Epcot Clarification

[cosmicmommy]

My trip is a year away, but as always, I've started my planning. Is it JUST Norway and France opening at 9 AM now? We have blocked a whole day for the World Showcase and trying to determine which way to go. Thanks.

 

[Robo]

My trip is a year away, but as always, I've started my planning. Is it JUST Norway and France opening at 9 AM now? We have blocked a whole day for the World Showcase and trying to determine which way to go. Thanks.

France is not open at 9AM.
Just the bakery in France is open for breakfast.

 

[BrianL]

Well, really it is only Norway that is Open at 9 AM. The pastry shop in France is also open for breakfast, but nothing else there is. Also, to get to France you must go around the West side of the World Showcase. To get to Norway you must go around the East side. You cannot pass between them before 11 AM. If you are not coming in through the International Gateway, France isn't very practical.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There won't be much to do there for 2 hours. Although you might end up waiting through a good portion of that for the Frozen ride.

 

[cosmicmommy]

So Mexico is 11 AM for inside? We could still take pictures outside and fully explore Norway.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the Mexico pyramid opens right at 11. They do a little ceremony outside. Before 11 only Norway will be open for business on that side.

tequila bar not till 11:30 though

 

[disneyvoice]

Just wanted to mention that we really enjoy going to the France Pavilion for breakfast at 9:00 when the park opens. They have some really yummy options and you can get mimosas if you like that kind of thing.

 

[BrianL]

So Mexico is 11 AM for inside? We could still take pictures outside and fully explore Norway.

You may be able to get pictures outside in Mexico, but the CMs may be keeping the herd moving toward FEA, so it might not be practical if it is crowded.

 

[sharonabe]

So Mexico is 11 AM for inside? We could still take pictures outside and fully explore Norway.

Wonder if the Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is up and running that early? You have to use your own phone to do it, so my guess is it might be.

Just looked at the description on the website and Norway isn't listed as an option. Sorry, I was hoping that would be something to fill the time.

If it were me, I'd do what I could/wanted to in Norway, and if there was still some time, head to Imagination and watch the Disney Pixar shorts and play in the jumping fountains. Then you could start your WS time on the Canada side and make your way around.

 

[nighttowll]

I haven’t heard about this 9am opening thing. Is that so people can line up for the Frozen ride? Or is the ride open early? When I went to book my FP, it wouldn’t let me book before 11:00, so I didn’t realize anything was open earlier.

 

[mesaboy2]

I haven’t heard about this 9am opening thing. Is that so people can line up for the Frozen ride? Or is the ride open early? When I went to book my FP, it wouldn’t let me book before 11:00, so I didn’t realize anything was open earlier.

FEA opens no later than 9:00a (since it debuted, in fact), and FPs are also now available for that timeframe.

 

[nighttowll]

Interesting, I guess it was just a coincidence that at 60 days + 7 only 11:00 on time slots were available.

 

[Robo]

Wonder if the Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is up and running that early?

Nope.

 

[Robo]

Interesting, I guess it was just a coincidence that at 60 days + 7 only 11:00 on time slots were available.

They didn't used to offer FP+ for Norway/Frozen before 11AM in the past.
I wonder if they've gone back to that after the busy holiday season.

(Like MK's return to the 3 O'Clock Parade start-time.)

 

[mesaboy2]

They didn't used to offer FP+ for Norway/Frozen before 11AM in the past.
I wonder if they've gone back to that after the busy holiday season.

(Like MK's return to the 3 O'Clock Parade start-time.)

I will monitor for changes, thanks for raising the possibility.

 

[JETSDAD]

There are still pre 11AM FEA FP's available right now but maybe they'll do seasonal?

 

[nighttowll]

I was trying for the 11th of January which would be just after the end of the holiday season. I checked again today after reading this, and when I selected 9:00am, it didn’t even come up as unavailable. It just didn’t show at all, so maybe it is seasonal.

 

[AngiTN]

Have they started opening the store in Norway now? Last time we did the ride early only the ride and the breakfast was open. Maybe the M&G. Store was closed which really surprised me since I thought they'd want a place for folks to shop while they waited

 

[MrKnight]

Word Showcase does not officially open until 11am, as stated by pp, there is a temporary exception for Norway due to Frozen and its popularity and there has also always been an exception for only the bakery in France (for breakfast items), everything else is closed and CMs will strongly encourage you to head back towards FW until WC officially opens..

 

[cosmicmommy]

When we went in January 2017, we ate at Akershus Pre-Open, then got a return time for Frozen (my middle boy gets a DAS and the boys insisted we wait and meet ALL the princesses before leaving, so the wait was already 45 minutes by the time we got to Frozen, which my middle boy can't handle) and went to Royal Sommerhaus. We met the sisters, then meandered around the shops that were open, the Vikings were out and about and of course, the bakery in Norway was open (we had eaten obviously though). Once we were done with FEA, we walked back down to Mexico and bought the Festival of the Arts scavenger hunt maps from a cart in Mexico and had PhotoPass pictures taken (2 sets actually), but were told that the inside wouldn't open until 11. We weren't encouraged to leave, but we chose to anyway to go knock out Imagination.

This time around, my plan is to wander Norway until 10:45 (Frozen, Anna/Elsa, breakfast at the bakery) then get pictures outside Mexico, then start there and walk around to Canada and end in China.