It’s the most beautiful time of the year!!
The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival opened on March 2nd and will run through July 4th this year. That’s a lot of time to enjoy this event but there’s still a LOT to see and do (and eat!!) while you’re here – so let’s make the most of every minute!!
The Basics
The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival runs from March 2-July 4, 2022 this year. Admission is included with your park ticket – so you’ll be able to visit the shows and more without paying extra, but, like at any of the festivals, you’ll pay extra for the food and drink options as you roam from booth to booth.
Food
Like at any Epcot festival, food is a highlight here. With 21 kitchens around World Showcase and Future World you’re not going to leave hungry. You can find every single menu board right HERE.
Here are some amazing highlights that I’ve sampled so far…
Shrimp and Chorizo Arepas from La Isla Fresca (purple plated items were plated for a media event…the “real” items taste this good but might not always be quite as pretty…)
Coconut Tres Leches from La Isla Fresca
Char-grilled Bison Ribeye from EPCOT Farmers Feast
There’s also a Garden Graze menu that will take you on a culinary tour around the World (Showcase). You’ll purchase five different menu items from various locations around the Festival and then head back to the Pineapple Promenade for a completer surprise!! Make sure to get a stamp in your Festival Passport each time you buy a qualifying item. And note that you don’t need to do it all in one day. Complete the tour at your leisure and just be sure to head to Pineapple Promenade for your prize before the Festival ends on July 4, 2022.
If you have food sensitivities or other concerns, grab a Festival Passport at the entrance or around the park for guidance on where to find plant-based options, gluten/wheat-friendly foods and more. And if you’re still concerned, never hesitate to ask at the booths. They will track down whatever information you need to be sure you’re eating only what you’re supposed to be eating.
Drinks
Froot Loops Shake from EPCOT Sunshine Griddle
And hand in hand with the food are the drinks. You’ll find specialty cocktails, beers, ciders, wines, and countless nonalcoholic options throughout the booths – from pineapple sake at Japan’s Hanami kitchen to Maple Popcorn Shakes (with or without whiskey) at Canada’s Northern Bloom. You can expect to pay a bit more for these, ounce for ounce, than traditional full drinks – so think of it more as a chance to sample a few favorites with your noshes.
Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail from EPCOT Farmers Feast
You might also want to peak into each of Epcot’s four Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company stands. Each features a signature drink for the Festival, from a Minty Melon Refresher near Mission: SPACE to a Wildberry Wonder Refresher near The American Adventure.
Activities
When you aren’t eating or drinking your way around the park, you’ll find so many more things to see and do.
You’ll want to leave lots and lots of time just to explore the Park during this festival. From the carpets of flowers to the intricate topiaries around Future World and World Showcase to the countless unique garden destinations around the park, there’s a reason we call it the most beautiful time of the year.
The new Blossoms of Fragrance interactive experience presented by Scentsy on the bridge to World Showcase brings the focus to your sense of smell. You can also stretch your legs on the Health Full Trail presented by AdventHealth between Imagination! and the Refreshment Port.
But all of that is just a prelude to everyone’s favorite part of Flower & Garden…the butterflies!! Bambi’s Butterfly House near Imagination! is the place where so many memories are made every year as we explore the butterflies in their various life stages and try ever so hard to coax even one to land on our fingers…
And don’t forget to track down some special Magic Shots from Disney’s PhotoPass Cast Members!!
Entertainment
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival has its Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Festival of the Holidays has Candlelight Processional. Festival of the Arts has the Disney on Broadway Concert Series. And Flower and Garden has the Garden Rocks Concert Series. Shows are nightly at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8 p.m. and you can find each evening’s performers on the concert schedule linked HERE.
For more entertainment throughout the day, check out the Jammin’ Gardeners’ shows. Locations and times will be in the My Disney Experience App.
And last but not least, there is a new evening light show on Spaceship Earth set to the song Colors of the Wind. It’s beautiful even if it doesn’t tug at my heart strings quite like the light show set to The Rainbow Connection that played during Festival of the Arts.
For the Kids (of all Ages)
Long gone are the days when kids languished about in tow while their parents enjoyed a walk around the world at Epcot. You’ll find lots of interactive experiences to keep them (and your own inner child!) busy as you enjoy the day. Be sure to grab a Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration scavenger hunt for the kids to complete during their day in the park. If you’re here around Easter, for a limited time there’s also a second Egg-Stravaganza Scavenger Hunt to do – a colorful Easter egg hunt inspired by Disney Characters!! And don’t forget to visit the Butterfly Tent with them!!
Merchandise
There are so many cute items in this Fresh Epcot collection!! I adore the Orange Bird ears and bucket hats and so many of the home items.
Tips
We tend to have our hands full at these festivals from juggling food and drink to exploring the Festival Markets. Disney makes this a little easier by providing mini Festival Gift Cards that can be preloaded with as little as $15 (or as much more as you’d like) and worn around your wrist as you stroll. Take it from me, this little detail makes for a much happier roaming experience in the park….
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Disclosure: Walt Disney World was kind enough to invite me to explore the Festival earlier this week, so much of this in person information is from a hosted visit to the park. You can always rest assured though that my opinions are all my own. There are enough wonderful options to explore at these Festivals and beyond that I don’t ever need to hesitate to tell you when something *isn’t* worth your time or money.
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You can find my complete guide to making the most of your runDisney race weekend RIGHT HERE and my guide to running trails on Disney World property RIGHT HERE.
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Please join me on Instagram for my day-to-day adventures living a mile from the magic. And join the conversation over in our community on Facebook!
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If you’re missing home (or love someone who is) and are looking for a way to bring the magic home, I’d love for you to check out my Core Memory Candle collection right HERE. And as always, stay safe and be kind, my friends.
