Spring is in the air at Disney World, and that can only mean one thing: It’s almost Epcot Flower and Garden Festival time! Raise your hand if you’re ready for tons of tasty treats inspired by nature’s bounty!?
This year, the fairy godmother of all Epcot festivals is back from March 1 to July 5, 2023. Inspired by Mother Nature herself, this celebration of spring is a longtime fan favorite. With fresh flavors, colorful gardens, playful Disney topiaries, musical acts, informative exhibits, and family fun at every turn, it’s a can’t-miss event for green thumbs and foodies alike.
So, grab a trowel and a sun hat, and don’t forget your appetite, as we dig into everything there is to know about Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2023. Updated March 14, 2023
What Is the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival?
Blooming to life every spring, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is an annual celebration featuring seasonal food outdoor kitchens, live music, colorful gardens and exhibits, and other activities. Whether you’re chowing down on a plate (or five) of something delicious, playing Pocahontas in the butterfly garden, bopping along to the Garden Rocks Concert Series, or trying to take the perfect selfie in front of your favorite Disney topiary, your trip to the Epcot flower festival is all about nature-filled fun.
Sounds great, right? Fortunately, almost everything is included with your park ticket purchase. That means access to:
- Over 17 festival-exclusive outdoor kitchens (food and beverage costs are additional)
- Musical performances
- Family-friendly activities
- Exclusive merchandise
- And a botanical garden’s worth of Disney character topiaries and interactive gardens and exhibits throughout the park
In short, if you’re a treehugger, foodie or music lover, this is the festival for you. With so many things to enjoy and entertainment offerings changing throughout the day, there’s a lot to keep track of, so be sure to snag a Flower & Garden Festival Passport as you enter the park.
When is Disney’s Flower and Garden Festival 2023?
This year, the Epcot Flower and Garden runs seven days a week from March 1 to July 5, 2023. Currently, Epcot is open from 10 AM to 9 PM. However, remember that park hours are subject to change, so be sure to refer to the My Disney Experience app if you’re planning a visit.
When is the best time to visit the Disney Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot?
Since this epic garden party lasts from March to July, you can have quite a different experience depending on when you visit. In March, low temperatures average 57°F, while July temperatures climb to an average of 92°F. And as for the teeming masses, although crowds are more manageable towards the beginning of the festival, things certainly pick up as the school year ends.
In general, we suggest you steer clear of holidays or days when school is out to avoid an influx of locals. Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and 4th of July weekends are the big ones here, as are St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo.
Where to Stay for the Disney Flower and Garden Festival
Thinking of staying at a Disney hotel while visiting the 2023 Flower and Garden Festival but not sure which one? We highly recommend going with an Epcot-area resort or one with a Disney Skyliner station.
Depending on which one you choose, you’re just a walk or ride – by car, bus or Skyliner – away, leaving you with more time to stop and smell the roses (both literally and figuratively). Oh, and of course, eat and drink around the world (showcase) to your heart’s and stomach’s content.
Walking Distance Resorts in the Epcot Area
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort (Good Neighbor Hotels)
Resorts With Disney Skyliner Access to Epcot
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
Our Top Tips for 2023
Here at Park Savers, our priority is helping you save time and money so you can have the most magical Disney vacation possible. That being said, here are our top tips for making the most out of your Flower and Garden experience:
#1 Stay for at least a couple of days, if you can, and take advantage of park hopping.
Most of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival can be enjoyed in one day, especially in its slightly pared-down, pandemic state. The main exception is all the food and drinks.
So, if you’d like to enjoy the festival some more but you don’t want to spend another full day at Epcot, simply return after 2 PM once you’ve spent some time at another park. World Showcase is best enjoyed in the evening anyway when the temperatures are cooler, and the pavilions are lit up to highlight the various architecture styles.
#2 Avoid the weekends.
The Disney garden festival, or really any Epcot festival, has been a favorite springtime hangout for locals for quite some time. For fewer people, plan to visit on a weekday (minus St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo, the official drinking holidays, since you’re basically in a place known for drinking around the world).
#3 Take some time between all the eating to see the beautiful gardens or try one of the activities.
We get it – one of the best things about Epcot’s seasonal soirees is all the different things to try at the various food booths. However, we highly suggest you adventure outside the outdoor kitchen circuit.
Check out an interactive exhibit like the butterfly house, or, if you’re with your family, give Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration a go. Or, eat, drink and enjoy the Disney garden party at the same time by bringing your selections to one of the Garden Rocks concerts. You’ll get to experience the festival in a different way and have a lot of fun doing it.
#4 Figure out your food-and-drink plan of attack (and set your budget) ahead of time.
