Epcot World Showcase - worth it for young kids?

[peacefrogdog]

Planning to be in WDW this fall with my 3 kids (who will be 6, 4 and 4). Last year we did all the parks except Epcot, so we'll likely do that first.

We're hoping the youngest ones will be tall enough to ride Test Track and Soaring, and planning to do Nemo and Turtle Talk. But I'm unsure whether it will be worth it to go to the World Showcase, especially since our touring style tends to be to do stuff in the morning, and leave around 1:30 to go back for a nap.

For those of you who have been in Epcot with kids in this age range, how did they find the World Showcase? Anything they really loved? (I'm predicting my kids would find the Mexico boat ride to be "OK" so wouldn't be upset if we missed it)

Rene

 

[catgirl]

I traveled with two 4yr old girls. The were exicted about the characters they saw, enjoyed the street preformers, but that was it. No interest in seeing the different lands. The were 42 inches tall and could did soarin and test track, loved both!!!! There were only a few things they couldn't do in any of the parks, which was nice. Because those two are daredevils and wanted to do it all. They both rode tower of terror, only one of them went a 2nd time

 

[DVCsince02]

Don't forget the Kidcot stops. They will enjoy that too.

 

[peacefrogdog]

What are the Kidcot stops?

 

[hlbrink]

We are going to take our kids and their cousins (ages 2, 3.5, 4.5 and 7) through the World Showcase when we visit Epcot next month. I am not sure what they will like, but this is my favorite part of WDW and while most of the trip is centered around the kids, we are doing this for me.

That being said, we have had some unexpected character interactions in the past that were so neat. We saw Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Tigger in a quiet corner of England (there was no one else there!) and were in Mexico when a double decker bus of characters pulled up and hopped out. Pretty cool!

 

[o2bacelt]

My not quite 4 year old DD will tell you that EPCOT is her favorite park. She loves going through the whole place and she's not tall enough to ride the thrill rides.

KIDCOT stations are areas in both future world and world showcase where your children can stop, learn, and color, in future world they get lanyard type thing that they can wear around their necks, when you stop at each station you get a different item to put on the lanyard's card. In World Showcase, you have a mask that you get to add to, what's great is the folks in China ask you child their names and the year they were born, they then write your child's name in Chinese and put a stamp on the handle of the mask that is the correct Chinese zodiac for the year your child was born. DD thinks it's fascinating to talk to everyone at the kidcot stations. She learns so much about other people that way.

We spend a lot of evenings in EPCOT since we love the variety of foods and how incredible it looks at night time.

Enjoy your trip, you just may find a new favorite park, you never know.

 

[JVL1018]

We've been taking our kids to Epcot since they've been babies-we spend way more time in World Showcase than in Future World because it's my favorite.

My children(now 6 and 8) have always liked it-they get the Passports and get them signed and do the masks in each country.
You also see a bunch of characters as you walk around(Mulan in Chine, Belle in France, Snow White and Dopey in Germany etc.)

In Mexico, they like to play with the musical instruments they have there, and they like the ride-they also love the nachos.

Norway, they like the store(lots of trolls and viking helmets and swords to check out), they love the ride.

China, they like to play with the puppet things they sell right outside the pavilion, they like to watch the acrobats.


Italy, they like to run around in the plaza, get some gelato

Germany, fun stores(teddy bears, dolls, cuckoo clocks), trains to look at, Gummi bears and soft pretzels to snack on

Japan: they love the store-Hello Kitty and Pokemon galore..Kaki Gori(shaved ice) is my favorite and we always get some, they have drummers there that are really cool..and the lady making candy

USA, they love the Voices of Liberty and are okay with the show, there are gardens where they run around, and a funnel cake stand

Morocco, cool alleyways to explore

France, the bakery! 'nuff said. cool performers

UK: My husband's favorite:The British Invasion-we all love to listen to them, the kids love the toy stgore(I love the tea shop), there is hopscotch drawn on the street, a butterfly garden to explore..

Canada: OffKilter is another family favorite-love them! The kids love to explore the waterfall "mountain" area.

So yes, World Showcase is loved by our whole family-take the kids!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

DD had fun in WS and she was just 3 1/2. I gave her a disposable camera for the time we were there and she had fun snapping her own photos. Only one of the photos was even remotely close to decent, but she had a blast taking pictures in the different countries.

 

[teacher100]

There is a neat train set up somewhere, but I can't remember where! The AMerican Adventure is a nice place for them to nap! WS is very hot in the afternoon however.

