The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is one of the most anticipated events at the Walt Disney World Resort and is typically held from the late spring to mid-summer. As with all the Epcot festivals, this event is completely free with your theme park admission or annual pass. Along with a dazzling display of gardens, topiaries and exhibits, there are a number of amazing food and beverage offerings as well as special weekend concerts.
While the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is targeted towards adult guests, it is still considered family-friendly and is completely age appropriate for younger children.
Unless you have a date based admission ticket, a park reservation is still required but there is no additional charge for this event.
Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival
Dates were just announced for the latest version of the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival and this spectacular event will run from February 28, 2024 to May 27, 2024.
Throughout the entire park guests will enjoy viewing dozens of displays and exhibits including garden sculptures inspired by Disney characters. Some of these characters include Mickey Mouse, the characters from the Muppets as well as your favorite Disney princesses including Ann & Elsa from Frozen, Belle from Beauty & the Beast and Snow White.
There is even a special “Butterfly House” which guests can walk through and experience being part of hundreds of living butterflies. Guests learn more about butterfly habitats and see a number of the host plants and nectar plants.
This exhibit is not to be missed and is located between The Land and Imagination pavilions in Future World.
2024 Food and Beverage Offerings
The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival will featuring specialty cuisine and drinks from a variety of regions. There are dozens of individual “Outdoor Kitchens” throughout the World Showcase which are typically available from late morning to park closing.
Food and beverage offerings include:
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company ®
- Connections Café
- Connections Eatery
- Sunshine Seasons
- The Land Cart
- The Oney Bee-Stro
- Pineapple Promenade
- Trowel & Trellis
- Refreshment Port
- Northern Bloom
- Fleur De Lys
- La Isla Fresca
- Tangierine Cafe’: Flavors of the Medina
- Hanami
- Magnolia Terrace
- Funnel Cake
- Primavera Kitchen
- Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market
- Refreshment Outpost
- Lotus House
- Jardin De Fiestas
- Florida Fresh
- The Citrus Blossom
- Brunchcot (New)
- Epcot® Farmers Feast
2024 Concerts and Entertainment
The lineup for the Garden Rocks Concert Series was just announced and includes a number of popular artists and singers that will perform every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
All with prior years, the shows will take place on the American Gardens Theatre stage by the America Pavilion in the World Showcase with showtimes starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM.
- February 28th and 29th: The Vybe
- March 1st and 2nd: Jason Scheff
- March 3rd and 4th: Richard Marx
- March 5th to 7th: Evolution Motown
- March 8th and 9th: Berlin
- March 10th and 11th: Rick Springfield
- March 12th to 14th: Dian Diaz
- March 15th and 16th: Modern English
- March 17th and 18th: Commodores
- March 19th to 21st: Foreigners Journey
- March 22nd to 25th: The Orchestra
- March 26th to 28th: The Female Collective
- March 29th and 30th: Mike DelGuidice
- March 31st to April 1st:The Pointer Sisters
- April 2nd to 4th: Funkafied
- April 5th and 6th: Blue October
- April 7th and 8th: Crowder
- April 9th to 11th: The Hooligans
- April 12th and 13th: Joe Dee Messina
- April 14th and 15th: A Flock of Seagulls
- April 16th to 18th: M-80’s
- April 19th to 22nd: Plain White T’s
- April 23rd to 25th: The Champagne Orchestra
- April 26th and 27th: Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas
- April 28th and 29th: Herman’s hermits Starring Peter Noone
- April 30th and May 2nd: Southbound
- May 3rd: Monsieur Perine’
- May 4th: Raul Acosta & Oro Solido with Magic Juan
- May 5th: Raul Acosta & Oro Solido with Luisito Ayala and The Puerto Rican Power Band
- May 6th: Fonesca
- May 7th to 9th: Gilly & The Girl Bank
- May 10th to 13th: Simple Plan
- May 14th to 16th: Element
- May 17th to 18th: The Spinners
- May 19th and 20th: Sister Hazel
- May 21st to 23rd: Epic Live
- May 24th and 25th: Lit
- May 26th and 27th: Casting Crowns
The Gardens Rocks Dining Package is again being offered for 2024 and will include dinner at a select EPCOT restaurant along with guaranteed seating at that evenings concert. The dining package include an appetizer, entrée and dessert (or buffet if applicable) with a non-alcoholic beverage along with a guaranteed seat for the concert on the same day.
Select restaurants include:
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Norway Pavilion): $78.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $50.00 per child (ages 3 to 9); breakfast costs $66.00 per adult and $42.00 per child.
- Biergarten Restaurant (Germany Pavilion): $60.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $34.00 per child (ages 3 to 9)
- Coral Reef Restaurant (The Living Seas): $73.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $29.00 per child (ages 3 to 9)
- Garden Grill Restaurant (The Land Pavilion): $73.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $47.00 per child (ages 3 to 9); breakfast costs $58.00 per adult and $37.00 per child.
- Le Cellier Steakhouse (Canada Pavilion): $99.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39.00 per child (ages 3 to 9)
- Rose & Crown Dining Room (United Kingdom Pavilion): $61.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $26.00 per child (ages 3 to 9)
- Spice Road Table (Morocco Pavilion): $50.00 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $21.00 per child (ages 3 to 9)
The Regal Eagle Smokehouse ($36.00 per person) is offering same-day dining packages only and menu items differ than the other restaurants.
Best hotels to stay when visiting the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival?
Local area hotels book up quickly so it is our recommendation that you get your reservations as early as possible. Crowd levels are typically higher than usual due not only to this special event, but for summer vacations and fall holidays. Typically in the fall, there are always large conventions coming to Orlando where many hotels block off rooms for the convention attendees.
If you are planning on consuming a number of adult beverages at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, we would highly recommend you stay a hotel within walking distance or with a transportation service.
The Walt Disney World Boardwalk Resort Hotels
The Walt Disney World Boardwalk Resorts comprise the following resort hotels and vacation club properties:
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas (vacation club)
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas (vacation club)
All three are within walking distance to Epcot’s International Gateway (the entrance in the World Showcase area of the park) and there is also a water taxi service that runs all day long.
These resort hotel are very popular (especially during the Food & Wine Festival) and rates are typically not cheap. Prices range from less than $500 per night to more than $1,000 per night depending on the room type and the date of the stay. There are no resort fees but there is a daily parking charge of $25.00 to go along with resort and sales taxes.
The Walt Disney World Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Dolphin is one of our favorite hotels in Orlando and it is our “go to” when we are planning on visiting Epcot. The Dolphin is immediately adjacent to the Walt Disney World Boardwalk and within easy walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Water taxi transportation is also available.
The Dolphin is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program so guests can earn or use points for their stay at one of the 1,514 rooms or suites. There are extensive amenities and dining options at this massive resort.
Hotel rates range around $200.00 per night to more than $400.00 per night depending on the time a year and room type. There is a $35 per day resort fee plus a 6% resort tax on top of a 6.5% sales tax. Self parking costs $30 per night.
If any of these hotel recommendations don’t work for you, CLICK HERE to see a list of other on site hotels as well as local area hotels near the Walt Disney World Resort.