Sequins and Sea Breezes: Epcot Flower & Garden Festival 2016

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival 2016

3/08/2016

Flower & Garden Festival 2016

Happy Tuesday friends! Just as a warning, this post is going to be pretty long and heavy on the pictures but since this was my first time to the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival I wanted to recap it in detail, especially if anyone has plans on attending in the future and like me, didn't know what to expect! If you've never heard of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival don't worry, you aren't alone. It's not quite as popular as the Food & Wine Festival in the fall but definitely something to experience if you're visiting Disney in the spring.

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

Every year from early March through the end of May Epcot turns into a garden full of gorgeous blooms, topiaraies and fresh foods. Similar to Food & Wine, they open 13 different "Outdoor Kitchens" throughout the World Showcase which are not open on a regular day at Epcot. These kitchens are home to special food and beverage options made specifically for the Flower & Garden Festival. Each year you're given a "passport" when you enter the festival which will tell you what foods and drinks are at these kitchens and if you get something from one you can get your passport stamped.The prices on the food usually range from about $3.75 to $6.00 a plate which is usually a smaller sample size so you can try multiple things throughout the park and $5.00 to $11.00 for an adult beverage.  I highly recommend checking out the passport in advance and figuring out what is on your "must-try" list before making your way around the world because it's easy to get full (or tipsy) quickly if you're just stopping at every booth along the way.

Flower & Garden 2016 Passport
You can check out the full 2016 passport here.

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival 2016
Epcot Flower & Garden Festival 2016

In addition to the food and flowers there is also a concert series going on if you happen to be visiting during  a weekend. You can view the entire concert lineup before the Flower & Garden Festival kicks off so you can plan a visit around a certain band or performer you might want to check out. All of the rides are still open during this time as well as the regular country pavilions so going to Flower & Garden won't mess up your previous plans but it might make the park a little more busy than usual. It's not as crazy as International Food & Wine Festival but be prepared for longer lines than a normal day.

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

We started out going straight to Mexico as we always do and worked our way around the park two times before calling it a day. I failed to take as many pictures of the food as I would have liked but I will say the Currywurst with Paprika Chips and the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Picked Jalapenos were by far my favorite dishes so far. The Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce and the Lemon Scone with Creme Fraiche and Mixed Berries were my favorite desserts. And the Key Lime Sparkling Wine and the Snakebite featuring Cigar City Tampa-Style Lager mixed with McKenzie's Black Cherry Hard Cider were my favorite drinks. I was super excited to see so many drinks on the menu featuring Elderflower Liquer since I love St. Germain but I wasn't impressed with any of the drinks featuring it that I tried. Most were WAY too sweet and difficult to drink.

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Food
{Left: Currywurst with Paprika Chips and Hugo-Charles de Fere Organic Brut with Elderflower and Mint found at Bauernmarkt / Top Right: La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush found at Fleur de Lys / Bottom Right: Paulener Original Munich Lager found in Germany}

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

As soon as our blackout dates are over we will definitely be back checking out what we missed and if I find anything else worth sharing I'll be sure to let you know! Thanks for sticking with me through this much longer than usual post, hope you enjoyed it!

*Linking up with Kerri, Kate and Emily for Wanderlust Wednesday*


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50 comments

  1. That looks like so much fun! I would love to go to a flower garden festival!

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  2. Looks like quite a fun festival indeed. All of the flower statues of my favorite characters are adorable. The food&drink looks and sounds fabulous, can't wait to hear about round two.

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  3. This is awesome! I never knew about this festival until recently. Philly has a pretty popular flower show every year and I'm hoping to get there soon!!

    Christina :: Simple and Delish

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  4. When we were in Dubai they had a version of Epcot there and the garden but we didn't go because it was like 40 minutes outside the city...now from these pictures I so wish I had gone!! Such gorgeous landscaping and so creative!! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  5. Love your pictures! Sounds like my kind of event - gorgeous flowers and great food and drinks!

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  6. So many pretty things to look at, including the two pretties at the end of the post :) Looks like it was a gorgeous day and lots of fun!

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  7. Ok I love stuff like this (Rose Bowl parade I love!) and these arrangements are amazing! I didn’t know Epcot had something like this!

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  8. They do such a wonderful job with the landscaping!! Beauty and the Beast are amazing! It would be a struggle to pick and choose which food/drink stations to stop at. I would want to try everything!

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  9. This was my favorite day of our trip! I wasn't expecting to love Epcot so much but it was amazing!!!

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  10. That last picture of the two of you is so adorable. This is one of my favorite events that Disney puts on!

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  11. This festival looks awesome! I'm so jealous you get to go to all of these fun things at Disney on the regular!

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  12. This festival looks like a lot of fun! You took some GREAT pictures while you were there - glad you shared a lot of them! :)

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  13. This looks amazing! It really is so cool what these artists can do. Even the drinks are gorgeous!

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  14. ah so much fun! great photos of the different flower sculptures :) and we def were too hungry to get photos of the food! still obsessed with that pic of us!!

    xoxo cheshire kat

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  15. I love flowers/ gardens! Everything looks so awesome and fun!

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  16. We went last year during it and it was awesome! The kids loved all of the flowers and the amazing things they made out of them, and it was so nice to get food and drinks so easily and try a little bit of everything!

