Baby Groot, Asha and Coco are among the new topiaries debuting at the 2024 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, joining an event lineup featuring more than 70 of Disney’s most popular and beloved characters.

Walt Disney World’s horticulturalists typically mix things up each year, finding new locations and ways to display the annual topiaries, like the new dandelion-blowing Goofy near the upper edge of the floral banks between World Showcase and World Celebration neighborhoods. Figment gets a new spotlight location this year in World Celebration Plaza, which recently opened as part of the ongoing Epcot transformation.

Here’s what to look for — and where — at this year’s flower fest, which runs through May 27.Turn to Topiary, Page 2

Who:Asha, Valentino and Star from “Wish,” a Disney animated film released last year.

Where: Front and center, just inside the main entrance of Epcot.

What you’ll see: Asha, the film’s teenage heroine voiced by Ariana DeBose, in a dress of flowers, reaching out toward the wish-granting Star, voiced in the film by Disney favorite Alan Tudyk, as Valentino, pet goat of Asha, frolics.

What else: The display is not as big or bombastic as some previous Flower & Garden front beds. It leans into the year-round tree backdrop and a fallen trunk, just like in nature. Creative floral touches present large mushrooms plus bowls of blooms on poles.

Tree time

Who:Groot, the tree-like character and friend of Rocket seen in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, voiced by Vin Diesel. This version, however, is specifically fan-favorite Baby Groot from “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.”

Where: In a slightly off-the-beaten-path bed in the World Discovery neighborhood. Walk toward the Mission: Space attraction, but veer to the left. If you get to topiary Buzz Lightyear, you’ve gone too far.

What you’ll see: Groot stands on one leg with a cassette tape lofted overhead reading “Green-House Mix Vol. 1,” a play on Star Lord’s Awesome Mix Vol. 1. Groot even plays 90 seconds of songs from the various Guardians soundtracks every 20 minutes, including Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love” and Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky,” the opening song that inspired the topiary.

What else:The positioning makes it a challenge to get Groot and the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride in the same photo. More like backgrounds are Mission: Space or the dome of the former Wonders of Life building.

Strum chums

Who: Miguel, the guitar-toting kid in “Coco,” and Dante, his dog/spiritual guide.

Where: The little patch of land near the Mexico pavilion and the Odyssey Pavillion. (We have seen “The Three Caballeros” topiaries there in the past.

What you’ll see: Miguel (dig the sombrero treatment) and guitar and a colorful, winged version of Dante, amid orange blooms.

What else: This display is more animated than the characters’ bronze statues just to the west.

Finding Figment

Who: The topiary of Figment, Epcot’s purple dragon mascot, isn’t new but returns in a brand-new spot.

Where:He’s elevated in the center of the giant centerpiece planter in the World Celebration garden area.

What you’ll see: Figment is backed by pink blossoms. Spaceship Earth looms in the background.

What else:It’s a prime PhotoPass spot.

More nuggets

Last year’s front topiaries, the “Encanto” crowd, now stand in the area just over the bridge to World Showcase. … Floating gardens are on both sides of the bridge. … The floral banks there have a butterfly and blossom theme. …. Odyssey is home to the Citrus Blossom kitchen, and there’s a ton of Orange Bird merchandise inside. (On the menu: orange sesame tempura shrimp, lemon meringue pie, Key lime wine slush, more). … Pooh and Piglet topiaries may be bushier than before. … Traffic flow is better than a year ago, but construction walls may vex folks at the Imagination Pavilion (or butterfly garden) trying to get to World Showcase. On opening day, that required a scenic route. … Planners did not enhance the new Walt Disney statue with blooms or greenery. So if you so desire, it’s BYOBulbs.

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