Epcot – Walt Disney World
Walt Disney’s original vision for Epcot, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was that of an ideal utopian community. However, because he passed away, the project was passed to his brother Roy. Roy did his best to keep Walt’s vision, but transformed his vision into the second theme park as we know it. Epcot, (formally known as Epcot Center), opened on October 1, 1982, 11 years after Magic Kingdom. Attendance for this park started to dwindle, however, new rides are coming soon that will make Epcot, a great place to go for your Disney vacation.
Epcot consists of essentially two parks in one. Future World offers attractions that are located in separate buildings dedicated to space, fantasy, and life in the water. World Showcase offers 11 “pavilions” with views of the surrounding area and its restaurants, entertainment, and attractions along the beautiful coastal lagoon.
If you have the park hopper ticket, you can travel from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot by hopping on the monorail! Make the most of your Orlando vacation by heading over to the Disney packages page that includes accommodation in Orlando Hotels or Orlando vacation rentals and Walt Disney World tickets.
Epcot Typical Schedule
Guests should be aware that World Showcase has different operating hours from the rest of the park. Epcot World Showcase opens several places early in the morning, usually at 9:00 am, in the morning, and opens fully at 11:00 am. Before traveling, check the operating hours. Download the My Disney Experience app for the latest park operating hours.
Guests staying at Walt Disney World hotels can take advantage of the extra magic hours for an additional hour per day at Walt Disney World Park. Some Orlando hotels near Disney World also offer promotions for magical schedules. We offer hotels inside Walt Disney World as well as Good Neighbor Hotels who have these benefits available to guests even bookings through our company at a lower rate than booking directly with the hotels.
Epcot Things To See
World Nature
The Turtle Talk with Crush: Talk to Crush and find Nemo in this interactive experience is a show where an animated Crush interacts with the audience by answering questions.
World Showcase
Mexico: Visit the land of our neighbors down south in Mexico. “Bienvenidos!” (Welcome)! Here you’ll find a grand Mayan pyramid and ride in a boat in the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros inside. Inside you’ll find a beautifully recreated Spanish-style villa with a pyramid within view.
Norway: Next you’ll find yourself in the land of Norway. “Velkommen!” (Welcome)! Here you get a chance to meet Anna and Elsa at the Royal Sommerhus. You will also sail through Arendelle aboard an ancient Norwegian vessel in the Frozen Ever After ride.
China: Our next stop is in the land of China. “歡迎歡迎 請坐” or “欢迎欢迎 请坐” (Welcome, welcome!) A beautifully immersive experience walking throughout the streets surrounded by the amazing architecture, white carved and stylized lions, and a picturesque pond. Be sure to also visit and explore the Reflections of China exhibit.
The Outpost: Also known as the African Outpost, this section though not technically part of the official pavilions, is themed to represent the countries of the African continent. Here you can find souvenirs, play some instruments and get refreshments.
Germany: “Willkommen in Deutschland!” (Welcome to Germany!) In the land of Germany where you’ll find artistically themed architecture, great restaurants, and a statue of Saint George on a horse defeating a dragon.
Italy: “Benvenuto in Italia!” (Welcome to Italy!) Here you’ll find that guarding the entrance into Italy are columns topped with statues, amazing Roman-themed architecture, a tall bell tower, and beautiful replications of statues by the famed Michelangelo. Lovely to visit during the evening as well.
The American Adventure: “Welcome to America!” Originally this land was meant to be its own theme park near Washington D.C., however, it finds its home here at Epcot®. Independence Hall is recreated and stands as the highlight of the World Showcase. American Adventure is also a show featuring 35 Audio-Animatronics figures, digital rear-projection images on a 72-foot screen, and moving patriotic songs. Watch firsthand as America’s history is told and see figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain.
Japan: “日本へようこそ” (Welcome to Japan!) Japan is our next stop where you can be surrounded by elegant architecture, view the peaceful and serene garden, and behold a bronze statue of a warrior. Head upstairs to catch a view of the second floor.
Morocco: “رحبا بك في المغرب” (Welcome to Morocco!) Morocco is known for being the home of the Sahara Desert. The architecture when walking through is recreated so well. There are also recreated towers that represent the many mosque towers. The mosaic work is amazing and beautifully crafted.
France: “Bienvenue en France!” (Welcome to France!) Here you will find your elegant French restaurant, trimmed and designed hedge garden, and you can even see the Eiffel Tower. This is the land is where the anticipated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will make its home. You can also enjoy an 18-minute film showcasing the grandeur, and charm of one of Europe’s most romantic countries.
United Kingdom: “Welcome!” Here you’ll get to see the sights and sounds of the old country. You’ll find English architecture, be surrounded by trimmed hedges, and the classic Red Telephone phone booths.
Canada: “Welcome!” or “Bienvenue!” Here you’ll be greeted by totem poles at the trading post. You will see a towering castle that will lead the way to Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vison 360 attraction. Here you can explore Canada in a 12-minute Circle-Vision presentation.
After this 1.3 mile (2.1 kilometers) trip around the world, you finally return to the Showcase Plaza from right where you started.
