildren!

  14. Dream24 says

    April 24, 2015 at 11:28 am

    There’s always so much to see and do at Disney. I’m drooling over all the foods right now

Looking for Something?

For You to Know: Posts on Kids On A Plane may contain affiliate links. This means that by clicking on or purchasing products we recommend through a link may help us earn a small commission, which helps keep this blog running. Thank you for your support! Read more here

Let’s Get Social

Image Map

Looking for something?

Travel Tips

Disney Resort Hotels for Large Families

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels for Large Families (5 to 12 People)

How to Travel with Toddlers while Potty Training

Visiting Disney World During a Pandemic with Kids: What to Expect & Travel Tips

Copyright © 2023 · Web Design by Fancy Girl Design Studio