A boozy DOLE Whip here, some corn on the cob there – it may not seem like much in the moment, but those affordable snacks and sips can sure add up. Toss in some cute, festival-exclusive merchandise and a succulent or two and your wallet is sure to end up a whole lot lighter than when you came in.
Save yourself the buyer’s (and eater’s) remorse by setting aside some festival money ahead of time. If you find it hard to resist all those yummy things to eat and drink, or you want to bring every plant home, you might also want to consider grabbing one of those wearable Disney gift cards. They make sticking to a budget and saying no to temptation doable.
#5 Savor more items and split the costs by sharing with friends or family.
We are huge supporters of communal snacking, especially at a Disney festival. Not only does it allow you to try more things, but you end up saving some cash in the process. That being said, we are still in a pandemic. So, be sure to portion out eats and use your own utensils if you do decide to share.
Outdoor Kitchens: Epcot Flower and Garden 2023 Food Booths
Like Epcot’s other seasonal festivals, a highlight of the Disney World Flower and Garden Festival is all the incredible food and drink. This wasn’t always the case, as the focus used to be more on the actual flowers and gardening, but you certainly aren’t going to catch us complaining. More delicious food is never a bad thing.
At this pixie-dusted garden party, dishes and drinks are inspired by the bounty and beauty of Mother Nature. Best of all, this tends to be one of Epcot’s more affordable festivals, with plates usually costing between $3-$8 on average.
This year, there are 18 different “outdoor kitchens” available for guests to try, along with festival-exclusive snacks and sips, nestled throughout World Showcase and extending into Future World. We’re especially excited for the return of Farmers Feast, an outdoor kitchen living the farm-to-table movement which offers a rotating menu featuring the freshest local ingredients.
Ready to figure out your Flower and Garden Festival food game plan? Keep reading for the complete list of Flower and Garden outdoor kitchens for 2023. Looking for even more delicious details, including the full list of menus? Check out our Flower and Garden Festival foodie guide.
Disney Flower and Garden 2023 Outdoor Kitchens
- Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market – Near Germany
- BRUNCHCOT – Near Test Track
- The Citrus Blossom – Near Port of Entry
- EPCOT Farmers Feast – Near Test Track
- Fleur de Lys – Near France
- Florida Fresh – Near Disney Traders
- Hanami – Near Japan
- The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board – Near Port of Entry
- Jardin de Fiestas – Near Mexico
- La Isla Fresca – Between Morocco and France
- Lotus House – Near China
- Magnolia Terrace – Near American Adventure
- Northern Bloom – Near Canada
- Pineapple Promenade – Near Port of Entry
- Primavera Kitchen – Near Italy
- Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina – Near Morocco
- Trowel & Trellis Hosted by Impossible Foods – Near Disney Traders
Have a Bit of Everything! Try the Garden Graze
With so many delicious options available, how can you choose just a few? If you’re like us and everything sounds too good to pass up, let Disney do the deciding for you with the Garden Graze, a plant-based food stroll sampling several vegan items.
All you need to do is make sure you collect a stamp for all five items, then show them all to a cast member at Pineapple Promenade. For your hard work, you’ll even be rewarded with a special prize for free! Last year, it was a sweet DOLE Whip served in an adorable souvenir glass.
Disney World Flower & Garden Festival 2023 Entertainment
The Epcot garden festival is more than just yummy things to eat and drink. No special event at Disney is complete without live entertainment, and Epcot Flower and Garden 2023 is no exception.
While the beloved Garden Rocks Concert Series was on hiatus in recent years as a result of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to say that this fan-favorite is back again for 2023, along with some popular performing acts. Shows take place nightly at the American Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion, with showtimes at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM.
Garden Rocks Concert Series 2023 Schedule
- March 1 & 2 – Glass Ceiling
- March 3 & 4 – Journey Former Lead Vocalist Steve Augeri
- March 5 & 6 – Daughtry
- March 7-9 – Audio Exchange
- March 10 & 11 – Tommy DeCarlo
- March 12 & 13 – Smash Mouth
- March 14-16 – Element
- March 17 & 18 – Mike DelGuidice
- March 19 & 20 – Blue Oyster Cult
- March 21-23 – The Vybe
- March 24 & 25 – Berlin
- March 26 & 27 – The Pointer Sisters
- March 28-30 – The Female Collective
- March 31 – Luis Figueroa (New!)
- April 1 & 2 – Piso 21 (New!)
- April 3 – Melina León
- April 4-6 – Epic Live!
- April 7 & 8 – STARSHIP, featuring Mickey Thomas
- April 9 & 10 – Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles
- April 11-13 – Foreigners Journey
- April 14 & 15 – Blue October
- April 16 & 17 – Switchfoot (New!)
