Archive For The “Florida Attractions” Category
Frushi from Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival
Epcot Flower & Garden Features International Flavors from Around the World
Woo hoo… this year Disney has increased the length of the super-popular Epcot Flower and Garden Festival from 75 days to a full 90 days. That’s perfect for me, as I always visit multiple times throughout the dazzling display. Not only am I captivated by the horticultural genius of the Disney topiaries and spectacular bursts of color as far as the eye can see, but it takes several visits just to sample the fantastic food made especially for the festival — food offerings that are not available any other time of year.
During the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, Outdoor Kitchens are erected around World Showcase Lagoon. These temporary kitchens (pictured below) are small kiosks which look a lot like the Marketplace Booths at Epcot’s Annual Food and Wine Festival (one of my favorite events of the year!). They feature delectable little morsels served on small plates that would be similar to an appetizer portion or tapas-sized menu item. Keeping in line with the theme of World Showcase, each Outdoor Kitchen features food from a different country. It’s a great and inexpensive way to try international flavors and cuisines from cultures you may never have the opportunity to visit.
Epcot’s Outdoor Kitchens Around World Showcase Lagoon
Primavera Kitchen – Italy
Jardin de Fiestas – Mexico
Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market – Germany
Hanami – Japan
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews
Lotus House – China
Pineapple Promenade
This year the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival included 13 Outdoor Kitchens, with most menu items priced between $3 and $8. Hubby and I have gone twice thus far, and spent an average of $50 each visit. Not bad for a date night out, including dinner! Of course, entrance into Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival requires a Disney Theme Park Ticket. (We use our Florida Resident Weekday Select Pass, which is an incredible value for us.)
TIP: For those of you participating in the Disney Dining Plan, many of the food items from the Outdoor Kitchens are available as a snack credit, a welcomed addition to the typical snack choices at Epcot!
Here’s What We’ve Sampled So Far at the 2016 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival…
Jamaican-braised Beef with Pigeon Pea Rice and Micro Cilantro
Tacos de Camaron
Tempura Shrimp with Hibiscus Flower, Caramelized Onions, and Habanero Sauce
Vegetable Spring Roll with Orange Sauce
Gaoli Beef Bun
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños
Pulled Pig Slider with Crispy Onions and Coleslaw
Frushi
Fresh Pineapple, Strawberry and Melon Rolled with Raspberry Coconut Rice, Sprinkled with Toasted Coconut and Whipped Cream on the Side
Tarte a l’Onion Alsacienne
Alsatian Onion Tart with Sauteed Onions, Fresh Thyme and Rosemary on a Flaky Puff Pastry Crust
House-made Potato and Cheddar Cheese Biscuit with Smoked Salmon Tartare
Pear Cider-brined Shredded Corned Beef with Braised Cabbage and Pears and Branston Dressing
Florida Larder Board
Orlando-made Ricotta Cheese, Cahaba Farms Micro Onions, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic, Country Pate and House-made Pickles
Currywurst with Paprika Chips
Roasted Bratwurst with Curry Ketchup and Paprika-spiced Chips
Chicken Fricassee with Green Asparagus and Peas Served with Uncle Ben’s Rice Pilaf
Pineapple Soft-Serve: A Refreshing Ending
The Garden Passport: A Great Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Souvenir
A fun thing to do (and a great souvenir as well) is to pick up a free little booklet called “Garden Passport” available at each Outdoor Kitchen location. As you embark on your mouthwatering Disney-foodie mission around World Showcase Lagoon, you can have your Passport “stamped” every time you purchase food or drink from the corresponding country. It’s a wonderful reminder of all the delicious goodies that you tried. Since hubby and I are local and attend the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival often, we do not usually bother with the stamps, however, we rely heavily on the Garden Passport to pre-plan our dining choices along the way. The Garden Passport includes a complete listing of all the Outdoor Kitchens along with their respective food and drink offerings. Each kiosk typically has about 3 food items and 3-8 unique beverage choices.
When you plan your visit to the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, be sure to factor in time to try at least a few of the Outdoor Kitchens. It’s kinda like gourmet globe-trotting. Trust me, you will not regret it!
TIP: Standing in line is not usually my favorite thing to do, but in regard to the Outdoor Kitchens, it’s not a bad thing. Whenever there is no line, the food is almost always dried out from sitting in the warmers or under the heat lamps. For example: during our 2nd visit to the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival we repeated 2 of the same food items that we especially liked during our 1st visit. The Shrimp Tacos from Mexico and the Onion Tarte from France were both somewhat disappointing the 2nd time around because they had been warmed. Do yourself a favor and choose an Outdoor Kitchen where people are waiting in line. The food will likely be freshly prepared and worth the wait!
The Garden Passport
Hey Disney Foodies…
The dates for Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival 2018 have been announced!
