EPCOT- What else to do???

[Fantabulously Cherry]

For me, Epoct is an all-day park because I love exploring all the details for World Showcase. Plus, you may spend most of the day in line for Soarin'. LOL! JK but it can be between 1 -2 hours in line easily.

 

[itchin2go]

Epcot is not a half day park. We allot 2 days minimum.

It is not a typical theme park, and it's hard to understand until you've been there. I tired to visualize it before I first went there, and I failed miserably.

Allot one day for sure. Go early (at park opening if possible), make sure to book an advance FP for either Test Track or Soarin, and go immediately to ride the other one standby. Explore the rest of Future World at least until 11:00 when you can wander over to World Showcase and explore.

 

[misse320]

No not a half day! Other than the rides there is entertainment in the countries as well. My son likes the drummers in Japan. There's acrobats in China ect. of course the America pavilion. Also characters can be found in the countries too. The food is also yummy. I find we have a few dinners in Epcot during our trip. Lot's to do.

I especially love the EPCOT entertainment because it's just a small crowd and not something you really have to plan. I know there is a schedule and all, but I enjoy just happening upon things and becoming engaged.

 

[5kidsmommy]

It depends on the individuals.

When my kids were little it was a half day park, we'd do the Crush and Nemo stuff and a few rides but not much else. They couldn't really hand the World Showcase. We went last January and only had one day there and the kids wanted more but we had allotted time for more than one day. For my December trip with my daughter we are forgoing AK and doing three total days at EPCOT because it is now her favorite park. It just really depends on who you are. My teens spent almost 2 hours in the gift shop in Japan last year. So personal preference.

 

[>Ash<]

There is a TON of stuff to do in EPCOT!
defo not a half day park! full day!

a lot to see a lot to do around the world showcase! i hear so many people saying they don't do the world showcase and skip it! the food, drinks, shopping, experiences you wont find elsewhere! EPCOT his my ultimate favorite park!

 

[Trinity88]

Epcot is a half day park when we go with the kids. I just can't keep them interested in the world showcase. And my kids are younger. But they are bored shopping (I don't let them buy much, they just lose it or don't take care of it), can't drink, find the shows too much like school, etc. I'm super excited to tour the world showcase on our couples trip in a few weeks though, without the kids! But with kids, you have to decide if the world showcase is something they'd enjoy. If not, we can easily do a half day and be done.

 

[Claireywalsh]

It really depends on what your preference is! We love epcot so did 2 days there and actually popped over for an extra few hours after our day at Hollywood studios. It's definately not a thrill seekers paradise but it's so relaxed and beautiful, strolling round world showcase and looking at all the different countries is fabulous! Throw in a varied mix of food and drink and characters along the way and I couldn't be happier! My daughter was 6 the last time we went and because it's so stop start it was really manageable for her. Spoke to a cast member in the Morocco pavillion for around a half hour after meeting jasmine and then after watching a street performance in the UK stayed and chatted to a family visiting from the west Coast and shared trip stories. I would plan at least 1 day minimum with a floating day so you can go back if you like It! Yacht and beach club for us next trip so we can literally jump straight in

 

[RustManFan]

Epcot boring? On what planet? We have always loved our time there and it was often a 2 day park for us.... first park we visited most trips.

And I am talking about park opening to park closing each day.

Me and my DD and DS enjoyed it so much from visit #1 when they were 8 and 5! Of course they are both (like me their mother) into learning things and not just being entertained

 

[Delirium]

I have personally witnessed parents struggling with 'unhappy' children in the World Showcase, when all the kids wanted to do were take part in the children's activities that exist in the World Showcase. For example, a child wanted to do KidKot, and got a 'We didn't come to Disney World to color" rebuke.

Many kids find fun things to do at Epcot if the parents let go of their perception of what a theme park should be.

 

[calismic]

My daughter will be 5 in June and Epcot is her absolute favorite park. We leave in a week and she can't stop talking about the F&G Festival. She loves exploring the World's Showcase more than we do! I was absolutely shocked when we went last time and she kept picking Epcot to go back to. We can easily spend 2 or 3 days and not see everything.

 

[kbelle8995]

I loved Epcot when I was a kid. I love it now. I do wonder if some of the visitors are disappointed because they expect the MK. It's a different kind of park. I like that it feels more laid back.

