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Check out the pics from a previous
year
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A flower-festooned pirate ship will drop anchor and
Disney princess topiaries will color the landscape at the 14th annual Epcot
International Flower & Garden Festival April 5-June 3 at Walt Disney World
Resort. Previously running for seven weeks, the popular festival expands to 60
days this year and offers more floral fantasy and gardening fun than ever
before.
The first-ever pirate ship topiary will feature Peter Pan and his nemesis,
Captain Hook, plus Tinker Bell -- all as intricately designed topiaries. Pirate
Mickey Mouse and Princess Minnie Mouse, plus Cinderella and Prince Charming,
Belle and her Beast from "Beauty and the Beast," and other popular characters
make topiary appearances throughout the park. A towering Pirate Goofy, with
Donald Duck and Pluto, offer Disney gardeners a chance to reach new topiary
heights.
In all, there will be more than 70 topiaries -- plus 30 million blooms, artfully
designed floral beds, expertly crafted bonsai trees and lush rose gardens
gracing the 300 acres of Future World and World Showcase. For the first time in
the festival's history, Disney's horticultural team will plant two crop
rotations during the fest -- which will produce "the biggest opening show ever"
and allow for a more brilliant floral display for the festival's duration, says
horticultural manager, Eric Darden.
Beyond the dazzling displays of bursting blooms, the Epcot International Flower
& Garden Festival is known by gardening aficionados for its celebrity guest
speakers, hands-on seminars and innovative planting demonstrations and
exhibits.
Each evening, Flower Power concerts rock the park with live entertainment from
top acts of the 1960s and '70s. Past lineups have included The Turtles, Davy
Jones, The Association and other crowd pleasers.
Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden is back with hundreds of butterflies in a
screened, walk-through enclosure that will include a live exhibit showing how
caterpillars form a chrysalis and emerge as butterflies. The family-oriented
Growing Future Gardeners area, complete with colorful (and tasty) planting
ideas for kids and parents, doubles in size this year following an overwhelming
family response during its 2006 debut.
New themed weekend events will salute spring romance and Easter whimsy. Back by
popular demand are the child-friendly I Dig Bugs weekend, Art in the Garden
weekend, and the time-honored Mother's Day celebration, among others.
Other festival features include:
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The Festival Center, where guests can find program guides and festival
merchandise and attend speaker presentations and demonstrations.
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The popular Great American Gardeners series, opening with Paul James of HGTV's
"Gardening by the Yard," April 5-8.
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A "Lift and Sniff" Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion showcasing flowers
and plants used to create several Guerlain perfumes.
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Disney Gardening at Home presentations during which Disney horticulturists
share tips and secrets for at-home gardening.
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Kids' activities, including an upgraded, fun-filled Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden,
Disney character meet and greets and daily ladybug releases.
More information about the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is
available by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or by visiting
disneyworld.com/flower. The festival, including all gardening programs
and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.
And while millions of blooms adorn Epcot, one million very special dreams will
be granted to guests visiting Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts during a
first-of-its kind celebration, "The Year of a Million Dreams." Guests will find
Disney cast members delivering an unprecedented level of guest service. The
celebration will also be highlighted by the debut of innovative Disney
attractions and entertainment spectaculars at both Disneyland and Walt Disney
World resorts.
BELOW IS 2006 INFORMATION AND MAY NOT APPLY TO 2007.
2006 Flower Power Concerts Rock Epcot
with Pop Royalty of 1960s and '70s
15 Musical Acts Strike Groovy Chord at Epcot April 21-June 11
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. --The Guess Who, Davy Jones, Herman's Hermits starring
Peter Noone and other pop hit makers of the past reign over the Flower Power
concert series April 21-June 11 at the 13th annual Epcot International Flower
& Garden Festival in Walt Disney World Resort.
The spring shower of hit songs from the 1960s and '70s begins with
opening-weekend performances by Nelson, known for their hit, "After the Rain,"
and covers of their father Ricky Nelson's music, including "Garden Party."
Other oldie chart-toppers featured by some of the festival's 15 musical acts
include "Happy Together," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" and "Mrs. Brown
You've Got a Lovely Daughter." The Guess Who, The Association, The Tokens and
Tony Orlando of "Tony Orlando and Dawn" fame, are new to the concert this year.
