Epcot in 2 days

[Swimalie]

We have 2 days planned for Epcot. Day 1 will be on a Monday but it will be the day that my parents arrive and after my husband, son and I go to Chef Mickeys at 8am so we'll get a late start that day. So consider that a half day at Epcot. Day 2 will be 2 days later and we'll have a full day with dinner planned there (break in the day at the resort possible).

Our son is 4, turing 5 on the trip. My parents and I have been to Epcot several times before. My husband has only been once before and my son has never been before. So... Which half of Epcot would be better to do in a half day- the "front" half or the "back" half? And would that mean the other half would be better to do during the full day?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dizneechic]

We just got back on 02/18 from a 10 day trip, 3.5 were spent at Epcot, my kids LOVE it there! Our 1st day there was a 1/2 day, we did Future World, starting at 10 AM, and had seen/rode everything there (except mission space due to height restrictions) by 4. We headed out to a 5:00 ressie at Ohana and it was perfect. Our 2nd day there we did Soarin and Turtle Talk again while we waited for WS to open at 11 and then started in Mexico working our way around to a 5:00 ressie at LeCellier. This day the kids did Kidcot in each country and had their passports signed, we explored and took pictures of us in the hats from around the world. We got all the way through France before we realized time was short and we had to make it to Canada so had to come back and experience GB & Canada on a 3rd day. Our 3rd day we finished off WS and did Kim Possible in Japan and Italy (the 2 countries my 1st & 2nd grader are studying on school), saw Miyuki, did Pick a Pearl in Japan and picked up souvies we wanted from our 1st day going around WS.

The day you are thinking is a late start there, really wont be if you do WS, since it doesn't open until 11. Also do you think your parents enjoy countries more or rides? Did you want to take countries slower with your ds and do Kidcot (really time consuming, boring for parents, fun for kids), or just see highlights in each country and move on?

If it were me I would do WS with just the family, spend the time needed and maybe earmark a few things you want to do there when you go again with parents so you can skip them the 1st go round. Then the day you can start at rope drop do Soarin 1st thing, Turtle Talk immediately after, and grab a set of FPs for Test Track to do a bit later in the day and see anything else that your parents wanted to do in between.

 

[Swimalie]

Thank you so much for the info. So much to think about! My parents will be there with us for both days. They just won't arrive to the resort until about 10am so we won't get to Epcot until around 11, at the earliest, on that first day. As for what they would like to do, they don't care. They just want to spend time watching their grandson have fun (they live 800 miles from us and don't get to see us often). But they do love rides I have no clue what my son will want to do, either.

I do want to do Test Track, though. That's one ride we've all missed doing on all our trips to Epcot. Thanks for reminding me about it.

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

Epcot is my son's favorite park! On our last trip we got there one day at EMH rope drop and another day we got thre around 11am.

The Rope Drop day we did all of future world. We started by my DH getting FP for Soarin' and then we got in line for Test Track and rode that, then Mission Space. By that time Innoventions was open and we rode Sum of all Thrills (48" height requirement-we rode this repeatedly and it was for sure my son's favorite ride). We headed back to ride Soarin' and did the Seas and were done in time for our ADRs at Le Cellier at noon.

The 11am day we rode Sum of all Thrills 1st, while my DH got FP for Mission Space (my son's 2nd fave). We rode MS and got FP for Test Track for later on. We got Kim Possible communicators and went to the World Showcase and started the mission. We did France and Morocco before we stopped to at lunch and continued around with the communicators.

Have a wonderful time; I thnk EPCOT is sometimes underrated for kids but we love it!

 

[brymolmom]

I've been with 4 and 5 year olds....This is what I would do.

Are you heading right there from Chef Mickey's?? If so - maybe that would put you at the park about 10?? Immediately grab a FP for TT or Soarin (whichever you think ds will like better). Then do:
The Sea Pavilion
Nemo
Turtle Talk
Look at aquarium
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Now World Showcase will be open - I doubt your time will be up - but if you CAN grab another FP - get the other one (TT or Soarin) and then head into World Showcase.
Since you had a big breakfast - I would 'snack' around the world instead of an actual sit-down lunch. Check out food stands, try new things, check out the gift shops, grab a KIDCOT mask and get the stamps at each country for ds. Make sure to hit the boat rides in Mexico and Norway.
I would do about 1/2 the countries or so...depending how antsy ds is getting.

THEN about mid to late afternoon - head back to Future World. Get another FP if you can...then use the one(s) you got earlier. Ride Soarin, Living with the land boat ride and then TT - using FP's...You can also get FP for Mission Space when you are able and use that. Ride Spaceship Earth.

Are you staying for illuminations either night?

On day #2 - get there at opening - grab FP for Soarin or TT and ride teh other one right away. Do any of the above that you missed or do any again that you want to see a 2nd time. Then when World Showcase opens - do other 1/2 of countries or as many as you can grab FP on the way out of the park- then head back to resort about 1:00 for break time. Get back to EP a bit before dinner....ride Spaceship Earth (again, if desired) on way into park. Grab FP and then head to dinner. Now do any countries that you missed, then use all unused FP's...and now it should be time for Illuminations.

 

[kpgriswold]

We find with little kids that it actually works better to do Epcot as "left side/ right side" instead of "front/back". It keeps them from getting too bored just seeing countries for a whole day.

On your first Epcot day -- the day you arrive late -- try seeing Spaceship Earth and The Seas (Nemo and Crush!) and maybe the Imagination pavilion or Universe of Energy. These all tend not to be too crowded late in the day. Then do half of the countries. Maybe Canada to Japan? As the pp sugggested, let your son stop at all the Kidcot tables. It really does make it fun for them!

On your full day, get there just as the park opens and do the headliners -- Test Track, Soarin', Mission Space -- first thing, then whatever else you missed in Future World, and then do the other half of the countries in the afternoon.

If your little guy can rest or even nap in a stroller, don't bother going back to your resort in the middle of the day. Do be sure he is not too tired to see IllumiNations, though! My kids LOVE the show.

 

[Swimalie]

Thank you all. I hadn't even thought about "left" half and "right" half ideas. I like that! Illuminations involves fireworks, right? He HATES fireworks. We may have to send my husband back with him for that while my mom, dad and I stay for them.

Oh.. now I'm even more excited about this trip Thank you all again.