EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Starts Today

The 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival starts today, March 1,2023.  This year’s festival will run through July 5, 2023.  This year’s Festival features new topiaries, great music and tons of great food.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Three Caballeros Topiaries
Photo: Disney Parks

The 2023 International Flower & Garden Festival features more than 15 outdoor kitchens.  There are returning popular favorites like the Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake from the Honey Bee-stro hosted by the National Honey Board and the Boneless IMPOSSIBLE Korean Short Rib at Trowel & Trellis hosted by IMPOSSIBLE.

There are nearly 50 brand new dishes blossoming for the first time at this year’s festival.  Lots of great dishes that guests will be eager to try, like the Citrus Baked Brie from the Citrus Blossom and the Muffuletta Panini from Magnolia Terrace.  For guests that are lucky enough to visit the Festival more than once during it’s 4 month run, be sure to check out the EPCOT Farmer’s Feast.  The EPCOT Farmer’s Feast is featuring a seasonal menu that will change as the Festival progresses.   How fun is that?

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
Springtime flowers and fairies at Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival

Extra Fun for Foodies

A fun activity for foodies attending the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is the Garden Graze.  The Garden Graze is a kind of scavenger hunt based on food items at various outdoor kitchens around the Festival.  There are 11 different tasty treats featured in the Garden Graze.  After you purchase on of the treats, you’ll get a stamp in your Garden Graze passport.  Once you’ve collected five stamps in your passport, you’ll receive an exclusive treat from  the Pineapple Promenade.  I love a scavenger hunt, and one based on food, likely with a food treat as a reward?  Sign me up!

Foodie Guide for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

EPCOT Farmers Feast

Food Items:

Early Bloom Menu (Available March 1 through April 8)

      • Chilled Potato and Leek Soup “Vichyssoise” with bacon lardons, potato croutons, chive oil, and crispy leeks (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
      • Char-grilled Bison Ribeye with creamy leek fondue, red wine butter sauce, and whipped red wine goat cheese
      • Spice Cake with cream cheese icing and candied pecans and parsnip (New)
      • Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail featuring Islamorada Brewery & Distillery Hibiscus Gin

Springtime Menu (Available April 9 through May 20)

      • Grilled Vegetable Bruschetta with marinated peppers, zucchini, squash, artichokes, goat cheese, and balsamic glaze on grilled ciabatta
      • Grilled Swordfish with crushed fingerling potatoes, pea and mint purée, grilled asparagus, and lemon beurre Blanc (New)
      • Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-down Cake with crème fraîche whipped cream

Summer Solstice Menu (Available May 20 through July 5)  

      • Tomato and Red Onion Panzanella with avocado, burrata cheese, and fresh basil
      • Barbecued Seared Pork Tenderloin with summer succotash, herb butter, and grapefruit vinaigrette (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
      • Sweet Corn Crème Brûlée with corn biscotti (New)

Beverages (Available throughout entire festival):

      • Collective Arts Brewing Blueberry & Elderberry Sparkling Hard Tea (New)
      • Ghost Mary: Translucent Bloody Mary with Boyd & Blair Cucumber Vodka, tomato water, horseradish, celery salt, and a hint of pepper (New)

BRUNCHCOT (Near Test Track presented by Chevrolet)

Food Items:

      • Avocado Toast with marinated toybox tomatoes on toasted ciabatta (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Shrimp and Grits: Blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and sweet corn salsa
      • Lox Benedict on Everything Focaccia with everything-spiced cream cheese, shallots, crispy capers, and hollandaise (New)
      • Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon

Beverages:

      • Froot Loops Shake (Non-alcoholic)
      • Peach Bellini (New)
      • Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew Cocktail with milk, Kahlúa Rum and Coffee Liqueur, and vanilla vodka

The Citrus Blossom (The Odyssey)

Food Items:

      • Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp with orange chile sauce (New)
      • Citrus Baked Brie with preserved lemon marmalade, limoncello-macerated blueberries, and spiced marcona almonds (New)
      • Lemon Meringue Pie: Lemon curd, lemon mousse, and toasted meringue (New)

Beverages:

