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Come With Us To Eat and See EVERYTHING at the 2023 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

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IT’S TIME. Are you ready to hang with Orange Bird and Spike the Bee? We’re heading into Disney World for the start of EPCOT’s 2023 International Flower and Garden Festival!

2023 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

We might have JUST finished the 2023 Festival of the Arts, but we’re ready to take on the next festival today. Let’s head in to see the gorgeous topiaries, listen to some music from local bands, and of course, taste our way around the outdoor kitchens. 

We’ll be updating this post ALL DAY as we explore everything there is to see from the festival. 

Festival Dates

The Flower and Garden Festival lasts from March 1st through July 5th, 2023.

2023 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

We spend the first day of the festival trying out ALL the new eats and drinks around the park so that you know which items you should try during your visit. But you’ll have plenty of time to take in this festival since it lasts over 4 months!

Getting Started and Crowds

When we first arrived at EPCOT this morning, we spotted a good number of people headed in!

There were plenty of people waiting to rope drop the event, even though most booths don’t open right when the park does! Over at the new Brunchcot booth, we waited in a rather long line to get our food, but nothing we hadn’t seen before!

2023 BRUNCHCOT Booth had a line

…and there were lines in other places, but nothing too egregious.

Merch has been going quick!

Keep in mind that crowds change and that the festival could be more or less crowded on the date of your visit!

See the CROWDS at the 2023 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival

Maps and Festival Booklet

When you get to the festival, you can grab a map to see where all the entertainment and outdoor kitchens are located. You can use it to make your plan for how you want to tackle the festival (and don’t forget to grab our free DFB printable guide to help you navigate the festival as well).

There’s also a special Festival Passport booklet, which has the menus for each outdoor kitchen as well as information about merchandise, entertainment, and activities.

Your Festival Passport

This is your one-stop guide to EVERYTHING you need to know about the festival! You can even check off the eats you’ve tried.

Check Out Our Full Guide to the Festival Passport Here

Signs and Decor

Around EPCOT, you’ll see lots of decorations announcing the Flower and Garden Festival.

You’ll find colorful reminders all over the place!

But, our favorite decorations aren’t signs at all!

Topiaries

Of course, it’s not the Flower and Garden Festival without elaborate topiaries depicting Disney characters! We saw a ton of these amazing creations around EPCOT. For 2023, a new Princess Tiana topiary appears in The American Adventure pavilion…

…and NEW Encanto topiaries feature Mirabel, Antonio, Isabela, and Luisa near the park’s main entrance!

The gang’s all here!

There are so many other gorgeous topiaries at the festival, too — like Buzz Lightyear…

Buzz!

…Timon and Pumbaa…

Timon and Pumbaa

…Kermit…

It’s Kermit!

…and Lion King characters too!

The Lion King characters

Of course, Mickey and Minnie are here, along with Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale!

Mickey and Minnie

But, wait — there’s more!

Additional Activities

There are a LOT of activities to experience at the fest too.

Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration

If you’re looking for this festival’s scavenger hunt (these hunts are practically an EPCOT festival staple), you’ll find it in the form of Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration. Spike the honeybee has been pollinating his way around the festival, so you can follow his trail in this activity.

You’ll purchase a map and stickers and then match the stickers to the correct spot on the map when you find Spike in the park.

Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration

You can return your completed map for a prize! This year’s prize is a cup and plate set, and you can choose from four different options — Snow White, Figment, Orange Bird, and Spike the Bee!

2023 Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration PRIZES!

Be sure to stay tuned for our FULL Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration experience this year.

Check Out Our Review of Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration Here

Outdoor Kitchens

Our favorite part about this festival (and every festival in EPCOT if we’re honest) is the food! The food booths for this fest are called Outdoor Kitchens. We’re visiting ALL of these spots to try out any new items as well as some returning favorites.

