Photos: Flickr
March is in full swing, and Disney is immersed in its spring decorations. The annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival began Feb. 28 and will last through May 28. This festival is an annual Disney tradition and this year is no different. The park was filled with the traditional elements, such as the character topiaries, butterflies and floating gardens.
Upon arrival to the park, it is hard to keep track of all the flowers on display. Mickey, Minnie and Goofy topiaries greet visitors as soon as they enter. These figures set the scene for the 25th anniversary of this festival, as well as Epcot’s 35th anniversary, which was officially celebrated on Oct. 1, 2017. These topiaries are among a hundred others that are scattered throughout the park. Characters can also be seen in each pavilion of World Showcase—Anna and Elsa topiaries are on display in Norway while Lady and Tramp are in Italy.
Breathtaking gardens are also seen in many different areas of the park. The Bamboo Garden, which can be found at the China pavilion, displays bamboo in all sizes, colors and shapes. Garden Italiano, English Tea Garden and Florida Fresh Garden are a few of the many other gardens one can enjoy throughout the day. Over 100 petite plots are seen drifting on ponds bordering between Future World and World Showcase. These floating mini-gardens are one of the most popular pieces of the festival.
To refuel after hours of walking, there are fifteen outdoor kitchens for visitors to enjoy. One of these includes the Bauernmarkt Farmer’s Market, an outdoor kitchen following a German-themed menu. British, Japanese, Mexican, Caribbean, Chinese, Canadian, Moroccan and Italian cuisines are all found within the park, and what’s interesting is that a lot of the herbs used in dishes at these outdoor kitchens are grown at the gardens in the Disney Epcot park itself.
The magic of the Disney parks never fails to amaze its fans, and this festival is no different.