Critique my Epcot Touring Plan Please

[SPSRAS]

Thanks for the info! Did you schedule the WS performances, or just happen to see what you saw when you got there?

Did you do TT or Soarin' with DD? Since I can only FP one of these I'm leaning towards Soarin', but then worry we might not get to do TT at all, as I don't know that we'll be done with breakfast at Akershus in time to hit it early enough, before the lines get too long.

We only did Soarin - didn't want to run to TT I agree with others - you'll just have to see what time you finish breakfast and what the lines are like. We did the character breakfast at AK and they really do herd you through so actually we finished very quickly. Regarding the performances we just checked the times guide and made our way. We didn't have time to do all the countries but we really enjoyed the Chinese acrobats, the guy in France and the drummers in Japan.

 

[finedice]

A couple of things... Definitely do not be behind the rope drop crowd for TT. I would sincerely contemplate changing the ADR to a time that fits making TT as close to opening as possible (within 3-5 minutes) (the distance between them is quite large). As a previous poster pointed out - 5 minutes can create 30, and in the case of TT, maybe even 40+.

Secondly - don't discount MS - it is really unique and pretty amazing - the green level is not tough on the body, and it is a fantastic simulation.

Third - and most importantly - EPCOT is very, very big (maps are not the best indicator here) and the mileage really adds up on your feet. Plan carefully to avoid backtracking as much as possible - FP+ makes that a lot easier than it used to be.

 

[MagicMike203]

I'd reiterate what everyone is saying about innovations. Probably not the best fit for a 6 year old if you are only spending one day at Epcot.

Keep in mind that they normally close early at 7pm, so you won't have until park close to visit.

I also agree that Sunshine Seasons is great, but if you are having a big breakfast you may not need a full quick service meal for lunch. If it was me, I'd rather get into world showcase sooner and have snacks around world showcase. If you start in Mexico you can get maybe one quick service meal to share.

Check out the disney food blog for best snacks around world showcase...there are some true gems that you may miss if you fill up after a big breakfast and lunch at Sunshine Seasons.

 

[lily2521]

Your schedule highlights one of the most frustrating and unpredictable things about Disney -- a delay of five minutes can create 30 minutes of line waiting. I have no idea what the line buildup for TT will be after Akershus breakfast if you aren't able to get there until 9:30 rather than 9:05. For that reason, I'd be tempted to reschedule the Akershus for earlier breakfast or better yet, for lunch (my wife swears by the mushroom pasta, and the Kjottkake is awesome, if you like swedish meatballs). You can get scrambled eggs and assorted pastries anywhere. If you move your ADR for Akershus for lunch, get to Epcot for rope drop, head straight to TT and there shouldn't be much of a wait. Other than that, your schedule looks good, except that I'd spend less time in Innoventions at the beginning of the day, and more time in the WS. If you have time, breeze through Innoventions as you leave the park. There's nothing particularly compelling there (although my kids have an unusual fettish for the oh so slow admitting piggy bank attraction) and you will find the WS much more interesting.

The more I look into TT, the more I think DD wouldn't like it. I think it would scare her. I've never done it of course, but can it be a scary ride?

I did look at Akershus lunches instead, that's a good suggestion. The only times that are available are late afternoon, and I'd like to get a start on WS before then, but I'll keep an eye out for better lunch times.

I agree on the Innoventions suggestion too, just to save AM time. If we can get to it after WS, great, if not, it's okay

 

[lily2521]

I'd reiterate what everyone is saying about innovations. Probably not the best fit for a 6 year old if you are only spending one day at Epcot.

Keep in mind that they normally close early at 7pm, so you won't have until park close to visit.

I also agree that Sunshine Seasons is great, but if you are having a big breakfast you may not need a full quick service meal for lunch. If it was me, I'd rather get into world showcase sooner and have snacks around world showcase. If you start in Mexico you can get maybe one quick service meal to share.

Check out the disney food blog for best snacks around world showcase...there are some true gems that you may miss if you fill up after a big breakfast and lunch at Sunshine Seasons.

