The 2026 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival starts TOMORROW, March 4. If you haven’t booked your park reservation yet, do it now! Opening day will be crowded with attendees eager to see 60+ character topiaries, try 76 new menu items, and enjoy the Garden Rocks Concert Series featuring Music of ABBA March 5-7. The festival runs through June 1, but tomorrow will attract serious Disney food bloggers and annual passholders looking to sample new foods and photograph topiaries.
The park will look vastly different from the Festival of the Arts, which ended February 23, as living plant topiaries replace the artwork from the previous festival. These creations require extensive horticultural planning to maintain their health and appearance throughout the festival, which is impressive.
The Food Is Going to Be Insane at EPCOT
The festival is bringing 76 NEW menu items across the outdoor kitchens in addition to all the returning favorites, which is an absolutely overwhelming amount of food that's going to require multiple visits throughout the festival to try everything. The outdoor kitchens serve garden-fresh cuisine emphasizing seasonal ingredients and fresh flavors that align with spring and early summer dining preferences instead of the heavier options you get at Food and Wine Festival.
You can sample items from multiple kitchens during a single visit creating tasting experiences across different cuisines and preparation styles, but honestly with 76 new items plus returning favorites, you're going to need a serious strategy to hit everything you want to try without getting completely stuffed halfway through World Showcase.
Garden Rocks Concert Series Lineup Is Solid
Garden Rocks returns to America Gardens Theater with performances at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8 p.m. from March 4 to June 1, included with regular EPCOT admission. The series starts with Music of ABBA from March 5-7, featuring new acts like Information Society, FireHouse, and Iam Tongi, along with returning favorites such as Simple Plan, Blue October, and Billy Ocean. For guaranteed seating, book dining packages at participating restaurants; otherwise, you'll be in the general admission area.
All the EPCOT Character Topiaries
The 2026 topiary list is absolutely stacked with characters from basically every major Disney and Pixar property. You've got Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Bo Peep and her sheep, Lotso, and the Pixar Ball for Toy Story fans. Mike Wazowski and Sulley are at Creations Shop representing Monsters Inc. Figment with flower topiaries is at World Celebration Plaza, which is perfect for EPCOT's original mascot.
The Encanto characters, including Mirabel, Antonio, Isabela, and Luisa, are near the Imagination Pavilion, and Simba and Friends featuring Rafiki, Simba, Mufasa, and Sarabi are also near the Imagination Pavilion. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip, Dale, and Pluto represent classic Disney. Lightning McQueen and Mater are near Connections Cafe. Groot is positioned near Cosmic Rewind. Stitch is near Mission: SPACE.
Tinker Bell's Fairy House Garden is in the United Kingdom, along with Winnie the Pooh and Friends, including Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger. Lady and the Tramp are in Italy. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are in Germany. Beauty and the Beast are in France. Tiana is at The American Adventure. Miguel and Dante from Coco are at the Mexico Pavilion.
Other Festival Stuff
Beyond topiaries and food, the festival includes Spike's PollenNation Exploration where you search for Spike the Bee character cutouts, Butterfly Landing presented by AdventHealth with live butterflies, Egg-Stravaganza Scavenger Hunt where you buy maps and search for hidden eggs to win prizes, and a bunch of sponsored experiences like Camp Get Out ‘N' Play Garden, Blossoms of Fragrance presented by Scentsy, English Tea Garden Tours presented by Twinings, and The Honey Bee-stro Garden.
What You Need to Know for Tomorrow at EPCOT
If you're going tomorrow expect crowds because festival opening day always sees elevated attendance from annual passholders and Disney enthusiasts. You NEED a park reservation for tomorrow so check availability immediately if you haven't booked yet. Bring allergy medication because pollen levels at EPCOT during Flower and Garden are insane with all the flowering plants. Bees congregate around topiaries and food areas so watch out if you have bee allergies. Weather in early March can be mild but bring layers for evening concerts and have rain gear because afternoon thunderstorms happen.