Tangierine Cafe: Flavors of the Medina

We stopped by the Morocco Pavilion to check out some familiar foods and a few new ones at this booth! We had the Grilled Kebabs, which come with a Carrot-Chickpea Salad and Garlic Aïoli. We also tried the new Hummus Trio and the Orange Blossom Saffron Cake!

You can also grab a cider flight and pomegranate mimosa here!

See Our Full Tangierine Cafe Review Here

Brunchcot

There’s only ONE new booth at this year’s festival — but it’s a good one! Brunchcot features some familiar favorites like Avocado Toast, Shrimp and Grits, and Fried Cinnamon Roll Bites, all of which were on the menu at Sunshine Griddle. New this year is the Lox Benedict on Everything Focaccia.

Full Bruncot Spread 2023

For drinks, there’s the returning Froot Loops Shake and Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew Cocktail, and you can also get the new Peach Bellini.

Check Out Our Review of Brunchcot Here

Refreshment Port

Over at Refreshment Port, we grabbed the the Shrimp Scampi Poutine with lemon garlic cheese fondue, spinach, and artichokes and the Frozen Mojito with Boyd & Blair Rum which was bright, crisp, and delicious!

Refreshment Port Full Spread

We also tried the Soft-serve Waffle Cone, and you can get this with peanut butter or jelly flavors, or get them swirled (our personal favorite.) We opted for the peanut butter and jelly swirl.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Swirl

Don’t walk past Refreshment Port thinking you can skip it just because it’s always there — you’ll find some solid festival dishes here!

See Our FULL Refreshment Port Review Here

Honey Bee-Stro

This year the Honey Bee-stro has two new dishes! We tried their take on Chicken and Waffles. This dish promised crispy honey-brined chicken on a honey sweet cornbread waffle with whipped honey butter and spicy honey. Their new Pollinator Flatbread comes with honey-whipped mascarpone, honey caramelized onions, blueberry gastrique, prosciutto, honey-whipped goat cheese, arugula, honey vinaigrette, and bee pollen.

You can also get the Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake, Honey-Peach Cobbler Freeze cocktail, plus some meads and ciders!

Read Our Entire Review of the Honey Bee-Stro Here

The Citrus Blossom

All the eats are NEW this year at The Citrus Blossom! There’s Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp, Citrus Baked Brie, and Lemon Meringue Pie. To drink, there’s an Orange-Lemon Smoothie, which is served in an Orange Bird Sipper Cup, and a citrus-themed beer flight!

Citrus Blossom full spread

We thought the shrimp and orange lemon smoothie were contenders for Best of the Fest this year!

See Our Full Citrus Blossom Review Here

Jardin de Fiestas

Over at this booth this year, there is a mix of both new and returning items available. The food options include a quesadilla and a taco, while the drink menu has two different margaritas.

We REALLY loved the Taco Vampiro but nothing else stood out particularly strongly. You can also get the Quesadilla de Flor de Calabaza, Mala Hierba Margarita, and Cristal Margarita here!

Check Out Our Jardin de Fiestas Review Here

Funnel Cake Stand

The offering at this booth this year is the Banana Split Funnel Cake, which is Funnel Cake topped with Banana-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, Diced Strawberries, and a Maraschino Cherry drizzled with Chocolate Syrup! Sounds intense.

We thought this was fine. It’s a typical funnel cake with strawberries, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. The addition of the ice cream was SUPPOSED to make it more like a banana split, but it’s just the ice cream that offers a little bit of banana flavor. We also thought it was a little expensive for what you get, so keep that in mind!

Read Our ENTIRE Review of the Funnel Cake Here

Farmer’s Feast

Right now, you’ll find the Early Bloom Menu, which is available from March 1st through April 8th. This menu includes the Chilled Potato and Leek Soup “Vichyssoise,” the Char-grilled Bison Ribeye, a Spice Cake with cream cheese icing, and a Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail.

We really enjoyed the Potato and Leek Soup, the ribeye was tasty, and the cream cheese icing on the spice cake was delicious. While none of them truly blew us away, they are tasty bites that we think a decent amount of guests could really enjoy!