      • Orange-Lemon Smoothie in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper Cup (Non-alcoholic)
      • UFO Beer Co. Citrus Hazy Wheat Beer
      • 81Bay Brewing Co. Citrus Honey Cream Ale
      • Parish Brewing Co. Drive Thru: Orange Octane Imperial Sour
      • Bella Strada Spritz (New)
      • Orange Sunshine Wine Slushy
      • Beer Flight

Novelty:

      • Orange Bird Bundle featuring The Orange Bird Little Golden Book and souvenir Orange Bird Sipper Cup

Florida Fresh (Near Disney Traders)

Food Items:

      • Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with savory garlic spread and spicy corn chips (New) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with savory garlic spread and plant-based cotija cheese (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Blackened Fish Slider with roasted tomatoes, watercress, and citrus remoulade on brioche (New)
      • Watermelon Salad with blueberries, pickled red onions, balsamic, and feta
      • Florida Strawberry Shortcake (New)

Beverages:  

      • Cucumber Watermelon Slushy (Non-alcoholic)
      • Cucumber Watermelon Slushy with gin

Refreshment Outpost

Food Items:

      • Pineapple Skewer with Tajin seasoning (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Tangerine Soft-serve
      • Ice Cream Float: Tangerine soft-serve and cream soda

Beverages:

      • Lavender Martini: Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka with Lavender and Lemon
      • Lexington Brewing Tangerine Cream Ale
      • Blake’s Hard Cider Co. Grand Cherry Hard Cider (New)
      • Southern Tier Brewing Co. Juice Jolt IPA (New)

BAUERNMARKT: FARMER’S MARKET (Germany)

Food Items: 

      • Potato Pancakes with house-made apple sauce (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Potato Pancake with caramelized ham, onions, and herb sour cream (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
      • Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with black forest ham and melted gruyère cheese
      • Warm Cheese Strudel with mixed berries

Beverages:

      • Bitburger Premium Pils
      • Stiegl Brewery Radler Raspberry
      • Flensburger Dunkel
      • Apfelschaumwein: Sparkling wine and apple liqueur
      • Beer Flight
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Magnolia Terrace (The American Adventure)

Food Items:

      • Muffuletta Panini with ham, salami, mortadella, provolone, and Swiss with olive salad (New)
      • Spicy Chicken Gumbo with Andouille sausage and BEN’S ORIGINAL Long Grain & Wild Rice
      • Crawfish Pie (New)
      • Bananas Foster Bread Pudding (New)

Beverages:

      • Bayou Cocktail: Bayou Spiced Rum, coconut rum, fruit punch, and orange juice
      • Central 28 Beer Co. Pretty Things Ale (New)
      • Wicked Weed Brewing Day Light American Light Ale
      • Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA
      • Beer Flight
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina (Morocco)

Food Items:

      • Hummus Trio: Traditional hummus, red beet and black garlic hummus, and avocado-herb hummus with Moroccan bread and crispy papadam (New) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Orange Blossom-Saffron Cake (New)

Beverages: 

      • Pomegranate Mimosa
      • Keel Farms Strawberry Elderflower Hard Cider
      • Bold Rock Tangerine Hard Cider
      • 3 Daughters Brewing Pomegranate Hard Cider
      • Cider Flight

La Isla Fresca (Between Morocco and France)

Food Items:

      • Braised Oxtail with pigeon pea rice (New)
      • Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with BEN’S ORIGINAL Long Grain White Rice, mango salsa, and coconut-lime sauce
      • Coconut Tres Leches: Vanilla cake soaked in oat milk, almond milk, and coconut milk with toasted coconut (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)

Beverages:

      • Tropical Breeze: Minute Maid Lemonade, grapefruit, and simple syrup (Non-alcoholic)
      • Islamorada Beer Company Coconut Key Lime Ale
      • Florida Orange Groves Winery Tropical Perception White Sangria
      • Tropical Breeze with Don Q Límon Rum

Northern Bloom (Canada)

Food Items:

      • Seared Scallops with French green beans, butter potatoes, brown butter vinaigrette, and Nueske’s Applewood-smoked Bacon (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
      • Beef Tenderloin Tips, mushroom bordelaise sauce, and whipped potatoes with garden vegetables
      • Chocolate Maple Whisky Cake (New)

Beverages:

