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Popular Epcot Flower and Garden Items That Aren’t Really That Good

Popular Epcot Flower and Garden Items That Aren’t Really That Good

You can’t believe everything you read. But, of course, that doesn’t apply here, because these popular Epcot Flower and Garden items are — not good.

Even though there are some fan-favorite 2022 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival items, we really don’t think these are worth your time.

Yes, some may take nice photos for Instagram. But, should you really waste your money on them and spend time waiting in line?

In the words of Kevin McCallister, “I don’t think so.”

Of course, this is our opinion, just like when we narrowed down our favorite Epcot Flower and Garden booths and the best food and drinks at Epcot Flower and Garden.

You might even disagree or end up wanting to try these and loving them. If you do, great!

But, we can’t in good conscience recommend the following simply because many others rave about them year after year (and love showcasing them on social media).

hanami flower and garden menu items

Keep in mind that some of the following are returning items and others are new this year. The returning ones always seem to be big hits. The same can even be said about the new ones, which we’ve seen many walk away loving. We’ve noted which are new and returning.

But, us? We genuinely weren’t fans of these so-called popular dishes and drinks after trying them at the 2022 festival.

Review Disclaimer

When it comes to our reviews and ratings, we thought it would be helpful if you had a better understanding of our personal preferences (what we like and don’t like), along with if there are any dietary restrictions.

Here’s a breakdown of not only who is doing the reviews, but a little more information about what each of us likes and doesn’t like food and drink-wise.

Shannon (Founder)

  • Likes: Almost everything
  • Dislikes: Beers that taste “stinky,” anything too salty
  • Dietary Restrictions: None

Heather (Editor)

  • Likes: Strong flavors, anything made out of potatoes, white wines, all beers (especially stouts and wheat beers), doesn’t mind sweet (plain fruit is NOT a dessert. Ever.)
  • Dislikes: Things that are too spicy, anything with a bone still in it, cocktails with too much whiskey or tequila (thanks to having too much fun in college), some red wines, most IPAs
  • Dietary Restrictions: Shellfish allergy

Felicia (Content Manager)

  • Likes: Mezcal, savory drinks, stouts/lagers/wheats/sour beers, vinegar, tart/sour items, chocolate, fresh vegetables and fruits, red meat
  • Dislikes: Ciders, sweet drinks, anything milky or creamy, chili powder, cumin, weirded out by textures, mayonnaise, saucy/wet food, cream-filled pastries, artificial fruit flavors, cooked fruits, frozen items (drinks or ice cream)
  • Dietary Restrictions: None

Allyson (Writer)

  • Likes: Cheesecake (the more sweets, the better), anything mint, hazy IPAs and wheat beers (big beer fan), tofu and most Impossible dishes, mushrooms
  • Dislikes: Wine (only likes a few dry ones), cream ales and stouts/porters, super sweet cocktails, floral flavors (lavender, rose), anything almond-flavored, things that are too spicy, olives, meat and seafood (see below)
  • Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian (personal choice)

Fruit sushi? No, thank you.

*A returning festival item.

Fruit sushi really shouldn’t be a thing.

We wanted to like this, especially after seeing photos of the dish year after year.

This Frushi is pink, bright, and unique! Plus, it’s a fruit option, which is hard to come by at any festival.

But, in the words of Felicia (seen below), “This tastes the way Lip Smackers chapstick smells.”

Frushi

Frushi is Strawberry, Pineapple, and Cantaloupe wrapped in Sweet Rice and Pink Soy Wrap served with Whipped Cream, Drizzled Berry Sauce, and Toasted Coconut.

frushi - hanami japan - flower and garden 2022

Price: $7.00
Special Diets: N/A
Rating: 2/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: Looks cuter than it tastes.
Heather: Over hyped. I don’t like it.
Felicia: This tastes the way Lip Smackers chapstick smells. Not good. Can’t get the taste and texture of chapstick out of my mouth.
Allyson: Not sure I understand all the craze about this. Not my favorite.

  • If you want to live dangerously, you can purchase Frushi at Hanami in the Japan pavilion.

A Nesquick-inspired funnel cake? Uh…

*A new festival item.

What do you get when you combine artificial strawberry flavoring that kind of tastes like Nesquick strawberry milk?

This. This is what you get.

We had to wait 20 minutes in line for this and what a waste of time, money, and energy.

Maybe next time the exclusive festival funnel cake can be topped with, ya know, fresh toppings.

Strawberry Cheesecake Funnel Cake

A Strawberry Cheesecake Funnel Cake topped with Strawberry Ice Cream, Cheesecake Crumbles, Strawberry Drizzle, and Whipped Cream.

strawberry cheesecake funnel cake - funnel cakes - flower and garden 2022

Price: $10.50
Special Diets: Kid-Friendly
Rating: 2/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: The fake strawberry taste was really terrible. Don’t do it.
Heather: Nesquick strawberry milk lovers can rejoice! We finally have a funnel cake with an artificial strawberry taste. If only funnel cakes with REAL strawberries was a thing. Wait….
Felicia: The line here is long and slow, the strawberry flavor is artificial and not pleasant. And this is greatly overpriced.
Allyson: This was not worth waiting 20 minutes in line for. I’m not that impressed.

  • If you dare, you can visit the Funnel Cakes stand between the American Adventure and Japan pavilion.

Just say no — to corn on the cob, especially in between your teeth.

*A returning festival item.

Tip: pack floss, because you’re going to ned it.

Who really wants to eat something that’s going to get stuck between your teeth? Not us!

