Epcot

[snow_white1993]

Hey i've never been to Disney World and i was wondering about Epcot.....is it a fun park? what are the rides like?

[tlhewitt52]

Can You Give Us A Little More Info, Like Who Is Going And Ages, We Will Be Able To Tell You Better Attractions Rides Etc? I Will Tell You Some People Love Epcot For My Family It Isn't Our Favorite Park But We Like The Attractions And Rides We Usually Only Do One Day Here!

[4fordisney]

EPCOT is what you make of it. The big rides; Test Track, Soaring and Mission Space, will likely have the longest waits, and if you don't get the Fast Pass early you may be out of luck. World Showcase is incredible and offers some of the best dining in the World. Plan on a lot of walking, but EPCOT can be both enjoyable and informative. Depending on how your group feels about learning versus riding rides, EPCOT can be a full day or more.

[snifflesmcg]

I'll explain it best I can. Epcot is two separate parks in one. The first one is called "Future World. It has a technology/futuristic theme to it. Test Track and Mission Space are thrill rides while Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth all teach you a thing or two. The other part is "World Showcase". Here there are different "lands" that are each a different country. For instance, in the Japan pavillion, it features a restaurant and shops all dedicated to the Japanese culture. They actually have people intern here from their country to work in Disney World. It's great to learn and experience different foods and to see some of the shows they offer. World Showcase doesn't offer alot of rides but it's more of a visual thing. The lands are Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada. I hope this explains things and ask away if you need any more questions answered.

[snow_white1993]

ok, well we have a family of 8: 2 adults and they dont really like thrill rides, there's me and im 14 and love thrill rides, theres anna and shes 12 and likes some thrill rides but is more of a calm ride girl, theres shelbyand shes 11 and she hates thrill rides, then theres brandon and hes 9 and he LOVES thrills rides, majorthrill ride boy, then theres jesse and hes 5 and hes into lots of kid rides then theres skyler and hes going to be 2 when we go.

[Sharon1026]

We really like Epcot. It's not all rides, like Magic Kingdom. There are quite a few rides, but more shows, etc. You can easily take a few days going thru it.

The dining there is very good. Get your parents to make reservations at one of the restaurants in the world showcase for lunch.

It's alot of cultural kind of stuff in the world showcase, more rides in the front.

It's my second favorite park after Magic Kingdom.

Remember, it's Disney - there are no "bad" parks!

[psychotekkie]

Your party could split up a bit so some of you can go on the thrill rides like Mission Space, Test Track and Soarin, while the others could explore Innoventions, and together you could go to the Energy pavilion (slow moving smooth ride with awesome scenery and dinos), and Imagination with Figment, and Living Seas with Nemo. Then in the afternoon go do some shopping and exploring around the world showcase area. Great place if you like to buy little things for friends/family back home, too.

And yes, get those dining reservations done early. Maybe do something like Biergarten, because they have fun entertainment and a good buffet. When you have small kids like Jesse and Skyler, you can sometimes use a bit of entertainment, and having a variety of food will make sure everybody's taste is satisfied. Just my opinion.

[RocknRoller94]

Well, first, Epcot is my favorite park. It's based on, basically, earth. From the Alpha to the Omega. From past to future. From the U.S. to China. It is a great learning experience(Don't think, though that it doesn't have its share of thrills, chills, and spills. Test Track is the fastest thrill ride in Disney History. It has a top speed of up to 65 mph. It offers many thrills while showing you what an automobile goes through before it can be sold to millions of people all over the world. Mission Space lets you experience space sensations(including space sickness). Soarin' is pretty good at giving you the sensations of flight. And there are many other rides going into the land, the imagination, the body, energy and its many uses, the sea, and the many countries of the world, as well as communications between them(thisride, Spaceship Earth, may be closed while you are there). Note that the World of Motion and New Horizons no longer exist here.

