EPCOT is one of those parks that feels completely different depending on what season you visit. In the summer, it’s hot, chaotic, and full of people speed-walking toward Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In the winter, it’s all about holiday booths and festival crowds.
But springtime?
Springtime is when EPCOT feels like it’s showing off.
Because the Flower & Garden Festival doesn’t just add decorations. It transforms the park into something that feels alive. There’s color everywhere, the air smells like fresh plants instead of sunscreen, and guests suddenly start slowing down instead of rushing.
And the biggest reason for that is always the same: the topiaries.
Disney recently confirmed a new wave of character topiaries coming to the 2026 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival, and if you thought the festival couldn’t get bigger, it absolutely just did. Disney is planning to showcase more than 60 topiaries, along with dozens of gardens and floral displays spread throughout EPCOT.
But the real excitement comes from the character lineup.
Fans already expect the classics—Mickey, Minnie, Figment, and plenty of familiar faces around World Showcase. That’s part of the tradition. It wouldn’t feel like Flower & Garden without seeing those larger-than-life character sculptures made entirely of greenery.
However, Disney also confirmed some characters that instantly made people do a double take.
For the first time, guests will be able to spot Mike Wazowski and Sulley from Monsters, Inc. (2001) as part of the topiary collection. And honestly, it’s hard to imagine a better festival for them. Sulley alone is going to be a photo magnet if Disney nails the colors and texture.
Then there’s another duo that feels like it’s going to steal the spotlight.
Lightning McQueen and Mater are officially joining the topiary lineup as well. And if you’ve ever seen how kids react to anything Cars (2006)-related in the parks, you already know this one is going to be a big deal. These aren’t characters people casually walk past. These are characters that stop families in their tracks.
What makes these additions feel even more interesting is how they connect to Disney’s future.
Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom are both moving toward bigger franchise-driven expansions, and Disney has clearly been leaning into Pixar more than ever. So seeing characters like Lightning and Mater, along with Mike and Sulley, suddenly getting major attention at EPCOT almost feels like a preview of what Disney wants guests thinking about.
It’s not just about a festival anymore.
It’s about what Disney is building next.
And if the 2026 Flower & Garden Festival is already teasing that kind of energy through its topiary lineup, EPCOT might be heading into one of its most exciting spring seasons yet.