- April 18-20 – Evolution: Motown
- April 21 & 22 – A Flock of Seagulls
- April 23 & 24 – Jo Dee Messina
- April 25-27 – The Hooligans
- April 28 & 29 – Ambrosia with Peter Beckett, the voice of Player
- April 30 & May 1 – Kool & The Gang
- May 2-4 – Finesse
- May 5-8 – Herman’s Hermits, starring Peter Noone
- May 9-11 – Latin Ambition
- May 12-15 – The Orchestra starring former members of ELO
- May 16-18 – 506 Crew
- May 19 & 20 – A.J. Croce: Croce Plays Croce (New!)
- May 21 & 22 – Casting Crowns (New!)
- May 23-25 – M-80’s
- May 26 & 27 – Jason Scheff, longtime lead singer of Chicago (New!)
- May 28 & 29 – Rick Springfield
- May 30-June 1 – The Champagne Orchestra
- June 2-5 – Plain White T’s
- June 6-8 – Glass Ceiling
- June 9 & 10 – The Spinners
- June 11 & 12 – The Commodores
- June 13-15 – Element
- June 16 & 17 – Vertical Horizon
- June 18 & 19 – Tony Orlando
- June 20-22 – Foreigners Journey
- June 23-26 – Simple Plan
- June 27-29 – Epic Live!
- June 30 & July 1 – Living Colour
- July 2 & 3 – Wang Chung
- July 4 & 5 – Evolution: Motown
Other Family-Friendly Fun at the 2023 Flower and Garden Festival
Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration
Join Spike the Bee as he collects nectar, pollinating gardens along the way. Get your map and stickers ($9.99 plus tax, while supplies last) from one of the select retail locations. Then, after finishing this Disney scavenger hunt, show your finished map to a cast member at World Traveler or Disney Traders for a delightful surprise.
Egg-Stravaganza Scavenger Hunt (Starting March 13)
While Epcot is typically thought of as being Disney World’s most grown-up theme park, it can still be great fun for kids, especially if you pepper in interactive activities throughout the day. Just in time for Easter, the Egg-Stravaganza Scavenger Hunt sets younger guests and adults alike out in search of Disney-themed Easter eggs. Purchase your map and stickers ($9.99 plus tax, while supplies last) from one of the select retail locations. Then, once you’ve tracked all the eggs down, show your finished map to a cast member at World Traveler or Disney Traders for a fun surprise.
2023 Flower & Garden Festival Disney Topiaries and Global Gardens
It’s true that one of the greatest Epcot festival joys is sitting down to a cold drink and a plate of something tasty as you listen to some live music. But, this is the Flower & Garden Festival, after all. So, while you’re visiting, be sure to take some time to enjoy the many vibrant gardens and verdant topiaries in full bloom around Epcot.
Disney Topiaries
Here’s where you can find the topiary versions of your favorite Disney characters, lovingly cultivated by Epcot’s horticulture team:
- Encanto, Including Mirabel, Antonio, Isabela and Luisa – Main Entrance (New!)
- Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip, Dale and Pluto – Bridge to World Showcase and World Celebration
- Woody, Bo Peep and Her Sheep – World Nature Near The Land Pavilion
- Goofy – World Showcase
- Tiana – The American Adventure Pavilion (New!)
- Buzz Lightyear – World Discovery Near Mission: SPACE
- Donald and Daisy – Community Garden Near Connections Café in World Celebration
- Figment – Near Imagination!
- The Three Caballeros (Jose, Donald and Panchito) – Mexico Pavilion
- Anna and Elsa – Norway Pavilion
- Troll – Norway Pavilion
- Dragon – Japan Pavilion Near Torii Gate
- Pandas – China Pavilion
- Simba and Friends (Rafiki, Simba, Mufasa and Sarabi) – Between Imagination! and The Land Pavilion
- Pumbaa and Timon – Between Imagination! and The Land Pavilion
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – Germany Pavilion
- Lady and the Tramp – Italy Pavilion
- Beauty and the Beast – France Pavilion
- Lumiere and Cogsworth – France Pavilion
- Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy – Between France and Morocco Pavilions
- Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Tick Tock Croc – Between the United Kingdom and Canada Pavilions
- Winnie the Pooh and Friends (Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger) – United Kingdom Pavilion
- Tinker Bell’s Fairy House Garden – United Kingdom Pavilion
- Bambi and Friends – Near Imagination! and Refreshment Port
- Geese – Canada Pavilion
- Butterflies – Main Entrance, Scentsy Garden, Butterfly House and World Showcase
Global Gardens
As you take in the sounds and tastes of the festival, wander through kaleidoscopic gardens and admire vivid flowerbeds celebrating the natural beauty of our planet and sustainable food sources. Be sure to have your camera ready so you can snag a selfie in front of some blooms or snap a pic of a passing butterfly, then tag us on Instagram so we can see!
