2013 International Flower & Garden Festival

[Brian G.]

Oz will be featured next year. From Disney Parks Blog

In case you aren’t yet familiar, the film tells the back story of Oz The Great and Powerful. Here’s the synopsis: When Oscar Diggs, a small-time magician, is hurled away from Kansas to the Land of Oz, he thinks fame and fortune are his for the taking, until he meets three witches who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Drawn into the epic problems facing the inhabitants of Oz, Oscar must use his magical arts to save them and transform himself into the great and powerful wizard—and into a better man as well.

We’re happy to announce today that guests visiting the 2013 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival this spring can visit this Land of Oz in the form of an original interactive play area that will be one of the festival’s newest offerings. Here, guests can follow in the footsteps of Oz The Great and Powerful by playing carnival games in a circus-themed area. Here red-and-white tents will offer all kinds of midway games, plus fun photo opportunities

The next stop is the “Land of Oz Play Area”, where bubbles fill the air, and where you can find: play equipment adorned with giant flowers, The Great and Powerful Oz’s crashed hot-air balloon, and more! Guests can also wander through the “Oz Movie Garden,” which will feature lush, unusual plants inspired by the Land of Oz.

The 2013 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will return on March 6, however, click below for a sneak peek at the film to enjoy in the meantime.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

So this will be by the Brave thing or the normal playground they have every year?

 

[BJCool]

^Essentially, it's 2013's equivalent of the Brave area that was there this year. The Mouse has to plug their flicks somehow.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

^Essentially, it's 2013's equivalent of the Brave area that was there this year. The Mouse has to plug their flicks somehow.

How many hula hoops will there be? That's the best way to promote a film IMO

 

[Nick]

More in depth info from WDW Magic:

Disney has released a few more details for next year's 2013 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, taking place from 6 March to 19 May 2013.

Some new additions look sure to add some extra magic to an already popular festival at Epcot. For the first time the topiary around the park will be illuminated during the evenings, there will be special cooking stations offering exclusive-to-the-festival bites along the park’s World Showcase promenade, and an all new circus-like "Land of Oz Play Area," based on the Disney fantastical film adventure “Oz: The Great and Powerful” to be released in March 2013.

Here are some more details:

• Festival-themed flavors: Guests will discover culinary creations and refreshing libations at multiple festival-themed food and beverage locations. Chefs are tweaking the menu to include backyard barbecue and a variety of garden-inspired and global tastes. Around the World Showcase promenade

• Fab Five topiary barbecue: 14-foot-tall topiary Goofy will bobble an anniversary cake while Donald and Daisy play badminton, Mickey fires up the grill, Pluto swipes a link of hot dogs and Minnie chills out on a colorful blanket of blossoms. At Epcot Front Entrance

• Land of Oz Play Area: This interactive new children’s play zone will feature play systems adorned with giant flowers and designed to stretch kids’ imaginations and muscles. Midway-style games, red-and-white circus-themed tents and the “Oz Movie Garden” of intriguing plants will capture the spirit of the upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” Also on tap: fun games, photo opportunities, the “great and powerful Oz’s” crashed hot-air balloon and lush plants inspired by the movie. On the Imagination Walkway

• Illuminated Gardens: Every night when the sun sets, many of the festival’s world-famous Disney topiaries and gardens will twinkle and shine in a new light. Throughout World Showcase and Future World

• “Monsters University” topiary: Floral representations of Mike and Sully from the hit Disney-Pixar film “Monsters, Inc.” and stars of Disney-Pixar’s June 2013 release, “Monsters University,” will join the festivities as new topiary family members. On the Future World Walkway

• Phineas and Ferb topiary: The popular Disney Channel animated celebs limit their shenanigans to go green for a family photo-op. Behind Spaceship Earth

• “Radiator Springs” interactive play zone: Race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck “Mater” of the Disney-Pixar film “Cars 2? will be the well-maintained topiary stars of this play area. On the Test Track Walkway

• Flower Power Firsts: 1970s top disco band The Village People (April 19-21) and 1960s singer-songwriter Tommy Roe (May 3-5) bring on the Flower Power beat when they take the concert stage. At America Gardens Theatre

And a new twist:

• Fawn’s Butterfly House: Eight fanciful fairy topiaries of Pixie Hollow, including Tinker Bell, Fawn, Vidia and Terrence, take over the Butterfly House this year where hundreds of colorful winged beauties flit to life. On the Imagination Walkway

Sounds like the Festival will definitely be seeing nice improvements this year. It also seems based on the text in bold that they will be incorporating some F&W elements (i'm actually surprised they went this long before adding something like this to the festival seeing how much of a money maker F&W is).

 

[Brian G.]