Arlo Guthrie, B.J. Thomas and The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie are among
returning acts in the musical series for the seven-week Flower Power concerts.
Davy Jones, who has opened the festival during previous years, will perform
this year during the popular Mother's Day Weekend.
Flower Power concerts strike a lively, nostalgic chord daily at America Gardens
Theatre at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. and are included with regular Epcot admission.
Here's the lineup*:
April 21-24 -- Nelson
April 25-27 -- The Buckinghams
April 28-May 1 -- Gary Puckett
May 2-4 -- Grass Roots featuring Rob Grill
May 5-8 -- Paul Revere and the Raiders
May 9-11 -- The Association
May 12-15 -- Davy Jones
May 16-18 -- The Tokens
May 19-22 -- B.J. Thomas
May 23-25 -- Felix Cavaliere's Rascals
May 26-29 -- The Guess Who
May 30-June 1 -- Tony Orlando in Concert
June 2-5 -- Arlo Guthrie
June 6-7 -- The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie
June 8-11 -- Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone
*Entertainment is subject to change without notice.
Guest information is available at disneyworld.com.
Or call 407/824-4321.
Weekend Themes Add Entertainment
Pizzazz To 2006 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Festival Runs April 21 through June 11
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Interactive bug releases, colorful art displays,
family-fun activities and how-to gardening sessions add plenty of themed fun to
every weekend of the 13th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden
Festival April 21 through June 11. Each of the eight festival weekends features
a special theme with events and activities that add to the daily festivities.
Premiere Weekend April 21-23
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Epcot opens with 30 million blooms, topiary magic, gardening activities and
U.S. Postal Service launch (9:30 a.m., April 21) of its Art of Disney Romance
commemorative stamp.
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Nelson launches the Flower Power concert series at America Gardens Theatre.
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Paul James, a.k.a. "The Gardening Guy(" and host of HGTV's "Gardening By the
Yard," answers gardening questions and provides helpful insight into this
popular hobby as part of the Great American Gardeners series presented by the
American Horticultural Society on April 21, 22 and 23 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
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New Romance stamps go on sale with first-day cancellation offered to Disney
guests.
Party in the Garden Weekend April 28-30
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Beloved Disney characters host a garden party for guests at the Ultimate
Backyard Garden Party presented by The Home Depot, where luau, wedding and
birthday party areas showcase ways to throw a big bash.
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Guests can extend their pinkies for a Future World tea party, then celebrate
their "unbirthdays" in Alice's Unbirthday Party near the Sculpture Garden in
Future World.
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The Home Depot and FamilyFun magazine host special kids' activities.
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Gary Puckett belts out nostalgic tunes during the Flower Power concert series.
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Roger Swain, past host of PBS's "The Victory Garden," shares his gardening
know-how.
Art in the Garden Weekend May 5-7
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Twelve artists working in various mediums throughout the weekend will create a
variety of works in the Epcot gardens. Guests also can observe nature through
the eyes of 16 plein air artists May 6 and 7.
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Paul Revere and the Raiders rev up the Flower Power concert beat through the
weekend.
-
Renowned wilderness photographer Clyde Butcher joins Robert L. Bendick Jr. of
The Nature Conservancy to talk with guests about their passion for the
outdoors.
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Festival poster artist Michael Sullivan signs his artwork for guests all
weekend.
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Children can enjoy the Kids Paint Out experience located inside the Sculpture
Garden daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A half dozen easels and special paint
bottles are set out for kids to paint freehand (or any other style) with the
assistance of a professional artist nearby.
Mother's Day Weekend May 12-14
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Members of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs exhibit a spectacular display
of floral arrangements at the Festival Center.
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Moms are treated to a complimentary photo and a flower exclusively on Mother's
Day, May 14. Photo locations can be found throughout the park.
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Families can celebrate mom at the Mother's Day Brunch May 14 at World
ShowPlace. Times are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Guests can make reservations
at 407/WDW-DINE (939-3463).
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Flower Power great Davy Jones makes moms swoon during daily concerts.
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Guerlain perfume specialist Raymond Western talks about the intimate
relationship between perfumes and plants like those displayed at the France
pavilion's Fragrance Garden.
