by Disney Magic Diva
It’s a sure sign of Spring – the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival 2022 has arrived!
For the next four months (the Festival runs from March 2 – July 4, 2022), guests will be able to gaze at the spectacular gardens and topiaries, savor delectable bites at the outdoor kitchens, relax (or rock out!) at live concerts, and, because it’s Disney, shop ‘til you drop. Here’s a summary of what you can expect:
Gardens and Topiaries
After a long, bleak winter, what screams “Spring” better than gardens bursting with color? The impressive display the Disney horticulturalists have prepared for you include almost every hue under the sun. Quite simply, it’s breathtaking.
The brightest display of color can be found around the ponds that border the bridge to World Showcase. Not only are the grounds covered in extreme color, but the floating gardens on the pond are just stunning. 
But wait, there’s more! In addition to this dazzling display of color, you can find specialty gardens geared to practically any interest throughout EPCOT. Dinosaur fan? Visit Prehistoric Plants near Mission: Space. Want to know more about creating an outdoor space at home? Find all you need to know at Outdoor Escapes presented by OFF! Repellents between Test Track and Creations. And while we may not talk about Bruno, everyone IS talking about the Encanto-inspired garden between the France and Morocco pavilions.
As if the amazing gardens weren’t enough, the topiaries are absolutely a sight to behold. Some of your favorite Disney characters come to life in these magnificent works of art. The Fab Five, Toy Story friends, Tink and Company, the gang from Lion King, princesses, Muppets – you’ll find all your best friends throughout EPCOT.
Diva Tip: Make a game of finding all the topiaries! You can find a complete list of this year’s topiaries and their locations in the Festival Passport. Grab a copy and see how many you can locate.
Outdoor Kitchens
Exploring gardens and searching for topiaries can work up quite an appetite. Luckily, there’s plenty to savor at Outdoor Kitchens during EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. You’ll want to pick up a Festival Passport (free at most merchandise locations and food booths) so you can peruse the extensive list of food options. Plant-based and gluten/wheat friendly items are specially noted on the menus.
If you’re up for a challenge, try Garden Graze. It’s a challenge all about food, and who’s not up for that? Just try five specified dishes from five different kitchens. Have your passport stamped with each purchase, and when you’ve sampled all five you can enjoy a free “Completer Surprise” from Pineapple Promenade.
Our family always has such a fun time taking an entire day (or two!) to sample our way around World Showcase. (You can read about some past adventures here.) On our most recent trip, we only had time to sample a few kitchens, and gawrsh, did it leave us wanting more! Let’s just say we HIGHLY recommend the Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites at Sunshine Griddle. We all agreed they were absolutely the BEST treat we had all day. And of course it’s not really a trip to the Flower & Garden Festival unless you have a Violet Lemonade from Pineapple Promenade.
Diva Tip: To help budget for a day of snacking, you can purchase a gift card, then use that at each Outdoor Kitchen. It’s easy to over-spend (everything looks SO good!), and a designated gift card can help you from over-spending.
Live Entertainment
Now that you’re stuffed from all the goodies, you may be ready to sit and enjoy some live entertainment.
Head to America Gardens Theater in the American Adventure Pavilion where you can find the Garden Rocks Concert Series. Musical artists change every few days and feature a “blend of chart-topping musical acts and Orlando’s blossoming local talent.” Concerts are three times day, 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings.
Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis subject to availability. You can, however, get guaranteed seating as part of a dining package offered at select restaurants.
You also won’t want to miss the Jammin’ Gardeners. You’ll really “dig” the percussive sound of this high energy group. Everyone has a bang-up time! You can catch their performances several times a day in World Celebration. Check your My Disney Experience app for specific times.
Not all entertainment has to be musical. Bambi’s Butterfly House had a huge line the day we visited! A beautiful indoor area, guests can observe many species of butterflies up close. The colors are certainly a welcome sign of Spring!
Families can also find ways to keep the little ones busy. If they need to burn off some energy, they can play with WALL-E in an eco-friendly garden at Green Landing Family Play Zone. Or you can put their hide-and-seek skills to the test with Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration. Purchase a map at select merchandise locations, then hunt for Spike all around World Showcase. Return a completed map for a special prize!
Festival Merchandise
After you’d admired the gardens, tasted the fresh food, and rocked out at the concerts, what’s left? Shopping!!
You can find special Festival merchandise throughout the park. Creations (formerly Mouse Gear) has perhaps the largest selection, but you can also find awesome shirts, tumblers, bags, mugs, pins, hats and just about anything else you’d like at Disney Traders, World Traveler, and specialty booths located throughout World Showcase.
Pat attention, too, as you stroll around World Showcase. There are festival booths for some countries with specialty merchandise. I especially loved the United Kingdom booth and all the Tinker Bell apparel!
And all this is just hint of everything you can “dig up” at EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. If you have the time, there’s certainly enough to do to warrant several visits. Just don’t leave with a Violet Lemonade!
Need some help getting your visit to bloom into reality? Contact Patricia at All for Dreams Travel for a free quote!
***Disclaimer – We at Tips from the Disney Divas and Devos hope you enjoy reading our articles and encourage you to share any you feel may be of interest to someone else. We do ask, however, if you choose to share the photographs attached to our articles, you give credit to the photographer. Thank you for your cooperation and sharing our love of Disney!