[SunnyLee]

hiya!!! NEVER BEEN TO DISNEY WORLD!!??? I am sooooooooooooooo excited for you to finally experience it!! I was 15 the first time I ever went to WDW...and loved every minute of it! I do, however, remember going to Epcot for the first time and thinkin'...uh...this is Disney? Course remember that was 10years ago (gracious I'm old!) and it has improved, or at least grown on me so much since then. I would say that by FAR Epcot is my favorite park. I LOVE the countries and the different cultures you get to learn...not to mention the fantablous places to eat in those countries!!! Also..in Future World there are some wonderful rides and places to look at! My all-time favorite ride is Soarin' and I wouldn't pass that up for anything ...especially if this is your first time to go! Let me suggest to NOT miss the desserts in this little place back in the country of France! Definitely DON'T miss Test Track either...and the firework/laser show at the end of the day is something worth waiting for!!! Don't miss Epcot..it's something that Walt Disney devoted so much time and thought into, and sadly didn't get to see...so see it for him!!!! Have a blast!!!!

[jszczur5]

EPCOT (all caps, it's an acronym) is not all about high thrill rides although there are some. There is also an educational component to it. Not in an in-your-face kind of way; but in the Disney makes it fun, so I don't even realize I'm learning kind of way.
It offers a virtual smorgasbord of dining opportunities, but yes, you can still get burgers and fries, if that's what you want.
The World Showcase is an awesome opportunity to learn about other cultures first hand, as the CMs in each country are actually from that country.
We had a 10 day Park Hopper Pass last year, and visited EPCOT at least 3 or 4 times.
Get your fastpass for Soarin' early or you will be sorely disappointed. This is the smoothest, most relaxing, thrill ride you will ever experience. Unless you are deathly afraid of heights, it's not too scary for too many. You'll probably be too engrossed in the sights and sounds and smells to even remember that you're off the ground.
Mission Space offers two separate ride experiences - original and the chicken version. I prefer the chicken version even though I love thrill rides, I just can't spin.
Enjoy the park - it offers something for everyone.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

EPCOT is our favorite park.
Even with three younger kids. They would spend more time there over MK.
Everyone else gave you great run downs about what is there. I just wanted to mention how wonderful this park is. I have friends that are taking their first trip to the World right after we go this year and they thought EPCOT would be boring. I have talked them into at least spending one day there.

Have a wonderful first trip!!

[LauraF]

EPCOT is my favorite park, hands down. EPCOT = Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. (Or according to my last WDW bus driver "Employee Paychecks Come On Thursday.")

Mostly I love it because I'm geeky that way and I like to eat. It has both educational places and *really* good restaurants. I like the movies, the exhibits and the stuff most people avoid. I do love thrill rides too, but not as much as sitting through Living With the Land, JII, or O Canada.

This is not to make it sound like that oft overused phrase an "educational experience." It's what you make of it. I could spend a day talking to various CMs about their countries for one. (I'm very curious about such things.) But if you want to go just to ride rides, then it may not be the most appealing thing for you.

Good luck!

[Jakk]

Hey i've never been to Disney World

A tip, forget everything that you know about any other amusment park because once you enter in WDW you'll make the memories of a life time and enter a world of magic

[auntfrannie]

When my nieces went 2 years ago they were 12 & 10. They enjoyed doing the Passport. You buy these little booklets in the shops and go around to each country and find the designated stations where cast members from that country put a stamp in the book and write your name in their language. So it gives you a chance to meet people from other countries & cultures and collect a nice souvenir.

For the younger kids in your family,they might enjoy doing the Kidcot stations where at each country they add a different piece to a mask on a stick.

You're going to have a great time!!!!

[kaliepooh]

Epcot is a great park. It is my second favorite after MK. You'll have a great time at the park!