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Children can create the perfect Mother's Day card.
Characters in Bloom Weekend May 19-21
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Dozens of Disney characters pop up throughout the park for a character
extravaganza.
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The Home Depot hosts gardening-related activities and hands-on fun throughout
the weekend.
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FamilyFun magazine features kid craft activities at the Test Track walkway.
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B.J. Thomas makes Flower Power concerts sing each weekend day.
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Butterfly curator Jaret Daniels tells guests how to bring winged beauties to
their gardens.
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The brand-new Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden showcases a glittering Tinker Bell
topiary and provides fun for everyone, especially younger children. Older
children can blast off on the SpaceNet climber near Minnie's Magnificent
Butterfly Garden.
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On May 21, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., artisans showcase handcrafted dolls and teddy
bears.
Memorial Day Weekend May 27-29
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Children ages 3-9 can take part in Field Day activities near The Land with
beanbag tosses, relay races and other outdoor fun.
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Fans dig The Guess Who in concert for Flower Power fun.
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Pat Lanza, author of "Lasagna Gardening," dishes up tips about growing herbs
that taste great in Italian dishes.
I Dig Bugs Weekend June 2-4
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Guests discover that bugs are fun and keep gardens healthy.
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Disney's Animal Kingdom bug specialists appear in Future World East to give
guests a close-up look at caterpillars, spiders and other creatures.
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Gritty Arlo Guthrie brings guitar, harmonica and classic folk to the Flower
Power concert stage.
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Robert Bowden, director of the lush Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, discusses
great Florida plants.
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Jiminy Cricket and friends make special appearances in Future World throughout
the weekend at various times
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Ladybugs will be released more frequently throughout the I Dig Bugs Weekend.
Festival Farewell Weekend June 9-11
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Central Florida gardening celebrity Tom MacCubbin caps the Great American
Gardeners series with advice on creating imaginative container gardens.
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Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone wrap the Flower Power series with their
lively British brand of rock.
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Festival poster artist Michael Sullivan signs his artwork for guests Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.
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Surprise craft activities help kids wrap up their festival fun.
Children of All Ages Dig Flower
Festival Fun at Epcot
Birthday Party Fun, Romance Topiaries, Butterfly House
Featured April 21-June 11
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A garden birthday party for kids, a butterfly house
filled with winged beauties and the Tinker Bell Fairy Garden playground promise
fun for children of all ages at the 13th annual Epcot International Flower
& Garden Festival April 21 through June 11. Kids and their parents can even
organize their own scavenger hunt for 50 Hidden Hearts planted across the
landscape in celebration of the festival's romance theme.
Romance fits this year's festival like a bouquet of perfect red roses with
opening day festivities that include a U.S. Postal Service issue of four "Art
of Disney: Romance" stamps honoring the art of romance as imagined by Walt
Disney and his studio animators. The stamps feature Cinderella and her prince,
Beauty and the Beast, Lady and Tramp, and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. In
addition, the four character couples will appear throughout the seven-week
festival as intricately sculpted topiaries in the park's Future World.
When children aren't searching for Hidden Hearts of varied sizes and materials
or exploring Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden, they can scale the SpaceNet climber or
take their families to the new Growing Future Gardeners area for inspiration to
create their own home gardens.
Entertainment is on tap for the whole family throughout the event, with
highlights including themed weekend activities and the Flower Power concert
series starring pop hit-makers of the 1960s and '70s. Thirty million multi-hued
blossoms will paint the Epcot landscape with color.
Just for kids:
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The brand new Tinker Bell's Fairy Garden (Imagination Walkway), with a
twinkling Tinker Bell topiary, playground, fairy maze and tunnel crawl.
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The Ultimate Backyard Garden Party presented by The Home Depot (next to
Morocco pavilion) filled with ideas for your child's next birthday celebration
and space for children to climb, play and explore.
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Growing Future Gardeners (Future World East), a collection of gardens
where parents and children can get ideas for their own gardening activities
such as a Pizza Garden planted with herbs to make pizza. Kids can also enjoy a
bamboo fort, upside-down trees and garden crafts.
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Daily ladybug releases (1 and 3 p.m.) at the WaterFULL World Garden (Outpost).
