Celebrate The Season At The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, By Melody Schubert

Spring is here and it's time for one of our favorite events; the Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival that runs through Mid May. If you've never been then you're missing the chance to explore beautiful gardens, and enjoy the beautiful topiaries found throughout Epcot. It is also a great place to pick up tips on gardening and sample culinary favorites from the Disney gardens.

When you arrive at Epcot you will be welcomed by Donald Duck and his topiary pals, who are camping out in full floral color to celebrate the Great Outdoors at the Epcot. The elaborate topiary with a North American theme features a live waterfall and pond features Goofy in a fly-fishing misadventure, Daisy Duck roasting marshmallows over a campfire and Pluto in his “pup tent.” It’s a must-stop photo op for guests as soon as they pass through the park turnstiles. Packing more floral punch this year, the festival showcases more than 100 expertly crafted topiaries – including a new Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse topiary among a bed of flowers and vegetables in an “American Gothic” parody located at World Showcase Plaza.

“The advantage of starting earlier is that we’ll be able to feature more brilliant color than ever, with richly hued petunias, violas, snapdragons and other hardy flowers,” says festival horticulture manager Eric Darden. “By starting earlier and going through mid-May, it allows more guests than ever to experience the festival and to plan ahead for their spring and summer gardening.”

Each year Disney dazzles us with something new so expect all new special gardens, events and children’s play areas throughout the park to enjoy during your visit. There's also a new Community Garden featuring Disney’s “fab five” topiary pals – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy – gather at American Adventure to tend tomatoes, beans, peppers, herbs and other edibles in their first Community Garden for a salute to the many community gardens being planted across the country.

A special treat this year is the newly Expanded Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden filled with Colorful topiaries of Tinker Bell and friends from Walt Disney Pictures’ latest DVD release - Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. Children will especially love this playful, expanded garden for kids, and there are new characters on display with returning fairy favorites are fast-flying, sharp-tongued Vidia and charming Terence, dispenser of pixie dust. Tinker Bell’s Nook has hands-on activities. In a synergistic turn, the “Great Fairy Rescue” DVD includes a bonus feature on “The Making of the Fairy House,” featuring a child’s fairy house design brought to life by Disney’s horticulture team, along with the movie’s producer and director, who helped plan the garden.

Throughout the festival, more than 100 topiaries plus sweeping floral beds and exhibits will decorate the park landscape and showcase the extraordinary craftsmanship of Disney gardeners. A Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion will tell the “love story” of plants and perfume, and the art of bonsai will “wow” guests at the Japan showcase. Other surprises that await your visit are:

Fawn’s Butterfly House at Pixie Hollow is part of the Expanded Pixie Hollow and named after fairy Fawn from the popular Tinker Bell films. Hundreds of butterflies will flit among the lush foliage, and guests can wander and watch as winged beauties of multiple species light on flowers filled with nectar and as caterpillars emerge from their chrysalis in a special discovery exhibit. This was Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly House, and now is even a more colorful butterfly garden than before.

Princess Tiana’s Wedding Bayou – This picturesque garden tucked into a corner of Future World near the Test Track walkway features full-size images of Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis the alligator and other animal friends gathered beneath a stand of trees.  Disney gardeners created a pond with water lilies nearby, and bright bottles dangle from the trees as in the movie’s bayou scene.  Coloring and rubbing stations are set up for children.

First-Ever American Gothic Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse – Topiary experts pull out all the stops to create an American Gothic Mickey and Minnie topiary scene based on the 1930 Grant Wood painting. At World Showcase Plaza.

The Art of Green Living Garden – This Tuscan-themed garden is located between the France and Morocco pavilions and shows guests how to create an environmentally friendly garden that showcases the beauty of Tuscany.  Olive and loquat trees, bubbling fountains, a “green” wall, a patio kitchen and a kids play area are just some of this large garden’s features.

And throughout the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival you can enjoy these other activities: 

Flower Power concerts – Popular bands will rock the open-air America Gardens Theatre every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. Jose Feliciano is scheduled to kick off the concert series. On subsequent weekends, the lineup is slated to feature pop favorites like Davy Jones; Chubby Checker & The Wildcats; Tony Orlando; Fran Cosmo, former singer of Boston, and other top acts.

Disney Gardening at Home presentations – Disney horticulturists will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity.

The Great American Gardeners series – Gardening celebrities and authors from across the country will reveal their gardening secrets. Opening weekend, Robert Bowden, author and director of lush Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, kicks off the series.

The Garden Town Festival Center – Guests can shop for festival merchandise, attend speaker presentations and demonstrations and ask gardening questions of the experts. And many more festivities!

Plan Your Trip

To learn more about the Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or visit www.disneyworld.com/flower. The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission. With Disney new admission choice where you can pick one park a day it makes easy to visit the festival!

To plan your getaway to the Disney Resorts in the Orlando, Florida area visit www.disneyworld.com, where you can order a FREE guide and Kit, as well as view current specials on packages to plan your dream getaway!

To plan your visit to Florida visit http://www.visitflorida.com to view events, festivals, a list of attractions, and special packages and discounts available.

Learn More About Melody Schubert, and View Her Current Features