 

[Elmo888]

My DDs, 7 and 3, enjoyed the Kidcot funstops, the Mexico ride (updated with the Three Cabelleros, including the famous Donald Duck), characters (a few include Donald Duck in Mexico, Sleeping Beauty in France, Pooh, etc. and Alice in Wonderland in the UK toy store, and Genie, Aladdin, and Jasmine in Morocco), and street performers.

There is also the boat ride in Norway, although we couldn't talk DD7 at the time into it (and she rode everything else at WDW except Tower of Terror!).

If you enjoy the WS, I wouldn't hesitate to walk around there with the kids. There is plenty there to entertain them. It is just a nice place to spend an evening (or two or three), esp. with all of the restaurants. On a day when we napped, after eating at an Epcot restaurant, we enjoyed spending a low key evening in the WS. I didn't plan on any serious touring time , though (I did really want to see the updated Canada film, but we didn't get there).

 

[pruesmom]

Our family spends 90% of our time in Future World. My daughter is now 8 and has been going since she was 3. She still has NO interest in walking around the World Showcase. There is so much to do and see and that just doesn't seem to interest her. As far as the Kidcot stops, they are nice if you are trying to keep them occupied or its raining but they can do crafts at home. Maybe take a fast walk around but spend most of your time in Future World.

 

[cwnhokie]

Epcot is our favorite park. We went the first time when the boys were 2 and 4. We went to all the Kidcot stations and got pressed pennies in each country. There are lots of little, low key things to do, I think that's why they like it. After all of the larger than life stuff at the other parks, EPCOT is a nice relaxing, interesting place to explore.

 

[HamTown]

World Showcase is my DS7's favorite part of WDW. My DDs 4 and 2 enjoyed parts of it, mostly the different snacks from each country .

Every child is different and might get somethng out of it. DS is a history buff so he enjoyed learning about the different cultures. I have pictures of him in different hats from several of the pavilions, I only wish I realized I had started a theme and made sure to get one from every country.

There are unexpected character interactions throughout the day and the Chinese acrobats are not to be missed.

 

[MNdisneymom]

My then 3.5 yo ds (he's 5 now) loved the world showcase...Just wandering around and seeing everything. Mexico was fun for him--he liked looking at all the stuff in the marketplace, and the ride, too. Also, he loved Norway. (DS's name is of scandinavian origin , and he thought it was cool that the international CMs there pronounced his name "funny"--actually, really the correct way...), liked the boat ride even better than Mexico, and was thrilled beyond belief to eat lefse. (Think norwegian potato tortilla, with butter and sugar--a yummy treat that we only usually get at Christmas time.) Also, we wandered through Morocco, and he liked all of the buildings.

His absolute favorite thing about WS, though, was watching Illuminations from the bridge (between england and france? I don't remember). That was the day that I discovered that loud noises don't bother him.

Cheers, have a fun trip!

 

[Ariel8676]

There is SOO much to do in World Showcase!! My girls 6,5 LOVE going there and will say that Epcot is their favorite park..lol My 2 yo just goes along with the flow..but does love the Maelstrom in Norway..and eating a Rice Cream there too They love the Kidcot stations and talking with the CM's in the countries..tha waterfall in Canada, the performers in China..really they love to watch all the performers all over..lol It is really worth it and it is a learning experience as well!

 

[mikeesuee]

we are going next week and I would like to get my dd a passport,but don't know where to purchase one please help LOL

 

[JVL1018]

we are going next week and I would like to get my dd a passport,but don't know where to purchase one please help LOL

They sell them in every country up by the registers in the store, you can also get them as you're walking up from Future World to World Showcase, past the fountain, they have those little open air shops on wither side of the walkway selling sunglasses and hats and the like.

 

[TanyaS]

My oldest son loved the Kidcot stations - In fact, I was the one who got bored in some of the countries standing there watching him color!

 

[sk!mom]

DD's first trip was over her 5th birthday and she loved EpCot. That was before Crush and some of the newer things young kids would really enjoy.

She loved TestTrack, making a mask and getting the Passport stamped in the WS, playing in the water sidewalk, seeing character in WS, and several street performers. She also enjoyed Illuminations and whatever the Parade was called that they used to have before it.

 

[Girly_Qs]

My then-4.5yo loved the World Showcase last year. We definitely plan to hit it again this year.

My only gripe about the Kidcot stations - WHY must they use permanent Sharpie markers to color (you know, the ones that stain skin and clothing beyond belief?!?)?!?