‘Fun in the Sun’ Paints Landscape During 15th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Goofy catches a topiary wave while Mickey Mouse and gal pal Minnie chill at the "beach" for the 15th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 19-June 1 at Walt Disney World Resort. Last year's popular 60-day event has sprouted runners and expands to a full 75 days with its first-ever March launch, offering oceans of floral fantasy and gardening fun.

As guests enter the park near Spaceship Earth, they'll spot a 14-foot Goofy topiary riding a 6-foot wave of flowers and plants. Sandcastles, palm trees and starfish will surround Mickey and Minnie topiaries posed on a floral beach towel spread upon a sandy "beach." At World Showcase Plaza, Disney topiary specialists will craft a volleyball beach scene starring Donald Duck and Daisy. Nearby, a topiary Pluto will frolic with topiary sand crabs while colorful Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch" keeps watch from a lifeguard stand.

Other new festival fun in store includes:

Peter Pan's Neverland Garden, a children's area, will open along Imagination Walkway from Future World to World Showcase. The pirate ship-themed garden will feature whimsical topiaries of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell and Tic Toc Croc, as well as a shaded play structure.

The islands of World Showcase Lagoon will sprout gigantic, multi-hued topiary flowers.

Sweeping Future World flower beds planted on the shores of East and West Lakes will take the shape of nautical flags representing letters (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc.) that spell a message to be decoded by guests.

The zany Three Caballeros -- Donald Duck, parrot Jose Carioca and Panchito, the Mexican charro rooster -- will come to life as topiaries to celebrate their new Epcot show, "Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros" in the Mexico pavilion.

Other beloved Disney characters like Lady and the Tramp and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will make topiary appearances for perfect photo ops in the park.

In all, there will be up to 70 topiaries -- plus 30 million blooms, artfully designed floral beds, expertly crafted bonsai trees and lush rose gardens -- gracing the 300 acres of Future World and World Showcase. And Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden returns with hundreds of butterflies in a walk-through screened enclosure featuring a live exhibit showing how caterpillars form a chrysalis and emerge as butterflies.

To keep flowers and plants at their peak, Disney's horticultural team will plant two crop rotations during the fest, allowing for a more brilliant floral display for the festival's duration, says Disney horticultural manager Eric Darden.

Beyond the dazzling displays of blooms, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is known by gardening aficionados for its celebrity guest speakers, hands-on seminars and innovative planting demonstrations and exhibits such as a new Florida-style outdoor living display.

Each evening, Flower Power concerts will rock the park with live entertainment from top acts of the 1960s and '70s. Featured acts will include The Guess Who, Davy Jones, Jose Feliciano, Petula Clark, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and other crowd pleasers.

More festival highlights include:

The Festival Center, where guests can find program guides and festival merchandise, attend speaker presentations and demonstrations and ask gardening questions of the experts.

Themed weekend events such as I Dig Bugs, Art in the Garden, Mother's Day and Doll and Teddy Bear weekends.

The popular Great American Gardeners series featuring gardening celebrities and authors from across the country.

The family-oriented Growing Future Gardeners area, complete with colorful (and tasty) planting ideas for kids and parents.

A Lift and Sniff Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion showcasing flowers and plants used to create several Guerlain perfumes.

Disney Gardening at Home presentations during which Disney horticulturists share tips and secrets for at-home gardening.

Kids' activities, including the new Peter Pan's Neverland Garden, Pluto's Play Zone with climber, Disney character meet-and-greets and daily ladybug releases.

2008 Flower Power Concert Schedule:
(America Gardens Theatre)

5:45pm, 7:00pm & 8:15pm
Relax under the stars & enjoy the groovy music from the 60's & 70's.

The Guess Who - Mar. 19 - 22
Petula Clark - Mar. 23 - 24
Paul Revere and the Raiders - Mar. 25 - 29
The 5th Dimension - Mar. 30 - 31
Rickey Nelson Remembered featuring The Nelsons - Apr. 1 - 3
Jay Black - Apr. 4 - 5
Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone - Apr. 6 - 9
The Grass Roots featuring Rob Grill - Apr. 10 - 12
TBD - Apr. 13 - 16
Peter & Gordon - Apr. 17 - 18
Starship starring Mickey Thomas - Apr. 19 - 23
The Ventures - Apr. 24 – 26
BJ Thomas - Apr. 27 – 30
Arlo Guthrie - May 1 – 3
The Searchers - May 4 – 5
The Tokens - May 6 - 10
Davy Jones - May 11 – 15
Jose Feliciano - May 16 – 17
Felix Cavaliere’s Rascal’s - May 18 - 20
Gary Puckett - May 21 – 24
The Cowsills - May 25 – 27
Tony Orlando - May 28 – June 1

Other festival features include:

The Festival Center, where guests can find program guides and festival merchandise and attend speaker presentations and demonstrations.

The popular Great American Gardeners series, opening with Paul James of HGTV's "Gardening by the Yard," April 5-8.

A "Lift and Sniff" Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion showcasing flowers and plants used to create several Guerlain perfumes.

Disney Gardening at Home presentations during which Disney horticulturists share tips and secrets for at-home gardening.

Kids' activities, including an upgraded, fun-filled Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden, Disney character meet and greets and daily ladybug releases.

The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

2008 Themed Weekends:

Premiere Weekend March 21-23

The festival opens with 30 million blooms, topiary magic, gardening activities and new exhibits.

Characters in Bloom Weekend March 28-30

Beloved Disney characters host a series of whimsical garden parties for guests.

Art in the Garden Weekend April 4-6

Guests get a first-hand look at nature through the eyes of plein air artists and can browse the works of featured Art in the Garden artists.

Wellness Weekend April 11-13

Green Weekend April 18-20

I Dig Bugs Weekend April 25-27

Guests discover that bugs are fun and keep gardens healthy. 

Fresh From Florida Weekend May 2-4  

Coming Up Roses Weekend May 9-11

Garden Party Weekend May 16-18

Outdoor Living Weekend May 23-25

Festival Farewell Weekend May 31 -June 1 

2008 Mother's Day Brunch
May 11, 2008
Details to be Announced.


Flower & Garden Festival Photos:
 

Scenic View Bank of Flowers Spaceship Earth Floating Pots Beauty & the Beast Display Chip Mrs. Potts Belle The Beast Cogsworth Lumiere Snow White Three Caballeros Goofy, Pluto & Donald Timon & Pumba Dalmatian Puppy More Puppies Miniature Village

Canadian Geese Canada Panda Bear Goofy Stitch Lady & Tramp Tinkerbelle Sorcerer Mickey Fantasia Display Buckets of Violets Minnie Close-up Mickey & Minnie Pluto Troll Sea Serpent Future World Display Ducks Butterfly

Bonus Material:

Spaceship Earth Flower & Garden Wallpaper.

Special thanks to everyone who contributed photos for this page.