      • Maple Popcorn Shake (Non-alcoholic)
      • Collective Arts Brewing Honey Lager
      • Glutenberg Blonde Ale, Montreal
      • 81Bay Brewing Co. Apricot with Maple Syrup
      • Maple Popcorn Shake with Tap 357 Maple Rye Whisky
      • Beer Flight
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Refreshment Port (Near Canada)

Food Items:  

      • Shrimp Scampi Poutine with cheese curds, lemon-garlic cheese fondue, spinach, and artichokes (New)
      • Soft-serve Waffle Cone: Peanut butter, jelly, or swirl

Beverages:

      • Mighty Swell Purple Magic Spiked Seltzer (New)
      • Villa Maria Earth Garden Sauvignon Blanc (New)
      • Frozen Mojito with Boyd & Blair Rum (New)

Trowel & Trellis Hosted by IMPOSSIBLE (Near Port of Entry)

Food Items: 

      • Boneless IMPOSSIBLE Korean Short Rib with cilantro-lime rice, Danmuji slaw, and kimchee mayonnaise (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • IMPOSSIBLE Lumpia with Thai sweet chili sauce (New) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)
      • Chocolate Cake with black currant ganache, mixed berry compote, and chocolate ice cream (New) (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)

Beverages:

      • Twinings Iced Green Tea with Cranberry and Lime (Non-alcoholic)
      • Parish Brewing Co. Bloom Hazy IPA
      • Lohr Wildflower Valdiguié
      • Twinings Iced Green Tea with cranberry and lime with Hangar 1 Makrut Vodka served in a mason jar

The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board (Near Port of Entry)

Food Items:

      • Chicken and Waffles: Crispy honey-brined chicken and honey sweet corn bread waffle with whipped honey butter and spicy honey (New)
      • Pollinator Flatbread with honey whipped mascarpone, honey caramelized onions, blueberry gastrique, prosciutto, honey whipped goat cheese, arugula, honey vinaigrette, and bee pollen (New)
      • Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with honey whipped cream, whipped honey, crystalized honey, honeycomb, dehydrated honey, and fennel pollen meringue kisses

Beverages:

      • Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze with streusel (Non-alcoholic)
      • Nektar New Wave Lemonade Mead
      • Florida Orange Groves Winery Orange Blossom Honey Wine
      • Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze with blueberry vodka and streusel
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Pineapple Promenade (Near Port of Entry)

Food Items:

      • Spicy Hot Dog with pineapple chutney and plantain chips
      • DOLE Whip (Plant-based)

Beverages:

      • Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (Non-alcoholic)
      • DOLE Whip with Fanta (Non-alcoholic)
      • 3 Daughters Brewing Tropical Hefe
      • BrewDog Hazy Jane IPA
      • Urban Artifact Teak Tropical American Fruit Tart
      • Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale
      • Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine
      • DOLE Whip topped with Sōmrus Mango Cream Liqueur
      • Pineapple Beer Flight

The Land Cart hosted by AdventHealth

Food Items:

      • Fruit and Cheese Plate: Grapes, strawberries, cheddar, and Mini Babybel Snack Cheese
      • Vegetable Plate: Broccoli, carrot sticks, and tomatoes with dip (Plant-based)
      • Pretzels with Hummus Dip (Plant-based)
      • Cookies ‘n “Cream” Chocolate Mousse Cup (Plant-based) (Garden Graze)

Sunshine Seasons

Beverage: 

      • Strawberry-mango Slushy (Non-alcoholic)

Connections Café & Eatery

Food Item:

      • Orange Bird Liege Waffle (New)

Beverage: 

      • Flower Drop Cocktail: St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Minute Maid Premium Lemonade (New) 
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)

Food Items:

      • Quesadilla de Flor de Calabaza: House-made masa tortillas with squash blossoms, bacon, onion, zucchini, and cheese (New) (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)
      • Taco Vampiro: Barbacoa Beef in a Corn Tortilla with crispy grilled monterey jack cheese, salsa ranchera, and esquites (Gluten/ Wheat Friendly)

Beverages:

      • Mala Hierba Margarita: Centinela Tequila Reposado, elderflower-chamomile tea, Abasolo Corn Whiskey, and UNA Flower-infused Vodka with a chile salt rim (New)
      • Cristal Margarita: 100% Agave Tequila Blanco, Ilegal Mezcal Joven, clarified lemon juice, and orange liqueur in a souvenir cup (New)
      • Craft Mexican Lager

Lotus House (China)

Food Items: 

      • Spicy Mala Chicken Skewer with creamy peanut sauce
      • House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons
      • Pan-fried Vegetable Dumplings

Beverages:

      • Classic Bubble Milk Tea (Non-alcoholic)
      • Cherry Blossom Pilsner Draft Beer
      • Kung Fu Master: Tito’s Vodka, Triple Sec, mango, orange juice, and soda water
      • Tang Dynasty: Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila Gold, light rum, strawberry, piña colada mix, soda water, and white boba pearls
      • Tropical Moon: Smirnoff Vodka, Triple Sec, passion fruit, soda water and white boba pearls (New)

Primavera Kitchen (Italy)

Food Items:

      • Caesar con Gamberett: Baby gem lettuce, shrimp, Caesar dressing, and crispy bread crumble (New)
      • Tortelloni Primavera: Spinach tortelloni, sweet butter, pancetta, corn, peas, and fava beans (New)
      • Budino alle Nocciole: Chocolate-hazelnut pudding with cookie crumble (New)

Beverages:

      • Peroni Pilsner
      • Prosecco
      • Moscato
      • Italian Sangria red or white
      • Italian Margarita with limoncello and tequila

Hanami (Japan)

Food Items:

      • Frushi: Strawberry, pineapple, and lychee wrapped in sweet rice and pink soy wrap served with whipped cream, drizzled raspberry sauce, and toasted coconut
      • Hanami Sushi: Assorted Nigiri sushi with lemon-cured salmon, soy-marinated tuna, and cured mackerel (New)
      • Creamy Shrimp Udon: Udon soup with shrimp and spring vegetables (New)

Beverages:                                                           

      • Sakura Cherry Blossom Pilsner (New)
      • Hakushika Hana Kohaku Plum Sake: Junmai Ginjo blended with Japanese plum (New)
      • Nigori Dragon Fruit Sake Cocktail (New)

Fleur de Lys (France)

Food Items:

      • Croissant au Fromage de Chèvre, Herbes et Ail Rôtie: Croissant with goat cheese, herbs, and roasted garlic
      • Daube de Boeuf à la Provençal, Compote de Tomate au Romarin Gnocchi à la Niçoise: Provençal-style braised beef, rosemary tomato, and niçoise gnocchi (New)
      • Tarte Chocolat Mogador: Chocolate tart with Valrhona single origin chocolate brownie, walnuts, and raspberry coulis served warm (New)
      • Beignet Caramélisé, Fourré Crème Vanille, Glacé au Caramel Fleur de Sel: Caramelized beignet filled with vanilla cream and glazed with caramel fleur de sel

Beverages:

      • Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 Draft Beer
      • VeRy Raspberry: Rosé wine with natural raspberry flavor
      • Kir àla Poire: French sparkling wine with Monin desert pear (New)
      • La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush: Vodka, Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, and white and red cranberry juices
Flower & Garden Festival starts today
Photo: Disney Parks

Funnel Cake

      • Banana Split Funnel Cake: Funnel Cake topped with Banana-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, Diced Strawberries, and a Maraschino Cherry drizzled with Chocolate Syrup (New)

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company

World Discovery (Near Mission: SPACE) – Exotic Lemon Tea: A refreshing mix of Frozen Lemon and Iced Tea featuring Exotic Berry notes (Spirited option available featuring Grey Goose Vodka) (New)

Near Canada – MelonadeA tangy blend of Frozen Lemon with a burst of watermelon (Spirited option available featuring Grey Goose Vodka) (New)

World Showcase (Near Disney Traders) – Orange Cream Cold Brew: A smooth blend of French Roast Cold Brew with flavors of orange and vanilla topped with a splash of cream, whipped cream, and coconut shavings (Spirited option available featuring Kahlúa Rum and Coffee Liqueur) (New)

The American Adventure – Key Lime Cold Brew: A zesty blend of French Roast Cold Brew with flavors of Key lime and white chocolate topped with a splash of cream, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs (Spirited option available featuring Kahlúa Rum and Coffee Liqueur) (New)

(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)

What Food Items Are You Looking Forward To?

