Last Wednesday, I spent a glorious day at EPCOT celebrating the kick-off of the 2023 Flower and Garden Festival! I had such a fun day admiring the incredible topiaries, tasting the delicious food, and shopping the exclusive merchandise. I also snuck in a few rides and a break at my favorite nearby lounge. So let’s recap everything I did!
FOOD:
Food Booths Ranked – I got to sample 8 booths during my day, and they were mostly successes! I ranked them here in order of most favorite to least favorite.
The Honey Bee-Stro (Near Port of Entry): I tasted the chicken and waffles and pollinator flatbread. Both were delicious and my favorites of the day!
The Pineapple Promenade (Near Port of Entry): I tasted the spicy hotdog with pineapple chutney and the pineapple sparkling wine. The hot dog was really good (and definitely had some heat!). I did not care for the wine – it was too sweet for me.
Brunchcot (Near Test Track): I tried the Avocado Toast and Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites. Both of these dishes were incredibly tasty! I also sampled the Peach Bellini – this was OK. I wanted to like it, but it was a little warm, so it wasn’t as refreshing as I’d hoped.
Trowel & Trellis (Near Port of Entry): this booth is fantastic for vegetarians. I tried the Impossible Lumpia and the Impossible Korean Short Rib – both were full of flavor and really tasty.
Bauernmarkt (Germany): I sampled the Toasted Pretzel Bread and it was so so good!
Fleur De Lys (France): I enjoyed the Goat Cheese Croissant, the Carmelized Beignet, and the La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush. The croissant was really flaky and flavorful and the beignet was incredible – I loved the carmelized crust. The cocktail was super refreshing and delicious.
La Isla Fresca (Between France and Morocco): This was my first booth of the day, and they had a breakfast empanada available before their afternoon menu. I enjoyed this dish, especially with the dash of tobasco from the mini bottle. I also sampled the Tropical Breeze mocktail – the grapefruit flavor was definitely the star, and since I love grapefruit, I thought it was really refreshing.
Hanami (Japan): I sampled the Frushi. This was my least favorite bite of the day. It was very pretty, but also very bland.
Interested in the full descriptions and/or other food items available at the festival? Check out the digital festival guide here.
TOPIARIES:
The topiaries on display throughout the park for the festival are incredible! I got to see all 26 Topiaries while I was in the park. My favorites this year are Lumiere and Cogsworth (France), Kermit & Miss Piggy (between France and Morocco), Tiana (USA), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Germany), the Pandas (China), the Three Caballeros (Mexico), and Encanto (Main Entrance).
GARDENS:
There are several wonderful garden spaces that highlight specific plants, unique to the country/region they are showcased in at EPCOT. My favorites this year are the Spice Garden (Morocco), the Extraordinary Orchids and Tropical Rainforest (Mexico), and the Blossoms of Fragrence (Bridge to the World Showcase).
RIDES:
I purchased Genie+ for this day, and at 7 a.m. I got my first Lightning Lane for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. From there, I booked each time I was eligible to do so, and was able to grab Test Track, Soarin’, and Frozen throughout the day. I also rode The Seas with Nemo & Friends without a Lightning Lane. I definitely could’ve enjoyed more rides if I had wanted to – most folks in the park on this day were focusing on the Festival, so ride wait times were really reasonable. I also probably didn’t NEED Genie+, but it did eliminated the waits for Remy’s, Frozen, and Test Track – all of which had waits well over 30 minutes all day.
OTHER FUN THINGS:
First thing in the morning, upon entering the park, I joined the Virtual Queue to get my Orange Bird Sipper. You can join the queue right in the My Disney Experience App, they make it really easy! Once my pick-up window started, I made my way to The Citrus Blossom in the Odyssey Building to get my order. The orange smoothie that came with it was delicious and especially refreshing as the temperatures were nearing 90 degrees. And the sipper – I am obsessed. I mean. HOW CUTE, right?!
In the heat of the afternoon, I made my way out of the park and to the Boardwalk Inn to relax in the Belle Vue lounge. I sipped on some champagne, and enjoyed the cool and quiet ambience for a little bit. It was perfect, and I highly recommend this lounge for an afternoon break!
In the evening, I enjoyed a few songs by Glass Ceiling at Garden Rocks in the America Gardens Theater! It was a fun and energetic ambience, and I consider these performances a must-do while you’re at the festival.
I also had the chance to shop the incredible merchandise and I loved it all so much!
I’m excited to host a giveaway of all my favorite merch items, including a ShopDisney gift card! Head to my Instagram for details on how to enter.
It was a wonderful day, and I loved getting to be there to kick-off the 2023 Flower and Garden Festival.
The Flower and Garden Festival is the longest of any EPCOT festivals, running from March 1 through July 5. Do you want to see EPCOT in bloom this year? If so, I’d love to help you plan your trip. Contact me here.
Let’s Go!
JW
Great post – it was like I was there! And that croissant?! Yum