This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

Last week we discussed the Epcot Food and Wine Festival which takes place in the fall. Did you know that Epcot also hosts a spring festival called the Flower and Garden Festival? Today we will go over Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival’s highlights and what to expect from this event.

The Epcot Flower and Garden Festival takes place on select dates March through May. For 2014, the event will be held March 5, 2014 to May 18, 2014. This event is included in the price of admission of Epcot. Not much information for the 2014 festival has been released, but here is what we know so far and what to expect based on the past events.

Goofy, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck will be present in topiary form as they celebrate spring with a butterfly hunt adventure in the Epcot front entrance garden. Whimsical topiaries of Mickey Mouse and other Disney character favorites will surprise guests beyond the park’s iconic Spaceship Earth. More than 100 topiaries, 220 floating mini-gardens, dozens of flower towers and sweeping beds of multi-colored blooms will add floral splendor to the park landscape.

At the Festival Center, daily interactive gardening seminars will set the stage for outdoor do-it-yourself inspiration, and popular HGTV celebrities will headline weekend seminars filled with home, garden and design ideas. Personally, I would love to attend one of these. I seem to have a black thumb instead of a green one. I think I have found every way possible to kill a plant!

Back by demand, the Cars garden and playground will bring Lightening McQueen, Mater, and friends to life. Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House will feature hundreds of the butterflies and intricate fairy topiaries including Tinker Bell and Periwinkle.
Musical entertainment pairs brilliantly with the breathtaking botanicals during the nightly Flower Power Concert Series. The diverse lineup of performers include popular musicians of the 1960s and 1970s. The opening weekend Flower Power Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre will present fan-favorite band The Guess Who March 7-9. Other pop acts set to perform include Chubby Checker & the Wildcats, The Village People, Paul Revere & The Raiders and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.

Similar to the Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Festival will feature Garden Marketplaces at the World Showcase for the second year. Although there are not as many marketplaces as there are at the Food and Wine Festival, the Flower and Garden Festival Garden Marketplaces feature flavors from around the world using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Fan favorites from last year include shrimp and stone ground grits from the Florida Fresh Marketplace, tarte à la ratatouille et fromage de chèvre (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions and tomato tart with goat cheese) from the L’Orangerie Marketplace, baked goat’s brie with kumquat chutney from The Cottage Marketplace, and Dole Whip with Siesta Key spiced rum from the Pineapple Promenade Marketplace.

Have you been to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival? What are your thoughts?

This is another guest post by my friend Alexia.  Alexia is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida.  When she is not helping plan magical vacations, you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Click here to contact her and she’ll help you find the best rates for your magical vacation!  

My favorite event at Walt Disney World is the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. During select dates during September, October, and November, this event is included with your regular Epcot admission. Today will we discuss what to expect from this fun event.

The most popular aspect of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival are the marketplaces. There are over 25 marketplaces featuring food, wine, and beer from different countries. The appetizer sized food selections usually vary in price from $4.00 to $8.00. The drink selections usually vary in price from $3.00 to $6.00. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, snacking your way through the marketplaces is a great way to use your snack credits and have a fun lunch or dinner. Even my picky eater loves to snack around the world for lunch and requests that we do it every trip to Epcot. If you are interested in trying the beverage selection or are not on the Disney Dining Plan, gift cards can be purchased at the welcome station for any amount for convenience. They even have gift cards you can attach to a wrist band!

Another popular aspect is the Eat to The Beat Concert series. These concerts take place at the American Gardens Theater across from the American Experience pavilion usually three times per evening and feature popular acts from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. For 2013, some of these acts included Starship, The Pointer Sisters, Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, the Go-Go’s, Wilson Philips, and Christopher Cross.

Looking to sharpen your culinary or beverage skills? How about a seminar or demonstration? Guests can learn tips from a wine or beverage expert and sample the selections, learn how to prepare both trendy and classic cocktails from a professional mixologist, or learn tips and sample selections from chefs and beverage professionals during a 45 minute culinary demonstration. Prices for these demonstrations and seminars begin at $14.00 per person.

If you are looking for a signature dining experience, the Food and Wine Festival has you covered as well! Prices vary from $55.00 to $295.00 per person, depending on the experience you select. Experiences vary and include the 3D Dessert Party, Parisian Breakfast, Mexico Tequila Lunch Paring, and The Chocolate Dinner.

Have you been to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival? What are some of your favorite aspects of it?