Epcot Rides
World Showcase
Mexico: Step inside the grand Mayan pyramid and find a small village inside where you can take a boat ride in the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros inside. Inside you’ll find a beautifully recreated Spanish-style villa with a pyramid within view.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Boat Ride
Norway: Meet Anna and Elsa at their majestic Royal Sommerhus. You can also sail through Arendelle aboard an ancient Norwegian vessel in the Frozen Ever After ride.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Dark Ride with Small Drops
France: Follow Remy the rat through his culinary adventure in Paris on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Dark Ride
World Celebration
Spaceship Earth: Upon first walking into the park, you’ll see the classic giant geodesic dome of Epcot® called Spaceship of the Earth. Inside you’ll find a ride that takes you through the monumental moments of history. This classic ride with amazing animatronics is definitely worth riding.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Dark Ride
Journey Into Imagination with Figment: Take a ride through your imagination with Figment, the flying dragon and mascot of Epcot. He will lead and teach you about the 5 senses, this impish dragon will also turn the lab upside down and cause quite a stink in the Smell Lab.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Dark Ride
World Nature
The Seas with Nemo & Friends: A pleasant and relaxing trip for the whole family. Disney does a good job incorporating visual effects and blending them in with the crafted underwater environment. This journey recounts the events of the movie in a visually appealing and dynamic way.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Ride
Living with the Land: Take a trip on a boat through the greenhouses of The Land Pavilion. See how the unique and innovative ways crops are grown. It showcases a variety of edible food and crops from around the world.
- Height: Any height
- Ages: All ages
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Ride
Soarin’ Around the World: Take the opportunity to discover the sights and sounds of the world as you fly through Soarin. You will feel like you are actually flying when you reach 40 feet in the air. Using a 180-degree IMAX projection dome and with the help of Disney’s “smellitzer,” Soarin’ is truly an immersive experience.
- Height: 40 inches or taller
- Ages: Kids to Adults Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Slow Ride with Small Drops
World Discovery
Mission: SPACE: If you have ever dreamed of flying into space, this trip is for you. There are 2 missions where you can choose to fly and land on the red planet, Mars. You could also choose to orbit the Earth for a less intense ride through space. Each pod has four crew members who must interact with the trip to complete the mission.
- Height: 40 inches or taller
- Ages: Kids to Adults
- Thrill Level & Type: Medium & Spinning Dark Ride (Mars)
- Thrill Level & Type: Mild & Spinning Dark Ride (Earth)
Test Track: A popular ride is the Test Track presented by Chevrolet. It is the fastest trip in one of Disney’s parks, reaching a maximum speed of 65 mph. First, you get to design a car from scratch in the Design Center. Then you get in and test the car out by racing it through the track.
- Height: 40 inches or taller
- Ages: Kids to Adults
- Thrill Level & Type: Medium & Thrill Ride with Small Drops
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: Team up with the Guardians on this omni-coaster as you race through the cosmos to save time and Rock n Roll.
- Height: 42 inches or taller
- Ages: Kids to Adults
- Thrill Level & Type: Medium & Thrill Ride that spins
Get The Best Prices on Disney Epcot® Tickets
Character Meet and Greets
Character Meet and Greets are one of our favorite pastimes with our children. Several different characters in Future World including Ralph and Vanellope, Joy and Sadness, Baymax, Pluto and Mickey, Minnie and Goofy can be seen in some locations. At the World Showcase, you will find several Disney princesses, including Anna and Elsa, Belle, Aurora, and Mulan.
Epcot Tips
- Don’t Miss the Smaller Attractions: Epcot offers many fun and smart attractions for young people, including Turtle Talk with Crush and American Adventure.
- Return to World Showcase for Dinner: if you only got to eat the cuisine of a country for lunch, you can try another dinner.
- Save a Seat in the Fireworks Area: Come early to find a good place. Remember that spaces may be taken so if you really want to reserve a spot, you’ll have to save a spot early.
- Stay Close: Choose an Orlando hotel that is closest to the park you want to focus on.
- Wear Comfortable Shoes: Epcot is twice as big as Magic Kingdom. So be prepared for many increases. Consider renting a stroller, even if your preschooler is too big for you.
- Arrive Early: As with all Disney parks, there are more and more people at Epcot. Pay to get up early and arrive at opening hours.
- Genie+: A monetized system to get shorter waits on all rides. The park is not heavy on thrills rides, but the ones that are offered go fast.
- Order Lunch and Dinner: Epcot World Showcase offers some of the best Walt Disney World® restaurants for lunch and dinner.
- Take a Midday Break: If you arrive early, you’ll be sure that your troops will start to lag around lunchtime. Sit down, take a break, and enjoy the scenery.
- Coffee: On some of my excursions to the parks, I found myself drained and worn out. I grabbed a cup of coffee and found that it gave me the boost I needed to be brought out of that slump. Please note that coffee may not be for everyone and you will have to consider your medical situation.
Visiting Epcot During Your Pregnancy
Epcot rides and attractions that are appropriate during pregnancy:
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- Soarin’
- Living with the Land
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (film with seats)
- Advanced Training Lab area of Mission Space
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- Frozen Ever After
- Reflections of China (Circle-Vision movie – standing)
- The American Adventure
- Beauty and the Beast Sing Along
- Canada Far and Wide (Circle-Vision movie – standing)
- World Showcase galleries and exhibits
- The Epcot Food and Wine Festival is one of the top attractions at Epcot®. This festival takes place every October and Disney brings in some of the top Food and Wine critics in the World.
- Out of the four major Walt Disney World theme parks, Epcot is the best park to enjoy a nice meal. Many of the restaurants, however, fill up very quickly so book those reservations soon. Here is an Epcot® dining guide to assist you in finding the perfect restaurant for your family.
- Even though Epcot was just built in 1982 it does have a lot of history and some of the Epcot® attractions have changed over the years to make them better for the guests. In order to truly appreciate Epcot® you might want to read about Epcot’s history and these fun facts about the theme park before visiting.