Check Out Our Full Farmer’s Feast Review Here

Primavera Kitchen

There are not one, not two, but THREE new eats at this booth for this year’s festival, but all the drinks are returning. We tried the Caesar con Gamberett made with baby gem lettuce, shrimp, Caesar dressing, and crispy bread crumble; the Tortelloni Primavera made with spinach tortelloni, sweet butter, pancetta, corn, peas, and fava beans; and the Budino alle Nocciole — a chocolate-hazelnut pudding with cookie crumbles.

Full spread 2023

While the festival booths in the Italy Pavilion can be hit or miss, we thought Primavera Kitchen was a hit with us this year and certainly one not to be missed in your plans to visit.

Read Our Full Review of Primavera Kitchen Here

Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market

All the food dishes were returning this year at this booth, but that isn’t a bad thing! You can get carby, cheesy, salty goodness here in the form of two kinds of potato pancakes, a toasted pretzel bun with ham, and warm cheese strudel.

It wouldn’t be the Germany Booth without a few different beers to choose from. We especially loved the radler this year!

Check Out Our FULL Review of Bauernmarkt Here

La Isla Fresca

Over at La Isla Fresca, you’ll find a variety of new and returning items. This booth has been a huge hit for us in the past, and this year we really enjoyed the Coconut Tres Leches Cake the most. We also tried the Braised Oxtail with Pigeon Pea Rice and Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with BEN’S ORIGINAL Long Grain White Rice, mango salsa, and coconut-lime sauce!

There are a few different drinks to choose from here as well, and you can read our full thoughts on those below.

See Our Full Thoughts on La Isla Fresca Here

Fleur de Lys

You’ll find multiple returning items at the France Pavilion Booth along with two new snacks and a new drink! 

Full Spread 2023

Of course, we had to try a little of everything!

The croissant is definitely one for goat cheese fans, while the beignet is a sweet treat we think a lot of people will enjoy (how can you go wrong with a caramelized beignet filled with cream!?). Pair that with some newer dishes and the iconic La Vie en Rose Frozen Slush, and you’ve got some real winners here.

Read Our Full Fleur de Lys Review Here

Trowel & Trellis Hosted by IMPOSSIBLE Foods

There are three plant-based snacks and four drinks over at this booth including a new savory item and sweet item! The IMPOSSIBLE Lumpia with Thai sweet chili sauce was an instant favorite, and the new Chocolate Cake with black currant ganache, mixed berry compote, and chocolate ice cream was a solid dessert option.

Plus, if you’re looking to complete the Garden Graze challenge this is a GREAT booth to stop at! All 3 food items are part of the challenge so you can pick up 3 qualifying items in one stop (you need to buy a total of 5 items to complete the challenge and get a prize).

Check Out Our Trowel & Trellis Review Right Here

Hanami

New at Hanami this year is the Creamy Shrimp Udon made with  thick udon noodles, shrimp, and spring vegetables in a creamy sauce. We thought this sauce had great flavor and the shrimp was perfectly cooked — not too chewy or tough! You can also get three different types of Nigiri sushi: lemon-cured salmon, soy-marinated tuna, and cured mackerel here.

Last but not least, the Frushi! This dish takes the concept of sushi and converts it into a dessert. For drinks, we tried the Nigori Dragon Fruit Sake Cocktail and you can see our review of that and the rest of the items below!

See Our Review of the Hanami Booth Here

Florida Fresh

We haven’t seen this booth since 2020, but some of the items look familiar! The grilled street corn is a returning dish (though it looks like there have potentially been some ingredient changes), while the blackened fish slider and strawberry shortcake are NEW.

There’s a good mix of flavors here, from corn to fish to watermelon salad to a strawberry shortcake! Mix that all up with the refreshing Cucumber Watermelon Slushy and you’ve got quite the interesting mix.

You Can See MORE of Our Florida Fresh Review Here

Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company

You’ll find a few new drinks at the various Joffrey’s kiosks around the festival, but our favorite was the Exotic Lemon Tea!