[alilprincessmom]

EPCOT is my favorite park! Everyone has given you excellent descriptions of what the park is about. It is a learning experience so to speak, but, because it is Disney, they make it fun! Spaceship Earth is one of my favorite rides, and it takes you on a trip through time learning the advancements of communication. Mission:Space is a thrill ride, but one like no other you have experienced! You take a trip through space all with the G forces you would experience in take-off and landing! Test Track is a fun thrill ride(if that's what you call it), where you learn about all of the tests that a vehicle goes through before one buys it! Ellen's Energy Adventure is a VERY slow moving ride, which teaches you about, you guessed it, energy. You will take a ride through the age of the dinosaurs! Living with the Land is another slow moving ride through a "garden", so to speak, that teaches you about, well, the land! Soarin, another thrill ride of sorts, is a an aerial journey over some of the most beautiful landscape in California! I haven't experienced The Seas with Nemo, so I can't really tell you much about that one, but I hear it is a great ride for the little ones! Turtle Talk is a great attraction with some amazing technology, the little ones will also love this one. Journey Into Your Imagination is a dark ride, but it is cute! It isn't what it used to be, but the character, Figment will warm your hearts! The little ones will love this one! And as far as the countries are concerned, myself, I could spend days in the World Showcase. The culture you gather from journeying through the different countries is something you will never forget. And finally the food! It's too bad you can't experience all of the food in one trip, because the food in World Showcase is amazing! Hope all of this helps, I had fun telling you about it, because it takes me back there if only for a moment!

[GhostHost999]

Now I am not a neutral party, because EPCOT is my favorite of all the parks. I think that you all will have a great time there. For lack of a better description, EPCOT is shaped like a giant hourglass, and as folks have already said the place really is two parks in one.

World Showcase is in the back. I call it Around the World in 80 minutes. It will give you a great chance to see snapshots of the cultures for the nations that are exhibited. Not ot mention a chance to interact with people from those different places. Do yourself a favor though, go with a full wallet and an empty stomach. The shopping there is amazing and the food is something special.

Future World is in the front. Herein you will find pavilions dedicated to different aspects of all human life. Communication, Energy, The Land, The Sea, Imagination, etc. These exhibits are fun, educational, and can be very inspiring. You may even find yourself feeling better about things as a whole afterward.

I think you will have a great time at EPCOT.

[Goofy Texan]

If you have park hopper tickets, I strongly suggest you make your very first visit to Epcot (or any of the parks) in the afternoon. I recommend this for all first timers. The parks are visually stunning and Epcot is no exception. By going in the afternoon you can take your time and get to know your way around, see where the lines form, where fast pass machines are and more without having to worry about rushing for fast passes and such.

You'll still have fun. There are plenty of fast loading attractions that you can enjoy, and shows and shopping and Illuminations.

My first visit was at dusk. I'll never forget that first view of World Showcase. It was twilight and the lights in the countries had just come on. The whole area was immense. I just stood there in awe of it all. Stunning. And then later watching Illuminations - I remembered thinking Disney just ruined the 4th of July for me forever.

I can't imagine what my memories would be if my first visit had started with a stampede for Soarin' fast passes. No family photo under the big ball, no playing with the jumping fountains, no taking in all the eye candy that makes up so much of the magic of any Disney park. Just dragging distracted family members through a sea of people and strollers to a machine that spits out a ticket.

Remember first timers! Make your first visit to a park in the afternoon. Take your time and see the sights. Be first in line for the big rides the next morning - now that you know your way around!

[jenfriend]

We really enjoyed Epcot. My kids were 8,6&2. My older kids favorite and adult's too was Soarin. DO a baby-pass so you can all try it. Don't miss this one. My 2yo really enjoyed the Mexican boat ride. We all liked the Norway boat ride. Journey of Figment was good. The space ship ride at the front of the park was ok. The ride in the Land Pavilion was blah. Mission: Space was super-thrilling and I'll never do it again, but teenagers will love it. Movie in Canada was old and kind of boring. I'm sure it was cutting edge when it was made, but that was 25 years ago. Dancers in China were wonderful. Dinner with Princesses in Norway was a must-do with little girls and food was good. Living Seas was ok. Do make cookies w/ Nestle on the lower level of the Land Pavilion. Street performers in UK were good. Fish and Chips in UK were passable, nothing terrific. DH and I loved the food at Chefs de France. Illuminations was nice, but I'd trade my Illuminations time in shorter line for Soarin.

[Darin M]

EPCOT RULES!

It's my favorite park of the 4.