After receiving our co-pilot licenses, we thanked our driver and took the very long walk to Epcot. It is quite the trek from the monorail to the security bag check. The ramp takes you almost to the buses and back. (Well, not quite that far but it seems like a really long way.)
We got through the ticket stalls with no problems - which is a miracle. I typically have problems with my passes and have had to have them replaced on several occasions. On one such occasion, the Cast Member once told me it was because of my magnetic personality. Me thinks he was laying it on a bit thick that day.
Mom and I were excited to see the Flower & Garden (F&G) displays. We had seen pictures and knew to expect Epcot in all it’s glory. We were not disappointed but we then again were also a little bit disappointed.
Is it silly of me to take a picture of the exit sign when we were entering the park?
We grabbed a F&G guide and plotted our course. The general idea was to see the Future World stuff and then work our way over to the International Gate and spend the remainder of the day at the Studios. In order to efficiently achieve this, we decided to start on the left and move right. Translation - we went to see the sand sculpture close to Universe of Energy.
Mom’s picture
We got through the ticket stalls with no problems - which is a miracle. I typically have problems with my passes and have had to have them replaced on several occasions. On one such occasion, the Cast Member once told me it was because of my magnetic personality. Me thinks he was laying it on a bit thick that day.
Mom and I were excited to see the Flower & Garden (F&G) displays. We had seen pictures and knew to expect Epcot in all it’s glory. We were not disappointed but we then again were also a little bit disappointed.
Is it silly of me to take a picture of the exit sign when we were entering the park?
We grabbed a F&G guide and plotted our course. The general idea was to see the Future World stuff and then work our way over to the International Gate and spend the remainder of the day at the Studios. In order to efficiently achieve this, we decided to start on the left and move right. Translation - we went to see the sand sculpture close to Universe of Energy.
Mom’s picture
My picture
The sand sculpture was very detailed and impressive. I can’t even imagine how many hours it took the artist to do this. But if you looked on the back side you could see where the sprinklers had sprinkled on it. The back side wasn’t destroyed or anything but you would think that the landscapers would have thought to adjust the sprinklers or something.
As we were admiring the sand art, I heard a man call his two young sons over. With the thickest most stereotypical Brooklyn accent you can imagine, I hear "Mossimo!! Guido!! Come look at this." (I’m not making this stuff up, folks.) For a minute I thought that maybe we were actually at Coney Island and not Epcot. I had to look at where the voice came from . . . you would have thought I was looking at Tony Soprano minus the dark suit. It wouldn’t have surprised me one bit if Carmela was right behind him. I decided to mind my p’s & q’s as to avoid annoying Mossimo and Guido’s father and live another day. Cement shoes in Bay Lake didn’t sound like a very good way to end my vacation.
New York was well represented at Disney World this week because I also heard other children being called Anthony and Dominic.
After narrowly missing a swim with the fishes, we found Garden Town (former the Wonders of Life pavilion) and went to check it out - and it was air conditioned and had a bathroom. Future World bathrooms are far and few between thereby making most of them busy and less than tidy - so knowing where a secret bathroom is heaven.
We spied some gardening tip sheets and found some that might come in handy in the future - things like composting, planning a water garden, etc... Of course we had to check out the Garden Town Mercantile where Mom and I both got F&G pins for our collection. (Sorry Dad - you don’t get one of these since you weren’t at F&G.)
Then we saw a movie on how Disney landscapers get everything ready for F&G Festival. It was held in the old The Making of Me theater. There is still a sign up for the old movie. 
Almost gives you hope that it will return some day - although I am not holding my breath.
We also discovered the trains.
Not really sure what the trains had to do with F&G but it was a nice display nonetheless.
Mom and I went to the Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden next. Something was sponsored by Claritin so we got lots of allergy tips on the path to the butterflies - nothing my Allergist hadn’t already told me but probably helpful for minor allergy sufferers.
It was very crowded when we walked in but we stayed long enough for the crowds to thin out so we could get a better look. It was fascinating to see all the different stages of butterfly development. I’ve seen pictures before but to see a butterfly actually emerge was exciting. We also had quite the task to try to identify the various butterflies. It made me have to think when I was on vacation - oh the horror of it all!!!
(These aren’t the best pictures because of the wire background but I love the colors)
After the butterflies, Flat Brody found his buddy Pluto in Pluto’s Play Zone.
We saw lots of great topiaries here and there but didn’t take pictures of all of them. It was getting warm in the sun so I think we got a little distracted and failed on camera duty. But we found a bench in the shade to have a little rest and not a moment too soon because the dancing water fountain in Innoventions Plaza was starting. It isn’t a huge show like the Bellagio but another bit of Disney fun when you happen upon it.
