Celebrate Spring at the 2025 EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival

After a long winter, there’s nothing like seeing the world bloom again. Whether it’s buds on the trees, those early spring daffodils, or even weeds in my flower bed (don’t remind me that I said that in a few months), I love finding all the signs that spring has sprung. 

If the sights (and smells!) of the season make you as giddy as me, there’s no better way to experience the spectacle of spring than with a visit to my favorite Walt Disney World festival  –– the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival!  Blooming for its 30th year and packed with beautiful blooms, delicious food, and exclusive entertainment, this event celebrates the vibrant beauty of Earth from March 5th - June 2nd, 2025. 

To help commemorate its three decades of magic, this year’s festival is packed with returning favorites and all-new experiences.  So, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a flower and garden guru, let’s take a look at some of the highlights in store for guests visiting during the festival’s 30th Anniversary.

Ready to experience all the fauna and flavor for yourself?  Be Our Guest Vacations can help you plan the perfect springtime escape before this limited-time event comes to a close on June 5th!

Glorious Gardens and Topiaries

Without a doubt, the superstars of this annual event are the incredible flowers and vegetation on display throughout EPCOT.  Each year, Disney Imagineers blend art and horticulture to bring beloved characters and enchanting spaces to life.  Spanning 20 different garden areas, this year’s festival features nearly 100 character topiaries and a whopping 30 million flowers (seriously, that blows my mind!) to create a beautiful celebration of our natural world. 

Decked out in their blooming best, you’ll find beloved characters such as Belle and the Beast, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, Donald and Goofy, and Groot with his “Green-House Mix Vol. 1”, just to name a few. And just like Alice, you can learn a lot of from the flowers, too –– from garden experiences like the Prehistoric Garden (located in World Discovery, near Mission: SPACE) which highlights plants that have been thriving since the dinosaurs roamed, to learning about the history and art of tea in the United Kingdom Pavillion’s English Tea Garden, there are tons of opportunities to up your plant-based knowledge.  

• New to the festival this year: Moana, Maui, Pua, and Heihei are making their festival debut as gorgeous topiaries near EPCOT’s main entrance –– what could be better than this?

Food, Food, and More Food

The festival gardens and topiaries might be the main event, let’s be honest. I’m (mostly) here for one reason:  S-N-A-C-K-S .  Because as nice as it is to stop and smell the roses, I’d rather stop and smell the Pork Sticky Ribs from Trowel & Trellis –– located near Disney Traders –– any day!   

With 180 different food and drink offerings at the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens, as well as other locations throughout the park, you’ll find plenty of delicious options to choose from. Just be sure to grab a Festival Passport to help you locate your favorites (you can also find a digital Festival Guidebook on the My Disney Experience app). And if you’re up for a challenge, don’t miss out on the Garden Graze Food Stroll.  All you’ll need to do is purchase 5 of the Garden Graze menu items, located in your Festival Passport, and get a stamp for each one.  Once you’ve finished, bring your completed Passport over to the Pineapple Promenade kiosk (located near Port of Entry) for a complimentary treat.

• New to the festival this year: Two new Outdoor Kitchens join the lineup for 2025, serving up plenty of beach-bash-inspired favorites –– Yacht Grub and Beach Grub (see what they did there? So cute!). You can find both of these new eateries near the area where Imagination! Pavilion meets World Showcase.

Rock and Roll Fantasy

What better way to end the perfect Disney day than with a little music, right?  If your idea of a perfect evening is rocking the night away, you definitely won’t want to miss the festival’s Garden Rocks Concert Series.  Included with your park admission, these exclusive performances feature a mix of globally-recognized artists and local acts, performing nightly at the America Gardens Theater.  

Since seats for these concerts are available on a first-come basis, many folks line up for a spot well in advance, especially for well-known artists. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered ––  Be Our Guest Vacations can help you reserve a guaranteed spot for the show with a Garden Rocks Concert Series Dining Package. Available Monday-Friday, these packages allow you to enjoy a table-service dining reservation at one of EPCOT’s 15 participating restaurants, along with one guaranteed seat per person to that day’s concert series performance.  Dinner, a concert, AND no waiting in line? Talk about perfect harmony!

• New to the festival this year: 5 all-new artists are rocking out in 2025 –– Queensryche, Maverick City Music, The Outlaws, The Cat Empire, and We The Kingdom.  You can check out the full concert schedule in the My Disney Experience app.

Get Out and Play

If there’s one thing visiting Walt Disney World Resort with small children has taught me, it’s this: A stroller is the real hero of traveling with the smallest humans.  

Whether you’re rope dropping for the third day in a row, carving out some space to watch Luminous The Symphony of Us, or making a mad dash for a short wait on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (priorities, right?), those wheels can be a lifesaver for tiny legs. 

But as great as a stoller can be, there’s always a point for my kids when they’re ready to roam free, and here’s one place where the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival shines –– with thoughtful, open play spaces and kid-focused activities designed to spark a little extra excitement for the littlest festival visitors.  

This year’s festival includes two open play spaces for kiddos to explore –– Camp Get Out ‘N Play Garden (near World Discovery) and the all-new Playalong Bay Play Garden (between World Showcase and World Celebration). Designed to give tiny people their own space to stretch, each playground also features shaded areas and seating, perfect for enjoying a few snacks while your kids play. 

Another kid-friendly favorite returning this year is Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration Scavenger Hunt.  For a small fee, you can purchase the scavenger hunt map and stickers at various locations around EPCOT, then you’re ready to hunt for Spike the Bee, hiding throughout the festival’s gardens and exhibits.  Each time you find him, mark your map –– once the challenge is complete, head over to Creations Shop, Disney Traders, or World Traveller at International Gateway to claim your prize.  

In my experience, this activity is an awesome way to help engage your kids and help them enjoy the festival as much as the grown-ups.  Plus, it doesn’t need to be completed in one visit –– if you’re planning to enjoy EPCOT for multiple days during the festival, feel free to find a few more spots each time. And don’t worry, nobody needs to leave empty-handed –– even if you head home before your map is complete, you can still grab a prize at any redemption location by presenting your map.

• New to the festival this year: As we mentioned above, the Playalong Bay Play Garden Presented by Smucker’s Uncrustables brings a nautical new spin (not to mention a little tribute to Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts) to this year’s festival fun.

Let’s Get Planning

Whether you’re interested in experiencing the 2025 EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival in the next few months or planning your Walt Disney World visit well in advance, Be Our Guest Vacations is ready to help.  

Our expert team of travel professionals has all the know-how (not to mention a few tips and tricks) to make your dream visit to Walt Disney World a reality.  We take the stress out of planning so you can focus on creating magical memories with your family.  And the best part?  Our services are always 100% free to you.  Ready to get started with your reservation? Be sure to reach out today!