Best/Worst Epcot WS Pavillions with kids?

[mrsincredible3]

I am trying to determine which pavilions in the epcot world showcase my kids would really enjoy versus the ones we should skip to save a little time. My boys will be 7 and 2 when we go, last year was our first trip. My older son enjoys science and history. I realize they all have kid cot stations, but i guess i'm looking for which pavilions the kids will be more enamored with, or ones that don't have as much visually to see. Or ones that have a particular shop or exhibit we shouldn't miss. We don't plan on doing any of the movies. We have dinners planned at Akershus (for princesses and a castle) and Biergarten. I'm trying to condense our second epcot day down some. I know we will explore:

Mexico - looks cool, has the donald boat ride
Norway - we're having dinner here
Germany - having dinner here as well so we'll walk around
France - plan to eat lunch here so we'll walk around
Japan - i read there are some gardens? we shopped there last time in the big department store and i know we'll return

Any others worth hitting or better off skipping? Thanks. Oh, not planning to do Agent P, we watched a video and DS7 didn't seem interested. From a kids standpoint, Canada, Morocco, Italy and US looked skippable? ANy input appreciated, thanks. I guess that leaves China and the UK as well? Thoughts?

 

[IWannaBuildASnowman]

Morocco has Jasmine and Aladdin. And i like it there - lots of bright colours and a very festive feel.

The Kidcot area in Canada is nice and big. It's also shaded with lots of places for the kids to sit and color if they're doing the bears. The waterfall and gardens in Canada are also super nice.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

We couldn't drag our boys (twins age 7 and older brother 10) out of the Japan store and museum area. We easily spent an hour there. They just blew through every other country except USA. If your son likes Pokémon at all he will be drawn to nearly everything in that store that has the anime style/appearance. As far as USA goes, my boys actually like voices of liberty.

 

[Bluegrrl]

Morocco is great because the pavilion is so deep - the back area in the old neighborhood is neat, and they can meet Aladdin. The new restaurant, Spice Road, in Morocco was a hit for our 2yr old and has really good viewing for Illuminations! Spice Road has small plate Tapas, so it's made to share with everyone!

UK has some good Dr. Who merchandise, as well as characters. And the garden in the back is fun to run in.

China has an awesome store, and some of the items are priced pretty reasonably. Japan's store is really nice - lots of anime things, Transformers, cool plush toys and really good snacks. If your kids eat sushi (my 2yr does!) or like the Kobe-type places or anything like that, the restaurants upstairs are good, and the tempura place is good too (tempura sort of equals fried fish, shrimp, crab, etc.)

Germany has a caramel shop, and a cool toy store, plus the train outside. Mexico is fun too, especially the market. Again, the store there has decent prices. Except for the gelatto, I think that Italy would bore the pants off them. And the stores are full of luggage, perfume and breakable glass jewelery. Same goes for France. But France does have Princesses, Marie and sometimes the Rats.

 

[Boo Bear]

Good questions! I'm subscribing because I lengthened the Epcot day with DSalmost3 and will be spending some time in WS.

 

[Dr Gunnie]

Great thread - heading next month with my family which includes my 9 yr old son who loves all things anime. He is going to love that store in Japan! Here's a shot in the dark, but is there anyone in the Pavillion that does caricature drawings anime style?

 

[bumbershoot]

From a kids standpoint, Canada, Morocco, Italy and US looked skippable? ANy input appreciated, thanks. I guess that leaves China and the UK as well?

See, to me, Germany and Norway seem to have very little interesting in them. The pastries in Norway used to be good but then the started changing ingredients and my teeth got really sensitive to sweet stuff, so it's not a must-stop anymore for me.

China, Japan, UK, Morocco...they are SO detailed and amazing. UK the least of them but there's a hedge maze there so that's fun. Italy is a big plaza so to me its easy to walk on by. Canada is neat because there are stairs and fake mountains and waterfalls and it's neat looking. (and, for the adults, Unibroue Cherry Ephemere beer, mmmmm)

And I would know NONE of that if it weren't for the former Kimpossible and the current Agent P. I really dislike those things, but DS loves (loved? not sure) them and it got us into the pavilions and exploring them, and for that I will forever be thankful.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

They all stink. It's a glorified mall. Hit the rides in Mexico and Norway then go back to the hotel and hit the pool.

