18th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

[Stu]

Annual Epcot Flower & Garden Festival kicks off earlier than ever this year — March 2 — and continues for 75 days through May 15, 2011. Even as spring is just beginning to put on a colorful coat, the heroes of Toy Story 3 have left the toy box for the playground of Future World's garden entrance where Woody and Buzz Lightyear will meet arch-enemy Lotso the teddy bear. The popular Disney-Pixar characters will play amid a sand castle and playground toys.

Beyond the dazzling displays of blooms and topiaries, special gardens, events and children's play areas throughout the park offer more reasons to visit the festival than ever.

[Stu]

Here are some of the fun festival facts:

• 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 75 colorful days.
• Dozens of Disney character topiaries represent the largest collection of Disney character topiary in the world and include classic film stars like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Cinderella and Tinker Bell.
• 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the larger-than-ever Bambi Butterfly House. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are Cape Royal plumbago, passion flower, coral honeysuckle, blazing star, butterfly bush, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
• More than 500,000 plants, trees and shrubs are planted for the festival; 250,000 of those are annual blossoms installed for the festival.
• Festival plants include 60 different species of trees, 47 types of palms, and 48 varieties of bedding plants.
• At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors, including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus and lichen, are used to create and define features of the festival topiaries. More color has been added to the topiaries than in any previous topiary presentation.
• More than 15 floral, herbal and spice ingredients of 8 popular perfumes are revealed in the Fragrance Garden presented by Guerlain at the France pavilion. Guests can sniff the enduring fragrance Shalimar to discover botanical notes that include lemon, Arabian jasmine and vanilla. Some components of the other Guerlain fragrances include mimosa, magnolia, rose, nutmeg and vetivergrass.
• 198 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented.
• Thirty “flower towers” of impatiens line Innoventions Plaza.
• 240 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
• 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
• 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists are needed to install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
• It takes more than one full year and about 24,000 cast member hours to prepare for the annual festival.
• The festival’s weekend Flower Power concert series includes 11 artists and groups with 133 Top 40 hits, including 16 No. 1 songs. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s and ’70s include Jose Feliciano, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Melissa Manchester, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, Ricky Nelson Remembered Featuring the Nelsons, Davy Jones, Juice Newton, The Guess Who, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats.

[Guest]

Hoping to see Davy Jones and Peter Noone,can't wait.Thanks for great info Stu.

[Princess Alison]

our 2009 trip coincided with this and it was really lovely - well worth viewing

[shepherdypie]

I really loved going in May when the flowers are in bloom and the topiaries are amazing!

So wish I was going this May - I love Toy Story and Lotso is my fave!

[Guest]

I can't wait to see this!

[Guest]

Sounds Amazing!

[tracyh]

Didn't know about this, it will be lovely to see.

[madhatter3]

Can't wait as well, we will be there the last few days, and the kids can't wait.
Will it be looking tired during the last few days, plan to do epcot on the 13th May.

[Guest]

DH favorite park now even better for my DS who loves toy story, cant wait to visit