1 or 2 days for Epcot?

[susanh]

I have a 3.5 yo and a 6 yo. Should I plan for 1 or 2 days in Epcot? If I planned only one day, I would go to Sea World the other day. WWYD?

 

[ancestry]

With the ages of your kids I would plan on doing 1 day in Epcot. We spend a lot of time walking in each of the countries but I think a 3.5 year old and a 6 year old would probably not enjoy that as much as they would sea world.

 

[GillianP1301]

I'm planning 2 days with my 6 year old Dr, but we don't do full park days, it's usually morning until he's starting to get rid of needing a change, which is usually sometime mid to late afternoon. So my plan is to do FW one day and WS the second day.

That being said, I do think you could get a lot covered in 1 day and leave the 2nd for Sea World.

 

[susanh]

I'm planning 2 days with my 6 year old Dr, but we don't do full park days, it's usually morning until he's starting to get rid of needing a change, which is usually sometime mid to late afternoon. So my plan is to do FW one day and WS the second day.

That being said, I do think you could get a lot covered in 1 day and leave the 2nd for Sea World.

I was also planning that if we went to Epcot 2 days that each would be a 1/2 day. So, I'm just not sure whether to do two 1/2 days or a single, say, 3/4 day.

I've read mixed opinions about whether or not to do World Showcase at all with my young kids. I would love your opinions. I'm leaving 5/2 and I've got to figure this out today!!

 

[GillianP1301]

We have not fully explored WS with our Dr yet, just due to lack of time, which is why I'm blocking the day for it this trip. What we did see, he enjoyed. He loved watching the wood carver and doing pick a pearl with me. He also enjoyed Maelstrom. We ate at Biergarten and that was a huge hit. I like it because it's a more relaxed pace.

 

[lmbcdb]

I've read mixed opinions about whether or not to do World Showcase at all with my young kids. I would love your opinions. I'm leaving 5/2 and I've got to figure this out today!!

There's plenty to do with young kids in World Showcase! I usually have to drag my kids to the next country!

My kids love:

• movie in France
• Server Amusant (jugglers/balancing act in France)
• big drum show in Japan
• pick a pearl in Japan
• acrobats in China
• Maelstrom ride in Norway
• princess buffet in Norway
• Beauty/Beast Meet n Greet
• Kid fun spots in each country (even my 11 year old son!)
• boat ride in Mexico (a family favorite we know the words to!)
• minature train village Germany
• Off Kilter (a family favorite in Canada)

I love France and Mexico for different reasons, but that's a different thread altogether!

 

[vicb]

With the ages of your kids I would plan on doing 1 day in Epcot. We spend a lot of time walking in each of the countries but I think a 3.5 year old and a 6 year old would probably not enjoy that as much as they would sea world.

I agree with this. My kids were 3 and 6 our first trip, we did a partial day at Epcot then headed for the hotel pool. Each subsequent trip as my kids got older they loved Epcot more and more.

In terms of World Showcase, I would atleast go to Mexico which the first country on the left side. Your kids might enjoy the atmosphere there and the boat ride inside. I think that first year we walked as far as Germany to see the miniature train display then packed it in. You can take the boat back from Germany to save the walking.

There are characters in certain countries, the chinese acrobatics show is pretty neat, there are drums in the African outpost etc....

But at that age, my kids really liked Sea World too. Good Luck, we will be there a few days overlapping, fingers crossed for dry weather!

 

[Carolinagirl77]

I would say 2 days. One day you can just do the rides and innovations. My DD loves doing the Phinneas and Ferb's Agent P world adventure and that can take awhile. You could pack it in one day but it would be long day.

 

[susanh]

...But at that age, my kids really liked Sea World too. Good Luck, we will be there a few days overlapping, fingers crossed for dry weather!

Yeah! It looks like a little rain on 5/2 and 5/3 and, beyond that so far the weather looks great!

 

[susanh]

Awesome input. So far, the opinions are about split for 1 day versus 2 days. Any more thoughts?

 

[Kingdome8]

Epcot is a one day for us. The kids enjoyed all the rides but half way walking around the worlds they were ready to go back to pool. It was hot though.
I would like to go one time with just my wife. Lol. Looks like it would be fun.
One day we got there at 4 just to ride soarin ,turtle talk and a few rides and watched illuminations and it was great night.
This year we are trying to schedule ours too. We want to throw in seaworld and universal, with new Harry potter, we're tempted to leave out Epcot. But kids really like soarin and turtle talk.

 

[Eastern]

My kids (3 boys) didn't start really liking WS until they were in their teens.

For a 3.5 and 6yo, although I think it is possible to make Epcot a 2 day event, I think that they would have more fun with a day at Sea World, too.

I wouldn't attempt to do all of WS. It is a very long walk. I'd probably just hit the Mexico ride and Maelstrom at some point.

 

[Kimi313]

That's a hard call cause each child is different. My DD liked Epcot more when she was little than she did when she was a teenager. She liked getting a passport book then going to the Kidcot spots and getting a stamp in her passport. They would write her name is different languages and then write a note and tell her what it said. She also enjoyed seeing the characters with shorter lines than they had at MK. We would eat our way around the countries, trying new food. But as a teenager she got bored after half the day but now as an adult she enjoys it and could spend 2 days there. Is it possible to go one day and if they aren't into it then go to sea world the 2nd day? For me it would drive me crazy if I didn't have a definite plan lol.

 

[BrerTom]

My kids are 4 and 1, went in March for a 3 day trip and did just a half day. Oldest made the 40 in mark so we got to ride soarin together. We are also going for a week starting 5/3 and have two half days planned....

Day one no FP+, plan to get there at rope drop and ride soarin, land, seas and imagination. Will check out the flower and garden festival butterfly zone and the play scape. May grab an outdoor kitchen lunch or a quick service from one of the close countries and then go back for a rest. We booked early evening FP+ on this day for Magic Kingdom.

Second day in Epcot have FP+ for test track, spaceship earth, and one other I can't remember. Plan to get there about 330 ish, do a couple of rides, the humming bird flower and garden exhibit and then an AH dinner. We don't typically keep the kids out to 9 for illuminations (have seen it myself many times)... If this is a once in a lifetime trip this would be the night to do it.

 

[lovesdumbo]

My kids who are now 15, 13, & 11 have always loved Epcot.

They loved doing the masks at the kid cot stations, loved doing the missions (Kim Possible when we last did them), loved the entertainment in the countries, lots of character meet & greets and on special occasions we would get (or make our own-go to the creativedis board) passports-we would ask the CMs to sign say "Happy Birthday" in their language. We recently started getting different candies in each country.

I've been going to WDW for my bday 5/6 every year since 2006. May 5th is Japanese Children's Day. They always do something special in Japan for that. The playgrounds they have for Flower Fest are fun. It's also fun to find all the topiaries.

Doing a 2nd day at Epcot would Be a lot less expensive than SeaWorld.

 

[baldy6060]

AT LEAST two days. We had never been until 2 years ago& 1 day wasn't nearly enough so we did 2 days the next time & we all wished we had time for a 3rd day. LOVE Epcot!