Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

An elaborate “Cinderellabration” topiary and an environmentally friendly Green Garden bring fresh springtime flair to the 16th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, presented by Disneynature, March 18-May 31, 2009. Amid a colorful tableau of flowers, plants and topiaries, Walt Disney World guests of all ages can explore myriad exhibits and activities geared toward gardening and outdoor fun. Flower Power concerts pump up the volume and spread a groovy vibe each weekend at America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase.

Every spring, Disney gardeners channel their creative energy into presenting an intricate topiary display against the backdrop of Spaceship Earth. This year, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Snow White and the seven dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip, and Belle and Beast from “Beauty and the Beast” debut in all their “blooming finery” as the grand front-entrance topiary during the 75-day festival. Disney’s topiary gardeners display extraordinary craftsmanship using a variety of plants, flowers, grasses and mosses in the “Cinderellabration” topiary – as well as 70 additional topiaries decorating the park landscape. New gardens, events and children’s play areas offer more reasons to visit the 16th annual festival:

· Green Garden– Guests discover how anyone can create an environmentally friendly garden as they learn about low-water-use gardens, incorporating native plants into their garden and recycling.

· Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden– Colorful topiaries of Tinker Bell and her friends from Walt Disney Pictures’ “Tinker Bell” sprinkle pixie dust over this whimsical garden. Every day, kids can participate in hands-on activities and, at 2 p.m., children dressed as fairies or princesses can join in a pixie processional. On March 21, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the director and producer of “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure” will be on hand to meet and greet guests.

· Pirates Adventure Zone – Captain Hook and Croc topiaries lure young swashbucklers to this interactive space designed for exploration and adventure.

· Floral Floating Gardens – Guests strolling the concourse between East and West lakes will discover a new twist to the colorful floating gardens: larger-than-ever 8-foot floaters of brilliant blooms serve the eco-function of drinking up excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates in order to keep pesky pollutants at bay.

· Special Environmentality Celebration (April 24-26) – This special event showcases how to keep the planet green through solutions like reducing waste.

Sweeping floral beds and exhibits will feature 30 million blooms. A Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion tells the “love story” of plants and perfume with Guerlain hosts guiding your tour. The English Tea Garden at the United Kingdom pavilion offers complimentary guided tours daily exploring the art and history of blending tea plants such as the camomile flower, peppermint plant, lemon tree and ginger root – all on display. The art of bonsai will “wow” guests at the Japan showcase.