Spring is in full bloom and so is the 25th Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. The Festival is running until May 28th and I have to say it’s one of favorite times of the year to visit Epcot. Lush gardens, character topiaries, live concerts and tasty food and beverages from the outdoor kitchens, what’s not to love? Once you arrive at Epcot be sure to pick up a Garden Passport. This little guide will help you find garden destinations, topiary locations, merchandise locations, special tours, Garden Rocks Concert listings, and Outdoor Kitchen menus.    

Outdoor Kitchens

There are 15 Outdoor Kitchens this year with the new addition of The Honey Bee-stro. We were able to try some of the new offerings at a special tasting and here are some of the dishes that I really enjoyed.   Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake from The Honey Bee-stro   Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey-blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle from The Honey Bee-stro.   Teriyaki Salmon with Furikake-seasoned Brown Rice from Hanami   Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider with Garlic Sausage, Chorizo, Cheddar Fondue and House-made Pickle from The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews.   Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade from Pineapple Promenade. (My Fave)  

Topiaries: Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

The living topiaries inspired by darling Disney Characters are the best part of the festival. Epcot’s horticultural team work so hard at bringing these characters to life. Classic characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Figment and the ever beautiful Belle and the Beast, Snow White and Anna & Elsa. There are nearly 100 festival topiaries and they are located at the front entrance, World Showcase and Future World.             In the video below I am showcasing what’s new at this year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival and great interviews with Horticultural Manager Eric Darden and Culinary Director of Epcot Gregg Hannon.  

Flowers and Gardens

Almost 70,000 bedding plants and dozens of flower towers and blooms will be magically placed into the park’s landscape. The Royal Teal Garden Tour will return this year in the UK pavilion. You can read about my experience from last year’s tour here. The themed gardens at Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival are so much fun!     Garden Italiano in the Italy pavilion. Featuring fresh herbs and terra-cotta planters. Shakespeare Garden in the UK pavilion. Famous quotes to flowers. Goodness Garden Butterfly House in Future World. So many butterflies! See several species up-close and learn about their life cycles.       A brand-new Future World interactive play garden and Road to Florida 500 garden featuring new games to this year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. The new interactive play area in Future World will feature a maze, a sensory garden, an activity zone and a covered seating area. The redesigned “Cars”-themed garden has fun activities like highway bingo for families.

Garden Rocks Concert Series

The Garden Rocks series is three concerts each Friday through Monday representing musicians that cover multiple genres over five decades. Garden Rocks Dining Packages are also available on select days at a number of Epcot restaurants.   Beautiful flowers and plants are in full bloom at Epcot. You won’t want to miss out on this magnificent festival with tasty eats and tons to explore. For more information on the 25th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or visit www.epcotinspring.com. Come follow along on Instagram @acupofcharming for all my culinary adventures as they transpire.   Thank you to Walt Disney World for hosting me for a special media day experience. As always, all opinions are my own.