Disney Springs has debuted a new LEGO art sculpture that will be familiar to Mickey Mouse fans. The Sorcerer Mickey statue pays tribute to the iconic “the Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment of Walt Disney’s animated classic Fantasia. We visited Disney Springs today to get a closer… Read More »Sorcerer Mickey LEGO sculpture casts spell at Disney Springs
Tokyo DisneySea is often regarded as Disney’s best, or at least most beautiful, theme park. It might also be the best version of Fantasmic! across all the various Disney parks around the world. (Fighting words, I know. Disagree? Let us know in the comments!) Because… Read More »Tokyo DisneySea Fantasmic Official Farewell Video
It’s become an annual tradition. With a few weeks left to go in the year, Walt Disney World swaps out merchandise branded with the current year and starts to stock souvenirs for the next. I popped into MouseGear in EPCOT to discover the switch is… Read More »2017 Walt Disney World Merchandise
Dropped by EPCOT for a brief visit on Wednesday night and stop in MouseGear to see what’s new or eye catching. Prominently displayed were these new Sorcerer Mickey themed misting Fans. They’re a big change over the more traditional misting fan that is basically a… Read More »New Sorcerer Mickey themed Misting Fan at Disney
In the heart of Disney’s Hollywood Studios you’ll find The Magic of Disney Animation, home to the two most famous Disney animated characters of all Mickey & Minnie Mouse. We decided to get a couple family photos taken with Walt’s two mousy creations and, of… Read More »Meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Due to a family vacation, I’ve not yet found my way to this year’s Flower & Garden Festival at EPCOT. But after watching this behind the scenes video of the installation of the Sorcerer Mickey Topiary at the park’s entrance. Looks grand.
The 2012 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will begin blooming soon. In just over a month the park will roll out its 19th festival and the third with HGTV as a sponsor. I think it’s been a great partnership and look forward to seeing what the combined forces can bring this year.
One of the highlights promises to be the Sorcerer Mickey topiary that’s part of the largest-ever Disney front-entrance topiary. There will be a stellar cast of HGTV design celebrities and a great line up of artists at the Flower Power concert series.
Here’s a sneak peek of this year’s festival news:
The 19th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV runs March 7-May 20.
Disney’s gardening magic goes a long way when an eight-foot-tall floral Sorcerer Mickey topiary holds court in front of the park’s iconic Spaceship Earth. Standing atop a 12-foot-tall floral mountain cliff, Sorcerer Mickey directs a riot of color in the manicured shapes of dancing broomsticks, buckets, mushrooms, hippos, alligators and elephants straight from the classic Disney film, “Fantasia.” The scene pops with pink geraniums, white poppies, violet petunias, blue delphiniums and pansies.
Twice daily each Friday through Sunday of the festival, HGTV designers and hosts share their insights on landscapes and design with Festival Center audiences. John Gidding of “Curb Appeal: The Block” kicks off the series March 9-11 with curb-appeal design tips for homeowners.
Music fills each festival weekend when pop music hitmakers of the 1960s and ’70s rule the America Gardens Theatre stage with performances of their greatest songs. Jose Feliciano ignites the Flower Power concert series March 9-11 with his treasure trove of tunes. Two new festival acts are in store: Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night (April 27-29) and The Orchestra featuring former members of ELO and ELO Part II (May 4-6).
The front-entrance floral spectacle will welcome guests to a festival packed with new gardens and displays, featured speakers and hands-on fun for all ages, including daily gardening workshops with take-home projects for all who participate.
Thirty million blooms, 240 floating mini-gardens on two ponds, 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables, dozens of Disney character topiaries, 30 “flower towers” of impatiens and sweeping beds of original floral designs create a new tapestry of brilliant color across the 260-acre Epcot landscape. It takes more than one year and 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists to plan and prepare for the 75-day festival.
Halfway through the festival, Disney gardeners remove the cold-hardy blossoms that thrive in March and early April to plant a new crop of flowers that flourish in spring’s warmer temperatures. And throughout the event, dozens of gardening experts meet guests daily with fresh landscape ideas for 2012. Daily workshops at the Festival Center let guests dig into projects they can take home at the end of the day.
Don’t Miss!
The Festival Center– Guests can shop for festival merchandise, attend demonstrations and get ideas and tips from master gardeners. In Future World between Universe of Energy and Mission:SPACE.
Disney Gardening at Home presentations– Disney horticulturists and local experts like Robert Bowden of Harry P. Leu Gardens will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity. At the Festival Center.
Special Festival Weekend Celebrations– An Art in the Garden celebration of plein air artists is scheduled March 23-25; a Disney’s Animal Kingdom Specialists weekend presents indigenous insects that are part of our world; a Florida Federation of Garden Clubs gathering will be April 27-29; and a Fresh from Florida Farmer’s Market salute is slated for May 4-6.
Bambi’s Butterfly House, three times the size of the festival’s original, is a-flutter with multiple species of brilliant butterflies. At Imagination Walkway by Innoventions West.
Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden–Fabulous Disney fairy topiaries alight to greet young fans who enter this whimsical garden designed with play structures for children ages 2-5. At the Test Track Walkway.
The HGTV Designers Stage presents HGTV celebrities each Friday through Sunday and nationally recognized garden personalities Monday through Thursday. At the Festival Center.
Flower Power concert series welcomes back 20th century pop favorites this year when Chubby Checker and The Wildcats, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Davy Jones and eight other bands rock the America Gardens Theatre with their timeless tunes. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Performers and appearance dates subject to change.