Confused about Epcot with kids...

[jeffsamber]

Can anyone help me with an attack plan for Epcot in one day? 2 six year olds and 2 four year olds will be with us. I've read a lot about going with kids but there's so much to do that I'm getting completely overwhelmed!! Would love to hear from those of you who have gone with kids and your experiences.

 

[Sunshein]

Can anyone help me with an attack plan for Epcot in one day? 2 six year olds and 2 four year olds will be with us. I've read a lot about going with kids but there's so much to do that I'm getting completely overwhelmed!! Would love to hear from those of you who have gone with kids and your experiences.

We did Epcot with 3 and 5 year olds and there is certainly stuff for them to do. If your child meets the height requirements which my 5 year old did, Soarin' and Test Track are a lot of fun for them. My kids really enjoyed the boat tour at the Land. Also Talking with Crush at The Seas is great for kids and there is an activity center at each country where the children can add onto a mask and learn a little bit about each country. There are also some really fun places to eat with them. The seas has Coral reef which has an amazing aquarium with sharks and giant sea turtles, my kids also had a blast at Teppan Edo in Japan watching the chefs make their meal, or you can meet Chip and Dale at the Garden Grill.

 

[TraciLeigh]

We spent a lot of time @ Epcot w/ our two kids (ages 5 and 2) when we were at WDW in April.

A few suggestions:

1. Buy a Passport for the kids (available @ most of the world showcase gift shops) - and then in each country, stop by the Kidcot spot and have the cast member stamp and sign the passport. The kids love it.

2. Also make sure to stop at the Kidcot spots so the kids can make a mask and then get a 'tag' from each country. A very cool (and free) souvenir.

3. Stop by Turtle Talk with Crush at 'The Seas with Nemo and Friends". A fun experience for the whole family.

4. Remember the characters ARE in Epcot - look for Donald Duck in Mexico, Belle and Beast near France or Germany, Sleeping Beauty (and sometimes Marie from the Aristocats) in France, Snow White in Germany, Alice and Winnie the Pooh (and friends) in England, Jasmine & Aladdin in Morocco, and Mulan in China.

Have a magical trip!

 

[TinaLala]

Ok the previous poster gave you some fun stuff, but don't forget the Kidcot spots - they are located in the countries. You start with a mask that they get to color then you go to each country, they get a tag with a shape related to the country, and their mask will also get stamped by each country. Now here's the fun part because these Kidcots are run by 'locals' from the country you can have your kids learn a word from their native tongue. We pick a new word each time we go. Start with Hello or maybe how to say 'my name is' something they can write down/remember so they can share it back at school.

We LOVE Journey into Imagination show and after there's a fun interactive area after the ride. Fun pictures you can make and send. Music stations and sound floor. Cool Station is great for Coke based drinks.

Also there's lots of fun to be had at the Innovention buildings. West - The Great Piggy Bank Adventure. Velco game, Where's the Fire is fun. East - Stormtracker show and the Recyle section.

 

[turkeymama]

We tend to spend 2 whole days just at Epcot. My kids love it and always have, even when they were 1 1/2 and 5.

I think 1 day is doable, though. It helps that Futureworld is open earlier than WS and would be even better if you could do this on an EMH day. Hit the park at rope drop. If the kids meet the height requirements, I would plan on riding Soarin', and Test Track for sure.

This is the order I would do Futureworld.
Soarin'
Living With the Land
The Seas with Nemo and Friends (My kids always want to do Turtle Talk with Crush after this)
Test Track
Journey into Imagination
(If you have time, the kids are probably going to want to linger in some of these pavilions after you get off rides, like The Seas and Imagination Pavilions.)
We haven't lingered too much in the Innoventions buildings the last couple of visits. Don't really know why since there is plenty to do in there.

For World Showcase, there is no way you can adequately cover every single country in one day. You can, however, visit each one briefly. One year, we flew through each country so my MIL could "see" each one, since it was her last day. The kids were so focused on getting their Kidcot masks stamped. It wasn't fun for us. We prefer to pick a few and spend more quality time in those particular countries. Our favorites are Norway, United Kingdom, Japan, Morocco, France, American Adventure and Germany. Okay, so that's more than a few.

In the past, we have saved Spaceship Earth for our very last attraction. Sometimes we watch Illuminations, sometimes not. It depends on how the kids are feeling by then. It is very loud and my kids have sensory issues with noise.

 

[btwitkin]

Just got back 2 weeks ago from WDW with our 5 y.o. DS.

We never made it to the World Pavillion

He LOVED Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Nemo and Turtle Talk with Crush. He loved Epcot and wanted to go on those rides over and over. The only thing we didnt do in FW was Mission Space, though we will definitely do that in February when we go back.

 

[disney_family_1247]

My kids have always adored Epcot, so I've never understood the people who don't think it's for kids. Rides-Good, Beautiful Setting-Good, Food-Good, Music-Good, Shopping-Good Go and have fun!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

We loved Epcot! We did 2 full days here and still didn't do and see all we wanted to. But with just 1 day, you'll still get to do a lot. I would do as someone else said and try and do it on an EMH day so you'll have more time because with kids that young and Epcot being A LOT of walking you may want a mid day break. I would start off in FW too and hit Soarin and Test Track first if your kids are tall enough, those lines get long and FPs could run out. The innoventions pavillions are nice , there was a few cute things we did in there. The Seas with Nemo and friends is awesome. There are tanks with Sea Turtles and dolphins as well. Don't miss Turtle Talk with crush, it's great!! Dh even loved that one.

World Showcase was really nice too, my kids enjoyed the kidcot stops. We decorated the masks and got new tags in different countries and they enjoyed talking with the CMs from those countries.
We loved the boat ride in Mexico, In Japan we picked a pearl from a real oyster. And my dd10 loves Paris and wants to see the real Eiffel tower one day, so we spent a lot of time admiring it there. The shopping is great in all of the countries and there are a lot of characters throughout the "world" Just make sure to check the times guide because the day we were at the WS at night a lot of the characters were finishing up by 6pm.

Oh, but there is a great character spot right by Club Cool and it's AC and there were quite a few characters in there.

 

[santa's surpriz]

In World Showcase there is often small street shows in each country, get a schudule when you arrive at Epcot. It's alot fun. Adds to the atmosphere to give kids a true taste of the different cultures. There is also the candy making and pearl diving.