Epcot Guide for the Disney Newbie

We just returned from a trip to Orlando. While not a “Disney Vacation” we did opt to spend a day at Epcot. And I thought it would be helpful to put together an Epcot guide for the Disney newbie.

We first took our kids to Epcot 7 years ago.

They were 2 and 4 and our third child was not yet born. At 2 and 4, they were too short to go on most of the “exciting” rides and at that point Frozen was just a figment of Disney’s imagination 😉 so there was no Frozen Ever After (now one of the most loved rides at Epcot).

This visit looked different. We now have three kids, ages 5, 9, 11 and we also had my parents along with. Plus Disney is always changing.

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Stay on property or off?

One of the first things you need to decide is whether to stay on Disney property or off.

If you want the truest Disney experience, stay on property.

Benefits of staying at Disney:

• Can get fast passes 60 days in advance.
• Can take advantage of magic extra hours
• Don’t need to worry about parking and can use their in-park transportation system.
• Makes it easier if you need to rest midday.

We did not stay on property since we were only going one day and already had a rental we were staying at. We still had a blast.

Benefits of staying off property:

• •More economical and makes sense if you’re only doing one day like us.
• •More control of your food because you can rent a place with a kitchen

If you stay off property you do want to get there at least 45 minutes before the park opens to get a good parking spot. Also, it takes a bit of time to get through security and it’s nice to be there for the rope drop (at least if you want to get on a ride of your choice fairly quickly). We wanted to do Frozen Ever After but did not have a fast pass so that was the first attraction we went to and we only had to wait 25 minutes.

Fast passes

Check out this article if you’re wondering what a fast pass is.

We did get our tickets ahead of time in order to take advantage of booking fast passes. If you’re staying off property you can book fast passes 30 days in advance. You just have to link your tickets to your Disney Experience account and then at 7 am (Disney time) on the day 30 days before you can book your fast passes. This is true for all Disney parks. We had tickets for February 5 and so on January 6 I was up ready to book the fast passes. I did have an idea of which ones I wanted to book and the times. It helps to be prepared since many others are also booking their fast passes at the same time.

You don’t need to get tickets ahead of time to get fast passes. You can get them the day of if you’re using the Disney app. You will just have a better selection of rides and times if you get them ahead of time.

One reason to NOT get tickets ahead of time is if you want to wait and watch the weather. One reason to wait is that much of Epcot is the world showcase and this would definitely be more enjoyed on a nice day since a lot of it is outside.

Ironically we had a fast pass for the very popular Epcot attraction Soarin’ but still had to wait 30 minutes because everyone was using their fast pass at the same time. Then later in the day, in the evening actually we went back when the lines were down and only had to wait 10 minutes. So as you can see fast passes are not the end all be all. If you are going to attempt going without I would recommend going at a slower time of year. You can find more info on Disney crowd patterns here.

Two sections: Future World and World Showcase.

Epcot is basically broken down into two areas: Future World and World Showcase.

Future World is where most of the ride attractions are and the attractions that appeal to the kids. Since World Showcase doesn’t open until 11 ( with the exception of Frozen Ever After in Norway) we did Future World in the morning (after doing Frozen ever after) and then the World Showcase In the afternoon.

Future World Attractions:

• Spaceship Earth – You know that big ball you associate with Epcot. That actually holds a ride – Spaceship Earth. This ride (IMO) is a must-do. It’s worth a fast pass but the line is also shorter at slower times of the year so you don’t need a FP then. It’s basically a timeline of history put into a dark slow-moving ride. As a homeschool mom, I found it very interesting! It was really cool to see so many things we’ve studied (Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and Gutenberg’s printing press). Always neat when connections can be made!
• Mission Space – We got a fast pass and my parents and I did ‘green’ or ‘easy’. My husband and kids did ‘orange’ which was more intense. You board a shuttle and then take a ride into space. Those who did ‘orange’ thought it was amazing while those of us who did green were underwhelmed. So I’d say if you can handle spinning and want a bit of a thrill do ‘Orange’. Otherwise this one might be ok to skip unless you’re a space fanatic.
• Soarin’ – Soarin’ is located in the ‘The Land’ pavilion. This one is a must-do. It was the favorite ride for almost everyone in our party. With a similar feel to an Imax movie, you get to soar above many famous wonders of our world.
• Living with the land. This is another ride in ‘The Land’ building. You ride on a boat and learn a lot about agriculture, weather etc. It’s very enjoyable and educational. Wait until the line is shorter though.
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends– Nemo is located in ‘The Seas’ pavilion. When when we took our kids 7 years ago we loved ‘The Seas’ building but this time we all agreed we could have passed on the Nemo ride. We waited for about 30 minutes but it just was not that interesting to us. If you are taking younger kids only this might be worth a fast pass to bypass the line.
• Turtle Talk w/Crush – Also in ‘The Seas’ building. We LOVED this one when our kids were little bit we did not have a chance to do it this time around. It’s very interactive and fun.
• Journey to Imagination with Figment  – Located in the ‘Imagination!’ pavilion. We did not have to wait for this one at all. I personally loved it but the rest of the adults in our group were not as impressed. I loved the focus on the five senses and my kids appreciated it. After the ride we got to meet Joy from Inside Out (a great movie for teaching about emotions!) after.

• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival – Also located in the ‘Imagination!’ pavilion.  This was really fun and we definitely recommend.  You wear 3D glasses and the movie is in 4D.  Good for when you need to build some downtime into your day.  We also met Mickey in this building. We were shocked to find him here with no line. That was a. Fun surprise!

• Test track – Test Track was under construction while we were there but I’ve heard it’s a top attraction. So next time, we’ll probably get a fast pass for this one.

World Showcase:

World Showcase includes 11 countries.  As you walk around the lake, you get to stroll through each country and experience that country’s architecture, food, music, etc.  It’s like a giant world fair.  Even if you’re not a Disney person, there is a lot to love about the world showcase.

Canada – We started in Canada.   We watched ‘Canada Far and Wide’ in Circle-Vision 360 in the Canada Pavilion.  After that, we listened to a band from Quebec perform some music.

United Kingdom – The best part about the UK was the eating Fish n’ Chips by the big lake. In fact, when I told my kids I was writing about Epcot and asked them if they had anything to add, they’re only comment was “Tell them about the fish and chips!” So, there you have it, get the fish n’ chips. 🙂

France – We did a Beauty and the Beast sing-a-long here that the kids enjoyed.

Morocco – Morocco was very interesting to explore.  The architecture was unique and they had some neat shops.

Japan – We had to skim right by Japan because there was a need at this point to find a restroom.

America – Here they have a beautiful colonial-themed pavilion.  In the pavilion we watched a show: American Adventure (a good place to rest your feet, or in our son’s case, take a nap!) American Adventure is a wonderful show with animatronics similar to Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom.

Italy- We skimmed right through the next few countries because my daughter was eager to get back to Soarin’ and we saw the line times going down.

Germany – We skimmed right through Germany as well.

China – There is another Circle-Vision 360 show here, but we didn’t have a chance to watch it.

Norway – Norway is home to the beloved ride ‘Frozen Ever After’.  If you love Frozen this ride is worth the wait.

Mexico – There is an attraction here called “The Grand Fiesta Tour” and they also have a Mariachi band.  We didn’t spend much time here, but did get fresh guacamole and chips later in the evening, for a decent price!

Characters:

Epcot is a great place to visit if you’re wanting to meet characters.  There are generally shorter lines than Magic Kingdom for this, and many times you meet them in the country that corresponds with their character.  For instance… Belle – France, Snow White – Germany, Mary Poppins – UK, Jasmine – Morocco, etc.

We were able to meet Joy from Inside Out in the ‘Imagination!’ pavilion.  We also saw Mickey as we entered the building to watch the Pixar Film Festival.  That was a real treat and surprise!  And you can find Donald Duck with a fun sombrero in Mexico.

Food:

Pack a few snacks so you don’t end up impulse buying. Also, it may be worth looking at Epcot food options ahead of time. We saw that the UK had fish n chips and Mexico had chips and guacamole and we planned that into our day.

A few years ago, when we were at Magic Kingdom, we hit a point in the day where we starving and we ended up paying big bucks for food that we weren’t crazy about.  If you’re gonna apend the $$, find the food you like! One thing we were surprised by, was the food was actually not too expensive.

Fireworks:

We watched the fireworks or Epcot Forever from Mexico.  You can also use a fast pass for good seats with no obstruction. If it’s busier it might be wise to find a spot ahead of time. Here is a post about good spots to watch the fireworks at Epcot.  We had a slightly obstructed view but it was still fabulous and we found spots right before the show (lower crowd day.)

Other tips:

• View an Epcot Park map online ahead of time to acquaint yourself with the park. Also, make sure to grab a map upon arrival to the park.  Epcot is very big and it can get confusing.
• Bring sunscreen.
• Wear shoes or comfy sandals. You will be walking a lot! 2 of my 3 kiddos wore crocs and had no blisters at the end of the day.  My daughter even got some charms for her crocs.

• Consider an affordable backpack like this with lots of pockets for all your needs for the day (snacks, water, sunscreen, etc.)  Definitely leave your purse in the car!
• Pack glowsticks for Epcot Forever.
• It’s worth repeating – bring snacks!
• Use the Disney Experience app to see line times.
• If you’re planning on staying at Disney for the full Disney experience and want help with fast passes, dining, lodging, etc., consider working with a travel agent.  I highly recommend  Jessica with Mouse Magic Travel (it doesn’t cost extra to book through her either!)

Well, that about covers it!  Got any tips to add?  Please comment below!