Number of visits: 1 to 1 1/2 days required at Epcot as it’s just about possible to get on all the best rides and still have a bit of time to spare for a quick look around the World Showcase. If you were wanting to spend more time experiencing the food, and looking around each pavilion you’re going to need at least another half a day. As of 2022 Epcot has the unique position of having the only Marvel Avengers based attraction in WDW – Guardian Of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Download a Guide Map PDF of Epcot direct from the WDW website right here.
After the WDW Welcome Sign on World Drive keep right at the 3rd junction to exit for Epcot Center Drive. Have your $25 ready to park at one of Epcot’s 4 car parks; ‘Discovery’, ‘Amaze’, ‘Imagine’ or ‘Wonder’ You’ll see the Spaceship Earth geodesic sphere straight ahead. The Epcot car park is quite small so you may not need to use the tram. The park entrance is to the left of the Monorail station.
Epcot is great to park hop as you can use the Monorail to Magic Kingdom (change at the TTC) and also the Skyliner to transport you to Hollywood Studios via a change at the Caribbean Beach resort.
Journey of Water inspired by Moana is the newest attraction in the park. It’s not a ride but walkthrough interactive area where your movements activate the several different water features. There is a wet path or a dry one if you want to keep away from the water.
World Celebration is the centre hub of the park. From here World Discovery with the Guardians of the Galaxy ride, World Nature with The Land featuring Soarin’ and Finding Nemo inspired Sea Base area and the impressive World Showcase can all be accessed.
World Showcase
Here you can take in Epcot’s cultural attractions and sample several different types of cuisine by visiting 11 countries in one day, each one with it’s own ‘pavilion’ around the lagoon at the back of the park. Every pavilion has architecture and restaurants representing that country and many have a short video or cultural items from that country. The shops at each pavilion has unique Disney merchandise exclusive to that particular part of the park and not available anywhere else in Disney World. Our daughter is a big Anime and Pokemon fan and so found lots of interesting things to see (and buy!) in the Japan pavilion. For eats we often find ourselves in the France pavilion Les Halles patisserie or the Lotus Blossom cafe in China for lunch. The Yorkshire County Fish Shop does a decent fish and chips. The Rose and Crown Pub just next door has several UK dishes if you’re feeling homesick. Three out the 11 pavilions also have a ride. See the list below.
The 11 countries are:
- Mexico – Gran Fiesta Tour boat ride
- Norway – Frozen Ever After boat ride
- China
- Germany
- Italy
- USA
- Japan
- Morocco
- France – Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure ride
- UK
- Canada
Between the France and United Kingdom pavilions is the International Gateway. This is a ‘secret’ entrance/exit to Epcot once only needed for guests staying at the nearby hotels. It now has the Skyliner station for everyone to access the new cable car transport. From here you can travel to Hollywood Studios via the Caribbean Beach Resort interchange station. Epcot area hotel guests can still use the water taxi or pathways to the International Gateway to access the park.
TMTO Favourite Rides
Everything in the list with a LL next to it will ideally require a Lightning Lane to avoid wait times over an hour. Height restriction in inches/cm.
For the thrill seekers:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (LL) (42″/107cm) – The world’s largest indoor rollercoaster with rotating ride cars and a backward launch featuring the rag tag space crew from the Marvel comics and Avengers movies and a random soundtrack which is played throughout the ride. Simply one of the best rides you can experience.
Soarin’ (40”/102cm) (LL) Gentle simulator ride. Fly in a giant hang glider as you take in sights (and occasionally smells) of world landmarks and landscapes. A really good experience – one of our favourites in all of WDW.
Test Track 40” (LL) Recently refurbished with the car design section unfortunately now gone this ride still remains a staple of Disney World for us. This is one of the most popular rides in the park and at 65 mph officially the fastest ride at Walt Disney World! At only a 40” height restriction this is a good one for little thrill seekers as well.
Mission Space 44″ Experience a rocket take off with either the Orange team on an intense trip to Mars or the Green team in a gentler orbit around the Earth. It’s essentially a centrifuge ride so can be very disorientating. One to do only if the queue is less than 20 mins.
Rides for all the family to ride together:
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (LL) New for 2021. Great 3-D ride where you’re transformed to the size of a rat and whisked around Gusteau’s kitchen and restaurant. Find it at the rear of the France pavilion. Almost identical to the attraction at Disneyland Paris.
Spaceship Earth (LL) A slow, dark ride all about human development and communication up inside the Epcot’s iconic geodesic sphere with Dame Judi Dench as your narrator. We always go on this one has it has a certain charm to it but, the animatronics are showing their age. Get a ride photo sent via email at the exit.
The Seas With Nemo and Friends Slow, dark but colourful ride through the ocean complete with a trip through the East Australian Current with Crush the turtle and Squirt. A must do for us each time we visit Epcot. Also the aquarium in The Sea Base building is worth a look around as it is one of the world’s largest sea life tanks and you simply must is a picture in the mouth of Bruce the great white shark.
Frozen Ever After (LL) Slow ride boat ride with small drops featuring scenes and musical numbers from the film. Find it next to the waterfall at the back of the Norway pavilion. TMTO TIP: Frozen Ever After ride photos can be retrieved at any WDW Photopass store – just make a note of the date and time you were on the ride.
Journey into Imagination with Figment. This is a slow ride with Epcot’s mascot Figment the little purple dragon and Eric Idle (yes him from Monty Python) as you learn all about a human’s 5 five senses.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros Charming boat ride inside the Mayan Temple in the Mexico pavilion featuring Donald Duck and friends. Not as thrilling as Frozen Ever After but the queue is usually very short.
Living With The Land is a slow boat ride through Epcot’s green houses with narration about farming methods and how they affect the environment. Some of the food grown here is used in the Disney World restaurants. One to do only if you’ve experienced all the other Epcot rides as the adults will find it more interesting than the kids.
Characters
Baymax (Big Hero 6) Future World West.
Joy and Sadness (Inside Out) Future World West .
Wreck-It-Ralph and Vanellope Future World West.
Elsa and Anna (Frozen) Norway pavilion
Belle – Blue dress (Beauty and the Beast) adjacent to the lagoon near France pavilion.
Donald Duck in his sombrero. Mexico pavilion.
Mickey, Minnie & Goofy – Character Spot Future World West.
Snow White in Germany pavilion.
Princess Jasmin in the souk market in Morocco pavilion.
Shows
Turtle Talk with Crush Ask the turtle from Finding Nemo questions. His answers are usually both educational and hilarious! For it’s alway a must do attraction.
Most pavilions in the World Showcase have a stage area where you’ll find live bands/musicians on throughout the day and into the evening. Again check the app or pick up a guide leaflet in the park on the day.
Cool Off Area
The Journey of Water is easily the best place to cool off but there are some additional areas in World Discovery near the monorail track.
Evening Fireworks
Epcot Forever – Fountains, lasers and fireworks dance together in this celebration of the Epcot theme park. Starts at 9pm each night.
After dark the Spaceship Earth sphere is lit up with thousands of integrated colour changing LED lights which make beautiful patterns and pictures.
Take Me To ORLANDO! 