Epcot advice - going with 9 & 10 year olds

[Ninnygunk]

We really want to check out Epcot next year but we're worried about the kids getting bored. The rides will keep them happy as will Crush/The Seas. It's touring all of the countries that we're looking forward to but I'm not sure that's enough to keep them interested. Do your kids enjoy Epcot & if so, what are their faves? What should we be looking out for in which countries? Thanks in advance!

 

[NYCANC]

This was last week- Besides meeting Mulan (for my 9 year old DD)- the only way I kept them not bored was eating in Belgium (waffles) and of course, Germany (that one was more for me!). But, my kids did not really want to explore the countries yet. We also ended up walking 12 miles that day (walked around the world twice and then back to MK).

We went at Rope Drop- went on TT 4 times in a row with no wait, walked around the world, did more rides and then around the world again.
Good Luck!

 

[ParrotBill]

Well, at that age I would hope that almost everything at EPCOT would be amazing. All these FutureWorld attractions should be fantastic to them: Ellen's Energy Adventure, Test Track, Mission:Space (green if orange is too scary), Soarin', Living with the Land, Living Seas/Crush, and even Imagination if still running. Then, don't sell World Showcase short. The movies about China, France and Canada are wonderful - and Canada is extra funny with Martin Short guiding you. Mexico has a ride, silly as it is. Study the entertainment schedule and find some interesting performers. Challenge the kids to find a new drink or snack in one or two of the lands. If the kids are familiar with Japanese anime TV shows they will like the store in Japan. And there is a game to be played all around World Showcase based on (oops, I forgot... what is it now? but the kids love it and it kills hours of time.)

 

[Alesia]

Epcot has always been my daughter's favorite park. We spend 15 to 20 hours in the World Showcase every trip. She loves the entertainment, and snacking our way around the world. Playing with the puppets in the China pavilion is always a must do for her.

 

[nherbert]

Phineas and Ferb game will get them exploring the lands. It is terrific, lots of secret animations. Japan definitely for anime stuff. Get them collecting something that they have to find in each land, eg bears, photos with hats on, signatures, etc. there are mini trains to watch in Germany. Do a P&F mission in each land and then hang around to explore more before moving on, get a snack / treat from some lands. We always do future world for the morning head out to the lands for a few hours and then back to future world before leaving. We do not attempt to do all countries in one visit, we maybe do 3 - but we go for a long time.

 

[Ava]

Agent P's World Showcase Adventure usually gets good reviews for kids that age. (I haven't done it personally though.)

I remember when I was a kid I got an EPCOT Passport that I could get stamped by a CM in each country. I may have been slightly older than 9/10, but my inclination for collecting things made me want to get all the stamps.

 

[Nigel Channing]

Check out Agent P's Adventure, my 9 year old really enjoyed it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Agent P World Showcase Adventure will be your friend! 7 of the 11 countries in the World Showcase have been taken over by the Evil Dr. Doofensmirtz and Agent P is missing so the OWCA need your help to stop him.

If you couldn't tell I use to work the attraction and still remember my spiel haha. It is great and each "mission" takes roughly 30 minutes. It will lead your kids all over which ever country they choose and will give you time to explore and enjoy the countries. I always suggest parents give their kids a designated meeting spot and remind them they can not start another mission with out first checking in with mom and dad at the meeting spot the family agreed upon for each country. You can save Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. UK and France being my 2 favorite missing. Each country has between 2 and 3 unique missions.

 

[joannamet]

Your kids are the perfect age for Agent Ps Adventure. Last trip with 2 nine year olds, the kids begged every day to go back to WS so they could play in every country. Each task is in a different country so you can explore the shops, etc while the kids run around with a handheld device and and solve the mystery.

WS also has lots of kid friendly entertainment and some characters you can't see anywhere else. We started taking DD there when she wad 6 and she was never bored.

 

[Scubee]

It is my boys (12 and 8) favorite park. TT is #1 follow closely by Mission Space. They really enjoy Soarin and want to see SSE multiple times each trip. They like playing the games in the post-attraction areas and Agent Ps adventure as well. They've never cared much for the World Showcase, but sometimes they are told to "suck it up" and usually do so knowing that we spend 2 days in Epcot.

 

[SA mom]

My girls, now 14, first visited Epcot at age 6. They loved it so much that we spent 3 days of a 9 day trip there. They love going through all the countries. We stopped at every KidCot station. We drank around the world while they snacked around the world. They loved Innoventions. They loved exploring all the lands. I made them a passport (you can also buy them) and got it stamped in each country. My brother-in-law advised us to skip it, said the kids would be bored. Honestly, I think it was more him being bored. This last trip they did the Agent P thing and loved it.

