Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Preview Photo Update Including Living Topiaries Mickey & Minnie in Promo Photo Shoot

February 23, 2018 Denise

Hi everyone!

We were at Epcot yesterday as my favorite time of year at Walt Disney World is gearing up. I always enjoy seeing topiaries and flowers as they are added around the park for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival! Yesterday we saw a little something fun as well, just before World Showcase opened for the day. Mickey and Minnie as living topiaries were being filmed for some sort of a promotion for the festival. I have never seen these costumes and I hope we see them again sometime! I am also posting other photos from around the park of topiaries and flowers, though not duplicating topiaries I posted in my February 20th article. The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival kicks off February 28th, 2018. There will be some changes this year as there are every year, and I will be posting a tips article on March 1st as I did last year and previously. This is our 12th year bringing coverage of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, and I plan to write up the Royal Tea Tour again this year and have an overview and scavenger hunt article.

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This article will be in chronological order after living topiary Mickey and Minnie. I know they are of most interest here so I am starting with them. We had arrived to Epcot at 10:00 a.m. and went first to France to photograph Belle and Beast, taking photos along the way after that. I had hung back for photos in the United Kingdom and then noticed something different in Canada.

Honestly, this is one of the coolest things I have seen in the parks, certainly for any Festival. Mickey and Minnie had fantastic topiary costumes! Five years ago, Captain Hook met briefly one day as a living topiary but we have not seen him back. I think Mickey and Minnie look even better.

Here is our video, followed by photos.

Mickey and Minnie look on as a shot is set up.

Victoria Gardens in the Canada pavilion looked more vibrant than usual (and that is hard to do).

Guests were yelling to Mickey and Minnie, and the pair waved.

Mickey waves to guests. When I noticed them, only one other person was standing next to me. Eventually they drew a larger crowd.

The photo shoot was pretty quick. I wasn’t expecting them to walk out into the crowd, but they did – drawing a lot of attention as they eventually made their way to World Showplace.

Minnie walks across the lawn.

Mickey and Minnie walk into the crowd.

The costumes are so nicely detailed and the characters seem to be able to walk around in them pretty well – so hopefully they will be used again.

Our first stop yesterday had actually been France, which is where I usually like to go first in the park since Les Halles Boulangerie opens at 9:00 a.m. Yesterday Belle and Beast were back in place for the festival.

France is also ready with their food booth that is used now for several festivals per year.

France is wonderful to photograph early before the crowds arrive. While the lighting is a little better later for the topiaries, the trade-off is not having many guests in the photos.

Belle received a beautifully sculpted face last year. She is one of the newer next gen types of topiaries that begun with Snow White.

Here is a video of all the topiaries we saw, and then keep reading!

Beast has also changed through the years.

Belle up close.

One last look at Belle and the Beast from the front…

And the back.

Two of my favorite food items at Les Halles Boulangerie – the baguette, which may be the best bargain at Walt Disney World and the tastiest. The chocolate eclair is excellent too, as are many of the pastries here!

Even at after 10:30 a.m., it wasn’t too busy yet.

The pink blooms of the tabeuia tree are beautiful with the Eiffel Tower in view. The tabeuia trees bloom in pink and yellow around property and the flowers don’t last long.

So much pink lays all over the ground.

Looking down toward the International Gateway, where the Disney Skyliner will have a station.

The teacups are back up in the United Kingdom, but there were no signs yet.

The Pooh characters are back in the United Kingdom – Rabbit, Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore and Piglet are all in this area. The lighting was terrible, but I will take more photos opening day.

Rabbit.

Piglet and Eeyore.

Winnie the Pooh.

The Bambi characters are not in Canada this year, but they aren’t far from it.

Flower.

Floating flower planters are in the water now.

Butterflies can be found at the entrance to World Showcase, as well as new flower decorations for this year.

Three butterflies are seen here.

A monorail travels toward the flower quilt….

…and over the quilt as it heads to the Epcot monorail station.

Figment has moved from the front topiary display during Epcot Festival of the Arts to this location near Mouse Gear, still with Spaceship Earth in view.

Behind Spaceship Earth, Donald Duck has a bee on his face while Huey, Dewey and Louie help garden. The nephews were new in 2016, this is their third Festival.

Here are all three nephews.

The new flowers decorations are nicer than the former, in my opinion.

Buzz Lightyear is back in his location at Mission:Space.

His eyes are looking down this year.

Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez were visible, but that walkway is not yet open.

More of the water planters can be found here by the Odyssey.

Another favorite of mine is the orchid walk at the Mexico pavilion, it has been here for a number of years now.

Looking closer at the orchids.

The Bromedliad Dragon is a longtime favorite topiary of mine. He was missing for a few years or so and then returned in 2016, so it always makes me happy to see him back.