EPCOT

Park Touring Recommendation and Tips

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What to know before you arrive:

1) Your priorities for the day! Click here for my park worksheets to help you organize your thoughts.

2) Know which attractions are included with Multi Pass and which ride is this park’s Single Pass (aka “Fancy Ride” not included in Multi Pass purchase). I’ve listed them for you below.

3) I highly recommend taking advantage of Early Entry.

4) Tip: Your phone is going to be used A LOT today. To save battery, close out any unneeded apps and turn your phone onto Low Battery Mode.

5) Be aware there is a large construction project at the front of the park, just behind Spaceship Earth. If you want to get to Guardians of the Galaxy or Test Track from the main entrance, go left of Spaceship Earth. If you want to get to Soarin, go right. Both directions will lead you to the World Showcase.

Lightning Lane Tips:

  • The Lightning Lane Individual Attraction Selection for this park is Guardian’s of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (typically sells out quickly). Be ready to purchase this at 7am! Expect to pay between $10-$15 per person. NOTE: There is also a Virtual Queue to ride Guardians of the Galaxy that guests can join at 7am or 1pm. You CAN join the Virtual Queue AND purchase a Lightning Lane, allowing you to ride twice in one day. Just be aware the Virtual Queue means a long line, while Lightning Lane means a shorter wait. These are your two options to ride Guardians. There is no Standby line.

  • A great strategy is to purchase Guardian’s (ideal ride time is afternoon when lines are long, allowing you to get other attractions done first), grab Remy’s Ratatouille through Multi Pass, and rope drop either Test Track OR Frozen Ever After, whichever is a higher priority to you. See more below.

  • For these popular attractions, getting a Multi Pass return time can be beneficial in order of most to least popular:

    • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

    • Frozen Ever After

    • Test Track (40 inches)

    • Soarin’ (40 inches)

    • Mission: Space

    • Turtle Talk with Crush

    • The Seas with Nemo & Friends

    • Journey Into Imagination with Figment

    • Spaceship Earth

    • Living with the Land

Your day at EPCOT

Where Do I start? I highly recommend taking advantage of Early Entry! Most of the crowd will be headed to Remy’s Ratatouille. Here is what I suggest:

  • If you DID NOT purchase a Lightning Lane for Guardians, you can try joining the Virtual Queue via the app at 7am OR 1pm. The Virtual Queue is access to the Standby Line, which means there will be a wait – it is not a Lightning Lane.

  • I suggest making a Multi Pass selection for Remy’s right at 7am, then rope dropping either Frozen or Test Track. Whatever you do not rope drop should be your first Multi Pass ride.

After you have ridden Ratatouille and Frozen or Test Track, consider completing attractions near the front of the park before coming back to the World Showcase. This would be rides like Soarin, Mission: Space, Nemo, and Journey Into Imagination with Figment, and finally Guardians of the Galaxy. EPCOT is really, really big and you don’t want to walk more than you need to! Tip: If you’ve purchased Guardians of the Galaxy you can ride it any time after your call-back time has come. Meaning, if you purchase it for 1pm and show up at 3pm, that’s fine. So don’t stress about making it if you’ve paid money for it! They will let you ride.

Note: Mission: Space is fun, but I do recommend riding the Green line as it is less intense. Mission: Space is inside a simulator, so guests who are prone to being claustrophobic should avoid this ride. Mission: Space often has a short wait throughout the day - do not prioritize this for the morning hours.

The World Showcase is a place for exploration, food, shopping, and a few rides in France, Mexico, and Norway. It’s not meant to be done at lightning speed. Take your time and enjoy the different countries! The World Showcase can be overwhelming, so just take it one country at a time. You are visiting during the Festival of the Arts. Grab a festival passport at the park entrance and find some foods or activities you may enjoy!

The following are fan-favorite attractions worth mentioning: The Three Caballeros in Mexico, Living with the Land, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and The American Adventure show. Plus, check the app for performances throughout the day. For example, there is usually a mariachi band in Mexico, or Voices of Liberty singers in America. The World Showcase has many performers throughout the day starting around 11am and lasting to about 5pm or so. Dreamer’s Point! Be sure to visit the brand new statue of Walt Disney, located behind Spaceship Earth.