I don’t know about you, but I’m very excited about some of these offerings.  Mom and I always plan at least two EPCOT days during our annual Flower & Garden Festival trips.  Some years we’ve even gone back a third time.  We go for the Flowers, but the food is a becoming more and more of a draw every year.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Anna & Elsa Topiaries
Photo: Disney Parks

Is there anything you are really looking forward to trying?

It’s not too late to plan a trip for this year’s International Flower & Garden Festival. I’d love to help!  Reach out now for a no obligation quote!  Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com or call 630-538-1124.

Brooke Hudson Disney Vacation Planner
Brooke Hudson Disney Vacation Planner

If you’d like to check out our other posts on this year’s Festival, please click here or  here.

Garden Rocks Concert Series Schedule

One of the highlights of the annual EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is the Garden Rocks Concert Series.  Throughout the Festival, internationally recognized musical artists perform every weekend, Friday through Monday.  During the week, Tuesdays through Thursdays, locally celebrated Orlando artists perform for EPCOT guests.

To learn more about the 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, please read here.

Garden Rocks Concert Series
Photo: Disney Parks

Garden Rocks Concert Series Schedule

Garden Rocks Concerts take place each evening at the America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion.  The Garden Rocks Concerts run three times each evening throughout the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival: 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.  Concerts begin March 1, 2023 and run through July 5, 2023.

This year’s Garden Rocks Concert Series is filled with familiar returning favorites like the Plain White T’s, Simple Plan, and Kool and the Gang.  This year, there are new legends joining the lineup, like legacy guitarist AJ Croce, Grammy award winner Switchfoot and Blue Oyster Cult.

The Garden Rocks Concert Series offers diverse music styles throughout the festival.  The current schedule is below:

      • March 3-4 – Journey former lead vocalist STEVE AUGERI
      • March 5-6 – Daughtry
      • March 10-11 – Tommy DeCarlo
      • March 12-13 – Smash Mouth
      • March 17-18 – Mike DelGuidice
      • March 19-20 – Blue Oyster Cult – NEW
      • March 24-25 – Berlin
      • March 26-27 – The Pointer Sisters
      • March 31 – Luis Figueroa – NEW
      • April 1-2 – Piso 21 – NEW
      • April 3 – TBD
      • April 7-8 – STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas
      • April 9-10 – Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles
      • April 16-17 – Switchfoot – NEW
      • April 21-22 – A Flock of Seagulls
      • April 23-24 – Jo Dee Messina
      • April 28-29 – Ambrosia with Peter Beckett, The Voice Of Player
      • April 30, May 1 – Kool and the Gang
      • May 5-8 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
      • May 12-15 – The Orchestra starring former members of ELO
      • May 19-20 – A.J. Croce: Croce Plays Croce – NEW
      • May 21-22 – Casting Crowns – NEW
      • May 26-27 – Jason Scheff, longtime lead singer of Chicago – NEW
      • May 28-29 – Rick Springfield
      • June 2-5 – Plain White T’s
      • June 9-10 – The Spinners
      • June 11-12 – The Commodores
      • June 16-17 – Vertical Horizon
      • June 18-19 – Tony Orlando
      • June 23-26 – Simple Plan
      • June 30, July 1 – Living Colour
      • July 2-3 – Wang Chung
Garden Rocks Concert Series
Photo: Disney Parks

Garden Rocks Dining Packages

The America Gardens Theatre has open, bleacher style seating.  The seating for each show is first come, first serve, unless you’ve purchased guaranteed seats via a Garden Rocks Dining Package.  The America Gardens Theatre has a maximum capacity of 1800 seats.

For really popular acts, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, the line for seating for Garden Rocks shows can get fairly long.  If you want to be sure of getting a seat for your preferred date, a Garden Rocks Dining Package is a good way to go.

When you book a Garden Rocks Dining Package, you pay a fixed price.  The price depends on the restaurant you choose.  Your fixed price includes an appetizer, an entrée, a dessert or one (1) full buffet or family-style meal (where applicable) and a non alcoholic beverage.   Your fixed price also includes one (1) guaranteed seat per person to the Garden Rocks concert for that day.

If your chosen restaurant is Spice Road Table, the fixed price includes two small plates, a shared dessert platter and a nonalcoholic beverage.  It also includes one (1) guaranteed seat per person to the Garden Rocks concert for that day.

