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EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is going to experience its shortest run since 2015, running for 83 days in 2027, a full week less than previous years. Returning with it’s latest start date of 10th March 2027, it will be on until 31st May 2027, opening six days later and ending one day earlier than the 2026 festival.
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Shortest Flower & Garden Festival Since 2015
The International Flower and Garden Festival will be exactly one week shorter in 2027, starting in the second week of March, rather than the first week or late February. Since 2024, Flower and Garden Festival dates have been:
Year | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|
2024 | 28 Feb-27 May | 90 days |
2025 | 5 Mar-2 Jun | 90 days |
2026 | 4 Mar-1 Jun | 90 days |
2027 | 10 Mar-31 May | 83 days |
The reduction in days is directly linked to the longer season for Festival of the Arts in 2027, Disney have literally taken 7 days from Flower and Garden Festival and redistributed it to Festival of the Arts. The combined number of days for both festivals in 2027 is 129 days and this remains unchanged since 2024 according to our data. At 83 days, it will be the shortest Flower & Garden Festival since 2015's 75-day event, based on the published historical dates. In 2016 Disney expanded the Festival from 75 to 90 days, which is what fans of the event have become used to planning around.
It’s interesting for UK holidaymakers, as anyone who would usually aim for a holiday to experience opening week of Flower and Garden festival is instead going to get the end of Festival of the Arts if they are already booked. Both festivals are unique and you don’t find the same experiences or ambience in the parks, but it’s not worth changing holiday dates for when travelling from the UK.
IT is possible that the date change is in relation to the 10th year celebrations for Festival of the Arts, and the change in number of days may not be permanent. Disney have not confirmed this or given a reason why the season for this festival is shorter in 2027, but whether this reallocation of festival time continues in 2028 only time will tell.
Flower & Garden Remains The Easter Festival For UK Families
Despite the shorter run and later start, one important detail for UK families has not changed: Flower & Garden will still be running throughout the Easter holiday period. So if you’ve booked your holiday to coincide with school Easter or Spring holidays, nothing is changing. In 2027, Good Friday falls on 26th March and Easter Monday on 29th March, more than two weeks after Flower & Garden begins.
For UK visitors, that means Flower & Garden continues to occupy the same important place in the Walt Disney World calendar: Festival of the Arts for winter and February trips, followed by Flower & Garden for Easter and spring holidays.
What’s Returning To 2027’s Flower & Garden Festival?
Disney has so far confirmed the return of the festival's signature character topiaries, gardens and exhibits, Outdoor Kitchens and Garden Rocks Concert Series. Further details, including the Garden Rocks performer line-up, food menus and other festival additions, are expected closer to the event. This is just the dates announcement.
Magic In A Minute
EPCOT’s free and popular International Flower and Garden Festival returns in 2027 with a shorter run for the first time in 12 years. It’s not going to dramatically change UK visitor’s holiday plans but the festival start date is something to note if you have already booked an early March holiday hoping to catch the first week.