Good to know about Innoventions - thanks

That's a good point about lunch, we will have a big breakfast, so we'll just have to play it by ear. Maybe we could save Sunshine Seasons for dinner, if we're even hungry by then, after WS.

 

[lily2521]

A couple of things... Definitely do not be behind the rope drop crowd for TT. I would sincerely contemplate changing the ADR to a time that fits making TT as close to opening as possible (within 3-5 minutes) (the distance between them is quite large). As a previous poster pointed out - 5 minutes can create 30, and in the case of TT, maybe even 40+.

Your schedule highlights one of the most frustrating and unpredictable things about Disney -- a delay of five minutes can create 30 minutes of line waiting.

For that reason, I'd be tempted to reschedule the Akershus for earlier breakfast or better yet, for lunch . If you move your ADR for Akershus for lunch, get to Epcot for rope drop, head straight to TT and there shouldn't be much of a wait.

Based on yours and other suggestions here - I've changed my plan completely. This will help us to not be behind the RD crowd for TT.

I was able to change our 8am ADR at Akershus to 10:45am. Still breakfast as that menu appeals to us. That way, we can RD TT and maybe get another thing or two in before our ADR.

My new schedule (loose schedule of course - I want a list of to do's, but don't plan to stick to it 100%)

9:00 RD - TT (we'll make sure DD doesn't spend too much time after the ride with the cars, so we can keep moving)
Nemo
Turtle Talk
The Seas
~ will this give us enough time for these 3 before our breakfast ADR?
ADR 10:45 breakfast at Akershus
Soarin' (FP 12:00)
Living with the Land (will skip if needed)
Spaceship Earth (FP 1:00)
~if we don't get everything done at the Seas in the AM, we'll go back to that area here, this is an important one for us not to miss.
WS
Illuminations

Because our breakfast is later, we can pick up snacks while in WS, and maybe do dinner at Sunshine Seasons

If we have time after WS:
Journey Into Imagination
Image Works
Innoventions

How long should we allow for WS? I know this is a very open question. If we stick to this, I'd assume we can be on the WS path by 2-2:30. Then we'd have several hours for WS before Illuminations. If we're in WS by around 2, that's 7 hours until Illuminations at 9.

 

[dreamseeker9]

Based on yours and other suggestions here - I've changed my plan completely. This will help us to not be behind the RD crowd for TT.

I was able to change our 8am ADR at Akershus to 10:45am. Still breakfast as that menu appeals to us. That way, we can RD TT and maybe get another thing or two in before our ADR.

My new schedule (loose schedule of course - I want a list of to do's, but don't plan to stick to it 100%)

9:00 RD - TT (we'll make sure DD doesn't spend too much time after the ride with the cars, so we can keep moving)
Nemo
Turtle Talk
The Seas
~ will this give us enough time for these 3 before our breakfast ADR?
ADR 10:45 breakfast at Akershus
Soarin' (FP 12:00)
Living with the Land (will skip if needed)
Spaceship Earth (FP 1:00)
~if we don't get everything done at the Seas in the AM, we'll go back to that area here, this is an important one for us not to miss.
WS
Illuminations

Because our breakfast is later, we can pick up snacks while in WS, and maybe do dinner at Sunshine Seasons

If we have time after WS:
Journey Into Imagination
Image Works
Innoventions

How long should we allow for WS? I know this is a very open question. If we stick to this, I'd assume we can be on the WS path by 2-2:30. Then we'd have several hours for WS before Illuminations. If we're in WS by around 2, that's 7 hours until Illuminations at 9.

I think that's a great plan! RD is usually a little earlier than 9:00 AM (be there by 8:15 AM to be near the front), so if you're close to the front, you should be able to be on TT by 9:00-9:15 AM, even with walking there from RD. That leaves you about an hour to head over to the Seas. It's probably a 15-minute walk from The Seas to Norway at least, so leave plenty of time for that. Living with the Land is nice and relaxing, and hardly ever a big wait - I don't think you'll have any problem fitting that in before SE, but if you didn't cover all of The Seas earlier, that's a great place to fit it in (assuming your SE FP+ is from 1:00-2:00 PM).

