Epcot Springtime Merchandise Preview
A step outside the door this week will certainly succeed in tricking your body into believing that pesky groundhog mislead us about an extended winter in 2018. People are walking the streets in my neighborhood wearing sweatshirts and jackets meant more for cool summer evenings at Walt Disney World than for a middle of the day errand in March! I’ve even noticed the telltale shift of color in wardrobe choices: pale yellows, Easter purples, bright pinks, and robins egg blue have made their yearly return, and Disney Parks have released their lineup of springtime merchandise just in time for the early warm-up!
Although I’d love to wholeheartedly believe summer is just around the corner, I know deep down we have at least a few more weeks of cold weather in store before the season really kicks off. If you’re in the vicinity of WDW though, getting an early dose of springtime isn’t too difficult! While the rest of the country continued to shiver, Epcot’s International Flower and Garden began on February 28. Topiaries, special food offerings, and unbelievable landscaping are what this festival is most known for, but the merchandise offerings are the best they’ve been in recent years! If you’re stopping by the festival this year, here is an overview of what will be available for you to purchase:
Wear Springtime On Your Sleeve
The age old trick (probably invented by Disney) of keeping what works is on full display with the newest merch offerings. Hats and T-shirts are the biggest sellers at the Parks as they not only help when you brag about your recent trip to your friends, but they make for the best, most practical souvenirs! Have you ever been upset when someone brought you a T-shirt from someplace they visited? Heck no!
This year, the designs for the T-shirts at the Flower and Garden Festival feature a prominent 25 in many of the designs, commemorating the 25th year in bloom! Designs featuring Figment and a bright yellow sunflower are sure to be top sellers, but my favorite is the design with Mickey and Pluto. The happiness their friendship brings is on full display in this design by Cathy Dawson.
Hats are a must for sunny days spent hoeing, sewing, and showing off your gardening skills for each and every springtime gardener out there. Luckily, you’ll have a slew of headwear choices at the Festival. Ear hats, hats with ears, baseball style caps, and of course, this beautiful sunhat are all available for purchase at this year’s festival! Which one best epitomizes your gardening style?
Collect Your Way Around the Festival
Okay collectors, here we go! There is a new collector’s pin specially released for this year’s festival. On the pin, you’ll find Figment holding a map of World Showcase trying to decide which topiary to see first; tough call, Figment. There is also an entire set of festival-exclusive, limited edition pins begging to be added to your 2018 collection. ‘25’ adorns some of the pins in the collection, while others feature Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto!
If you’re more of a Disney Parks mug enthusiast like myself, take a breath, we have not been forgotten by this year’s design team! Insulated hot and cold drink cups, mugs, and glasses with commemorative logos can be found throughout the park. And if you’re an Annual Passholding collector, you can rock this festive MagicBand and let everyone know you’re a proud Passholder who isn’t afraid to get your Disney swag on. Oh, and Passholders: don’t forget to pick up your complimentary magnet at the Festival- just be sure to bring your card and photo ID along with you in order to redeem it.
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer/musician thrilled to be bringing you all things Disney! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!