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23 Nov 11, 10:09 AM |
#1
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Imagineer
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19th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
A little gardening magic will go a long way when an eight-foot-tall floral Sorcerer Mickey topiary holds court at the entrance to the 19th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 7-May 20 at Walt Disney World Resort. Standing atop a 12-foot-tall floral mountain cliff and towering above the park’s front-entrance topiary bed, the commanding Sorcerer Mickey will direct a riot of color in the manicured shapes of dancing broomsticks, buckets, mushrooms, hippos, alligators and elephants straight from the classic Disney film, “Fantasia.”
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23 Nov 11, 10:09 AM |
#2
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
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Disney topiary specialists worked to create the striking new design with innovative materials and recycled elements from years past, says festival horticulture manager Eric Darden. An earlier version of Sorcerer Mickey stood less than five feet tall; a larger frame was built, Darden says, to more accurately reflect the character in the front-entrance Fantasia scene. The new Fantasia “mountain” grew from a 2003 topiary piece that once held a “Steamboat Willie” Mickey Mouse display.
“The challenge is to use our resources, repurpose them, and keep them fresh every year,” Darden says. “These are some of our most popular characters from a topiary standpoint, and ‘Fantasia’ was a groundbreaking film for its music and animation techniques.” The front-entrance floral spectacle will welcome guests to a festival packed with new displays, featured speakers and hands-on fun for all ages. Don’t Miss! For 75 festival days, Epcot guests can explore topiaries and gardens, learn planting, style and design techniques and rock to the tunes of popular Flower Power concerts:
Thirty million blooms, 240 floating mini-gardens on two ponds, 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables, dozens of Disney character topiaries, 30 “flower towers” of impatiens and sweeping beds of floral designs will create a tapestry of brilliant color across the 260-acre Epcot landscape. It takes more than one full year and 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists to plan and prepare for the 75-day festival. One of the most interesting challenges is finding just the right plant materials to bring the park’s topiaries to life. The front-entrance “Fantasia” rock cliff topiary will be carpeted with a “blackish-purple Ajuga,” says Disney plant specialist Heather Will-Browne. White and blue flowers will represent streams of water tumbling down the rock face, she adds, and the “Fantasia” theme will be carried out with masses of hot pink geraniums, blue delphiniums, white poppies, violet petunias and blue pansies, among others. Other show-stopping character topiaries: Lightning McQueen and Mater from “Cars 2″ at the Japan showcase; Buzz, Woody and Lotso the teddy bear from “Toy Story 3;” and the Fab Five – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy — outside the Festival Center. The horticulture team also will plant new landscape looks outside the Italy and Norway pavilions, Will-Browne says. In Italy, gardeners will display a mix of containers overflowing with bright flowers and pots of fragrant herbs used in Italian cuisine. Around Norway, “we’ll do a white show of geraniums, violas, snap dragons, poppies and alyssum,” she says. A small Norway meadow will feature “a mass of brilliant, wild mixed color.” Each of the park’s other nine World Showcase countries will feature special festival landscape elements. More Festival Fun
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”Change the way you look at things & the things you look at change” |
23 Nov 11, 08:00 PM |
#3
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Guest
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we were there this year during the festival, i am not a gardener but the sites were brilliant, if you have ever thought is it worth going to and are looking for booking around that time do so.
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26 Nov 11, 12:46 PM |
#4
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Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 07
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we will be there for this and my daughter is really looking forward to it from a photography point of view ... should get some great shots
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Currently Planning for: December 2022 ~ Our 20th Anniversary Trip - Universal & Cruise to Mexico! |
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27 Nov 11, 11:29 AM |
#5
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Helping Minnie
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How much busier will this make the parks, we were looking todo Epcot in may on 2 Saturdays as the busy day guide suggests but even when we went midweek in early may this year rides were close to 60 mins wait for the top one?
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30 Dec 11, 02:55 PM |
#6
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Guest
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i cant wait to see all the flowers!
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30 Dec 11, 04:29 PM |
#7
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VIP Dibber
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We've always gone for the Food and Wine festival so we've never seen this, but are now planning a family trip for April 2013 so we'll be there for next years event.
Can't wait!
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30 Dec 11, 05:10 PM |
#8
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Imagineer
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This is my favourite time to visit Epcot, I prefer it to the food & wine festival
Wish I was going back next year but hopefully it'll be just as good in May 2013. |
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30 Dec 11, 05:13 PM |
#9
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Imagineer
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TBH, having done the festival in May many times, I always tend to visit Epcot on a Monday or Wednesday, even then the lines for the rides can be long, I would get to the park for opening, do the big rides first then take your time enjoying the festival. Weekends tend to be busier due to the 'locals' visiting, also the second sunday in May is mother's day so people will come to spend the weekend at the parks/resorts.
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30 Dec 11, 05:30 PM |
#10
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Imagineer
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It really is exceptional what they are able to create.
I am very much looking forward to seeing it!
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