Children can participate with each release.
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Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden (Test Track Walkway), where
hundreds of butterflies inhabit a screened-in gazebo lush with foliage and
color.
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The big kids' SpaceNet climber (adjacent to the butterfly garden) which
challenges climbers 5 and older to reach for the stars.
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A miniature Bavarian Village sets the scene for the elaborate Garden Railway
with bridge walkway at the Germany pavilion.
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Kidcot Fun Stops at every World Showcase country that entertain children
with a lineup of creative activities linked to each country's culture.
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Special festival weekends for kids and their families, including the new Party
in the Garden Weekend, with tea parties, Alice's Unbirthday Party, and other
special children's activities; plus the popular Mother's Day Weekend May
12-14, the Characters in Bloom Weekend May 19-21 and I Dig Bugs Weekend
June 2-4. Themed craft activities are scheduled each weekend at the Rose Walk.
Guests can call 407/W-DISNEY or visit
disneyworld.com/flower for more information about the Epcot
International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort. The
festival is included in regular Epcot admission.
Fun Facts Flourish Across Landscape
of 13th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four romantic topiaries of classic Disney couples add
new floral finesse to the 13th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden
Festival April 21-June 11 at Walt Disney World Resort. Among this year's fun
festival facts:
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30 million blooms dress the park throughout the festival, which runs
seven colorful weeks.
-
As part of this year's romance theme, 50 hearts -- some floral, some not
-- are hidden throughout the festival landscaping. Guests can get tips for
finding the hearts when they stop by the Festival Center.
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An elaborate Donald Duck and Daisy Duck "tunnel of love" topiary greets
guests at the park entrance -- look for one of the 50 hidden hearts around the
topiary.
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More than 70 topiaries, including the new sweetheart topiary grouping of
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Lady and Tramp
and Belle and her Beast, are installed across park grounds for the festival.
The four couples, displayed on a "Lovers Lane" from behind Spaceship Earth to
World Showcase Plaza, are represented on new U.S. Postal Service stamps to be
introduced during the festival opening April 21.
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1,500 plants comprise this year's largest character topiary of Mickey
Mouse.
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More than 500 native butterflies representing up to 10 species reside in
Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden, a gazebo-type enclosure filled with lush
plants and measuring more than 40 feet in diameter. Guests can stroll through
the screened habitat to view the colorful butterflies. Among the garden's two
dozen nectar plants are Cape Royal plumbago, passion flower, coral honeysuckle,
blazing star, butterfly bush, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
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300,000 bedding plants are installed for the festival.
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Three butterfly topiaries are on display. Doc, Grumpy and Sleepy of the
seven dwarfs appear at the Germany showcase with intricate topiary detail that
includes beards of palm fiber. Perfume bottle topiaries represent Guerlain
perfumes in the Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion.
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At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors,
including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus
and lichen, are used to create and define features of the festival topiaries.
More color has been added to the topiaries than in any previous topiary
presentation.
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More than 15 floral, herbal and spice ingredients of seven popular
perfumes are revealed in the Fragrance Garden presented by Guerlain at the
France pavilion. Guests can sniff the enduring fragrance Shalimar to discover
botanical notes that include lemon, Arabian jasmine and vanilla. Components of
six other Guerlain fragrances include mimosa, magnolia, rose, nutmeg and
vetivergrass.
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Nearly 40 varieties of trees, plants and flowers are featured in this
year's Ultimate Backyard Garden Party display presented by The Home Depot
between the France and Morocco pavilions.
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Forty-five "flower towers" of impatiens line Innoventions Plaza.
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80 floating mini-gardens of multi-hued impatiens, each three feet in
diameter, provide splashes of color on two lakes that border the walkway
between Future World and World Showcase.
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750 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay
pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
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300 horticulturists from the Walt Disney World nursery are needed to
install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot
horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
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It takes one full year to prepare for the annual festival.
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The festival's Flower Power is bolstered by thrice-daily appearances of musical
hit makers of the 1960s and '70s including The Guess Who, Nelson, Davy Jones,
Paul Revere & The Raiders, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone and The
Association.
Guest information is available at
disneyworld.com. Or call 407/824-4321.
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