Spring will soon be in the air in Walt Disney World. With spring’s arrival comes the return of one of the most beautiful EPCOT festivals of the year, the International Flower & Garden Festival. This flower-filled festival will run from March 4th through June 1st. Fan favorites like topiaries, Garden Rocks concert series performances, garden-inspired festival eats, and much more will all be returning. The MouseHouseNews.net team knows the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival like the backs of our hands. If you would like to visit Walt Disney World, Marcus can help you plan your trip, and his basic services are at no cost to you!
A visit to any EPCOT festival is not complete without some commemorative merchandise. Collections usually include an assortment of apparel, housewares, garden items, and trading pins. Disney recently shared a sneak peak of the collections coming to this year’s festival along with a look at some of the items that will be available. Let’s take a look at these springtime finds.
Orange Bird Collection
Orange bird is once again spreadin’ the sunshine around EPCOT in his very own festival collection. We’ll get a variety of apparel, accessories, garden decor, and more from this collection. Personally, I can’t wait to add this year’s Orange Bird ears to my growing collection. We’ve got ears, say cheers!
If you can’t get enough Orange Bird, there’s an Orange Bird Vintage Collection this year as well. More on that later… Additionally, you can once again find the Orange Bird souvenir sipper for $15.49 at The Citrus Blossom booth. It’s quite “ap-peal-ing” to have plenty of merchandise featuring this sunny little guy.
Spike the Bee Collection
Spike the Bee is buzzing in with his very own collection again this year as well. Your best bud can be found on apparel, accessories, pins, and more. There will even be a cross-body Loungefly bag! Personally, I hope for the return of a Spike the Bee shoulder pal. I have many regrets on not purchasing one last year. Learn from my mistake…if you see festival merchandise you love, grab it so you don’t regret missing out!
If you’re a Spike the Bee fan, you can also try your hand at Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration. It’s a fun-filled scavenger hunt for all ages. Oh, and there’s a prize at the end. Please note that this is a paid activity. You can purchase a scavenger hunt map at Creations Shop, Disney Traders, or World Traveler for $11.99.
Alice in Wonderland Collection
We find this collection curiouser and curiouser. Disney hasn’t released any photos of items we can expect will be included yet (curiouser indeed). However, in the past, items have included ears, apparel, and housewares. Stay tuned!
For a lovely chat with Alice during the festival (or on any EPCOT day), hurry to the UK pavilion. Alice usually greets guests in the English Tea Garden behind The Tea Caddy. After discussing her adventures in Wonderland, head inside the shop to purchase supplies for your own Mad Tea Party.
Orange Bird Vintage Collection
Orange Bird is back with retro style. As we mentioned earlier, there will actually be two Orange Bird merchandise collections for this year’s Flower & Garden Festival. The Vintage Collection will feature nostalgic merchandise including apparel, accessories, and more. With additional items like this button-up shirt scheduled to drop around halfway through the festival, you’ll definitely want to plan a return visit!
If you’re unfamiliar with Orange Bird, Disney created the character in the late 1960s as a mascot for the Florida Citrus Commission. In exchange, the Florida Citrus Commission was a sponsor for The Enchanted Tiki Room and Sunshine Tree Terrace in Magic Kingdom. Although that partnership ended, Orange Bird remains a fan favorite. You’ll spot him around Disney World thinking orange thoughts to this day.
Annual Passholder Collection
Finally, Disney has a collection exclusively for Annual Passholders. You’ll be able to find apparel, headwear, home decor, and more. It also sounds like there will be a special Annual Passholder trading pin again this year, too.
Annual Passholders will likely want to stop by the festival sooner rather than later for best selection. AP merchandise is popular and tends to sell out.
Where To Find Merchandise
You can find Flower & Garden Festival merchandise at Creations Shop and Festival Marketplace booths set up around the park. In some years, there has also been a pop-up style merchandise shop in the Odyssey Pavilion (we’ll let you know if that merchandise location returns again this year).
Speaking of the Odyssey Pavilion, I highly suggest you buzz in for a delicious stop at The Citrus Blossom. My favorite returning menu item is the Orange Sesame Tempura Shrimp. Yum! As I mentioned earlier, you can also grab an orange-lemon smoothie in that adorable Orange Bird sipper here. If you haven’t started your food wishlist yet, now’s a great time to check out the festival menus! MouseHouseNews.net has already covered both the full Outdoor Kitchen menus and the specifics of the Garden Graze food stroll if you need inspiration.
Visitors gearing up for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival can find more information to plan their trips here on MouseHouseNews.net. Plus, the team will be at the festival on day one to bring you coverage of topiaries, gardens, food, and more. Definitely stay tuned to the MouseHouseNews.net blog and our YouTube channel! We look forward to bringing you even more tips and suggestions for planning your best Disney World trip ever. We’ll see you real soon!
