Welcome back to Disney 101!! If you missed part 1 yesterday be sure to check it out here. Also, before you begin the courses be sure to click here to see the course requirements and outline.
Course 1 Part 2~Special Events~Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival and Star Wars Weekends
Photo Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/mommymusings/3373872953/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival presented by HGTV
This event takes place every spring and is truly a delight for everyone that has a bit of a green thumb. Well…who am I kidding? Even if you are not a gardener you are sure to enjoy this splendid form of art as Disney transforms Epcot into a beautiful garden. Those that visit between the months of March-Mid-May will be able to see dazzling Disney character topiary’s, live music and educational programs for kids and adults. If you were not already a fan of gardening this event is sure to inspire you to turn your garden into a Disney garden!
The Bottom Line
Time-Frame: Flower and Garden begins in early March and ends in Mid-May. With the exception of special presentations throughout the event, you can see the spectacular gardens anytime throughout your visit.
Cost: You will need park tickets in order to enjoy this special event. Did know there is more to do than view the gardens? Here are some fun things you can enjoy at no extra cost to you.
- Educational Presentations at the Festival Center
- Themed Weekends such as, Art in the Garden Weekend, Fresh from Florida Weekend and much more.
- Special Events such as Bambi’s Butterfly House, English Tea Garden, and many more.
- Fun for kids such as Toy Story Alphabet Garden, Backyard Play Garden, Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden and many more.
- Flower Power Concert Series
Crowds: Being that this event is held during spring break, Easter and the start of Star Wars Weekends this event can get very crowded. I highly recommend getting a Touringplans.com membership to help guide you on the lower times to visit Flower and Garden Festival.
Weather:
- March average temperature is 67.4 degrees with an average rainfall of 3.54″
- April average temperature is 67.4 degrees with an average rainfall of 2.42″
- May average temperature is 79.0 degrees with an average rainfall of 3.74″
Quality: Flower and Garden Festival attracts people from all over the world. The presentation that Disney and HGTV have put together is truly amazing and very well worth the trip. Disney Guru gives this event two thumbs up!
Tips:
- Be sure to put aside some time to enjoy the event with your family. Do not underestimate the event even if you do not have a green thumb. There is enough Disney inspiration to get the entire family engaged.
- Startours-The Adventures Continue This is a 3-D attractions that is truly the hub for this celebration. You will fly on a Starspeeder 1000 with over 50 different adventures. Be sure to see where the force takes you!
- Behind the Force takes Guests behind the scenes at Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Hosted by Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), the show features a different Clone Wars celebrity each weekend in a chat about what goes into the making of the TV program.
- Hyperspace Hoopla is the mega-popular end-of-the-day event that’s become a YouTube sensation. The Star Wars characters converge to compete against one another in a variety of musical dance competitions.
- Jedi Training Academy is an event for younger children that can be chosen to partake in the Jedi Training Academy.
- Legends of the Force is a Celebrity Motorcade which will feature the celebrities that have come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the event. Do not forget to have your camera ready to snap a picture of the two celebrities and the characters together.
- May average temperature is 79.0 degrees with an average rainfall of 3.74″
- June average temperature is 81.2 degrees with an average rainfall of 7.35″
- Be sure to arrive early to the Stars of the Saga talk show for a takeover like no other.
- Arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios early in the morning for a rooftop surprise.
- Get to know the map and devise a priority plan in advance.
- The most important tip is ARRIVE EARLY!
22 Comments.
Ok…..a Star Wars weekend will also be in our future plans.
…..and the Flower and Garden Festival. LOL.
That is so funny!! They really do have the best special events ever!!
This year was my family’s first Star Wars Weekend. I can’t wait to go back. We want to go back every year, it is so much fun. Even non-Star Wars fans can enjoy the Hyperspace Hoopla and other activities it’s fun for all ages too.
I don’t know that I will ever make it to Star Wars weekends. I am not a big fan and my little ones are girls and haven’t seen it so I would just rather avoid the huge crowds
I’ve never been a Star Wars fan.. but when I realized my boyfriend was going to be there during it (…now…) I got super jealous! I still want to go with him! 🙂
I love the Star Wars Weekends. It is one of our favorite times of the year at Disney. I can remember so many magical moments with my family during the SWW. LOL!!
My husband would love the Star Wars Weekends. The Flower & Garden Festival would be more up my alley though. We might have to try to go to these in the future.
I would love to go to Epcot during the flower and garden show.
My boys are finally old enough to enjoy Star Wars…..maybe next year???
Never been to Star Wars Weekends (Love the StarTours attraction, but the event just does not seem to draw my interest (don’t like the crowds either) … but Love the Flower & Garden Festival! Just got back 3 weeks ago 🙂 been there a few times for that!
We were there dueing the Flower and Garden Festival. It was terrific!
I’m hoping that I will be invited this wedding next year in Florida so that I may finally be able to attend SWW!!
My husband and I went to the opening weekend of SWW and had such a great time! We got our picture taken with Darth Vader and enjoyed the sarcastic Storm Troopers on top of the turnstiles as we entered the park. The F&GF was beautiful; they definitely spent a great deal of time putting everything together and it was definitely worth it. Absolutely beautiful!
Star Wars Weekends are on our Disney Bucket List but Flower and Garden Festival is still one of our favorites!!!
Hyperspace Hoopla is the best!
The flowers during the flower and garden show are amazing to see!
I would love to come sometime for the Flower and Garden Festival! To see WDW all dressed up for Spring!
love the Flower and Garden Festival! The Pixie Hollow playground area was so awesome this year – my little one loved it!
I loved the Flower and Garden festival. I could have just sat on a bench all day and enoyed the view.
I have horrible allergies, so not sure the Flower and Garden festival is high on my list, though it looks beautiful. My husband and I have already agreed to do SWW with our boys when they hit the pre-teens… if they are still doing it in seven years!
We got to experience the flower & garden festival in 2011, it was amazing! The detail that goes into those topiaries is pretty cool. The kids even loved going around finding all their favorite characters.
The star wars weekend might be more on my husband’s list of things to do as I (shhh) have never seen any of the star wars movies. It’s just not my thing, but my son loves it. He’s still a little too scared to get up on stage and do the jedi training though, I have a few more months to talk him into it though. I think he would love it!