Absolutely — and honestly, EPCOT’s topiaries might be the most underrated reason the Flower & Garden Festival keeps pulling people back year after year.
Because yes, the food booths are great. The concerts are fun. The springtime vibes are immaculate.
But the real main event?
It’s walking into EPCOT and immediately realizing Disney somehow turned literal shrubs into full-blown characters with facial expressions.
And in 2026, Disney is going even bigger.
Disney just dropped new details about the 2026 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, including a first look at the topiary lineup. And the numbers alone are enough to make fans excited. Disney is planning to feature more than 60 characterhedy character topiaries, along with over 31 gardens and floral displays, spread throughout EPCOT’s neighborhoods and World Showcase.
But what has people really talking is the character selection this year.
Because some of the “new” topiary additions aren’t just random crowd-pleasers.
They feel like they might connect to what Disney is building next.
EPCOT’s Topiaries Are Basically Disney’s Springtime Flex
If you’ve ever been to EPCOT during Flower & Garden Festival, you already know how this works.
You’re casually walking through World Celebration, maybe heading toward your first snack stop, and suddenly there’s a massive Mickey-shaped floral display staring you down like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
It’s one of those EPCOT traditions that never really gets old, because no matter how many times you’ve seen it, your brain still goes, “Wait… that’s a plant.”
And Disney knows it.
That’s why Flower & Garden Festival always leans hard into topiaries as the signature offering. It’s something EPCOT does better than any other Disney park, and it instantly makes the entire place feel like spring has taken over.
For 2026, Disney confirmed that these displays will stretch across World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature, and World Showcase, basically making the entire park feel like a walking character garden.
The Big Headline: More Than 60 Topiaries Are Coming in 2026
Disney’s official number is impressive on its own.
Over 60 topiaries will be on display during the 2026 festival, meaning guests will see character after character popping up around EPCOT like some kind of leafy scavenger hunt.
And if you’ve ever been during a crowded festival day, you know how much this matters.
Topiaries slow people down.
They create those moments where crowds pause, families take photos, and suddenly EPCOT feels less like a theme park and more like a spring showcase.
It’s one of the few things that can actually calm EPCOT down a little, even when the festival is packed.
World Celebration Is Going All-In
The entrance area of EPCOT is always where Disney puts its “big welcome” characters, and 2026 is no different.
In World Celebration, Disney confirmed a huge lineup of recognizable faces including:
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Chip ‘n’ Dale, and Pluto
Figment & Topiary Flowers
Simba and Friends (Rafiki, Mufasa, and Sarabi)
Goofy
Mirabel, Antonio, Isabela, and Luisa from Encanto (2021)
Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Bo Peep and her sheep, Lotso, and the Pixar Ball
That’s already a stacked lineup, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from EPCOT: a mix of classic characters, Pixar energy, and newer Disney favorites.
But there’s one addition in this area that feels like Disney knows exactly what it’s doing.
Mike and Sulley Are Coming, and Fans Are Losing It
Yes — Disney officially confirmed that Mike Wazowski and Sulley are getting their own topiary presence at EPCOT for Flower & Garden 2026.
And that’s a big deal.
Because these aren’t just random characters Disney picked out of a hat. Mike and Sulley are two of Pixar’s most beloved icons, and their designs translate perfectly into topiary form. Sulley especially has the potential to be one of the most eye-catching displays in the entire festival if Disney goes heavy on texture and color.
But what makes this feel even more interesting is the timing.
Disney is actively building toward a future where Pixar plays an even bigger role in the parks. And even though this is “just” a seasonal festival detail, it feels like part of a larger strategy.
It’s almost like EPCOT is being used as the testing ground for what Disney wants guests to feel emotionally connected to moving forward.
Lightning McQueen and Mater Are Also Officially Joining the Festival
And then there’s another new topiary duo that honestly might steal the entire show.
Disney confirmed that Lightning McQueen and Mater will be part of the World Discovery topiary lineup for the 2026 festival.
That is going to be massive for photo ops.
Because Lightning McQueen isn’t just a character people recognize—he’s a character kids run toward like he’s a celebrity. And Mater has that goofy charm that always works in the parks.
So seeing them pop up as topiaries feels like a guaranteed crowd magnet.
But again… the timing here feels extremely intentional.
These Topiaries Aren’t Random—They’re Connected to Disney’s Future Expansion Plans
Here’s where this gets really interesting.
