Help me convince DH about Epcot

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

Over our last 2 family trips, we visited Epcot once and had unpleasant experiences. My kiddies were too young to really enjoy anything (now 3 & 5). This time around, I'd like to go back and try out some of the rides. My DH is totally uninterested. He said no way is he wasting a day going back.

Since all we rode was the Maelstrom (many of the other rides were not age-appropriate for our kids or didn't seem interesting), I don't have recent experiences. Are the attractions fun? The WDW website doesn't make it clear which are rides and which are shows. I don't really care to spend all day wandering between countries with our little ones strapped into a stroller.

Help me convince my DH that a day in Epcot with little ones will be well spent!

[SBETigg]

You may be better served to avoid World Showcase at first and ease him into Future World. Soarin' and Test Track are two incredible rides that your kids may be tall enough to handle. Most likely, Soarin' will work out. Not sure about Test Track. Measure them in advance to see how they stack up against the height requirements. Get FastPass for those attractions to save time and hassle.

Spaceship Earth is actually a ride inside. The Living Seas is a great one for the kids, and there's a new ride through there, plus they are great ages to enjoy Turtle Talk with Crush. Journey Into Imagination is fun. You're missing out on a lot of WDW's best if you skip Epcot, what a shame. Best wishes convincing him!

[indytraveler]

I used to think that Epcot was a waste of time. Always that the Studios were better. But not anymore. Epcot is our family's favorite park not named the MK. My kids ages are 14,12,&8. We've been going yearly for the last 10 years. So I've had my youngest at Epcot for at least the last 5 years since he was 3. Even with out being tall enough for Mission Space or Test Track he enjoyed the rest of the park. If all you did was future world then that would leave you the afternoon to park hop another or do the rides again. Keep in mind too that after TT and MS there are activities to do in the exit area. You can walk in there first and experience some pretty cool things. Soarin, Turtle talk w/ Crush, Nemo ride, The land, Ellen's energy, Spaceship Earth, Figment and HISTA. these are all good attractions that can take up part of the day. The waters pavillion also has some other marine life in it as well. doing all this can leave you time for some of the countries in World showcase.

It took us 3 years before we realized we should take 2 days to do everything we want at Epcot. Now the kids are pros and we do their favorites and it still takes 2 days.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Epcot has always been a family favourite. Our boys are 10 and 4. For us World showcase is a great place to visit. There is a lot more room for our guys to move around without feeling like they are getting lost in the crowds. Our youngest has been 7 times to WDW since he was 6 months and he remembers places around Epcot that he enjoys and makes us go there first.

Oh and the entire WS is licensed so you can enjoy a nice :beer: and:marg: while you stroll around.

As for attractions, hear right away for Soarin' and get your fastpasses. Then head over and ride on Test Track. These are two rides that never fail to be enjoyable. At the end of Mission Space, there is an indoor playground. You get to it by going into the store and not the ride.

Go you might be surprised by Epcot.

[EJS-Houston]

I'll add my voice to the rest and say that I think "Soarin'" may be my favorite ride in all of WDW! EPCOT remains the park where I inevitably spend more time than in any other park...just because there is SO much more to do there: unbelievable thrill rides (Mission Space, Test Trak), great indoor rides (Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Ellen's Universe of Energy) and the world showcase. Plus, in Innoventions you can do things like test-drive a Segway. EPCOT is not to be missed!!!

[alilprincessmom99]

Like others have already stated, there are plenty of attractios that even your youngest can enjoy. Spaceship Earth is a nice long slow ride through time and my daughter has ejoyed it sice she was 3. The Seas is a great pavillion with two attractions to enjoy with the little ones. First you have the Nemo ride and then Turtle Talk with Crush. The Land pavillion also has two attractions which might be enjoyable for the little ones, Living With the Land and Soarin'. Then you have Imagination with Figment which is always a big hit with the little ones. HISTA is a little scary, but it is a 4D attraction that might be enjoyable for your little ones. Ellen's Energy Adventure is long, but I think the little ones would enjoy this one as well. The Mexico and Norway pavillions are the only countries that have rides, but the other pavillions still have attractions that may be enjoyable to both you and DH and the little ones.