Fun at EPCOT with Kids

We love the jumping fountains! Off the beaten path and usually away from people, this water fun will buy you some time to talk with other adults. To find them, walk up the stairs on the left of the Pixar Short Film Festival location.

KidCot Fun Stops! Each country in the World Showcase participates in this program where kids can collect activity cards. This is great for adults who are not in a hurry, or a way to keep up the fun on a rainy day!

EPCOT is full of character interaction opportunities! To see who will be out and when, tap on the Pin in the My Disney Experience app and choose “Characters” from the drop-down menu.

The Living Seas! Did you know there is a mini-aquarium located at the exit of The Seas with Nemo & Friends? Here you can see dolphins, manatee and more! This is a great area for small children to run around in the air conditioning.

Moana’s Journey of Water! This brand new experience in an interactive walking path that’s both fun during the daytime or at night. At the end of the path you can meet Moana!

Nighttime at EPCOT

The new nighttime spectacular Luminous: The Symphony of Us will begin at 9:00pm. **Always check the app for today’s showtimes! The show is featured around the entire World Showcase lagoon. Choose a country and get a spot about an hour before it begins. Any country is fine, as there are no screens. That being said, if you are riding the Skyliner back to your hotel I recommend getting a spot with a quick exit out of the World Showcase, such as the UK, France, Morocco, or Canada.

If you choose to stay for Luminous: The Symphony of Us, you need to be aware of the situation at park closing. Unless there are extended evening hours for deluxe guests, everything closes in the park when Luminous begins, including most shops. This means everyone in the park will be leaving at the same time. Here are my tips:

  1. If you are exiting between France and the UK to ride the Skyliner, get a viewing spot near that exit and be ready to move immediately after the show is over. The line for the Skyliner gets very long at park closing since it services 4 hotels.

  2. If you are exiting through the main gate at the front of the park, either be ready to leave immediately when the show is over OR sit back and take your time departing. It’s a long walk to the buses/monorail station, and everyone will go going in the same direction. The post-Harmonious music is really wonderful to sit and listen to. Just hang back and enjoy while the crowds move away from you. In my opinion that is a more pleasant experience than trying to leave in a sea of people.

  3. If you are a guest of the Beach/Yacht Club or Boardwalk resort hotels you will exit between France the UK and enjoy a walk back to your room.

Food Recommendations

EPCOT has so much wonderful food!!! Here are some of my favorites:

Hearty: 

  • Nachos or Empanadas for $14 each at La Cantina de San Angel Inn. Enjoy their patio right by the water!

  • Katsura Grill in Japan has one of the most relaxing quick service atmospheres in all of Disney if you choose to sit outside and enjoy the garden. On the kids menu there is a $8.50 chicken teriyaki that includes rice, veggies, a cookie, and a small juice or soda.

Sweet:

  • Caramel popcorn at the Werther's shop in Germany. It's $6.99 and plenty to share.

  • Croque Glace at L’Artisan des Glaces in France. A scoop of ice cream in a homemade brioche bun. It’s pricier at $9.50 but ohhh so good.

Both!

  • Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in France has a lot of wonderful options including sandwiches, cheese plates, bread, pastries, coffees, and wine & champagne. Tip: This is a great place to spend your morning after riding Ratatouille and Frozen if you aren’t in a rush to get to your third ride.

My Favorite Quick Service: 

  • Sunshine Seasons at The Land. Need something healthy & lean? This is your spot! There is a kids salmon plate for $8.50 that includes jasmine rice, applesauce, and a small milk or bottled water. I also like the oak-grilled rotisserie chicken meal which is $12.99.

  • La Cantina de San Angel (quick service in Mexico). It's right on the water and fantastic food! Tacos, bowls, empanadas. You can’t go wrong here. Prices range from $13-$15 per entree.

  • Katsura Grill in Japan. Do me a favor - even if you don’t eat here go explore a little. It’s a lovely location. Here you can have sushi, noodle salads, and osusume.

  • Connections Eatery in World Celebration near Guardians of the Galaxy. Perfect for anyone wanting a burger & fries or a cheese pizza. The General Tso Chicken Salad is fresh, huge, and delicious at $12.29. The kids cheeseburger and fries with small bottle of water is $8.49.

  • Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the UK for fish & chips ($13.49) and a 20oz cold beer ($11.25).