I suggest that once you're in WS, don't go back to FW in the afternoon or evening, it ends up being a lot of backtracking, and you'll already have a full day of walking. I wore a FitBit last time I was in EPCOT for the day, and I walked close to 26,000 steps. If you want a break from the park, head over to the Boardwalk or the Beach Club for dinner before IllumiNations.

 

[Jennytoon]

I like your third plan much better than the first two. My kids love Innoventions, and we somehow never seem to get enough time there (reading the comments in this thread I would have never guessed that we are so much in the minority). I think leaving it to the end and maybe skipping altogether is a good idea, much better than going in and then having to rush off to something else if it turns out DD loves it.

Which brings me to another point -- you should be aware that there are pavilions associated with some of the rides and it's easy to find yourself with a kid who wants to spend more time there, similar to what you plan with extra time after Nemo to spend in the Seas pavilion. If you find yourself near Mission Space with a short wait time, there is a little tunnel playground as you come out, my kids always want to spend time there. Even if you don't want to ride, you can get there through the gift shop and it's a good cure for "I've waited in lines and gone on rides and just need some normal climbing around to get me past my overstimulation". Same thing as you exit SE, there is an area with lots of fun interactive games and the like, it's easy to drop a half-hour here. If you're not willing to go with the flow and allow time for these areas if DD wants to spend it, you might consider having an exit strategy prepared. Or they can be good places to come back to if you decide you've had enough walking in WS (see next).

How much time in WS I think is a crapshoot. I find that there is something in WS for kids and something for grownups, and they are not always the same thing. You may have to do some balancing of interests, and in the end it may be a question of your / DD's feet -- 7 hours is certainly enough time to make it around, but you might find that after 3 there is a rebellion against any more walking. Depending on DD, she may be interested in Phineas & Ferb rather than the Kidcot stops which are (IMO) rather banal -- there's only so many Duffy bears on a stick you can color which seems to be what they usually have when we are there. If she wants to do P&F and one or both of you wants to browse the shops, it can be a good strategy to have one grownup do P&F with DD and the other one browse, then trade off in the next country.

I should note (so that you have a context in which to take my comments) that we have never been full-day park people; we tend to go for a longer stay overall and spend time in the parks every day that we're there, but not so much that we feel exhausted after a few days. So my family's tired feet and overstimulation threshold may be very different than yours.

 

[finedice]

Noooo... Living with the Land is such a must do for me I love food

 

[Jetku]

Your most recent schedule looks good, but your first two seemed like they would be really stressful.

If you are trying to just loosely plan the day, remember to relax and not plan everything to the minute. You have fastpasses for your must dos, get there at rope drop, and see what you can accomplish. Your fastpasses have hour windows, so you don't need to be there at the exact start time. Once in world showcase, you may decide you don't want to spend ~8 hours there. When we tour, we usually have a morning park and an evening park/destination. For us, it's overkill to stay in one park for an entire day. In the afternoon when crowds pick up, we leave to nap, eat, or switch parks/destinations. You are going to have a 6 year old with you. 13+ hours of theme park is a lot.

 

[lily2521]

I wore a FitBit last time I was in EPCOT for the day, and I walked close to 26,000 steps.

Yeah, that's a lot of walking - holy cow!

Depending on DD, she may be interested in Phineas & Ferb rather than the Kidcot stops which are (IMO) rather banal -- there's only so many Duffy bears on a stick you can color which seems to be what they usually have when we are there. If she wants to do P&F and one or both of you wants to browse the shops, it can be a good strategy to have one grownup do P&F with DD and the other one browse, then trade off in the next country.

Is the P&F (is that what they call Agent P's Showcase?) something that DD would be able to do as we move from country to country? I looked at the Kidcot and it looks a little young for her, she likes arts and crafts and stuff, but I'm wondering if the P&F might be a better option for her? She's not super into P&F, but knows who they are, and it seems a bit more interactive, with the cell phone device, etc. she'd probably think that's pretty cool.