 

[harrowgirl]

We just got back with DD 7 and EPCOT I think was one of her favourites. She especially enjoyed the acrobats at the China pavillion, and Pick a Pearl in Japan. We didn't do it this time, but last time she did Agent P and she really liked it. She also really liked Spaceship Earth, Test Track and Soaring.

DS 5 loved the astronaut video game you can play after Mission Space, Journey in Imagination, Nemo, the drums at Africa, and the boat ride at Mexico. We didn't get to Ellen's Energy Adventure this time around.

 

[kiramay]

My kids like the Agent P thing, the food and snacks, shopping, and kidcot stations.

 

[WiscMomof2]

My kids have always loved Epcot. Soarin, Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Living Seas, etc. are all age appropriate for younger kids. World Showcase entertainment is also fun. Do they still do the kidcot stations at every country? If so, that was always a big hit with them.

 

[gzmtlock]

Agent P wasn't around when my kids were that age. But they loved Epcot. Obviously, the few rides. Also in FW: Club Cool, Jammitors, the fountain choreographed to music. In WS: kid acrobats in China, drummers in Japan, the shops in Japan, the bakery in France, the French acrobat show, the acapella group in USA. And a couple of other things that aren't there any more. They liked KidCot, but when they were a bit younger than yours.

 

[Ninnygunk]

This is great! Makes me feel better about taking them. The P & F stuff sounds right up their alley. I'll need to work to familiarize myself with what each country has to offer. Thanks so much for all of the advice!! Can't wait until next October

 

[LJSquishy]

Well, at that age I would hope that almost everything at EPCOT would be amazing. All these FutureWorld attractions should be fantastic to them: Ellen's Energy Adventure, Test Track, Mission:Space (green if orange is too scary), Soarin', Living with the Land, Living Seas/Crush, and even Imagination if still running. Then, don't sell World Showcase short. The movies about China, France and Canada are wonderful - and Canada is extra funny with Martin Short guiding you. Mexico has a ride, silly as it is. Study the entertainment schedule and find some interesting performers. Challenge the kids to find a new drink or snack in one or two of the lands. If the kids are familiar with Japanese anime TV shows they will like the store in Japan. And there is a game to be played all around World Showcase based on (oops, I forgot... what is it now? but the kids love it and it kills hours of time.)

As an adult, I couldn't wait to be out of the Canada movie...I was shocked you have to stand during the entire thing -- my legs were about to snap off (we had done Future World earlier in the day) and I skipped every other World Showcase country "attraction" because I was afraid it would be another movie where I had to stand. Next week I want to give World Showcase another shot when I'm less tired...please tell me Canada is the only attraction where I have to stand. It was fun and funny, but LONG when you're exhausted.

 

[LJSquishy]

We really want to check out Epcot next year but we're worried about the kids getting bored. The rides will keep them happy as will Crush/The Seas. It's touring all of the countries that we're looking forward to but I'm not sure that's enough to keep them interested. Do your kids enjoy Epcot & if so, what are their faves? What should we be looking out for in which countries? Thanks in advance!

I agree with the others to let them do the Agent P thing (I want to borrow someone's kids so I can do it without feeling stupid!). It would be really neat to stop at every country and buy one unique food item and have everyone try it -- even if someone doesn't like it, they learn a little something about that country at the same time and you won't be wasting too much money since you all shared it. Just walking around and looking at the architecture and beautiful grounds is fun also.

 

[Disneylover99]

As an adult, I couldn't wait to be out of the Canada movie...I was shocked you have to stand during the entire thing -- my legs were about to snap off (we had done Future World earlier in the day) and I skipped every other World Showcase country "attraction" because I was afraid it would be another movie where I had to stand. Next week I want to give World Showcase another shot when I'm less tired...please tell me Canada is the only attraction where I have to stand. It was fun and funny, but LONG when you're exhausted.

You'll love the France movie. Oh, so relaxing.

 

[ariane37]

My boys, now 13 & 9, have loved Epcot since they were toddlers. Some years the countries interest them more than others, but never have they not wanted to do WS. All the reasons they enjoy the park have been mentioned by pp's so I won't list them again, except for Club Cool in FW!! You can try coke products from around the world there. I will say that Agent P, kidcot stations and the passports are a very easy way for you to get a chance to see all the countries as it gives the kids an incentive to also see them all. On one of our trips, I think the kids were 11 & 7, we let them pick out a piece of candy in each country. Nothing huge or expensive, but since we'd been so many times it gave them something new to look forward to