Also, you can do the little passports for the children in each country. They will get to interact with the cast members from each country and they get to do a little project along with it.

Epcot can be a two day park if you take the time to enjoy not only the rides, but the exhibits and other attractions as well.

[RBrooksC]

The last few times I have been to Epcot, we have spent at least one full day plus 1/2 of another there. I love to walk and wander through the WS. While my 18 month old son was too young to actually enjoy himself there except for the Nemo ride and Living with the Land.

I, of course, loved Mission: Space and Test Track. Epcot is very large and it takes time to really enjoy it but it is one of my favorite parks to visit.

[KylesMom]

I remember when DH and I both felt like that about Epcot! It was a struggle when DS was under 4 to find many things for him to do, but now for several years has been one of our favorite parks. Here are some suggestions for you:

* Finding Nemo ride at The Seas Pavilion
* Turtle Talk Show with Crush & Aquarium Viewing
* Soarin' Over California Ride (Over 40" - Baby Swap?)
* Lunch with Farmer Mickey at Garden Grill
* Journey Into Imagination Ride
* Honey I Shrunk the Audience Show (may be too intense for 3-year old?)
* Test Track Ride (Over 40" - Baby Swap?)
* Character Connection Meet-and-Greet
* Spaceship Earth Ride
* Kidcot Fun Stops in each country
* Character Meet and Greets (Koda & Kenai, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin/Jasmine/Genie, Mickey/Minnie/Pluto, Snow White & Dopey, Pinnocchio characters, the Three Amigos and others)
* El Rio Del Tiempo Ride (Mexico)
* Maelstrom Ride (Norway)


As mentioned, you could just visit all of the things in Future World, and then take a cursory walk through World Showcase. Good luck in your quest! :mickey:

[bruin1344]

drink around the world

[gerald72]

I thought my kids (5,8,11) wouldn't really like Epcot, so on our last trip I picked that park to go to first, in case we were tired or got delayed.
As it turned out, Epcot was their favorite park of all, we went back a second time, and we still haven't done World Showcase.

[FenwayGirl]

Epcot is one of my families favorites! A few years ago I took one of my children (adult) and 3 of her kids (3,6,9) to WDW. We spent 2.5 of our 8 days in Epcot.

The kids loved the having their passports signed and also making their masks (a table is set up in every country) The CM at these tables really engaged with the kids. We also make sure that we go to as many shows in the WS as possible. We eat something in every country (vs the drink your way around the world) As for FW, we were there in Jan (kids 2 years older) and we spent the better part of a day riding all the rides.

The thing I love about Epcot is the relaxing architecture and the fact that it is so spacious...:thumbsup:

[Kidsmom]

On a 10 day trip we usually go to:
AK - 1x
HS - 2x
MK - 2x
and Epcot 3x....kids choice- with parents who are extememely happy!!
My kids are 5, 7, 8, & 10.

Everyone has had great suggestions as what to do already...but my kids also like to try new food. And I agree, much more space in the park to move around and not feel like you are at a crowded theme park. My husband and I REALLY like our days at Epcot....and the drinks!

[TinkerbellT421]

This is me and DBF's favorite we always do this and MK atleast 2 sometime 3 times! We love the rides that everyone on here has already mentioned. Especially witht he young kids I think they would really like Figment (I love Figment, when I was a kid my dad took me on that ride and it was my favorite character ever since). But anway sorry to get off track there....plus I didnt see anyone mention the fireworks show at the end of the night. Makes me cry every time, its just so beautiful! I just completely blanked out on what the call it...Geez, brains not working at the end of a long work day lol. But anyway whatever its called, is a beautiful fireworks show...must see in my opinion. (AHAHAAHHHHHAAA I remembered it, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth)...Takes place in the middle of the World Showcase Lagoon. Absolutely beautiful, look into on Google, if you havent see it yet. :thumbsup:

[Texas Tinkerbell Too]

Do you plan on having park hopper tickets?
If you do, then tell your DH you won't need to spend an entire day at Epcot. That is the beauty of the park hopper.

