Epcot Conundrum

[BMonhaut]

We are planning on going to Epcot on Mardi Gras, 2015. I know it will be crowded and it has morning EMH. We will have a 10 person group, 4 kids (2 four year olds, a 2 yr old, and 1 yr old). One member of our group is in a wheelchair and we will likely be walking fairly slow. I'm having trouble with my touring plan and need advice.

My initial plan is to minimize walking - get FPs for Soarin, Turtle Talk, and Maelstrom. Ride TT at RD, do Spaceship Earth, then go to Nemo/Seas area, maybe bum around Innoventions areas until our FPs kick in (hoping to get morning FPs for Soarin and Turtle Talk). Is that doable, especially Spaceship Earth after TT? I heard SE gets crowded early on, but won't most people be at TT and/or Soarin? I originally wanted to do Soarin first and then head to Nemo/Turtle Talk, but they aren't open during EMH.

This is an issue because after Future World, we want to do the World Showcase and do a Quick Service lunch somewhere, and probably have a Maelstrom FP. We are having the dinner at Akerhus and may/may not have a nap for the kids that day. I'm trying to do the least walking and find the best way to walk around the World Showcase as well (I'm thinking we are going to have to do an evening Maelstrom FP before our dinner). Thank you for the help

 

[figment41]

Spaceship Earth is the first ride everyone comes to at the front of the park. It is always most crowded early in the morning. Now that it is a fp ride the line stays around 20 -30 minute wait for most of the day. In the evening it does drop to a non existent line. If you could wait to do spaceship earth until the end of the day you will be better off. If you pass spaceship earth it is quite a walk to get back there no matter where you are. I would plan it on your way in or out of the park. If you have never been to EPCOT before there us a lot of walking no matter how you plan.

Try to schedule your day around doing one side of future then the other then do world showcase. Start at one side and work your way around. Fututre world will take several hours if you are trying to complete it all. World showcase only has 2 rides mexico and Maelstrom. They are next to each other. when we were there last week we did not have a line at either later in the evening so maybe Start to the right at Canada and end in Mexico.

Good Luck and have lots of fun

 

[MacDalt]

Lol, I had to laugh! My DD(16) & I saved Spaceship Earth for last. We visited every country, did all there was to do in FW. We were so exhausted by the time we left that we forgot! We even stopped to take a night time selfie in front of it. Then we hopped a bus for our resort!!! We still laugh that only we could forget something that you can literally see from space!!!

 

[ghtx]

If you are really serious about minimizing walking, you could plan on entering through the front entrance and leaving through the IG/back entrance after done with future world, then taking a bus or cab home from Beach Club (this wouldn't work if you are driving your own car). But then you wouldn't be able to double back and hit Spaceship Earth at night.

 

[sharonabe]

If you are really serious about minimizing walking, you could plan on entering through the front entrance and leaving through the IG/back entrance after done with future world, then taking a bus or cab home from Beach Club (this wouldn't work if you are driving your own car). But then you wouldn't be able to double back and hit Spaceship Earth at night.

Except there are no resort-to-resort buses. They would have to take a cab, take the boat to HS and take a bus, or take a bus to one of the other parks and take a bus.

OP, Spaceship Earth is always the most difficult to put in the touring plan because it isn't near anything except the entrance. IF you decide to take a break in the afternoon, then SE is easy as it can be done either as you're leaving for your break or entering back in. IF you're not going to take a break, then where you have it is as good as anywhere else.

 

[BMonhaut]

Thank you for all the advice. I don't know what else to do during EMH but having to probably do ride swap at either Soarin or TT and walking slow will take up most of our time. I'll talk with our group and see what they think based on the recommendations here. Thanks all!