traveling with my bwuhs

Since our group enjoyed the Skyliner so much, we decided to take it all the way into Epcot. We lucked out—again—when the first bus that pulled up was for Hollywood Studios (a Skyliner stop), so we were quickly on our way to start our afternoon adventure.

Epcot is a family favorite. The rides are great, the World Showcase has so much to explore, but if I’m being honest…the food is my favorite part. I’ve now been twice during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, and it does not disappoint. We haven’t experienced the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays or the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts yet, and while we were briefly at the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, we didn’t sample any of the food (a tragedy, honestly). I am determined to fix that this year!

Since we arrived via Skyliner, we entered through the International Gateway and stepped right into the World Showcase. With no real plan (which is honestly part of the fun), we wandered through the UK and Canada pavilions in search of snacks.

I don’t ride a ton of rides because of motion sickness, so I usually wait around while the rest of the crew rides. This time, I fully embraced my non-rider status and treated it like my own little solo adventure.

Our first stop was Frozen Ever After in Norway. While the family was on the ride, I explored the Norway pavilion and browsed through The Fjording. Last year, Hubs grabbed a USA Mickey tee from the American Adventure pavilion, and this time I spotted one from the same collection—but with Viking Mickey. Obviously, I had to get it. Hubs loves his Vikings. I also picked up some perfume for my sister, a few pins, and a baby Sven stuffy for Boy1.

Next up was Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in France. There wasn’t quite as much for me to explore there, so after a quick walk-through, I made my way back toward the UK and Canada pavilions to take a closer look. I wandered in and out of shops and, of course, couldn’t resist picking up some British chocolate.

In between Norway and France, we made stops in Germany and Japan for food, shopping, and photos. We also caught part of the ¡Celebración Encanto! show in CommuniCore Plaza—complete with sing-alongs and dancing—which was such a fun surprise. Later, we stumbled upon a Herman’s Hermits performance, which made Hubs’ day.

As a group, we rode The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which was a walk-on (always a win). It was especially fun experiencing that together with my niece and nephew.

While the family rode Test Track, I took advantage of the quiet time and rode two slow rides: Living with the Land (my favorite) and Journey Into Imagination with Figment (Hubs’ favorite). Both were walk-ons, and I ended up riding with just a handful of other people—honestly kind of magical. I’m not sure I’ve ever arrived to a ride and had it waiting for ME and not the other way around. I’ve also never ridden Living with the Land at night, so that was a cool experience.

I spent a little more time browsing in ImageWorks and Creations before we wrapped up the night. Because the weather was pretty blustery, they didn’t do the full Luminous: The Symphony of Us fireworks show. Instead, it was more of a light show—and I actually loved it. There’s just something about Disney park closing shows that always feels a little emotional.

On our way out, we stopped for PhotoPass pictures in front of Spaceship Earth, glowing beautifully in the night. And then, in true Florida fashion, the rain came. Thankfully, it held off just long enough for us to enjoy such a beautiful day in the park.

Here is a list of our International Flower and Garden Festival yums. We didn’t try everything, but we had a lot.

• Conch Fritters with key lime aioli
• Cucumber-Watermelon Slushy
• Beer flight including:
  • Crooked Can Brewing Company: Fiori di Limone Lager
  • Orange Blossom Brewing Co. Starlight Papaya Pilsner
  • Brewery Ommegang Melon Falls Watermelon Kolsch
• Grilled Asparagus: with pancetta bacon, spring peas, frisee lettuce, truffle-sherry vinaigrette, and soft-poached egg
• Scallop: spring pea risotto, lemon beurre blanc, and gremolata
• Blueberry Crumble Cake: blueberry-lemon zest soft-serve and blueberry compote
• Seafood Bake: shrimp, mussels, clams, andouille sausage, red potatoes, corn on the cob, persillade butter, white wine broth, and grilled sourdough
• Grilled Street Corn on the Cob: savory garlic spread featuring Boursin dairy-free garlic and fine herbs cheese
• Orange Cream Bar: vanilla bean-orange mousse covered in a chocolate shell with marshmallow meringue
• Captain’s Board: selection of cheese and cured meats with seasonal accompaniments
• Frushi: strawberry, pineapple, and honeydew wrapped in coconut rice and soy wrap paper served with coconut cream sauce and toasted coconut
• Ramen Cup: cold ramen noodle salad in a cup with fresh vegetaables and grilled chicken served with yuzu-soy vinaigrette and chili oil
• Lavender Lemonade: sake with lavender and minute maid premium lemonade

If you could only visit one Epcot festival, which would you choose—and why?

❤ Jen