7 Things Not to Miss at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

EPCOT has been blooming with the gorgeous Flower and Garden Festival since early March, and it’s still amazing! With so much good food to try, fun drinks to enjoy, and things to do, how do you know what NOT to miss?

The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival started “blooming”on March 2, and continues to attract visitors all through the summer! This festival takes place until July 4, 2022. So if you are planning a Walt Disney World vacation this summer, you will want to add the Flower and Garden Festival to your plans! There is still plenty of time to enjoy this beautiful season at EPCOT!

The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival is my absolute FAVORITE festival at EPCOT. I have visited the Festival of the Arts, as well as the Food and Wine Festival, but Flower and Garden is my favorite. I love the fresh flavors of the food booths, and the topiaries are gorgeous! Plus, the little extras like the small gardens based on favorite movies, Bambi’s Butterfly House, and all the extra special touches make it so fun!

Admission to the Flower and Garden Festival is included, but make sure you have booked a Disney Park Pass Reservation for EPCOT on the day you want to visit!

As you enter World Showcase, make sure you pick up a Festival Passport. This has all the food booths listed in it, as well as their menus. It also has details on the exclusive Scavenger Hunts that take place each year during the festival. This is going to be very helpful, and makes a fun souvenir!

But how do you narrow down what to eat, drink, and experience at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival? Here are my Top 7 Things NOT to Miss at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival.

EPCOT Flower and Garden FestivalTopiaries

There are over 24 topiaries, meticulously manicured and created at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. Of these, three of them fall into my “Top 7 Things Not to Miss at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival”. Most of the topiaries are found in World Showcase. There are a few in the front area of the park, but overall most of them are in World Showcase.

The Seven Dwarfs. While Snow White and Dopey are super cute, my favorite is the line up of the Seven Dwarfs. This topiary is found in the Germany Pavilion, which happens to be my favorite pavilion at EPCOT. The Seven Dwarfs are lined up perfectly in their own little garden, on the way to work, along World Showcase Lagoon.

The Pandas in China. I think this is one of my favorites because it is so unique. It’s not based off a movie or a Disney character. Instead, it speaks to the culture and beauty of China. They are so darn cute and playful, and make a great addition to the topiaries.

Bambi and Friends. This topiary is found near the Imagination Pavilion. Bambi, Thumper, and Flower are so adorable. When I think of spring, Bambi definitely comes to mind! This Disney classic is a “must”, in my opinion, at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival.

EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Food and Drink

What is an EPCOT Festival without fantastic food and drink? While I could probably write an entire blog post, or two, about the food and drink, I narrowed it down to three of my favorites to fit in the list of 7 Things Not to Miss! While my list of foods and drinks to try is often very long when I go to the festival, my stomach says otherwise. So, I try to narrow it down, and really choose wisely which things I’d like to try.

BLT Scone at Cider House in the UK Pavilion, paired with 3 Daughter’s Brewing Pink Lemonade Hard Cider. Delicious. The BLT Scone is made with applewood smoked bacon, sundried tomatoes, and basil. They serve it warm, and it is absolutely fantastic. It is quite “rich”, so I would suggest eating this as a light meal, as it does taste kind of heavy. But it is amazing.

Toasted Pretzel Bread paired with the Stiegl Brewery Radler Raspberry at the Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market in Germany. This Toasted Pretzel Bread is topped with black forest ham and melted Gruyere cheese. It was at the top of my “absolute must have” list and it did NOT disappoint.

The Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites at the EPCOT Sunshine Griddle and the Frozen Dessert Violet Lemonade at the Pineapple Promenade were both delicious as well! The Cinnamon Bites were so good, and a great mid morning treat. These are served nice and warm, and are addicting. I do love the Violet Lemonade, and I think it definitely lives up to the hype! It is one of the most popular items at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival.

Bambi’s Butterfly House

One thing I continue to love about EPCOT Festivals is that Disney strives to make them family friendly. Tip: Try to avoid World Showcase weekends, or in the evenings since it can get a little crowded with locals or those out for drinks. Festivals at EPCOT can be very family friendly! They do offer family friendly options to keep the kids entertained while the parents try all the good food and drinks!

Bambi’s Butterfly House is one of those options, and I absolutely love it. It is filled with gorgeous, butterfly attracting plants. Of course guests will find so many beautiful butterflies of all varieties flitting and flying about. It’s such a magical experience! They showcase the flowers and foliage that attract them. It also educates guests on how butterflies go from a caterpillar to a butterfly…..complete with cocoons! Bambi’s Butterfly House also makes a great “quiet” break from the park.

There is so much to do at EPCOT! Finding time to work in all the entertainment, food, and activities during an EPCOT Festival can be challenging. I hope these 7 Things Not to Miss at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival help you narrow down, or start your list of “must dos” for your visit!