Topiaries, food and merchandise
The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival open to June 1.
Disney World is primping and pruning for the 2020 edition of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which runs daily from March 4 through June 1. Here’s our survival guide to the event, including what’s new among the topiary lineup, the fates of Orange Bird and Spike the Bee, how plants are molding the outdoor kitchen menus and how to get through the (current) maze of the theme park’s construction walls.
Rebuilding Epcot
If you’ve not been to Epcot lately, a warning. You’ll be greeted by construction walls. It’s all a result of the theme park’s ongoing transformation project, and there’s a lot under way.
You can’t miss the walls. Recently they have extended toward the park entrance, mere feet from the turnstiles.
There’s work being done there, where the front bed used to be. And then a big stretch beyond Spaceship Earth — essentially where the Fountain of Nations, Club Cool and Starbucks used to be. Folks entering the park will have pathway options by Spaceship Earth, either veering into Future World West (surprisingly passing by the Seas with Nemo and Friends) or into Future World East, which guides visitors gently by the new temporary location of Mouse Gear.
Both ways lead to World Showcase and the bulk of the Flower & Garden festivities. You’ll probably see other walls, particularly near the construction of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride, and popping up elsewhere during the run of the fest.
The topic is topiary
Brand new in Epcot’s topiary lineup is Remy, a rat character from “Ratatouille,” standing on a piece of cheese in the France pavilion. He’s basically in the shadow of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, a dark ride set to open this summer. He’s surrounded by plantings that represent ratatouille ingredients.
The dragon topiary that formerly was partially submerged in the China pavilion has been rethought and rethemed, landing in the Japan pavilion instead.
And Peter Pan is the latest figure to get a sculpted head. He’s face-to-face, so to speak, with Captain Hook in the United Kingdom pavilion.
Others have shifted around, partially to mix it up and partially because construction forced relocations. We recommend getting a map and festival passport to discover where your must-sees are.
Something’s in the kitchen
There are 16 “outdoor kitchens” at this year’s event, including a new one called Magnolia Kitchen (in the American Adventure pavilion). Among the menu items are Southern fare such as grilled oysters, boudin “two ways” with spicy mustard, a seafood boil with shrimp, crawfish and mussels plus pecan cake.
The “plant-based” trend is apparent, though not at every stop. Look for the Impossible Farmhouse meatball (with lentil bread, spinach and marinated veggies) as well as street corn on the cob at the Trowel & Trellis kitchen. There’s a pineapple skewer at Refreshment Port and several other meat-free options.
Other eye-catching (but not plant-based) menu items: carne guisada with black bean cake (Florida Fresh outdoor kitchen), braised duck confit a l’Orange with mashed sweet potatoes (Fleur de Lys), fried green tomatoes with blue crab-fennel salad (Refreshment Port), ricotta cheese fritters (Primavera Kitchen) and mini funnel cake topped with lemon cheesecake ice cream and blueberries (Funnel Cake kiosk).
Mucho merch
Two characters get a lot of attention in the merchandise lines. Orange Bird is the face of the Hello Sunshine Collection, appearing on headbands, spirit jerseys, backpacks and juice glasses. Last year’s popular Orange Bird-shaped sipper is back too. Meanwhile, Spike the Bee pops up in multiple ways, including a new for-purchase reusable “spork.”
Fear not, passholders, there are Figment items as well. (Note that the Figment topiary has migrated from its Festival of the Arts hotspot to the Imagination area of Future World.)
There’s also a Minnie Mouse line that’s “The World in Bloom” themed (light pastels, floral crown) and a Mickey Mouse line that’s farmers marketinspired.
Garden Rocks around the clock
First up in the concert series are first-timer Peabo Bryson (March 4-5), The
Orchestra starring former members of ELO (March 6-9) and The Guess Who (March 10-12).
Other new-to-fest types include Don McLean (May 1-2), Thelma Houston (May 8-9) and Daughtry (May 24-25).
The concerts are included in regular Epcot admission and happen three times daily (5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m and 8 p.m.) at the park’s America Gardens Theater. more theme park news? Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters or the Theme Park Rangers podcast at orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangerspodcast.