Epcot or MGM w/ Toddlers?

[andijean]

I need help making this tough decision. I have 2 boys ages 3 & 5. We are going the 1st week in December and doing 4 days at Disney and then going to Sarasota to visit family. We were at Disney 2 yrs ago and did all the parks. My DH says this time I need to not go "commando" and only wants to do 3 parks in the 4 days that we are there. I am having a tough time deciding which park to sacrifice. We definitely love MK and AK, so easy there. So, that leaves Epcot or MGM. DH thinks Epcot and I think MGM. His perspective is when we went last time it was so busy and Epcot was a nice change of pace and had a more leisurely feel...I am worried about the boys being bored there. We do like Living Seas. Do most young kids like TT? It didn't seem too intense to me. My perspective on MGM is not a lot of rides for the boys, but definitely some shows they would like and I am interested in seeing Osbourne lights. Also, where can I find an idea of what the park hours would be that time of year, since they are not posted yet? Thanks for the input.

 

[princesslibby]

My boys would pick MGM over Epcot. (if I made them choose)DS8,DS7&DS3
It's hard to pick. Most of the things they could do @ MGM would be shows.
Epcot has UE,SE,Figment,The Land plus HISTA. And then you have all of WS.
Too hard to pick! You'll have to stay another day.

But you get to go.So you'll have a great time no matter what.

libby

 

[nicdanh]

Its a hard choice! Epcot the boys can stop at the kidcot stations in every country an color a mask, which is exciting for my children.

 

[MickeyMacks]

Epcot Future World for Living Seas (for Turtle Talk with Crush, assuming it's back up and running by then) and Figment, and Spaceship Earth, and the dancing fountains!!!!! They'd probably like the Viking ship playground in Norway too. If you're staying onsite, you could skip the World Showcase with little guys and take a break back at the resort and pool. Or just take your time around WS and don't try to see everything, just go at the kids' pace.

It sure would be nice to let the kids "rest" on the boat or bus ride from Epcot to MGM in the late afternoon though, so they could play at the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground and you could see Osbourne lights later .....

 

[MosMom]

MGM...especially if they love Playhouse Disney!

 

[Skroops]

I'd do MGM. My DS loved playhouse Disney, and the Little Mermaid, and the Honey I shrunk the kids playground.
My DS loved the water spray jets at Epcot, but there wasn't as much for him there as MGM. Epcot is my favorite!

 

[tmanaster]

We were there this past June (DD7, DD6, and twins 2). While they enjoyed MGM, they all liked Epcot better. My 7 and 6 year old went on all the big rides at MGM, but said they would not like to go on them again. The stunt show was great, although my DH enjoyed it lots more than they did. The playhouse disney show is really cute, but your boys might be a little old for this. The only part they liked about MGM better than Epcot is Fantasmic. On the other hand, Epcot was such a nice change of pace while still having exciting rides like Soarin and Test Track. Either way, you win!

HTH.

 

[QuickGold]

MGM besides what others have said, it's also a smaller park which is a plus with little ones.

 

[HappyMommy2]

Hmmm...that is a tough one!
I have 3- and 5-year old boys too. I think I would lean toward Epcot, unless you or DH is really set on something at MGM. My boys love Journey Into Imagination, Spaceship Earth, the water jets, Living Seas, the Mexico boat ride, and especially watching Illuminations (Fantasmic is too scary for them right now). They enjoy Ice Station Cool and Innoventions (?) too. My oldest loved Test Track on our last two trips and my youngest has just hit 40" and is looking forward to TT very much. Also, there is Soarin' now, which I am sure my kids will enjoy a lot and yours probably would too (assuming your 3 year old is tall enough to ride). My boys also enjoy going around the World Showcase--they love the acrobats in China, the big drums (Japan?), and of course picking out a few small souvenirs/treats in the various countries.

MGM does have fun shows for the kids but my boys aren't as much into sitting for shows--maybe yours are. My older son does LOVE Star Tours; we rode it many times on our last trip when he was 4. Playhouse Disney was fun and they enjoyed the Great Movie Ride (with us covering their ears and eyes once or twice during the "scary" parts). Overall though it is DH and I who get the most out of MGM--we love RockNRollercoaster and Millionaire!--the kids are just kindof along for the ride at MGM.

I don't think you can really go wrong. Your kids (and you) will find plenty of enjoyment at either park. Have fun!

 

[liamandcaili]

It's a tough choice, but I would pick MGM for the kids. Besides the rides others have mentioned, at the time you are going, MGM closes earlier. I don't know what time your boys usually go to bed, but as an example of the time difference, on November 30 (December hours aren't out yet), Fantasmic is showing at 7, while Illuminations at Epcot won't run until 9:30 because of the Candlelight Procession. I know my DD at three did not make it up that late and missed Illuminations and Wishes, but she loved Fantasmic. Plus, I hear the Osbourne Lights are spectacular. We are looking forward to seeing them when we are there in December.

Good luck. I am sure you will have a great time no matter which you choose.

 

[justKim]

If you like Living Seas, you may want to check it out and see what's new after the rehab.

My son was 5 when he did ToT and he hated it. We rode with a 5 year old girl who loved it. Always hard to tell on rides with the little ones.

Nice thing about a tough choice like this, no matter which park you choose, you'll have fun.

Have a great trip.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Either one is great for little ones.

Innovations offers interactive stuff the kids can have fun with. WS offers the masks that you color and collect stuff from each country. My son's Kindergarten teacher was very impressed when he brought it to school for show and tell. She was amazed by what he learned by teaching the others about the different countries.

MGM offers Bear in Big Blue House, Muppets, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

When my DS was small, we didn't go to a park for the kids. The kids went to the park with us.

There is something for everyone at all the parks, regardless what you may hear.

 

[jennymouse]

We're in the same boat as you this trip. It'll be a short 4 night stay taking a 2yo for her first time. We're only planning to do 3 parks as well, but we're skipping AK. Don't get me wrong we love AK and will miss it for sure, but there's not a whole lot there for a 2yo. We just took a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo to see the animals and don't think we need to take our precious short time to go to AK for FoLK & TS which other than the Boneyard are about all she could do. It seem strange not to visit AK this time though.

 

[stschaefer]

DD is over 40 inches tall and loved Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Figment, Honey..., and all the Kidcot stations (had to collect all the stamps and draw in each country).

In MGM she loved ToT (did it 4 times), Playhouse, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Star Tours, and Muppets.

Great characters in each park. We spent one day in each and 4 days in MK (Epcot first day, MK 2 days, MGM, then 2 days MK and DTD on last day).