Day 2, Flower & Garden Festival
Can you guess the very first thing we did upon entering EPCOT for the opening day of the Flower & Garden Festival? It was my idea, of course: Pictures! We spent some time looking cute, and I knew we had to document the outfits before we officially melted.
Once the evidence of us looking "put together" was secured, we took a quiet stroll through the butterfly garden. It’s a festival staple and so peaceful. Then, we hit Figment. It’s a classic, the line was short, and I had a very important mission: I needed to show my new water bottle its roots!
For those who don’t know, I’ve been documenting my journey with a water bottle that has Figment and Orange Bird on it. As luck would have it, Figment was actually there for a meet and greet! Yes, I am a total dork, but I got to show him the bottle. I think he was impressed.
Thanks to Danielle, we headed to the top of the pyramid to check out the DVC lounge. I made sure to send a video of the fancy coffee machine to Brian. I’m constantly dropping not-so-subtle pushes for us to join the Disney Vacation Club—I mean, who can say no to high-end caffeine?!
Then... it was time for the FOOD to open!
We spent the rest of our afternoon strolling, people-watching, and eating our way through the festival. Here is the play-by-play of our delicious marathon:
- Tuna Poke Bowl (Nectar Outdoor Kitchen): This was our first stop! It’s a huge hit for 2026, loaded with high-quality tuna, edamame, avocado, mango, and seaweed salad over sticky rice. It’s so fresh and definitely a "best of the fest" savory item. While eating this, I even met a fellow Disney-loving homeschool mom wearing my exact outfit!
- Trio of Dips and Chips (Yacht Grub): These are house-made potato chips served with three incredible dips: whipped feta with candied lemon, caramelized onion with caviar, and pimento cheese with pickles. It’s the ultimate salty snack.
- Chilaquiles con Carne: Crunchy corn tortillas tossed in salsa ranchera and topped with perfectly sliced steak. So flavorful!
- Spicy Mango Margarita: A kick of heat from lime-jalapeño juice mixed with blanco tequila, reposado mezcal, and sweet mango purée.
- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake: A sweet, creamy classic that hits the spot for only $5.50.
- Elderflower Sparkling Cocktail: Light, floral, and very refreshing for a warm festival day.
- Canard Confit (France): This is a sophisticated dish of pulled duck confit with rosemary and mushroom sauce, served over a herbed polenta cake.
- Beignet Caramélisé: A dream of a dessert! It’s a caramelized beignet stuffed with vanilla cream and glazed with fleur de sel caramel.
- Seared Scallops: Perfectly cooked and served with French green beans, marble potatoes, and a savory bacon vinaigrette.
- Beef Tenderloin Tips: Tender beef with a rich mushroom bordelaise, served with whipped potatoes and garden veggies.
Before heading back to the room for a refresher, I even ran into Emery's college roommate and her girlfriend! Disney really is a small world after all! (You see what I did there? he he)
Once we got back to the room, it was time for a quick reset and an outfit change. I finally grabbed my new Loungefly to make its grand Disney debut! I actually won it at the K.I.C. Kares casino night, and it felt so right bringing it along to Magic Kingdom.
As the sun went down, we popped over to MK. I may or may not have sprinted through the stores to the end of Main Street just in time to catch the end of the starlight parade. Success! We then visited the Emporium so Danielle could trade in her sweatshirt from the night before. She tried on several and finally landed on a classic Mickey one. The "Sweatshirt Story" is officially in full swing.
Then, the highlight of my night: I got to have a surprise meeting on Main Street with my nephew, his girlfriend, and her son! It was their first trip, and seeing the excitement in that little boy's eyes was everything. We grabbed pictures in front of the castle and shared ice cream while watching the fireworks.
Since we were staying at the Contemporary, we took advantage of the extra hours. We visited the Haunted Mansion and finally stood in line for TRON. It was absolutely worth the wait!
What a day! My feet are tired, my heart is full, and I’m pretty sure I’ve officially eaten my way through the entire World Showcase.