- Bamboo Garden | China Pavilion – Visit this garden to see bamboo in a variety of colors, patterns and sizes.
- Blossoms of Fragrance Presented by Scentsy | World Showcase Bridge – Follow your nose and form lasting memories with the help of fresh, unforgettable fragrances.
- Bold Bromeliads | The Land Pavilion – Observe a variety of unique and colorful plants that can adapt to a wide range of climates and conditions.
- Bonsai Collection | Japan Pavilion – Learn about the art of bonsai, some of the finest living sculptures. Bonsai masters carefully shape and tend these miniature works of art, creating peace and balance with the earth.
- Bouquet Garden | France Pavilion – See bountiful blooms perfect for a bouquet of cut flowers.
- Butterfly Landing Presented by AdventHealth | World Nature Near Imagination! – View a kaleidoscope of butterflies up close, in all their extraordinary color. Learn about butterfly lifecycles and maybe even see one emerge from its chrysalis. Closes at dusk.
- China Zodiac Garden | China Pavilion – Realize your finer attributes in this garden inspired by the 12 creatures of the Chinese zodiac.
- The Community Garden | World Celebration – Connect with the earth and each other at this celebration of a diverse and thriving communal garden plot. (New!)
- Connections Conservatory Garden | Connections Eatery – Settle into this thoughtful garden full of floral inspirations for your indoor spaces.
- Desert Garden | Mexico Pavilion – Discover the special adaptations that allow plants in arid climates to adjust to the harshest of growing conditions.
- English Tea Garden Presented by Twinings® | United Kingdom Pavilion – Unearth the history and art of tea-blending at this elegant English tea garden––featuring plants used in some of Twinings’ finest blends.
- Family-Friendly Garden Presented by OFF! – Explore a camp-themed garden where little ones are invited to jump, play and climb.
- Festival Blooms | World Celebration – Admire thousands of flowers that form colorful, living panoramas.
- Floating Gardens | World Nature – Peer upon more than 150 petite plots drifting on the ponds that border the bridge to World Showcase.
- Garden Italiano | Italy Pavilion – From fresh spaghetti sauce to pizza toppings, this Tuscan kitchen garden features all the produce and herbs needed to create a classic Italian feast.
- The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board® | Rosewalk Near Imagination! – Learn about honeybees’ critical role in the environment, and delight in sweet and savory treats made possible by their hard work.
- Kokedema Garden | Japan Pavilion – Admire fresh expressions of an ancient Japanese art at this tranquil garden.
- Miniature Garden | Germany Pavilion – Appreciate the little things in this showcase of diminutive dwellings nestled in a forest of fine shrubs.
- Prehistoric Garden | World Discovery Near Mission: SPACE – Imagine life on Earth 65 million years ago with astounding plant life that’s thrived since the age of the dinosaurs.
- Shakespeare Garden | United Kingdom Pavilion – Explore the works of Shakespeare in this idyllic garden featuring excerpts from some of the bard’s most famous sonnets—and the dazzling flowers that influenced them.
- Shishi-odoshi | Japan Pavilion – Contemplate the methodical movement and soothing rhythm of this traditional Japanese bamboo water fountain. (New!)
- Spice Garden | Morocco Pavilion – Discover how Eastern cultures flourished, trading signature spices and herb blends once considered more valuable than gold.
- Songbird Meadow Presented by Wild Birds Unlimited | World Discovery – Songbirds are an important part of many ecosystems—including the one in your own backyard! Discover simple steps you can take at home to help these feathered friends thrive
- Topiary Heritage Garden | United Kingdom Pavilion – Marvel at the varied techniques employed by the Walt Disney World Horticulture team to create the festival’s topiaries.
- Tropical Rainforest Garden | Mexico Pavilion – Uncover the rich biodiversity of the Mexican rainforest and learn about its highly adaptive species.
That wraps up our guide to the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. Even during the pandemic, there are still plenty of things to see, do, eat and drink. It’s the perfect spring escape whether your house looks like a jungle inside or you’re still cultivating your green thumb.
If you’re looking to maximize your trip, you don’t want to miss our 1-Day Epcot Play and discounted Walt Disney World tickets. They’ll help save you both time and money (AKA more time and money to enjoy tasty festival treats).
Have you been to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival? Which outdoor kitchen or Disney topiary is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
