20th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

[Stu]

At Walt Disney World between 6 March and 19 May 2013, EPCOT will host it's 20th International Flower and Garden Festival. Throughout the 75 day festivities guests will discover surprises around every corner, including new topiary triumphs, colourful garden displays, a butterfly bounty, HGTV celebrity designers, interactive gardening seminars and whimsical children’s play areas.

On weekends, top Flower Power rockers of the 1960s and ’70s will perform.

[Stu]

Every Friday through Sunday, HGTV design celebrities will host Festival Center seminars. During opening weekend, March 8-10, Chris Lambton of “Going Yard” will appear; other designers scheduled to take the stage include Brandon Johnson of “My Yard Goes Disney” and Meg Caswell of “Meg’s Great Rooms.”

Details:

Festival-themed flavors: Guests will discover culinary creations and refreshing libations at multiple festival-themed food and beverage locations. Chefs are tweaking the menu to include backyard barbecue and a variety of garden-inspired and global tastes. Around the World Showcase promenade

Fab Five topiary barbecue: 14-foot-tall topiary Goofy will bobble an anniversary cake while Donald and Daisy play badminton, Mickey fires up the grill, Pluto swipes a link of hot dogs and Minnie chills out on a colorful blanket of blossoms. At Epcot Front Entrance

Land of Oz Play Area: This interactive new children’s play zone will feature play systems adorned with giant flowers and designed to stretch kids’ imaginations and muscles. Midway-style games, red-and-white circus-themed tents and the “Oz Movie Garden” of intriguing plants will capture the spirit of the upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” Also on tap: fun games, photo opportunities, the “great and powerful Oz’s” crashed hot-air balloon and lush plants inspired by the movie. On the Imagination Walkway

Illuminated Gardens: Every night when the sun sets, many of the festival’s world-famous Disney topiaries and gardens will twinkle and shine in a new light. Throughout World Showcase and Future World

“Monsters University” topiary: Floral representations of Mike and Sully from the hit Disney-Pixar film “Monsters, Inc.” and stars of Disney-Pixar’s June 2013 release, “Monsters University,” will join the festivities as new topiary family members. On the Future World Walkway

Phineas and Ferb topiary: The popular Disney Channel animated celebs limit their shenanigans to go green for a family photo-op. Behind Spaceship Earth

“Radiator Springs” interactive play zone: Race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck “Mater” of the Disney-Pixar film “Cars 2″ will be the well-maintained topiary stars of this play area. On the Test Track Walkway

Flower Power Firsts: 1970s top disco band The Village People (April 19-21) and 1960s singer-songwriter Tommy Roe (May 3-5) bring on the Flower Power beat when they take the concert stage. At America Gardens Theatre

Fawn’s Butterfly House: Eight fanciful fairy topiaries of Pixie Hollow, including Tinker Bell, Fawn, Vidia and Terrence, take over the Butterfly House this year where hundreds of colorful winged beauties flit to life. On the Imagination Walkway
In all, more than 100 topiaries, 240 floating mini-gardens, dozens of flower towers and sweeping beds of multi-colored blooms will add floral splendor to the park landscape. Daily hands-on gardening seminars, and other Festival Center events will offer innovative ideas, design tips and gardening know-how to park guests.

The Flower Power concert series kicks off March 6-10 with Micky Dolenz (“I’m a Believer”) and continues each weekend with pop favorites including:

March 15-17: Chubby Checker & The Wildcats

March 22-24: The Guess Who

March 29-31: Nelson

April 5-7: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie

April 12-14: Paul Revere & the Raiders

April 19-21: The Village People (new!)

April 26-28: The Orchestra, Featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II

May 3-5: Tommy Roe (new!)

May 10-12: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone

May 17-19: Starship starring Mickey Thomas.

While Disney guests celebrate spring during their festival visit, they also can explore the reimagined, design-centric Test Track Presented by Chevrolet, the hang-gliding sensation of Soarin’ and other high-tech Future World marvels. In World Showcase, where the spotlight will shine on topiaries of Disney princesses, storybook characters and even pandas and trolls, guests will discover the attractions, shops and restaurants that represent cultures and cuisine of 11 countries.

For more information about the 20thEpcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or visit EpcotinSpring. The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

[MrsBC]

We're looking forward to our first visit at this time of year, usually go for the F and W festival - so it's nice to see a different theme.

[UKWDWFan]

So jealous... we'll miss it by two weeks *sigh*. We were there during the Flower and Garden Festival in 2009 and it was stunning.

[itsrachelhere]

I really want to go, but we dont arrive at disney until 21st May, and technically we aren't allowed to use our tickets until then (even though we are only using 11 days of our 14 day tickets at present). Sigh. I just emailed Disney to plead our case and ask to collect the tickets early, fingers crossed!

[Mr&Mrs4kids]

Sounds fantastic, we get there on the 16th so can go to Epcot on its last weekend of the festival, really looking forward to it.

[Michele]

Looking forward to seeing Mickey Dolenz on the 8th March what a wonderful end to our holiday can't wait.

[SarahLouise]

haha the village people are there when we are, hilarious! do you think they'll perform ymca? that would actually make my life. a few drinks around the world and a little ymca dance. cant wait.

[Redrach1903]

Love this

[MrsBC]

Originally Posted by SarahLouise

haha the village people are there when we are, hilarious! do you think they'll perform ymca? that would actually make my life. a few drinks around the world and a little ymca dance. cant wait.

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We,re there then too, the family think I'm mad as I've said I must go to see them ... go west and YMCA with a Grey Goose slush, what more could you want ?