Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

Picking up as a Part II to the weekend's post A New Hollywood Studios...

After a delicious lunch at Olive Garden (salad and bread sticks while I had fettuccine alfredo and Brett had spaghetti), we went over to Epcot, my favorite park of the four.  I know I've said it before, but Epcot is my happy place.  I just love the World Showcase.

Right now, Epcot is hosting the annual Flower & Garden Festival, the spring equivalent to the fall's Food & Wine Festival.  On the way over to the park entrance on the tram, the announcer mentioned a number of character topiaries--and I think the number had three digits.

Woody, Lotso, & Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story 3

As usual, we started on Spaceship Earth.  We discovered a number of characters hiding in the greenery around the entrance, before we journeyed back to the World Showcase.  I went on a hat tour around the world.  Brett didn't participate.  But I guess it's kind of like the underage man's (or the poor man's) version of drinking around the world.  Actually, maybe the underage, poor man's version of drinking around the world is Club Cool.  It's a shop in Future World that features soda from 10 different countries that guests can sample (endlessly).

Daisy Duck & Donald Duck

Mickey Mouse, Pluto, & Minnie Mouse

Tinkerbell from Peter Pan

(Photopass)

Thumper, Bambi, & Flower from Bambi

Winnie the Pooh, Rabbit, Tigger, Piglet, & Eeyore

Lightning McQueen & Mater from Cars

{Canada}

Canadian hat

{United Kingdom}

I've always wanted a photo in these telephone booths that are placed throughout the United Kingdom pavilion.

Tigger & Pooh
(Photopass)
I stumbled upon them while looking for a hat.  There was absolutely no wait, so I figured why not?

British hat

Peter Pan, Captain Hook, & the alligator from Peter Pan
(Photopass)

{France}

Prince Charming & Cinderella from Cinderella
Prince Phillip & Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty

The Beast & Belle from Beauty & the Beast
 (Photopass)

Cogsworth, Lumiere, Chip, & Mrs. Potts from Beauty & the Beast

Paris, France

French Perfumes

French hat
 

{Morocco}

Aladdin from Aladdin

Morocco

Moroccan hat

{Japan}

Japanese hat
(Japan was slacking on hats.)

{The American Adventure}

American hat
 

{Italy}

The Tramp & Lady from Lady & the Tramp

Italian hat

{Germany}

German hat

Rapunzel's tower from Disney's latest hit, Tangled

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

{African Trading Post}

Pumba, Simba, Rafiki, & Timon from The Lion King

{China}

Chinese hat

Pandas
 

{Norway}

Troll

Norwegian hat

{Mexico}

Mexican hat

Even though we didn't do many attractions or even eat in the park, this had to be one of my favorite visits.  The Flower & Garden Festival is beautiful, and I'm definitely glad I don't have any allergies.

And to explain my outfit change from the morning trip to Hollywood Studios: that romper was getting very uncomfortable and my shoes were killing my feet.  I decided to change into the only other clothes I had with me (although I guess I could have put on my swim suit and the cover up dress I had).  I would probably do yoga in those clothes, but whatever.  As for my shoes.  I bought some cheap flip-flops at Walgreens before we went back to Disney, and they ended up rubbing between my toes really bad.  Hello blisters!

Talk about a photo overload, right?  This post definitely sets the new record for most pictures per post, formally held by Julie & Hannah vs. the USA - Part I.