But enough of resting, we had the Sculpture Garden to see. Some were very classic in nature and others looked like Fred Sanford cleared out his junkyard. Just goes to prove that you can call anything art and get away with it.
Next up was Peter Pan’s Never Land Garden.
Flat Brody meets Tinkerbell.
I love all the topiaries but they remind me of the Rose Parade - don’t have to be alive just made of natural things. I love the topiaries where they are in shapes of the characters or animals and are covered in traveling fig vines. Guess my purist attitude extends farther than just the People Mover.
Moving around towards Canada, we checked out all of the shopping booths. There were lots of fun yard stuff and art exhibits. We saw lots we were interested in but practicality set in and we just browsed. Although I think Mom really wanted a garden tote that was designed just for F&G she said she would think about it. As with most of her think about it items, we never went back for it.
Almost gives you hope that it will return some day - although I am not holding my breath.
We also discovered the trains.
Not really sure what the trains had to do with F&G but it was a nice display nonetheless.
Mom and I went to the Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden next. Something was sponsored by Claritin so we got lots of allergy tips on the path to the butterflies - nothing my Allergist hadn’t already told me but probably helpful for minor allergy sufferers.
It was very crowded when we walked in but we stayed long enough for the crowds to thin out so we could get a better look. It was fascinating to see all the different stages of butterfly development. I’ve seen pictures before but to see a butterfly actually emerge was exciting. We also had quite the task to try to identify the various butterflies. It made me have to think when I was on vacation - oh the horror of it all!!!(These aren’t the best pictures because of the wire background but I love the colors)
After the butterflies, Flat Brody found his buddy Pluto in Pluto’s Play Zone.We saw lots of great topiaries here and there but didn’t take pictures of all of them. It was getting warm in the sun so I think we got a little distracted and failed on camera duty. But we found a bench in the shade to have a little rest and not a moment too soon because the dancing water fountain in Innoventions Plaza was starting. It isn’t a huge show like the Bellagio but another bit of Disney fun when you happen upon it.
But enough of resting, we had the Sculpture Garden to see. Some were very classic in nature and others looked like Fred Sanford cleared out his junkyard. Just goes to prove that you can call anything art and get away with it.
Next up was Peter Pan’s Never Land Garden.
Flat Brody meets Tinkerbell.
I love all the topiaries but they remind me of the Rose Parade - don’t have to be alive just made of natural things. I love the topiaries where they are in shapes of the characters or animals and are covered in traveling fig vines. Guess my purist attitude extends farther than just the People Mover.Moving around towards Canada, we checked out all of the shopping booths. There were lots of fun yard stuff and art exhibits. We saw lots we were interested in but practicality set in and we just browsed. Although I think Mom really wanted a garden tote that was designed just for F&G she said she would think about it. As with most of her think about it items, we never went back for it.
**Sigh**
She missed the shopping gene but at least she got the Disney gene.
We came upon the Water Works area which was of special interest to Mom since they just had a sprinkler system installed a week before out trip. So Mom showed me which system they had gotten and even got some tips on programming the sprinkler system. And we even got some packets of flower seeds. I gave mine to Mom since I was not likely to grow flowers from seeds - I am more of a go to Home Depot and buy a flat of flowers.
We stopped by Canada to see the beautiful garden there. They didn’t really have anything special for F&G but everything was in tip top shape.
Mom snapped a picture of the sunflowers for my sister since she had just had a party and had to go to three florists to find enough sunflowers. All she really needed to do was drive to Florida and sneek into Epcot.
We came upon the Water Works area which was of special interest to Mom since they just had a sprinkler system installed a week before out trip. So Mom showed me which system they had gotten and even got some tips on programming the sprinkler system. And we even got some packets of flower seeds. I gave mine to Mom since I was not likely to grow flowers from seeds - I am more of a go to Home Depot and buy a flat of flowers.
We stopped by Canada to see the beautiful garden there. They didn’t really have anything special for F&G but everything was in tip top shape.
Mom snapped a picture of the sunflowers for my sister since she had just had a party and had to go to three florists to find enough sunflowers. All she really needed to do was drive to Florida and sneek into Epcot.
Flower & Garden Festival is very nice but I was a little disappointed that there weren’t more demonstrations and met the gardener type of things. (There are some of these things but only about one a day which makes it hard to get to.) After experiencing Food & Wind Festival, I had it in my head that F&G would be really interactive - which unless they get people to plants stuff I am not sure how it could be truly interactive. It just seemed more like a botanical garden than a festival. When all is said and done, Mom and I had a nice time and enjoyed ourselves.
Next installment - Yes Mom, you’ve seen the International Gate before - it’s just up here on the right.
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