Topiaries Appearing in Advance of Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival 2020

February 28, 2020 Denise Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

Hi everyone!

Topiaries have been popping up around Epcot over the last week in advance of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which will run from March 4th until June 1st, 2020. This is our 14th year of posting on the festival, which is my favorite event at Walt Disney World and my favorite time of year. I photograph the festival heavily and really enjoy sharing it. And this year, there are more changes in large part due to the construction that is taking up so much of Future World – the butterfly house and many topiaries are in different locations than they might otherwise be. For 2020, there is a new Remy topiary and Peter Pan & Tinker Bell have new looks. Read below for a look at current topiaries as of Wednesday! We will be back tomorrow and Monday for photos as well before the festival begins.

This is not an exhaustive photo article, that will come next week.

I posted an article about the new looks for Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. Each year, some of the characters appear in a more updated form and look great. This year, it was both Peter Pan and Tinker Bell.

Just to show a comparison, here is Peter Pan from 2018 and then Peter Pan in 2020. He looks great! And even the 2018 version was different than years ago, as the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival evolves.

Here is a closer look on his face.

And from the side.

Tinker Bell is in the garden further back in the pavilion, surrounded by Fairy Houses. I will post an article eventually with some of the evolution of the characters.

Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet are part of the United Kingdom characters out again this year.

Piglet is so pink!

Rabbit and Pooh are back as well, Pooh with his red balloon.

Kermit and Miss Piggy moved from France to the United Kingdom this year. Kermit is still on his bike and Miss Piggy on her suitcase!

I recommend visiting these characters early as there are benches in front and back of them. World Showcase does not open until 11:00 a.m. BUT Les Halles Boulangerie does in France and then Frozen Ever After in Norway – so you can walk from France to Norway (passing the United Kingdom) at 9:00 a.m. and visit a variety of topiaries before the rest of World Showcase opens.

Kermit’s bike is really nicely in theme for the festival with the wood.

Miss Piggy waves.

The Epcot France pavilion is a little busier in the morning than it used to be before the Disney Skyliner, but perfect photos are still easy at this time. I expect that will change when Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opens, but we’ll see! I still recommend arriving here early for breakfast at Les Halles Boulangerie, although it can now have a line in the early mornings.

Belle and Beast have been in this location for the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival since 2017, when Belle received her new look.

Beast was updated with Belle at that time as well, although the focus was on the changes for the princesses. Now, a wide variety of characters have been updated.

I posted an article with more photos of the new Remy topiary – all new topiaries now have the updated look, and Remy looks ready for the upcoming France expansion.

Remy stands on a circle of cheese.

Here is video I took in France of the topiaries – a nice, relaxing morning in the pavilion.

In Japan, the former Bromeliad Dragon from China has been changed with new plants and characteristics. We have an article about that here!

It is a terrific location, with Spaceship Earth in the background and the Torii Gate.

Here is a look at the face.

The body is where you can really see the former Bromeliad Dragon, and I share that in the other article.

This is our video of the dragon.

Lady and Tramp are back in this location in Italy, with Spaceship Earth in view.

Lady and the Tramp had a location for years next to the Italy buildings, but this allows more guests to see them easier.

Tramp.

Lady’s ears are always so fluffy.

And here is a look from the back.

The pandas in China were moved and have a great backdrop and look more playful with that extra room.

The troll is back in Norway.

Anna and Elsa are in the newer area of Norway that they’ve been displayed at for the last couple of years.

Anna and Elsa never had an older topiary design, they were created in 2015 with the new look – two years before Belle, but a year after the first to receive it – Snow White.

Woody and Bo Peep are currently looking at a wall.

I expect we will be able to see the characters better in the near future. The opposite side of the wall looks like maybe a seating area is being added? We will see soon!

Bo Peep and Woody from the back, along with her sheep. Woody received an updated look last year as did Buzz Lightyear to match the 2019 new topiary Bo Peep to promote Toy Story 4.