Epcot Lovers, Strategy Please

[evcollins]

Hi Everyone,

We are planning a full day at Epcot in September. This will be our first time at this park. We are four adults, (3) 12-year boys, (1) 11-year girl, (1) 9-year boy. It is the most recommended park for the day, crowd level 3. Epcot is scheduled to close at 9:00 that evening. We will watch Illuminations on another night when we hop over for F&W.

Our plan is to grab bakery items along the Boardwalk and walk over for RD. We'll have lunch at La Cantina around 11:30, leave Epcot soon after lunch for a break, then come back in the evening, around 6:00ish, for dinner at Biergarten at 7:30.

Having never been, and we'll do everything together when we reserve FPs, what should we do and when? Thanks so much for your help! This is the one park I don't know how to plan since we've never been there.

 

[Belle stitch]

Since you are going for RD, you should be good with your tiered FPs. You will need to decide if your tier one will be for soarin' or Test Track, then book it at Rd to the other. You will want to make sure you FP Mission Space, but note that there are 2 different versions, orange (which is more intense) and green. I did green and still had to keep my eyes closed to not get sick ( but simulators and I don't get along). When you get off Soarin' go across the food court and ride Living With the Land. It is a nice boat ride and the end thru the greenhouses is neat. After leaving The Land Paviliion, head over to the Seas to check out all the aquariums. After lunch, you could ride the Malestrom in Norway. I would wait until mid-afternoon, maybe right before you leave, to head up front and ride Spaceship Earth- lines should be shorter then. When you come back for dinner, leave yourself enough time to check out each country in World Showcase. Some of the shows are Must-dos for DH and me, like The American Adventure and Reflections of China. Just looking at the grounds and merchandise in each country can keep me entertained, but not sure it will do the trick for the kids. Good luck and have fun!

 

[BadgerGirl84]

http://www.easywdw.com/cheatsheets/ep_cheatsheet_easyguide.pdf

 

[PuppyPrincess]

Make sure when you return you give yourself enough time to tour each country. Dinner at the Biergarten is wonderful I thoroughly enjoy it, the food and entertainment are superb. You will find many things to entertain yourself while walking around the countries. There are bands - Mo Rockin and Off Kilter come to mind - as well as other entertainers in the countries. As PP noted, there are movies about each country, as well as many specialty shops, and of course, most countries sell desserts that are to die for! We never tire of Epcot, or any other Disney park. Hope you enjoy your first time and the F&W, which is a lot of fun.

 

[mikeyg1479]

My general Epcot strategy:

Get fast passes for Souring and Test Track as soon and early as possible. These are the marquee attractions that can and will have hour plus wait times. Maybe use a third for Maelstrom in Norway if convenient as sometimes that wait can get longish, and the ride isn't worth too much of a wait, but worthwhile if you can get on quickly.

Beyond that, I find the rest of the park to be highly manageable in terms of standby wait times and accessability- never wait much more than 15 minutes for anything else.

Don't fall in the trap of getting into a long line at Spaceship Earth first thing in the morning- its the first thing everyone sees upon entering and they get in line- visit it a bit later on, or especially in the evening on your way out and you'll walk on.

 

[heyitsmejosh]

keep in mind if you get your fast passes early in the day you can select a 4th 5th 6th ect

 

[ougrad86]

Soarin', TT and Maelstrom are all Tier 1, so you can only get one of them. Based on our experience a week ago, it seems that it would be best to hit TT right at RD, and use a FP for Soarin'. Soarin' always seems to be a little faster in the FP category. If you can do EMH at Epcot, you can ride both and then FP one of them again.
Maelstrom should be quieter in the evening, it is running around 20-30 during the day, but that ebbs and flows. You might happen upon it at a good time. You can usually catch Soarin' and TT with shorter waits during Illuminations, but not always.
Mission:Space wait times have not been too bad, worse on Orange than Green. But you can pick up a FP for it since it is Tier 2. I would actually recommend keeping your eyes open. since closing your eyes only gives messes with your brain, since it has no other stimulus to associate the sensations with (like reading in the car can cause sickness, instead of looking out at the countryside passing by). Orange I have heard is pretty intense, so I have always done Green and had no problem.
If you want SS Earth, you might want to pick up another FP on that. We went by the tried and true quieter in the afternoon and it was not. We had a twenty minute wait on our way out of the park (around 5 pm), but this is something we always do.
I love wandering through the countries unhurried, just poking around and seeing what I can find!

 

[cleophus12]

I agree with PP about getting the FP for Soarin. TT seems to move pretty quickly right after rope drop especially if you do the Single rider line. Soarin fills up fast and moves a little more slowly at rope drop. FP will get you right in usually.

 

[heidijanesmith]

Hi Everyone,

We are planning a full day at Epcot in September. This will be our first time at this park. We are four adults, (3) 12-year boys, (1) 11-year girl, (1) 9-year boy. It is the most recommended park for the day, crowd level 3. Epcot is scheduled to close at 9:00 that evening. We will watch Illuminations on another night when we hop over for F&W.

Our plan is to grab bakery items along the Boardwalk and walk over for RD. We'll have lunch at La Cantina around 11:30, leave Epcot soon after lunch for a break, then come back in the evening, around 6:00ish, for dinner at Biergarten at 7:30.

Having never been, and we'll do everything together when we reserve FPs, what should we do and when? Thanks so much for your help! This is the one park I don't know how to plan since we've never been there.

Biergarden is super fun and our must do every year. DH especially loves Biergarden's atmosphere and Ompah band. We usually end up spending quite a bit of time there and stuff our selves. Be warned that you will sit with another people as the tables seat 8 (I think). We like this, as we like to talk to people at WDW.

I agree with TT at rope drop and Soarin as a FP+ option. Once you are done with your three FP+, then see if you can get a FP+ for your favorite ride and go again.

We love EPCOT and usually spend at least 3 nights there, especially during F&W. If you want to eat your way around World Showcase for F&W, do not eat at a restaurant that night. We were too stuffed from Biergarden to enjoy the F&W options.

Illminations is my favorite night time show, it is worth getting a good spot early. We like the boat dock in front of Germany and by the IG (especially if you are staying at an EPCOT resort, makes for an easy get away).

 

[heyitsmejosh]

Honestly my epcot strategy is to start in Mexico and end in Canada just because its hard to end a day of drinking around the world with a margarita

 

[nilla]

An important thing is to not assume you'll be able to do nearly all of it in one day. Epcot takes two days at the very least!

Agree with going on either TT or Soarin' at Rope Drop, whichever you don't have FPs for. I'd say break up part of the day as being your Futureworld time, and the other part the World Showcase time.