Participating Restaurants

Adult
(ages 10 and up)
Child
(ages 3 to 9)
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Norway Pavilion
$74.00 $48.00
Biergarten Restaurant
Germany Pavilion
$60.00 $34.00
Coral Reef Restaurant
The Living Seas
$69.00 $27.00
Garden Grill Restaurant
The Land Pavilion
$66.00 $43.00
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Canada Pavilion
$95.00 $36.00
Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
American Adventure Pavilion
$35.00 $20.00
Rose & Crown Dining Room
United Kingdom Pavilion
$59.00 $25.00
Spice Road Table
Morocco Pavilion
$47.00 $20.00

How Does the Garden Rocks Dining Package Work?

Advance reservations are highly recommended for the participating table service restaurants.

After you’ve dined at your restaurant, you’ll be given a Garden Rocks seating badge.  The badge will specify the date and show time you’ve reserved.

For each show, there will be two queues.  One for guests with the Garden Rocks Dining Package badges and one for guests without Garden Rocks Dining Package badges.

Guests with Garden Rocks Dining Package badges will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is guaranteed.

Guests who have not reserved a Garden Rocks Dining Package will be seated at the Garden Rocks concert on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is based on availability due to limited capacity.

Keep in mind that to attend the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival or the Garden Rocks Concert Series, both a theme park reservation and valid theme park admission are required. EPCOT admission is not included in the price of the dining package.

I’ve Seen Rick Springfield at Least 20 Times Over the Years….

But never at Disney.  At least not yet.  Yes, I went to high school in the 80’s.

This year’s Garden Rocks Concert Series has quite the lineup isn’t it?  There’s quite a few acts I’d really like to see this year–not just Rick Springfield, I promise.

Herman’s Hermits are playing the weekend Mom and I will be there for our annual Mother/Daughter trip.  They’ll be fun to watch for sure.  I’m bummed we’ll be missing Rick Springfield and Plain White T’s.  I’d love to see The Commodores, Daughtry, Jo Dee Messina, Berlin, or a Flock of Seagulls.  Really, there are a LOT of great acts this year.

Who would you want to see?

There’s still time to make reservations for this year’s International Flower & Garden Festival.  If you’d like a no obligation quote, please call 630-538-1124 or email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.

Brooke Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Ears
email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com today to start planning your next Disney adventure!

2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

It’s almost time!  The 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival opens March 1, 2023 and will run through July 5, 2023.  The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is my favorite EPCOT festival.  Every spring, my mom and I plan our annual mother daughter Disney trip around the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival
Springtime flowers and fairies at EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival

EPCOT is never more beautiful than during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.  Even during these painful “construction walls” years of growth, EPCOT still sparkles during Flower & Garden.  The glorious flowers everywhere and the beautiful topiaries manage to make the construction walls recede somehow—or maybe just make them less noticeable?  But EPCOT just looks a little prettier every where during this festival than it does during the rest of the year.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Three Amigos Topiaries
Three Cabelleros Topiaries Photo: Brooke Hudson

The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival features gorgeous themed gardens throughout all areas of EPCOT.  There are special seating areas in some gardens where you can just sit and enjoy the beauty around you. Planters are every where, filled with flowers and greenery.  There are even floating planters with flowers in them.  Throughout EPCOT, you will find amazing topiaries themed to your favorite Disney and Pixar characters.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Gardens
Photo: Brooke Hudson

What’s new for this year’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival?

This year, there are a couple of NEW things to look forward to.  Anything new, quite frankly, is a bit exciting.  As much as I love this particular Festival, EPCOT hasn’t really done much in the way of “new” for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival in a few years.  So I am really excited that there IS some new stuff to look forward to this year.

New Topiaries

This year, the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is going to be featuring several new topiaries.  First, near the main entrance of the park, we will meet several characters from the beloved Disney movie Encanto.  Mirabel, Isabela, Luisa, and Antonio are all making their debut as topiaries this year.

