First Topiaries Spring up at EPCOT In Advance of 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival

Hi everyone!

The first topiaries have been placed for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, which runs from March 1st through July 5th, 2023. The festival is the most beautiful time of year to visit EPCOT! We are so fortunate here to be able to enjoy the weeks leading up to March 1st, as gardens and topiaries are added around the park.

Here are photos from today!

Workers were tending to the Winnie the Pooh topiaries (above) early in the morning but I returned later for more photos. Piglet is and Eeyore are back, along with Tigger, Pooh and Rabbit.

The characters are outside of the Sportsman’s Shoppe, which is where they’ve been placed for a number of years.

Rabbit holds his carrots.

Pooh holds his red balloon.

I walked past the International Gateway, where new flowers have been added.

The Tebabuia tree still is looking gorgeous, though the pink leaves have been falling.

This butterfly had new flowers planted about a week ago and it is growing in again.

The spice balls have returned to Morocco.

The pandas received this new location a couple of years ago, and it is a fantastic area for them to frolic in with a great view.

Anna and Elsa are on the small stage in Norway. Anna and Elsa debuted as topiaries in 2015 and were among the first topiaries at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival to receive lifelike features. Their outfits are a bit different than in previous years.

In previous years, both of Anna and Elsa’s dresses were green plants. That is the case for much of their dresses this year, but not the arms and collar ares.

Nearby, there are decorative snowflakes.

Anna and Elsa are surrounded by flowers.

  

Next, the troll is back. He looks a little different than last year and a lot different than previous years.

Woody and Bo are back in their location as well, with Bo’s sheep. They are located near The Land pavilion.

Bo Peep and her sheep debuted at the festival with the opening of Toy Story 4 in 2019 while Woody made his first appearance as part of the Toy Story 3 topiary display in 2011. This is their fifth year together!

Bo holds her staff.

The topiary butterfly here is also made of different plants than in previous years.

I stopped by the Canada pavilion, which looks gorgeous already.

Next, Captain Hook, Peter Pan and Tick-Tock the Crocodile are in the U.K. pavilion (these were the last topiaries I saw today on the way around). The features on Captain Hook are different than in previous years – he looks kind of harsh this year.

Peter Pan received his new look in 2020.

Check out the difference in Peter Pan 2018 vs. 2020 (and now).

Nearby, Tick-Tock Croc swims in a blue sea of flowers.

I will be at EPCOT again Sunday and maybe Tuesday as well, and will share any more topiaries that are placed! I am looking forward to the new Princess Tiana and “Encanto” topiaries.