February 28 – May 28, 2018
Have you been to Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival? If so, what was the highlight of your trip? Please share your experience or any helpful tips for our readers in the “comment” box below!
A Spectacular Burst of Color!
Let the Blossoming Begin, Spring is Here!
It’s one of those dazzling Disney events that I look forward to every year. The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is a great way to jump into Spring. Although everything about the Flower & Garden Festival is awesome, including the special food offerings, my favorite thing is the one-of-a-kind Disney Topiaries. They are amazing living sculptures of Disney Characters that are created by world-class horticulturists. In recent years, some of them have been illuminated for nighttime viewing — so even after dark the Epcot Flower and Garden displays radiate their beauty.
Flower & Garden Festival Theme: Fresh Epcot
This year, I counted 17 Disney topiaries listed in the Garden Passport that were strategically placed throughout the Epcot Theme Park. Of those, two of them were brand new. One is located at the main entrance and features this year’s theme: Fresh Epcot. The display is called ‘Fresh Food, Fun, & Flowers!’ It showcases the following Disney Characters: Donald, Daisy, Huey, Dewey and Louie. The other one can be found at Future World East, and is called ‘Ranger Mickey & Friends.’ It’s presented by the National Parks Foundation in honor of their centennial anniversary. (Our National Park Service turns 100 years old on August 25, 2016!)
Even though many of the Disney topiaries at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival have been on display in previous years, I never get tired of looking at them. Oftentimes, the repeated topiaries will be moved to a new location with a new backdrop or scenery, creating a whole new vignette. The visual stories they tell, without words, are nothing short of incredible. But then again, Disney is the Grand Pooh-bah of magical effects and mind-blowing creativity!
I present, for your viewing pleasure, a photo tour of many of the 2016 Disney topiaries from the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Let me know what you think. Our readers would love to know which one is your favorite. Leave a reply in the “comment” box below.
Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Photo Tour
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- Fantasia Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Bambi and Friends Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Winnie the Pooh Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Piglet and Eeyore Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Rabbit Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Tigger Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Warthog Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Simba and Friends Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Cinderella and Prince Charming Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Peter Pan Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Captain Hook Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Tick-Tock Croc Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Anna and Elsa Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Minnie Mouse and Pluto Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Phineas and Ferb Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Ranger Mickey Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Chip and Dale Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Butterfly Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Fresh Epcot – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
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- Fresh Epcot – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2016
Vintage Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Photos:
Some of My Favorite Topiaries from Previous Years!
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- Buzz Lightyear Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Pixar Lightning Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Pixar Mater Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Lady and the Tramp Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Monsters University Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Panda Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Seven Dwarfs Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Woody Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Beauty and the Beast Characters Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Beauty and the Beast Characters Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Beauty and the Beast Topiary – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
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- Troll Topiary in Norway – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival 2013
Did you choose a favorite Disney topiary? Let us know in the “Comment” box below, and see if our readers agree!
Mark Your Calendars…
Disney’s Annual Celebration of Spring
2018 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Dates: February 28 to May 28, 2018
Entrance to Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival 2017
TIP: Disney Florida Resident Deals On Theme Park Tickets
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for deals on Florida attractions. Unfortunately, with Disney, they’re hard to come by. But, if you’re a Florida resident like me, you’re in luck. I’ve been a Disney Annual Passholder for the past 18 years and was ecstatic when Disney first introduced the Weekday Select Annual Pass for Florida residents. If your time is flexible and you are able to visit the Disney theme parks during the week, Monday through Friday, then you have to take a look at the cost-saving benefits of this special type of Disney Pass. I must admit, I was shocked at the low price!
Hubby and I have had the Disney Weekday Select Annual Pass since its inception, and have not missed out on any of the Disney magic. In fact, the only thing we’re missing is the high price of the regular Disney Annual Pass. In my full-length article and review of the Disney Weekday Select Annual Pass you’ll be able to see all the benefits, exclusions, and pricing. If you are able, take advantage of the incredible value of the Weekday Select Pass — we never know when Disney may decide to discontinue it!
Another low-cost option for Disney tickets is the Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket. For a limited time, you can enjoy 3 days at a Walt Disney World theme park for $159 per person, plus tax. You have the option to add a 4th day for just $20 more per person, plus tax. Whether you choose the 3 or 4-day Discover Disney Ticket, it may be used any day of the week, until June 24, 2018.
That’s a great Disney deal! If you’re a Florida resident who has been wanting to visit the Disney theme parks without purchasing an annual pass, the Discover Disney Ticket allows 4 admissions for $45 (plus tax) each day. With regular priced Disney admissions being over $100/day, that’s a bargain! Like any other Disney special promotion, there are terms and conditions that apply. You can read all the details of the Discover Disney Ticket and even make your purchase online on the official Disney website.