Exotic Lemon Tea

We also tried the Key Lime Cold Brew…

…Melonade…

…Orange Cream Cold Brew…

Orange Cream Cold Brew

…and the Honey Nut Latte! This one is an Annual Passholder exclusive.

Annual Passholder Honey Nut Latte

Stop by Joffrey’s if you need a little pick-me-up!

Read Our Reviews of All the New Joffrey’s Drinks Here

Connections Cafe & Eatery

The Liege Waffle is a staple at this location, but for the Flower and Garden Festival, it gets an Orange Bird makeover! The Orange Bird Liege Waffle is brand new to the festival this year and you can grab it for $4.19.

Orange Bird Liege Waffle

You can also get the Flower Drop Cocktail made with St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Minute Maid Premium Lemonade.

Flower Drop Cocktail

We thought the drink was very sweet, which could be good or bad depending on what kind of drinks you like.

Check Out Our Full Review Here

Northern Bloom

Over at Northern Bloom in the Canada Pavilion, you’ll find a couple of returning items from previous years — we’ve tried the Seared Scallops and Beef Tenderloin Tips in years past, as well as all of the beverages. But this year the Chocolate Maple Whisky Cake is new!

Pick up the popular non-alcoholic Maple Popcorn Shake here or get it spiked with booze! There are also a few different beers to try here, or grab them all in a flight.

See Our Review of Northern Bloom at the Festival Here

Pineapple Promenade

Over at the Pineapple Promenade, you can find a Spicy Hot Dog with Pineapple Chutney and Plantain Chips along with a plant-based DOLE Whip.

This booth is a favorite for a reason! Of course, there’s the appeal of a classic DOLE Whip, but that hot dog was a surprise favorite for us, and we love that there are a wide variety of beverages to try.

Read Our Full Pineapple Promenade Review Here

Lotus House

Over at Lotus House, you’ll find two returning eats, the Spicy Mala Chicken Skewer, and the Cheesy Crab Wontons. But there’s a new food this year, too the Pan-fried Vegetable Dumplings.

Full Spread at Lotus House

We thought the chicken skewer was VERY peanutty this year, and the sauce was a little bold and overpowering. The wontons were absolutely yummy as usual, and the sweet and sour sauce on top was a great complement. We thought the vegetable dumplings were alright, they weren’t bad but they definitely didn’t “wow” us.

See Our Lotus House Review from This Year Right Here

Magnolia Terrace

Three of the four food items here are new and we couldn’t wait to dig into the Muffuletta Panini, Crawfish Pie, and Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. You’ll also find some beers here too!

 

This booth was a taste of Louisiana smack dab in the middle of EPCOT! Fair warning though, some of the dishes here were spicy and they’re also on the heavier side — but we really enjoyed what we had here.

Check Out Our Full Magnolia Terrace Review Here

Refreshment Outpost

It’s all returning items at this spot this year, but that doesn’t mean we’re not checking it all out! We tried the pineapple skewer with Tajin seasoning…

Pineapple Skewer with Tajin Seasoning

…the tangerine soft serve…

…and the tangerine ice cream float made with cream soda.

Ice Cream Float: Tangerine soft-serve and cream soda

While we didn’t find anything particularly exciting here, we did really enjoy the tangerine ice cream float! You can also grab the Tangerine Cream Ale and the Lavender Martini at Refreshment Outpost as well.

Find Out What We Thought of Refreshment Outpost Here

The Land Cart

Over near the Land Pavilion, we tried the Cookies ‘n’ “Cream” Chocolate Mousse Cup which is a plant-based dessert on the menu. This snack costs $5.50 and it’s part of the Garden Graze.

Cookies ‘n “Cream” Chocolate Mousse Cup

The plant-based cookies ‘n cream mousse cup tastes exactly the same as the one that is sold year-round in Sunshine Seasons. We’re not complaining though — it’s one of our favorite plant-based desserts in all of Walt Disney World!