Official Release:

http://orlandounited.com/2012/11/29...lower-garden-festival-set-for-march-6-may-19/

 

[BJCool]

From @Attractions

You can see the Emerald City and huge flowers peeking over the wall at Epcot for the upcoming Land of Oz Play Area:

 

[SeventyOne]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...-garden-food-preview-20130123,0,4928776.story

Looks like the event is morphing into a mini Food & Wine, with a dozen food stands around the Showcase.

I am excited for the Captain and Dole Whip.

 

[ReelJustice]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...-garden-food-preview-20130123,0,4928776.story

Looks like the event is morphing into a mini Food & Wine, with a dozen food stands around the Showcase.

I am excited for the Captain and Dole Whip.

Epcot has essentially turned into the world's largest bar with the world's highest cover charge.

 

[SeventyOne]

Epcot has essentially turned into the world's largest bar with the world's highest cover charge.

Honestly, if they'd just embrace that--ala Project Gemini with a dash of New Years Eve--I don't know that it would be a bad thing. Would probably have a Brazilian steakhouse and Greek restaurant with accompanying pavilions by now. Why, some sort of 1930s-esque club for adventurers would even match the decor in the Africa corner of WS.

 

[JungleSkip]

Honestly, if they'd just embrace that--ala Project Gemini with a dash of New Years Eve--I don't know that it would be a bad thing. Would probably have a Brazilian steakhouse and Greek restaurant with accompanying pavilions by now. Why, some sort of 1930s-esque club for adventurers would even match the decor in the Africa corner of WS.

Ugh. No.

I like to drink at EPCOT like most here. But like most here, I know I can control myself there. Most tourists can't. And since they've closed PI, WS is becoming a problem. I never saw the obnoxious drunks there like I have since PI closed.

I have no problem with drinking in the parks, but turning WS into the bar district of WDW is taking it too far.

 

[Scarletwebslingr]

Is it sad that I read "2013 Interactive Flower & Garden?" This is what Disney does to the brain...

 

[shiekra38]

Is it sad that I read "2013 Interactive Flower & Garden?" This is what Disney does to the brain...

Don't miss the NextGen interactive flowers...they come alive..and track you

 

[Scarletwebslingr]

Don't miss the NextGen interactive flowers...they come alive..and track you

Once Avatar hits DAK, you'll probably be right.

 

[Dr. Emmett Brown]

I am excited for the Captain and Dole Whip.

Ok, you've got my attention.

 

[UOR92]

This sounds like a giant walking allergy attack waiting to happen.......No thanks Ill go and see some pretty weeds for free...


Aint nobody got time fo dat!

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Ugh. No.

I like to drink at EPCOT like most here. But like most here, I know I can control myself there. Most tourists can't. And since they've closed PI, WS is becoming a problem. I never saw the obnoxious drunks there like I have since PI closed.

I have no problem with drinking in the parks, but turning WS into the bar district of WDW is taking it too far.

Wait, people go to EPCOT to drink? Obnoxious drunks walking around? I made this very comment in the New Fantasyland thread when it was announced Be Our Guest was going to serve alcohol, yet was pretty much told by the board I didn't know what I was talking about. I said it before and I'll say it again, I hardly take my family to EPCOT anymore bc of the "Drinking Round the World" crew.

 

[SeventyOne]

Wait, people go to EPCOT to drink? Obnoxious drunks walking around? I made this very comment in the New Fantasyland thread when it was announced Be Our Guest was going to serve alcohol, yet was pretty much told by the board I didn't know what I was talking about. I said it before and I'll say it again, I hardly take my family to EPCOT anymore bc of the "Drinking Round the World" crew.

Not to be "that guy," but honestly--if you think the drunks at EPCOT are bad, you must live in Mayberry. Compared to, say, downtown Orlando (which is a small, podunk-ish downtown), EPCOT is incredibly tame. Actually, PI was relatively tame, too, but EPCOT even more so.

Failed to multiquote, but Jungle Skip, what is a realistic alternative for WS? This is Disney, they're not going to build a ride for every country. They aren't even refurbing the rides that exist! Would you prefer it remain a stagnant 1981 Worlds Fair, or would you rather see something to inject new life into the area?

 

[King_K.]

Wait, people go to EPCOT to drink? Obnoxious drunks walking around? I made this very comment in the New Fantasyland thread when it was announced Be Our Guest was going to serve alcohol, yet was pretty much told by the board I didn't know what I was talking about. I said it before and I'll say it again, I hardly take my family to EPCOT anymore bc of the "Drinking Round the World" crew.

You don't know what you're talking about.

You're making Epcot sound like Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. I've drunk around the world many, many times, and I haven't been obnoxious, nor have I seen other obnoxious people. What I do see is friends and families with checklist shirts or maps of all the drinking spots having a good time and enjoying themselves. And I go to Epcot multiples times a year, for over a few decades.

 

[Jakemeister]

I for see a can of worms being opened.