GUYS – lets be honest. We’re all going to Disney World for the food. (Ok, maybe you guys are far more mature than I am, and go places for shows, and rides, but I usually plan my trips around my dining choices). There’s really nothing that I love more than eating my way around World Showcase, with a cocktail in hand. The enjoyment of that eating is increased exponentially when Epcot has a festival, with booths of glorious food and drink as far as the eye can see. My favorite festival at Epcot is Flower and Garden, where the park combines beautiful florals, topiaries, and seasonally inspired food and beverage, for a slam dunk combination that makes me want to cry with joy. We recently got to attend the Flower and Garden Festival Media Event, where we got to sample many of the items from this years festival, as well as had tickets to the park provided for us. Today, we’re compiling a list of our favorite items from the festival that you HAVE to try for your Epcot experience to be complete during Flower and Garden Festival. This list is in no particular order – we don’t ask you to chose favorite children, favorite Kardashian sisters, or favorite episodes of Gilmore Girls – so please don’t ask us to pick a favorite festival item.
1. Watermelon Salad at Urban Farm Eats
I was a little hesitant to try this particular item, but my best Disney gal pal Jenny was raving about it, so we gave it a whirl. AND OH MY GOSH GUYS. This salad is the perfect combination of fruit, cheese, and acidity from the balsamic. If you love a seasonally appropriate salad, this is the item for you.
2. Dole Whip With Coconut Rum at Pineapple Promenade
Dole Whip is always a good idea, especially when it’s given a Pretty Woman, big girl makeover with coconut rum. It doesn’t hurt that the Pineapple Promenade is the prettiest of all the booths, with its walls that make me want to swoon.
3. Beijing-Style Candied Strawberries – Lotus House
Looking for the prettiest food in the festival for your instagram photos? It’s these candied strawberries. Also, they’re fruit, so you can kind of convince yourself that they’re health (fruit is always healthy, no matter what you do to it.)
4. Pulled Pig Slider with Coleslaw and Crispy Onions – The Smokehouse
I’m from Texas, and I’m a BBQ snob, so I’m always wary when a place outside of the Lonestar State sells BBQ. Everything at The Smokehouse though is FANTASTIC. We thought the slider got the highest marks, but you can’t go wrong with anything.
5. Frozen Lemonade with Firefly Blackberry Moonshine – The Smokehouse
People rave about the violet lemonade at Flower and Garden Festival, but we think that this is the heavy weight lemonade champion. The blackberry makes it seasonal, while the moonshine keeps it from being too sweet – we love walking around with this frozen cocktail on a warm day.
6. Frushi – Hanami
Quite possibly the most iconic of all the festival snacks, fruishi is exactly what is sounds like – fruit sushi. We love this snack-dessert combo. The fruit/rice combination is perfect for spring (and for your photos!). 
7. Florida Larder Board – Florida Fresh
This cheese and meat board from the Florida Fresh stand was a sleeper hit for us. Filled with pate, pickles, ricotta, onions, and balsamic – I could eat this board for dinner every night.
8: Watermelon Cucumber Slush with Tamiami Florida Gin – Florida Fresh
GIVE ME ALL THE FLOWER AND GARDEN SLUSHES. This is the first time we tried this particular one, and we loved it. Gin used to be considered an old lady drink, but if my time as a bartender taught me anything, it’s making a major comeback. It pairs perfectly with the watermelon, for a refreshing combo.
9. Onion Tart – Fleur de Lys
I love everything that comes out of the Epcot France Pavilion, and this onion tart is no exception. It’s a good size for sharing (we believe all festival food should be shared, so you can eat more of it), and has a ton of flavor.
10. La Vie En Rose – Fleur de Lys
This is my favorite cocktail, in the world. It reminds me of a rose infused, frozen cosmo. My dream, is to sit on the edge of the fountain the the France Pavilion, with an unlimited supply of La Vie En Rose’s, and warm sunshine.
Honorable Mention: The Violet Lemonade
We’re putting this on the list, because it’s everyone’s favorite, and if we don’t list it, we know we will get all kinds of angry emails (you can forward to them to [email protected]). This is a fantastic item, and you should try it. It’s beautiful, and seasonal, it’s just a tad sweet for my personal taste buds. There’s a reason it’s so popular, and you will probably love it.
There you have it. Our top ten list. Just call us an unretired David Letterman, making lists, and making it easier for you to eat and drink your way through Flower and Garden Festival. We know you’ll love all the items that are being offered this year (even the ones that aren’t on our list are fantastic!), and we hope we’ve been able to give you some kind of starting point.