I'd opt to probably do one or the other (Kidcot or P&F) - not both.

 

[lily2521]

If you are trying to just loosely plan the day, remember to relax and not plan everything to the minute. You have fastpasses for your must dos, get there at rope drop, and see what you can accomplish. Your fastpasses have hour windows, so you don't need to be there at the exact start time. Once in world showcase, you may decide you don't want to spend ~8 hours there. When we tour, we usually have a morning park and an evening park/destination. For us, it's overkill to stay in one park for an entire day. In the afternoon when crowds pick up, we leave to nap, eat, or switch parks/destinations. You are going to have a 6 year old with you. 13+ hours of theme park is a lot.

I have to remind myself to take a step back from planning a bit too. This is our first time to WD and it's overwhelming! I do want to have a rough schedule for each day, but as you said, I want to go with the flow too, get there at RD, do what we plan during the first hour-two, have our FP's, and go from there.

We don't have hoppers, and we only have a 5 day trip, so we do need to do Epcot in a day. The next day though will be a relax day, so that should help.

 

[Jennytoon]

Is the P&F (is that what they call Agent P's Showcase?) something that DD would be able to do as we move from country to country? I looked at the Kidcot and it looks a little young for her, she likes arts and crafts and stuff, but I'm wondering if the P&F might be a better option for her? She's not super into P&F, but knows who they are, and it seems a bit more interactive, with the cell phone device, etc. she'd probably think that's pretty cool.

I'd opt to probably do one or the other (Kidcot or P&F) - not both.

Yes, Agent P's Showcase is what I mean, and yes it is something you can do as you move from country to country, although I don't think all the countries are in it. It's a cell-phone directed scavenger hunt, it's fun whether or not you are a fan of the show. There are some cool things that are triggered by it that you wouldn't see otherwise, for instance in Mexico you get to watch (something? sorry for my fuzzy memory) escape from the volcano as part of the game. When you first sign up, the country you are assigned to is random (although if you speak to a CM they can sometimes get you started in a particular country), but after the first one they go in order in one direction or the other, no backtracking. I think you may end up with some choice of direction, but I'm not 100% sure ... here is where our strategy of pointing our kids and "go" is letting you down.

In my experience 6 is not old enough to do it yourself with only an adult as follower, but it's plenty old enough to do it with a bit of direction / back and forth from an adult or older sibling (we prefer older siblings, because then we can both have a bit of free browsing / snacking time, but it sounds like you may not have any available) We find the disconnect is mostly in gross navigation, i.e. "Go to the bridge in front of the ... " for a 6 y/o who may not have great navigation skills in large and unfamiliar places and isn't old enough to see around the crowds can turn out to be an incomprehensible instruction. There are no timers on the steps, so stopping to watch something while making your way to the next instruction has no effect, and similarly passing through a non-Agent P country and browsing or stopping for a snack on your way to the next Agent P episode is not an issue.

 

[BrerNashville]

Based on yours and other suggestions here - I've changed my plan completely. This will help us to not be behind the RD crowd for TT.

I was able to change our 8am ADR at Akershus to 10:45am. Still breakfast as that menu appeals to us. That way, we can RD TT and maybe get another thing or two in before our ADR.

My new schedule (loose schedule of course - I want a list of to do's, but don't plan to stick to it 100%)

9:00 RD - TT (we'll make sure DD doesn't spend too much time after the ride with the cars, so we can keep moving)
Nemo
Turtle Talk
The Seas
~ will this give us enough time for these 3 before our breakfast ADR?
ADR 10:45 breakfast at Akershus
Soarin' (FP 12:00)
Living with the Land (will skip if needed)
Spaceship Earth (FP 1:00)
~if we don't get everything done at the Seas in the AM, we'll go back to that area here, this is an important one for us not to miss.
WS
Illuminations

If you want a little less criss-crossing, you could move your Spaceship earth FP to 9:30, then let your daughter take her time in the car area at TT and the game area after spaceship earth before your 10:45 ADR. You could even breeze through the innoventions on that side of the park if there's enough time. That way, after your Soarin FP, you've got no rush to get through the Seas.

