Going to Disney World: Epcot
So I am going to start out by saying that I know Magic Kingdom is the favorite child. It is the most popular and it definitely has the most rides for toddlers. Buttttt, I am going to put it out in the universe that Epcot is the best park. Yep, I said it. Now, granted, my kids were very happy at all the parks so Epcot may be Mom and Dad’s favorite park, buttttt there is SO much to do for littles here.
Let’s break it down, shall we? I am just going to state the two negatives for this park so we can just get it out of the way. The first one was the best rides are very far from each other… so this made it annoying navigating the park. Make sure you have a stroller at Epcot because if you’re doing standby skipper or genie+, you may be going back and forth a bit. The other negative was I felt like at certain points, walking by the countries it was basically shoulder to shoulder. I am not sure if it is because one day Magic Kingdom closed early so everyone moved over to Epcot, but it got tight at certain points. And mama is a fast walker.
Alright, now that I’ve shared the negatives, it is time to break this park down bit by bit. So one plus about this park is its very accessible from Disney resort hotels. You can take the monorail there, you can walk from some hotels, you can take the skyliner and parking is super easy if you need to drive. I loved going to Epcot on the monorail from the Polynesian. You can actually walk to the transportation center from the Polynesian so you can avoid a change in trains when you do this!
Anywho, Epcot has changed A LOT over the years. It’s just so fabulous. Okay okay why is it so fabulous? Well, the rides are next level. I think I maybe only did three rides and I did them multiple times because I loved them so much. Hot tip- do genie + and standby skipper at Epcot if you can. Don’t rope drop this park. Because some of these rides are at the back and even by the time you get there, there will be a huge wait. Unless you are staying at a skyliner resort or one with boat transportation and you can come in the back way! You can get right on at Ratatouille there and we will absolutely be doing that in September. When we went in January, we did two afternoons in Epcot and we were able to get on rides that had over 100 minute waits by using Skipper. Now that I think about it, I think I did more than three rides, but you get the point.
So Epcot is divided into sections- there is World Celebration which currently has the Encanto show and sadly ends in September, World Discovery, World Showcase and World Nature. The rides your toddlers will go on are in World Nature and World Showcase, so make sure you plan accordingly because they are FAR from each other. World Nature is amazing- I feel like it is the slow paced area. A place to relax and appreciate the outdoors. There will you find the Finding Nemo ride that is inside an. aquarium. There is also this super cute ride with Crush from Nemo too. Across the way from it you’ll find Moana’s new Journey of Water. Do not sleep on this. I thought it was going to just be a lame splash pad, but this is Disney- of course it’s not! They make you feel like Moana throughout the walk through and help you form a connection with water. Serena (my two year old) didn’t want to leave this area.
Moana’s Journey of Water at Epcot
A little ways down is the “land” area where you’ll find a character meal (I’ve heard inconsistent things about it) some more slow paced ride and the famous Soarin’. We used skipper for this one because it always has a long wait. Just me and Emilia went because Serena wasn’t tall enough. I would say it was a little scary for her in the beginning because we ended up being the highest level (ask the attendant about this if you want to avoid this) but then she ended up really enjoying it. This ride is such a classic!
Nearby the Land is “Journey into Imagination.” I didn’t have a chance to go in there, but Emilia got this funky cake in there with Josh. I am pretty sure there is an awesome play area indoors too if you want a break from the hustle and bustle. This area is closest to World Showcase so you could start making your way there since it isn’t too far. As a reminder, I feel like this is definitely the park I walked the furthest in because things are spread out.
World Showcase is amazing. The more I write this, the more I am like eh, Epcot could be a full day park (but doing it in two afternoons could be great too) because I felt like there was so much to explore by the countries. Everyone who works in each “country” is from that actual country so I love the feeling you get as you visit the different places. There is great food, drinks for adults and the cutest shops. Also, this is where a lot of underrated character meet ups are. I feel like some people don’t realize you can meet so many characters in the countries and the waits are much shorter than other parks. We saw Donald in Mexico and it was a 5 minute wait! The princesses are scattered throughout the park and the one downside is you need to check the times because they are very specific and a small window, so you really have to plan for it. I heard sometimes they surprise you and the prince/beau of the princess is there too!
In between the UK and France are where the boats let off and the skyliner. If you take this way into Epcot-you definitely have a headstart to the Ratatouille ride (which is SO fun!) That would be the only time I would say to rope drop is if you can come in the back way. France may be one of my favorite countries because there is so much to do there (especially if your kids love princesses). There is the Ratatouille ride- don’t miss out on the fun photo op! This was my favorite photo from the trip. You can meet Aurora, there is a Beauty and the Beast Sing-A-Long which we sadly couldn’t fit in, but I heard is great. And there is wine for the parents :)
Waiting in line with our glasses for the Ratatouille ride
When eating at Epcot, I don’t feel like you need reservations. We found something super quick and easy in Japan and everyone was happy. So don’t stress about eating there and just choose what is convenient. Although if you go into one of those Disney Facebook groups, you can do a quick search of “best restaurants in Epcot” for a head start.
So the princesses are spread throughout the World Showcase. Make sure to check the map and character meets that day because there are a lot you can meet! I didn’t even realize Snow White was German. (You can find her in Germany) In Norway, there is the princess meal, the Frozen ride and and Elsa/Anna meet and greet. I am still unsure which princess meal is better. I think you can meet more princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, but I think you get more of an experience at Cinderella’s Royal table. I have not done Akershus though so this may not be accurate- just pure speculation. We are actually trying this meal in September so I will update and report back!
Some of the really fun adult rides are at Epcot too. I did the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at the end of the night while the girls played at the playground with Josh and oh my goodness it was EPIC. Seriously, this was the craziest ride I have ever been on. If you are a thrill seeker, I highly recommend it. If you are not, skip lol.
Waiting in line at Guardians of the Galaxy
What I love about Epcot is it’s a crowd pleaser- there is so much for everyone there. Between the different festivals that happen seasonally, all the amazing characters to meet and the unique rides, you won’t regret this park! We are staying near Epcot in September and I am so excited to go back to the park and discover things we haven’t done yet.
Do you want to stay near Epcot on your next Disney trip? I can help you! There are three hotels that are located right near Disney but are actually Marriott hotels. The Walt Disney World Dolphin, Swan and the Swan Reserve (this one may be better for adults). These hotels are wonderful if you like staying at Marriotts and love amazing amenities and convenience! They are centrally located between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, have 23 restaurants between the hotels, five pools, two beaches, a spa, a mini golf course and more! To get to the parks you can walk, take the water taxi or a Walt Disney World bus! I am also happy to get you free breakfast when I book you at one of these hotels so feel free to email me at tamar.levy@fora.travel for more information :)
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