 

[starrysky]

Mexico has to be one of my favourite themed of all the pavilions. Between how it looks to being a sucker for the boat ride.

China is really cool and the museum with the miniature Terracotta Army is pretty cool.

Morocco has the neat little museum as well and it's never busy in there. Plus the area to the back is really fun to look around.

Japan has the really cool store as well as the exhibition space as well.

Germany has the cute train set which is fun to look at.

America has also got the small museum and if your kids listening to singers the Voices of Liberty are wonderful.

If you want to add additional fun they do the game thing that you have to work out clues in each country to make items do special things. Might be a touch advanced for little ones though.

 

[nkereina]

I don't have kids, but I would think kids would least appreciate Canada, UK, Norway, Germany and the U.S. I remember I loved the China pavilion best as a kid - very colorful and bright and I hadn't been exposed much to that culture. Mexico, Morroco and Japan are also fun, good stops with kids. Italy and France are boderline for me - Italy is nice aesthetically but not much to do, and France has good ice cream that's worth a stop but that's about it.

 

[minnie mum]

I think there is something to see or do at every pavilion. In addition to the previous, constructive, suggestions; check out the activity guide for daily live performances. Mariachi Cobre, the flag waving troupe, the Voices of Liberty, the Taiko drummers, the Chinese acrobats, the British Revolution (or whatever they're called now), Serveur Amusant, the Moroccan folk singers. Even (gag) the Canadian chainsaw massacre, er, show. Plus, there are the Phineus and Ferb adventures and almost every pavilion has a character M&G (Kennythepirate's website lists limes and places).

Of course every family has preferences, but I have never understood the oft heard complaint that there is nothing for kids in Epcot.

 

[Networth]

China, terrible food and drinks. Only saving grace is the acrobats IMO.

 

[Melany502]

My kids loved the world showcase. China, Morocco, Germany, Norway, and Mexico were their favorites. Germany was my favorite!

 

[MomofKatie]

My DD loves WS, but her least favorite pavilions are:

Italy- nothing much to do unless you want to eat in one of the restaurants, not very interesting shops.

US- bad food, boring shop, nobody in our family likes the show. We walk right by.

Canada- now that Off Kilter is gone, no real reason to stop unless we want to watch the movie.

The pavilions she really loves to spend time in:

Mexico- the ride, the dim cool interior, the fun shopping, and the food.

Norway- shops, trolls, Maelstrom (and hopefully the new Frozen ride) and School Bread.

China- shopping, movie, acrobats, and egg rolls.

Germany- caramel apples, miniature train, cool shops, and brats.

Japan- shopping, shopping, and more shopping. Koi pond, restaurants, the drummers show, and the exhibits. One of the best pavilions in the WS.

Morocco- exploring the whole pavilion, so many little alleyways and nooks and crannies. Beautiful tile work and architecture. The food!!

France- the perfume shop. The bakery. The ice cream shop. The movie.

UK- another pavilion that is fun to explore, with all the different types of architecture. The band that plays at the bandstand by the hedge maze. Fish and chips! Stopping in for a beer at the Rose & Crown pub. The toy shop. All of the cool British pop culture and soccer gifts.

 

[Marthasor]

Mexico - FABULOUS pavilion! Fun ride and wonderful things to look at in the shop. Wear a sombrero, play some instruments and check out the hand painted animals

Norway - sadly, other than eating and shopping, there is really nothing left to see in this pavilion. The museum is kind of nice if you like Frozen . . .

China - acrobats are great! My DS loves to play with the puppets. The Tomb Warriors exhibit is pretty cool!

My DS loves playing the drums in the Outpost

Germany - again, nothing much here except eating and shopping. My DS loves the trains

Italy - nothing to do!

America - check out the museum and sit through the show. If your DS likes history, the show is pretty darn cool!

Japan - AMAZING store! check out the fish and the gardens. The anime exhibit is really neat too!

Morocco - just walking through the pavilion is fun!

France - more eating and shopping

UK - eating, shopping

Canada - eating, shopping, there are some gardens and a pretty waterfall in the back.

 

[mrsincredible3]

Thanks for all of the replies! Very helpful indeed! Sounds like Canada, Italy, us and Norway well just take a quick look around. China, Japan Mexico and morocco sound like my ds7 would enjoy looking around. I'll have to see what shippping would be fun but Germany and uk sounded like they have some neat shops. We're not huge shoppers so we'll see. This info was helpful. Thanks.