2016 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival in Full Bloom
For the past 22 years, a sure sign that spring has sprung is the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Starting back in 1994 as a small way to display the beauty and talents of the gardening department, this event has turned into a three-month celebration of the great outdoors.
Before jumping into the actual Flower & Garden photos we know no event would be complete without merchandise and this one is no different. Ranging from limited edition pins and a Figment MagicBand to plants you can take home yourself, there is no shortage of options to help make your wallet or purse lighter this year.
[gallery size="medium" link="file" columns="4" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="142674,142673,142672,142663,142662,142661,142660,142659,142658,142646,142645,142644" orderby="rand"]
Of course, if the merch doesn't do it, again this year the outdoor kitchens return to offer guests a wide variety of fresh food and drinks as they enjoy the beautiful displays.
[gallery link="file" columns="4" size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="142692,142689,142686,142679,142680,142677,142671,142670" orderby="rand"]
Now on to those beautiful displays Disney has grown this time around. Starting with the new main entrance featuring Daisy Duck, fitting I feel, and for the first time Huey, Dewey, and Louie along with Uncle Donald are featured in the Fresh Food, Fun, and Flowers display.
Most of the topiaries and garden display throughout Future World are returning favorites including the Fantasia grouping, Butterflies On The Go presented by GoGo SqueeZ, and the Cactus Road Rally play area featuring Lightning McQueen and Mater from the Disney Pixar Cars films.
A few of my returning favorites have to be the Prehistoric Plants near Universe of Energy attraction and the smaller displays showing that plants can not just be beautiful but also helpful.
On to the next page for the real star of the Flower & Garden Festival - World Showcase.
Leaving Future World behind and heading toward World Showcase, we find the another new display Ranger Mickey and Friends presented by National Parks Foundation featuring Chip & Dale and, of course, Ranger Mickey.
Now as they say "a picture is worth a thousand words" so this 25,000-word essay will begin as we walk into World Showcase and walk clockwise ending in Canada.
Two of the more fun, and newer, areas have to be the Urban Farm Eats outdoor kitchen and display with a full Aquaponics dining area display and the Music Garden Melodies play area located on the path to the Imagination Pavilion. 
Before we wrap up this whirlwind tour of the 2016 Flower & Garden Festival, I have to point out that as a lot of WDW Passholders are quick to mention that Disneyland Resort does a lot for their AP holders but I feel the steps Walt Disney World has started to take are on the right path. From posters at the last Star Wars Weekends, port wine glasses at the 20th Annual Food and Wine festival and now special edition prints for this event are all great things that are free to Passholders just for visiting.
Of course, besides everything we just went over, there is also the Festival Center, open Fridays - Sundays during the run of the event, with presentations and hands-on seminars all complimentary, sitting is limited. There are also special weekends events and who could forget the Garden Rocks concert series, if you miss out on any of the fun you will only have yourself to blame!
For more info visit the Official Disney Flower & Garden site.