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  17. Those floral creations of the characters are amazing!!! Thank you for sharing your recap, it sounds like a very fun event. :-)

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  18. That looks like so much fun! I agree, straight to Mexico when at Epcot! The margaritas are so good. The flower show looks amazing. I am always shocked at what people can do!
    Traci
    waltzmetoheaven.com

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  19. I don't think I ever knew Disney had this but all the displays look so pretty! The things you decided to taste/sip look like great choices to me!

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  20. i was telling kerri this is on my list to do. the epcot festivals always look SO much fun!

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  21. SO amazing! I have always wanted to go to Epcot - and Disney World, for that matter. I grew up near LA, so I've been to Disneyland plenty, but this is def on my bucket list!

    xx Leah / www.eatpraywearlove.com

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  22. I have a confession: As a native Floridian, I've never been to the flower and garden festival. Your pictures make me realize I have been missing out. Serious FOMO. I need to correct this ASAP! Glad you had a great time. Make today work, Rachel -CubicleCouture

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  23. Oh my gosh, everything looks so gorgeous! Ah I want to go!

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  24. I love St. Germaine, bummer that the drinks with that in it weren't that good. I love love love your outfit, so comfy and cute! I've been wanting white converse for a few years now, but I"m worried I can't pull them off. Glad you had fun!

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  25. I love that picture of you and Kerri! You guys look beautiful! Epcot is my hands down favorite park in FL. I would love to go one day for the Food & Wine Festival.

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  26. Beautiful pics! I honestly prefer the Flower & Garden festival over Food & Wine because it's less crowded and all the displays are so pretty! I love that they feature a lot of the displays year after year while also debuting new ones to keep it fresh.
    Green Fashionista

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  27. This festival looks amazing! I'm not sure if I'll be able to get down there this year, but I'm going to try for next year!

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  28. I had no idea that there was also food connected with this festival - now I really want to go! All of the topiaries are so pretty. Thanks for this awesome post!

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  29. I just love Flower and Garden Festival at Disney! I was there this time last year and am itching to go back soon! Looks like you had a wonderful time! :)

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  30. So, so fun! All your photos make me sad that we didn't have a nicer day when we were at Epcot, which is why I have hardly any photos from that day. I also wish all these amazing food and beverage choices were available! Guess we'll just have to come back. :)

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  31. So pretty! The Flower & Garden festival has to be one of my favorite times to visit disney. It's amazing what they can create with plants and the food that you tried sounds really good. I haven't tried any of that stuff.

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  32. this seriously looks so amazing! i would love to go during this festival one day. that sucks about the drinks though :( i love a good fruity drink, but when they are too sweet they make you feel sick. bleccch no thanks.

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  33. And now you've made me add another time that I have to visit Disney World to my list! I love all of the flowers and the characters, but I had no idea that there was different food and drink stands open during this time too! I hope I get to make it back soon!

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  34. The Flower and Garden festival is my FAVORITE! I think it's better than the Food and Wine, less crowded and the landscaping is gorgeous! Loved all of your pictures. I can't wait until we renew our passes, we're taking this year off - but already are getting the itch to go back lol

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  35. This event looks amazing...so wish I could visit this time of year!

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  36. I've heard this is an amazing time to visit Disney, I love it without all the fresh flowers so I know that I would fall in love all over again! Xo, Stephanie

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  37. LOVE LOVE LOVE that picture of you two at the bottom. LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Good tip on getting the passport! The only thing worse than standing in a long line when you're hungry is getting to the front of the line and realizing you don't want what's there anyway! lol

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  38. So fun! I love all of the characters made from flowers! Too cute! I definitely need to check this out one year!

    <3 Shannon
    Upbeat Soles

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  39. Seriously so beautiful--thanks for sharing all the pictures, they're incredible. I think that last one of you and Kerri needs framed, it's so cute!

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  40. This looks like so much fun! Love the passport idea, too. And these pictures are so pretty!

    Zelle
    Southern Style

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  41. Oh I love this post! I haven't been to Epcot in years but now I'm so itching to go. I didn't know they have a garden festival, I would love to see that one day.

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  42. This looks incredible! That beauty and the beast one is soo well done. I would love to see that in person!!
    www.amemoryofus.com

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  43. Wow, that is so cool! I totally want to go someday! I loved the Beauty and the Beast, so cute! And those drinks looked delish too ...

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  44. I definitely never heard of that before and it sounds and looks so awesome!! Glad you had a nice time!

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  45. This sounds like such a fun idea and all the food you had sounds delicious. Plus the drinks, obviously. That's a shame about the elderflower, I adore elderflower drinks and embarrassingly I quite like a super sweet drink so I'd probably have been ok :/ And the picture of you both at the end is so cute!

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  46. Wow this is incredible! I wish I lived in Florida so I could see that in person! Beautiful!

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  47. I went last year and it was just as beautiful. I hated how extremely packed it was though. Was it as busy for you?

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  48. These photos are INCREDIBLE! This is my first time hearing of this - what a fun trip!

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  49. Flower Garden is my all time favorite!!! This past Saturday the weather was absolutely perfect in Houston and I knew it was the same in Orlando and it had me aching to stroll around World Showcase and see all the topiaries! I used to live in Orlando and worked for Disney for about 6 years and boy do I miss it! Love that you get to use Epcot as your backdrop for photos! :)

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  50. gahhhh i love epcot! these pictures are all so awesome!!
    Xx
    Kali
    www.lovelaughexplore.com

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