I would say go try some of the suggestions of the PP. The Nemo ride and Turtle Talk with Crush (adorable), and Journey into Imagination with Figment are well worth hopping over to Epcot for your young children to see.

And as someone else mentioned, this is the best place to meet & greet all the main Disney characters in the Innoventions building. They have adorable backgrounds for great picturetaking.

I just can't imagine not going to Epcot. Best Wishes. I hope you can convinve him.

[Taja]

There is good information on this board, as well as allearsnet.com. They have a fairly comprehensive list of the attractions in each park and height requirements. That will give you a good starting point.

Then you just need to convince your DH to go to EPCOT early one morning, get fastpasses for Soarin' and go from there. :thumbsup:

[Tigerinvestigator]

As many have said, Soarin itself is unbelievable! Test Track and Mission Space are great thrill rides, and Nemo and Figment are my DD's favorites. I love the Living with the land boatride and if you husband likes farming or gardening it can be very interesting. Ellen's Energy Adventure is entertaining and we can spend hours in Innoventions. Spaceship Earth is a great ride and a Disney Icon. And lastly, the American Adventure should not be missed by anyone visiting the Walt DIsney World Resort! It will make you proud to be and American.:thumbsup:

[g8rgirl29]

Our 3yo DD Loved EPCOT!!! Turtle Talk, NEMO, Character connection she really enjoyed but wandering the world showcase in the afternoon catching all the characters for photo's was magical for her!! She would have gone every day if it was up to her!!! It makes for a nice relaxing afternoon for Mom and Dad to just wander the world showcase meeting characters too!!

[Coach48]

My two oldest are almost 7 and 5 and they both loved Epcot from the first trip.The baby is 9 mos. now so he can't put in his opinion yet.They love The Seas with Nemo and friends,Spaceship Earth,Soarin,Test Track and Journey into Imagination with Figment.I love the walk through World Showcase and sampling the beer from each country.The kids also love the Kidcot Fun Stops where they can decorate their crafts.I know how it is when someones mind is made up about something,but you would be missing a tremendous experience if you skipped Epcot.

[brownie]

You would definitely not be wasting a day spending at Epcot. There are a lot of fun things to do their. There's plenty of food options, entertainment, and attractions.

My favorite attractions include Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, O Canada, Maelstrom, the American Adventure and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (4-D movie). I'd include Soarin', too, although I have only ridden it at California Adventure.

Entertainment options I enjoy are Illuminations, the Jammitors, the drummers in Japan, Voices of Liberty, and Mo'rockin.

There's a lot in Epcot that someone of any age could enjoy, so I'm surprised you didn't do more on your trip. There are a lot of fun and interesting things to do at Epcot. Even exploring World Showcase can be an adventure. Our sons were 3 and 6 on our last trip; they enjoyed the things they did. Our youngest has been a Figment fan since riding Journey into your Imagination.

[JCO]

Soarin' is a fantastic experience, one of my family's favorites.

My son and I also really enjoyed Mission Space. We weren't even sure we wanted to go on that ride, but liked it so much we got a Fast Pass to go on it again.

I personally like World Showcase, but I can see how it's not everyone's cup of tea.

But there's enough in Future World to keep a person occupied and to appeal to a variety of tastes.

One freebie at Epcot you might want to check out is Ice Station Cool (which may be called Club Cool now). It's a free attraction that gives you a chance to taste some of Coca-Cola's products marketed to different countries (like an apple flavored drink from Mexico, a watermelon drink sold in China, etc.). Sadly, there are no cola varieties available. At least there weren't last time we went.