Also new this year: Princess Tiana from The Princess and The Frog will grace the American Adventure in World Showcase.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Figment
Figment Topiary         Photo: Brooke Hudson

Of course all of our classic favorite topiaries will still be featured all over EPCOT.  We will still be able to find Figment, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Anna and Elsa, Lady and the Tramp, and many, many more.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Snow White topiary
Snow White and Dopey        Photo: Brooke Hudson

2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Merchandise

One of the highlights for mom and I every year at the Festival is investigating all the new Festival merchandise.  Every Festival has its own merchandise line.  Mom almost always gets a coffee mug.  We always get a pin from each year’s festival for our park backpacks.  I almost always end up with a T-shirt or something.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival 2022 Mug Beets
EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Merchandise Mug 2022                                 Photo: Brooke Hudson
Epcot flower & garden festival 2022 mug
EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Merchandise Mug 2022.                                Photo: Brooke Hudson

In addition to Flower & Garden Festival Merchandise, the Festival also features Orange Bird 70’s retro themed merchandise.   This line has everything from apparel and pins to housewares.

I haven’t seen anything yet for this year’s Festival merchandise. As soon as Disney releases images of this year’s Festival merchandise I will update this post.

Here’s some of the merchandise we found at last year’s Festival:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Garden Rocks Concert Series

Throughout the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, various musical acts are featured at the America Gardens Theatre.  Disney has not yet released the musical act lineup for 2023.  I will update this post once Disney releases this year’s information.

Outdoor Kitchens

One thing we all know about Disney is that they are VERY good at making money.  Disney learned very early on with the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival that there was LOTS of money to be made from Food Booths installed around World Showcase during the Festival.  As a result, Disney started including smaller scale versions of the “Food” portion of the Festival at their other EPCOT Festivals.

For the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, these food booths are called Outdoor Kitchens.  This year’s Festival will include more than 15 Outdoor Kitchens.  Each Outdoor Kitchen will have a different theme and will feature 1-3 food items and 1-2 beverages according to the theme.

We don’t yet have much information about the 2023 Outdoor Kitchens.  The only one we know so far is The Citrus Blossom, which will be located at The Odyssey.

Epcot flower & garden festival citrus blossom
The Citrus Blossom Outdoor Kitchen Photo: Disney Parks

As soon as more information is released, I will update this post.

Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration

Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration is a springtime Scavenger Hunt that adds a fun layer to the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.  Mom & I did this last spring and really enjoyed it.

In 2022, the cost was $9.99.  For $9.99, you got a Scavenger Hunt board and a sheet of stickers.  As you worked your way around the Festival, you looked for Spike in various gardens located all over the Festival.  When you found him, you placed the sticker for the flower he’s with on that Garden on your board.  When your board was completely filled out, you turned it in at a Festival gift shop for a prize.  It was educational, fun and encouraged us to pay more attention to the different gardens as we moved around the Festival.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I highly recommend playing.  We plan to play again this year!

Blossoms of Fragrance

On the bridge from the “Construction Zone” 🙂 to World Showcase, you will pass through the Blossoms of Fragrance Exhibit area.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Blossoms of Fragrance
Blossoms of Fragrance Photo: Disney Parks(Courtney Kiefer, Photographer)

This exhibit area offers some great photo opportunities.  Blossoms of Fragrance is presented by Scentsy.  Guests will be surrounded by butterfly topiaries.  There are six different scent stations for guests to explore.  Each aroma will inspire memories and enhance your experience.

Final Thoughts

I can’t say it enough.  I love visiting EPCOT during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival every year.  EPCOT is so beautiful.  It’s just an explosion of colors.  There are flowers everywhere, and it’s just something that fills me with joy every time.

EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Topiaries
Flower & Garden Festival Mickey & Minnie Topiaries

This year, Mom and I are going from May 3 – May 10.  Not quite in the middle of the Festival, but close.  That is another thing to consider when planning a visit to the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival.  The Festival itself changes throughout the growing season.  The gardeners update plants and flowers as the season goes on.  In a perfect world, I’d visit (at least) monthly throughout the Festival to see the evolution of the florals.  But for now, we try to visit mid-Festival.  It’s close to Mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day, and about a month before my birthday, so we use our trip as a celebration for all of that stuff.

Will you attend the 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival?

What do you think?  Will this be the year you visit for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival?  If you’d like a no obligation quote, email now brooke@disneycastledreaming.com or call 630-538-1124.

Happy Dreaming,

Brooke

Brooke Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Ears
email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com today to start planning your next Disney adventure!