Epcot: can it be toured in 2 half days?

[riu girl]

With the use of FP, can Epcot be extensively toured in two half days? We are hoping to go to FW the first half day (Jan 1, so I assume it will be VERY busy that day, we plan on staying from park opening until about 3 pm) and then again on Jan 2 (lunchtime until just after the fireworks). On the second day we will tour WS. Does this sound like a reasonable touring plan with one adult and two children? If not, please feel free to offer suggestions. We are hoping to see all of the attractions except Mission Space.

Also, does Epcot have a parade?

Thank you
Suzy V.

 

[lentesta]

It sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan. If you're there before 12:30 pm or so on Monday, I'd suggest a clockwise rotation of WS. You'd get Maelstrom out of the way early, it puts you in range of three very nice restaurants around dinnertime, and there are good viewing spots for Illuminations all along Canada, the UK, and up to France.

Len

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

There is no longer a parade in Epcot. The have Illuminations every night, normally at 9pm.
Just a bit of advice......if you plan on Test Track or Soarin' you must get there first thing in the morning. Grab Fast Passes and (if you want to ride twice) get on the stand-by. When you finish your first ride it will be close or time for the Fast Passes. These two are so popular that the line forms immediately after park opening. On Test Track you can use the single rider line which is much faster than the stand-by.
I saw stand-by times last month at both of these up to 90 minutes.

 

[InstImpres]

You can see all the regulr attractions, the only thing I you won't see is all the performers in each country. It seems impossible to get them all in. Even in 2 days without running wild.

 

[riu girl]

Are the performers in each country listed in the times guide?
Thanks
Suzy

 

[kirbsam]

Half a day for future world is pushing it. You can spend lots of time in innoventions, the living sea, and other take your time and explore attractions(kodak for one). You will not have enough time for everything if you tour for only half a day.

 

[lovinmgm]

It is possible if you plan well and explore the pavilions and shop while waiting for FPs. Here's what we did June 29 & 30 which I'd guess to be about the same crowd sizes??? Keep in mind we had a 72 yr old with us so we were moving at only a moderate pace. Also we did day 1 from 10-6. I think you could do the same amount from 9-3 as the crowds at opening time are much thinner.

Got to FW 10:05.
Headed straight to get Soarin FPs (return time 1:20-2:20). We then rode Journey with Figment, Honey I Shrunk the Audience and played in the Imagination labs. We then rode Test Track in the single rider line (30 minutes) and followed with Universe of Energy.

We went to Land Pavilion and got FPs for Living with the Land (return time 12:50-1:50), saw the Land Lion King movie (I forget the name) and afterward were able to walk right on Living with the Land using FP and follow up using our Soarin FP.

By now it was 2:30 so we headed to WS. We went right past the Intl Gateway and briefly explored each country, saw the France movie, shopped in Japan extensively, saw the 5:30 American Adventure show and made it to Italy for a 6:00 PS (will NEVER eat there again - awful!!!).

On day 2 we got there right at 9 -- walked straight onto Mission:Space and a short Test Track line and explored the Innoventions pavilions for a good hour or a little more before leaving the park at just after 11 to head to MK for another few runs on Buzz and Space Mountain!

We never did see Mexico or Norway or the other countries in WS , but certainly could have if we went a little faster or only shopped while waiting for Mexico and Norway FP times. We also could have ridden Spaceship Earth on day 2 if we had gone in this order -- Spaceship Earth, get a FP for Test Track, ride Mission Space, return to Test Track FP and explore the Land and Living Seas pavilions.

It's all a matter of how well you plan and how much you are willing to go to get your FPs as soon as they become available. For us it worked out OK, because I was fine getting the FPs so everyone else could play and explore and shop.

 

[addicted2disney]

Epcot is so big, that after 10 trips, there are things we havent seen!! Id make a list of the MUST DO'S for your family. There are tons of things in the Innovnetions and you can spend hours in there. I would rather do other things, than spend time in there if you are trying to see shows and do the attractions. The Ellen's Energy Adventure is 40-45 minutes long... just the ride/show itself. We love that one. Id try and do the evening EMH for Epcot and do the bigger attractions then if you can. World SHowcase is awesome, and huge.. you could spend 2 whole days there, checking out the countries, the shops, the shows and still not see everything! wHAT WE Like to do, esp. in January when the other parks close early, is hop over to Epcot. Even if its just to walk thru the countries for an hour or two. Try not to miss the British Invasion in UK, and Off Kilter in Canada. Great singing shows!! If you have kids.. there is a character bus that has certain stops. Try to get there a few minutes before the bus to get a head start with the characters. The more we go to Disney, the more time we spend in Epcot!!

 

[lovinmgm]

Id try and do the evening EMH for Epcot and do the bigger attractions then if you can.

IMHO it is better to go to Epcot FW first thing the morning AFTER evening EMH. I think crowds are much lighter in the early hours just following evening EMHs. We cannot stay up till 2 AND wake up the next morning at 7, so this is the preferred plan for my family. I've heard and read soooo many reports that the first 1.5-2 hours of any EMH are just as crowded as afternoons.

 

[addicted2disney]

We went to Epcot's EMH evening thing this past January and it was DEAD. I was disappointed in it, but only because we planned on spending the extra hours walking through World Showcase. All but 2 counties were completely closed down. Soaring wasnt open yet, so really, all we did was Test Track and the kids did Mission Space a few times. We can never get up and do the EARLY emh's! lol. We dont usually get to the parks until around 9-9:30. The only time we get there early, before rope drop is if we have a PS at one of the character breakfasts. We were going to try the evening EMH at MK this past January, but it started raining really hard around 5 while we were still at MGM. We just headed back to the hotel and the kids swam in the rain. I dont know if we will attempt the night time EMH this Thanksgiving while we are there, but may attempt it again in January when the crowds are low.

 

[lovinmgm]

We went to Epcot's EMH evening thing this past January and it was DEAD.

Interesting. It's nice to hear EMH can work! I guess it all depends on the crowd level the time you go.

I'd consider the following:
- January 1 is a Sunday. People may be leaving by then giving you a decent Sunday crowd and good Monday crowd. I'd check the Unofficial Guide website and see the expected crowd levels for the days you expect to go.

- in January the days will be short and so the park hours may also be short. I'd guess that would mean more people are willing to do evening EMH because it will not be so late, but that is only a guess.