You definitely have to take a different approach to touring Epcot than you do at MK. It's definitely comparing apples to oranges (or even like comparing an apple to a pineapple!).

[wire0monkey]

If you want to do a whole day at Epcot, it's totally worth it. Soarin' is a great ride for little kids, if your 3 yo is tall enough. (He must be 40 inches.) It's one of the best rides in WDW. My kids also like the Nemo ride at the Seas and Journey into Imagination (and the Kodak pavilion after it is a favorite, too) and Living with the Land. (They really love the aqua-culture fish tanks on that ride.) They also like Rio del Tiempo. We also go to Illuminations more often than Wishes because it often starts earlier in the evening.

My kids also love the shows in World Showcase. The drumming in Japan, the fife and drum corps, and the Chinese acrobats are all awesome.

If you add Spaceship Earth, that's a pretty good day.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

Do you plan on having park hopper tickets?
If you do, then tell your DH you won't need to spend an entire day at Epcot. That is the beauty of the park hopper.

I just can't imagine not going to Epcot. Best Wishes. I hope you can convinve him.

Yes, we do plan on getting the park hopper option. I was a little doubtful myself, but now I can't wait to add this to our itinerary. Maybe we'll go early on in our trip so that we'll have plenty of time for the other parks in case the DH still doesn't like it (mental note: buy a "Grumpy" shirt for the DH while we're at WDW).

THANK YOU Intercotees!!!!! I honestly don't know what I would do without your suggestions and thoughts! I printed out your posts because the responses were so helpful and in-depth.

The "passport" idea sounds cute - where do you get one?

[dsnyfan001]

I love EPCOT! I think its a relaxing park to be in, You can just stroll through the park without rushing too much. Yea you have to do test track and sorin first thing but after that there are so many neat lil things to do and see, Like the drinks around the world, tasting all those pops are neat, Innoventions, Living Seas with Nemo, its awesome now. They did that ride great! The mexican ride, now turned into the Three Caballeros, Malestrom, Wow i could keep on going, I think its nice to take your time visiting every country in your own pace.:blush:

[CU Tiger]

I use to be the same way, but now I am a fan of EPCOT. We try not to hit every country in the showcase, but we do hit the ones with a good show/ride or that will provide us a good beverage:beer::marg:!! My DDs (6 & 8) love it there and it is actually hard for us to do everything we like in a day.:mickey:

[wendy*darling]

The "passport" idea sounds cute - where do you get one?
Everywhere!!
Really, they have them in every shop in Epcot, and most of the resort gift shops. You won't have trouble finding them at all.

I agree with everyone- our kids have said this is their favorite park (yes- even over MK!) since they were 3 & 6! They are now 18 & 21 and still love Epcot.

I didn't see anyone mention Innoventions. There are some fun things in those Future World buildings as well. I am thinking "Where's the Fire" would be perfect for your kids, as well as some of the other see & touch exhibits.

Add a lunch and/or dinner at the Garden Grill (character meal with Farmer Mickey and friends in the Land) or Coral Reef (lovely restaurant in the Seas with a whole wall that is an aquarium) and you have a perfect day.
I'll bet if you plan a morning at Epcot, with lunch at the Garden Grill, you will find no one wants to leave Epcot once lunch is over! :thumbsup:


Enjoy! :mickey:

[#1donaldfan]

If he's a thrill ride lover......how can he miss Mission Space ????

Test Track, while not a great "thrill" ride, is very fun.....

Soarin is just plain awesome....

then there's the food.....there are so many places to eat, try, sample.....it's a mans paradise.....thrill rides, food n beer !!:beer:

[scoot241]

Let's see...

Soarin'
SSE
Mission: Space
Test Track
The Seas w/ Nemo & Friends
Journey into Imagination

Plus a whole lot of entertainment options. The British Invasion is a great Beatles cover band that plays at the England pavillion. The Jammitors can be found around Future World; they play on trash cans and other such items.

If nothing else, he can have a few :beer::beer::beer: around World Showcase.