Disney isn’t just adding these characters because they’re popular. It’s adding them because they represent franchises that Disney is actively pushing harder than ever inside the parks.
And when you look at what’s coming to Walt Disney World in the next few years—especially major changes planned for Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom—you start to realize these topiary choices might be more than seasonal decoration.
They might be a preview of what Disney wants guests thinking about.
Because characters like Mike and Sulley, plus Lightning McQueen and Mater, are tied to some of Disney’s biggest park brands. And Disney has made it clear that the future of the parks will be franchise-driven.
So when those characters suddenly get prime placement in EPCOT’s most visually iconic festival, it doesn’t feel like an accident.
It feels like marketing… but the kind of marketing Disney does best.
The subtle kind.
The kind that makes fans say, “Wait… are they building toward something bigger?”
World Discovery Is Packed With Crowd Favorites
World Discovery is getting some heavy-hitters this year, including:
Lightning McQueen & Mater
Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy
Stitch
That’s an interesting trio, because it mixes Pixar, Marvel, and classic Disney chaos.
And honestly? It fits EPCOT perfectly right now.
EPCOT has become this weird hybrid park where it’s part “festival park,” part “future park,” and part “IP showcase.” And Flower & Garden has leaned into that shift more and more each year.
If you’re a guest who loves modern Disney, World Discovery is probably going to feel like the main topiary zone.
World Showcase Still Brings the Classic Disney Magic
Even with all the Pixar and newer characters, Disney isn’t abandoning the classic fairytale side of Flower & Garden.
In World Showcase, guests can expect:
Tinker Bell’s Fairy House Garden
Winnie the Pooh and Friends (Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger)
Lady and the Tramp
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Beauty and the Beast
Princess Tiana
Miguel and Dante from Coco (2017)
That list is basically Disney saying, “Yes, we know you want the classics too.”
Because Flower & Garden Festival is one of the only times EPCOT feels truly storybook-level whimsical, and World Showcase is where that feeling really hits.
It’s the perfect backdrop for those princess-style topiaries.
EPCOT Is Expanding Garden Experiences Too
While topiaries get the most attention, Disney is also expanding the actual garden experiences.
Some of the confirmed offerings include:
Butterfly Landing presented by AdventHealth
Camp Get Out ’N’ Play Garden presented by OFF! Repellents
Blossoms of Fragrance presented by Scentsy
English Tea Garden Tours presented by Twinings
Rain or Shine Fruit Stand presented by Outshine
The Honey Bee-stro Garden Hosted by The National Honey Board
And in addition to those, Disney is also introducing three fresh garden experiences:
Pluto’s Pet-Friendly Garden
Wildlife Crossing Garden
Trendy Tropicals Garden
That’s a lot of new stuff, and it’s another sign Disney wants Flower & Garden to feel like a full park transformation, not just “a few decorations and some food booths.”
Why the 2026 Festival Might Feel Bigger Than Ever
If Disney follows through on everything it’s teasing here, the 2026 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival could end up feeling like one of the strongest festival lineups EPCOT has had in years.
The reason is simple:
Disney is mixing nostalgia with strategic future planning.
You’re getting the classic characters that longtime fans expect, but you’re also getting new topiary additions that feel like they’re being placed with purpose—characters that Disney wants to keep front and center as Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom evolve.
And that’s why the additions of Mike and Sulley, plus Lightning McQueen and Mater, stand out so much.
They don’t just feel like fun new topiaries.
They feel like Disney reminding guests: “Hey… don’t forget about these worlds. You’re going to be seeing a lot more of them.”
EPCOT’s Topiaries Still Win Because They’re Pure Disney
At the end of the day, topiaries are one of those rare Disney offerings that still feel genuinely impressive.
Not because they’re the most high-tech thing in the parks.
But because they’re the kind of detail Disney didn’t have to do.
It takes time. It takes maintenance. It takes artistry. And it takes an attention to detail that most theme parks wouldn’t even attempt.
But EPCOT does it anyway.
And when you combine over 60 topiaries, over 30 gardens, and brand-new characters being added into the mix, the 2026 Flower & Garden Festival is shaping up to be one of those events that reminds fans why EPCOT still feels special.
Even in an era where everything is changing fast.
Because no matter how much Disney rebuilds the parks, there’s something comforting about walking into EPCOT and seeing Mickey made out of flowers like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
The post Disney Confirms Major New Additions Coming to EPCOT This Spring appeared first on Inside the Magic.
