3-4 hrs at Epcot?

[mammomommie]

We will get there Dec 1 around 2:30, have ADR at Garden Grill at 5:00. With only a few hours will we be able to ride the good rides? Will the lines be long then? Husband and two kids 16 and 11.

 

[Wooden Eye]

Mommie, not sure what you mean by 'the good rides' (they're all good!) but I assume you're probably referring to Soarin', Test Track and Mission:Space. Chances are that Fastpasses will be gone for Soarin (or if not, a very late window) and the standby line will probably be +1 hr. Test Track will probably have a long standby line (45 mins?), but you could hop into the 'singles' line and get through a whole lot faster. Mission:Space should be do-able - check out which side has the shorter wait (orange or green).

You might be able to score a Fastpass for one of the 'good rides' for after dinner. If you only have a few hours, you might consider checking out one or two of the other attractions/pavillions and saving the 'good rides' for another day.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Below the line is my original answer then I read the original post again and realized the OP only has two and half hours until Dinner. And that's if they are actually in the park at 2:30. Under those circumstances I'd probably do everything I could in the Land. Soarin, Living with the Land, the Behind the Seeds tour and anything else thats there. Or I'd do the Living Seas first then go over to the Land then dinner. Take a nice after dinner stroll riding easy rides like the boat and see Illuminations.

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Wouldn't Dec 1st be a fairly empty day? It's a Friday, Thanksgiving was the weekend before. Mousefest isn't until the end of the following week. I think you'd have a good shot at getting on the Future World rides before dinner. I Start w/Space, do Test Trak, Seas and then if time permits before my ADR, either or both of Soarin or Living with the Land. Yes that leaves off Energy, Life (If open), Spaceship Earth, Imagination and Innoventions but these can be done on a leisurely day when you also do the World Showcase. I might try Innoventions after dinner if it isn't too close to 9pm.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I was not impressed with Epcot. We rode Soarin which was great but a 75 minute wait. I think the next time we go we may skip Epcot.

 

[Boardwalker]

December 1 is a Friday? No one around here gets the week after Thankgiving off, but I don't know about the rest of the regions of the country. So I am assuming a slow day. Early December is one of the quietest times of the year, as far as I know.
Well, you have one big thing going for you and that is that the Food and Wine festival is over. And you have one other big thing going against you... the marvelous Rita Moreno is appearing in the Candlelight Processional.
My guess is the rides you are most interested in with teenagers are Test Track, Soarin and Mission Space. Check the board in the middle walkway as to the current situation on your entrance to the park ,before the fountain, to see what the actual standby and fastpass times are. I would think that you have a good shot at standby lines.
If it doesn't look good, I have never met a teen that doesn't like to shop and that is what the World showcase is all about. And the street performers are really great there too, so how bad can that be?
My guess is that you will probably be able to do two of the big rides mixing a fast pass in with a standby, or make your way around the world and back for dinner. But I always expect the best at EPCOT.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

You won't be able to do much, you may be able to get a fastpass or 2 to help you out if any are still available. Try to see stuff that your family is most interested in at Epcot. The thrill rides will have long lines right up until closing, but you won't want to miss illuminations.

 

[Wooden Eye]

Boardwalker and doubletrouble make some good points - maybe it wouldn't be as crowded as I initially thought. But I have to agree with Mickeysgirl too - Epcot will still be fairly busy even in early December. Doesn't seem like there's very many 'slow' days at WDW anymore, and a Friday afternoon during the holiday season tends to attract us locals.

 

[The Mick]

I was not impressed with Epcot. We rode Soarin which was great but a 75 minute wait. I think the next time we go we may skip Epcot.

I'm sorry, but you're basing your whole opinion of Epcot on that? Did you get fastpasses (if not, you should have)?

Did you do Test Track? Mission Space? How much time did you spend in World Showcase? Did you take your time, enjoy the details of the countries and catch any shows? Or did you just blow through it?

Honestly, I don't know how anyone can't be impressed with EPCOT...to some it may not be their favorite park and I understand that, but to let it be soured by a long wait for one of the most popular rides in all of WDW?

 

[Karnak]

Check the board in the middle walkway as to the current situation on your entrance to the park ,before the fountain, to see what the actual standby and fastpass times are. I would think that you have a good shot at standby lines.

I agree. And keep in mind that the posted standby waiting times are usually quite a bit longer than the actual waiting time. I too think that you have a good shot at standby lines.

Enjoy.

 

[bytheblood]

I think a few hours at EPCOT, you are only cheating yourself. JMHO!

 

[friarfan]

If Dec 1 is a Friday then Epcot will be open for evening emh. Which means that all the major attractions and rides will be open three hours after closing.