 

[drdrowsy]

i didn't see anyone mention this, but on a crowd level 4 day, you may be able to book a 4th FP+ (for either TT or Illuminations) after you use your third FP.

 

[lily2521]

i didn't see anyone mention this, but on a crowd level 4 day, you may be able to book a 4th FP+ (for either TT or Illuminations) after you use your third FP.

I honestly didn't even think of this! After you go through your 1st 3, the tiering system doesn't apply anymore, right?

 

[drdrowsy]

I honestly didn't even think of this! After you go through your 1st 3, the tiering system doesn't apply anymore, right?

that's right

you can't count on it, but it's worth a try.

 

[rlovew]

Based on suggestions here - I have revised my plan, thoughts?


Then, if we're done with WS and have time before IllumiNations, we can fit in:
Living with the Land
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
ImageWorks
Innoventions East


These are all okay to miss, if we simply don't have time.


Does this seem more realistic?

All of these attractions close by 7pm- so planning to do these after the world showcase before Illuminations will not work unless you rush through the world showcase.

Hello - This is our first big trip to DW. I'm trying to loosely plan our days. Will be me, DH, and DD (6)

So...our Epcot day. Touring Plans says crowd level 4. Park hours are 9-9, but we have a 8:05 ADR at Akershus.

My FP window opens in a couple of weeks, so the times I have are guesses

8:05 ADR at Akershus (how long should we expect this will take us?)
Head straight to TT after breakfast
Soarin (FP ~ 10:00?)-
Living with the Land
The Seas w/ Nemo
More time at the Seas (DD loves sea life)
Turtle Talk (FP ~ 11:00?)
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
ImageWorks
Innovations West
Innovations East
Spaceship Earth (FP ~ 12:00?)
Lunch (no ADR so this is very flexible)
Head out for World Showcase and walk around, we may get lunch in World Showcase
Through World Showcase - Kidcot
Pick a Pearl in Japan
Dinner - open
IllumiNations

My questions:

*Do most people do World Showcase Mexico-Canada, or the other way around? Is one better than the other?

*Also, can someone give me an idea of how long will the kidcot stations take us in the different countries?

Thank you!!!

I would go with the following:
Akershus breakfast
TT -now it is 10:15 am
Spaceship Earth- 10am FP is fine
Give yourself a little time to play games at the end of spaceship earth
Living with the Land
Soarin- 11am FP- it will probably be 11:30 when you are finished as I suspect you will not be finished with land before then
The Seas w/ Nemo
Turtle Talk (I would FP unless there is something better- 12pmish- but maybe slightly after otherwise you may have to ride Nemo afterwards
Journey Into Imagination
Imageworks
Then head into World Showcase starting at UK

If you she is not enjoying world showcase then when you get to friendship boats take them and head over to innoventions for awhile and then head back out starting at Mexico and you will end up at America/Japan by the time to find an Illuminations spot.

 

[srauseo]

8:05 ADR at Akershus (how long should we expect this will take us?)

I hesitate to chime in somewhat, because your mileage may vary. But in my experience, if we were among the first tables to be seated when the restaurant opened, our meal took 45 minutes. Every time. Disclaimer - I've never eaten at Akershus but on our last trip in August 2014 we did CRT, H&V and CP. All character meals, one is table service and two are buffets. We saw all the characters. We ate plenty of food. We had time for restroom breaks. And still, each one was 45 minutes. This was with a group of 8 including two young children. That said, the walk from Norway to TT is not the same as the walk from CRT to SDMT. So you need to factor that in.

 

[lily2521]

All of these attractions close by 7pm- so planning to do these after the world showcase before Illuminations will not work unless you rush through the world showcase.

If you she is not enjoying world showcase then when you get to friendship boats take them and head over to innoventions for awhile and then head back out starting at Mexico and you will end up at America/Japan by the time to find an Illuminations spot.

I didn't even notice that some of the attractions close at 7 - thanks for letting me know!

How long do the boats take, is it fairly quick to get from 1 side to the other?