Yes, some of us thought it had good flavor (there definitely needed to be more “Savory Garlic Spread”).

But, after trying everything else at Flower and Garden, the corn doesn’t even compare to some of the other dishes that truly wowed us.

Grilled Street Corn

This Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Savory Garlic Spread. This dish is also part of the Garden Graze, the food crawl where you can earn a prize.

grilled street corn - flavor full kitchen - flower and garden 2022

Price: $5.75
Special Diets: Gluten-Friendly, Plant-Based
Rating: 3/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: Wanted to love this but didn’t. The garlic spread is grainy and lacks flavor.
Heather: Very good! Just hecka messy and I got corn stuck in my teeth. Definitely taste the butter.
Felicia: Nothing special. Just corn on the cob. Hard to eat and gets stuck in your teeth and the garlic spread didn’t have much flavor.
Allyson: Good corn. Great flavor. But just really hard to eat and it will get stuck in your teeth.

  • As you walk from the Imagination! pavilion towards the World Showcase, you can find this corn on the cob at Flavor Full Kitchen (but you really should keep walking).

This is just one really bad, sad, dry, dense, and hard scone.

*A new festival item.

I’m (Allyson) so glad I don’t eat meat, so I could avoid this BLT Scone.

It kinds of looks like a hard rock in the photo, doesn’t it? Well, it was!

We’ve read that other guests have had very different experiences with this scone, so your mileage may vary, but we really don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Just take Heather’s word for it: “I love scones but this is *not* good.”

BLT Scone

This BLT Scone is served with Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sundried Tomato, and Basil. This is also a new 2022 festival item.

BLT Scone - cider house - flower and garden

Price: $5.00
Special Diets: N/A
Rating: 1.3/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: Dry, small, plain, hard to cut and eat.
Heather: Guys. This is really bad. I love scones but this is *not* good. I mean…REALLY not good. YMMV.
Felicia: The scone is dry and dense. The bacon jam on the side is oddly sweet. I like the basil flavor but it doesn’t save the scone.

  • This BLT Scone can be ordered at Cider House in the U.K. pavilion (just skip it and go to Rose & Crown Pub for a Golden).

Oh, France, you did us dirty with this one.

*A returning festival item.

France, how could you do this to us. Question mark. (Hope you read that in your best Luann de Lesseps voice.)

Any France festival booth is usually top-notch. This time around? Super disappointing, especially this Caramelized Beignet which everyone always raves about.

Maybe we got a bad batch or something. Heck, ours was even a tad burnt.

If you can’t skip the France booth, be sure to order the La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy which is delicious and may give you a good enough buzz to forget about this burnt cream-filled sugary pastry.

And if you really want a beignet, visit Scat Cat Club’s Café at French Quarter resort. You’ll thank us later.

Beignet Caramélisé: Caramelized Beignet

Beignet Caramélisé, Fourré Crème Vanille, Glacé au Caramel Fleur de Sel or a Caramelized Beignet filled with Vanilla Cream and Glazed with Caramel Fleur de Sel.

beignet carmelise - fleur de lys france - flower and garden 2022

Price: $5.75
Special Diets: N/A
Rating: 2.8/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: The combo of caramelization and vanilla cream is delicious. Not too sweet but just sweet enough.
Heather: Parts were burnt which made it bitter. Very disappointed.
Felicia: This is kind of like a cream filled donut topped with caramelized sugar. Nothing great about the donut and there is a lot of filling compared to pastry. The caramelized top was burned and tasted like burnt sugar. Not great.
Allyson: Really disappointed in this. And it was actually kind of burnt. Not worth the money or wait.

  • If you really want to stand in what will inevitably be a long line, this unfortunate beignet is located at Fleur de Lys in the France pavilion.

Silly Toucan Sam, Froot Loops should never be made into a shake.

*A returning festival item.

Why? Why? Just, why?

Froot Loops belong in a bowl poured with milk on top — not in a shake that tastes like a cold soggy bowl of cereal.

This is great for kids, but for us (especially Heather who only eats Grape Nuts), this was a crime against all of our mouths.

Froot Loops Shake

A Froot Loops Shake. It is exactly what it sounds like.

froot loops shake - sunshine griddle - flower and garden 2022

Price: $4.75
Made with Alcohol?: No
Rating: 1.5/5

Our Thoughts

Shannon: Fun concept and IG pic, but ultimately way too sweet.
Heather: I only like Grape Nuts so this feels like a crime against my mouth.
Felicia: Hated this. Tastes like cold milky Froot Loops. Super sweet. Maybe if you like Froot Loops this would be fine for you.
Allyson: Tastes like a cold soggy bowl of Froot Loops. But I will say this is a good kid-friendly option.

  • The Froot Loops shake is on the Epcot Sunshine Griddle menu — and it’s the only bad option at the booth.

While we’re at it, we might as well share our overall least favorite booths…

Allow us to order them from not that horrendous but still not our favorite to our absolute least favorite. Keep in mind this is out of 18 total booths (plus 4 additional locations).

  1. Fleur de Lys
  2. Pineapple Promenade
  3. Jardin de Fiestas
  4. Hanami
  5. Primavera Kitchen
  6. Cider House
  7. Lotus House
  8. Magnolia Terrace
  9. Flavor Full Kitchen

Do you have a Flower and Garden Festival booth or menu item you didn’t like? Tell us about it in the comments!

Read more about this year’s Flower & Garden Festival

Be sure to check out the following links to our Epcot Flower and Garden Festival posts, where we provide information, tips, and much more.

Here’s everything we put together in 2022.

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