See Our Full Review of This Treat Here

Sunshine Seasons

While this may be a year-round EPCOT restaurant, there’s an exclusive festival item here! You can get the Strawberry-Mango Slushy throughout the event.

Strawberry Mango Slushy

Unfortunately, it wasn’t very smooth — instead, it had more of an icy consistency. And the strawberry section sadly didn’t have a ton of flavor. The mango part, on the other hand, had a much bolder flavor and was WAY creamier.

See Our Full Review of This Treat Here

Garden Graze

You can also take part in the Garden Graze, which is a plant-based food stroll around EPCOT. You’ll try five specific foods (out of qualifying eligible dishes) at the festival and get your Festival Passport stamped at each location.

2023 Garden Graze

If you return your fully stamped passport to the Pineapple Promenade kitchen, you’ll get a free prize!

Pineapple Promenade Outdoor Kitchen 2023

The options for the 2023 Garden Graze are:

This year’s Garden Graze prize is a Lime Dole Whip and a seed packet!

Dessert Prize AND a Wildflower Mix!

Remember, you only have to purchase five of these snacks (not all eleven) in order to complete the hunt and get the prize!

Click here for everything you need to know about the Garden Graze this year!

Festival Merchandise

There are all kinds of unique merchandise at this year’s festival. We’re stopping by several gift shops to find all of the goods, but first, check out this adorable Orange Bird sipper! You can find it at various spots throughout the fest.

In fact, there’s a TON of Orange Bird merch, like a Loungefly backpack…

…Minnie Ears…

2023 Flower and Garden Festival Orange Bird Ears

…a mug…

Orange Bird mug

…and a Corkcicle! There are also Figment and Snow White collections too, so stay tuned for more on those!

Corkcicle

There are some Annual Passholder exclusive items too, like this shirt…

2023 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Annual Passholder Merchandise

…and this water bottle!

Annual Passholder water bottle

Well, we’ll apologize to our wallets in advance.

Want to see more of the fest merchandise? Click here!

Live Entertainment

There’s a new Beacons of Magic performance on Spaceship Earth in honor of the festival.

The Garden Rocks Concert Series is back at this year’s festival! These concerts are free with EPCOT admission, and they take place at the America Gardens Theater, Friday through Monday. Local bands will rock the house Tuesday through Thursday.

You can purchase a dining package if you want to reserve your seats in advance and have a meal right before the show.

Check out the full list of artists performing at the 2023 Flower and Garden Festival here.

Additional Activities

There are also all kinds of gardens around EPCOT for this festival, including a Tropical Rainforest Garden in the Mexico pavilion of the World Showcase, Floating Gardens in World Nature, and more.

If you can’t tell by the name of the festival, the gardens are a HUGE part of EPCOT during this time!

We’ll be bringing you full reviews of ALL the Outdoor Kitchens at this festival, as well as more details about the entertainment, merchandise, and more.

We’re sharing it all!

And, if you’re looking for some exclusive festival merchandise you won’t find anywhere else, check out our DFB Flower & Garden shirts! You can shop these and more in our DFB Merch Store.

Get ready for Flower and Garden fest with these new shirts!

Stay tuned with DFB for more of the latest news from Disney World!

Learn more about the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival here!

Ready to Plan for Your 2023 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Trip?

Pre-Order the DFB Guide to the 2023 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival e-Book today! This 220+ page guide to the Festival offers insider tips and advice as well as all of the details you need to know to plan your best Festival visit ever. Your purchase includes several bonus items as well -- including a full schedule of events at the Festival and a printable Outdoor Kitchens Booth Menu Checklist to carry with you as you Eat around the World!

Pre-Order your 2023 edition today! Don't miss a moment of the fun!

Use code SPRING at check-out to get $2 off the cover price!

 Are you visiting the Flower and Garden Festival in EPCOT this year? Let us know in the comments.

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Comments

  1. HI yes, ill be in june towards the end. Last year there was a mickey topiary plush.. is there something like that this year?

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