A half day park you say? NEVER. Not for me anyway.

 

[emilik]

Definitely a full day park for us and I cannot WAIT for the trip I have in the works for just my husband and I, so that we can do two full days!!
There are some things that we wouldn't do with our littles (like Ellen - too loud, and a lot of.time in the WS exhibits - although we found on our last trip that thenindoor gallery spaces are a fantastic place to power walk around in air conditioning while a baby falls asleep in the stroller they were all empty!), but other things that they insist we do twice (like Figment and living with the land), and other things that we just do differently (like the aquarium at Nemo, more running around and climbing than observing the wildlife). And the FOOD, oh man, I would go just to eat 3 meals and many snacks around the WS! There are so many Epcot restaurants that I haven't gotten to try, that is always a highlight.
Innoventions takes a LOT more time with little children (although if we had been alone we would have done the Green Home tour like we wanted to!)
And if you're there for F&G that's another whole sightseeing aspect (butterfly pavilion!)
And the unique characters like Mary Poppins! (Favorite.)
We don't shop or drink and we still find tons and tons to do

 

[PrincessTone]

We do two days at Epcot, kids love this park. So much to explore and take your time which is a nice change of pace from the other parks where we are rushed to fit it all in. Exploring just the world showcase is at least half a day if you want to experience all the wonderful things it has to offer. Enjoy Epcot, don't rush through it!

 

[holden]

If we are in WDW for a week, we are in Epcot for 2 1/2 days! It's our #2 favorite park (MK is #1). My girls are 12 and 8, and they love Epcot.

 

[seelyt2]

Our family loves EPCOT and it's a 2 day park for us, although I will admit that I (mom) and DD13 like it more than the boys (hubby and DS18). We spend a half to three-quarter of the day riding rides and checking out Future World, and we spend about the same amount of time in the World Showcase, too, but we have park hoppers and mix it up between a couple of days. DD and I could spend hours upon hours in WS shopping and sampling our way around the place, wherein the boys could take it or leave it (mostly leave it when we're in shopping mode). Honestly I wish we could just split up already, but to each their own, I guess.

 

[Kbee]

For my kids and dh its a half day park so they go back to the resort and I tour WS.

 

[tinkerhon]

Our DD9 can LIVE at Epcot ! Eespecially, during our Thankgiving trip when its not that hot- she loves the Kidcot booths/tables, and if you ask, you can get little cards with facts about each country from the CM'S
Our DD4 now loves Epcot as well--- (2) day minimum, as we could eat at Via Napoli all day !!!

 

[Ava]

On our Epcot day last year it was raining too much in the evening to comfortably stroll through World Showcase, but I wanted one last ride on Maelstrom. So we went back to the park anyway, ate dinner at Les Halles, then DD5 and I rode Maelstrom. In all my times riding it I had never sat through the film afterwards and was about to walk right through the theater again, but DD5 sat down in the front row of seats and asked me what this show was. I told her it was a movie about Norway, and she insisted that she wanted to watch it. So I said alright and sat down with her. A minute later another family with a girl about DD's age came in, the little girl asked the same question of her parents, and when she was told what it was she said "I don't want to see that" and they kept on walking through. Well, my DD pipes up loudly, "I guess she doesn't want to learn about Norway!" I about lost it laughing and then the film looped back on and she sat there quietly watching that cheesy old '80s film about Norway.

ANYWAY - My DD was all about the rides, so I was surprised that she was interested in the Norway movie of all things. This year I'm planning a full day and an evening at Epcot, and we'll hit WS when it opens at 11:00am so we have plenty of time to see it and meet the characters there.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

I will admit, I was not a happy camper as a kid going to Epcot, but as I have gotten older, I absolutely love Epcot. It probably wasn't until I was about 16-17 for me to truly enjoy Epcot. I'm an engineer by trade, so I find FW fascinating, yet I love learning about the different cultures around the WS. I will agree it does depend on your interpersonal skills. I'm very extroverted, so I have no problem talking to strangers from a different country and learning about their experience. The food and drink is great, but the best time to go is during the holidays when you get to learn how other countries celebrate. Illuminations is a great firework display as well. When I go for 7 days, I will probably spend roughly 5 half days at Epcot, but that is mostly spent strolling around the WS and enjoying the entertainment and food and drink.